Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Get Hip to the Flower Fundamentals: How to be the Savviest, Most Sophisticated Gift Giver of All Time







Camp Hill, PA – At one time or another, most everyone has experienced the near indescribable joy of receiving flowers. But how much do we really know about sending great floral gifts? According to recent research by The Michael Cohen Group, both women and men want to know more about buying flowers with confidence.




To deliver abundant floral know-how, the Society of American Florists (SAF) teamed up with floral and interior designer Rebecca Cole, author of Flower Power and co-host of Discovery Channel's Surprise by Design. Together, they developed the Flower Fundamentals, helping people to become the savviest, most sophisticated floral gift givers they can be.




“It's easy to become a connoisseur of flowers and plants,” Cole said. “And, like knowing about fine wines or great foods, knowing even the basics about flowers will help people feel more self-assured throughout their lives, from gift-giving to weddings to entertaining.”




Introducing The Hip Giver's Guide




SAF and Cole created Flower Fundamentals: The Hip Giver's Guide, a month-by-month resource to flowers that are in style, a library of flower and plant varieties, holiday tips and advice, fresh floral research and much, much more. The Hip Giver's Guide is ideal for those who want tips on how to choose a local florist, read up on popular varieties of flowers, get design ideas and more.




What Hip Givers Know




The Michael Cohen Group research reveals just how much people love to give and receive flowers. Ninety-two percent of women can remember the last time they received flowers, and 97 percent of men and women recall the last time they gave a floral gift.




The hundreds of women and men surveyed described a gift of flowers as unlike any other because flowers create lasting memories and make people – both givers and receivers – feel cared about and special. The fleeting nature of flowers also encourages people to appreciate flowers when they are beautiful and vibrant.




“With a gift of flowers, you know that someone is thinking of you right now, this very minute,” Cole said. “It's the memory of the gift and the emotions that last forever.”




What Hip Givers Said




88% say flowers can change your mood for the better
99% agree that a person who gives flowers is thoughtful
89% believe that someone who gives flowers is sophisticated
83% would like to receive flowers when they are not expecting them




What Hip Givers Don't Know




While the majority of floral gifts are purchased from a local florist shop, the top five things gift givers don't know about their neighborhood florist include:
They are design professionals with the artistic ability to create different looks to suit different occasions Many local shops offer several convenient means of ordering, including phone lines and Web sites accessible 24 hours a day
Shop owners are connected with thousands of other local florists across the country and internationally, and can ensure your customized arrangement is sent on time to just about anywhere
Even the smallest of community florists has access to a wide variety of fresh flowers and plants on a daily basis






Local florists offer a variety of customer service extras, including how-to workshops, rewards programs, reminder services and more. “Let your florist be your personal gift consultant,” Cole said. “Tap into their knowledge to learn more about flowers, or let them simply make you look good. It's up to you.” Log on to http://development2.safnow.org/hipguide.htm to become one of the savviest, most sophisticated and perfect gift givers of all time.




Background
The independent research, including focus groups and a nationwide survey of 800 consumers, was conducted by The Michael Cohen Group of New York City (January 2005).

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