With all the deceptive order gathering and showcasing flowers at prices too good to be true, over-pricing and under-delivering, you need your sales team trained and ready more than ever before. This is the exact reason I want my customers ordering from our floralapp; they can’t get stolen from us there and are limited to only our shop.

So here is what just happened…

A customer (for over 5 years) calls Beneva to cancel an order for this Friday. She was short and I could hear in her voice she was just looking to cancel and hang up. After seeing she ordered a $40.00 bouquet, I introduced myself and 

that broke the ice. She then said she goes to my church and sees me at mass every Sunday, loves our flowers at church and STILL is cancelling this order.

I politely asked her if she would share with me why she wanted to cancel her order. It is important you handle this question delicately because people don’t like confrontation. She said she found something online for A LOT LESS. I am thinking a lot less than $40.00? I then asked if she could share more as I would be surprised if she truly found anything that much less (you know what I was thinking and, guess what, RIGHT on the money). Before I found out where she ordered, I warned her of flowers in a box to which she said, “OH NO, I would never do that.” Now she tells me more…

She told me she saw a pop-up on her computer for tulips. 20 tulips in a vase AND a box of chocolates for just $29.95 from Pro Flowers. The first indicator to know it is being shipped is they can’t select same day. Since most orders are for this weekend, how would they know? Pro Flowers hides these details, see the receipt to the left.

These guys are everywhere, retail florists need to engage customers more than ever before. Don’t look for someone else to do this work for us, we need work harder at securing our own customers than getting new ones.

Think about this woman and how many of you have relationships in town, at church, regular customers….They don’t leave because they don’t like you, they get lured into the trap.

I hope I opened at least one eye here. Don’t convince yourself, secure every customer and start by getting your staff trained today. You still have time!

Good luck, we all have our work cut out for us.

Art

Let’s put our personal preferences aside. Whether you like FTD, Teleflora, Bloomnet or Flower Shop Network, who has an ad in today’s newspaper across the country listing local flower shops?

The answer is Teleflora. This is not a plug for Teleflora, it is a fact. So please follow me here so I can express my frustration with our fellow florists.

This morning, I have thousands of inserts in the local paper with only my tracking phone number for Beneva Flowers, a coupon and a QR code to download my floralapp. So far this morning, I have 2 floralapp orders (as of writing this at 9:30am), 4 orders from our flier, and 2 from another flier inserted by Teleflora in every delivery zone in Sarasota and across the country with local flower shops in every area.

So here is my concern. We look to the wire services for what they are doing for us, the local florist. With so much talk about shopping local and growing awareness my question is this….

Teleflora used to list every shop from Manatee through south Sarasota county. I remember once when they started including Port Charlotte how silly that was because they were 30 miles away. TODAY, listings range from Manatee 14 miles north to Marco Island 100 miles SOUTH! Why? Shops are not wanting to be listed. They don’t want to pay their part to support the nations effort.

The reason I want to bring this to everyone’s attention is, we are putting the nails in our own coffins. You have the ONLY wire service willing to list shops in a co-op across the country and we don’t want to pay our own toll for our own area. So look what FTD did. They run ads directing customers to FTD.com or their toll free number. They seem to have given up. Do I blame them? They tried and florists did not support the effort. How long before Teleflora realizes it just isn’t working. I thank them and plead they keep this. Remember Parade magazine? Teleflora then FTD and no one. Any takers? This is my point exactly. We tend to complain when the nation deals are made, then, were they are available, there is no local florist in the running to secure the ad space.

It’s time we step back and see that many of the frustrations and lack of support for us local florists is self-inflicted.
Who can condemn these guys for going after customers? If we don’t, they will and they should. Because when they get a customer, it is from another national company, not you and I. You talk about florists for change and shopping local and then the wire services are always viewed as the big bad bully when in fact they:

• Have one of the best credit card programs in the industry. Better than most of us can get on our own. They shared this with us.
• Subsidize great technology. FTD, MAS, RTI and DOVE POS are some of the best floral systems in the industry and they are all available through the services.
• Containers for those who want them. No one is forced to carry anything.
• Websites that would cost in many cases $25,000 + if you were to include the same features.
• Teleflora is the only company offering mobile versions of their website and for FREE. It costs thousands to build and hundreds a year to maintain.
• Educational workshops.
• Support programs at SAF and so much more.
• After hours phone service for shops. Your website is 24 hours, your phones should be too.

I don’t mention Flower Shop Network because they charge an order fee to customers which is unheard of. No one is penalized to shop online these days, it is encouraged. Not a good plan in my opinion.

My point is, everyone is trying to make it painless as possible for florists to have technology and remove the upfront costs. Some charge you by the order, others charge the customer and your only choice is to pay for the site yourself like ours which Teleflora and FTD have supported and allowed us to use their technology to make it easier for you the local florist.

With all this being said, it is clear Teleflora and FTD are the only 2 still trying to help local florists. While FTD has given up on the co-op, I would hate to see Teleflora give up co-ops.

So this week remember this, if you see orders coming in from headquarters, don’t be mad, be glad Pro Flowers or 1-800-Flowers didn’t get them. Because they may get direct shipped or filled by premium listed shops that cost a lot more than supporting the Teleflora co-op listing. We need to work together. Please email me at arthur@beneva.com or call me at 941-308-3117 if you have any comments.

Arthur F. Conforti, PFCI

Good morning,

Below are some tips you may find useful in preparing for Mother’s Day. Just filling the orders is not always enough, you also want to improve profitability.

#1 Start your day with a quick 5 minute meeting to ensure your sales and design staff are all on the same page. It is important not to skip a day as you may never get back on track. By doing this, you will ensure harmony and know that your sales team will pro-actively sell what your designers are creating.

#2 Limit your online offerings. Your website should reflect the offerings in your shop. There are too many SKU’s out there. We all need to limit the offerings so we can mass produce and improve efficiency. Having your website reflect your showroom creates the best experience for your customers.

#3 Click on this recording and see how you too can get more out of town orders and more app downloads. Remember, people only download apps from companies they trust and do business with. It is the most popular means of social marketing. When they download your app, YOU control the experience. We have a build coming soon that will allow people who download your app to be automatically notified of specials at your shop through PUSH notification. This will happen automatically!

Next time you form an opinion about the future of technology, check out this interesting link and a projection from Steve Ballmer of Microsoft, and how they missed the opportunity in mobile because one person did not believe in the future of mobile apps. You may find this funny, yet it is also very interesting.

Like us on Facebook for more tips and updates!

We’ve just released our 2^nd training video on Customer Service. Are you REALLY pleasing your customer? Be sure to pay close attention to the ending.

Congratulations to Teleflora who just secured the position of exclusive floral provider to Tributes.com. Before anyone gets worked up, please hear me out. Was anyone reading this post in the running for this account? If you are anything but happy that they secured this account, I ask you this, “Were you personally in the negotiations?”

So what do you have to gain? Orders. Who did they take this account from? 1-800-Flowers, Possibly ProFlowers and FTD. Think about it. There is a national war going on out there. This is not a battle local florists can fight. If they did not get the account, who would? That is the real question.

What can we do? Focus on local business. Secure your own relations with your local funeral homes and market your local delivery area. If you are not doing this, you have only yourself to blame.

We as local retailers have allowed the national market to grow. The lack of local marketing has allowed national orders to occur. Aside from alleged deceptive advertisers like Wesley Berry, people shopping with companies they don’t know online only shop with them because they do not know the local florist can provide the same service. Why? Because we don’t tell them!

I am in Mobile, AL where I am working with a florist who has been in the business since 1981. We went to a local restaurant and asked where I would go if I needed to send flowers out of town. She had NO CLUE. After explaining that the local florist could do this, she was shocked. She never thought to go local. We need to step up advertising, develop a “YES WE CAN” attitude and most important, TELL EVERYONE you can send flowers anywhere. Try it and watch what happens.

How? Here is the closing… “Thank you for your order and remember, you can count on us for all your floral and gift giving needs around town or the USA.”

It’s really that simple. I will promise you this, if we all begin this effort, everyone will see the change they desire in their business.

Since Teleflora is the only wire service that sends every order through local florists for delivery, I am glad to see they secured this account and continue to do their part in getting orders back to local florists. See the story here.

Regards from Mobile Alabama!

Art

I recently returned from a Teleflora TOP MEMBER trip to Veiques, a beautiful little island just outside of San Juan, Puerto Rico.  Teleflora brought together its top members to say THANK YOU for all the business they have given Teleflora, which in return goes back to so many florists across the country.

For anyone who does not understand, Teleflora is a clearinghouse that allows florists to transact business with each other.  It does not stop there, they also offer competitive  credit card clearing rates based on their corporate volume, Point of Sale technology for florists, products, marketing materials and consulting services.   They are also known as a wire service, a term used many years ago for telegraphing flowers that is still recognized today.  While they also offer websites for florists to use like other wire services to transact business, they are the ONLY wire service to offer mobile versions of websites, apps and telephony solutions to help florists save on phone bills and even telephone systems.  It’s clear the retailing environment has become more challenging and complex than ever before.  Many retails florists are in overload trying to keep up with the ever changing technologies.

With all the technological enhancements to telephones and reporting that you can get using IP phone systems, this is the next tool being used to understand the closure of sales and report back end results.  Teleflora has become a partner helping florists become more than they ever were, including marketing and business.

Teleflora is the ONLY wire service that goes out to the public for orders and sends each and every one to a local florist to design and deliver.  NEVER do they ship a perishable product in a box.  Each order is artfully designed by a local florist and hand delivered insuring the best value for a customer sending and receiving flowers.

So what is missing?

Why were there so many successful florists here this week?

What makes them different from the rest of the retail floral industry?

They all have 1 thing in common.  They all have a YES WE CAN attitude!

Brian McCarthy and I had a lengthy conversation about the state of the industry.  He owns flower shops across the country.  A single ownership where he purchased flower shops, and in some cases shops that are struggling.  They are reorganized turned into a profitable business.  In some cases, within the first year.  It’s not just cut out the fat to be lean.  Speak to him and you will find a passionate operator who brings marketing, operations and reporting all together to product favorable results.

Ted Winston, a longtime good friend of mine in Boston, has a culture at Winston’s of which the industry admires.  His customers are educated and understand the artful designs that he creates. Each design has a meaning and a purpose. But while his designers know how to design, his sales team also knows how to explain and educate the customer to appreciate his fine skill, set to Winston’s demands that he creates.

The stories can go on and on.  From family run companies like Nanz and Kraft Florist in Louisville, KY, to Boyd’s in Wilmington DE, Bice’s in Fort Worth, Mc Shan’s, us at Beneva in Sarasota, FL and more, the one common element is dedication.  They are committed to making the most of the retail environment.  They are not worried about all the others who are growing disgruntled within the industry.  They aren’t florists who want to grab excuses for the challenging and changing environment.  Yes we have challenges… We have companies over promising and under delivering.  We have shop operators more concerned with what they want to design and deliver, that are doing it when they want to and this is a part of the challenge we face.

It’s important to remember 1 thing, Nobody NEEDS our product, they CHOOSE to send flowers.  They choose to have their feelings represented with flowers.  The flowers they choose should reflect the combined taste of the sender and the recipient.

We as retail florists are fortunate to have these customers.  I consider it a privilege to take their order.  I also feel a responsibility to represent the customer, educate them with ideas and options and deliver timely 7 days a week.

This is another advantage most of these retail florists have in common.  They are committed and most are open 7 days a week.  I told Brian McCarthy the one thing I can always count on with his company, is that they answer the phone and are open and delivering 7 days a week.  They are committed!

I have found that most people do not order flowers until they think of it.  I feel it is our responsibility to be ready when they call.  When the order is for out of town delivery, I rely on my fellow florists to come through.  At Beneva, we believe to have the best results when sending flowers out of town because we have a selected network to work with. Our brand is recognized and our commitment to excellence understood by anyone who knows the name.

What can the local florist, challenged by all of that, do today?

• Lean on a preferred wire service. Partner with a company that offers what YOU need to succeed.
• Develop a plan that makes you stand out and communicate daily to your staff in morning meetings what your plan and benchmark if for your company.
• Be a YES WE CAN florist. It is an attitude worth catching.

You can learn more at www.benevasolutions.com.  We, as an industry, need you to do well.  You are the other half of that order being delivered out of town.  You are my partner.

YES WE CAN is easy.  It is an attitude.  It is culture.  It is as simple as this…

EVERY question from a customer MUST be answered with YES WE CAN.

How? What do you do when you can’t explain how you can?

Example: It’s the day before Mother’s Day, you are completely full with deliveries and you don’t know if you can get done what you have scheduled.  We have all been there.  Your customer calls and wants delivery, NO WAY?  What do you do?  What do you say?  How will you say YES WE CAN?

Explain it like this:

“I understand you need a delivery for Mother’s Day tomorrow.  The next day we can offer you for the DELIVERY of your request is Monday, following the holiday, because we are completely committed to previous deliveries that have already been booked.  However, I could have your request ready for you to pick up, at a designated agreed upon time, today or tomorrow on Mother’s Day.  Which would you prefer?”

You have educated the customer, without being rude, that they are ordering too late, and that they cannot get a delivery made and that they should have called sooner.  Trust me, all this will go through their head without being rude.  Be dedicated, be a YES WE CAN florist.  It is an attitude worth catching!

Do you want to know your customer feedback regarding your shop?

Send a survey.  Don’t you want to know what your customer REALLY feels about your shop and your services?  Survey Monkey will enable you to create a survey within minutes.  Beneva can even help you by sharing ours.

How about a lost order log?

That’s right; as long as a call has been taken and an order not produced, have it documented.  If they asked for a product or a price and the sale did not occur, have it written down.  You can’t go wrong!

Next month, I will post information with regards to training your team.  Every sports team practices for endless hours and days doing what all the players have done their whole life, which is why retailing is different. We must emphasize practice with our sales teams, to train them into the level of excellence your customer deserves.  Not by luck, but every time they order from you.

RESULTS don’t lie.  Soon you will have the opportunity to track phoned in sales and where they came from using Floral Prodigy. It’s the knowledge you need, when you need it!

It’s time to take responsibility of what we can control and that is the experience we create for our customers. What is the experience at your shop? I welcome your call anytime to discuss these points or any other you have about the industry anytime!

Would you like to learn more about Beneva? Click here…

ANALYTICS, PPC, PRI, IP phones…..Does this seem overwhelming? Remember when marketing your shop usually meant an ad or at best a Yellow Pages listing? As technology improves and enhances, we too must evolve if we are to be successful. Understanding it all and making it simple is what we intend to do for you. Without too much confusion, Floral Prodigy will give you the knowledge you need, WHEN YOU NEED IT. Best of all we will deliver a SIMPLE, easy to read report to your inbox, every day.

You hear so much about SEO (Search Engine Optimization), PPC (Pay Per Click), banner ads, and more on the internet. Then you learn that Google offers you Google Analytics for FREE to show you everything you ever want to know about your website, EXCEPT what we will make available to you…the conversion of CALLS to orders. Google can show you the clicks and the online orders, but how will it ever know the difference between an exit from your website and a phoned in order? This is a HUGE piece of the puzzle. Google shows you that you have a percentage of exits. These are people who left your website but did not order online…OR DID THEY? Wouldn’t you like to know? Don’t you need to know? Now you can.

Let’s first understand a little about these terms:

1. Google Analytics offers so much and yet, if you can’t complete the tracking with the phoned in order, how can you ever make decisions about your website or online retailing efforts? The following are samples of analytics Retail Florist newsletter identified as most popular uses of Google Analytics.

• How often people visit particular pages on your website in any given time frame. So what do you do with this knowledge? Depends on the landing page. If it is a potential bride to be looking at images for her wedding, you now would like to interact with her; I would imagine a live chat program would make this experience more fulfilling and give you the chance to book a wedding. Otherwise, I am not sure what this information could be best used for or enhance.
• Number of page views and number of pages viewed per visit. Again, it may take a few views to make a decision. We have found that most consumers who spend this much time comparing have questions. This is when a call to your shop would most likely take place.
• Percentage of new visits. This is a great stat as it shows you how many new customers you have attracted. You want to compare this with repeat visitors. Those who return to shop with you again
• Top exit pages. The article states, “This is where you may want to re-think how your home page looks and functions. WHAT A MISTAKE!

Honestly, this is what anyone who doesn’t have Floral Prodigy would think. Having had these questions too, I realized before I assume I am losing customers, I must have conversion data before I drive my web designers crazy changing my pages over and over again.

2. PRI – A 23 channel device that allows you to manage incoming lines, unique phone numbers, and much more. In many cases, we can help you get a PRI for your business for the price you are currently paying for stand-alone phone lines. If you have 5-6 phone lines (including fax) you are probably paying as much as what we can get a PRI for your business. Those 23 phone lines do not cost any extra if you use them, and allow burstability when you need it; Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day, etc. You always have this extra capability 24 hours a day 7 days a week!  The nice part is you can expand without paying more to do so. Our PRI’s come with 60 DID’s (Direct Inbound Dial), a T-1 for back-up internet for your shop, and 1,000 long distance minutes all for about the same as 5-6 old analog lines. In many cases, we can get you lower pricing on your current program, even if you have a DID. Best of all, we do all the work for you!

3. IP based phone systems – This is where telephones are going. This is not the same as CLOUD based solutions like Vonage or Comcast. Beware of those systems. They rely on your internet connectivity and do not offer redundancy. We can also help you with your phone systems as well.

Fear no more. Guess no more. Target customers and market with confidence. I always have said, “If knowledge is power, reports are priceless”.

Want more? We not only make it easy to understand, we email you results every morning – right to your inbox! Once we set up your Floral Prodigy, you will be able to do the following:

• Receive an email every morning showing your calls, clicks and best of all CONVERSIONS!
• Have access to your very own bank of phone numbers to assign to advertisements (both online and print). Next time you run an ad for Mother’s Day, you will see just how many calls you get AND orders from those calls. No matter what the customer selects and no matter if they bring in the coupon or not, you will have the results.
• Repeat business results. You will be able to not only see how many new customer orders you received at Mother’s Day, but also how many times those customers ordered again throughout the year. You will truly see the real value of that ad you placed and the business it brought you at Mother’s Day and afterwards!

So, here is a quick recap of what you need and how to get it:

• POS system. We currently work with Teleflora and FTD systems. Teleflora has customized their technology to be Floral Prodigy compatible. It is plug and play.

• Phone system. We can work with most. The recommended system is IPitomy. Again, it is Floral Prodigy ready and also integrates with Teleflora technologies. You can learn more about IPitomy at http://flowers.ipitomy.com

• Phone service. You will need a PRI. We can work with your current provider or assist you in saving more with our pre-negotiated services.

You will work with local people to set up your PRI and your phone system (if necessary), and our team to help you with your DID’s (Direct Inbound Dial numbers).

This product is brought to you by Beneva Solutions. We are your 1 stop solution for your telephony needs. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS SIGN UP HERE. We take it from there.

FLORAL PRODIGY, the knowledge you need, when you need it most!

We are constantly focusing on coaching our team since we got our new phone system last year. This has been a tremendous eye opener in many ways for our company. By training our staff we also re-visit many of the actions we perform in our industry and also as ourselves. Why do we do what we do?

For example, why do we call and out of town order a wire order? Do we telegraph orders? This was started when FTD used to do just that. This was how they got orders out. They sent them by wire and this is how the name was formed. Today, in 2013 (about 100 years since FTD originated this process), we still call it a wire order!

What has really changed is the dynamic. Many florists are growing frustrated filling orders. Just last night I was speaking with a florist in Maryland who has a higher than average minimum order and they said to me, “Artie, I honestly would fill an order for $30.00 today if it did not have specifics.” What he is saying was he wants the $30.00 order to be just that, a Fresh Arrangement for $30.00. He could then clean out his cooler and deliver the budget request and accomplish moving product he has left over. Sounds PERFECT. This was what made the wire service a wonderful tool. This was why everyone wanted wire orders. They allowed you to earn revenue while cleaning out your cooler. Remember the “MAKE IT NICE” bouquet? When a customer said, “I don’t know what I want…how about $40.00?” Then you said sure and they said, “MAKE IT NICE.” That was it! It was simple.

What has changed today is the availability of images to everyone (the sender and the recipient). The internet changed our industry forever. Consumers are smarter now than ever before. All we need to do is change with it. It’s not hard.

Our industry MUST change how we send out orders. For example, if you have a shop special for Gerbera daisies and it is buy one get one free, you know you can’t expect this out of town SO, when a customer asks for an item for out of town delivery, be sure to charge accordingly. Show them mixed and easy to create ideas for under $50.00 and include a clause, “ITEMS MAY DIFFER based on availability.” Now when they see that bouquet for $39.95 and tell you they want that exactly or else…you step back and assure them it will be as close as possible. Align the expectation. Now the custom items you offer for out of town are the following:

• They start at $50 or $60.00 each
• Be sure to use products that are easily available.
• You always have a better chance of getting what you want at $60.00 and up rather than at $39.95.

If the customer wants to specify flowers, be ready. Advise them that this custom request will cost the following….and then make it happen.

Never allow the customer to dictate what they will spend for the flowers they have selected. This is your job as a professional to explain. After all, this is why they are shopping with you. They are asking for your services. It’s your job to be clear and not to over promise and under deliver.

We need to agree as an industry that under $50.00 orders will have second choices as similar as possible or mixed seasonal. This will make receiving wire-in’s more favorable again with hopes of cleaning out the cooler and customers getting better value.

Now is the time to have your staff trained for next week. If you can move deliveries to Tues and Wed you can triple your holiday volume and deliveries!

All my best,

Art

As I read about content management, marketing and video optimization on the web, I can’t help but to sit back for a moment and realize that retailing in general has become more complicated than ever before.

Understanding jargon like URL, XML, SMS, CMS, Blogging, Tweeting, PPC and so on can be overwhelming.  Are you still with me?

You can only ignore or claim that, “this is not for me” for so long. Here are some facts:

• Local floral sales are diminishing
• Local flower shops are not retaining customers
• National companies continue to grow and dominate the local markets
• Florists in general resist change

My father was a florist for 35 years before we opened Beneva Flowers. He never had to spend a dime on marketing. He always told me that word of mouth was your best asset, and to take care of your flowers and customers and they will take care of you. There is no question that holds true today.

Keep in mind that marketing, print and technology was nowhere near anything anyone could use or afford back then. It wasn’t until the 70’s that a toll free number was available. Back then, if you had a toll free number, it was like having an app today. You were special, and it looked expensive. Did it get more business? Maybe.  It wasn’t the only reason people ordered from you but it gave them another reason to consider you, right?

What are some of the things that are luring our customers away?  

1. Our customers are being lured away from us with deceptive advertising. This needs to be addressed and governed. Take Wesley Berry for example. We approached this with Teleflora and they basically stopped allowing him to send orders through the network. So who does he send with instead? FTD. We need to support services that support local, ethical practices. FTD should be addressed. We should ask that they do the same with 1-800-Bloomnet as well. If they don’t, and they continue to allow this, then you have a choice with where you do your business.  The point is, you do have a voice, and collectively, we have the power to govern change within the industry, and to determine what we will tolerate.
2. Our customers are being lured away by aggressive advertising. Look at ProFlowers, who display a big, beautiful bouquet that will be drop shipped for $29.95. How do we beat this? One way is to be sure to emphasize “Hand Delivered” in all of your advertisements.
3. Our customers are being lured away to companies that make it easy to shop with them. Do you send reminder postcards for Birthdays and Anniversaries? Do you have a website that your staff is trained on with knowledge as to what is actually available for your customer?  Do you utilize the tools at your fingertips, at least via your POS?

How do you stand out among the rest?

1. Your website.  Believe it or not, there are still shops out there that don’t have a website, or that have a website where the customer has to call to place an order. Your website is just as valuable as your storefront… possibly even more valuable these days.  It should be given the same amount of focus and energy as keeping your storefront clean, updated and attractive.  The more active you are on your website, the more interest Google will take.
2. Mobile version of your website. This is different from an app!  It doesn’t necessarily get you more orders, but it makes the experience for the shopper more pleasant. If you don’t make it easy to shop, they will find someone else who will. Mobile websites are very expensive to operate. Teleflora has included this for their members. This is a huge savings and value.
3. Social Networking.  This is yet another industry standard these days, and really it is quite simple to navigate and manage, but the rewards can be great. If it is interesting to you and good for your business then share it. A simple picture of a designer creating a bouquet is interesting. We recently launched a campaign in which we challenged visitors to “count the hearts in the bouquet.”  The result was over 400 views in just 5 days.  People really are interested in what we do!  It is up to us as owners to get it out in from of them. Let’s face it….this kind of availability of knowledge and accessibility over the internet has made consumers smarter than ever.
4. Smartphone Apps.  If you don’t have an app yet, you need to get one sooner than later. Apps today are the equivalent to 800 numbers in the 70’s, or retail websites in the 90’s.

With that being said, I want my marketing efforts directed at the phone. When your customer trusts your brand, they download your app and you have them engaged. They must make an effort to do this.  This opens the door to tremendous opportunities, like sending a message and push notifications, showing local special offers and deals, offering GPS location tools that push a “special offer” message to the customer when they are within a mile of your shop, etc. The competition is using these tools and it gives them the edge over you. floralapp® is the #1 most widely used florist app on the market.

So, back to my opening statement about my Father… He had a shop, and his only goal was sales. Today, in keeping up with the changing technology, my main goal is engagement. I want my customer locked in so they cannot be stolen away with ethical or unethical practices.

This is a poem that one of our fellow florists composed after coming to visit Florida:

Thank You ArTe!!

Honey and I came to Sarasota – To relax and enjoy the sun

But there was also some business – To do, that was not going to be fun

We needed help on our FloralApp – The downloads we wanted a lot

So we thought of Camp Beneva – If anyone could help us, that’s the spot

We called ArTe at Beneva – Asking if it was alright to come by

He said, “Sure, I’d love to see you” – ArTe’s a friendly guy

So out we went to Beneva – Where with a warm welcome we were met

ArTe gave us a tour of the business – And showed us systems we won’t forget

First there was the phone system – Where you can track every call

Just plug in DID with your advertising – All of the guess work will suddenly fall

You’ll know if a campaign is working – ArTe showed all of his

He’s got all of them  on spreadsheets – He truly is a whiz

You can listen in to orders being taken – Be it a room or state apart

You can even give your employee suggestions – It’s really state of the art

And now that the web sites are growing – They’re getting harder to maintain

Beneva Solutions will help you – In my case, really easing the pain

He explained the inventory system – And how handy it could be

He also explained which advertising works – With his numbers for us to see

Then we went out to dinner – ArTe kept sharing his thoughts

The next day it was back to Beneva – Questions, we had lots

In conclusion, here is our story – We’re thankful we figured it out

And we got to truly know ArTe Conforti – And what he is all about

He’s not about the money – Or selling AMS members for the dough

He wants you to build your business – For that his pride will show

Someone gave ArTe a helping hand – And he’s moving that favor along

Hey, no one gave him more grief than me – As you know, ArTe is strong

But as Honey and I got to know him – He’s real, it was plain to see

And I told that to ArTe – I’m just glad he didn’t give up on me

I said, “ArTe, one needs to get to know you – Because you’re too good to be true”

But in this one in a million case – I was surprised, who knew

So in closing a simple suggestion – A favor I’m passing to you

If in doubt, take a closer look – And the truth will come shining through

Beneva is truly an empire – Something everyone should see

And the possibilities are endless – Look again, maybe you’ll be like me

Now we’re headed back to Minneapolis – Excited and ready to grow

Implementing ArTe’s ideas – Confident of the growth we’ll know!!

At our Friday night dinner with ArTe, our FloralApp was downloaded

Bud & Marcia, Schaaf Floral