Exotic Flowers in Boston

Over the years, the flower shops in the Boston area have slowly disappeared. Boston Flower shops used be in every town and often, five to ten shops in each village. Flower shops were once as common as the dry cleaner and gas station. In recent history, they have gone the route of the shoe cobbler and tv repair man. The street peddler, the internet and the grocery store have all taken away markt share from the florist. Unfortunately, our new competitors' quality pales in comparison to a full service florist.

At one time, Seltzer's Flowers, Dutch Flower Garden, Wisteria and Boylston Street Florist were all bustling florists in Boston. Now these Boston florists are only a memory. In the inner city of Boston, the dearth of florists is magnified in Mattapan and Hyde Park.

Many years ago, Flowers by Solly was a large full service florist in Mattapan. His flower shop on Cummins Highway now houses a community church. The purple facade of Flowers by Stephanie in Mattapan Square is also gone. And now, Mattapan does not even have a flower shop. Fortunately, Exotic Flowers on American Legion Highway is close enough to Mattapan that its residents can have a neighborhood florist to call its own.

Hyde Park, Massachusetts has also experienced a significant disappearance of its florists. Serino's Italian market attempted to sell flowers with little success a few years ago. Riverside Florist, a Hyde Park institution, also shuttered its doors after many years of selling flowers in Hyde Park. Once again, Exotic Flowers in Roslindale is close enough to Hyde Park to provide Hyde Park with its own neighborhood florist.

The floral economy has changed over the years. Hopefully, there will be more famiyl owned and operated florists like Exotic Flowers and Lombardi Florist who can serve Boston communities for years to come.

Last weekend, August 14th & 15th, was considered a sales tax holiday in Massachusetts. Massachusetts collects a 6.25 sales tax daily, but this past weekend offered 2 days of no sales tax. The argument for this amnesty is to stimulate sales at a time when retail sales are a bit sluggish. The retail sales increases add much justification for the sales tax holiday. Sales of flat screen TV's, furniture, Ipads and even house plants experience a slight surge uncommon to August sales.

As a florist in Massachusetts, we often hear clients complain about the sales tax on flowers and plants. We are on our clients' side too. At Exotic Flowers in Boston and Roslindale, we feel sales tax should not be charged on flowers, plants or even Christmas trees. Massachusetts does not charge on sales tax on dated items like newspapers, magazines etc. Isn't a cut flower or cut Christmas tree really a dated item ? Although not stamped with a date, they do expire.

We do know however that once the state can collect sales tax on an item, they rarely overturn their decision. We have learned to collect sales on flowers and plants in Massachusetts with a smile. After all, it's not like parts of New York where the sales tax on flowers approaches 9%.

Some say working in a flower shop is a dream job. Others might say being a florist is physically exhausting and financially challenging. Some might even relish or dread dealing with demanding customers on a daily basis. Florists know one thing for sure; being a full service florist is an emotionally fulfilling and rewarding career.  Florists send emotions.

In 1996, Christian Slater starred in the movie - Bed of Roses. This movie gives a glimpse into the life of a florist. A few things have changed since 1996, but the pride and purpose of a florist has not.

Viewpoint By Rick Canale

 Admit it. You’re probably not paying
your sales staff enough. In our industry,
sales reps, on average, earn about $9-$12
an hour, compared to the $15 to $20 an
hour designers pull in. How can we ask our
salespeople to sell $500 funerals or $100
arrangements, when they only average
$20,000 per year as full-time employees?
Designers command the highest
wages (outside of management) in a
flower shop. Why? They have a unique
talent and years of training and education.
Are they worth it? Of course — an
accomplished designer creates wedding
and party referrals and controls your
cost of goods. However, without an experienced
salesperson invested in your
services and designs, those skills are
wasted. The sales reps are the lifeblood
of a flower shop. They establish and
maintain customer relationships — and
they have the potential to destroy them,
too. They can increase sales with a mere
suggestion: “Would you like a balloon
with that order?” (For a $50 arrangement,
a $5 balloon addition equals a 10
percent increase in sales.) And they can
sour a relationship with a surly response
or failure to listen.
The power a salesperson has over
your shop’s image and sales is no small
thing. Recognizing it is crucial to fair
compensation. Do I want a gum-chewing-
baggy-jeans-wearing student trying
to sell a $200 funeral piece to a grieving
life partner? No. I want a uniformed,
well-groomed, well-paid professional
with a business card and experience.
Experience is key; training is only a minor
factor. True sales skills come from experience.
Good sales reps also forage for
their own clients. They use Facebook and
Twitter and attend cocktail parties and
charity events to foster relationships —
personal and professional. Often, these
relationships develop when they are not
even on the clock. If shop owners don’t
compensate them well, how can we expect
to retain them?
A talented salesperson takes on the
role of a consultant. Expert consultants
learn as much as possible about what
they sell: where it comes from, how it is
prepared and how to care for it. Premier
sales reps not only offer upgrades, but also recommendations,
with a
personal touch.
These recommendations
build rapport
and establish
trust. An expert
floral consultant
leaves no detail
unnoticed. We are in a business of details
and it all begins in taking the order.
Some shops and consultants, including
Team Floral of Tulsa, Okla., are big
fans of commissions. Many shops’ financials
prove this incentive program works.
At Exotic Flowers, though, we do not
practice this. Veteran Entrepreneur and
Inc. magazine columnist Norm Brodsky
offers an argument against sales commissions:
People who are motivated by
commissions have the means to maximize
their pay, potentially at the expense
of other departments like operations
and billing. Instead of base plus commission,
Brodsky recommends paying
a salary plus a three-part bonus tied to
the success of the individual, the team
and the company. A veteran entrepreneur,
Brodsky’s experience has led him
to subscribe to a few other controversial
business ideas, including: don’t hire family
and friends (Google “Firing Carlotta,
Brodsky” for more) and competition is
good for business (Google “The More
the Merrier, Brodsky”).
Almost all retail companies rely on
sales reps and customer-service agents.
The key is to have all your employees
work together for the growth of the
company. At Exotic Flowers, our top four
sales reps have 100 years combined
experience, and we flaunt that fact in
our marketing materials. The public is
tired of sales clerks who just collect a
paycheck — and sales reps are tired of
playing second fiddle to designers, when
it comes to pay. Now is the time to differentiate
our industry from other retail
organizations. Let’s do that by leveling
the paying field.
Rick Canale, president of Exotic
Flowers in Boston, was named Floral
Management’s 2008 Marketer of the
Year. E-mail: rick@exoticflowers.com.

What happened to giant florist chain Kabloom flowers ? Kabloom arrived on the Boston scene in 1998 with a wave of publicity. With Staples' Tom Stemberg an early investor, KaBloom was on the fast track opening locations throughout Boston and the country. Founder David Hartstein wished to be the Starbucks of flowers.

Hartstein grew the business to 120 stores. Kabloom had at least 3 flower shops in Boston which I recall. I remember a KaBloom on Hanover Street in the North End, a KaBloom on School Street near the Omni Parker House and a KaBloom in South Station. KaBloom now only shows a store on Harvard Street in Brookline.

Hartstein missed that Bostonians know their flowers. They also know what they are looking for and appreciate a Boston florist who cannot only make suggestions, but provide high quality flowers, plants, knowledge and worldwide service.

Did KaBloom's huge advertising budget help close their Boston flower shops ? Perhaps. Or are Bostonians looking to deal with family owned and operated stores ? Bostonians know that flowers can be purchased on street corners, grocery stores, train stations and flower shops. Boston florists need to know their customers and give them what they are looking for at a fair price with good service.

There are no right or wrong answers to ordering funeral flowers. A funeral is an emotional time and the bereaved should not be forced into buying funeral flowers because tradition dictates they should. Studies have shown that flowers do help our emotional state however.

Flowers are clinically proven to lift the spirits, so we suggest that not only should a family have flowers at a service, but also suggest friends and colleagues to send flowers as well.

Unless an American Flag or other type of blanket or flag is adorning the top of the casket, then the bereaved's lineage should always do their best to put flowers on top of the casket. If a family has limited funds then we suggest pooling the available funds and having just a casket cover. The flower casket cover is the focal point of the entire service. From funeral home to church to cemetery, the floral tribute on the top of the casket is noticed by all.

The casket cover is the most common term for this piece of flowers and is usually ordered by the deceased closest living associate or family member.

 One of the more famous casket covers in recent history was for Michael Jackson (see above). Michael Jackson's casket flowers featured Freedom Roses and Bells of Ireland.

Another famous casket cover was for singer Frank Sinatra. Frank Sinatra's casket flowers were an old fashioned blanket of white gardenias at $10,000. Because gardenias yellow so quickly, two flower blankets were created for the two days of services.

 August 18, 1910, a group of forward-thinking florists met at the Society of American Florists (SAF) Convention in Rochester, NY and formed the country’s first flowers-by-wire service, Florists’ Telegraph Delivery Association (FTD). The retail delivery association was led by John Valentine, a Colorado wholesaler who wanted to help grow the retail floral industry, which was still dominated by growers and wholesalers.

1910s
In the beginning, the growth of FTD was a slow process with only 200 florist members in 1914.  At the 1916 SAF Convention, members of FTD voted to split from SAF to form its own entity FTD, giving the 328 FTDA member florists the chance to chart their own destiny.  Also in the early years, the well-known FTD Mercury Man was introduced (1912), showcasing Mercury, the mythical messenger of the gods. Over the years, the logo has taken on many different variations, but always features the famous winged man.
Click here to view the FTD Logo through the years!

1920s
In 1920, FTD debuted FTD News, the first monthly membership directory. The FTD Directory is still used today in a printed book format as well as online within FTD Mercury. On January 1, 1924, 3,000 FTD Member Florists were introduced to the FTD Clearinghouse, the first non-profit international banking operation in commercial history, which handled over 460,000 orders worth almost $3 million in its first year. The 1920’s was a year of growth for FTD with the introduction of FTD’s first Publicity Bureau.  The group was very aggressive and creative in their marketing efforts. Annual revenues grew to over $6.3 million and the number of florists exceeded 5,000 by the end of 1929. Also in 1929, the FTD logo was copyrighted as the official trademark for FTD and was displayed in every shop.

1930s
Although the Great Depression hit the floral industry hard, FTD continued its strong advertising campaigns in the 1930s with radio shows featuring flower experts and merchandising celebrity endorsements from film stars such as Betty Davis and Jane Withers.  FTD also entered its first prize winning float in the Rose Parade and revived the “Say It with Flowers” marketing slogan originally used in 1914.  As the 1930s closed, there were over 7,000 FTD Member Florists and more than 2.1 million orders being processed through the FTD Clearinghouse.

1940s
As the United States entered WWII in 1941, FTD Florists experienced a shortage of many things from flowers to gas, tires and flower boxes.  Many florists went back to horse-drawn carriages for delivery and flower shops became a sales office for war bonds. Resulting from the ban on travel, FTD cancelled its florists’ conventions for three years and took a very aggressive effort to support the war effort and hosted programs to support all military personnel.  This dedicated approach grew the clearinghouse business to $25.4 million in 1945 and more than 8,650 members at the close of 1949.  In 1946, FTD launched both the industry’s first and FTD’s first test order program to assure quality and top performance from every FTD Florist. Quality and customer satisfaction remains a key part of the business still today.  Also, in 1946, FTD joined British Unit and Fleurop, the three groups later became known as Interflora, Inc.

1950s
The 1950s was an era of aggressive marketing campaigns and more celebrity endorsements of FTD.  With the introduction of the television, FTD hit the airwaves with a winning float in the first televised Rose Parade, was featured on the Ozzie and Harriet show and had FTD floral segments on the Today Show.  FTD increased its print advertising campaign to 13 publications such as Better Homes and Gardens and Cosmopolitan featuring prominent entertainers including Kim Novak, Elizabeth Taylor, Dale Evans and Rosemary Clooney endorsing FTD and flowers.  The media hoopla helped the FTD Clearinghouse surpass $63 million as over 8.2 million orders were filled in 1959.  FTD processed over one million orders for the first time in May 1959.  It was also during this decade that FTD changed its name to Florists’ Transworld Delivery (1956) to reflect the international partnership that was flourishing with Interflora Inc.

1960s
FTD moved forward at a rapid pace in the 1960s.  Clearings doubled from $63 million to $132 million and membership increased from 8,000 to 12,000.  There were many firsts in the 1960s for FTD that contributed to its rapid growth.  In 1962, FTD introduced the first FTD Selections Guide. FTD was featured on the cover of Business Week for its aggressive marketing efforts and for the newly introduced Selections Guide which was termed a “merchandising brainstorm”.  Another idea that was evaluated was the Test 90 Program, a three-month test of a privately leased telephone wire system to send orders. Although it did not continue after the three months, Test 90 was the first step in the development of the Mercury Network.

1970s
The 1970s may have seen gas shortages, but there was no shortage of growth for FTD and FTD Florists.  Along with increases in aggressive advertising campaigns and the introduction of its first nationally advertised holiday special (FTD LoveBundle) in 1971, FTD officially launched the Mercury Network on August 8, 1979. By November 1979, 6,500 consoles were delivered to members and transmitted more than 11,000 orders per day.  It did not take long for the Mercury Network to reach its one-millionth order, which occurred on December 13, 1979.  At the end of the 1970s, FTD topped $350 million in volume, orders were at 18 million per year and membership was at its highest at 19,000 members.

1980s
During the 1980s, FTD developed many famous new bouquets, some that are still being merchandised by FTD today, including the FTD® Pick-Me-Up Bouquet®, FTD® Big Hug Mug® Bouquet and the FTD® Birthday Party® Bouquet.  In 1983, NFL Hall-of-Famer Merlin Olsen was introduced to members as the new FTD spokesperson and was featured in advertising campaigns and appeared at various floral industry events.  In 1985, FTD introduced the 800-SEND-FTD toll-free phone number. The industry’s first design and education team was introduced by FTD in 1988 and many of the designers are still on the team today wowing audiences and demonstrating the latest trends at industry shows. FTD membership grew to over 20,000 at the end of the 1980s.

1990s
The 1990s provided FTD with great change and moved closer to John Valentine’s original goal for FTD...to help grow the retail floral industry.  FTD branched out from being strictly a clearinghouse for orders and more towards a full-service business solution for florists.  FTD developed many new exciting business programs such as a telephone answering service (FTD Flowers All Hours) and a custom web site development and maintenance program (FTD Florists Online).  FTD also recognized how technology was changing the way consumers’ shop, so FTD expanded its efforts to promote 800-SEND-FTD.  In addition, FTD created www.ftd.com in 1994 as another means to reach consumers that wanted an alternative way to shop for flowers.  In 1999, a portion of FTD became a publicly-traded company on NASDAQ combining 800-SEND-FTD and www.ftd.com into one company called FTD.COM.

2000s
In 2000s, technology continued to be a vital part of the success of the floral industry.  Consumers continue to look for new easier and quicker ways to shop.  In addition, more and more competitors have entered the gift-giving category.  This forced FTD and FTD Florists to truly embrace technology, create alternative marketing solutions and merchandise non-floral gift options to reach distinctive, fast-paced, tech-savvy consumers.  Thus, www.ftd.com, FTD Florists Online web sites and Mercury Technology systems grew very rapidly and have become a critical business function to FTD Florists.

Today, FTD is revamping its signature black and gold branding and focusing its marketing campaigns on celebrating the talent and artistry of FTD Florists.  To assist FTD Member Florists in the industry’s highly competitive environment and challenging economic times, FTD has introduced various programs and services all aimed at helping increase florists’ revenues and reduce costs. Programs such as the FTD Luxury Collections and the FTD Customer Choice Program provide florists with the opportunity to up sell the customer and significantly increase average order values. FTD is continuously enhancing Mercury Technology systems to offer florists state-of-the-art technology modules such as delivery and accounting integration, gift card options and marketing solutions to help streamline and advance their business.

On August 18, 2010, FTD will celebrate its 100th Anniversary and its 100 years of floral innovation.  That spirit of innovation is still the driving force behind the FTD brand today. From new marketing initiatives to breath-taking floral bouquets to our cutting-edge Mercury Technology, FTD continues to lead the industry with creative solutions that help florists compete in this rapidly changing world.  Our talented FTD Florists have been a part of the fabric of America for 100 years and an essential part of life’s most memorable experiences.

Exotic Flowers, Boston's Premier Florist is proud to remain an FTD  member in good standing. Did you know that Exotic Flowers in Boston can send flowers around the corner and around the globe. Trust your local Boston Florist to send flowers globally.

Above Photo; Boston Florist, Rick Canale speaking at CFA convention in 2008.

Put the Social Back into Networking in Orlando
By Shelley Estersohn
Remember brainstorming over a cup of coffee or perking up when you heard someone else ask a question about his business? Those moments can’t happen if you have your face buried in your BlackBerry or you’re updating your Facebook page.

The potential for those unexpected “aha” moments — inspiration sparked when people with different experiences just get together and talk — is a big part of what draws people to industry meetings. That’s why opportunities for networking between wholesalers, retailers and growers are a mainstay of the SAF convention schedule.

“Everybody in business needs a little face time with folks from similar businesses as well as from other segments of the industry,” said SAF convention chairperson Dottie Pannepacker of Penny’s Flowers in Glenside, Pa. “I go to SAF conventions to get away from the day-to-day.”

Or attendees can walk the SAF Winners Circle and hear experts from Professional Floral Communicators – International talk about the top entries in the Outstanding Varieties and Sylvia Cup Design competitions. That night it’s all about the chatter as attendees gather under the stars for the Networking Reception. 

* * * * * 

 As a florist from Boston, MA  I look forward to not only attending the convention, but also participating in the forums and discussions. I have also been invited to serve as a judge for 2 of the more presigious awards for the event.

My most honored role at the SAF convention wil be serve as a panelist for the importance of social media in the floral industry. Whether you're a florist in Boston or Belgium, or specialize in funerals or weddings; this social media seminar should be attended. 

SCIENCE AND NATURE UNEARTH NEW INSIGHTS INTO EMOTIONAL HEALTH

Rutgers Behavioral Study Links Flowers and Life Satisfaction

BOSTON, MA - With today's high-tech and fast-paced lifestyle taking its daily toll on our lives, experts advise exercise and other personal lifestyle changes to relieve stress. According to behavioral research conducted at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, nature provides us with a simple way to improve emotional health - flowers. The presence of flowers triggers happy emotions, heightens feelings of life satisfaction and affects social behavior in a positive manner far beyond what is normally believed.

"What's most exciting about this study is that it challenges established scientific beliefs about how people can manage their day-to-day moods in a healthy and natural way," said Jeannette Haviland-Jones, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology at Rutgers and lead researcher on the study.

Research Findings

A team of researchers explored the link between flowers and life satisfaction in a 10-month study of participants' behavioral and emotional responses to receiving flowers. The results show that flowers are a natural and healthful moderator of moods.

1. Flowers have an immediate impact on happiness. All study participants expressed "true" or "excited" smiles upon receiving flowers, demonstrating extraordinary delight and gratitude. This reaction was universal, occurring in all age groups.

2. Flowers have a long-term positive effect on moods. Specifically, study participants reported feeling less depressed, anxious and agitated after receiving flowers, and demonstrated a higher sense of enjoyment and life satisfaction.

3. Flowers make intimate connections. The presence of flowers led to increased contact with family and friends.

"Common sense tells us that flowers make us happy," said Dr. Haviland-Jones. "Now, science shows that not only do flowers make us happier than we know, they have strong positive effects on our emotional well being."

Sharing Space

The study also explored where in their homes people display flowers. The arrangements were placed in areas of the home that are open to visitors - such as foyers, living rooms and dining rooms - suggesting that flowers are a symbol for sharing.

"Flowers bring about positive emotional feelings in those who enter a room," said Dr. Haviland-Jones. "They make the space more welcoming and create a sharing atmosphere."

Exotic Flowers, Boston's Premier Florist works with the Society of American Florists to bring public awareness on the importance of cut flowers in one's life.
# # #

Background

The Emotional Impact of Flowers Study was conducted by Jeannette M. Haviland-Jones, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology, Project Director, Human Development Lab at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. Dr. Haviland-Jones is a psychologist and internationally recognized authority in the role of emotional development in human behavior and nonverbal emotional signals and response.

The research adds a scientific foundation to what many consider to be common knowledge - that flowers have a strong, beneficial impact on those who receive them. The Society of American Florists worked in cooperation with the Rutgers research team, bringing an expertise of flowers to the project.