A crowd of about 300 floral professionals attended the annual convention of the Society of American Florists in Palm Beach, FL, Sept. 19-22, according to an association statement. Sales peaks and valleys and the growing significance of social media were among the top floral industry trends highlighted at an event held before the convention.

Retailers said weddings continue to be a promising area for growth, and hiring habits have changed. Some use recruiters to find fresh employees and mentoring programs to shape their style to fit the store’s aesthetic. Others are hiring employees specifically for social media or bridal sales. Cause marketing is taking hold among floral retailers, who incentivize purchases by donating a portion of the sale to a charity.

Wholesalers said they experienced strong Valentine’s Day sales and a robust spring, followed by dismal summer sales, likely brought on by the record-high heat. Recent signs of an uptick hint at an upswing for the fall and holiday season, they said. Renting out warehouse space, cooler space and delivery drivers for event planners is a new form of business for some wholesalers.

Others are trying to mitigate high receivables by accepting credit card payments rather than extending credit. As wholesale closures continue, speakers predicted, survivors in the not-too-distant future may be the niche players or large, merged operations. New challenges include struggling to attract young people to the wholesale floral business, competing with dollar stores for hard goods sales and adjusting staffing for slow seasons.

Growers observed that a stagnant summer for domestic plant growers forced some to do deep discounts in order to move product. Growers both on the East and West coasts said they are benefiting from the “buy local” trend. Consolidation continues as a major trend, and growers feel pushed to be “one-stop shopping” providers for the big box stores.

The 128th annual gathering offered a showcase for premier products, a floral design competition, awards for industry leaders and outstanding new varieties of flowers, and a golf tournament.

The meeting at The Breakers resort featured more than 20 education sessions on special event business, staff productivity, holiday sales, color trends and other topics. They included a session led by a “family business therapist” and a Website Boot Camp.

The keynote speaker was Dennis Snow, a customer service trainer who spent 20 years creating programs at Disney and now helps clients worldwide develop innovative customer service offerings.