Guide To The 2016 WUMFA Annual Convention
Florists that attend the WUMFA convention next weekend will have a lot to choose from, more than we can cover here. But here is a brief guide to some of the very best sessions that will be available.
Marketing to the Affluent (Business Session)
Presented by Rick Rivers
Sponsored by FloristWare
Saturday, April 2, 2016 – 10:15 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Even in down times there are people out there who have plenty of money to spend on the products and services that florists sell. Do you know how to find the affluent, or indentify their buying habits? Find out all the secrets at this informative seminar. Learn how to triple your profits by paying attention to those who buy, especially the affluent and when they buy. Put a system in place that helps you seek out the affluent and then create a “path” for them to follow.
Find all the hidden money in your business.
In the flower business it is very easy to get caught in the mindset that nobody wants to spend money on flowers. The success of order-gatherers and drop-shippers all suggests that when it comes to flowers people are cheap and won't spend many.
The truth is that in almost any market there are people that place a high value on flowers and will spend money on them. If you pay attention and take good care of them they can be very profitable. If you aren't ready for them and treat them like the average price-sensitive customer you'll lose them.
This session will show you how to find these customers, the ones that everybody wants.
Lasting Memories (Hands-On Workshop)
Presented by Jerome Raska, AAF, AIFD, CAFA, CF, CFD, PFCI
Sponsored by Teleflora
Saturday, April 2, 2016 – 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
This hands-on workshop will discuss today’s trend of memorial services. How to market, create and deliver for profit. Each attendee will create at least two designs to take with them. You will not want to miss this design session that is going to be packed with useful information to reignite your sympathy sales. All levels of design expertise welcome.
Jerome Raska is one of the best designers AND speakers in the floral industry. In this optional hands-on session you will learn a lot and have even more fun. And the topic, sympathy, is very relevant to most florists – sympathy work can and should be an important (and profitable) part of your overall business.
Building Better Corporate Sales (Business Session)
Presented by Rick Rivers
Sponsored by FloristWare
Saturday, April 2, 2016 – 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Have you ever wondered where all the corporate sales have gone or what made them leave the local florist and jump into bed with big box stores. Corporate sales will build your business much faster than any other sales track/system and drastically impact your bottom line. Florists are regaining that market share by learning new tricks of the trade. Be sure to attend this business clinic on how to build bigger and better corporate sales.
Most florists love having corporate accounts – customers that buy on a steady basis, helping even out the periods between the big holidays. Unfortunately most florists complain that they don't have enough of them, and don't know where to get more.
Rick can help. Over the many years he has been in the flower business he has developed some highly effective, and very affordable, tactics for finding and nurturing the kind of corporate account every florist wants. This is great information you can put into practice as soon as you get back to your shop on Monday.
Weddings Are Very Special Events!! (Main Stage Design Show)
Presented by Alice Waterous, AIFD, CF, CFD, PFCI*
Sponsored by Smither-Oasis and the Wisconsin Florist Foundation
Saturday, April 2, 2016 – 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
With the advent of Pinterest, Facebook, etc., florists and special event designers find themselves nearly drowning in a flood of expectations and wishes with each prospective wedding client. How do we work within these “visions”? First, don’t fight it, or the tide will take you down. Learn how to go with the flow and make the dream happen.
Find out how to narrow down the choices, pinpoint the focal point of the event and demonstrate ways to not only survive, but thrive. Get tips about the all important bridal bouquet, bridesmaids' bouquets, flowers to wear and ceremony/reception décor for a range of budgets. Anyone can make a sensational event with a boatload of money and truckloads of flowers, so let’s look at ways to WOW without breaking the bank. Don’t worry, it will still be beautiful.
Almost every florist has encountered the challenge of a bride that comes to a wedding consultation armed with a Pinterest page. In this session Alice will show you how to deal with one of the most difficult and evolving aspects of the flower business, and manage expectations right when they are at their highest. This session is a must for any florists that wants to be successful with modern brides.
* If you have ever been curious about what all those initials like AIFD, CFF, CFFD, PFCI, etc. mean check out our complete guide to designations and post-nominals in the floral industry.
Decorative, Radial, Waterfall or Free Form? (Hands-On Workshop)
Presented by Alice Waterous , AIFD, CF, CFD, PFCI
Sponsored by Smithers-Oasis and the Wisconsin Florist Foundation
Sunday, April 3, 2016 – 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
Let’s explore ways to create unique bouquets for your bridal clients that will get rave reviews. No better way to learn than getting your hands right in it. Several styles will be demonstrated and participants will each make a bride’s bouquet and attendants’ bouquet. This class is meant to sharpen design skills, work efficiently, gain confidence and make your clients love your creations. All skill levels are welcome. Whether you are a newbie or experienced design professional, this class offers opportunity for growth.
In this follow-up session Alice will look at designing wedding bouquets that will delight your brides and get the attention of their friends that are planning to get married. What could be better than having a bride come in for a consult with your work already saved to their Pinterest page? This session will help make that happen.
Marketing Like the Fortune 500 (Business Session)
Presented by Rick Rivers
Sponsored by FloristWare
Sunday April 3, 2016 – 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
Learn how you can employ the marketing tactics perfected by the biggest and most successful Fortune 500 companies at little or no cost. Don’t hate, emulate. These simple tricks will keep you “top of mind” with new and existing customers so you are the shop they call when they need flowers. This was one
of the most popular sessions at the SAF convention, standing room only, with excellent feedback.
This is another great session from Rick Rivers, again designed to help you increase sales and profits. Again Rick is sharing the techniques he has used in his own shop, techniques you can use as soon as you get back to yours. This is powerful, affordable stuff that starts generating results almost immediately – not an expensive, time consuming plan that will take months or years to deliver results.
This is also the session that Rick presented at the 2015 SAF Annual Convention to a packed room and great reviews.
Putting the “Fun” in FUNeral Design (Main Stage Design Show)
Presented by Jerome Raska, AAF, AIFD, CAFA, CF, CFD, PFCI
Sponsored by Teleflora
Sunday April 3, 2016 – 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Today’s clients want more... more creativity, more value and more service than ever before.
This presentation will cover the sympathy industry today...traditional funerals as well as memorial services and celebrations of life. It is no longer status quo in the funeral business.
Jerome takes another look at sympathy, and will show you how you can overcome the many, many challenges facing real local florists when it comes to the sympathy side of the flower business.
There are certainly more sessions at WUMFA this year, and all will be very good. These are just some of the best.