Bloomsters Voted Best in Marketing!

8/6/2019 Bloomsters Voted Best in Marketing!

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marketingA s t h i s a n n u a l h o l i d a y e v e n t a t E v e r t s F l o w e r s , H o m e & G i f t s a p p r o a c h e s i t s 5 0 t h y e a r , i t s o w n e r s h a r e s t h e s e c r e t s t oi t s l o n g e v i t y .B Y K E L S E Y E . S M I T H

The founding father of “guerrilla marketing,” J.

Conrad Levinson (see his column starting on Page

24), describes his brand of marketing as a “body

of unconventional ways of pursuing convention-

al goals.” Although KREN R ASMUSSEN, AIFD, owner of

BLOOMSTER’S in San José, Calif., may not be a student of Mr.

Levinson’s philosophies, the flower shop’s innovative market-

ing strategies clearly fit the guerrilla model.

These strategies, which earn Bloomster’s the repeat busi-ness of an affluent customer base, also earned the shop the

2009 award for Outstanding Marketing and Promotions in our

annual “RETAIL FLORIST OF THE YEAR” competition, co-spon-

sored by the WHOLESALE FLORIST & FLORIST SUPPLIER

ASSOCIATION (WF&FSA). Bloomster’s was nominated by MT.

EDEN FLORAL COMPANY in Mountain View, Calif.

digital marketing While San José, the third largest city in California (and

10th largest in the United States), is known as a relatively

wealthy community (it boasts the No. 1 median householdincome according to data from the City of San José), the

money doesn’t just flow into the shop; instead, Mr.

Rasmussen and his staff have to work hard to earn the busi-

ness. But in this community, now known as the “Capital of

Silicon Valley,” where “high-tech” companies such as Cisco

Systems, Adobe Systems, e-Bay and many more are head-

quartered, advertising strategies have to be as sharp

and savvy as the consumers.

Innovative tools and strategies reach discerning consumers in San José, Calif.B Y S H E L L E Y U R B A N

Kren Rasmussen, AIFD(center), poses with some

of the Bloomster’s staff atthe entry to his San José,

Calif., shop.

O RI G I NA L L Y PU BL I SH E D I N FLORISTS’ REVIEW M A G A ZI NE , A UG US T 2 0 0 9

(CONTINUED ON P AGE 44)




Among the company’s most useful and creative promo-

tions are its interactive DVDs, which show the shop’s floral

creations and highlight its many services in vibrant color on a

computer or television screen. A general-information DVD,

developed two years ago, is the shop’s main promotional

disc. On it, customers can view samples of the shop’s home

décor, wedding and event work, and corporate creations.

These are sent to anyone who inquires about booking an

event with Bloomster’s. They’re also tucked into packets at

corporate events and bridal fairs. “We’ve distributed about

3,000 of these in the last two years,” Mr. Rasmussen reports.More recently, using its collection of images from various

venues in the region, Bloomster’s began producing DVDs

customized to specific locations. Currently, Mr. Rasmussen

shares, the shop offers DVDs for five or six venues. “Each

DVD shows various bouquets and bridal party work blended

with décor work done at the particular location,” he explains.

Bloomster’s offers them to venue managers and to con-

sulting brides who are considering the particular sites. “The

staff at these locations are happy to hand out our DVDs to

potential clients, so the clients can get a sense of what the

places look like when they’re ‘dolled up.’ It makes [the man-

agers’] jobs that much easier,” he adds.

In this town of “techies,” it’s no surprise that the shop’s

staff is able to create the DVDs in house. According to Mr.

Rasmussen, developing an all-new DVD requires about a

day’s work—pulling together pictures, putting them in the

proper sequence and so forth. According to Administrations

Manager SCOTT V ANDERPOOL, two software packages are

required, the initial costs of which totaled less than $1,200.

Duplicating the DVDs in house is also affordable and effi-

cient because the shop’s computers were already equipped

with DVD “burners.” “When we have time, we burn a batch

of 30 or 50 and just keep a close eye on our stock,” Mr.

Rasmussen shares. To make the process faster, the men are

considering new equipment that will burn 16 DVDs at once,

at a cost of around $400. Each disc itself costs just 38 cents.

All of the interactive discs feature pleasant music and invit-

ing special effects along with some of the shop’s most beau-

tiful floral designs. And because they’re produced in house,

the DVDs are easily refreshed with new images as needed.

“Our product is what sells Bloomster’s better than anything

else,” notes Mr. Rasmussen.

capitalizing in the computer ageThe company’s e-newsletter is also interactive, equipped

with links to the shop’s newly redesigned home page and

showcasing the staff’s beautiful design work. Mr. Vanderpool

reports that each of the quarterly editions is sent to more than

1,300 subscribers.

To coincide with the launch of the shop’s new Web site,

which occurred in early July, Mr. Rasmussen is relying upon

another of his innovative strategies, “mouse pad advertising.”

At a cost of $2 each, or less for larger quantities, the shop pur-

chases mouse pads attractively printed with the Bloomster’s

logo, contact information and a beautiful fresh floral design.

“Everyone who makes an e-commerce purchase receives

their receipt, a thank-you note and a mouse pad,” he shares.

(Read more about the power of promotional products starting

on 4.)

Mouse pads are also frequently given to corporate clients,

either in packets for corporate events or as gifts of thanks for

large purchases. “It’s a necessity in the office, and if the

Bloomster’s name is handy when they need flowers, they’re

going to call us,” notes Mr. Rasmussen. “We want to make

sure there’s a connection between [life’s] occasions and

at a glance Bloomster’sOWNER: Kren Rasmussen, AIFD

NUMBER OF SHOPS: 1

LOCATION: San José, Calif.

OPENED: 1987

SHOP SIZE: 2,700 square feet

CLIENTELE: affluent, most earningsix-figure salaries

A VERAGE SALE OF ALL MERCHANDISE:

$75 to $225

A VERAGE FRESH FLOWER SALE:

$75 to $125

NUMBER OF WEDDINGS: one to threeevery weekend throughout the year,most between $5,000 and $8,000

NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES:

27, full and part time

WEB SITE: www.bloomsters.com

(CONTINUED FROM P AGE 42)



Bloomster’s. Eventually, calling us will become a natural and

automatic thought process, so that the occasion triggers the

action,” he adds.

marketing collateralEven traditional printing, whether in the form of rack cards,

brochures and paid ads, bucks convention. “I’m not a fan of

81 ⁄ 2 x 11,” Mr. Rasmussen stresses. “I prefer odd sizes, like 4-inch

by 4-inch or 4-inch by 9-inch, that stand out more.”

The shop’s wedding and event “rack cards,” which are print-

ed in large quantities in full color on both sides, are outsourcedat a cost of just $150 for 1,000. “Scott keeps an eye on special

offers and our future printing needs, so he’s able to take advan-

tage of good pricing from online printing companies,” Mr.

Rasmussen assures. The rack cards, which feature the shop’s

contact information and several examples of its gorgeous wed-

ding work, are distributed in quantities to hotels and event

coordinators, who share them with bridal customers.

Other marketing pieces, which Mr. Rasmussen often calls

“marketing collateral,” are printed in house. Most of these,

according to Mr. Vanderpool, “are distributed with our commer-

cially placed arrangements.” The cards are inserted into thick

glass card holders engraved with the letter “B” and are posi-

tioned near the fresh flowers.

Each of these commercial arrangements, adds Mr.

Rasmussen, are viewed about 10,000 times a week, so the

attractive piece receives maximum exposure. And the cost to

print the marketing cards is minimal. “We got a great deal ($340)

on a color laser jet printer that [prints] as well as any outsourced

service,” Mr. Vanderpool reports.

As Mr. Rasmussen shares, these self-printed cards also

accompany bouquets donated to nearby retirement homes

and assisted living facilities. “We contacted 15 or 20 facilities

( ABOVE ) From the “Inside the Home” section of the shop’s interactive DVD,these arrangements show how Bloomster’s creations beautify a kitchen.

( ABOVE LEFT ) Bloomster’s retail space features many creative and col-orful elements, but the 14-foot-tall-by-14-foot-wide waterfall is the

centerpiece. It was installed two years ago at a cost of approximate-ly $10,000 and has a calming effect on the high-tech hustle and bus-

tle of this Silicon Valley city.

(OPPOSITE ) The shop’s primary “marketing collateral” piece is printed in

house. It’s distributed to potential clients and placed with commercialdécor and donated arrangements. The same image is applied to

mouse pads (see example on Page 43), which are sent to commercial

clients and those who place orders online.

(BELOW ) An interactive DVD, complete with music, special effects and

voice-overs, effectively presents Bloomster’s and all its services—including home décor, weddings and events, and commercial servic-

es—to potential customers.




in the area, and five of them agreed to let

us deliver a weekly floral arrangement for

the reception desk. Along with the

arrangement,” he shares, “we leave our

marketing collateral, so when family mem-

bers inquire about sending flowers for

birthdays or other occasions, we’re the

recommended florist.”The arrangements are small, with a retail

price of approximately $45, and are deliv-

ered on Tuesdays, the shop’s quietest day.

“It helps us turn our cooler before our new

product comes in, and we get the contain-

ers back the following Tuesday, when we

deliver the new arrangements. It’s been a

fun, successful project, and we get calls all

the time from those five facilities,” Mr.

Rasmussen confides.

capturing with classesTo some, instructional classes and group

presentations are “old school,” but Mr.

Rasmussen, who charges $200 to $500 to

cover his costs, says he puts a new twist on

this conventional marketing strategy, giving

groups the chance to use the events as

fundraisers. “During the week after the

presentation, we’ll donate a percentage [to

the host group] of each sale made to those

who attended my presentation,” he shares.

Attendees have to come into the shop

and mention the fundraiser, which increas-

es walk-in traffic. “It allows the groups to

broaden their fundraising and allows us to

establish relationships with new clients,”

Mr. Rasmussen adds.

Once in the store, which spans 2,700

square feet, guests are awed by a large mir-

rored waterfall, which cost $10,000 to install

two years ago. They’re also inspired by the

fresh flowers, home decoratives and gifts.

Giftware and décor items range from

$10 to $800, but most sales are in the $75

to $225 range. In the cooler, cash-and-carry

arrangements are priced from $45 to $150;

positioned near the checkout counter is a

“showstopper,” usually priced at $200 to

$250. While this large fresh arrangement

often sells, its purpose is to inspire.

“This is why it’s so important to drive

walk-in traffic,” Mr. Rasmussen assures. “We

need people to see our work and see what

we have to offer. We’re earning our reputa-

tion every single day, but,” he reiterates,

“our product is what sells Bloomster’s.” I

Contact Shelley Urban at surban@florists

review.com or (800) 367-4708.


Circle No. 100 for Free Info

From an online printing service for just 15 cents each,

this colorful “rack card” helps Bloomster’s spread the

message about its wedding and event work. The card,

along with venue-specific DVDs, is distributed to event

planners, hotels and other popular party places.

Bloomsters Voted Best in Marketing!

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