Florist Directory

Yesterday I wrote about a lot of ways big company trick the public into believing they are a local florist. One of the suggestions I made for the local florist is to look into advertising on one or more of the online florist directory's. Currently these Florist Directory's and Google Local are the best places to truly find local florist. Google even verifies the local address by mailing a verification post card with a code. This post card can not be forwarded and you must enter the passcode that arrives on the post card into your google account before they list your flower shop. Google is free but only provides the Flower Shop Name, Address, and Phone Number. The Paid Directories will display more information like pricing and hours of operation, but they don't give personal information about the shop (and they cost money).

What the florist need is a Directory that is free. One where each florist can list their business, hours of operation, pricing on popular arrangements, directions to the location, maps, and much more. Google uses a directory similar to this called DMOZ. DMOZ is a listing of all the websites that Google thinks is important. Each website in DMOZ is MANUALLY (by a human) but in a category. This process takes a while but you know the information is accurate. Imagine if the florist had such a directory of flower shops. Each florist could have a custom page to promote their store and where the public could go and KNOW they were dealing with a local florist.

Since last night I have been thinking about this and have decided that such a directory is VERY important for my flower shops and other florists around the United States. So this is the first project I will work on to help the florist. I went ahead and bought the domain name http://www.findmylocalflorist.com from Godaddy.com and I am going to work on this florist directory. This florist blog is new so I have had few visitors (I think just my Dad and some employees) but if anyone has any ideas of what they would like to see included on the florist directory please feel free to let me know.

My Goals for the Find My Local Florist Directory:
1) To create a FREE Directory of Local Florist.
2) To have the florist Directory be overseen by Flower Shop Owners or others working in the florist industry.
3) To create a Florist Directory where Florist can showcase their business on a full web page. Including maps, pictures, contact information, and current projects.
4) To promote this Florist Directory to all of the major search engines so that each local florist is found within their natural search listings.
5) To take every step to assure that each flower shop listed in this florist directory is local, professional, and willing to promote a positive image for florist nationally.