Nine years ago, Spring Garden Flower Shop started making commemorative pins for Fiesta — a 10-day party that celebrates the city’s heritage and culture, raises money for charities and draws a crowd of more than 3 million.
This week, nearly 1,000 people in San Antonio are advertising for Spring Garden Flower Shop by sporting a colorful piece of metal.
Nine years ago, owners David Espinoza and his wife, Oralia, AIFD, TMF, started making commemorative pins for Fiesta — a 10-day party that celebrates the city’s heritage and culture, raises money for charities and draws a crowd of more than 3 million. Collecting pins from local businesses and organizations is a time-honored Fiesta tradition, David Espinoza explained. “There’s even a weigh in at the end to see who got the most,” he said.
The Espinozas’ inaugural effort won Floral Management’s Marketer of the Year award in 2010. Over the years, it’s grown increasingly popular with nearly 100 people showing up for a party a few weeks ago to reveal this year’s design.
“The crowd keeps getting bigger every year and we’re seeing new faces coming in each day for a pin, which is fantastic, because our goal is getting our name out there,” Espinoza said. “We want to get in people’s heads, so they remember there’s a cute florist in downtown San Antonio with a friendly staff.”
These days, most organizations charge $10-15 for their pins, but Spring Garden’s remain complimentary. “It’s not a loss given what effective marketing tools they are,” Espinoza said. Throughout the year, he talks to new customers who say they learned of the shop through the pins. When they shop in-person, he’s sure to show the framed Floral Management cover he received at SAF Orlando 2010, as well as a wall of various Fiesta pins the couple has collected over the decades. “They’re great conversation pieces,” he said.
Want to hear from other past winners? Click here to learn what the award meant to them.
The Marketer of the Year contest is open to members of all segments of the industry. A panel of successful floral business owners and at least one non-industry marketing expert will evaluate entries.
The 2018 Marketer of the Year winner will receive:
- $5,000 cash prize, sponsored by Design Master color tool, inc.
- FREE registration for SAF Palm Springs 2018— September 12-15, at The Westin Mission Hills in Rancho Mirage, California
- Recognition during the Marketing Breakfast at SAF Palm Springs 2018
- Cover story detailing the marketing efforts in the October issue of Floral Management.
The deadline to enter is June 1. Click here for the entry form.
