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Extra Features and Video Online FloristsReview.com R E A D O N L I N E 21 "I'm proud that we helped make people feel like they were on vacation someplace in the Mediterranean," Franqui says. Floratorium also single- handedly weeded out the false notion that faux flowers—which could endure low temperatures—couldn't be artfully assembled with fresh greenery to create enchanting environments. New York City is keeping the parking areas as permanent outdoor restaurant dining, and Franqui's fame has him creating floral arches and installations in Palm Beach, his homeland of Puerto Rico and around the globe. Simultaneously, the inventive ladies at Fleurs de Villes started to create floral couture installations to be catnip for shoppers inside high-end malls like Bal Harbour Shops in Miami, Fla. Along with the fabulous rose-festooned mannequins were several floral arches designed to attract customers who reveled in the beauty and fun of these floral displays. Says Fleurs de Villes co-founder Tina Barkley, "We don't do a show without them." Although the source of these arches in design are, perhaps, from the chuppahs used in Jewish weddings, now everyone wants them and expects them. is is also why entrepreneurial- minded florists must have several styles as part of their repertoire to show clients. Perhaps pitch them as "Nothing like having your troubles disappear than being under a swath of vines popping with flowers." Make sure you have pictures of window displays for stores and restaurants as well as several options for weddings. And, of course, don't forget your own shop window while doing everyone else's. So let's start with your own store first. WINDOW DISPLAYS ink of what your specialty is, and showcase it. is is a marketing tool for your brand. Branches last a long time, and create a mix of faux and fresh flowers for an effective welcome. "If your window faces a road, keep this in mind," notes Rich King, industry consultant and retired florist from South Carolina. " Your display must be able to convey a message in three seconds. is means your display has to be eye-catching. Window displays are important for a florist because they advertise to the public who and what you are. ey help solidify your identity as a florist and a business. ey can draw in customers to see your shop and the products you have to offer." TIP: From King's experience working on floats for the Rose Parade, he learned the trick of adding a white line around the perimeter of an object, perhaps a Valentine's Day heart, to make it more visible from afar. Other tips shared by King include using advancing (warm) colors in your window displays. " You want the product to advance, not recede," he points out.

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