Flowers can be tasteful to the palate, not just the eyes! Anyone in the food industry recognizes that the human palate is an ever-changing thing, and we are always more than ready to take a bite out of anything remotely edible. Delicious food is more than just delicious on the tongue, it can be tasty to the eye. Restaurant-quality food is more than the taste, the way it's presented is part of the experience. Now, the flower industry has something food fanatics might consider to enhance that experience: edible flowers.   Edible Flower Trend Ripped from the pages of the Great British Bake Off recipe books—which once featured a botanicals week—and Michelin five-star chefs, edible flowers have gained a lot of traction because they still do what they do best even when pai…

The 2019 Florist Valentine's Day Survey Results Are In! A big thank you to everyone who participated in our annual Valentine’s Day survey. Once again we received a strong response from our readers and members. Results were based on the 347 retail surveyed by Floranext between February 15th through February 17th.   Were 2019 Valentine's Day Sales Better Than Last Year? Lower - 20.8% Same - 17.9% Higher - 61.3%   Were Valentine's Day In-Store Retail sales greater than last year? Yes - $65% No - 35%   Aside From Red Roses, What Were Your Top-Selling Products This Valentine's Day? Arranged Flowers - 71.4% Hand-Tied Bouquets - 11.4% Other Roses - 16.6% Other - 0.6%   What Did you Charge For  …

With the overwhelming amount of orders and questions that build up before Valentine’s Day, this time of year can be quite stressful for florists. Sometimes we just have to stop and smell the roses before continuing to work hard and provide the best quality service we can to our customers. Sometimes you just need to read something that is inspirational or just to put a smile on your face. Remember, laughter is the best medicine. We wanted to give you a little stress reliever and offer some inspirational quotes and funny puns to keep you entertained during this busy time of year. Who knows, maybe you can provide these as suggestions to your customers as a card message! Inspirational Flower Quotes   "Where flowers bloom, so does hope" –Lady Bird Johnson “The…

A 4,000-year-old trend is making its rounds again! That's right—preserving or drying flowers date back 4,000 years ago to the Egyptians. These dried flowers were presented in funeral ceremonies, with each flower being chosen for a symbolic meaning within their religion. From Ancient Egypt to Victorian England, dried flowers are making their way back in 2019. The growing DIY movement and popularity of natural products is allowing dried florals to see a new light. This is a great opportunity to let customers know after receiving or purchasing a fresh arrangement, they can hang and dry their flowers to give them more time to appreciate the arrangement. So where can we expect to see these dried florals in 2019? 2019 Dried Floral Trends Stunning Dried Arrangements/Bouquet…

Florists, are you marketing to the younger generations? These days it may seem as though flowers are becoming a vintage luxury that only older generations seem to care about or can afford. Currently, the trend among Millennials seems to be houseplants. Their charm is that they require little maintenance to thrive, a tempting proposition for people who live busy and fast-paced lives.  The virtual spaces that we now inhabit changes the landscape of living, requiring businesses of all kinds to quickly adapt their products and marketing strategies. If you haven't, it's time to begin thinking of ways for your business to reach young people. Keep an Online Presence The touchstone of the Millennial generation is the Internet, enabling people to be connected wherever they may be …

  Have you considered using flowers not just in design, but as an art medium? As florists, we use flowers for designing arrangements for customers' everyday events and milestones, but have you thought about designing as a floral artist and creating beautiful artwork? One artist who uses flowers as an art medium is Mr. Flower Fantastic. His floral art can be seen in magazines, art galleries, on Instagram, and more. Meet the Floral Artist Mr. Flower Fantastic wears a mask and gloves, but not to hide his identity—it's essential for his health. He is highly allergic to flower pollen, which goes to show that if you have a passion for something, nothing should stand in your way. Mr. Flower Fantastic’s hidden identity allows us, viewers, to foc…

Florists, now is the time to start preparing for Valentine's Day! It is important to be ahead of the Valentine's Day flower rush! Valentine's Day is one of the busiest and possibly the most profitable holiday of the year next to Mother's Day. Read on for a step-by-step checklist to help you maintain organization, increase your flower shop profits, and have a smooth, successful Valentine's Day. Flower Shop Appearance Valentine's Day Decor: Mid-January is the time to start decorating! Customers respond to festive seasonal and holiday decor, so go ahead and add your special touches. If feasible, a beautiful and eye-catching window display will attract more walk-ins. The key is to create an inviting atmosphere and remind customers Valentine's Day is approaching.   …

What is SEO, why is it important, and why should florists care? Search Engine Optimization or SEO refers to the process used to improve a website’s position on search engine results pages (SERPs) on search engines such as Google, Yahoo, or Bing. Having an SEO strategy for your floral business can help draw customers to your website and grow sales and revenue. Working on SEO can sound like a headache, and there are a lot of myths about SEO, but once you understand the basics you will be on your way to starting your own SEO strategy. Let's take a minute to review the basics of SEO and understand how search engines like Google rank your business website. What Are Search Engines? Web search engines are the software systems we and our customers use to surf the Internet. The top…

For most florists, planning ahead is second nature. With 2019 now upon us, now is the perfect time to look ahead to the new year's holidays and slow times.   January can be a slow month in the floral industry, but that doesn't mean there isn't still plenty to get done. Focus this month on your shop's marketing and organization. Start a blog: This is a great way to increase your SEO, write a post every now and then to boost your search engine visibility, and keep the buzz going by sharing photos and updates on your social media. Tip: "How to" blogs are the most-searched! Review 2018 Valentine's sales: Start ordering your flowers for Valentine's Day—the earlier you order, the more you save. Don't forget to order add-ons either: plush, chocolate, candy,…

When will your flower shop be ready for the holidays? What month do you start preparing for the holidays? Which holiday is best for sales (hint, it's Christmas). See the items most florists sell during the holidays and most-sought decorations and decorating services. Does your shop run an end-of-year sale?…