Can you be a floral artist and also run a profitable floral business?
Of course you can!...but there’s a balance between art and commodity that florists must achieve to remain profitable.
Customers experience flowers in their lives in distinctive ways.
A talented florist I know said once, “We need to stop treating flowers like they’re a commodity.”
A commodity. Yes, she’s right!
My work is not a commodity. It’s art! (Right?)
I think the answer is definitely Yes!…and also, a little bit No? The truth lies somewhere in the middle.
Yes, floral designers transform flowers into artistic designs, however, unlike other artists, florists don’t just set any price we’d like.
What does an artist charge?
A painter may buy a canvas, paints and brushes, an easel, a painter’s palette and use their unique skills to transform a blank canvas into a masterpiece.
As such, it’s a one-of-a-kind piece of art and theoretically they can set a price based on “what the market will bear”.
If an artist says their painting is worth $2,000, who am I to argue?
If they say it’s $2 million, same thing.
I don’t value the painting based on how many paints or brushes were used.
The value is based on how I feel about the work.
I’ve never seen anything like this before. How much do I want it? (And can I afford it?)
Floristry is a bit different.
Floristry is a balance of art and commodity with a dash of outstanding customer service to really round out the experience.
A high quality, more refined designer/brand can command a higher price tag than a grocery story bouquet, because they’ve added value beyond the mere commodity (i.e. the stem count).
But the price isn’t set a price based on what the market with bear. The price is still based around real numbers. (Flower Math, as I call it.)
Your clients should experience value from your brand; both in service & design. Click To TweetThe general public already has an understanding (or preconceived notion) of the value of floral designs.
Some customers will spend a lot…and happily. They experience the value.
Others feel flowers “just die” and they assign little value to our profession.
Pro tip: We want the former; clients who value flowers and are willing to pay for quality work.
While a florist may create pieces that are one-of-a-kind, we reside in an industry that has pricing standards and formulas to help set our rate.
Even the most artistic florist cannot command $2,000 for a single floral masterpiece…unless it’s the size of a flower wall!
A florist cannot set the price of a dozen roses at $2,000 “just because they’re an artist”….the market will not bear it and clients will shop elsewhere.
Your value is not directly related to your stem count, however, there’s a perceived value associated with every florist and every design.
Watch my video: Stem counts vs. floral recipes: What’s the difference?
How do you price your work?
If you’re not clear on the exact formulas for pricing your design work, there’s no need to re-invent the wheel.
I give you the answers to all of your pricing questions in Flower Math, The Florist’s Guide To Pricing & Profitability.
Flower Math is an online course with step-by-step instructions on how I price my work simply by following the easy, industry standard formulas (ie. the formulas I learned in every flower shop I’ve ever work for!), as well as a full behind the scenes look at how I create recipes and wholesale orders that are “tight and right” to help you eliminate the trap of “overbuying” so that you can keep more of the money you’re already making.
Click here to get all the details on what you get in Flower Math.
Floralpreneurs can feel confident about the value they provide to their clients (and stop over-filling orders!).
If you’re a little lost, I’ll show you the way to profitability in my course…Step by step.
{and it’s on sale now! SAVE $100 OFF.}
definition of commodity
- an economic good: such as a: a product of agriculture or mining. b: an article of commerce especially when delivered for shipment, c: a mass-produced unspecialized product.
- a good or service whose wide availability typically leads to smaller profit margins and diminishes the importance of factors (such as brand name) other than price.
(via Merriam-Webster)
Do florists treat flowers like a commodity?
Consider whether you yourself view flowers as a commodity vs. art.
When peonies are $39.95 for 10 stems wholesale, do you view them as art? Or are you grumbling about the price per stem?
They’re gorgeous! They’re local! They’re at the perfect stage of openness!
But they’re expensive. Are they worth it? That’s up to you.
Value is always in the eye of the beholder.
Florists should be committed to providing value to clients while at the same time also valuing your time, skill and expertise.
We’re fortunate to work in an industry with standard pricing formulas that allows us to do all of the above.
Remember: In the end, it doesn’t matter what you charge if you overbuy.
And if you’re not sure if my course is right for you, shoot me an e-mail floralartvt@gmail.com anytime. I’m happy to answer your questions before, during or after a course.