Real Flower Business

Education and Business Training for Floral Designers.

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3 Things To Do When Sales Are Slow

When sales are slow, what should florists do?

Lately, as I talk with floral designers–either in my free Facebook group or in 1:1 Coaching Calls–there’s a common theme that keeps reoccurring and it’s the simple fact that sales are down so far this year.

It is understandably concerning when sales are slow, but what should you actually do about it?

Since complaining won’t help and worrying isn’t pro-active, what steps can florists take today to face the financial reality of a slower season?

Take a few minutes to tune in as I share some real steps you can take in a down season to try to get yourself back on track.

 

Remember: I’m a real florist, too. I am passionate about teaching practical, proven business strategies, but I don’t just teach! I’ve been running my home-studio business for 22 years and I experience the same ebb & flow of the wedding market just like you. That’s why I always share real, honest advice to help you improve your own sales systems. (And I don’t just show up when I’m selling something! I’m here to support you along the way.)

Keep doing beautiful work and let me know if you enjoyed this video or have any questions for me!

xo. -Alison Ellis

 

Learn More About Alison Here

 

See A Full Course List

 

Inquire About Coaching

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Toxic Positivity In Business

Hey Floralpreneur®, I have to be really honest about something that’s been bugging me lately. I keep seeing a lot of influencers and educators who are pushing toxic positivity & basically gaslighting us–”us” being floral designers and small business owners– so I want to lay out some things that I will NEVER do:

 

I will NOT tell you that a slow sales year in your business is an AMAZING opportunity and you should look on the bright side–

 

Because while there CAN be opportunities in the slower times to refocus your efforts on activities that actually help increase your sales, I know it feels like a gut punch when you have bills to pay, mouths to feed, and employees who are counting on you!

 

What your business actually needs is a plan to generate more sales, not just a positive attitude to embrace the slump (as you organize your ribbon rack and try to manifest more customers).

 

 

Another thing I will NOT tell you is that just spending more time on social media doing Reels is the answer to all of your problems!

 

If you’re already overwhelmed by the amount of time & attention that social media demands from you NOW, is spending more time on these platforms really the right move?

 

(Even though Instagram Reels are what Instagram WANTS you to do to keep their platform relevant, that doesn’t guarantee you new paying customers this week, this month, or even this year!)

 

 

These “tips” may sound “optimistic and on-trend”, but oftentimes they end up making you feel worse because neither of the above are an actual strategy to increase your sales ASAP.

 

So if you happen to be questioning yourself lately in the face of these sorts of “positively unhelpful pleasantries”, that’s because they’re lightweight fluff at best and manipulative at worst.

 

Before you question yourself, question the source of the advice!

 

Remember that I’m a REAL florist just like you! 

 

I’ve been doing wedding flowers since 2002 and frankly, my sales projections are down this year, too. And while I’ve learned to keep my chin up and I’m hopeful to book a few more great weddings this year, it’s still genuinely frustrating to see this dip in my sales and income!

 

Since I didn’t come here to just rant, here’s what I WILL promise you:

 

You can count on me for proven, honest business strategies based on over 30 years of working as a florist and over 20 years of owning my own home-studio design business.

 

That’s it. Just the facts.

 

Because puffing you up to say, “You’ve got this” isn’t enough to make a meaningful difference in your business and your life–and what I teach is meant to help change your mindset, your strategy and your income for the better!

 

I don’t just sell templates on auto-pilot.

 

I didn’t create realflowerbusiness.com to be a “passive income stream”.

 

I am VERY sincerely & actively here to provide support, answer your questions or even meet privately for 1:1 coaching if you need it.

 

Anytime you have a question about your business or what your next steps should be in your business, please feel free to get in touch.

 

Thanks for making time to read my mini-rant today. I’m rooting for you and your business–especially if it feels like an off year.

 

Keep doing beautiful work!

xo. -Alison Ellis

 

P.S. Did you catch my live chat on “What Do You Offer?” In 25 minutes or less you can get some clarity around what you are offering JUST IN TIME to get some more sales for Valentine’s Day! Click to watch now!

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3 Ways To Book Better Clients

Happy New Year, Floralpreneur®! Since I’ve been hearing many wedding professionals talk about bookings being down, I want to remind you that there’s still time to book more great clients in 2024. If you want to welcome better clients into your business this year, there are 3 key factors that help make that happen:

  1. Attract Great Clients
  2. Prequalify for Style & Budget
  3. Create A Seamless Sales Process To Get Clients To A Yes

 

When you focus on leveling up these 3 aspects of your business, you’ll not only attract better clients and increase your sales, but you can also create more beautiful floral designs that you’ll be proud of (thanks to those larger budgets)!

 

And that starts to create a chain reaction…

 

Because once you have photos in your portfolio and social proof from your ideal customers who say over and over again that YOU ARE AWESOME, you can continue to hone in on attracting more customers who are eager to work with you! 

 

It’s no accident that the clients who get married at the fanciest venues or order their flowers from the most expensive flower shop in town are saying YES to higher price tags–these companies have established a premium brand position that can command a higher price!

 

And that premium brand position–where your company becomes the #1 best choice for your ideal customers–that’s what allows for more creative freedom and control in your business and your life.

 

This is what I love about owning my own business. 

I get to choose which direction my brand (and my life) is heading in!

 

Yes, I work really hard, but I am so fulfilled by what I do because I genuinely have some of the BEST customers who trust me to take the lead!

 

If I didn’t enjoy my work, it would make owning my business a lot harder and frankly, it’s STILL pretty challenging even with a deep passion for floristry!

 

So every year I am looking to make things a little bit easier…

For myself and for you!

 

If you want to learn a little bit more about the #1 Key I mentioned, Attract Great Clients, I want to invite you to join me for a free live chat on Thursday, Jan. 4th at 12pm EST on YouTube HERE!

 

This will be a brief conversation to help you think more strategically about your sales copy in the new year. I’d love to see you there.

 

Because there’s a whole lot that goes into getting the right customers to find you! (And it starts with what you’re saying!)

 

Welcome to a new year, Floralpreneur®. Keep doing beautiful work.

 

With love from me to you,

Alison Ellis

 

P.S. If you’re ready to really level-up your brand strategy to attract the best clients this year, I’m teaching actionable strategies on how to perfect ALL 3 keys starting on Jan. 9th, inside my 4-Week Program, The Art of Good Business. Click here for details and registration or email me directly if you have any questions.

 

When Rebecca enrolled, she was a talented floral designer who was tired of piecemealing the business stuff together. At the end of the 4 week training, Rebecca was excited to announce that she’d booked 3 new clients and had 2 new inquiries!

 

The step by step system that Rebecca followed is what I’m teaching in January inside The Art of Good Business with live support every Tuesday starting on Jan 9th. 

 

If you want to attract more great clients and level-up your brand position, I’d love for you to hop in to join me so you can start getting more great inquiries!

 

The doors are closing in just a few days! But there’s still time to get in now.

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Floral Education with Alison Ellis

A floral business can’t run on creativity alone! If you want your business to be sustainable and successful, you do need to map out future goals and define your own version of success!

Save the dates for my upcoming online trainings and click on the topics below that would be of most help to you on your path to reach your goals!

 

Business Plan Refresh Session–Aug. 23 

If you’re feeling overworked or uninspired in your floral business, this session is for you!

Florists and Flower Farmers will leave this session feeling refreshed, refocused and ready to take action to ditch the overwhelm by putting their goals in writing.

You can join me live for 1-hour on Zoom and catch a replay for 30 days after the training. I’m offering a “Pay What You Want” option that starts at just $5!

Sign up for a Replay Here until it expires: https://learn.realflowerbusiness.com/refresh

 

Pricing Chat for Florists–Sept.12

How do you calculate the profit margin in your flower business? 

If you’re a floral designer or farmer florist who wants to pay yourself more, tracking your profit margin is THE MOST IMPORTANT STEP you can take to make sure that you’re keeping as much money as possible!

And it’s OK if you aren’t “good with numbers” because it’s actually really easy to learn how to do it! That’s why I’ll be hosting a free Pricing Chat for Florists on Tuesday, Sept. 12th at 12pm Eastern/9am Pacific where I’ll share The 3 Numbers Florists Need To Know to help make sure you’re maximizing your margins.

Registration is Closed.

 

Additional Training Dates…

If you ever tell yourself, “I’m great at the creative stuff, but I’m not good at business”, what do you think someone who IS good at business would do to work smarter and reach their goals?

The first step is to put a business plan in writing! The next step is to make sure you’re pricing for MAXIMUM profitability, of course. And then, you have to be able to book clients with ease and market your business with intention to attract the best customers to your brand!

It sounds like a lot, I know! That’s why I’m teach ALL OF THESE THINGS specifically for floral designers and farmer florists in my online business training that you can join from anywhere in the world!

Remember:

Setting Realistic Goals Is Critical To Your Overall Success & Happiness.

And Feeling Overworked In Your Business is NOT Sustainable.

Make sure to stay tuned for upcoming training dates, times and registration!

If you’re not already on my email list, click HERE to sign up for my free eBook and you’ll be on my list!

xo. -Alison Ellis

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How Do You Sell More Flowers?

When florists want to sell more flowers for Mother’s Day–or any occasion–the most important step is to reach out to your past customers to make sure they know what you’re offering.

That means if you have NOT directly pitched your offers to the customers who purchased from you last year, it’s time to take action now!

I know it’s tempting to throw out a few posts on social media and feel like you’ve “done your job” to get the word out about your business and what you’re selling, but posting and praying is not enough!

If you REALLY want to sell more flowers, you have to reach out to the real live customers who’ve bought from you before and invite them to place an order today!

If this sounds like a lot of work, guess what–it could be! You may not be organized with your customer list at your finger tips, perhaps.

But it’s actually pretty easy to write an email to your client list and create a short script to make phone calls to your best customers who haven’t ordered yet, so you can tell them exactly what you’re offering and make it easy for them to buy.

A few things to include in your pitch:

  • Introduction–what you’re offering (and why they need it!)
  • Clear price points on 1-2 options
  • Call To Action–with a link to buy or phone number to call
  • Sense of Urgency–why do they want to do this today?

 

Some customers will say no, but some will say yes! And then, you’ll be that much closer to your sales goal.

The moral of the story is this: Ask for the sale. Don’t sit back and wait for customers to come to you.

Keep doing beautiful work!

xo. -Alison Ellis

Find out more about Alison HERE and see a full course list for florists HERE.

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