22 



f 



The Florists^ Review 



Mabch 4, 1920 



At the same time the retail members 

 of the association were appealed to by 

 a mimeograph notice from the secre- 

 tary. They were urged to unite to push 

 the sale of flowers at popular prices on 

 these two days. The notice said: 



"Friday of this week a quarter-page 

 ad will be run for you in the Tribune, 

 calling attention to the fact that flow- 

 ers are plentiful and giving a reason 

 why they are plentiful. It also calls at- 

 tention to the fact that you and several 

 hundred other florists will display flow- 

 ers in abundance on Friday and Satur- 

 day, and also that for these two days 

 you will offer them at reasonable prices. 



"There is no doubt but what this ad 

 will direct a good many people to your 

 stores. As an extra inducement we urge 

 that you quote a reasonable price on 

 flowers for Friday and Saturday, be- 

 cause it will mean that you can do a 

 volume and make just as much money, 

 even more. Would you not rather, in 

 order to get the public into your stores, 

 make a profit of $1 each on ten sales 

 than to make a profit of $2 on fewer 

 sales?" 



Individuals Tie Up. 



The advertising, of course, was for 

 the benefit of the entire trade, but in- 

 dividual florists took advantage of the 

 occasion to reenforce the appeal by ad- 



vertisements of their own. A, Lang^ 

 followed the advertising argument used 

 by the association, offering stock, at re- 

 duced prices in the advertisement which 

 is reproduced on page 23. It appeared in 

 Saturday's Tribune, 



The result was a big Saturday busi- 

 ness in Chicago retail stores. Though 

 prices had been easing during the week 

 previous, it required some time for the 

 public to realize the fact. For when 

 prices were high the old-time patrons 

 had stayed away from the florists' 

 shops and did not know, therefore, when 

 prices began to drop. The advertising 

 of the Chicago florists made known to 

 them the lower prices that reigned, and 

 produced large sales. 



In New York. 



The same germ was at work in New 

 York, but since there is no cooperative 

 campaign there, the individual florist 

 must do the work. Max Schling ran the 

 advertisement shown on page 23 in the 

 New York newspapers, using the same 

 sort of argument as in the Chicago ad- 

 vertising, but adding a paragraph cal- 

 culated to create telegraph business. 

 Mr. Schling believes the overloaded 

 market may be made an opportunity, 

 instead of being a handicap, for florists. 

 On this subject he writes: 



"Conditions in the flower business 



Brighten Your 

 Sunday Dinner Table 



^ITHE festive hour will be so much more 

 ^^ cheery. If guests are invited, they 

 will intuitively sense your heartier welcome. 



Flowers arc n>orc plentiful now. Longer days 

 and more stiiisliinc have produced flowers for your 

 every need — now to be had at reasonable priccS: 



It is also your opportunity to convey to some 

 one who is ill your wishes for a speedy recov- 

 crj-. Flowers always give encouragement and cheer. 



YOUR FLORIST nnd several hundred others in and about 

 Chicago are offering flowers at reasonable prices today. 



ALLIED PRODUCTS COMFANY 

 or ILUNOU 



changed here with us the same as they 

 change every spring, not only with us- 

 but with other florists. Bulbous stock, 

 and sweet peas especially overloaded 

 the market and a great many of the 

 flower buyers disappeared south. Iiv 

 consequence, flowers are more plenti- 

 ful, because there are not so many peo- 

 ple to buy flowers. 



"We should utilize this condition to 

 encourage the middle classes, who while- 

 flowers are at their highest point get 

 away from us and who to a certain ex- 

 tent buy only for the most necessary 

 occasions, to buy flowers as they used 

 to, not only as a luxury but as a neces- 

 sity to their well-being. For this rea- 

 son we ran this ad in the New York 

 papers. ' ' 



Use the Occasion. 



Some florists have taken the oppor- 

 tunity each year at this time to move 

 large quantities of stock at popular 

 prices. But the number has been too 

 few. This year the trade needs such 

 action on the part of not a few, but 

 many florists, not alone in the cities but 

 also in the small towns, everywhere 

 that flowers are plentiful. There is an 

 especial occasion this year, the oppor- 

 tunity to win back the patrons driven 

 away by high prices, to draw into the 

 flower stores still others, those who are 

 spending money but not for flowers. 

 Moreover, such action is needed this 

 year to maintain prices, first, that they 

 may not fall so low as to make the last 

 two months' figures seem exorbitantly 

 high, and, second, to give a return that 

 will make growing possible at present 

 high costs. For the sake of the entire 

 trade, prices should be held as firmly 

 as possible, else the recollection of 

 January purchases may make buyers ap- 

 ply the word profiteering, not a welcome 

 epithet to either retailer or grower. 

 And to maintain an adequate supply 

 of flowers, which means an increased 

 .supply next year, prices must be kept 

 up in order to make the construction of 

 new greenhouses seem profitable at pres- 

 ent building costs. Firm prices can be 

 had by moving large quantities of stock 

 tc the public at reasonable figures while 

 it is abundant. The example has been 

 set and is successful. Every florist can 

 help. 



MICHIGAN FLORISTS' SHOW. 



Second Shot in the Co-operative Campaign by Chicago Florists. 



At First Annual Meeting. 



At an executive meeting of the Mich- 

 igan State Florists ' Association, held at 

 the Michigan Agricultural College 

 February 16, it was decided to hold a 

 spring exhibition of cut flowers, potted 

 plants, florists' supplies and anything 

 pertaining to the florists' trade or 'hor- 

 ticulture in general, at the Michigan 

 Agricultural College, East Lansing, 

 March 16 and 17. A banquet will be 

 held on the evening of March 17. Prom- 

 inent speakers will be present. The 

 ladies are especially invited. Special 

 invitation is extended to the ladies' 

 auxiliaries of the various florists' clubs 

 of the state to attend in bodies and 

 hold their meetings in Lansing at the 

 same time. This being the first exhibi- 

 tion and annual meeting of this new and 

 hustling organization, tho executive 

 committee will appreciate it if you will 

 make a special eflfort to bo present and 

 to exhibit if possible. A nominal charge 

 of 10 cents per squar*» foot will be 



