Hi all, Good to read all your recent messages. Yes I find people have this pre idea of florist's being to expensive so they pick up a cheapie bunch from woolies, super IGA & the like. Usually theyr'e half dead & a disappointment to most people who purchase them. Most florists can do any price range their customers want & so I always ask what would "you" like to spend & let the customer feel that there in control of their wallet not the shop.

Ive been making up little $5.00 posies made up out of the long side shoots of chrysie's. Iv'e found these very popular. By peaking up ur polly paper tall around the bunch gives it a loverly full look. Quite often we use these bits in boxed arrangements too, so why not make them into little bouquets as well.

Hi Sam,
Thank you so much for your suggestions. I am going to get a sample page together to take to some of my local business. I think what tends to put some people off is them thinking it will be far too expensive so having a sliding scale is a great idea any others are truely welcome.
Thanks again
Sarah.

Hello Sarah,

Just read your message about corporate clients and although we see it from a different angle I can share with you some helpful tips (maybe helpful??) I have heard from some other members. Petals has what we call statement stuffers which are about the size of a small envelope and they show a selection of products available which other members have used to letterbox/mail bomb potential clients - both corporate and private. The beauty of the statement stuffers is that it gives the customer an idea of what is available and it also has a space for your stamp/sticker so they could put it up somewhere like a lunch room etc and then when people want to call all the details are there.

Another thing I was speaking to a member about a little while ago was they actually approached businesses such as the school, council etc with a very very professional quotation which had coloured images of the flowers they could select from, price ranges, what they could expect from the florist and what sort of savings they could make, they found that they won the contract because of the level of professionalism displayed in the quotation process.

I am sure there will be lots of other excellent ideas coming in for you as well.

Good Luck

Hi out there Michele,Helen and all,
I am a brand new Petals girl we opened about two months ago.
My florist is a florist and cafe with my brother manning the coffee machine and myself on flowers.
 I liked the idea of the combination when I realised there was a bit of waiting around with flowers and with my brother and I both having a hospitality background it seemed an ideal family business.
We are in the proccess of getting our licence through at the moment. I must say though the environmental health officer didnt quite know what catagorie to put us into?!
.My question to the Petals members is: how do you usually get new corperate clients??? I am off to a relatively good start but would love some more.How do you guys do it ??????
Cheers Sarah

Thanks Helen and Sam for all your help. We are still looking into the option and are checking with the council.

Edited by author 12-03-2006 04:43 PM
Hi Sam. thanx for all the info on food regulations & what would be involved in setting up such a venue. I have printed it all off & will have a read. Unfortunately for me It probably wont come to fruition but yes I can sit in my beautiful garden & dream of my asparations & the if onlys.
Hi Michelle, I hope all goes well for you & let us know how you get along with it all. I can only emagine how a little side line of serving coffee & cake would boost sales & it would be a great side line attached to your flowers I'm sure.

Kind Regards Helen at Floral-Jazz

Hi Helen and Michelle,

I am not sure how helpful this will be to you but I have found a website on food handling regulations http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/newsroom/f...etystandardsf64.cfm if this doesnt help answer your questions regarding food service in your shop I am sure they will be able to point you in the right direction of someone who can, and by the way Helen your place sounds absolutely lovely and I can imagine myself sitting in your yard soaking up some peaceful time!

Sam@ Petals HQ

Hi Michelle, Coffee & cake sound a good idea. Iv'e had this thought my self. I run my little business from home in a small country Queensland town & have a big old house with a beautiful double front yard full of jaccaranda trees & agapantha's linning the footpaths. It looks very park like & I get many comments. In my little
corners there's little ponds & water trickling over the rocks & gold fish swimming.I have put tables & chairs with unbrella's for the quite relaxing afternoons as it gets very hot up here on the Downs. I haven't as yet approached the local council to whether I could have the food & beverage along with the flowers as when I first started my floristry here almost 2 years ago it cost me nearly $500 in councils fee's just to legally set up & things have been very very slow for me here as there are two of us in the town plus a big IGA store & soon to be a woolworths opening up next Oct 07. I guess my point is it may not be worth it for me even though I feel I have the perfect setting but maybe for you in your situation if you have a proper shop front it would be aventages. I'd check with your local council.

Kind Regards Helen

Hi All,
I am looking at stocking a small stand at the local hospital but the temp in the hospital is kept at around 24degrees. Does anyone out there do something similar and what flowers other than natives will be able to stand the temperature? Do you find that the flowers are a big seller?

We are looking at serving some cakes and coffee at our shop in Victoria Australia and was hoping anyone could advise on any tips or regulations if they also sell food.

Thanks

Hello Meghann, Yes The Danish Arts & Craft have a wonderful range of goodies that one can incorperate in their floral designs. Ive personally bought there dried roses as i had a customer that wanted to have the cottage garden look in a hanging basket. Although I must admitt it looked beatiful when I'd finished, being in a small country town where I live & have my shop country folk wont pay the prices that there city cousin will. So It wasn't really profitable for me. Danish Art is expensive. Their pot purri smells gorgous though & so would re-buy that particular item . I like to sujest to my customer about having a small organzer bag fillded with dried rose petals or lavender, tied to the bouquet stems of flowers. Nice just with a single red rose too.

Hi to Gaynor in Oxford, England. Good luck with petals.
Eva h. Stnod in Berkshire, England.

Hi Michelle,
you could try some pyrethrum plants at the door. As customers brush past them the release a scent that insects don't like and they look fresh and pretty too. If that doesn't work you can put some venus fly catchers around and make it a talking point that you are feeding your plants. They can be sold as well. Failing that a can of fly spray works well too.

Hello Michelle. Summer will be a time for lots of insects & depending where you live you may have to get your shop screened. Particularly a sliding screen door. Other than that you could buy your self one of those beaded door hangers that you hang over the door frame. some of them are quite decrotive but you'll find the kids like to constantly walk under them all the time or touch them so that they break easily. Alot of retailers have air conditioning too so that helps reduce flys as flys prefer the heat. But if you cant afford air conditioning you may just have to go with the screens or the beaded door strip. Hope I have helped.
Regards Helen

Hi, Im just new to the business and was wondering if anyone had ideas on how to stop flys in the shop.