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Tips for Training Contest – Let’s Vote!

If you want to skip right to the poll, just scroll to the bottom!

Wow. That’s all we can say, florists. Just … wow.

From the moment this contest began, we received a constant flood of entries. Every time we thought the well was dry or that we had exhausted the pool of ideas out there, you proved us wrong. Fantastic tip followed fantastic tip serving to make this entire selection process extremely difficult. So difficult in fact, that we found no way to narrow the options to a mere three finalists.

How could we? They were too good!

Instead, we have selected ten finalists. TEN! And because there are so many excellent entries to choose from, we didn’t think it possible for anybody to pick just one. We certainly couldn’t. So now you will be able to vote for up to three different submissions. And because we had so many excellent entries, we had to give out more prizes!

The Prizes

1st Place - 4 Training CD's from Tim Huckabee and Floral Strategies, FSN Mousepad and FSN Money Bag

1st Place – 4 Training CD’s from Tim Huckabee and Floral Strategies, FSN Mousepad and FSN Money Bag

2nd Place - FSN Apron, FSN Money Bag and Tim Huckabee and Floral Strategies SuperCharge Your Designs

2nd Place – FSN Apron, FSN Money Bag and Tim Huckabee and Floral Strategies SuperCharge Your Designs

3rd Place - FSN T-shirt and an FSN Mousepad

3rd Place – FSN T-shirt and an FSN Mousepad

Voting will end on October 29th and the winners will be announced October 31st.

Here are your FSN and Floral Strategies Tips for Training finalists in no particular order. Go to the poll at the bottom of the post to place your votes.

Come on, let’s vote!

Tips for Training

  1. I find during the holidays it’s easier for me to develop a price point that I can easily change by adding one or two more flowers. I develop a recipe that has a good starting price point and make up to 30 vases. I have found if my vases are greened up I can make up to 6 to 8 completed vases in an hour.

    Mary – Blossom Shop

  2. We use corsage bags to keep all of the little hardgoods (ie: ribbon, bling, bracelets) for corsages with the order and for the boutonniere, a boutonniere bag. We put the order ticket right in the bag with the supplies, creating a “kit”. This way the designer has everything they need to quickly assemble the items. It saves time by eliminating questions about the descriptions if the salesperson is not present when the order is filled.

    Lori – Abloom, Ltd.

  3. Every day, usually on my lunch hour, I get social. I check Facebook, post on Pinterest or learn a new app, and this has made my shop much more successful. Not only do I keep up to date with social media, it also forces me to eat lunch. Lunch is a meal that I know a lot of florists skip, but my social media hour everyday keeps our shop happier, healthier, and busier!

    Adele – A New Leaf Flowers and Gifts

  4. Coming up with a lump sum to pay sales tax each month can be a challenge. To make sure I have enough to pay the bill, I set aside the sales tax collected each day. With a web-based bank account, this is a simple daily transfer from your checking account to your savings account. Then when the sales tax is due, I transfer the money back to my checking account and write the check.

    Daniel – Blumen Garten Florists

  5. We like to call it “Dialing for Dollars”!

    We track customers Birthdays and Anniversaries and then we call them a week before to see if they would like to send flowers again. It assures that your shop is top of mind and that you care enough to make the extra effort.
    We have been doing this for some time and 99.99% of the time we get appreciation and the majority of the time we are filling the orders!It adds a personal touch and increases your revenue. A Win Win for your shop!

    Lance – Playa del Rey Florist

  6. One of the greatest things about America’s favorite flower, the rose, is the fragrance. And sadly, most of the fragrance has been lost to genetic engineering in order to give the blossoms a longer vase life. If you really think about it the most fragrant flowers have the shortest vase life.

    At The Flower Merchant, we add just a drop of rose scented oil by rubbing it on the underside of the foliage that is added to the rose design. It restores the element of the scent of flowers to the equation. I have notice that if I hand a rose to a client, the first thing they do is raise it to their nose for a good sniff. With the scent added, they smile and tell us how beautiful they are. The secret is to use a good, fragrant oil, and it just takes a drop! You don’t want to over do it!

    Pat – The Flower Merchant Ltd.

  7. Once a quarter (the beginning of each new season) I do a “Pay it Forward” bouquet. I give it to one local business with the instructions to enjoy for a short period of time and then pass it on to someone else to enjoy for a short period of time. The only rule is you must post a picture of the bouquet on Facebook after you receive it. My shop gets a lot of “likes” that day and a lot of free advertisement. I am also able to reach new people, as the arrangement gets passed to people not in my own circle of friends.

    Pamela – Lee’s Floral & Gift Shop

  8. Of course Holiday Time is always hectic. What I did since the first Christmas after opening my store 14 years ago, was to keep a Holiday Diary in Excel. I created a spreadsheet that captured the following information: Flowers ordered, quantity, from which wholesaler, Special containers, Holiday themed accessories. Then I would add in other information: Day of the week the Holiday fell on, weather, what sold well, what didn’t, traffic flow, problems, best ideas.

    This proved to be one of my best ideas, because every year I and then my manager would pull out the diary for Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Easter, Mother’s Day etc. Ready was the information on what to order (we would only augment the order to the percentage amount that regular business had increased over the previous year) and what to prepare for the Holiday. Over 14 years this worked perfectly and I believe we only had one Valentine’s Day when we were left with product (due to a snowstorm and no walk in traffic!)

    Marilyn – Nineteen Melrose Flower Studio

  9. When training a new employee for phone orders we have a paper order pad we’ve designed that matches our POS order entry. That way, if needed, the employee can write down any info if they become frustrated entering an order on the computer. Having the paper pad give the employee a back-up system in case they get panicked. Plus, it helps them get used to the POS form.

    Darlene – DLN Floral Creations

  10. Don’t take a complaint or concern about your service or floral arrangements personally, take it as a compliment! Why a compliment? My Grandfather always said, “That person thought so much about you that they are giving you a chance to improve on or fix the problem.” Most people just stop shopping with you. Thank the customer for letting you know, take care of the their problem and even if you think the problem was minor, give them their money back or another arrangement or whatever it takes to make the situation right.

    This person took the time to let you know of an issue that needs to be addressed. Had they not told you of the problem, how would you ever know? You’d just stand around wondering why your customers had all gone somewhere else. We are not selling a unique product anymore, even gas stations sell roses on Valentine’s Day. All we have left is our service so be the best at service. Along with that, you present your outstanding arrangements and smiling faces. And even smile when you talk on the phone. You can hear a smile.

    Dale – Baesler’s Floral Market

Voting Poll

Don’t forget to vote!

Which Tip Deserves the Training?

  • 7. Pamela - Lee's Floral & Gift Shop (17%, 26 Votes)
  • 10. Dale - Baesler's Floral Market (15%, 23 Votes)
  • 2. Lori - ABloom, Ltd. (12%, 19 Votes)
  • 6. Pat - The Flower Merchant Ltd. (12%, 18 Votes)
  • 4. Daniel - Blumen Garten Florists (10%, 15 Votes)
  • 8. Marilyn - Nineteen Melrose Flower Studio (9%, 14 Votes)
  • 1. Mary - Blossom Shop (8%, 12 Votes)
  • 3. Adele - New Leaf Flowers and Gifts (8%, 12 Votes)
  • 5. Lance - Playa del Rey Florist (5%, 8 Votes)
  • 9. Darlene - DLN Floral Creations (5%, 8 Votes)

Total Voters: 99

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FSN Customer Service Appreciation Week Employee Cookout

This was customer service appreciation week here at Flower Shop Network. That means our bosses honored all of us for our focus on customer service (and to raise awareness of the importance of customer service). We each received a nice piece of candy every day of the week complete with a small, relevant and pun-tastic saying attached.

And then to top it off, Thursday we had a cookout with all the fixins. Join me on this photo-journey through the delicious options provided and the fun had by all!

Grillin' It Up!

What’s a cookout without burgers and hot dogs on the grill? [Read more…]

August Newsletter: Keeping It Classy

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The kids put on their backpacks. Mom and Dad give them a lift or make sure they get on the bus without incident. Teachers stare across their classrooms at a sea of new faces, excited to educate fresh, young minds. What’s missing from these images? Flowers! In a stressful first few weeks, a beautiful bouquet or magnificent arrangement can do wonders, and every person in this scenario is deserving.

So whether you’re a student, a parent, a teacher or just friends with some, give the gift of flowers and keep school classy!

[Read more…]

Second Summer FSN Baby Shower

If there’s one thing we love here at Flower Shop Network, it’s a party. And what better reason to throw one than the impending birth of a new member of the FSN family? We pulled all the stops for this one, so sit back, relax and enjoy some excellent baby shower photos!

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A table full of presents!

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Ah, c’mon! Open the big one first!

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Diapers, score! It’s one of those things you under no misconceptions about the baby needing.

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And wipes! Those are gonna come in handy later …

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Oooh, bibs for baby. I like the one that says ‘daddy’s girl’. Aren’t they all?

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Cute little onesie. Gotta keep that precious girl warm!

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I’m going out on a limb and saying it’s supposed to be an October arrival.

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Towels and washcloths are always important. The ones mom and dad use are probably too rough for baby’s sensitive skin.

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Some more beautiful towels! You can never have enough.

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More bibs! This is gonna be the cleanest baby ever.

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And of course the cake!

Let me echo the cake and offer my congratulations to Emily and Josh as well. We are always happy to welcome a new addition to the FSN family. It looked like momma was very happy with her gifts, and I know for a fact that the guests were more than happy with the cake. There’s no after photo, after all. Come back to the Bloomin’ Blog soon to find out what else we’ve been up to in this fun-filled summer! Until next time!

2014 FSN Summer Splash Bash

FSN had its annual summer party Tuesday night, and it was a BLAST! With a highly competitive Baggo tournament, a wet and wild water park for the kiddies and the always popular karaoke opportunities, there was a little something here for everyone. And let’s not forget the best part, friends and family. Scroll through the photos below for your glimpse of our Summer Splash Bash!

Welcoming the Group

Brock takes a moment to welcome everyone to the Summer Splash Bash on behalf of himself and Loranne. Everybody looks excited to be here!

Baggo!

Here are a couple of our Baggo competitors! In case you weren’t sure, this is the game where you attempt to toss bean bags into a small hole.

Baggo II

Another Baggo action shot.

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Our Baggo team winners!!

Baby!

Momma and baby enjoying the pool.

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Marla getting her feet wet.

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Because it’s water fun time!

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Thinking hard about these water jets.

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Posing with her new patio set!

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Too bad you can’t hear the inarguably impressive dulcet tones of our very own Irving as he serenades the ladies.

FSN has had one crazy summer, and it’s just keeps getting better! We’ve had baby showers, cookouts and now a water park party. What’s next? Keep it tuned right here to the Bloomin’ Blog, and we’ll keep you updated on all our company-wide shenanigans! And if you’d like to see our complete set of pictures, check out the Summer Splash Bash folder on our FSN Facebook page!

An FSN Baby Shower!

FSN’s SEO Specialist and blog contributor Kelly Wheatley and her husband Bart are preparing to welcome their first child! (The doctor tells us it’s a boy.) And Flower Shop Network was excited to honor them with a baby shower. Don’t worry, we aren’t going to leave you without some excellent photos of the event. So sit back, relax and enjoy!

Kelly and Bart

Kelly and Bart posing in front of their delicious cake  (I sampled it extensively to bring you the most up-to-date and accurate information.)  And look at those cute baby booties! Squee!

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Presents!

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And what Flower Shop Network event would be complete without the customary arrangement? But enough about the preliminaries, lets get to the good stuff!

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Yay, baby clothes! They’re so adorable!

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Even more onesies!

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Oh yeah, baby is gonna have a blast with that! I need one of those for my own living room.

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We gotta get dad in a few of these too right?

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Books and toys! Does it get any better? I know my kids don’t think so.

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Sippy cups! The #1 recommended way to keep your kids hydrated while eliminating potential water spills.

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And last but certainly not least, a seat guardian. Keeps the baby seat from slipping. Safety first! And just look at those smiling faces.

We all had fun and enjoyed the cake and punch while Kelly and Bart got lots of lovely and very useful things. But even with all of that, there was still one thing missing … the baby! Word is it should arrive sometime in mid-August. I’m practically giddy with excitement so I can’t even imagine how the new parents-to-be must feel! All I can say is, Kelly better bring it by the office soon. I’ll try to snap a pic and update this post when that happens. Keep an eye on us!

FSN Summer Cookout

For the next in a series of summer activities planned here at Flower Shop Network, we decided to take advantage of the beautiful weather and have a cookout. We also split the entire office into teams for an exciting group-building exercise and tons of free prizes. We take summer pretty seriously around here … seriously fun that is!

Warming it Up

This is the massive grill we used to cook up all the hamburgers and hot dogs the staff could eat, and more!

The Goods

Hmmm, they look a little less appetizing while still in the packaging.

Loaded

Wait a minute, yeah! That’s the stuff! Yum!

Aftermath

This was so popular I couldn’t get a photo until the first wave had passed. Uh oh, I’m hungry again.

The sides

And buckets of peanuts? Uh, yes please!

Delicious Deserts

A very small sampling of the delicious deserts available at the cookout. Seriously, there were possibly four times this many delectable options, many of which were homemade. It was yummy.

Team Building Exercise

And here’s the team building exercise we worked on this week. The goal was to set this PVC pipe on the ground without anyone’s finger coming off the pipe. It’s harder than it sounds.

Success

But they did it!

Don’t fret, there are plenty more exciting FSN activities you’ll have a chance to peek in on all summer long! Just keep an eye on the Bloomin’ Blog or our Facebook page. See ya next time!

FSN Relay for Life!

The American Cancer Society held its annual Relay for Life this past weekend, and Flower Shop Network was out in force! We whipped up a fantastic team name, the Flower Patch Kids, put together a wonderful raffle prize and rallied our staff to walk for charity. There was no end to the fun had throughout the evening and through to the next morning. Delirium began to set in around 4 am just after the fudge round eating contest, (First place went to our own Mandy Maxwell who downed four in under a minute. Impressive!) but we persevered. Check out the photos below for examples of all we offered our booth attendees!

FSN Relay for Life Volunteers

Here are the ladies showing off their new Relay T-shirts! FSN bought one for every staff walker.

Fun with Signage

A wealth of charity fund-raising activities to be had at the FSN booth. And that was legitimate sweet tea and lemonade too. This is the south, folks. There are some things on which you simply cannot skimp.

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Hiding from the camera. I see you!

Quilt and Facepainting

In the background you can see May Canoy of the FSN graphics department doing a little face painting. In the foreground we have a gorgeous quilt made by our very own Loranne Atwill which was raffled off, the proceeds adding to our overall contribution.

Face Paint!

And here’s the final product from our face-painting masters. I think she loves Batman. The logo in the shape of a heart tipped me off.

Thanks for coming along on this picture journey through Flower Shop Network’s corner of the 2014 Relay for Life! But this is just the tip of the fun iceberg. Make sure to check back at the FSN blog regularly for your passport to plenty more exciting FSN activities throughout the upcoming summer months!

Administrative Professionals’ Day at FSN

FSN has its share of Administrative Professionals, and never let it be said that we don’t know the proper way to honor those individuals. You know what I’m talking about right? That’s right, flowers! And we gave some gorgeous ones from FSN member Alvin Taylor’s Flowers here in Paragould, AR. So scroll through and take a look at some smiling faces and beautiful arrangements!

This is our Front Desk Administrator. She’s the first face you see when you walk into the FSN offices, the first voice you hear when you call and that smile is a genuine and permanent fixture. Thank you for all you do! [Read more…]

FSN Baby Shower

There’s only one thing better than having a baby, and that’s having two! That’s what happened to Flower Shop Network employee Joe Teasley and his wife Kelly. They were recently blessed with two beautiful additions to their family in Brody (boy) and Kodie (girl). To celebrate, Flower Shop Network decided to host a baby shower in their honor! (I have it on good authority that no babies were actually showered at the event.)

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A cake of congratulations! You can’t see from this photo, but the cake itself was half blue and half pink. That didn’t stop it from being all scrumptious though!

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Here’s Kelly holding up a couple of adorable outfits for her little ones.

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And here are the stars of the day, themselves! Oooh, they’re so precious!

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Let me tell you, that punch was delicious.

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Look at all those presents!

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A close-up of little Brody.

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And of course one of little Kodie.

Congratulations Joe and Kelly! I know you’re so proud and you have every right to be!