Florist uses Facebook to find more fans

Art Conforti, a gregarious New York transplant who runs one of the Gulf Coast's most successful independent florists, has long said he cherishes the personal connections he makes with customers when selling flowers.

And in the last half of 2009, Conforti found a new home for his passion: Online social networking.

Conforti, who has long maintained a large Internet sales presence for his shop, Beneva Flowers, has committed time, energy and staff into running a Facebook account that not only draws visitors and fans, but reels in customers, too.

A recent sampling of Beneva Flowers' Facebook updates includes the following features: A Halloween pet costume photo contest that drew hundreds of entries for $1,000 worth of prizes, including Beneva gift cards and pet-grooming certificates; a free Thomas Kinkade Christmas ornament for any purchase made through the shop's Facebook fan page; and a photo contest for customers to take pictures of Beneva Flowers vans spotted around town.

The van photo contest was one of Beneva's biggest hits. Dozens of customers submitted entries of Beneva vans all around Sarasota and Bradenton. Anyone who submitted a photo of a van via the Facebook page won a prize, either a bouquet or a gift card.

Conforti added one other feature to Beneva Flowers' Web marketing efforts in 2009: The Cooler Cam. It's a live camera placed inside the store's flower cooler. Customers at www.beneva.com can look at the cooler to decide exactly what flower arrangement they want to buy.