You are joining an industry full of hardworking, creative and dedicated people. The industry includes growers, manufacturers, suppliers, wholesalers, retailers, designers, educators and others. The Society of American Florists The Society of American Florists is one of the premier industry organizations. They conduct research, lobby congress on our behalf, produce marketing materials, provide educational materials, publish an excellent magazine called Floral Management, conduct and archive market research and much more. If you do nothing else to prepare yourself to be the best florist you can be, visit their website and read all about it.
Other Superb Industry Organizations and resources:
- SAF’s About Flowers site www.aboutflowers.com
- American Floral Endowment www.endowment.org
- AIFD-American Institute of Floral Designers www.aifd.org
- AFIA-The American Floral Industry Association www.afia.net
- CCFC-California Cut Flower Commission www.ccfc.org
- FPO-Flower Promotion Organization www.flowerpossibilities.com
- WF&FSA-Wholesale Florist and Floral Suppliers of America www.wffsa.org
- Flower Council of Holland www.flowercouncil.org
- International Cut Flower Growers Association (formerly Roses, Inc.)www.rosesinc.org
Possibly one of the best resources a florist can have, from the first day they open the doors, to their 50th anniversary in business, is their local or state Florist Association. Not all associations are created equally, but the best of them will provide education, marketing and buying co-ops, insurance discounts, delivery pools, and the general synergy of florists working together.