Ann Jordan, AIFD, was the featured presenter at the Extra Touch Florists Association gathering in early March. Held at Portlands Shibata Wholesale Floral, the presentation drew people all the way from Klamath Falls in the south to Prairie City (by Burns) in the east.

Ann has been a dream come true for many shop owners but for others, she may have been their worst nightmare. As a highly experienced professional, she will spend a day in your flower shop watching, listening, taking notes and thinking. That night, after the shop is closed, she tears the place apart and rebuilds it. "I make the design area efficient, re-do a few sample display areas and make it, at least in part, a carefully planned layout. In the morning I lay out to the owner and staff what I have done and walk them through the "why" of it. Since I timed the designers at work the day before I can tell them where, who and how to improve. A properly run shop should take no more than 10 minutes to create a normal $40 design."

Ms Jordan reminded those in attendance that "this is a great time to be in the floral industry. Since 9/11 people have been staying home and making their homes a place to enjoy. Flowers, plants and home decor have been very strong throughout this past 6 months" in her New England home area and nationwide.

As many other speakers have done, she reminded her audience that if we are doing the same designs today that we did 20 years ago or even those of 5 years ago we are losing the future for our shop. "The older customers you have may want glads and only glads for a funeral piece but their children certainly don’t and you must make it clear to those in your community that you offer new and fashionable material to attract new customers." One way to do this is to carefully track what styles people choose when given a choice. Put a variety of styles out at all times, she recommends, even if some won’t sell. Otherwise you will not create the image of "we can do anything you want" in peoples minds.

Henry Ford and his assembly line have nothing on the profitable florist of Jordans plans. "Production line work is where the profit is," she reminded us. "Making one, then one, then one is not the idea. Make 6 $35 pieces at once- Two for the orders in hand, the others for the next days anticipated orders and for cooler stock. If they all look alike who cares? They will be going all over town, not all on the same table in one home. It should take no more than 10 minutes and actually closer to 8 to make such a piece if a recipe is properly followed. Why reinvent the wheel for each arrangement? Figure out a good design and write it down for use over and over again. When we are in restaurants we order from a pre-chosen menu. We don’t pick and choose individual items and how we want them combined. In our shops we should sell and design from similar pre-chosen menus. Once a week, someone checks prices and sets the menu of what will be offered for sale that week and at what prices.

As at all meetings of this nature there was a short talk about the Extra Touch Florists Association and its goals. Its always impressive to hear the Extra Touch people talk about their vision. A non profit cooperative, owned by the retail floral members, which exists to benefit the retail florist. To work together, not against each other, to cooperate, not compete. The Extra Touch association provides full wire service, computer programs, education, credit card clearing, a web site that directs customers directly to your site or your phone and address and an impressive list of other items. I’m impressed by the vision and urge florists to look into this further. (888)419-1515 or WWW.etfassociation.org