TF a no show at our state show

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Rhonda

Rhonda

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Nov 1, 2002
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Millinocket
www.millinocketflorist.com
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Received word today that TF will not have a booth at our Fall Show. Territories have been reworked and they feel there is not enough attendance for a booth. Guess corporate doesn't realize what the attendance at this show actually is..... lots of small shops from small towns that populate the north of this state. Many, many of which have no wire services.... and are probably good suckers for their technology (not, too expensive for most small shops)
Either way, to not have anyone represent them is certainly a coup for FTD who will be there.
 
May I suggest you call Teleflora and voice your reasons on why they should attend.

Even if it is a smaller booth!

Luc
 
It was also said, no rep in the northern part of the state, only phone calls so you know there will be no quality assurance of shops signed by phone. (and usually when they say "northern part of the state" that means 1 hour up from NH border which leaves another 4-5 hours of traveling up through the state, leaving a great number of small town shops they are not seeing, visiting, or even know of)
Yes, we lose booth space monies, meal monies but they still at least took an ad in our yearbook.
 
Well, as it happens......Joyce Mason-Monheim is here at SRFA with Teleflora.......and I'll put a word in her ear telling her that she needs to talk with Annie and see if the 'powers that be' at TF can change their minds.
 
Not having a Teleflora booth at the Maine State Florists' Fall Program will be very noticable BECAUSE of thier absence.

Instead of not having a booth because they anticipate a light attendance, why don't they take a booth, and "talk up" the show in advance, and try to raise attendance?

Valerie in NH
 
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This is bad....so bad....

You guys are the only ones in our territory that even have a show that I know of, they should be supporting you and the industry in our region outside of their shows....sheesh, half of our board is maine certified, just because MA doesn't have anything like it...
 
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Wait... Am I to understand that you people are ENCOURAGING a W/S have a presence at your show that consists of small shops (mostly)?
You all should be CELEBRATING their absence! Why not get together and form a little referral co-op of your own and keep that $$ between yourselves?

Tim - North Port Floral
 
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Tim, This is the catch-22 for floral industry conventions, shows, seminars. Whether we like them or not, the wire services through sponsoring designers, containers, products, underwriting, and the like ....... contribute a LOT to the shows.......I would be willing to put down even money that if the BIG THREE all stopped and said.......No to show/seminar participation........most conventions/associations would not be ABLE to have a show at ALL
 
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RWK said:
Tim, This is the catch-22 for floral industry conventions, shows, seminars. Whether we like them or not, the wire services through sponsoring designers, containers, products, underwriting, and the like ....... contribute a LOT to the shows.......I would be willing to put down even money that if the BIG THREE all stopped and said.......No to show/seminar participation........most conventions/associations would not be ABLE to have a show at ALL
Click to expand...



Right you are sir...as it is the apathy in the floral industry towards education and the low turn out at TF shows in particular is making it hard...we work very hard as volunteers to provide these shows and TF provides funding for it and the scholorships, to make better designers, but the more the attendence drops the less pertinent they become to these entities to support, because once again the florists actions are speaking louder than words...and making these things go away.
 
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Oh, we can and have done the shows without WS help. The point is... TF is missing a marketing opportunity. We all know how much we just love to get phone calls promoting things.....how many people are going to listen to a sales pitch over the phone - no face to face contact - for a wire service? A few, but that face to face is their biggest selling point, especially where florists meet to network together, they can show their holiday specials, their technology.
 
Rhonda as Treasurer for Maine State I know you are always concerned with the fiscal end of things. For that I applaud you. But...

Other than losing the booth income from Teleflora I think this is great news. I think their lack of presence will send a message loud and clear to our members - especially those that belong to Teleflora.

Teleflora already has the market share of the wire service here in Maine. They also have the market share of shop websites which drives me CRAZY. Yes, you'd think they would care about their customers - it's obvious they don't.

So...IMO, this is the perfect time for a Maine florists 'shake up'. Too many shops have done the same thing year after year because they are too complacent. Too afraid to try something new. As a group they would like to just keep going the way they are going and complain the whole way. You and I both know there is a small percentage of shops that are 'forward thinking' - these are the shops that aren't afraid to step out and make some changes.

There is life after the big 3 - maybe now we'll be able to get this point across to some of the smaller shop owners. Shake 'em up and wake 'em up!! jenny
 
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JCT said:
Rhonda as Treasurer for Maine State I know you are always concerned with the fiscal end of things. For that I applaud you. But...

Other than losing the booth income from Teleflora I think this is great news. I think their lack of presence will send a message loud and clear to our members - especially those that belong to Teleflora.

Teleflora already has the market share of the wire service here in Maine. They also have the market share of shop websites which drives me CRAZY. Yes, you'd think they would care about their customers - it's obvious they don't.

So...IMO, this is the perfect time for a Maine florists 'shake up'. Too many shops have done the same thing year after year because they are too complacent. Too afraid to try something new. As a group they would like to just keep going the way they are going and complain the whole way. You and I both know there is a small percentage of shops that are 'forward thinking' - these are the shops that aren't afraid to step out and make some changes.

There is life after the big 3 - maybe now we'll be able to get this point across to some of the smaller shop owners. Shake 'em up and wake 'em up!! jenny
Click to expand...


As much as I would hate for this to affect the future in shows and the like, maybe you have a big point here...Thanks for making me look at my thoughts on this differently...You guys do such a great job with your association, it is an awful hard job and with so many small shops financially it must be very very difficult....heck, here in MA we can't even get talks off the ground for any type of association with some rather big shops that could do a whole bunch, but I digress...Maybe it is time for us to see what can be done by a bunh of small shops without the big 3's help and learn from you...

It would be great to hear how you guys operate and how you guys get funding and all of that...I would love to put my energy into starting up an association down here or even a joint venture...I just don't even know where to begin, I would need some mentoring...I think that floral associations are one way of giving support to florists in the future and getting away from the false support we all see in the wire services.....now to get people excited and interested in helping themselves....
 
Update

TF today booked a booth for our show. Not sure what the logic is but they did book.
 
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BOSS's Quote of the day!

JCT said:
There is life after the big 3 - maybe now we'll be able to get this point across to some of the smaller shop owners. Shake 'em up and wake 'em up!! jenny
Click to expand...
Right on.... right on!
 
Well, Even though I was hit BIG-TIME with a case of Montezuma's revenge.....I did manage to speak to both Joyce Mason-Monheim and Rich Salvaggio about the news that there was not going to be a TF presence there......and even Annie did not know this. Ann said that not having a TF presence there ( Yes, She is an FTD sponsored designer) was a big mistake. Rich and Joyce were both in agreement. So, perhaps between one or more of the three of them, They convinced TF to go forward and have a presence there.
 
well, I do know a bunch of emails were being sent to hdqtrs about the letting go of the tech rep in our area. He was a very likeable man...
 
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