Real Flower Business

Education and Business Training for Floral Designers.

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Is it time to lose your auto-reply?

What does an automatic reply actually say to your clients?

As commander-in-chief of my one-woman floral army, balancing time between my design bench and my office means my commitment to prompt e-mail replies can be a challenge.

One way businesses attempt to provide a prompt e-mail response is, of course, by setting up an auto-reply.

It starts out as an “away message” for a winter break…and then, it turns into a regular habit…24/7 auto-reply.

As prompt as it may be, an auto-response is not a personal reply…so while it’s prompt, it’s also impersonal.

The bottom line is this: An auto-reply does not feel like customer service.

Click to watch why I think it’s time to rethink the auto-reply (and what to do instead):

The Moral of the Story

There’s a time and a place for automation, but if you pride yourself on customer service, then, limit your reliance on auto-respond and lead clients through the booking and sales process with personalized service that’s unique to your brand–not straight out of the can!

I write my own email replies, but I follow some basic templates I’ve perfected after over 20 years in business! If you want to establish more authority and stop over-thinking your email replies, my Email Templates for Florists help you save time and close sales with customers in a clear, professional manner without sounding fake or phony!

Learn About E-mail Templates

Keep this in mind…

E-mail is a crucial part of your customer service experience.

Over the years, I’ve learned how to streamline my processes while establishing authority and trust in my e-mail communication. This allows me to pre-qualify and weed out price shoppers, book clients more quickly and gently guide customers through the sale.

That’s why I created my E-mail Templates for Florists to help navigate some of the most frequent (& sometimes difficult!) customer conversations so that you can spend less time worrying about how to say “no” and more time booking great clients.

Florists who use my templates….

  • Feel CONFIDENT when explaining terms to a client,
  • Forget FEARS about not being taken seriously,
  • Gain AUTHORITY and build trust with prompt, concise replies,
  • Make stronger CONNECTIONS so customers can actually understand your expectations,
  • Increase INCOME by stating minimums clearly so clients say YES to your next proposal, no questions asked!

You can spend HOURS trying to figure out how to say something “just right” or you can do something that will change your life…which is what florists tell me all the time about my templates! Try ’em. You’ll like ’em.

Click Here To Learn More

 

Melissa said:

“Just downloaded the 12 email templates, wedding workflow, and how to write proposals that sell………ALISON! You are the flower fairy god mother we all needed! Information overload! Do it guys 😉”

Best price=Buy a bundle (click for e-mail template bundle pricing!

 

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Happy Valentine’s Day, Floralpreneurs!

Happy Valentine’s Day, Floralpreneurs!

Even during the hustle and bustle of a busy holiday it’s important to keep the customer’s experience in mind.

I made this video with advice to help keep your brand on point during the Valentine’s Day rush, which aired on FlirtyFleurs.com last week.

Click below to watch if you missed it!

Customer service is an essential piece of your brand and how the world sees you.

I created my Wedding Workflow and 12 E-Mail Templates for Florists to share a look at how I choreograph customer service for my clients.

And if you’re ready to take your customer service to the next level, join me for The Art of Good Business which beings Monday, March 13th!

Click here for details.

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How do you keep the faith in the off-season?

One of the most challenging parts of owning a seasonal wedding business is learning to keep the faith in the slow season.

We want to stay focused on cultivating ideal clients, but when your calendar isn’t booked, it can be tempting to book “anything you can get.”

Want to know How To Stay Focused On Ideal Customers When Your Calendar Isn’t Booked? Click to watch some real tips I use to stay focused!

Faith is experiential.

The more we experience success in business, the easier it becomes to believe in our future success….even when the calendar isn’t fully booked yet.

Pro tip: Read (and re-read) your thank you notes and testimonials from happy clients to remind yourself what makes you so awesome!….and really consider what they’re saying….what do you really do? What are you really good at?

What does your business/your brand deliver?

It takes courage sometimes to acknowledge that a gig isn’t a good fit for you!

If you feel tempted to lower-your-bar or take a job against your better instincts, well, that’s where our faith is tested.

Building an integrity brand takes practice and more practice and even more practice as you continue to hone your voice.

You have your own unique voice to discover.

If this is the work you love, it’s worth the effort!

xo. -Alison

 

Profitable. Streamlined. Professional.

That’s what real flower business means to me.

That’s the intention of all of my videos, posts, and online courses for floral designers.

Check out a full list of course offerings here.  (Including my free courses!)

Learn more about Alison here.

 

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How do you handle rejection?

Florists must deal with rejection from time to time as creative business people.

Yet, one of the toughest things every floralpreneur® must face is rejection.

It’s simply a fact of life. You take the good, you take the bad, you take ’em both and there you have…wait, where was I? Oh yeah, rejection.

I bet every floral designer can relate to today’s video.  I hope it provides some perspective the next time you get re-jected.

Thanks for taking a few minutes to watch!

Oh, and make sure you scroll down to grab a free e-mail template below!

Click to watch:

Save $30 Off Wedding Templates Here

Sometimes it’s good to get rejected.

If losing a wedding or not booking a client leaves you feeling blue, remember that sometimes rejection is actually a GOOD thing! Yes, I mean it.

Pro tip: If you don’t book a job, don’t sweat it. However, don’t sit back and “do nothing” either. If you REALLY want to know why someone didn’t choose to work with you, Ask them why they did not book you! 

FREE BONUS: Grab my FREE E-mail Template HERE to see “how I ask clients why they did not pick me!”

We can gain valuable insights as to why clients“didn’t get to a yes“, if we’re brave enough to ask. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Testimonial:

“Alison, Your email templates came at just the right time!  I have referenced them 3 times and have already booked a new event! 

I have never taken a client from initial consult to contract/payment received so fast!! Thanks!”

-Jessie

Templates=Time

I bring you behind the scenes of my business in my downloadable templates for florists.

  • In Proposals That Sell I teach florists how I spend less time typing proposals, so that I’m not giving away too much information and the turnaround time on bookings is faster.
  • In E-mail Templates for Florists I show you how I choreograph the customer service experience & handle difficult conversations with 2 sets of templates.

Save $30 Off Wedding Templates Here

If you’re ready to spend less time typing and worrying what to say, I’ve got you covered.

Thanks for your questions & feedback.

Please feel free to be in touch if you ever have any questions for me. info@floralartvt.com
With love from me to you,
Alison
P.S. I received a request for this video in my Facebook group. Click HERE to join my FREE group!

Find a full list of course offerings HERE.

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Transform your work into art.

Dear Floralpreneur,
Last week I told you about a note on my desk that reads: “If you went out of business would people notice?“
(I want the answer to this question to be “Yes!” Without a doubt. I want people to notice.)

Another note I wrote down years ago says: “Transform your work into art”.

As a floral designer I think transforming your work into art is easy to take literally. I named my business Floral Artistry, I mean, it’s kind of obvious, right? I transform my work (ie my flowers) into art (ie my arrangements).

But what I really think drives this idea for me, transforming work into art, is how to apply this concept to the business aspects of our creative business.
I try to turn the mundane, the necessary, the client management, the thankless, into art.
I practice being artful at running the business-side of my business.

The goal to “transform your work into art” can transcend the floral aspect of your business to encompass everything about your business; e-mails, proposals, meetings, phone calls, quotes, contracts, website design, you name it…because every single thing your customers experience defines your brand.

At their core, each of my courses is designed to help embrace the business-side of our work…but I’m going to take it a few steps further…

I’m going to walk you through exactly what I’ve done over the past 15 years as a small business owner to transform my work into an ideal customer experience in my newest course, The Art of Good Business, which starts January 9th-Feb. 6th.
You’ve heard me mention it before, but you can find details on my new course here!

Now’s the perfect time to invest in your business and focus on attracting more customers who don’t need convincing…because ideal customers already love you.

Why Act Now?
Registration closes Jan. 7th and payment plans are available until tonight, Monday Dec. 19th at midnight EST.

That’s just 1 day left to take advantage of the 2-payment plan option!

As a BONUS I am also including a free one-on-one strategy session with the first 10 floralpreneurs who register for the course.

Talking with floral designers is a true pleasure for me and I look forward to connecting with 10 floralpreneurs and learning more about your businesses.

Will You Join Me Live?
Join me on Facebook Live today at noon, EST. The topic is: How to get more rave reviews from your customers.

Great customer reviews are an integral part of attracting ideal clients and building your brand.

(Speaking of which, if you’re thinking of taking one of my courses read some of my testimonials and customer reviews here: http://realflowerbusiness.com/testimonials)

Take a minute and ask to join my facebook group! It’s a great way for us to connect and it’s my new favorite way to talk with floralpreneurs! 
I’m livestreaming Monday, Dec. 19th at 12:00pm EST.

You can watch all of my livestreams on a replay any time in my Facebook group here.

 

I hope to see you LIVE in my group soon! If you’ve asked to join and have not yet been approved you may e-mail me at info@floralartvt.com to help speed things along. If it’s unclear whether you’re a floral designer it does take longer for an approval.

Thanks for tuning in and taking the time to read my e-mails. I know your time is valuable and I appreciate you making some time for me!
As always…
Keep
doing
beautiful
work. 

With love from me to you,
Alison

Check out my course offerings HERE for details on all of my courses, including 2 FREE COURSES, Flower Boss and 4 Pricing Mistakes Florists Make.

P.S. If you’re a floral designer who’s digging my content and/or my courses, please share the Floral Artistry love via e-mail, Facebook, Instagram, sky writing, what-have-you with a florist you know and love. (I truly appreciate your support in cultivating other floral pros.)

Are you watching your profit margins? Check out Flower Math, The Florist’s Guide To Pricing & Profitability. Click HERE to read all the details and save 10% Off today.
Are you ready to make 2017 your most profitable year yet?

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