Tips, Tricks And Hints?

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krisala

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Aug 9, 2005
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Hi Everyone,
Our local florist association meeting is next week and I need some help with the program. We are looking for everyday tips, tricks and hints that maybe a new florist wouldn't know but would benefit from. You would be surprised at the things people don't know, that we take for granted. Everytime I attend a design show I'm shocked at some of the questions and wonder how people run florist without knowing the basics. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!!
Thanks, krisala
 
krisala said:
Hi Everyone,
Our local florist association meeting is next week and I need some help with the program. We are looking for everyday tips, tricks and hints that maybe a new florist wouldn't know but would benefit from. You would be surprised at the things people don't know, that we take for granted. Everytime I attend a design show I'm shocked at some of the questions and wonder how people run florist without knowing the basics. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!!
Thanks, krisala
Click to expand...

If you have a design show, pull a trick like Akiko did the two times she designed at King Of Prussia many years ago when that was about the 5th largest show in the country. She walked between the designers on the panel, picked up the trash off the floor and made some beautifully saleable bouquets to show the 2000 or so florists in attendance how much of their profits they were throwing away!
 
just a few

Mess Master and leaf shine will take sticky price tags off, glue on fingers, pine sap, etc. (Test first also takes off paint and can damage some surfaces.)

Save nets from mums for tulips and colored roses to keep them from blowing at busy holidays.

Wish I could come up with more but I'm still brain dead from working ten days straight.

J.Schwanke has some wonderful books for $10-$15. He's compiled 1000+ gems from florists all over the country. Here's his contact info...

http://www.safnow.org/about/PFCI/members/schwankej.cfm
 
Opening lilies quickly

Tell them if they need to open lilies quickly for wedding or funeral work, just drop some of the lily stamens into the same bucket of water with the lilies. Presto! They'll open in no time!
 
flowersmith, is it the pollen or stamens? That is the coolest thing I've heard in a long time!! Thank you! :) We just do Hot water and a plastic bag in a warm room. I think it was Mikey who taught me about the bag thingy last year :) Thanks big guy.

Krisala, here's another thing I learned from a retail management book I read a few years ago. Ask them what are the two most important things to say to a customer to make them feel good to be in the flower shop. Most people, like me, get it wrong. I said, thank you and may I help you, but the two most important things to a customer imo, are their first name and last name. If you know that, you have a customer for life. It sounds cheesy to call a customer by their first and last name when they come in or leave, so we just say their last name.

Me, my wife and my employees are always challenged to remeber at least 1 name a day. The older I get, 1 a week is more realistic and the more challenged I become. :)
 
I have learned a few things from j Schwanke...

Use a hair dryer to get rid of glue strings from your complated designs...

"Grab it" Adhesive found at a hardware store is great for gluing plastic containers...

To revive the natural color of moss...spay yellow and green food coloring in a water mister on the moss...

And I liked the one about using pizza boxes to store mylar balloons...
.
 
To keep water in a vase arrangment from turning green, make sure the hyacinth stake or the green wooden wired picked holding the bow is completely floral taped or wire the bow to a discarded fresh flower stem.

Also, when greening a vase arrangement have a small basket with soaked oasis on the table as well. When pulling of the lower LL branches insert those small pieces of LL in the oasis. That way you can green up two arrangements at the sametime. How often have you walked passed a designer's table where you saw all those small pieces on the floor.

Also keep a hand held rose stripper nearby when arranging roses. The rose stripper is alot faster than cutting the thorns with knife. Time is money and money is happiness!

We all know about disinfecting flower stock vases, but also remember to disinfect the container used for soaking Oasis.

Also, to really hydrate Oasis, soak blocks overnight for the next day's needs, especially casket spray and easel blocks.

Joe
 
Those little nets are great for keeping bolts of ribbon under control.
Also, we take Joe's hint of greening up two containers at once a little further. We insert any flowers that would be left on a stem also. This eliminates that vase of left over bits & pieces which seldom get used. This little arrangement always works out regardless of flower types or colors. We sell them for $9.99-15.99. I believe that I originally learned this little gem from our own CHR at a design show.
 
I am at a loss when people have never realized this...Mastercards start with a 5, Visa a 4, Am. Exp. a 3, and Discover a 6. After all the orders my sales clerks have taken and they never realized this fact. Never again do they ask what kind of card a customer is using.

Joe made a good point with using fresh stems to keep your water clear. We also use left over silk stems.
 
1001 Ideas for the floral industry...

krisala said:
Hi Everyone,
Our local florist association meeting is next week and I need some help with the program. We are looking for everyday tips, tricks and hints that maybe a new florist wouldn't know but would benefit from. You would be surprised at the things people don't know, that we take for granted. Everytime I attend a design show I'm shocked at some of the questions and wonder how people run florist without knowing the basics. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!!
Thanks, krisala
Click to expand...

Krisala,
This is J Schwanke, about 10 years ago (gosh it's been that long) I published a compendium of 1001 Ideas (tips and tricks) for the Floral Industry. The book was first published by Florist Review for the AIFD convention in Atlanta GA. Now I self publish the book and another follow up edition 1000 More Ideas for ther Floral Industry.

The book has tips and ideas from Florists all over the world about all kinds of things...Glue, Candles, Fresh and Silk Flowers, Display, Delivery, marketing...

They are great bathroom reading...hehehe! They are 10.00 each, you get the set for $20...(less than a penny an idea) plus $5 S/H...
If you are interested...just send a check and your return address to
JMHS Enterprises Inc.
6844 Woodland Bluff NE
Comstock Park MI 49321
ATTN: 1001/1000 more Book Order

I dont' currently have these up on a website but that is coming really soon along with the opportunity to order them on line with cc!

Hope this is helpful!

Kind Regards

J Schwanke
 
Dazeal said:
flowersmith, is it the pollen or stamens? That is the coolest thing I've heard in a long time!! Thank you! :) We just do Hot water and a plastic bag in a warm room. I think it was Mikey who taught me about the bag thingy last year :) Thanks big guy.

Krisala, here's another thing I learned from a retail management book I read a few years ago. Ask them what are the two most important things to say to a customer to make them feel good to be in the flower shop. Most people, like me, get it wrong. I said, thank you and may I help you, but the two most important things to a customer imo, are their first name and last name. If you know that, you have a customer for life. It sounds cheesy to call a customer by their first and last name when they come in or leave, so we just say their last name.

Me, my wife and my employees are always challenged to remeber at least 1 name a day. The older I get, 1 a week is more realistic and the more challenged I become. :)
Click to expand...


DO NOT use hot water. If they are too tight the hot water/plastic trick just makes them turn yellow and open transparent prematurely.

Instead, USE ice. Put half a bag of ice and 2 inches if water in a bucket. Cut the stems and badda bing badda bang - they wil open.
 
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