Attention Florists!

We're back with another episode on how to sell local flowers, this time with a closer look at building a retail customer base who understands what local is and helps you tell the story of the stems. Unlike events, retail is all about building a relationship that lasts for life. A handful of dedicated customers evangelizing about how awesome your business are what you need. Not droves of social media followers.

Guest Ellen Frost, owner of Local Color Flowers in Baltimore, has a YouTube channel and a valuable weekly education email. Check them out!

This podcast is brought to you by the Philadelphia Floral Guild, where we're building community around sustainable local flowers. If you're a florist in the Philadelphia area, we'd love to have you shop with us! Click here to learn how.

Sign up for PFG's newsletter to get regular updates about what's in season.

Not a Philadelphia area florist? Look for flower farms near you on the Rooted Farmers website or through localflowers.org.

Why use local flowers? In addition to give your shop or studio a unique value proposition that will galvanize and inspire your customer base, local stems mean:

• Less Shrink: Without the stress of a long ride in the global supply chain, our stems are superior in quality with much less breakage and far better hydration.
• Less Labor: Our growers do all the work of a studio assistant, stripping stems and making fresh cuts on stems that go directly into water and never leave a water source. This means you do not have to process anything!
• Less Trash: There are no boxes, packing paper, bubble wrap, box straps, plastic sleeves, and all the other usual trash that comes with a flower delivery from the traditional wholesaler.

• Less Carbon Burned: Imported flowers in the US typically travel 2,500 or more miles in refrigerated planes, trucks and boats to reach you.