Surviving this Down Economy - Strategies of a Small Flower Shop

This year, instead of focusing on being succesful and profitable, we are striving to survive and outlast our new and old competitors. With this in mind, I am sharing our strategy so that small business owners like me also survive this down economy we are now in.

Our strategies:
- Provide superior products and services at very reasonable price
- Develop a bond with customers, and vendors,
- Celebrate milestones, and share not only with clients but also with vendors,
- Acknowledge and show appreciation to loyal customers and also to vendors
- Share our expertise in flower arranging, plant care, care of fresh flowers and knowledge of gift giving.

- Network with other business owners and know that each one can depend on one another for encouragement and the knowledge that we all exist in a very challending economic time.
- Donate flowers for charitable causes. Flowers bring out smiles, encouragement, motivation, and joy.
Bright Cheery Bouquet by A Vanity Fair Florist

Flowers brighten, lengthen, life

A small arrangement was sent to a "seasoned" lady, a mixture of lavender stock that gave the display a very sweet scent, purple iris, purple lisianthus, novii belgii, a touch of yellow with the solidaster and bupleurum. Her fellow residents shared in her joy of receiving the gift of flowers, and in their awe of the beauty of the gift. This joy was really appreciated that she was compelled to give us a call to express her thanks for a beautiful gift of flowers.

I can imagine how these seasoned residents reacted, just like in a favorite children's mother goose rhyme "ring a ring o' roses", in their wheelchair, surrounded the recipient to look at the gift of flowers she received. The visual is funny, and gives us joy, the rewards of our work as a florist.