Many people I talk to want to send flowers, and yet aren’t really sure what is appropriate or aren’t sure what the person will like, etc. How do you decide what to send?
Most of us give things we would like to receive. Why not thing about the person receiving them? Many of us don’t really know their exact favorite flower or maybe not even their favorite color, and we might feel stuck in going ’safe’ and getting a traditional design from a pick-a-number website. Playing it safe gets you the ‘this is nice…’ phone call. That’s great if you’re just sending flowers because you have to. And these designs can be just the right gift, and yet, many settle for this as a default.
Beautiful Floral Arrangement that is typical of almost all website offerings
This is not the only option! With just one ore more cues from the following questions (or other ideas of what you know about the person), an experienced floral designer can make suggestions or even create a one-of-a-kind arrangement. When you reflect something about the person in the gift, they feel more special! They know it was selected just for them, and it goes straight to their heart, which is why you’re sending the flowers anyway, right?
Here are some tips and questions to think about:
1. What do you want to communicate? Are you sending flowers because you can’t be there yourself at a special gathering, such as a Memorial service or Birthday? Do you want to celebrate something? Are you in trouble? Or do you want to connect on a deeper level with a client, thanking them or bringing them along on the next step of a project. As your florist, offering Floral Concierge services, when we know the occasion and what you want to communicate, we can suggest something appropriate, assisting you in giving the perfect gift.
An upscale, madern take on traditional roses!
2. What do you know about the person receiving the flowers? When you reflect them, they know you know them and appreciate that a LOT! And we can take the same flowers and style them in different ways, with different containers, accents or add-on gift items, to effect a different feel and impact.
- What is their style? Are they more trendy, artistic/creative, down-to-earth, feminine/girly, bold/dramatic, upscale/elegant, clean-line/modern, architectural/linear, garden-style, french country or ???
- How do they dress or decorate their house – these provide visual cues of what they might like. For example, do they like bold colors or more pastels? Is their home Tuscan-style, eclectic, country or ??
- What industry do they work in? Someone who works in the arts or fashion industry will be thrilled with something more creative, while someone in Law may be more upscale (this is not to pigeon-hole people, just taking note of trends)
- What hobbies do they have? For example, if they are into cooking, maybe ask for something created with fresh herbs that they can enjoy and even use later?
A Modern and Creative take on Tulips and Orchids
3. Is it a very special occasion – 50th wedding anniversary, 10th year in business open house, etc. ?? Make sure to tell us – we’ll make sure your gift is impressive and maximizes your budget. You can spend $150 on an arrangement that is compact and tight, and maybe not give the impression that you want. On the other hand, in taking a style they would like, and utilizing the stem length of the flowers, you can get a more impressive look on a smaller budget.
Taking a few stems of flowers and making a big statement!
4. Are you more interested in the floral arrangement having maximum impact at the time of delivery, or is it more important to you that the flowers be enjoyed over a long period of time. Be sure to tell us this, too. We often will send out stems of flowers that are just starting to open so that they last longer, and yet for a Memorial Service, party, open house, or other gathering, you would want the flowers to already be mostly or completely open for maximum Wow! factor.
Memorial Service with Open Liles and Tulips
These are some great questions to get you started. What happens next?
When we know the answers to one or more of these questions, we can make suggestions to you and give you some choices to select from. Many of our clients who know us also let us take it from there and use our creative talents to delight and impress their friends, colleagues and family.
Give this process a try and see if you don’t get the response Lynne did when her friend called her moments after receiving the flowers, raving and saying of all the flowers she received on that special day, Lynne’s gift was The Best!
I hope you’ve enjoyed this overview of how to select flowers to really touch the heart. This is how we help our clients every day, and we’d like to be your florist for life, too! These questions make your gift special whether it’s being delivered locally or all over the world.
