Win a Free Pass to SAF Retail Growth Solutions in Hartford

In June the Society of American Florists is bringing the popular Retail Growth Solutions event to Hartford Connecticut. As usual they have put together an excellent lineup of content for retail florists:

 

The On-Demand Economy: Mobile Customers Want it Now — Are You Ready?

Jim Dion, Dionco, Inc.

Global smartphone use is expected to exceed 2 billion this year. By 2016, mobile purchases will account for 25 percent of all retail e-commerce sales. The message for retailers is clear: Engage customers through their mobile devices — or risk losing their business! Join acclaimed retail strategist and trainer Jim Dion as he examines three key elements of mobile strategy — Mobile Marketing, Mobile Commerce and Mobile Operations — and explains how other companies successfully implemented their mobile strategies. He’ll also discuss how customers of the future will shop and how that will change the look of retailing.

Learn:

• What a mobile-ready business (really) looks like
• How the mobile market is changing the way you market 
• What the customer of the future will expect from your shop

Later, in a follow-up session, Jim will hone in on opportunities for florists during this interactive follow-up session. This is your chance to ask questions, explore ideas and brainstorm with fellow attendees.

 

 

RSVP to Profitable Parties

Speaker: Tim Farrell, AAF, AIFD, PFCI*, Farrell's Florist

You’re all about making event customers happy … but make sure the profit puts a smile on your face, too. Find out why hidden costs often go unrealized in florists’ party and wedding pricing structures — and how to recapture them for added profit — during this eye-opening presentation by Tim Farrell, AAF, AIFD, PFCI. The renowned floral designer will walk you through the philosophy behind his highly successful event business and explain the smart marketing, sales and production tactics that assure satisfied customers and a more than satisfying bottom line. You’ll see examples of high-impact designs and find out how to produce them cost-effectively.

Learn how to:

• Assess true labor costs and realize them when you make the sale
• Create the big look customers love, with less time and effort

* 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.

 

E-commerce 2.0 and Beyond

Speaker: Renato Sogueco, SAF

E-commerce used to be a simple process of taking credit cards securely through your website. Today, it’s a complex maze of customer interactions happening via social media, pay-per-click ads, videos, review sites and more. It has expanded beyond desktop monitors and moved with astounding speed to engulf mobile devices such as Smartphones, tablets and even HDTV. Renato Sogueco, SAF’s chief information officer, explains the elements of effective e-commerce strategy and how they work together to drive traffic and sales.

Learn how to:

• Make the most of inbound marketing tools such as social media, blogs, references, websites, e-mail, print and online ads and videos
• Convert inbound traffic into sales – calls to action, freebies, landing pages and more
• Measure response and use analytics to fine-tune results

 

 

CSI: Flower Shop — Live!

Speaker: Tim Huckabee, Floral Strategies, LLC

Be a fly on the wall as sales expert Tim Huckabee poses as a consumer and calls flower shops around the country to place orders. You’ll hear each conversation — LIVE! —and help Tim dissect the good, bad and ugly of each call.

Learn:

• Best practices when talking to a customer — and what NOT to say when taking an order
• Commonly missed opportunities to increase the size of the sale
• How to communicate clearly and ensurecustomer satisfaction

 

Treasure Hunt: Finding Your Hidden Profits

Speaker: Derrick P. Myers, CPA, CFP, PFCI

Even the most resourceful and bottom-line oriented retailers likely have a goldmine of unrealized profit— buried in their costs. Retail floral financial analyst Derrick Myers, CPA, CFP, PFCI, brings his famously entertaining and easy-to-digest presentation style to a topic that most retailers love to hate: cutting costs. Derrick walks attendees deep inside the six main cost centers of a flower shop for an eye-opening look at cost of goods sold, labor, delivery, occupancy, marketing and wire service business.

Learn:

• How to understand — and use — formulas and worksheets to improve your profit
• Time-tested cost control techniques used by hundreds of profitable florists
• The most common — and detrimental — black holes of lost profits in every business

 

Win A Free Pass!

FloristWare is having a contest and giving away a free pass to this event. The contest is open to anyone – no purchase is required, just enter below or on our Facebook page.  All of our paid clients are entered automatically, and can join again (increasing their chance to win).