Hate Flowers

[dutchchick]

I had a Family come in yesterday for family flowers, The told me the deceased hated flowers, (My first thought was he's dead who cares what he thinks) haha. But ofcourse we all know what they meant the deceased hated to pay for flowers. ( i hate " brussels sprouts! or waking up at 6:00am) but how really do you hate flowers? What would be your best reply to this, sales pitch so we can take this negative to a positive?
Joukje

 

[mcf]

What would be your best reply to this, sales pitch so we can take this negative to a positive?
Joukje

"Well, what did he like?" is a good answer.

Sympathy tributes can be made without flowers. Assorted greens, potted plants, personal items, etc. The salsa spray shown last week is a great example. Many items in the archives for hunters, fishermen, etc.

Remember, we aren't selling flowers. We are helping people express their feelings and emotions in whatever form they take.

 

[dutchchick]

he really liked chiclets, haha, but when I told them what a specialty piece would cost, the desided to bring in 12 packs of chiclets to incorperate in the flower arr,
I understand what you are saing I was looking more for a sales speech, where I could make the customer understand how important this last tribute you are going to give your loved one is and how important flowers are if he "did" or didn't love flowers
love you all
joukje

 

[dutchchick]

lolhe really liked chiclets, haha, but when I told them what a specialty piece would cost, the desided to bring in 12 packs of chiclets to incorperate in the flower arr,
I understand what you are saing I was looking more for a sales speech, where I could make the customer understand how important this last tribute you are going to give your loved one is and how important flowers are if he "did" or didn't love flowers
love you all
joukje

 

[SpringCity]

It's funny that someone would go in to a FLOWER shop and say "this person hated flowers, help me". I would almost want to say, "uh....hello? look where you are!" Not that I would. But jeez. I guess a plant or all greenery could work. I would suggest something like that.

 

[Carol Bice]

I am sure they really meant, he didn't want to pay money for flowers because they just die. They are disguising their cheapness by saying, he hated flowers.

No one could hate flowers.....but, could hate paying for them.

Can you point out to your customers that the floral tributes present at a funeral says a lot about a person and their life and their friends? It also eases the pain for the family and loved ones that come to the service.

Can you even imagine a funeral without flowers? What a sad commentary on a person's life.

Carol Bice

 

[Victoria]

I am sure they really meant, he didn't want to pay money for flowers because they just die. They are disguising their cheapness by saying, he hated flowers.

No one could hate flowers.....but, could hate paying for them.

Can you point out to your customers that the floral tributes present at a funeral says a lot about a person and their life and their friends? It also eases the pain for the family and loved ones that come to the service.

Can you even imagine a funeral without flowers? What a sad commentary on a person's life.

Carol Bice

The funeral home is by nature a bleak experience. To not have flowers to give life to the atmosphere is at best crushing.

We would provide flowers at a service, no matter the "wishes" of the deceased. In truth the whole exercise isn't for the dead, it's for the living.

V

 

[dutchchick]

thank you Victoria thats exactly how i feel but have difficulty expressing really from the heart I don't understand statements that I a m serously thing of going sunbathing with you we see eye to eye

 

[coppercountryflowers]

Flowers are given to help the mourner

Possibly explaining that flowers at a funeral serve several purposes including an emotional role by helping the healing process of those who are mourning. That they represent love, care, and concern that people have for the bereaved family. In other words is an emotional help for the person giving the flowers rather than the deceased. Encourage them to include with the flowers whatever he was about... a color, a hobby, his chiclets...whatever... what they remember about him!!!

Funeral flowers also supply a physical role in that they are a welcome diversion at wakes and visitations, giving people something to focus their conversation on...it helps to brighten up a very solemn atmosphere... this is where the incorporated chiclets will help mourners celbrate something special in the person's life with the help of the flowers.

The flowers also help to solidify the relationship people have with the deceased. Often times flowers express feelings that people don't ordinarily say in everyday life. They can be a token of healing, forgivenes, or unspoken words...they can be a memory of chiclets mixed in the mourner's favorite flowers.

 

[Gracie]

While I haven't (yet) had to do a funeral for someone who hated flowers, we did do some table centers this week for an event -- for people who hate flowers.

Our solution was simple -- cylinder vases, glass chip stones at the bottom, dried reeds straight up the center, and a big swoop of bear grass. The head table got a different arrangement -- a long horizontal glass tube with holes in the top (I call them flutes), and a dracaena reflexa stem (Song of India) in each hole. They loved it. Easy $$$ for us.

Recently, we did several funeral pieces for a man who built boats. Although he loved flowers, as did all the people who ordered for his funeral, one of the pieces we did was a punt (a type of small boat) fashioned out of chicken wire and sheet moss. Then we positioned his favourite brushes, hammer and other tools inside. It was quite a hit.

I think the trick is to "think outside the box" -- look around at all the things you have in the shop that are not floral. Think of how they could be used.