November/December 2017
canadianfloristmag.com
STEP OUT of Your Comfort Zone
Pricing Adjustments with BIG Payoffs
Learn the Art of Tropical Nouveau
inside Instagram Stories 101
Customer Service Resolutions Contending With Chargebacks
PM42919543
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A Website As Unique as Your Shop Part of the Essential Marketing bundle by Strider StriderSEO.com/orists hello@striderseo.com 800-314-8895 November/December 2017 | CANADIAN Florist 2
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06
Vol. 112, No. 6 • November/December 2017
COVER DESIGN BY HEATHER DE KOK, AAF, AIFD, PFCI
features 14
Honestly, I can’t think of anything that I have now that I didn’t gain through taking uncomfortable risk. From asking a pretty girl on a date in high school (who is now my wife of 17 years), to helping plant a church in Toronto at a time when churches were abandoning the city, to building a business that serves florists in multiple continents, a personal brand that lets me travel all over, and a magazine that I hope will restore some unity to our industry across Canada, all of it was possible because of risks well outside my comfort zone. -Ryan Freeman
18
An Argument for Higher Learning
16
Why It Pays to Break Away From ‘Standard’ Markups
22
Discovering a New Niche (or Two or Three)
24
The Art of Upselling
32
Ouch! A Hit to the Wallet
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 6
Bloomin’ Biz/ Coast to Coast
10
Florist Spotlight
12
The Social Florist
18
By Design
26
Care and Handling
27
Life at Work
28
Rising to the Occasion
29
Ask the SEO
30
How To With Heather
34
On the Level with Neville
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Cherish the Challenge by Katie Hendrick During the Canadian Florist Business Forum this past May, I had the FROM THE opportunity to visit with Jennifer Harvey who told me about the extensive travels she had planned for the coming summer months. Eager to learn how industry colleagues in various cities and provinces operate, she uprooted herself for weeks on end to visit them. No doubt, the experience complicated her life: she lost time at the shop, had to figure out logistics and keep track of her itineraries, and she had to contend with jet lag as she bounced around time zones. But all that paled in comparison to what she gained: a richer perspective, enhanced appreciation for her craft, and new ideas about how to grow her business.
EDITOR
Since we spoke, I’ve thought a lot about personal growth. The only way to have it is to challenge ourselves. Whether the goal is to run a marathon, write a novel, increase sales, or develop a romantic relationship, you have to commit yourself to something that may be inconvenient, awkward, intimidating, or literally painful (looking at you, pushups!). It’s so worth it though—even if the only discernible reward is the feeling of accomplishment. At the end of the year, is there anything more gratifying than knowing you gave something your all or had the courage to try something new? I’m writing this letter from an airplane en route to Bogota for the Proflora trade show. Even though the timing (smack in the middle of the magazine’s closing) is quite terrible and a few loved ones expressed apprehension for my safety, I felt I couldn’t possibly turn down the invitation to see some of the prettiest flowers out in the field, get a better understanding of the supply chain, network, and ultimately experience another culture. The trip will make the coming month challenging, but as I know from experience, it will pass. And when I look back, I’ll have great memories, more knowledge, and perhaps a few new floral friends. For this issue, we asked contributors to share stories that illustrate the benefits of diverging from the standard way of doing things. You’ll hear how your peers pushed themselves to greater financial success and emotional fulfillment by taking a chance on pricing, education, accreditation, competition, public speaking, and more. If you’ve been hesitating to try something that’s always excited—but scared—you, we hope their anecdotes will give you a friendly nudge to pursue your dreams.
Vol. 112 No. 6 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
Circulation
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
Here’s to a healthy, happy, and prosperous 2018!
@CanadianFlorist November/December 2017 | CANADIAN Florist 4
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©2017 Smithers-Oasis Company. All rights reserved. OASIS® and VERTICAL BAR DESIGN® are registered trademarks of Smithers-Oasis Company.
the warmth of the season
For me, the love of Fall is personal: family gatherings, the harvest of flowers, my birthday. This arrangement brings those feelings of Fall into my customers’ homes. The low profile lets family conversations continue unimpeded and the layered design allows the arrangement to fit different-sized spaces. Let our featured designers inspire you at oasisfloralproducts.com/inspire
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KATHY BONDAR KATHY’S 2ND CHANCE PLANTS Greenfield, WI MOST INSPIRATIONAL FLORAL DESIGN: Fall Holiday
You too can be featured in the Inspire Design Showcase! Follow us on Facebook for the upcoming themes. November/December 2017 | CANADIAN Florist 5
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bloomin’
biz
The Industry Gives Back to the Community During 36th CanWest Hort Expo
In late September, local businesses and landscape professionals came together to build an everlasting stone feature at Tradex, Fraser Valley Trade & Exhibition Centre in Abbotsford, British Columbia. It was a project two years in the making. The build was organized by the CanWest Hort Expo as part of its annual “hands on” workshops to teach landscapers how to incorporate stone into their work. The final product features a permanent sitting wall located at the Tradex front entrance. It will be finished with soil and plants for visitors to admire for years to come. Local suppliers from Abbotsford donated product for the wall.
“It’s great to be able to participate in this project,” said Bob Tiller, GM of NorthWest Landscape & Stone Supply, who led a fullday workshop during the expo. “Every year we will be able to come back to Tradex and admire everyone’s hard work and accomplishment.” For the past 36 years, CanWest has been the meeting place for buyers and sellers for British Columbia’s horticulture industry including wholesale nursery and greenhouse growers, garden centre retailers, and landscape professionals. The Expo features nearly 300 booths and draws approximately 3,000 industry professionals.
Rosa Flora Ltd. Hosts Petals & Plates Kickoff The inaugural Petals & Plates Dinner took place Sept. 16 at Rosa Flora Ltd. in Dunnville, Ontario. Sponsored by Flowers Canada (Ontario) Inc., Petals & Plates is a series of flowerfocussed farm dinners that highlights Canadian flower growers. Rosa Flora sat guests at a 100-foot harvest table in the middle of the company’s blooming snapdragon greenhouse. The sold-out event included a cocktail reception in the tropical
atrium, a guided walking tour of the facilities, and a seasonal four-course artisinal meal prepared by a local chef. Otto and Corine Bulk grew hybrid tea roses and established Rosa Flora in 1978. The family-owned business has been passed down from one generation to the next. The largest greenhouse cut flower operation in Canada today, it now grows gerberas, snapdragons, lisianthus, and stephanotis. To learn more about Petals and Plates, visit www.petalsandplates.ca.
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COMING
EVENTS
coast to
COAST
NOVEMBER
Thousands Peruse Latest Trends at Toronto Gift Fair
The Canadian Gift Association’s Toronto Gift Fair, Canada’s most expansive home and lifestyle gift show, hosted its Fall 2017 market August 13-16 at The International Centre and Toronto Congress Centre. One million square feet became home to more than 750 exhibitors showcasing new trends and innovative products across the housewares, décor, gourmet, giftware, fashion, accessories, and bed, bath and linen categories—drawing more than 10,000 seasoned and savvy buyers in search of the hottest must-have items to hit retails shelves next season.
Among those shoppers: Chantelle Hitchcock, owner of Pizazz! Florals and Balloons in Chatham, Ontario. A longtime gift show attendee, she goes to draw inspiration for visual merchandising and finding new and popular inventory.
There’s something more meaningful about seeing a tangible product rather than looking at a catalogue “There's something more meaningful about seeing a tangible product rather than looking at a catalogue. It mimics the customer experience,” she said. “I know if I'm drawn to it at the show, my customers will be more interested in my shop!” A few trends she detected during her recent shopping trip include birch, wooden crates, and natural looking containers. “The ‘country chic’ theme was everywhere!” she said. Lanterns, too, will be big for 2018. “They are beautiful and functional, which is great for gift giving.” Since 1976, The Canadian Gift Association has been the voice and entrepreneurial spirit of Canada’s $10 billion giftware industry. As a not-for-profit association, CanGift works hard to empower its members to be more competitive and successful by bringing its members together with buyers at its bi-annual trade-only fairs in Toronto, Edmonton, and Montreal.
15-17: Expo-FIHOQ Centroexpo Cogeco Drummondville, Quebec
https://www.expofihoq.com/en/
DECEMBER
5-7: Great Lakes Expo Devos Place Conference Center and The Amway Grand Plaza Hotel Grand Rapids, Michigan http://glexpo.com
JANUARY
9-11: Landscape Ontario Congress Toronto Congress Centre Toronto, Ontario https://locongress.com
26-29: Floradecora Frankfurt am Main, Germany https://floradecora.messefrankfurt.com/ frankfurt/en.html 28-Feb. 1: Toronto Gift Fair The International Centre & Toronto Congress Centre www.cangift.org
FEBRUARY
25-28: Alberta Gift Fair Edmonton Expo Centre Edmonton, Alberta www.cangift.org
MARCH
14-16: Hortiflora Expo Millennium Hall Addis Ababa, Ethiopia http://www.hppexhibitions.com/ floriculture/2018/hortiflora 9-18: Canada Blooms Enercare Centre Toronto, Ontario http://canadablooms.com/ 20-22: World Floral Expo Donald E. Stephens Convention Center Chicago, Illinois http://www.hppexhibitions.com/ floriculture/2018/wfe/ 25-28: Quebec Gift Fair Place Bonaventure Montreal, Quebec www.cangift.org
APRIL
21: Canadian Florist Business Forum St. Catharines, Ontario www.canadianfloristmag.com 22: Niagara International Association of Florists Design Show St. Catharines, Ontario www.niaflorists.org
Organizing an upcoming event readers should know about? EMAIL khendrick@canadianfloristmag.com
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FLORIST SPOTLIGHT
Vancouver Florist Pushes Self to New Heights By Christy O’Farrell
In a 40-minute conversation with Aniko Kovacs, AIFD, CFD, EMC, owner of Garlands Florist in Vancouver, the word “challenge” came up nine times. Whether competing in a Canadian floral design contest, earning back-to-back professional credentials, decorating a castle in Belgium, or balancing her store’s demands with family responsibilities, she rises to the test. Kovacs and her husband, Karoly Barna, have run Garlands for 18 years, a business that evolved from a 580-square-foot shop they started from scratch in the late 1990s. Before the couple moved to Vancouver, Kovacs finished university in Budapest, Hungary, to become a horticulturist. She worked in other Vancouver-area flower shops for a little over a year before opening Garlands. “I was always attracted to flowers,” she said. “I love design and fashion and art.” Five years later, the couple expanded into a 2,300-square-foot space by removing a wall between their shop and the adjacent one, when that space became available. Then, about five years ago, the couple reversed the process, erecting the wall because property taxes were rising, as were demands outside the shop, such as managing activities for their sons, Dominik, 13, and Attila, 10. “It’s quite challenging,” she said. “The dynamics changed.” Garlands is now a 1,100-square-foot, five-employee, cash-and-carry business plus a separate warehouse with cooler from which the staff stages corporate events and weddings. Kovacs said they do fewer weddings than they used to, but that corporate business is “pretty steady.” The retail showroom has always been on the same street, about 15 minutes from the couple’s home. Walk-in business has recovered from a “couple challenging years,” a decline caused by development and construction in the area, she said. Kovacs has learned florists must keep up with new inventories, displays, and design techniques. For example, plants, including succulents and air plants, are hotter right now than she can ever remember them being. “You need to show you can do different things,” she said. “You can sell what you can show.”
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VETOQUINOL GREENHOUSES
s This is not a laundry room So why are you still using bleach?
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