Putting Others Down to Pick Yourself Up? Not a good idea

My designer Gaby and I were talking the other day about the poor flower industry. Have you ever noticed how often other types of business's will put down flowers just to say that their product is better? Society of American Florist spends so much of their time letting other business's know that it's not cool to put us down to make their product look good.

It's amazing how those that sell jewelry, candy, chocolates and goodness knows who else use flowers as a point of reference when saying their product is better. Yes, flowers you send today may be gone next month but is that what it's all about? What about the beauty of flowers or the way they can be personalized? What about how special they make people feel or how they physically brighten their mood? Does everything have to be about the long term? In a society of "let's collect as much stuff as possible" doesn't it make sense to bring a thing of beauty into your home that won't be collecting dust next month?

On another topic, I feel the same way about dealing with competitors. I don't believe in putting down someone who is in the same business as you. Anyway, who am I to put them down? How would I know exactly what they know, what they do and how they do it, right? It's always best to act above reproach. I'd prefer to be friendly with those near me than make an enemy out of them.

Maybe I'm the idiot by not putting in my ads - send flowers they cost less than jewelry but truthfully, I strongly believe that if you have to put another down to make yourself look good, it's a bad sign. I think your product and service should stand up on it's own. That's the way I've done business for years, and silly me, that's the way I'm going to continue to do it!