Now More than Ever, We Need to Petal It Forward
For the last five years, thousands of floral industry members in all 50 states have organized their teams on one day in October to take part in Petal it Forward, SAF’s goodwill initiative where participants hand two flowers or bouquets to an unsuspecting stranger, urging them to keep one and share the other with someone else. It’s a powerful way to illustrate the positive health benefits of giving and receiving flowers.
Given the isolation brought on by COVID-19, Petal it Forward is needed more than ever. The Kaiser Family Foundation released a tracking poll in July 2020 showing that most American adults — 53 percent — believe that the pandemic is taking a toll on their mental health. Science has proven that flowers reduce stress and anxiety and make people happy. Let’s come together as an industry and spread the power of flowers.
Since it launched in 2015, Petal It Forward has been a flexible, highly customizable event. This year, we have a host of new tools to help you comply with pandemic restrictions. With targeted adaptations and updated support materials and guidance, SAF feels confident members can plan safe, successful giveaways – that not only bring joy to the flower recipients but also boost morale at all of the participating businesses.
Look who is participating.
Petal It Forward is a prime example of the industry coming together for a common goal, and as your national trade association, we are proud to lead you in this initiative to elevate consumer perceptions about flowers. SAF helps you build a better floral business, so together we can build a stronger floral industry.
Step by Step Guidance for a Successful Petal It Forward
1. Save the date! Petal It Forward 2020 is Wednesday, October 21.
2. Register your business so that SAF can provide optimal support to your team and keep an accurate count of the Petal it Forward participants nationwide, so you can share that with your local media.
3. Coordinate with your team and industry partners. Craft a plan for what you plan to pass out on Oct. 21 and how you plan to run the day, depending on your team’s workload and availability, product availability and other factors. Remind your employees (and any partners helping you out on the day) of area restrictions and norms as they relate to social distancing and facial masks.
4. Scout your resources. SAF has tons of new and updated resources you can use this year, including:
- Sample Press Release Media Talking Points
- Templates
NEW Face Mask
NEW Sandwich Board
Flower Card - Flower Event Messages
- Social Media Messages and Shareable Graphics
5. Get social. The real impact of your efforts will be felt on social media this year. Make sure you post photos and encourage recipients to share their best shots with relevant hashtags, including #PetalItForward.
6. Share your stories. Be sure to tag SAF in your social media posts or send an email to Mary Westbrook after the event with some of your favorite moments, so that we can share in the good cheer generated through this year’s event.
Capitalize on Petal It Forward to Promote Your Shop
A quick online search for “mental health and COVID” will quickly show that the toll the pandemic is taking on people’s emotional health and well-being is a big topic in the news. Media outlets are hungry for stories that feed into this trend, and, given all of the despair that’s in the news, editors are also always looking for “feel good” stories.
Petal it Forward is just that story: a beautiful “pay it forward” gesture being embraced on a national level by thousands of members of an industry. Take advantage of this opportunity to illustrate the positive benefits of giving and receiving flowers, and to increase your visibility in the community through local media coverage. Click here for step by step guidance.
Can’t join the nationwide effort or want to also do Petal It Forward at other times of the year? Click here for ideas.
Learn more about the benefit of flowers
Those who work in the floral industry every day see the positive reactions of people as they are exposed to flowers. In theory, our industry knows that flowers make people happy! Through the years, SAF has taken it a step further with groundbreaking research studies – in partnership with major universities and researchers in human emotion – that scientifically prove that flowers have a positive effect on our emotional well being. Having the science behind flowers gives us the ability to take this message to the media and consumers to share the good news about flower power. Petal It Forward is the perfect time to incorporate these findings into your message. Find out more.
Petal It Forward is possible thanks to the voluntary contributors of the SAF PR Fund. Find out if your supplier is a PR Fund supporter at safnow.org/prfund.
