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' KJ TO % 



PAYING THE RENT 



FOR ADVERTISING 



Florists contemplating the erection of new stores constantly seek the 

 ideas carried out hy others in the construction and location of estahlishmeyits 

 recently opened. Here is a discussion of one powerful factor, whose influ- 

 ence is seen in many flower shops, particularly among those of recent date. 



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O OTHEE trade or industry 

 has a product which adver- 

 tises itself so well, as does 

 ours. Regardless of our 

 slogan and without any at- 

 tempt at witticism, it may 

 be said that flowers speak 

 for themselves. Recogniz- 

 ing this, those florists who 

 are the keenest advertisers 

 lose no opportunity to let their blooms 

 and plants sell themselves. It was real- 

 ized long ago that a flower show that 

 drew the populace in large numbers was 

 the most beneficial influence the florists 

 of a community could create in their 

 own behalf. And for the same reason, a 

 flower show consists only of flowers; no 

 auxiliary sights or attractions are 

 needed. No salesmen need to be present 

 to point out the beauty, the fragrance, 

 the size or shape, the lasting quality, or 

 anything else about flowers, after the 

 fashion of salesmen at an automobile 

 show. In advertisements, too, little is 

 said about the various qualities of 

 flowers, though sometimes suggestion is 

 given as to' their uses. Just mention of 

 flowers, and perhaps their, prices, form 

 the message of most florists' advertise- 

 ments. _ So it is, too, th-at florists' win- 



dow displays — a powerful means of ad- 

 vertisement — are composed principally, 

 if not altogether, of flowers. Think of 

 the department store windows, or the 

 music store or jewelry store windows, in 

 which the setting givGS the real drawing 

 power, while the goods to be sold are in- 

 conspicuous in comparison. Not so, 

 florists' windows. A good decorator, 

 though he may try something else by 

 way of variety, needs no better materials 

 for his display, fifty-two weeks out of 

 the year, than the flowers and plants on 

 sale. 



Effect on Flower Stores. 



Recognition of the foregoing facts has 

 had its effect on retail flower stores. In 

 the effort to show the public his wares, 

 the florist has sought more conspicuous 

 window space. The increase — despite 

 civic campaigns against them — of the 

 use of signboards for advertising pur- 

 poses and the greater rentals demanded 

 for favorat)le locations for them have 

 taught those who had not perceived the 

 fact before, that brief messages con- 

 tained in fleeting visual impressions 

 are decidedly powerful in making 

 sales; And on consideration of such 

 matters, one must conclude that no sign- 



board, no matter how large or favorably 

 located, would be so effective in convey- 

 ing the advertising message of the florist 

 as his blooms themselves. In brief, the 

 display window space at a florist's dis- 

 posal is as valuable, at least, as a sign- 

 board. If he will look at it in that light 

 — in case he has not before — he will be 

 inclined to give it more regard than he 

 has in the past. How high the value of 

 a display window runs depends upon the 

 character of the advertising message put 

 therein, as on a signboard. The florist 

 who has hitherto thought of his window 

 space as a place to store palms and ferns, 

 or a counter from which to sell, will real- 

 ize, if he notes how great value some 

 other members of the trade put upon this 

 space, that he has been wasting some- 

 thing exceedingly valuable. 



The advertising value of the window 

 display space has come home so forcibly 

 to some florists that they regard rent 

 and advertising as complementary ac- 

 counts. If they have a small rent budget 

 in comparison with leading merchants in 

 their town, they believe they must have 

 a correspondingly greater advertising 

 budget. Or vice versa, they feel they 

 can rightfully draw upon the advertis- 

 ing appropriation for part of the rent. 



Lots of Flowers Arc Needed to Fill All These Windows, but Then, They Sell Lots of Flowers. 



