Floralpreneurs were kind enough to share their feedback with me (thank you!) and in my last blog post I shared the #1 Thing florists told me they want to learn (you can read it here).  Today I want to share Thing 2; the #2 Thing Florists Need To Learn based on the survey results I received.

Thanks so much to all who took the time to share your thoughts with me! It really does help me to hear your input so that I can work to better tailor my course offerings and free content to meet your needs, struggles and wants. Everything I create is designed to help you better manage your successful and fulfilling small business.

Before I share “Thing #2” florists told me they need to learn, I want to let you in on more of the feedback florists gave me…

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I asked: Do you feel confident that your brand is “as good as it can be”?

Real florists said:

“I’m not sure I really even have a brand…“

“I don’t think you can ever stop developing your brand. I need to improve in making my voice come through stronger. I struggle with the thought that I need to sound professional and businesslike while also be personable and show my voice without sounding like it is forced.”

“I am not good at “selling” myself.  I have a style that people can immediately identify as my work, however I haven’t been able to translate that at all via website. Of course I haven’t been good at taking photos of work—I’ve done tons of work with really nothing to show for it.”

I think every business owner can relate to these feelings….do I have a business or a brand?…what IS my voice?…I’m good at what I do, but I hate selling “me”.

Good brands are built, not born. It takes time and practice to develop a brand that goes “beyond just a business”.

 

The #2 Thing Florists Told Me They Want to Learn is “Website stuff”. Only 3% of respondents said they don’t update their own website! If “website stuff” is on your list of things to-do, then you will LOVE the Art of Good Business!

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I asked: What made you think the course was NOT right for you…click below to watch!

It’s easy to understand that floralpreneurs expressed skepticism regarding the value of a $999 investment; on the other hand, some were not clear on what I was actually offering…and then, some were hoping they could buy just part of the course…But these are the stats that I found most interesting:

89% of florists told me hands down that the course was out of their budget…

However, only 1 florist said that she already works with her ideal clients, has an awesome website and a stellar client management process!

(And, by the way, I did have at least 2 men fill out my survey as well, so shout out to the guys, too!)

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If only 1% of respondents is reaching her ideal clients and crushing it with her business, then it seems to me that florists really do need The Art Of Good Business and the results you can create for yourself once you take action and join my course here.

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2 of most frequent answers as to why floralpreneurs did NOT sign up for The Art Of Good Business– #1. it was a busy time of year and #2, I was surprised to learn that most florists said they’d never taken an online course before.

I’d like to address ALL of your concerns regarding time, cost and “busyness” and invite you to 3 new sessions of The Art Of Good Business starting in November, January or March. And because people mentioned price as the #1 roadblock, I’m introducing a 4-payment plan.

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Since we’re talking about price…

Think about the investment like this: what it would mean if you booked JUST 1 MORE IDEAL CLIENT after taking my course?……Would you make back your investment in 1 gig? Would it be worth it?

What if you booked 5 more ideal clients? Now, what if you consistently book more and more ideal clients every year from now on?…..what would that be worth?

Whether you missed the boat for the October session or you simply didn’t think it was worth the investment, think about where you are NOW….and consider where you want to be next year….2 years from now….5 years from now……What steps are you going to take to get there? How are you going to transform your business into a long lasting brand?

(I’ve spent almost $2k in online education in the past 3 months…at a time when I was “so busy” I knew I didn’t have time to fully absorb all the info, but I started anyway…and over the next few months I’ll be digging in.) I am not afraid to start before I’m ready….it’s the only reason I am where I am right now.

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Being too busy or not having $999 in your budget can be a totally valid reason to not sign up for my course and I understand the feeling–it took a long time for me to decide it was worth the risk to try to figure out how to have a business that was branded and excellent; I had to take a leap and invest in myself if I wanted to move on to the next level with my biz.

I always felt like I had to do everything myself–for years–but I took my first leap on a conference in NYC with Marie Forleo & Danielle LaPorte called Selling Your Soul and I got so much value–so much inspiration–that I’ve been investing in my business education and development every year since.

Don’t wait until “the time is right”…..the time is NEVER right. There is always a holiday, or another project, or an upcoming “big ticket item” that we have to plan for….think about what it would mean if you booked JUST 1 MORE IDEAL CLIENT this my course…….would you make back your investment? Would it be worth it?

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While most florists said that they had never taken an online course, of those who’ve taken online courses, over 6% of people had been disappointed in a previous online course they’d purchased.

I’m sorry to hear that and I’ve been there, too. When Flower Math first came out in November 2015 I purchased another pricing course to see how it compared and I was really disappointed in what I saw. Frankly, it was marketed to floral designers, but it wasn’t nearly specific enough and did not properly represent the industry standards on pricing & profits. It was heavily marketed to florists and I bet a lot of business owners bought it and didn’t get their proper value.

Bad courses happen. Your skepticism is warranted.

But if you’ve been burned before, don’t give up hope! I’ve invested in several online courses (admittedly not wedding or floristry related; they were highly vetted business courses) and each of them has majorly helped me to push my business to the next level.

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Join the November session HERE.  Registration is open Nov. 1-30. Class begins Nov. 6th.

Doors Open for the next session Jan. 1-31.

As always, you can contact me with any questions you may have!

With love from me to you,

Alison

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P.S.

When I asked you what you’re most interested in learning or improving, the hands-down response was “Pricing and profitability”. This doesn’t surprise me. My very first course is Flower Math, The Florist’s Guide To Pricing & Profitability, which I created because I know that there are really talented florists out there who still don’t have a firm grasp on how to price their work.

I know how important pricing and profits are to your small business. Since so many of you answered that this is what you’re most interested in learning or improving I’m introducing a 2-payment plan for Flower Math….you can start today if you’re ready.