Issuu

July/August 2018

canadianfloristmag.com

FLOWER THERAPY

inside

• The Art of Conversational Commerce • Plants 101 • Why YouTube Is Calling Your Name

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16 features 10 We were in shock as the whole community was, and we did what we all had to do here. We were surrounded by amazing people — volunteers, florists from all over, people even walked in off the street to help. Ruth Brinkman, Humboldt Florist

Flowers Help Heal Humboldt Community Try A Little Tenderness: Working With Bereaved Clients

Let’s Talk About Conversational Commerce

Gaining Goodwill with Grudge Purchases

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

26 departments 6

Bloomin’ Biz/ Coast to Coast

Florist Spotlight

The Social Florist

By Design

Jennifer’s Journeys

How to With Heather

Grow with Joe

Ask the SEO

On the Level with Neville

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By Katie Hendrick Vincent

FROM THE

You might expect that, given my profession as a writer, I’d think nothing trumps language in terms of expressing thoughts and ideas. Far from it. Sure, I think novels almost always surpass the films they inspire. But when it comes to responding to someone experiencing heartbreak — be it from the death of a loved one, a bad diagnosis, a divorce, a job loss or a big rejection — I struggle to find appropriate words. I’ve consulted numerous etiquette blogs for advice, which inevitably suggest something succinct, like “my deepest sympathy” or “I’m sorry for your loss.” The sentiments are true, but when offered to someone who’s in pain, they sound awfully hollow.

EDITOR

Thank goodness for flowers! A motto I’ve often heard in the industry goes something like this: Flowers say what words cannot. This is never truer than when the occasion is sympathy. It’s been nearly a decade since my grandmother died, but I still recall the immediate aftermath. While my grandfather, mother, aunts and uncles ran about town running errands for the wake and funeral, I stayed home to accept flower and food deliveries and greet guests. I’ve definitely lost track of the number of arrangements that arrived (A LOT), but I distinctly remember how much they touched me. The roses, lilies, gerberas, and snapdragons literally filled our home with cheery hues and a feeling of lightness my family desperately needed. Furthermore, the gesture itself spoke volumes. Each vase represented someone who knew and loved my grandmother. Seeing our family room transform into a garden showed me the impact her life had. Your flowers help tongue-tied friends and business associates express their feelings. You, however, must navigate the difficult bereavement communications when a customer contacts you for funeral work. These situations require utmost sensitivity and professionalism. In this issue, Jamie BirdwellBranson reached out to a pair of florists experienced in this category who offered their best practices for talking to grieving families and putting them at ease. You’ll also find a heartwarming story about how a community came together in the face of heartbreaking news. Mackenzie Nichols spoke with representatives from Humboldt Florist and Wascana Flower Shoppe about how residents used flowers to comfort the families affected by the tragic bus accident that claimed the lives of 13 youth hockey players, their head coach, and two playby-play announcers. “We sent arrangements to schools, families, banks, head offices, City Hall,” said Ruth Brinkman, a designer at Humboldt Florist. “People were asking to send flowers to anyone and everyone that was connected. We sent every form of flower you could imagine. This will impact us for the rest of our lives.”

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. ©2018 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 these stories empower you with a reminder of the profound meaning behind your work.

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When Words Fall Short

Vol 113 No. 4 Editor Katie Hendrick Vincent khendrick@CanadianFloristMag.com 800-314-8895 ext 106

a loving tribute

Some arrangements are deeply personal. “This piece did more that memorialize a close family member, it celebrated his life.” This was an opportunity to create a meaningful, one-of-a-kind arrangement. The base was built in the studio and the set-up occurred on site, prior to the ceremony. The inspiration for sympathy is exceptionally heartfelt when you are able to include thoughtful mementos in your arrangements. Let our featured designers inspire you at oasisfloralproducts.com/inspire

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ADRIANNA DURAN-LEON AIFD THE FLOWER COMPANY Albuquerque, NM MOST INSPIRATIONAL FLORAL DESIGN: Sympathy

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

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Weekend of

Wonder

coast to

COAST

As Canadian Florist went to press for our May/June issue, florists across the country gathered in St. Catharines, Ontario, April 20-21, for a packed weekend of education, inspiration, and networking. The annual Canadian Florist Business Forum kicked things off on Saturday. This year’s speakers included some of our most popular contributors — Michelle Brisebois, Tim Huckabee, Jennifer Harvey, and Neville MacKay. Another columnist, Heather de Kok, headlined the Niagara International Association of Florists’ design show the following day. Here are some memories from a great weekend!

Afshin Akhoundpour, founder of Fair Trade Floral, visits with florists during a CFBF coffee break.

Neville MacKay, CAFA, PFCI, hams for the camera before delivering his eye opening (and sidesplitting) presentation, “The Art of Selling.”

Neville MacKay, CAFA, PFCI; Jack VanderMaas, Ontario Flower Growers; Clarke Harvey; Jennifer Harvey, CAFA, CFD; Joseph DeLarge, CAFA, CFD

Michelle Brisebois discusses chat bots, voice automation, Instagram, and more during “Conversational Commerce: Building Connections with Customers.” July/August 2018 | CANADIAN Florist 6

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COMING

EVENTS JULY 14-17: Cultivate 18 Columbus, Ohio

NIAF attendees examine Heather de Kok’s greenery-covered plastic container, which she uses to add a fancy touch to funeral arrangements.

https://www.cultivate18.org/

Designs by NIAF Keynote Speaker Heather de Kok, AAF, AIFD, PFCI

15: SAF 1-Day Profit Blast Green Bay, Wisconsin

https://safnow.org/events-education/1-dayprofit-blast/

SEPTEMBER

During her NIAF presentation, “The Circle of Life,” Heather de Kok, AAF, AIFD, PFCI, talks about personalized sympathy pieces.

12-15: Society of American Florists’ annual convention Rancho Mirage, California

https://safnow.org/events-education/annualconvention/

Florists pass around a branch design by Heather de Kok, AAF, AIFD, PFCI, during the Niagara International Association of Florists Design Show.

16-17: Florists’ Supply Fall & Holiday Design Show and Hands On Seminar Saskatoon and Edmonton locations http://www.floristssupply.com/

19-21: Agriflor Quito, Ecuador

http://www.hppexhibitions.com/agriflor/

23-24: Florists’ Supply Fall & Holiday Design Show and Hands On Seminar Winnipeg location http://www.floristssupply.com/

OCTOBER 7: SAF 1-Day Profit Blast Portland, Oregon

https://safnow.org/events-education/1-dayprofit-blast/

Suzy Caiger mans the Floral Express Wholesale booth during CFBF.

16-18: Wholesale Florists and Florists Supply Association conference Miami, Florida http://www.wffsa.org/

Want to book more high-end weddings? Use your marketing budget on gala tickets, then go out and mingle, said Jennifer Harvey, CAFA, CFD, during “Book Those MoneyMaker Weddings.”

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24: Petal It Forward Cities Worldwide

https://safnow.org/petalitforward/

Organizing an upcoming event readers should know about? EMAIL khendrick@canadianfloristmag.com

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y s a t Fan PHALAENOPSIS

design

By Zara Miklenda | Photos by Olive Studio

I’m a second-generation floral designer who has been designing full-time for almost 10 years. I grew up in Oakville, Ontario, where my parents owned a high-end downtown flower shop. At age 19, after heading off to college to study gerontology, I realized that my heart was — and always will be — in floral design. So I gave up one dream to pursue another. I completed my certification at the Canadian Institute of Floral Design and then studied under master designers for several years until I felt comfortable and confident enough to spread my wings and take on the design world on my own terms. I now live in Georgina, Ontario and am the head designer and manager of Keswick Flowers and Gifts. Here are some photos from a favourite wedding I did on June 16, 2017 at Langdon Hall in Cambridge, Ontario with the help of my mother, Suzy Caiger. The bride and groom were looking for a vibrant array of flowers that really reflected the dynamic of their relationship. Both the bride (Josie) and the groom (Tim) love adventure, excitement, and embracing all the beauty life has to offer. They wanted their flowers to stand out, to be different than your average white wedding. Both wanted the feeling that flowers were everywhere, without having too many greens.

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The bridal bouquet was a cascade featuring deep, rich, pink phalaenopsis orchids, sweet ‘Juliet’ garden roses, soft blush peonies, orange spray roses and dark pink spray roses (to add a pop of colour), ‘Cool Water’ roses, and a few stems of white lisianthus. We included a touch of Italian ruscus to add movement without taking away from the overflow of orchids. We also added a wire cage and handle to give an extra level of texture.

The centrepieces were two-tiered arrangements arranged on candelabras that were connected by a winding vine of Italian ruscus and phalaenopsis orchids. They featured both white and green hydrangeas, soft pink peonies, ‘Juliet’ garden roses, orange and hot pink spray roses, hot pink dianthus, and ‘Cool Water’ roses. They were enhanced with New Zealand pittosporum and Italian ruscus.

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