HYDROPONICS: AN INTERVIEW WITH A RETAIL FLORISTThis material is based upon that found in my manual "How to Start on a Shoestring and Make a Profit with Hydroponics". To find out how you can get your own copy, CLICK HERE.
MAYHILL PRESS: Where do you buy most of your plants? FLORIST: I buy a lot from Holland and the Caribbean nations. MAYHILL PRESS: Why is that? I mean why do you buy so much from abroad? FLORIST: Because I have to. Local growers don't furnish what I need. And the quality and price of flowers and plants from abroad are hard to beat. The local growers say they can't compete at the prices I pay. MAYHILL PRESS: Don't you buy anything from local growers? By local I mean growers within a fifty to one hundred mile radius. FLORIST: Aside from poinsettias and a handful of others, I get all of my plants from distances far beyond what you mention. MAYHILL PRESS: What about foliage? FLORIST: Most of that comes to me from Florida and the Caribbean. MAYHILL PRESS: What about freshness and quality? FLORIST: I deal with a broker. If anything I order isn't up to my standards, I send it back and get full credit. MAYHILL PRESS: What do you expect in freshness? FLORIST: I expect all cut flowers to hold up for at least a week. Hopefully the same flowers will hold up for several days inside the customer's home. MAYHILL PRESS: What would it take for you to switch your buying activities to the local grower? FLORIST: I'd be happy to purchase all my plants and flowers from local growers if only to insure that my merchandise would be at the peak of freshness and quality. MAYHILL PRESS: Do you think this would be profitable for the local grower? FLORIST: I don't see why not. But to tell the truth I think most growers, at least in our area, aren't interested in learning how to compete with growers who ship in from long distances. MAYHILL PRESS: What do you suggest they do? FLORIST: They should learn to get out and hustle. They should make regular visits to all retail florists in their area. They should find out what the florists need and when they need it. Then they should grow for this market and maintain nothing but the highest quality. They should give service, service, service! MAYHILL PRESS: Give us an example. FLORIST: Take cut flowers. Holland growers sell them by the ton. Not only abroad to us but to their own customers at home. Growers in Holland are willing to work on a lower margin of profit in order to get the market to come to them. MAYHILL PRESS: You're aware that Europeans buy a lot more flowers, especially the cut variety, than Americans? FLORIST: I'm very much aware of that fact. But Americans can be educated to live with more flowers. MAYHILL PRESS: What about foliage? Why can't the local grower furnish that? FLORIST: I don't see why not. But rarely do I see a local grower coming by to ask me to buy his foliage. MAYHILL PRESS: What would you really like to see the local grower do? LORIST: What I'd like to see is a local grower who can grow specifically for me. Who will keep in touch on a regular needed basis and always make sure he can deliver. A grower who offers quality and service. From what I understand, success goes to those who offer just a little bit more. Again, I've seen very few local growers who are willing to make such commitments. MAYHILL PRESS: It all boils down to dependability and quality? FLORIST: Doesn't everything? Wouldn't you rather deal with someone who had these characteristics? MAYHILL PRESS: Do you really think that if a grower came to you and offered to grow what you need, when you need it and make it of the highest quality, that you would switch over and do business with him? FLORIST: You bet! What's more important, if this grower can offer his product at near competitive rates, he'll soon see his sales go up. And that's not only includes me but all the other retailers in the area. MAYHILL PRESS: What about supermarkets? FLORIST: Please! Still the more they sell, the more I sell. It's contagious. MAYHILL PRESS: So the local grower can fit into that picture. FLORIST: Supermarkets are just as happy as anyone else to get quality and service. HOME PAGE...CONTACT US...ORDERING INFORMATION bsaffell@mayhillpress.com ... copyright 1996 - 2009 by Hilmur Saffell Last Update: 112109 WE HAVE THREE BOOKS THAT MAY BE OF INTEREST TO YOU.
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