What’s Inside

mercury messenger

2015

The FTD® Fall Harvest™ Cornucopia by Better Homes and Gardens®

NOVEMBER

NEw! Delivery route management made easy

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Learn How to Leverage Pay-Per-click

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Iowa Flower shop Wins FTD makeover

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simplify your delivery routing with the new and improved FTD mercury Delivery. manage multiple deliveries while keeping tabs on each order as drivers proceed along the route.

Manage Delivery Routes with Ease

Important: Windows XP is no longer supported by microsoft. call us to learn how to stay protected!

C odif ication dead line is November 17, 2015

You can trust sending your next order FTD.

Dear FTD Florists,Hello everyone and WOW, what a fantastic year!

I attended the society of American Florists (sAF) convention in september and I have also been on the road visiting with a lot of member florists. I’m hearing from more and more florists who are having success and growing their business. The industry trends are showing the same positive results too. This is so exciting and inspiring to hear!

The Florist Division is also growing order volume into the network and revenue this year. your success is our success and we thank you for your business support and partnership!

FTD has had an exciting year which kicked off with our acquisition of Provide commerce, and more importantly, delivering upon our commitments to yOu, our member florists.

We’ve delivered more orders, higher order values—now approaching $70, co-op advertising and educational opportunities. We’ve also introduced product innovation by enhancing the sympathy and luxury product lines, and released new features for both mercury Point of sale and mercury Direct. Based upon member feedback, we also launched a social media management program and website customization. FTD has also increased floral and brand awareness through recent promotions with features in leading publications like People and Fortune, and on ABc news.

We look forward to building upon our collective success, and will continue to excite you and help you grow and learn in 2016.

enjoy this month’s newsletter, specifically celebrating our FTD Florists, and all the best for a strong holiday season!

Letter from Tom

Call FTD® Technology Sales at 800.767.3222 for more information.

executive Vice President, Florist Division

Reach Your Customers on Social Media

FTD market for you can post on and monitor your Twitter and Facebook business accounts, create and manage email campaigns and more to free up your staff in time for the holiday season.

Don’t miss out on a professional, customized marketing plan for your shop to help achieve your sales and marketing goals.

Learn more at FTDi.com/MarketforYou.

stay on-trend and drive more orders for Valentine’s Day, spring and mother’s Day with the 2016 FTD exclusives collection. The stunning arrangements feature a delightful blend of vibrant pinks, deep purples and peaceful pastels in unique, multi-use containers to appeal to a variety of customers.

2016 Trends Translated to F loral to Attract C onsumer Interest

Call your FTD® Marketplace™ Representative at 800.767.4000 to place your order today.

The FTD® Lasting romance® Bouquet (16-V1d)

The FTD® Botanical™ Bouquet

(16-s3d)

The FTD® garden Park™ Bouquet  by Better Homes and gardens® (16-m6d)

Features

New! Delivery snapshot provides order details and priority level on one screen

New! Link unverified addresses to orders with pushpin icons exclusive to FTD mercury

New! Add non-order stops to a route such as wholesalers, other shops and funeral homes

Drivers can confirm deliveries on their smartphone

customize delivery charges and create routes according to priority

streamlined and efficient tool bar.

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Celebrating F TD Florists

A. Rainier Fortineaux (left), owner of Flowers Unlimited in Chicago, IL, accepts his FTD Top 100 plaque from FTD Vice President of National Accounts

Ed Cronin. B. FTD Executive Vice President Tom Moeller (right), congratulates Charles (left) and Scott Kremp (center), owners of Kremp Florist in

willow Grove, PA, on their FTD Top 100 achievement. C. Pam J. Davis (left), owner of Always In Bloom in Spring, TX, receives her FTD Top 500

plaque from FTD Vice President of National Accounts Ed Cronin (right). D. FTD Regional Vice President Jim weedon (right), presents an FTD Top 100

Sender plaque to Ken Denaburg (left), owner of York Flowers in washington, D.C. E. Jim Coggins (right), owner of Coggins Flowers & Gifts located

in Spartanburg, SC, receives his FTD Top 500 plaque from FTD Regional Vice President Jim weedon (left). F. Mark Long (left), owner of Holliday

Flowers & Events, Inc. located in Memphis, TN, and his granddaughter Ava (center) accept the shop’s FTD Top 100 Sender plaque from FTD Vice

President of National Accounts Ed Cronin (right). G. Congratulations to Petersen & Tietz Florist & Greenhouse located in waterloo, IA for celebrating

50 years as an FTD Florist. H. Andy Knowles (left), owner of Rob’s Flowers located in Poplar Bluff, MO, catches up with his FTD Marketplace

Representative Kim Natalino (right) while visiting headquarters.

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Leverage Pay-Per-C lick to Take Back Your Market

competition for visibility in online search results is fierce, especially in today's mobile-ready world. Having the right marketing strategy to reach mobile users is more crucial than ever. Let FTD Local search maximize your pay-per-click budget to help increase the visibility of your website in premier search engine results. The robust, mobile-ready online marketing program manages the entire process from keyword research and bidding to ad creation and performance reporting, to save you time while improving your search position online.

Source: 1google Flower Delivery services Quarterly update Q1 2015 2google/nielsen Life360 mobile search moments study Q4 2012Call FTD® Florists Online at 866.926.5197 to sign up today!

50%of mobile users who call a business,

visit a store or want to make a purchase, do so within one hour

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growth of total online searches for Flower Delivery Services on mobile devices while

desktop declined by 5%

47%increase in online searches for

Flower Delivery Services

15%

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View all the winners at FTDi.com/FTDUniversity and additional photos at Facebook.com/MercuryNetwork.

Left: Elva Graham (left), owner of Green Thumb Florist & Gifts located in Faison, NC, pictured with FTD Assistant Events Manager Janet Justus (right) at AIFD National Symposium in July. Right: Courtney Turner (left), owner of Isis Floral Designs in Marengo, IL, and Requitha williams (right), owner of D & K Gift & Flower Shop in Hephzibah, GA, attended FTD Boot Camp with their FTD University Scholarship

Left: Rosalie Richards, owner of Hestands Floral & Gifts in Portales, NM, attended AIFD National Symposium in Denver, CO. Middle: Tammy Rose Sirois from Wallingford Flower & Gift Shoppe in wallingford, CT, and FTD Marketing Director Emily Bucholz pictured at SAF Convention. Right: Rachel Billingsley, owner of Sparta Flowers & Gifts located in Sparta, TN, attended SAF Convention with her scholarship.

Tune in for “ Trade Secrets of Successful Retailers” Promote Shop Smal l® to Boost Local Business FTD Florists have the opportunity to promote their shop on small Business saturday® taking place saturday, november 28. The movement, created by American express®, is a way for small, local business owners to attract customers into their businesses and “shop small.”

Visit SmallBusinessSaturday.com for FREE marketing materials and information on how to participate.

Register at FTDi.com/FTDUniversity.

Missed a previous webinar?

Watch all webinars at your convenience at FTDuniversity.com for Free. each session is recorded and posted for future viewing.

Trade Secrets of Successful RetailersPresented by Dan Jablons Owner, retail smart guysTuesday, December 8, 2015 5 pm esT/2 Pm PsT

Dont miss the final webinar in the 2015 series available from FTD university!

Dan Jablons

FTD is a proud supporter of small Business saturday®

by American express.

Ten $1,000 scholarships were awarded to FTD Florists to attend one of the floral industry’s leading events—sAF convention, AIFD national symposium or FTD Boot camp. congratulations to all of the recipients of this year’s FTD university scholarships!

F TD Awarded $10,000 in Scholarships in 2015

FREE WEBINAR!

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to serve our customers. I hope that our shop’s interior and storefront will communicate the uniqueness, creativity and professionalism that we strive to achieve in all our floral arrangements.

HOW Are yOu IncOrPOrATIng THe mAkeOVer InTO yOur

grAnD OPenIng PLAns FOr yOur neW LOcATIOn?

kL: I covered up the windows so no one can see the new design

of the flower shop and coffee house until my grand opening.

The makeover will be a surprise for the entire town of reinbeck.

nOW THAT THe mAkeOVer OccurreD, HOW WOuLD

DescrIBe THe mAkeOVer eXPerIence TO FeLLOW FLOrIsTs?

kL: It is so much more than you would even think it is going to be.

With keith’s expertise in merchandising, the shop is so much more

put together and styled than I could ever have done on my own,

especially in only four days.

WHAT DID yOu LeArn FrOm FTD eDucATIOn cOnsuLTAnT

J. keITH WHITe AIFD ABOuT mercHAnDIsIng yOur sHOP

FOr THe FuTure?

kL: I have learned so much just by watching the way he pulls

merchandise together, but he has also shared ideas so I can change

out several of the displays each season and as I sell through

inventory. I really like how he created height by hanging interesting

objects from the ceiling in his displays. It helps make the space even

more complete by drawing your eye up.

WHy DID yOu cHOOse TO enTer THe FTD mAkeOVer

mAgIc cOnTesT?

kL: I had seen the FTD makeover magic results from previous

years and thought it would be amazing if I could ever win a

contest like that. With the expansion of my flower shop to a

new location, I knew that I could use all the help I could get

to maximize my success!

WHAT Are yOu HOPIng THe LOng-Term resuLT OF THe

TrAnsFOrmATIOn WILL Be?

kL: I am hoping this transformation will give our community another main street business to be proud of. my employees and I work hard and take a lot of pride in what we do everyday

Wildflower Florist & Coffee House, located in reinbeck, IA, was selected as the winner of the 2015 FTD makeover magic contest. The cute and cozy small town flower shop, owned by katie Lubbert, was selected out of nearly 100 shops for their unique story and need for a merchandising refresh. FTD education consultant and merchandising expert, J. keith White AIFD, spearheaded the makeover in October. FTD spoke with katie once the transformation was complete.

Florist Spotlight : F TD Makeover Magic Winner – Wildf lower F lorist & C offee House

FTD education consultant and merchandising expert, J. keith White AIFD with Wildflower Florist & coffee House owner, katie Lubbert.

A. exterior storefront prior to the makeover. B. The newly painted exterior storefront draws customers into the new-age, small town florist and coffee shop with its comforting homey appeal. C. Image of interior submitted to FTD prior to the transformation. D. A simplified, spacious design area was created out in the open to give designers room to work while drawing customers to the back of the shop near merchandising displays.

Check out more photos of the amazing transformation at Facebook.com/MercuryNetwork!

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Education & Events Calendar Orders, Prof it & Brand Value Exclusively for F TD Florists

January 23-24, 2016 Pensacola, FL Florida State Florists’ Association Mid-Season Design SummitFlorida state Florists’ Association www.floridastatefloristsassociation.com

January 27, 2016 Longview, TXTexas Floral ShowcaseTexas state Florists’ Association www.tsfa.org

Check out the 2016 education and events calendar at FTDi.com/FTDUniversity.

FTD was a proud sponsor of the merlin Olsen summer classic. The annual event benefits one of the late merlin Olsen's favorite places, Bear Lake in Idaho. merlin was the beloved spokesperson for FTD for many years. FTD Field Business consultant Dave smith, pictured here with merlin’s brother Phil Olsen, attended the event on behalf of FTD.

2015 has been a year of growth and value-added benefits for FTD Florists. Learn more about how the value of FTD membership positively impacts you, our florists.

CONNECT WITH USwww.FTDi.com | 800.788.9000

facebook.com/MercuryNetwork

instagram.com/MercuryNetwork

youtube.com/FTDMercuryNetwork

Missing an FTD logo for your storefront?

Contact your FTD Field Business Consultant

at 800.788.9000.

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