HOW DIRECT MAILERS WORK FOR YOU

Working in conjunction with other marketing campaigns, direct mailers are a very cost effective way to reach your customers. Direct mailers are great for your customers who do not have Internet access. Direct mail also serves as a holiday gift reminder for existing and potential customers. When you want to keep your shop’s name at the front of their minds, direct mail is a simple and cost effective way to do it.

When To Send Direct Mailers: A general rule of thumb is to send direct mailers 7-10 days before the major floral holiday. Earlier than this makes it easy for the reader to forget or disregard the mailer. 7-10 days prior to the holiday reminds the customer to order, prompts he or she to order early, and keeps your shop in the front of their mind when considering holiday gifts.

What Holidays/Events Are Appropriate To Send Direct Mailers: Sending direct mailers before any major floral holiday is a potential boon for your flower shop. Prom is also a very important occasion. The early part of the wedding season in your area is also a good time for sending direct mailers.

To Whom Should Direct Mailers Be Sent: Direct mailers give you the ability to target existing customers, potential customers, or both. The choice is yours.

Why Should I Send Direct Mailers: Direct Mailers reinforce existing marketing campaigns such as your website, mass email campaigns, promotions and more. A lot of business is generated via direct mailers simply because it keeps customers thinking about your shop for their gift ideas.

Loranne Atwill, owner of Flower Shop Network, remembers customers coming into her flower shop for last-minute gift ideas. They had received her direct mailer but disregarded it for the moment. When it was time to buy the gift, they thought of her flower shop first because of the direct mailer.

How Do I Get A Bulk Mail Permit: Bulk mail permits are available through the United States Postal Service. These permits include an annual bulk mailing fee but sending several mailers throughout the year makes this a cost effective strategy. Contact your branch of the USPS or visit them online for more information about bulk mailing or to apply for your bulk mail permit.

HOW TO CREATE A DIRECT MAILER

Flower Shop Network now takes the guesswork out of creating direct mailers. You may now access direct mailer templates using your FSNf2f.com account. Templates are available for all major floral holidays and other occasions. If you like to create your own direct mailer, follow the instructions below.

A direct mailer can be created in a few easy steps. Keep in mind that you will need the following when creating your mailer:

• a publishing program such as Microsoft Word (Note: This example uses word)
• pictures of your arrangements uploaded to your computer or on  your website
• contact information for your flower shop
• a mailing list of existing/potential customers
• pricing information

The first step to creating your direct mailer is to open a publishing program on your computer such as Microsoft Word, Works, or Publisher. Microsoft Word is the program used in these photo examples. Also open the pictures of your flower arrangements, either by viewing them on your website or in the “my pictures” folder of your computer.

There are two easy ways to upload photos to a Word document:  dragging and inserting. Whether you choose to add text or photos first, you may upload photos by dragging or inserting at any time. You may also rearrange the order and placement of the photos at any time.

This is what you will see when dragging files from a website or “my pictures” folder to a document program. The mirror image automatically appears to let you know that the photo is moving. It will disappear once it reaches the document program until you release the mouse button.

Dragging A Photo

To drag photos into your document from your “my pictures” file or from your website:

• select the photo that you would like to use by clicking on it once
• click and hold the mouse button while dragging the photo to the document program
• note:  you may drag the photo to the document tab at the menu bar on the bottom of the screen OR drag the photo into the open document program

This is what you will see when inserting files from your computer into a Microsoft Word document.

Inserting A Photo Using Microsoft Word

To insert your photo into the document using the document program:

• click “insert” on the menu toolbar of the document program
• hold the mouse over “picture” until a sidebar menu pops up
• click “from file”
• find the file in your documents (usually in “my pictures”)
• double click the file OR single click the file and click insert under the picture preview button

The next step toward completing your direct mailer is to add pricing and contact information. The included information is up to you. Most customers will want to know the regular price and the promotional price. However, the only necessary inclusions are your contact information (name, phone number, address, email address, website URL) and promotional deal information.

Create the backside of the mailer by continuing to a new page inside the document program. Here you will place the information that will be seen before the mailer is opened. This can include just the return address information or promotional information for each “fold” of the mailer. Add this information in the same way as before.

Example Mailer --- Inside

Example Mailer --- Outside

Now your direct mailer is ready for the printer!

Sending flowers is always a good idea. Flowers make great gifts. Flowers create positive feelings and make a great impression.  But, is it a good idea to send flowers using a company online?  Until I read “Stop! Smell the online flower fraud” on the Agassiz-Harrison Observer by Michelle Vandepol, I hadn’t given it much thought.

When I send flowers online, I use Flower Shop Network.  Since I work for the company, I know that every florist in our directory is a professional florist located in the city to which I am sending or at least one in very close proximity.  But, how does the average Joe know if they are dealing with a reputable company online?

As Michelle explains in her article, from a cost value perspective, dealing with the local florist in the recipient’s area will give you the best deal.  She details the pitfalls of using an order gatherer or websites that claim to be the local florist in her article.  If you get a chance, read it.

Michelle also outlines a few ways you can ensure the online florist is the real deal.   Look for the following things: the name of the flower shop, the physical address of the shop, the local telephone number.

I would like to add a few extra tips that I use when go to a new vendor website.  These tips are a good idea for any website search you do.

1. Look at the “about us” page.  You will usually find local information or personal information about the company on this page.  I find this very helpful.

2. Make sure the contact page includes a local address and telephone number.  Reputable shops will always have a way for you to contact them locally.  This information should be consistent with the local information found else where on the site.

3.  Check for written or mapped directions to their physical store.  Sometimes I call to make sure the person on the phone gives me the same directions.

These are just a few tips I use when searching the world wide web.

I guess I have to say sending flowers online is a good idea.  Just make sure you know who is behind that website.

I tend to talk a lot about what I like and what works for me and mine. However, I’m much more concerned with what you like and what works for you and yours. This month I would like to see what really tickles you about flowers. If you are a florist, please share what you like about or what made you choose the floral industry.

I want to know what moves you, what drives you, what about your area drew you to flowers, what makes your local flower shop stand out, what makes your area stand out in the floral industry, and what makes your heart skip a beat when you see or hear it.

Though these are not the boundaries by any means, here are some examples:

• Funny/sentimental card messages
• (Florists) Stories about sweet customer interactions
• Design techniques that catch your eye
• Something nice that you did to counteract the effects of a natural disaster
• Anything happy that makes you feel good.

It’s not just the opportunity to put words on a page. It’s not an attempt to fill space on the Internet. It’s a chance for you to BRAG about yourself. Keep points! Take score. You’re at the top of your game or climbing there fast for a reason. Want to share a great idea with others? Find something that you like and you’re sure someone else will love it? Share it with us. You may even see a whole blog or Networker article about what peaks your interest.

Let the world know what moves you. Log in to comment below or email me at bjackson@flowershopnetwork.com

I say don’t laugh only because I chuckled when I first heard this idea. I’m not the romantic sort but still find this idea a rather fun anniversary celebration. It’s definitely unforgettable. This year, surprise her on horseback. That’s right. Become her Prince Charming for a day.

There are many ways to go about this anniversary surprise. No matter which you choose or play off of, don’t forget the hand-tied bouquet from your local florist. You’ll be surprised how big a part these anniversary flowers will play in these ideas.

The Country Girl: Perhaps you’ve got a special location in the outdoors that you and your girlfriend/wife frequent. Maybe you’ve forgotten about it for a while. Wipe away the dust in her memory with a romantic horseback ride to that place. Remember to help her down from her steed then offer your arm as you guide her to a perfectly prepared picnic.  Let a single rose mark the area where she is to sit.

The City Girl: The city girl can be pleased in a couple ways but the easiest is to hire a horse-drawn carriage to escort you to your destination for the evening. Imagine arriving at an elegant restaurant in a horse-drawn carriage. Consider how pleasant the night will be as you glide through the park like a queen and king. She’ll love it. Since she can’t take the horse home, present her with a small bouquet or corsage that she can use as a keepsake after the night is through.

The Rodeo Queen: She’s comfortable on horses and probably isn’t that impressed by a guy’s ability to ride. After all, it’s expected like any other second-nature ability. To impress the rodeo queen, take her on a fun ride through an adventurous trail. Perhaps take her to the rodeo or a professional bull ride. She’ll love the spirit in it. You’ll both probably be sore after a wild day out so offer a back rub and hot bath when you return home. Surprise the tender side of her by placing rose petals or tulip petals around the tub and bed.

The Daydreamer: She’s read about it in books. She grew up with fairy tale notions of the prince that will sweep her off of her feet. That romantic lad was you. Make her feel like a princess again with the most traditional, fairy-tale fantasy that you can create. For example, rent a prince costume, preferably not from the same place that you rent the horse.  Ride to her place of work, favorite location, or ask her to meet you outside of a nice restaurant. (Check dress requirements with the maitre’d.) Present her with a corsage if dining or a bouquet if not. She’ll love this treat and will be thrilled to show you off to her friends.

Ask the Expert: POTTING SOIL MIXTURE RATIO

I shall be greatful if you could kindly send me

1.  Potting soil & Peat moss mixing ratio   for Indoor Plants.

2.  Few aromatic House plants with good foliage & flowers that can be grown indoors under artificial light.

3.  Fertilizer rate & intervals of application for Draceana sanderiana when grown in water.

Benny

Reply:

Answer to question #1 - Let’s begin with potting soil for indoor plants.  The type of potting soil needed for indoor houseplants depends on the house plant itself.   A good basic houseplant mixture will have equal amount of potting soil, peat moss and perlite.  If your potting soil is more sand based rather that bark based use half as much perlite as the other two ingredients.

Keep in mind certain plants will have special soil requirements.  Orchids aa well as cacti and succulents will need a more porous soil.  To acheive a more porous soil forgo the peat moss.  Instead for the Orchids add more bark and even lava rubble or pumice.  For the cacti and succluents add coarse sand, lava rubble or pumice.

The soil mixture really depends on how much drainage the plant requires.  Remember peat retains moisture and bark or sand don’t.

Answer to question #2 - Nothing is better than an aromatic plant.   Finding an aromatic houseplant will depend on how much light the plant will get from your articfical light.    Here are a few suggestion: Gardenia jasminoides, Hoya (Wax Plant), Hyacinths, Pelargonium (Scented Geraniums), Stepahotis Floribunda, Plectranthus australis (Swedish Ivy).  You can also grow these herbs in the house:  rosemary,  lavender, mints.

Answer to question #3 -  This plant doesn’t require much fetilizer and will be damaged if you use too much fertilizer.   You can fertilize the plant every 2 to 6 months using  a water soluble fertilizer or aqarium plant food  that has been diluted to 1/10th of it’s strength.  This should be done when you change the water.

Red Margin Draceana

Ask the Expert: What type of Plant is this
I have had this plant for some time now and I would like to know what it is.  I am looking to see if I can possibly re-plant it shortening the trunks.  I don’t like how deadish it looks and so empty on the stalks. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Please let me know if you were able to view the pictures.  The top leaves seems to be healthy but the bottoms don’t seem as colorful.  Most are falling off dead.

Lisa

Reply:

What you have is a Draceana marginata also known as Madagascar Dragon tree or Red-edge Draceana.  You can shorten the plant and create new ones at the same time.  First cut the stems to the height that you want the plant to be and leave alone for a couple of days.  Then mist the air around the plant every few day. Make sure to water your plant as you always have.  In a few weeks the stems will put out new foliage.  In the meantime, you can take the tops that you cut off and dip them in rooting hormone and place them in a pot with moist soil.   Keep the soil moist but not soggy in a few weeks the plants will start to form new roots.

Good luck and keep me posted.

Ask The Expert: Help! I’m hoping because of your name you’ll know the anwser.  I’m a fairly new florist, and I have a bride that wants a few passionflowers in her bouquet.  But I can’t find them as cut flowers anywhere.  I could try to grow a few vines, but I don’t want to promise her if I can’t find them anywhere already grown.  Any idea how I could get a few for a Sept 5 wedding? Susan

Reply:

The idea of using a passion flower in a wedding bouquet sound simply romantic.  However, in the real world it wouldn’t be as romantic as it sounds.  I can not think of any cut flower grower that carries passion flowers.  In fact, I doubt that the flower would last long once it is cut from the vine.  If the bride wants to incorporate the passion flower in her wedding, you might try using potted passion flower vines.  I would, however, caution her that the plant may not have blooms when she wants them.  You might try Logee’s Greenhouse in Connecticut if you need the plants.

Just a little side note:  Love was not the inspiration behind the Passion Flower name.  This flower actually was inspired by the Passion of Christ on the cross.  Spanish Christian missionaries from the 15th and 16th century felt that the physical structure of the plant symbolized the Crucifixtion and the filaments in the flower represented the crown of thorns.  So, they named the the flowering vine passion flower.

Flamingo Flower

Ask the Expert: How do I split My flamingo plant
It is very large & has been repotted several times - is it possible to split it without causing to much damage. Elaine

Reply:

Anthurium (Flamingo Flower) can be propagated by division.  You will need to remove the plant from its pot.  Check for any off-shoots or ariel roots.  These will be plant that are attached to the main stem but can easily be remove and still have a complete root foliage system.  Some people refer to these as “babies”.  You will remove them from the main stem and pot them in the same kind of soil as the parent plant.  Care for them the same as the parent plant.  I would not recommend splitting this plant in half.

Grape Hyacinth on Left

Ask the Expert: What is this flower?
Hello. I took this piece of flower (pictured on left of photo) from a friend’s house and have no idea what it is or how to care for it. It has slender leaves about 6″ long and bluish-purple flowers about 2″ long. Please help! Thanks.  Brianne

Reply:

The lovely blue/purple flower is a Muscari also known as Grape Hyacinth.  This lovely bulb is planted the season before it blooms usually in the fall.  I usually plant these in September or October in full sun where my soil is moist and fertile.  They can tolerate partial shade and are great for natualizing an area.  Grape hyacinth bloom in the spring.  However, in some areas they will bloom in the fall.  I add bulb food the the soil when I plant them.  Every year in February, I add a little bone meal and blood meal to the area.  After they bloom, I remove the dead bloom stalks but leave the foliage.   When the foliage dries and turns brown I cut it off.  Basically that is all the care they need.

Ask the Expert: What is a Cineraria
I was given one. It is beautiful. I want to know how to care for it.  Mrs. Culbreath

Reply:

I need to know does your Cineraria have green leaves and brightly colored aster looking flowers?

Pericallis x Hybrida

If so, you have Cineraria (Percallis x hybrida). Growers often force these plants to bloom so that florists can sell them Christmas through Easter. They prefer climates that don’t have extreme temperature changes. However, they prefer cooler temperatures. In the United States, this type of cineraria is treated as a summer annual or winter blooming indoor plant. Outside, in the summer, they need shady conditions and inside they need bright filtered light. They need humus-rich and well-drained soil. Indoors, watering is crucial. These plants are susceptible to fluctuations in watering, overwatering rots roots and underwatering decreases flowering. They need high humidity, but do not wet the leaves.

Dusty Miller

If your cineraria has dusty gray leaves it probably is dusty miller (Senecio cineraria). This garden plant loves sunny areas and will tolerate drought like conditions once established. It does not like to be soggy and will need a very well-drained soil mixture that contains a little sand.

Although this plant can be biennial and even perennial, it is grown as an annual in the in the garden.  It makes a good accent plant in outdoor containers as well.  It can produce mustard colored flowers  the second year if plants are overwintered.

Hopefully one of these plants is you cineraria.