Program Description:

The floral business has seen so many changes in recent years. The next five years will be some of the most challenging times. Most florists have lost the clarity in defining who, they are and what they sell. It’s time to change that and empower shop owners. In the current economy, marketing will play a great role in the survival of the retail florist, as we know it. Rick Rivers is the author of two books on marketing for florists and Derrick Myers, CPA, works with many florists. They will be spending the day giving you insights on how to give your flower shop a makeover and put it on the path for continued success in years to come. Rick and Derrick see things differently from others in the industry and often try to show how other approaches can help you attain your goals easier and faster.

Session #1: 9:00 a.m. – 11:30a.m. – Move over, I’m in the lead

Rick will take you through what changes you will need to make for the upcoming years; the new and projected buying habits of the customers. He will look at who has money to spend and why they spend it. You will learn how to adjust and make the wire services work for you, actually driving business growth and profits. After this session, you will lose your fear of “big box” and turn that fear into increased sales. You will then know how to use all of the same techniques for your shop. Does your store look like a store of the future? Learn what layouts customers are looking for, sales paths they expect and how you’re viewed on the Internet. You will learn new sales terminology, sales styles and social media skills for increasing sales. All attendees will leave with a “blueprint” for success and a newfound love for sales.

Session #2: 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. – Hidden Profits

Derrick will take you by the hand and show you what your numbers should really say and then how to adjust them to maximize profit. Derrick has helped so many flower shops increase their profits and shift their numbers into the right columns. Not all the numbers are the same for every store, each store has unique “service trends” that can affect your bottom line. No two stores will look alike. How much is your budget for marketing, customer retention and new customer acquisitions? Derek will help you understand why 10% of your money is really not your money, but money that is needed for customers to return to your store. You can make money in this economy despite all the obstacles.

Session #3: 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. – Move that (Bus) or Flower Truck

Rick and Derek will be go through Point of Sale systems and show you all of the hidden information located in it and just how to transform that information into dollars. It takes an average of three years for people to truly learn the POS system they have, so you will have a head start on that curve. By the end of the day you will be screaming “move that bus” or flower truck in our case and have the tools and information to go back to your store with a makeover plan in hand. Who knows, Mark Anderson of FloristWare might even stop by and show us some of the future features for his POS system.