Issuu

January/February 2018

canadianfloristmag.com

THE

BENEFITS

of Contracting a Marketing Pro

The Meaning of Valentineâ€™s Day

Setting Up New Hires For Success

inside 25 Years of CAFA

6 Hot Looks for 2018 3 Tendencies Costing You $

PM42919543

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A Website As Unique as Your Shop Part of the Essential Marketing bundle by Strider StriderSEO.com/ï¬‚orists hello@striderseo.com 800-314-8895 January/February 2018 | CANADIAN Florist 2

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C over Design By Heather de Kok, AAF, AIFD, PFCI

features 8

Knowing where Valentine’s Day started simply makes you an expert on one of the floral industry’s top holidays. For instance, when someone says to you, “This is a stupid holiday created by Hallmark,” you can respond with, “Actually this holiday dates back to an ancient Roman fertility festival that was held in mid-February called Lupercalia…” Fast forward more than a dozen centuries and you finally get to the first mass produced greeting card in 1840. -Heather De Kok, AIFD, PFCI

Trend Watch 2018

CAFA Celebrates 25 Years of Excellence

Onboarding New Team Members

online Network with florists online

Have your say. Join the new Canadian Florist Facebook Group to share thoughts on florist life in Canada. http://cfmag.pub/fbgroup

30 departments 12

The Social Florist

Florist Spotlight

By Design

Grow with Joe

Jennifer’s Journeys

Rising to the Occasion

How to With Heather

Ask the SEO

On the Level with Neville

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by Katie Hendrick

FROM THE

EDITOR

Fresh starts can be exhilarating— or paralyzing—depending on your perspective. When it comes to diet and exercise, I live for 6 a.m./Monday/January 1, when optimism is still high that I will come through with all my good intentions (one hour of cardio, 30 minutes of strength training, stretch, eat more protein and vegetables, avoid added sugars, go to bed at a reasonable hour). Typically, my success rate for the aforementioned list hovers around 50 percent, but that doesn’t stop me from waking up to a new day/ week/year invigorated by the possibility that, for once, I will not stray from good habits.

Writing, on the other hand, is an entirely different experience. When I have an article due, there is no greater nemesis than the blank page. I despise the blinking cursor that stands on its lonesome. It mocks my struggle. I strive to submit something so well crafted that it reads effortlessly, but trust me, the process is ugly. I’m sure all of our columnists and feature writers would agree: organizing thoughts into something coherent that also (hopefully) has some insight and wit can be daunting. For me, it’s not until I’m about three-quarters of the way through my assignment that I can start to relax and feel at all positive about it. Of course, given my career, this exercise comes up over and over again, so I need to find a way to reframe my relationship with the white screen of despair. (Hello, New Year’s resolution!) Surely, as a professional in the floral industry, you’ve had times when your job has felt monotonous and wearisome, particularly if you’ve lost count of the number of Valentine’s Days you’ve worked. If you, like me, are in a rut, this issue is for you. We’ve assembled several ideas to inspire you to turn over a new leaf in 2018. For instance, sales and customer service expert Tim Huckabee continues his candid explanations for why many florists’ businesses never seem to grow (p. 28), which includes a critique of the tired designs that have stuck around for years (or decades). If you need help coming up with something fresh, check out By Design (p. 20), Grow With Joe (p. 24), or How To With Heather (p. 30). Additionally, Michelle Brisebois’ feature on new trends in fashion and interior design (p. 8) might also rouse your creativity. If hiring is on the agenda in the near future, be sure to check out Ryan O’Neil’s advice for onboarding new team members (p. 22). He offers a thorough training guide that turns fresh faces into productive, motivated team leaders who delight your customer and (bonus!) lighten your load. Have your marketing results plateaued? In Ask the SEO (p. 32), publisher Ryan Freeman shares solutions to reach and influence a broader audience.

Vol. 113 No. 1 Editor Katie Hendrick khendrick@CanadianFloristMag.com 800-314-8895 ext 106 Advertising Manager advertising@CanadianFloristMag.com Publisher Ryan Freeman ryan@CanadianFloristMag.com Media Designer Ruby Coles Publication Mail Agreement #42919543 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO Strider Media, 6-6150 Highway 7, Suite 400, Woodbridge, ON L4H 0R6 distribution@CanadianFloristMag.com Printed in Canada ISSN 1700-5043

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e-mail: distribution@CanadianFloristMag.com Tel: 800-314-8895 ext 2 Fax: 800-755-7032 Mail: 6-6150 Highway 7, Suite 400 Woodbridge, ON L4H 0R6

Subscription Rates Canada - $30/1 Yr, $48/2 Yrs, $65/3 Yrs + HST USA - $69/1 Yr, $111/2 Yrs, $163/3 Yrs International - $99/1 Yr, $160/2 Yrs, $233/3 Yrs Occasionally, Canadian Florist will mail information on behalf of industry-related groups whose products and services we believe may be of interest to you. If you prefer not to receive this information, please contact our circulation department in any of the four ways listed above. No part of the editorial content of this publication may be reprinted without the publisher’s written permission. ©2015 Strider Media. All rights reserved. Opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the editor or the publisher. No liability is assumed for errors or omissions. All advertising is subject to the publisher’s approval. Such approval does not imply any endorsement of the products or services advertised. Publisher reserves the right to refuse advertising that does not meet the standards of the publication.

Dedicated to the memory of Bill Martin, and all those who gave of their time and resources to build up our industry.

www.canadianfloristmag.com

We hope the new year brings you health, happiness, and much success. Cheers! @CanadianFlorist January/February 2018 | CANADIAN Florist 4

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Embrace The Clean Slate

a modernized tradition

Customers today are looking for new and different designs. The younger generation is asking us to create and bring back live plants in a contemporary style. Because of these demands, we as an industry need to sell design, not just a plant in a pot. This design utilizes modern enhancements to address our customers’ needs. Let our featured designers inspire you at oasisfloralproducts.com/inspire

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LISA BELISLE AIFD FLORA ELEMENTS LaGrange Park, IL MOST INSPIRATIONAL FLORAL DESIGN: Valentine’s Day

You too can be featured in the Inspire Design Showcase! Follow us on Facebook for the upcoming themes. January/February 2018 CANADIAN Florist 5

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TREND By Michelle Brisebois

Watch

Our homes are our “environmental autobiographies” and the treasures we fill them with tell stories about our past, our loves, and how we want to be perceived by the world. Trends in home décor are important because they represent society’s move through history. It’s a moment in time captured by an aesthetic, a colour, or a functionality. Predicting trends involves a little crystal ball gazing but we spoke to some design professionals who study consumers’ shifting preferences. They predict that 2018 will see people making very personal statements by sidestepping cookie-cutter fads and combining elements in ways that tell their own stories. We have become accustomed to personalization. The ads that follow us from web page to web page and the articles that show up on our social media feeds are all highly targeted to our natural preferences based on past online behaviour. We expect the world around us to reflect our unique likes, rather than catering to the hive mind. The Doneger Group, based in New York City, identifies design trends for fashion and related industries. Kai Chow, Doneger’s creative director, spoke with Canadian Florist about what’s driving current design trends. “Trends are moving horizontally across every classification and industry,” she said. “Consumer sentiment and sociocultural drivers have the last word in the trends that start and are eventually accepted, and this sentiment determines how long they continue.” More than ever, she said, individuality is driving home décor. “There is so much available, so many styles, and at all price points,” she said. “There is no longer a pure aesthetic and it is the eclecticism of how consumers are mixing furnishings that is truly exciting.” While purchases may vary person by person, there are certain themes resonating that can guide you as you update your inventory, Chow said. Here are some of her suggestions.

IN LOVE WITH THE SHAPE OF YOU: GEOMETRICS

(top) @hoflandinspired, (bottom) @katieclarenutrition

All kinds of shapes are showing up in home décor—in tiles, fabric, artwork, lamps, and vases. Particularly popular accents include cut outs in the shape of hexagons, diamonds, circles, and chevron stripes. Strong lines and threedimensional cubes all nod to this aesthetic. It’s a return to the Memphis Design Style popular in the 1980’s, Chow said. This look combined geometric shapes, different materials, and high contrast colours. “Science, math, and a geek sensibility are cool again,” Chow said. Additionally, “Japonisme,” a French term used to describe Japanese influence on art, incorporates geometry, as does Scandinavian aesthetics (more on this soon), she added. Susan Clarke, Marketing Manager at Hofland Wholesale Florist in Mississauga, Ontario, pointed to the company’s “Leaf and Line” collection, which captures the geometric trend.

(left) @h

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TURN ON, TUNE IN, DROP OUT: BOHEMIAN SEVENTIES Fringe is big as are macramé items and embellishments. Remember those avocado and gold pairings? They’re back! But now the shades are a bit more dramatic to deliver a bigger punch. ”The key is to create eclectic groupings of product,” Clarke said. Use various sizes of containers. Mix metal, glass, and ceramic. Use shiny and weathered textures together. “It’s a fine line though! The principles of design & merchandising still apply,” Clarke continued. “It’s easy to go from ‘Bohemian’ to ‘Garage Sale’ if you’re not careful.” Garden roses, clematis, ranunculus, sweet peas, lisianthus, scabiosa, dahlias, “and lots of greenery!” remain very popular to create “this trailing, loose, and flowing design style,” Clarke said. The Doneger Group connects this trend to sustainability. “There is a return to shopping vintage, up-cycling/recycling, and the appreciation of retro craft,” Chow said. “But it is rarely the total look. It’s mixed in with modern pieces.”

(left) @bohemiandecor, (right) @bohoside

LIVING DANISHLY: SCANDINAVIAN STYLE Last year’s big word was “hygge” (rhymes with the opening chant from “Hooked on a Feeling”). It’s a Danish word that means “cozy and content” and captures the simplicity and peacefulness associated with Scandinavian culture. Trend hunters have pegged this year’s Scandinavian buzzword to be “lagom,” which is Swedish for “not too little or too much.” All Goldilocks jokes aside, it’s clear we’re still excited about the Scandinavian style. “Scandinavian design continues to be an aesthetic to strive for— modern silhouettes paired with tactile, often soft touch materials,” Chow said. Rustic, natural elements, like unfinished wooden furniture fits in here. “The idea is bringing nature indoors,” Chow explained. Another hallmark is simplicity. Ikea’s understated PS 2017 armchair recently won the prestigious Red Dot Award for Product Design.

(left) @hygge_for_home, (centre) @huggelife, (right) @hygge_for_home

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CANADIAN FLORIST BUSINESS FORUM April 21, 2018

Featuring trainer, speaker, consultant, and Canadian Florist columnist Tim Huckabee.

Early-bird tickets on

SALE NOW

CanadianFloristMag.com/business-forum/

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LEARN GROW NETWORK Holiday Inn & Suites Parkway Conference Centre in St. Catharines, ON.

Come for CFBF - Stay for the NIA Florists Annual Design Show featuring Canadian Florist columnist and international designer Heather de Kok, AAF, AIFD, PFCI.

Heather de Kok aaf, aifd, pfci

"The Circle of Life in Your Shop From Every Day To Wedding Day"

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