Hands-on Valentine’s Day marketing

“Years ago, when I was teaching in a small town, a dozen red roses were delivered to me in the faculty room during our lunch break,” wrote Karen Valandra. “There was a sweet note from my husband. Many of the other female staff members were quite teary eyed with the thoughtfulness of the whole thing. We had been married 20+ years and they were the first roses from my husband. I was a bit puzzled but oh so grateful.

“A year or so later he confessed to me that he was just walking to the post office when the flower shop owner came out of her business door, grabbed him by the arm and said, ‘Get in here. You are sending your wife some flowers.’

“He didn’t argue, did what she said and went to the post office. I haven’t had flowers since.”