Juli Jackson - Bloomin' Blog

Best 5 Reasons to Send Flowers in November

November 4, 2013 by Juli Jackson Leave a Comment

While we like to say every day is a perfect day to make someone happy with flowers, here are our absolute favorite reasons to spread love and kindness this month.

#1. Veteran’s Day – November 11th

Celebrating the dedication of the men and women who fight to keep our country safe, Veteran’s Day is a federal holiday and the perfect time to honor those you know who have served in the U.S. military. Nothing will warm the heart like the thoughtful gesture of some patriotic flowers for this holiday.

#2. Hanukkah (first day) – November 28th

This is a very special year for the first day of Hanukkah. This is the first and last time Hanukkah will ever overlap with Thanksgiving! People are having fun coining terms like “Thanksgivukkah” and “Hanugivingkkah” just for the occasion. And there are so many beautiful blooms to help you celebrate. White, silver, and blue combinations are the most popular and are a perfect addition to the celebration table.

#3.Thanksgiving – November 28th

Time to feast and give thanks with our families! And probably watch some football too. Make your celebration special with a fall-inspired centerpiece. Also, centerpieces make a wonderful gift to send to family and friends unable to come together for the occasion. Show gratitude for love and friendship with flowers!

#4. Forget-Me-Not Day – November 10th

This is a day for remembering family, friends, and loved ones. Individuals celebrate this day by getting in touch with their loved ones, especially any who they haven’t seen in awhile so sending flowers is perfect for this holiday! With our busy lives, it is difficult to keep in touch with everyone who is important to us. Show someone you care about that they are unforgettable in your book!

#5. November Birthdays

November’s birthday flower is the chrysanthemum. Available in so many different varieties and colors, chrysanthemums will let someone with a special birthday know that you considered their gift carefully. A red chrysanthemum means “I love you” while white chrysanthemums mean innocence, purity, and pure love. Yellow chrysanthemums mean “slighted love.” Ask your local florist to include the beautiful and colorful chrysanthemum in a fresh cut arrangement or to deliver a gorgeous long-lasting blooming plant.

What are your favorite reasons to send flowers this month?
Let us know in the comments!

Filed Under: Gift Ideas Tagged With: Best 5 Reasons, Flower Sending Tip, Gift Ideas, Holiday Gift Ideas, November Birth Month Flowers

Fall Back With Flowers!

October 30, 2013 by Juli Jackson Leave a Comment

Just a reminder to turn those clocks back this Sunday.

Daylight saving time ends this year on November 3rd, 2013 . That means you’ll get an extra hour of sleep but those nights which have slowly been creeping closer are about to get much longer!

Even though fall is such a beautiful time of year, days can start to feel rushed when the sun is setting at 5 o’clock. Who likes to miss all the sunshine and changing leaves while being at work all day? And like it or not, if you work a 9 to 5, darkness has settled in by the time you get home!

Brighten your fall afternoons with flowers!

Here’s why:

Flowers bring their own sunshine and smiles. Be an everyday hero and send a cheery fall arrangement to your spouse or best friend!
Potted house plants look beautiful and lift your mood. Plus they help purify the air so they are great for offices and small spaces.
Looking for something new to spruce up your home? Check out seasonal wreaths, swags and more at your local flower shop.

Even though the days are getting shorter, you can still enjoy the bright bounty of nature when you give the gift of fresh cut flowers and living plants. It’s a great way to show someone special that you are thinking about them or a perfect way to treat yourself.

Find your real local florist today and order the great flowers to fall back with this season.

Filed Under: Seasonal Flowers Tagged With: Flower Suggestions, Seasonal Flowers, Sending Flowers

Bibbity Bobbity Blooms! Still Time For Enchanting Flowers.

October 28, 2013 by Juli Jackson Leave a Comment

Our favorite bewitching holiday is just a few days away. And you don’t need a fancy wand to stir up some magic for this Halloween!

Sending flowers will add some sparkle to a fun night and make for some perfectly fang-tastic smiles! Whether it’s a beautiful centerpiece at the party or just saying “Boo!” to a friend, send some big colorful blooms to make your night of tricks and treats all the more magical.

Going to a party? Flowers are the best hostess gifts! Candy bouquets are perfect for making Halloween special to someone you want to keep near and dear. Order today and still have time to make sure that Halloween is truly enchanting this Thursday.

Have a frightfully good Halloween and remember to dig up your real local florist for all your orders.

Filed Under: Seasonal Ideas Tagged With: Halloween Flowers, Holiday Gift Ideas

Treat Ghosts & Goblins on Halloween.. and Their Parents!

October 24, 2013 by Juli Jackson Leave a Comment

With Halloween coming up, the streets will be full of masked marauders and fairy princesses. On Halloween and even the weekend before, parents will be dressing their kids up in scary, funny, cute or just plain weird costumes to celebrate the holiday kids love most! Consider opening your flower shop up to the Halloween tradition of trick-or-treating. Not only can it be a lot of fun to see kids in their costumes but sharing your business with the community means that parents will take notice.

Let Traditions Be A Way To Reach Out

Build up foot traffic by offering some sweets for the kiddos and simple carnations tied with black and orange ribbon for adults. A small gesture can make a big impression on potential customers. Put a few mums and pumpkins outside (let’s be honest, they are probably out anyway.) and put “Trick-or-Treat With Us!” on your sign. That’s all it takes to have a steady flow of costumed kids and adults dropping in on their way to spooky fun activities.

Encourage your employees to dress up for the day. This adds to the fun atmosphere of your shop. Be sure to take a group photo!

Up The Candy Ante

Put your social media outlets to work. Announce a costume contest online where the winner gets a free arrangement. Ask customers to enter your giveaway by posting this year’s costumes to your shop’s Facebook timeline or create your own unique hashtag for multiple platforms like Twitter and Instagram. When you announce, be sure to include a start and end time for submissions.

Then share share share to get the word out. Post signs in your shop and tell your customers how they can participate. Hosting a fun holiday activity creates buzz for your shop and will always bring more awareness for your business.

After your deadline rolls around, have your employees vote for their favorite or pick a winner based on your shop’s style. If you find yourself with a huge variety of submissions, try breaking the entries into categories. This will let you make multiple “Honorable Mention” announcements like which costume was “Cutest,” “Scariest,” and “Funniest.” All of these posts and picture shares will boost your page’s involvement. And finally you can announce the “Best Costume” award as your top prize winner.

Enjoy this brisk autumn holiday tradition and use it as a chance to connect one-on-one with your community. With very little planning you can make this Halloween be a stand out day for your flower shop! Bring on the ghosts and goblins!

Filed Under: Florists Only Tagged With: Florists Only

Documenting Your Work – Photo Tips for Florists

October 23, 2013 by Juli Jackson 3 Comments

As a florist you are creating beauty everyday for others to enjoy and to help celebrate moments in their lives. But how often do you get to enjoy and celebrate your own work? Rarely, right? Between filling orders, making last minute rush deliveries, and trying to promote your shop, you are busy trying to run a business. But a passion for beauty got you into this industry so don’t let a hectic workday stop you from documenting your hard work.

Pictures tell your story, record your work, and become the strongest calling card you can have for new business. Photographing your arrangements is hands down the best way to promote your shop. Here is a guide to help you make the most of every arrangement by photographing your orders on the go.

Cameras for Flower Photography

You’ll be surprised to learn that you don’t have to have the best and most expensive camera to take good photos of your flowers. The easiest and most beneficial place to share your photos is online so the images don’t have to be huge. Newer smartphones like the iPhone and many Android devices have excellent built-in cameras and photo aps available. This is a camera is always in your pocket so use it!

Any general digital camera that takes at least a 5MB picture can meet your needs as well. These cameras are often called “point and shoot” cameras because they offer very basic auto settings and are usually under $100. These cameras do not have a detachable lens or manual settings.

If you are ready to step up your game and have more control, a basic DSLR with lens is around $200 and up. These cameras have various auto settings as well as fully manual settings so you can adjust your focus and exposure yourself.

Consider This…

The goal of taking flower photos yourself is to take images of your work often, so a camera that you will keep with you and can use with ease is key. Think about what you are likely to use most often with the least hassle and start there. Familiarize yourself with whatever camera you decide to use. Actually spend a few minutes thumbing through your manual. Learn how to focus, use the auto settings and turn on/off the flash and date stamp. Mastering these basic tasks will immediately give you results you can see.

Tips For Photographing Flower Arrangements

Clean Composition – The easiest way to make your photos look more professional is to pay attention to your composition. Make sure the table and background is free of clutter or distractions. You might even create a special table in the corner of your work room where you can quickly set an arrangement and snap a few shots. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Florists Only, Marketing Tips, Tips & Tricks Tagged With: Floral Photography, Flower Pictures

Posey Peddler – A Florist Improving Customer Service!

October 10, 2013 by Juli Jackson Leave a Comment

As part of Customer Service Week, (October 7th-11th) we wanted to share with you one of our members who is working hard to boost customer service and sales in their flower shop.

A Local Florist Taking Action

Bridgette Mills Arnold, a 30 year veteran of the floral industry, is the owner of Posey Peddler in Joneboro, Arkansas. The shop has been a fixture in the Jonesboro area since 1998 and serves the local community with custom gifts, flowers, plants and home decor.

Recently Bridgette brought in customer service and sales guru Tim Huckabee of Floral Strategies to conduct a workshop with her employees.

Why Floral Strategies?

Floral Strategies is the only on-site training program in the entire floral industry that teaches critically important customer care skills. This specific training empowers flower shop workers to give extraordinary customer service. As you can guess, this makes for happy clients that keep coming back.

Celebrate The Learning Experience!

FSN visited this bustling flower shop during their training seminar. Check out this video of Posey Peddler’s day with Tim Huckabee.

FSN Members: CLICK HERE to login & learn more ways to improve customer service and sales with specific tips from Tim Huckabee.

Bring On The Pink In October!

October 9, 2013 by Juli Jackson Leave a Comment

This month you might notice things turning a little more pink than usual. That’s because October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Wearing and sharing the color pink is a way to raise awareness and express moral support to women with breast cancer.

Promote Awareness

1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime. But the good news is that breast cancer has a hugely successful remission rate! This is possible only with early detection. This is how you can help.

Make a statement with pink ribbons, clothing – anything you can think of! When someone asks you “What’s with all the pink?’ you can explain that you’re choosing to bring about awareness. Because early detection saves lives!

THINK PINK this October as a way to remind all women to stay informed.

Key Steps to Minimize Your Risk

Schedule regular exams
Learn about family history
Know what is typical for you
Promote health with your life choices

Celebrate Survivors

According to cancer.org, there are an estimated 2.8 million breast cancer survivors in the United States alone. Chances are you know someone who fought this disease and won! Show your support to a real life hero with Think Pink flowers this month.

Remember: Early detection means stopping this cancer in it’s tracks so get your pink on!

Filed Under: Flower Suggestions Tagged With: Breast Cancer Awareness, Flower Suggestions, Pink

Say “Boo” With Blooms!

October 8, 2013 by Juli Jackson Leave a Comment

Halloween is creeping ever closer. How are you celebrating this year? Treat-or-treating with the kids? Dressing up for a costume party? Or cuddling on the couch with a spooky flick?

However you spend your All Hallow’s Eve, be sure to share the enchantment of one of the best holidays of the year. Seriously, what other time of the year embraces magic, fall-inspired sweet delights, and good-natured pranking?

Say “boo” to someone special this year! Surprise them with a colorful arrangement that will take their breath away and cause screams of delight from everyone around. After all, beautiful florals can be so bewitching! Also fresh-cut flowers are perfect for hostess gifts and decorating your home.

A fun trick is to order your flowers early, enjoy them for a couple weeks
and by the time the party rolls, add some cobwebs and spiders to wilted flowers for some great haunted decor!

Know a friend or family with a monstrous sweet-tooth? Send treats from far away with themed candy baskets. Just because they aren’t close enough to knock on your door for trick-or-treating doesn’t mean you can’t reach out and say a warm hearted “Happy Halloween!”

Orange, black, purple and green are the best color combos for this holiday. Balloons and fun stuffed animals are a perfect greeting for your favorite ghouls and goblins too.

Have a spooktacular Halloween and don’t forget to use a real local florist for the most spell-binding treats.

Filed Under: Gift Ideas, Holiday Info, Seasonal Ideas Tagged With: Halloween, Holiday Gift Ideas, Sending Flowers

Your Sweetest Day Ever!

October 2, 2013 by Juli Jackson Leave a Comment

Celebrate Sweetest Day!

What? You don’t celebrate Sweetest Day every year? You don’t have any time-honored Sweetest Day traditions? Ok, so you wouldn’t be alone in this. This is a holiday observance that seems to be more popular in some parts of the country than others, but that’s no reason you can’t start the trend in your neck of the woods!

Think about the people in your life that are generous of spirit. Those that are good listeners or bring snacks for the entire office. Maybe it is your neighbor who always has a smile and a kind word. What about that new co-worker who is shy? There is definitely someone in your life that deserves a little sweetness. Be the one to share it!

What Sweetest Day Is All About

Even though this holiday was started back in 1921, it seems to currently only have a following in the Mid-West and Great Lakes regions. It’s time to change that, don’t you think?

The very first Sweetest Day is attributed to a committee formed by Cleveland candy company employees. They organized an effort to give over 20,000 boxes of candies to “”newsboys, orphans, old folks, and the poor” as a way to sweeten their day. It was a simple dream to show kindness and appreciation to those most often neglected in the community.

Be Sweet! Not Cynical!

Is it just me or can you never have too many holidays that celebrate love and generosity? Some people call Sweetest Day a psuedo-holiday or a “Hallmark Holiday” because it was created by an industry that produced candy. Well, it’s obvious these individuals suffer from a lack of imagination! Or maybe no one has ever given them a simple gift out of love in mid-October! Our day to day lives can get so busy and hectic, a single day of acknowledging someone special (not just mothers, fathers, lovers) is really a lovely idea. No reason to be so bah-humbug about it!

One of the best things about this holiday is it’s not based on a single religious sentiment or on a specific family relationship. It can serve as a reminder that a thoughtful word or action will build up others and make for a full happy life.

How To Celebrate

Select a cute and delicious CANDY BOUQUET for a killer sweet tooth
Send a Sweetest Day card that brightens a day
Order beautiful flowers to surprise a sweet soul
Pick a wonderfully scented candle paired with a couple of balloons for quite the pick-me-up
Take a fresh bakery treat into the office to share

Think Outside the Candy

While it is called “Sweetest Day” don’t let that fool you into only giving candy. If there’s anyone on your list that can’t enjoy the sugar rush, your local florist can help you decide on a perfect gift.

Celebrate in your own sweet way to show love, appreciation and gratitude for family, friends and loved ones this year on October 19th!

Photo Credits: FSN and Baker Florist in Spencer, NY

Filed Under: Gift Ideas, Holiday Info Tagged With: Gift Ideas, Holiday Gift Ideas, Holiday Info, Sweetest Day, Sweetest Day Flowers

Best 5 Reasons to Send Flowers in October

October 1, 2013 by Juli Jackson 1 Comment

There are so many reasons to send gorgeous flowers to brighten someone’s day – even your own! Here are our favorite reasons to send flowers this month.

#1. Celebrate Fall

The whole outside world is transforming into a canopy of passionate color so bring some of that beauty indoors! Enjoy all the yellow, orange, red and purple blooms that make their home in this new fall season! Potted mums are a real favorite for long lasting color and great decor. Your local florist has all types of flowers and plants that are perfect compliments to the season so start celebrating!

#2. Boss’s Day – October 16th

Your boss works hard and has to keep so many people in line all year round. Making decisions that are best for the business aren’t always easy. This is a day to show your boss that you care and appreciate the work they do. As well as the job they provide for you!

#3. Sweetest Day – October 19th

While it doesn’t always get much attention, this holiday is celebrated on the 3rd Saturday of October. Though similar in nature to Valentine’s Day, it tends to focus not just on significant others, but more on those people in your life that need a reminder of how sweet they are. Candy baskets are a welcome sight to those near and dear people who are generous, kind and sweet all year around!

#4. Mother In Law Day – October 27th

This holiday is celebrated on the 4th Sunday of October. Mother In Laws get such a bad rap but truthfully they are a vibrant part of our families and deserve to be celebrated. They play an important role in our marriages and in our children’s lives. Even if you don’t have the best relationship with your mother in law, sending flowers is a perfect gesture of respect and appreciation. And might even smooth over some of those hard feelings!

#5. Halloween – October 31st

Only the most fun holiday of the year! Decorate your home with a bright bunch of flowers or send a BOO-itful bouquet to someone special. Flowers make for a great centerpiece at parties and bright orange and purple blooms help set the tone for when little ghosts and goblins start knocking on the door!

Remember, no matter what your occasion, always always always use a real local florist when sending flowers! Use our handy Local Florist Finder to find yours today!

Filed Under: Flower Suggestions Tagged With: Best 5 Reasons, Fall Flowers, Gift Ideas, Holiday Gift Ideas, Seasonal Flowers