Saf

Status
Not open for further replies.
Hal Conklin

Hal Conklin

Pro Member
Mar 16, 2003
1,105
465
83
Peoria
www.nyyankees.com
State / Prov
Arizona
SAF Convention- Great to see Cathy(CHR),The One and Only Bill Shadowski(Shadow),Rod Saline(SAF President),The Kremp Family,Jim Phillips(Phillips Flowers),Paul Raimondi(Raimondi's),Lorrie Anderson(MAS user Country Florist)and so many others was only there a short while but looks like its going to be a good one even tho its off the beaten path. But hey its a great place and what's better than a captured audiance. Hopefully get back today for more networking.
 
Great to see you too, Hal (why do you look younger than the last time I saw you? :) ) Haven't run into everyone on your list yet but have gotten to visit with Deborah de la Fleur & hubby Gus, Jerome Raska, Vince Butera & wife, BJ Dyer & Gunther Vogt, Coby Neal, Rich Salvaggio, Ann Jordan, Tim Ferrell, Sharon McGukin... so there's a great group of designers here.

Also got to see a few of the nervous Sylvia Cup contenants and will tweet pictures when the designs are ready to b e viewed later today.

Am doing a presentation on social media from 9:15 to 10:45 Pacific time this morning. Renato (SAF tech guru) will be live tweeting and you can follow him @renatosogueco. We also hope to include Nichole @Teleflora from afar. Chime in with questions and use the hashtag #saf125th so they get seen. Should be fun. :)
 
The tweets were great. It was obvious you did an awesome job Cathy! There were MANY complimentary tweets. Do you know if SAF is putting together a summary of what was discussed? There were a ton of great tidbits tweetedm but I am sure so much more that I missed. My brother was moderating the sympathy panel at the time of your workshop, so he missed it as well.
 
Frankly, it sounds like the same people (shops) are there as always. It's a good program, but considering the thousands of shops with forced memberships, I would not call it inclusive. I guess bringing in new blood or smaller shops wasn't on the SAF agenda again this year.

Even the marketer of the year. Bouquets is really innovative, but twice in a row? Twenty thousand florists and you have to pick the same shop twice? Why bother with the selection process at all?

Maybe next year.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BOSS
Bigted said:
Frankly, it sounds like the same people (shops) are there as always. It's a good program, but considering the thousands of shops with forced memberships, I would not call it inclusive. I guess bringing in new blood or smaller shops wasn't on the SAF agenda again this year.

Even the marketer of the year. Bouquets is really innovative, but twice in a row? Twenty thousand florists and you have to pick the same shop twice? Why bother with the selection process at all?

Maybe next year.
Click to expand...

As far as the panelists go... there is no discount toward anything for their participation as a speaker/moderator/judge. I know of several people that were asked, but could not afford or justify the expense to attend and participate on a panel or as a judge. It would be nice if participants did get a small discount on their registration in return for their participation. That might be enough incentive to have some new faces in these workshops.

As far as marketer of the year...you have to enter the contest in order to win. Having a brilliant marketing campaign won't get you considered unless you or someone else has nominated you. Florists that have great marketing ideas AND spend the extra time and effort to enter deserve to win and promote the title IMO. I don't think it should matter if that person has won previously. I think the bouquets guys won a few years ago... 2002?. Rick Canale won last year.

Did anyone reading this enter this year?

http://www.safnow.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=161&Itemid=0
What Makes a Winner?
Judges look for unique, innovative and successful marketing efforts. It can be a single campaign, or a series of promotional and advertising efforts over the course of a year or more.

vghstaffer said:
I just wish they would make it more affordable for small shops.
Click to expand...

I completely agree!
 
HeatherTuckey said:
As far as the panelists go... there is no discount toward anything for their participation as a speaker/moderator/judge. I know of several people that were asked, but could not afford or justify the expense to attend and participate on a panel or as a judge. It would be nice if participants did get a small discount on their registration in return for their participation. That might be enough incentive to have some new faces in these workshops.

As far as marketer of the year...you have to enter the contest in order to win. Having a brilliant marketing campaign won't get you considered unless you or someone else has nominated you. Florists that have great marketing ideas AND spend the extra time and effort to enter deserve to win and promote the title IMO. I don't think it should matter if that person has won previously. I think the bouquets guys won a few years ago... 2002?. Rick Canale won last year.

Did anyone reading this enter this year?

http://www.safnow.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=161&Itemid=0
What Makes a Winner?
Judges look for unique, innovative and successful marketing efforts. It can be a single campaign, or a series of promotional and advertising efforts over the course of a year or more.



I completely agree!
Click to expand...
I was asked to be on the sympathy panel...and I thought there sould be some "token" comp that might come with it. Hell, if they would have comp me $100 off the $800....I would have been there right now, and they would have been $700 more to the good.

While BJ is a very good business person and marketer (I was with him on the SAF Floral Management magazine committee...his mind is always thinking ahead of you)....having done his 7th panel by this convention could indicate they could use some new panelist blood IMO.

I had drafted a legthy letter to SAF back in 2000 about the Marketer of the Year.....and why I did not enter. I mentioned I believe the MMOY could use some "look'in into" since they have had a hard time getting a dozen entries in the past.
 
clay said:
I had drafted a legthy letter to SAF back in 2000 about the Marketer of the Year.....and why I did not enter. I mentioned I believe the MMOY could use some "look'in into" since they have had a hard time getting a dozen entries in the past.
Click to expand...

"MMOY"??

I am totally speculating... but I agree, I bet very few florists with really good marketing ideas even enter the contest.

clay said:
I was asked to be on the sympathy panel...and I thought there sould be some "token" comp that might come with it. Hell, if they would have comp me $100 off the $800....I would have been there right now, and they would have been $700 more to the good.
Click to expand...

I completely agree - $100 -$200 would be adequate or one nights room comp - something!!
 
Why do SAF Conventions cost so much?

Bigted said:
I guess bringing in new blood or smaller shops wasn't on the SAF agenda again this year.
Click to expand...


SAF does a terrible disservice to most of its members by not allowing the smaller shops to attend by keeping the cost of attending so expensive. I attend other conventions on behalf of other organizations and the SAF convention is by far the most expensive, including the lodging.
Would those of you at the convention speak up on behalf of the thousands of shops that wish they could attend?
 
  • Like
Reactions: HeatherTuckey and coastieflowers
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom
Back