Presenting

Extra Features and Video Online FloristsReview.com R E A D O N L I N E 33 • Position each fl ower in a design, and hold it for a few seconds until the glue becomes secure enough to keep it in place. • Wait a few minutes for the glue to completely dry in the design before packaging the designs and placing them into the cooler. Corsage Bar A corsage bar is a display of all of the decorative components and accessories available to create prom fl owers. Customers can choose every detail to personalize their corsages and boutonnières. Showcase corsage bracelets, gems and jewels, picks and pins, ribbons, and other off erings in an inviting and interactive display. Customers love the hands on interaction of such displays. A corsage bar will help increase your prom sales by creating an easy and fun experience for your customers. Many customers will spend more than they intended once they see all the cool stuff you have available and all the cool things you can create. Be sure to showcase several corsage designs, as well—possibly made with permanent botanicals—so the customers can easily envision what the fi nished products can look like. Also, be sure to having all pricing clearly displayed, as well as any package options you off er. Price every individual item, and consider off ering standard, deluxe and premium packages. Clear pricing will make sales easier and will generate higher per-ticket sales. Lori Barrett, ICPF, owner of e Secret Garden in Decatur, Ill., creates a corsage bar for prom season every year. "It makes selling the add-ons so much easier," she shares. "When customers can see and touch the products, they are like kids in a candy store." Barrett off ers a selection of bracelets, ribbons and accents to enhance her prom fl orals. She off ers magnets for attaching boutonnières and uses the gluing method to create her prom fl orals (she enthuses about what a time-saver gluing is!). She makes all corsage bases as they are ordered and places them into corsage boxes with all add-ons, and she tapes the order to each box. is keeps her How to Create a Corsage Bar • Create a ribbon board showing all the various options, and label them so you can notate the ribbon color and pattern on each order. It is easier to make a bigger sale if people can see all of the fabulous options. This enables customers to match ribbons to their dresses and choose options that fi t their looks. Most prom customers have no idea how many ribbon options are available. • Display myriad bracelet options, and sell them as great values, noting that they become keepsakes from the special night. Bejeweled bracelets have become extremely popular for prom-goers, and they provide another way for customers to personalize their prom fl owers, so be sure to offer a varied selection. It will be worth the investment. • Likewise, display plenty of accent add-ons that can be added into corsages and boutonnières to make them extra special. For example, rhinestones, gems and jewels, feathers, decorative wires, et al. • Create a sign that explains the steps to create their prom designs, to make the process easier. For example: • Step 1: Pick your bracelet • Step 2: Choose your ribbon color(s) and pattern(s) • Step 3: Choose your fl owers • Step 4: Choose your accents The Secret Garden

• Cover