In his June 30 newsletter, attendee Bill Schodowski of Delaware Valley Floral Group had this to say about SAF Growth Solutions: 

On Tuesday night I flew into Dallas for the inaugural SAF Growth Solutions Conference before the start of the Dallas market.  SAF put together a "jam packed" 36 hour program that had all of the attendees begging for more.  It's difficult for me to talk about about what was best....because it was a solid day and a half program from beginning to end.

They kicked it off with a presentation by Al Meyers from Retail Forward on "Retail Landscape Redefined" that properly set the table.  SAF's Kate Penn and Jenni Sparks spoke on "Capturing the Generation Y Consumer".  My personal favorite was a panel on Wednesday "Generating the New ROI: Return on Involvement with Art Conforti, Kris Wittenauer and Robbin Yelverton.  After a million years in the industry...I still enjoy the opportunity to hear successful florists discuss and advance their "best practices".  Three different points of view....three successful strategies...one enjoyable, educational, informative program.  Here are a few photos taken during the conference.

Thursday morning program by SAF's Renato Sogueco was a "hands on" exercise entitled "Attracting and Keeping Customers for your On Line Shop".  If you were there in Dallas...you know how great this activity was.  If you weren't...you should have been.  As our industry matures...there are too few opportunities to network and deal with industry issues in a group setting.  Kudos to SAF on a FANTASTIC program.  I surely hope that there will be more in the future.

To those that say "I can't afford to attend".  My response is..."You can't afford NOT to".  We are dealing with critical issues in our industry.  "Same old...same old" doesn't get the job done anymore.  When Jim Collins wrote his "Good To Great" book in 2001, he listed Circuit City as one of his 11 deemed "Great" companies...because it was.  In 2010 Circuit City no longer exists.  Anybody that is currently resting on previously won laurels had better get out of the way before they get trampled by the "new, informed and hungry".  Like I said..."same old, same old" doesn't cut it anymore.

You can e-mail, facebook, post to discussion forums, send text messages and IM all you want, but nothing takes the place of meeting face-to-face. There's just no substitute for the mental energy that sparks when you physically sit down and talk with people in the same business.  Those critical "Aha!" moments of enlightenment — when you suddenly see the answer to a longstanding challenge — happen more over coffee than a keyboard.

And when it comes to post-recession opportunities, the freshest-thinkers are likely to scoop up them up first.

In his June 2 e-newsletter Bill Schodowski of Delaware Valley Floral Group put it this way:  ""It's time to re-tool... re-group... and re-energize. . . . Coming out of the recession all of the rules have changed.  The customer has changed....and our industry has changed.  This is not the time to do 'same old...same old.'  Spend some time with some of our industry's brightest talents and work on solutions...and set direction for future success. I am going to attend (SAF Growth Solutions) and I urge each of you to attend as well."

As the recession ends, will you be ready to compete in a dramatically changed marketplace?

Prepare now to capture the new American consumer at this fast-paced mini-event for floral shop owners and managers.

• Understand new consumer attitudes — how they shop, what they expect and what will attract their business.

• Tap into the power of loyalty programs, coupons, social media and more.

• Attract Gen Y and build for the future.

• Build a better online business.
  

• Find real post-recession growth opportunities.

Attendance is limited to 125 florists.
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