Corporate bouquets, or what flower arrangements can create

Who said that beautiful plants have no place in the business world — austere and gray? Dilute its monotony with bright floral colors! A well-designed flower arrangement will liven up the working environment of partner companies, boost the status of your company, or express respect. The most important thing is to fulfill all the requirements for creating or choosing a corporate bouquet.

 

Everything begins with a choice.
The Matrix

The rules of creating a corporate bouquet

The choice and composition of a business bouquet depend on the traditions accepted generally in the business world. This bouquet is also called a protocol one. After all, strict diplomatic rules apply to it. Violation of these could adversely affect business relationships. They dictate the size, content, and shape of the bouquet. The requirements for gift flowers in the culture of different countries and peoples may differ. In this article, we have performed the basic rules for choosing a corporate bouquet point by point.

When choosing an arrangement, you will have to consider many criteria: the recipient’s gender, age, occupation, personality, nationality, and possible allergies, such as an allergy to pollen. A bouquet for colleagues and business associates should express abstract notions. Those may be respect or recognition of professional qualities, but not the personal affection of the giver. That is why in corporate land, it is not appropriate to give a woman red roses or pink tulips. In the language of flowers, such a message sounds too intimate.

Strict and flexible principles

As you pick a bouquet, you should also consider the recipient’s age and personality. The younger they are and the more creative their occupation is, the more justified the choice of exotic flowers and original design. The more traditional bouquet should suit the older and more conservative employees.

But one rule remains unchanged: the arrangement should have a vertically elongated shape, while an abundance of tiny flowers and decorations is not allowed.

Corporate bouquets should never consist of wildflowers. Bouquets of lilies of the valley, sweet peas, cornflowers, and other wildflowers are not welcome in business etiquette! There are three rather strict principles for flower species: they should never be prickly, scratchy, or sticky.

Flowers with a sharp smell are discouraged. The strong aroma of lilies, for instance, can cause a headache. Blooming magnolias can provoke severe allergies. However, anthuriums, calla lilies, or amaryllises look good in business bouquets. And their aroma is subtle and is unlikely to cause concern to the gifted.

Using flowers as a bridge for communication in the world of business is a science in its own right.

 

Nuances of world flower traditions and business bouquets

So what does a flower arrangement create? Undoubtedly, in the business sphere, it is a spectacular and effective way to set a good atmosphere in negotiations and establish a relationship of trust. You will have to pay attention to the requirements of floral etiquette in business and the nuances of floral traditions of different countries.

For example, you may lose a deal during negotiations with your Hungarian partner if you give them chrysanthemums: for Hungarians, they are funeral flowers, just like carnations are for Americans or white asters and lilies for Swedes. But the Japanese will be delighted with chrysanthemums. It is better not to give red roses to Germans or Mexicans: in Germany, they are seen as a sign of sensual love, and a red rose is a symbol of blood and death for Latin Americans. Turkish or Chinese people will like red flowers, decorated with greenery. But you should not give Turkish people a corporate bouquet of white and blue flowers: in Turkey, this color combination means sadness.

Shape and content

Choosing the shape of the bouquet correctly is also important. Europeans are more accustomed to a traditional round-shaped arrangement, assembled in a spiral where each flower faces the center. The Japanese, on the other hand, will favor a bouquet made according to the rules of the art of ikebana: all the elements should be asymmetrical to represent a composite triangle: the sky, the earth, and the man.

Remember to use the language of flowers, discussed more broadly in one of our previous articles, to your advantage. Europeans are not particularly keen on trying to decipher its intricacies, while many Asian people can read flowers like a book. Also, when choosing a bouquet for business associates from Arab countries, you need to be especially careful. More often, experienced florists composing arrangements from exotic flowers (such as strelitzias, orchids, anthuriums, or amaryllises) use the European color scale. In those cases, sometimes the best choice is to give a potted plant to avoid an awkward situation.

Gender features of the corporate bouquet

There are no male and female flower species in the business world. With bouquets as a whole, things start to get more complicated.

As such, do not give a woman a bouquet of pink flowers with ribbons in a business setting. She can see it as an insulting hint at her weakness and limited worth. Such a gift can cause distrust and unwillingness to cooperate. No bouquet for a businesswoman should scream “femininity”.

If a man and a woman occupy similar positions, the flower arrangements being presented to them should be practically the same. The recipient’s status also affects the size of the bouquet and its composition. The higher the rank, the larger the bouquet. But even the largest one should not be more than 7 inches (18 cm) in diameter.

As you can see, the science of flower communication in the business world is extensive. We have only touched on the basic principles of building a bond with bouquets.

But if you need to send corporate bouquets to your business partners, our specialists are always ready to help you out.

• Here’s a collection of bouquets for any occasion.
• Here you can find out discounts for corporate clients.
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