In genteel societies of the past, a bouquet of flowers was sent not just as a blooming gift but as a form of communication. And in Edith Wharton’s classic novel of 1870s New York society, The Age of Innocence, the sending of flowers to one’s future wife, platonic paramour, or other female acquaintance was a pivotal part of the plot. (You’ll just have to read the book to find out why.)
Many people scurry around each Valentine’s Day to secure the most reasonably priced roses for their beloved. But they may not realize the significance of each blossom’s particular color as a way to convey a message of love on a sliding scale of intensity. (We’ll get to that…)
With help from Vanessa Diffenbaugh’s ingenious novel, The Language of Flowers, I offer you a road map for sending the proper missive to your loyal customers, new or potential clients, and questionable competitors. By the end of this post, you’ll be able to say it with flowers professionally:
Send These Floral Tokens of Affection for New Business Ventures: I’m aware there’s a superstitious tradition of sending a bamboo plant to the owner of a new business or retail shop. I might even have mentioned this in a previous blog post from way back in March 2013.
But according to author Vanessa Diffenbaugh’s painstakingly compiled dictionary, there are other forms of flora for wishing someone much success with a new business venture. The next time a friend or relative launches a professional endeavor, consider sending either bells of Ireland (“good luck”) or daffodils (“new beginnings”).
When Thanking Loyal Customers or New Clients, Ring These “Bells”: Given these flowers denote sounds of thankfulness, I think Edgar Allan Poe would approve my reference to his own famous “ringing” endorsement (in poetry format), The Bells.
Ideal ways to say “thank you” with petals include: bellflowers (“gratitude”), bluebells (“constancy”), and Canterbury bells (again, gratitude). While not named for anything remotely related to a bell, a bouquet of freesia denotes lasting friendship.
“I’m Sorry” Statements Your Customers Will Never Forget: Do you need to mend a misunderstanding with a good client or new customer? Apologizing with flowers makes a visual statement that won’t add pounds or inches (unlike the contents of a food-related gift basket). But perhaps it would be wise to uncover any allergy issues before asking for forgiveness with flowers.
Your floral options for contriteness range from purple hyacinth (“please forgive me”) and a raspberry plant (“remorse”) to a spray of camellias (“my destiny is in your hands”).
Warn Your Competitors to Play Fair with These (Floral) Sicilian Messages: For those of you following this blog since its inception, you may recall I’m married to a disciple of The Godfather movies (excluding the second sequel, of course).
This means I’ve seen The Godfather, Part I and The Godfather, Part II more times than Santino (Sonny) Corleone was riddled with bullets near a tollbooth on the “Jones Beach Causeway” by members of the Barzini family.
When sending a warning message to a new or longtime competitor who doesn’t believe in ethics, wrap a dead fish in one of these: begonia (“caution”), dragon plant (“you are near a snare”), lavender (“mistrust”), peony (“anger”), rhododendron (“beware”), or the dreaded tansy (“I declare war against you”). A horse’s decapitated head is optional…
Never Send a Client Roses (Unless You’re Secretly in Love): Quite simply, roses have no place in the business world. I would steer clear of these prized lovelies in even the most platonic of friendships with a client or customer. You’ll be glad you did. The different colors signify the romantic nature and depth of your feelings.
So that you can’t feign ignorance, here’s a list of rose-colored petals and their meanings:
- Burgundy = unconscious beauty
- Moss = confession of love
- Orange = fascination
- Pale peach = modesty
- Pink = grace
- Purple = enchantment
- Red = love (What else?)
- White = a heart unacquainted with love
- Yellow = infidelity
These Flowers and Plants Convey an Offensive Message (So Refrain): Even if you happen to like any of the “verboten” flowers or plants I’m about to identify, be careful. You never know–someone you’re doing business with might be a huge botany or gardening aficionado. Don’t let a floral faux pas wreck a professional relationship. Never send:
- Candy tuft = indifference
- Chicory = frugality
- Crab-apple blossom = ill-tempered
- Dandelion = rustic oracle (Say what?)
- Fig plant = argument
- Mock orange = counterfeit (!)
- Redbud = betrayal
- Sunflower = false riches
- Winter cherry = deception
Have you ever sent a floral arrangement or plant to a client or customer? If you remember, what types of flowers were included or what type of plant did you send? What was your recipient’s reaction?
Here’s a start-up business idea for those of you with a green thumb and an innate sense of gift-giving: a flower shop that caters strictly to small business owners and entrepreneurs. You could call it Business in Bloom, LLC. Your thoughts? Go ahead, let your professional tendrils unfurl!
Lori Shapiro is the owner of By All Writes LLC, a business-to-business (B2B) writing, editing, and research company in Marlton, New Jersey. She revels in shielding her clients from the pain of writing their own print and web marketing copy. Please call Lori Shapiro at 856-810-9764 or email By All Writes LLC at lori@byallwrites.biz for a no-obligation project quote today!
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