Having A Business Meeting? Bring Flowers!

Whether you need to impress new clients or stimulate creative thinking, flowers are your go-to addition. Whether you own or work for a small business, or you’re looking to dress up your weekly book club get-togethers, your local florist can help!

Flowers To Impress

It’s important to put your best foot forward and leave nothing to chance when meeting with a big client, especially for the first time. The addition of flowers to your office, conference room or convention hall can really brighten up the space and set the tone of your company. It shows your client just how important and respected they are.

Hosting an open house or other event? Use fresh flowers to take your interior decor to the next level.

Flowers For Brand Awareness

For companies that want to extend brand awareness in a whole new way, bring flowers into your meetings in the colors of your business’ brand. Flowers come in almost any color you can think of, and most florists can use a special type of paint, if needed, to get the right color for you. Talk to your local florist about your brand and colors. Show them your logo and business style and they will be able to create something specifically tailored to your business.

Business branded flowers are also a great idea for trade shows and other conferences where you want your business to stand out! Flowers are also a great conversation starter. When the event is over, you can give out flowers as a souvenir.

Flowers Stimulate Creative Thinking

Having a meeting where you really need to get things done? When important decisions or planning needs to happen, bring flowers to your staff meetings. There is growing evidence that humans respond, both physiologically, mentally and emotionally to different colors. Simply seeing these different colors can be therapeutic, also known as chromotherapy. Choose flowers for your meeting based on their chroma (color) to get the most out of your meeting: such as white, which encourages mental clarity and enables fresh beginnings.

Getting The Most out of Flowers For Meetings

Now I know what you’re thinking, for small business, money is tight and flowers don’t last. While this can be true, it doesn’t have to be!

Tips for Saving Money on Flowers

• Always always always use a real local florist. By going directly to your florist, you can avoid middlemen who pose as local, take a cut of your order and pass it on to a local florist to fill. Simply make sure you are able to find a real address and phone number for the florist you want to use. (Or use the handy florist finder here on FSN which puts you in contact directly with a real florist.)
• Order in Season. Ask your florist what is available in season, often these will be a lot less expensive.
• Order the Overflow. Ask your florist if there are any flowers she has in excess or that may be on their last leg. If you only need them for the day, you may be able to get a discount.
• Order a Mix. It’s sometimes more expensive to order 50 red flowers than it is to order 50 flowers. Certain colors are more in demand than others. When a florist can sell you a mix, it is usually a bit less expensive.
• Simple Vases – When you order flowers, choose an ordinary glass vase instead of an elaborate container that is going to cost extra.

Tips for Extending The Life of Your Flowers

• Avoid Extremes. Keep fresh flowers away from drafts and extreme temperatures, which can quickly dry out the flowers and cause wilting.
• Avoid The Sun. Avoid placing flower arrangements in windowsills and other areas with full sun where flowers can wilt due to overheating.
• Keep Cool. Most flowers will last longer under cool conditions.
• Keep it Filled.  All flower and foliage stems should be submerged. Flowers stay fresher, longer when they can get a drink!
• Remove Wilted Flowers. Immediately remove dead or wilting leaves and stems from fresh flower arrangements.
• Change Cloudy Water. Watch your water. When it gets cloudy it’s time to change it out.

So remember, next time you are having a meeting, no matter how big or how small, order flowers!

Image via Monday Morning Flower Co. in Princeton NJ.