And, I was so uncomfortable about them it took me a while to gain a perspective that would let me stabilize. I finally remembered: There is no right or wrong regarding the changes happening in the floral industry — they just are. So, for what it's worth here are the perspectives that allowed me to relax into well-being regarding those recent events:
1.) Negative AD Campaigns — If companies slam flowers to sell their products doesn't that mean that flowers have such a stronghold in the consumers' mind that other marketers long to position themselves where we are? Rather than feeling threatened by them shouldn't we be flattered by such behavior and a little smug that while making the comparisons (skip the flowers by our stuff instead) other advertisers are actually bringing attention to and validating our product as THE ONE to compete with?
2.) FTD Restructure — No one likes change and most companies won't change something if it's not broken. When a partner company makes a change that we don't like couldn't we recognize that they are only doing the best that they can do to protect their business and their interests? And that we get to choose whether to continue participating with them?
Nothing is forever. Thank the relationship for the good in it. Move on graciously if you need to. Don't burn your bridges — we are connected to one another in more ways than we understand — so chances are pretty good that parts of the relationship will show up again in our lives.
3.) Wholesalers Retailing — Consumers can already buy some degree of raw flowers almost everywhere. If flowers are to be more than a luxury in life, if they are to be a necessity for a life well lived — like food is a necessity — then they need to be available abundantly, in pristine quality, and reasonable prices, in their raw form.
There is no entity better equipped than our Wholesalers to expand the purchase of raw floral product and from that raw form a greater level of appreciation for design, art, and high end service will be drawn.
Fast food joints don't complain that consumers can buy meat, bread, lettuce and tomatoes at any grocery store. Upscale restaurants don't complain that people grab a sandwich at a fast food joint for lunch. Caterers don't mind that their clients go to their favorite restaurant for dinner.
As the industry expands, the economy gets stronger, and florists take control of their own marketing practices they won't be threatened by wholesalers selling to the public because Florists Don't Sell Flowers — they sell services through the medium of flowers.
And, wholesalers retailing to those who find them is a small compromise for us to live with rather than loosing access to the services and support our wholesalers offer florists.
4.) "Labor Only" Fees - Because flowers are so easy to purchase in their raw form florists not only have permission but need to define, line item, and charge for all the services performed that have been rolled into the cost of flowers in the past.
By the time my client figured out, proposed, and charged for the hourly rates, fees, and cost of goods that go beyond what this father of the bride would consider "the flowers" (listed below) she had no trouble doing the work profitably.
- Procurement of Supplies (containers, accessories, chemical treatments, packaging)
- Pre-Design Preparation of Containers
- Organizing and Planning Contents (recipes) for Designs
- Processing, Hydration and Conditioning of Perishables
- Maintenance & Cleaning (buckets, studio, trash)
- Hourly Design Rates — "regular time" and "over time"
- Packaging — labeling, sorting, boxing and bagging
- Delivery — hours, gas, insurance, vehicle maintenance (x 2 people and 2 vehicles)
- Set-up — ceremony and reception (x 2 people)
- Retrieval and Removal — from ceremony to reception (x 2 people)
- And, the dad began to understand that "flowers" like every other medium are just a raw product without the human ingenuity, skill, and expertise behind them. My mechanic has always line itemed his invoices. For this I trust him, respect him, and appreciate his focused attention to detail when it comes to my car.
We deserve the same respect and appreciation for our services through the medium of flowers. And, once we define our services they become more real, valid, valuable, and worthy of payment.
5.) Wholesalers Join ISES — Once the initial discomfort from the idea that wholesalers might start to market directly to restaurants, caterers, and hotels settled down I realized that there would be more opportunities for skilled and seasoned designers who have been yearning for something fresh and new.
As wholesalers begin to understand other kinds of businesses — the convenience store industry or the hospitality industry — it will open up new opportunities for floral experts in their communities to change, shift, and grow — that's exciting.
Florists would be able to teach a new audience, land new work, get new jobs, learn new ways of functioning and ensure that the knowledge, experience, and expertise that they have acquired through the years goes into the future and serves others. It's just a part of the expansion and we can either align with it (adapt a positive perspective) and find our place in it or fight it (hold onto a threatening perspective) and loose the opportunity from it.
6.) MAFA Attendance — I read last year that there used to be 26,000 retail flower shops in the US, now there are 15,000 retail flower shops and 30,000 independent design firms. The ratio of attendees — florists to independent designers — at the recent MAFA workshop seem to support those statistics.
There is no going back to what was. There is a new economy in the floral industry. It is being driven by dynamics that we can't stop. But, there are and will always be people who buy flowers and people who work with flowers. As things continue to change our personal challenge is to monitor our individual perspectives so we can each:
- EXPAND into new arenas that support our individual dreams and visions.
- EMPOWER ourselves with new business structures that align with new possibilities.
- EVOLVE with the possibilities that a new thriving floral economy offers.
- ENJOY the process of co-creating a new floral industry, telling its story, and allowing it to serve the world.
Everything that is, was once an idea. We create our world (and our industry) by the perspectives we hold in our mind. Those perspectives are: flexible, moldable, and changeable. Noticing and Modifying our Perspective is EVERYTHING. |
