Donn Flipse, owner of one of the nation’s largest and most distinctive chain of floral super stores located throughout South Florida, was featured in a story regarding Debt vs. Equity in Small Biz, a sister publication to Business Week.
Over the years, Donn Flipse has taken advantage of the power of the traditional public relations, converting on literally hundreds of newspaper, television and magazine interview opportunities. In recent years, he has harnessed the power interactive marketing with an active blog and search marketing program, which includes social media, SEO and SEM campaigns. He truly understands how to marry the best of traditional advertising and media relations and extending them across multiple Web 2.0 platforms.
Some stories spiral out of control, in a bad way (think Tiger Woods). Here’s an example of an upward positive spiral. The interview was great – the client was engaging, the reporter was intrigued and the Boardroom Communications publicist encouraged photos – you can’t beat the photo ops at Field of Flowers. The reporter extended the interview and scheduled a photoshoot.
There’s an old saying in the media relations business: If you’ve got good art, you are more than 50% on your way to obtaining a media placement. The beautiful flowers and arresting showroom worked wonders. But the story became focused not just on the business but on the family-entrepreneurial venture, so what evolved was a family photo – and Business Week took the adventure one step further – it paid for Donn’s daughter, Ellen, based in Boston, to fly down to South Florida for the shoot.
Several good photos didn’t suffice for merely the inside of the magazine – the wind-up was this: a family photo of Donn Flipse, his son and daughter – and a yellow rose – adorned the December 2009/ January 2010 issue of Small Biz. The story of how Field of Flowers funded the purchase of a Miami florist was the story lead of the article titled “Equity vs. Debt: How to finance your business when the banks still won’t play ball.” Writer Jill Hamburg and photographer Jordan Hollender did a great job telling the Field of Flowers story – with words and pictures.
One pitch – one agreeable client – one national cover story. It can happen.
Boardroom Communications was recently named one of South Florida Business Journal’s “Best Places to Work.” Julie Talenfeld, founder and president, thinks that a best place to work is “one that makes employees happy to be there, and thus makes them very productive employees.” We are honored and proud of this award and thank all of our employees for making Boardroom Communications a best place to work!
