Real Flower Business

Education and Business Training for Floral Designers.

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Real Flower Business Courses Are Moving

We’re Moving! No, I’m not moving out of Vermont, but I’m moving my online business courses to a brand new site!

This is a big move–and one that I’ve been putting off for a long time now! So I’m very excited to invite you to check out the new site HERE.

Flower Math is the first course I ever made, so it’s only natural that it would be the first course to find a new home on the new site!

Existing Flower Math Students will be granted access to the new course platform–so if you’re already enrolled in Flower Math check your email for a Flower Math Course Login (and don’t forget to check your spam or promotions folder just in case it lands there by mistake!).

Below you’ll see a quick tour of the new course layout so you can easily find your way around as soon as you log in!

As always, if you have any questions, you can reach me at my new email address: info@realflowerbusiness.com

Announcing 3 Upcoming Workshops!

  • Dec. 5, 6, 7th I’ll be teaching a 3-Day Live Virtual Marketing Workshop for Florists! If you’d like some common sense marketing tips for florists and you want to know when registration is open, CLICK HERE to get on the notification list.

 

  • In January 2023, I’ll be teaching my group coaching program, The Art of Good Business, a 4-week course for floralpreneurs who want to take their marketing and branding to the next-level, and registration will open Dec. 7th–so stay tuned for details or subscribe to the Marketing Workshop List (above) for info!

 

  • I’ll be teaching LIVE IN PERSON in April–right here in Vermont!–along with world renowned instructor, Françoise Weeks, and Phebe Robinson of Popped With Phebe!

In this 2-Day Live Workshop in April, florists will get to create sustainable woodland centerpieces and jewelry with Françoise, learn how to add an income stream to your home-studio or flower farm by running a profitable pop-up shop with Phebe, and get practical business advice with Alison targeted to your specific questions so you can maximize profits and attract more great customers. Registration details for the live workshop will be coming soon!…it’s going to be SO good!

Thanks so much for stopping by my site today AND for your support and patience as we make this switch to a new site.

With love from me to you,

Alison

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How Should Florists Set A Minimum

I’ve heard a lot of questions from florists about Setting Minimums (and raising minimums!) lately, which is why I was live today on Instagram to talk about How Florists Should Set A Minimum in their business. You can catch the replay from Instagram below!

Whether you already have a minimum or you’re just figuring out how to establish a minimum, this chat is for YOU!

Here’s what’s covered:

➤Why Florists Need A Minimum

➤How To Determine A Minimum For Your Business

➤How To Communicate A Minimum To Customers

 

Fact: Setting a Minimum isn’t a strategy to “attract customers”; it is meant to help weed people out! And adding a minimum to your website isn’t enough.

That’s why it’s important to understand WHAT your minimum is and HOW to present it to your clients.

I hope you’ll enjoy the replay AND I really hope you’ll sign up HERE for the Free Pricing Chat for Florists on Oct. 13th with 3 Numbers Florists Need To Know! 

If you have any questions for me, feel free to get in touch!

xo. -Alison

 

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Don’t forget to register HERE for the Pricing Chat on October 13th at noon EDT/9am PDT!

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Do Florists Have To Go To Floristry School?

If you want to be a florist, do you have to go to Floristry School? It’s a question I see a lot and I know there can be some strong opinions on the subject. Click to see my answer to the question and let me know what you think!

The truth is, there isn’t just 1 right way to become a florist!

There are so many things to learn that you can’t learn “everything you need to know in just one place”. Whether you go to floristry school, or take an accredited floral design certification program, or you teach yourself through trial and error, there will always be something more for you to learn.

For example, I’ve heard from floristry students in Australia and England who enrolled in my Flower Math course and say that they got a much more thorough and clear explanation from my online course than they did in school! Even longtime florists have told me that they understand the design aspect of their work, but they’ve been kept mostly in the dark on the business-stuff.

And still, some floral designers manage to build a “busy” floral design business, but they struggle with attracting higher paying clients or creating systems to close sales (without a dozen meetings that drain their time and energy).

Let’s face it, there’s so much more to know as a florist than “just flowers”!

The secret to success in the floral industry is to keep learning and growing. Just going to floristry school isn’t enough.

And just learning from YouTube videos isn’t enough.

And letting 20 years pass between your last in-person learning experience isn’t enough either.

Never stop learning in your business and your life–and keep doing beautiful work!

With love from me to you,

Alison

Ready to learn proven strategies to streamline your workflow and create more freedom in your floral business?

See  A Full Course List

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The Number 1 Branding Mistake Florists Make

What does it mean to have “good branding”?

In a world where social media “success” can be misleading, today’s tip is essential for all businesses to understand–not just new florists. That’s why I’m closing out the month of April with a Tip on Branding Your Business.

What you need to understand as a business owner is that your brand is what other people say about you!

Your brand is what you deliver. It’s the customers’ experience with you and your staff. It’s the way people feel when they work with you and what they tell others when you’re not in the room.

Marketing, on the other hand, is what you tell people about yourself. And there’s a big difference between what you say about you and what your paying customers say about you.

Click to find out the #1 Mistake New Florists Make when branding their business:

Want to continue your business journey with me and build your brand the right way? (Slow, steady and with integrity!)

Here are some resources that will help you take your business further:

  • Become a Patreon Member: Learn the 3 Keys to Booking Great Clients Consistently with a behind the scenes look at how I prequalify, close the sale and build an integrity brand. Patrons can ask me anything and I will create a lesson to answer your questions!

 

  • Business Plan Jumpstart: A fun, easy business plan to help you map out your future. It’s just $20 and it will set you up on the right path.

 

  • Flower Math: The Florists Guide to Pricing & Profitability teaches the proven formulas to maximize your profit and increase your pricing confidence. It even has a money-back guarantee.

 

You’ll also find a full list of courses HERE including my templates for florists to help you take control of your client communication and establish authority so customers follow your lead.

There’s so much more to what we do than “just flowers”. Pricing for profit, learning how to close the sale, and building a reputation that attracts great clients are just as important as the design work we do.

FYI if you missed any of my April is for Newbies series you can catch them all on Instagram HERE!

Thanks for being here and keep doing beautiful work!

With love from me to you,

Alison

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Floral Recipes and Flower Care Tips

Where do new florists go to ask their burning (or random) questions?

No one knows everything they need to know when they’re jus getting started. That’s why this month is dedicated to answering questions from new florists.

You can find the latest “Tip for Newbies” below! And catch up on the previous tips you may have missed on Instagram HERE!

These are the questions I answered today:

  • Hi Alison, You mention on several occasions something about recipes. Can you tell me how you make recipes, and how you use them for decorations and bouquets.
  • Hi! I would love to know better how to create that loose airy design seen in so many bouquets without an armature. Also, how do you attach greenery to staircases and fireplaces without brick clips? I’m figuring chicken wire, but how to keep it secure? Thank you!!
  • How do you prep hydrangea to ensure they last longer?
  • Exactly how to use quick dip and alum – and is alum short for something?!
  • Plus I addressed the best boutonniere storage tip I learned from Gregor Lersch.

Click to watch:

In today’s video I mentioned my online course, Flower Math, which you can find more info on here and if you want to check out that boutonniere storage tip on YouTube, click here!

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