In this episode of The Bloom Show, Sahid welcomed Holly Haveman, who appeared on behalf of Kennedy’s Flowers & Gifts, the recipient of the 31st Annual SAF Marketer of the Year Award at SAF Phoenix 2025. Their winning campaign—a refillable vase program that blends creativity, operational discipline, and true community connection—demonstrates how thoughtful ideas can transform customer loyalty. For the floral industry, Kennedy’s story is proof that impactful marketing doesn’t always require a large budget. Sometimes, it’s a heartfelt system, executed with consistency, that makes the biggest difference. 

A Family Legacy with Modern Leadership

Holly Haveman shared the rich history of Kennedy’s Flowers & Gifts, a shop dating back to the 1940s. After her mother dedicated decades to the business, Holly and her brother stepped in as the next generation of leadership. She mentioned that winning the SAF Marketer of the Year didn’t happen instantly—their team submitted the campaign four or five times. Their dedication reflects an important lesson for floral professionals: the best marketing evolves through persistence, iteration, and a deep belief in the work you’re doing.

The Refillable Vase Program That Earned the SAF Marketer of the Year Title

Holly explained, “Our campaign that we won marketer of the year for was our refillable vase program.” Customers purchase a petite vase and can bring it in weekly for free flowers. The key is in the design: small vessels, narrow necks, and controlled stem counts. What started as a one-off idea inspired by her mom’s birthday tradition grew into a full system—Magic Vase, Tidbit, Gift of the Seasons, Queen of Hearts, Magic Mama, and Scatter Joy. It’s the kind of sustainable, loyalty-driven marketing that any flower shop can adapt.

Free Flowers, Smart Tracking, and Real ROI

Despite the warmth and generosity of the program, it’s backed by strong operational discipline. Each refill is logged through their POS using phone numbers and refill codes. This allows Kennedy’s to track visits, calculate conversions, and see which refills lead to purchases. When they introduced meaningful coupons inside the refills—especially offers tied to popular gift shop items—conversion jumped significantly. Holly’s system shows that “free” can still be profitable when paired with smart backend tracking.

Growth Through Listening and Adjusting

The refillable program didn’t begin as a large-scale initiative. It started with Lori’s birthday—customers who shopped that day received a small vase as a gift. As Holly shared, “we continue to just you know listen and go off feedback and make life easier for ourselves.” Customer insights guided everything: extending programs into January, creating seasonal versions for snowbirds, and refining vase designs for ease of production. It’s a practical reminder for florists that customer-led iteration often leads to the strongest, most sustainable ideas.

Loyalty, Emotion, and the Heart of Community Marketing

Some of the most powerful stories came from customers who incorporated their refillable vases into moments of loss and celebration. Holly shared how families have brought in their mother’s Magic Vase to use in funeral flowers because it meant so much to her. “It’s definitely built loyalty and community,” she said. Beyond sales, this program has become part of customers’ lives. To Holly, the future of floral marketing lies in systems that honor emotion—such as subscriptions, standing orders, and thoughtful integration of new visual technologies like AI.

Final Thought

Sahid closed the conversation by celebrating Kennedy’s Flowers & Gifts for their boldness, creativity, and commitment to community connection. Their SAF Marketer of the Year Award reflects a team effort—one built on consistent execution, clear systems, and heartfelt service. For floral professionals everywhere, their success is a reminder that when a company aligns creativity with process, it can create marketing that truly lasts.

Upcoming Shows

Next on The Bloom Show:

• December 18, 2025, at 1 PM EST: The Penny and Ace Show Holiday Special: Deck the Blooms – Holiday Design Trends That Spark Joy
• December 19, 2025, at 1 PM EST: The Bloom Show Correspondent: Tim Huckabee | Episode 4 – Customer Service Moves That Boost Sales

Our Message to the Community

At New Bloom Media, we believe growth happens when we share knowledge, lift one another, and celebrate the creativity that moves our industry forward. Kennedy’s Flowers & Gifts’ achievement as SAF’s Marketer of the Year reflects the heart of that mission—a testament to teamwork, consistency, and the power of serving customers with both structure and sincerity.

Whether you grow, design, distribute, retail, or educate, you play a vital role in the floral ecosystem. Each idea, each initiative, and each act of generosity strengthens the industry as a whole. Let’s continue exploring new systems, listening to our customers, and building marketing that connects people to flowers in deeper, more joyful ways. 🌸

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