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WF&FSA 2014 Calendar - Check Out These Events
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WF&FSA has endorsed Electric Checks as a more effective way to collect bounced checks for its members. This premier service has collected hundreds of thousands of dollars for WFFSA members - at no cost. Did you know, we also offer other electronic check services that will save you time and money by eliminating the paper from the check? We put you in control of your paper check transactions, the new paperless way. Electric Checks - Checks are our business, our only business! Read more.
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So, What's New With You?
We'd like to know what's new with you and your company. Do you have any organizational changes? Have you changed your address? Added a new product line? Introduced a new product? Just send your information into WF&FSA at [email protected]. If you like, to simply the process, you may use the attached form. Or, just add us to your press release list. Email your press release to the email address above or send it to WF&FSA, 105 Eastern Avenue, Suite 104, Annapolis, MD 21403. We look forward to hearing from you!
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  IN MEMORIAM: HERB MITCHELL
WF&FSA learned yesterday that Herb Mitchell passed away peacefully on September 25, 2014 in Naples, FL. Herb spent nearly all of his professional life as a Marketing Executive for various firms, including Teleflora, The John Henry Company and Jackson and Perkins Roses. A Certified Management Consultant, Herb founded and ran his own consulting firm in Newport Beach California for more than 20 years. Herb was a nationally-recognized floral designer who was part of the team that decorated the White House for the Bicentennial and designed the flowers for Trisha Nixon's wedding. Herb was the recipient of many distinguished awards. He was a President of AIFD (The American Institute of Floral Designers), a two-time Judge of the Pasadena Tournament of Roses and Inducted into the Floriculture Hall of Fame in 1984. To read the obituary and learn about arrangements, please click here. WF&FSA extends its condolences to the Mitchell family.
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THE LATEST FLORAL DISTRIBUTION CONFERENCE NEWS
Close to 600 delegates have already registered for the 2014 Floral Distribution Conference - are you among them? Check out this list - if you are not on it, register today! For those considering registering on site, please know that the fee for walk-ins is $305, but if they register prior to the conference, the fee is only $255. Please be sure to register your delegates now and save your dollars. Register your delegates here. 
We need your help! Are you able to donate flowers for the WF&FSA Floral Distribution Conference? WF&FSA is seeking your help with flower donations to make this year's WF&FSA Conference the most beautiful yet! Deborah de la Flor is our WF&FSA Floral Conference designer and each year she provides spectacular arrangements for our stage as well as a host of other needs. She has provided a list of her needs in order to prepare the arrangements we need and perhaps you can help provide what she needs for her design. Also, Kevin Ylvisaker, AIFD, will be offering a Design Trends program during the Conference and your product can go a long way to helping him design his displays. If you are able to donate product, please contact Linda Pierre at [email protected]. Don't Miss These Program Highlights at the 2014 Floral Distribution Conference Explore what Retailers Want! Buyers Spill the Beans! How to Balance Your Life, Reduce Stress and Increase Productivity Essential Marketing Skills to Help Your Customers Succeed The Stories That Shape Our Industry Design Trends Program featuring Kevin Ylvisaker, AIFD And, Emerging Leaders are invited to join Steve McClatchy for lunch on Thursday where he will help you learn how to get more organized and get more done in less time. Don't miss this chance to get the latest tips from this New York Times bestselling author! The Table Top Displays are sold out! Check out the exhibitors here. Spread your Brand Awareness with a Sponsorship Sponsorships offer a terrific opportunity to promote your brand at the Conference. For more details on available sponsorships, just click here. Check out our sponsors to date here. |
DON BUTTREY PRESENTS SALES PROFESSIONAL TRAINING CAMP
November 11-13, 2014 Dayton, Ohio
Don Buttrey was one of the featured presenters at this year's Management Conference, receiving rave reviews. He is offering 2-1/2 day workshop of practical skills, tools and fundamental disciplines that are essential for sales professionals and a productive sales team this November in Dayton, Ohio. To learn more, or to register, just click here.
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YOU CAN ALWAYS SELL MORE - ARE YOU GOOD ENOUGH TO GET BETTER?
December 2-3, 2014, Dallas, Texas
We have an exciting new educational opportunity for WF&FSA members to share with you! Jim Pancero, a popular sales trainer/consultant who has presented at previous WF&FSA Management Institutes and is one of the highest rated UID faculty members, is offering a 2 Day Advanced Seminar for the experienced sales professional - You Can Always Sell More - Are You Good Enough To Get Better?
The dates of the seminar are December 2-3, 2014 at the Great Wolf Lodge close to DFW airport in Texas. To learn more about this program, please click here. WF&FSA is a member of the Association Education Alliance and as a result you are entitled to the AEA discount for this program. When registering, just check that you are a member of FPDA to secure your discount!
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 LEADERSHIP IDENTIFICATION AND DEVELOPMENT WEBINAR Anthony Pantaleone, Profiles International, Inc.
Free for WF&FSA Members!
October 15th 12-12:30 pm
As organizations establish growth strategies, one concern they face is the possibility of not having the leadership talent they need to meet their goals. Can you identify the leadership skills necessary to be successful in your organization? Do you know which employees exhibit these leadership skills?
In this webinar sponsored by our partner Profiles International LLC (WF&FSA Value Partner), Anthony Pantaleone, Sales Director of Enterprise Solutions at Profiles International will share objective, comprehensive, and reliable information about your employees; far beyond what you could uncover through performance reviews or day-to-day interaction.
Click here for full description and register.
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MARKETING TOOLKIT HIGHLIGHT: PINTEREST
Here is another in a series of tips from the WF&FSA Marketing Toolkit. Share this information with your customers and use it internally!
PICTURES WORTH 1,000 WORDS OR >70 MILLION USERS
With more than 70 million users and a popularity and user group greater than Twitter, Pinterest garners >80% women with most popular topics of food, fashion and weddings. With this user base, it pays to put effort into Pinterest and be prepared for your brides when they start sharing pin boards.
Tips for Pinterest (4-5 hours to begin, maintain weekly/monthly)
Creating a pin board will take you 2-3 hours to start, and to keep current, you should consider updating on a weekly, or at least monthly basis. The best reason to use Pinterest? It has more than 70 million users, is one of the top five social media outlets and the fourth largest topic? Wedding flowers. Want to know more about Pinterest and how it compares? So this invaluable resource skews heavily toward female buyers and is the perfect match for a wedding flower shop.
To read more about Pinterest click here or learn more with WF&FSA's Marketing & Communications Toolkit created just for florists!
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NEWS FROM SAF 
'Blushing Parasol' Charms Judges, Wins 'Best in Show'
With its demure garden-like petals, 'Blushing Parasol', a creamy pinkish-peach spray rose from Eufloria Flowers, found many admirers during SAF Marco Island 2014, the Society of American Florists' 130th Annual Convention in August in Marco Island, Fla. Deservedly so as it won the coveted title "Best in Show" during the convention's Outstanding Varieties Competition. Learn more.
Keep Products Looking Their Best with SAF's Flower & Plant Care Manual
As you head into the holiday season and you begin hiring seasonal workers, be ready to answer any care and handling question they lob your way. Educate yourself with the Society of American Florists' (SAF's) Flower & Plant Care Manual, and keep a copy on hand so employees can refer back to it if you're not available to answer questions.
Available in print and CD-Rom, the Flower & Plant Care Manual is the industry's "must-have" resource for the final word on care and handling of fresh products. Inside, you'll find complete guidelines for cut flowers, potted plants, bedding plants and foliage plants, information on processing flowers, temperature management and ethylene. The printed manual is also available in Spanish.
Order a copy today from safnow.org/products or call SAF at 800-336-4743, ext. 204.
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THE REAL MISSION OF VALUE-ADDED SELLING
By Tom Reilly, author of Value-Added Selling
Our mission in Value-Added Selling is simple: We sell products by solving problems, satisfying needs, and serving people. On the surface, this may seem obvious. That is why we dig deeper.
Notice that selling products is a function of three things: helping other people solve their problems; providing a solution that satisfies their needs; and serving others. All three of these things point to a simple and profound truth. Click here to read the full article.
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