floral business - Real Flower Business

Join me Live at The Floral Reserve

I’m doing some end of year business planning live and in person at The Floral Reserve in Providence, Rhode Island on December 9th,….do you want to meet me there?

In honor of their 1 year anniversary, The Floral Reserve invited me to present an educational seminar for their wholesale customers and fellow florists as part of their end-of-year celebration and I am so honored and excited to be a part of it! There’s room for up to 45 floralpreneurs so space is limited!

And after the educational portion of our day, you’re invited to the Flowers By Semia studio for a meal catered by Gracie’s restaurant. You will be treated to a lavish tablescape and candlelit room for dinner, as a thank you for an amazing first year of business at The Floral Reserve. (I will also be joining you for dinner, of course!) Limited to 25 attendees.

You can click HERE for details to register to join me and reserve your seat today!

education for florists, floral education

I will lead two 45 minute presentations with breaks for questions in between, from 3pm-5pm on Sunday, December 9th.

The first will be a discussion on the on the basics of business planning so that you can update your business plan and grow your brand. You’ll have access to the slides from this presentation afterwards for future reference as well.

The second presentation will be on Pricing and Profitability and attendees will get a special discount on my online pricing course, Flower Math, if you’d like to dive deeper into the pricing lessons.

From The Floral Reserve:

“While there is always room to improve and grow in your designs, growing your business is just as important. On December 9th, we are so excited to invite our friends in the floral design community to something truly special. We will be hosting the lovely Alison Ellis of Real Flower Business at The Floral Reserve, a floral designer and business guru, as she shares her knowledge to educate and empower fellow “floralpreneurs” to achieve their business goals and build long-lasting brands….read more here.

Keep doing beautiful work!

xo. -Alison

By Alison Ellis

Do you want to spend less time on e-mail replies?

Do you ever track how many hours you spend replying to e-mails? I had no idea how much time I’d spend in front of my computer when I started my floral design business nearly 17 years ago.

For YEARS I found myself struggling with how to tell someone I couldn’t hold their date without a deposit,…or firmly explain that I will not reduce my price,… or how to strike a balance on how “tough” to *really* get when requesting a payment that’s overdue.

The reality of modern-day customer service is this: E-mail is a critical form of client communication; it’s how they get to know you!

Your customers can’t see your facial expressions or interpret your “tone”… so it’s critical that every word you choose is meaningful and accurate.

But it takes so much time to craft the perfect reply, right?!!

It took years to hone my voice so it felt professional, authentic and clear.

So let me ask you a question…

Do your e-mails increase your authority, grow trust with your clients, and make them feel well cared for?

What if you could…

Feel CONFIDENT when explaining your terms to a client,
Forget FEARS about not being taken seriously,
Gain AUTHORITY as you build trust with your prompt, concise replies,
Make stronger CONNECTIONS so your customers can actually understand your expectations,
Increase the INCOME you’ll be able to generate when you state your minimums clearly so clients say YES to your next proposal, no questions asked!

Confidence. Authority. Connections. Income.

… Do you want these things in your business?

THEN START…

Confidently establishing your authority…
Boldly claiming your role as the leader your clients need you to be…
Seamlessly building trust with clients who “get you”…

AND STOP…

staring at your computer screen searching for the “right thing to say”…
wondering if you’ll ever hear back from a prospect…
feeling like your clients are in the driver’s seat….

For my wedding and event clients, I often send the same basic e-mails over and over again throughout the season, so after about 15 years in business I created 12 E-mail Templates for Florists with some of my most frequent (& sometimes tricky!) customer conversations, as well as 10 More Templates with Difficult Client Conversations Made Easy!

Now THRU Oct. 31 at 3pm Eastern Time THEY’RE ON SALE! SAVE $20 OFF BOTH SETS OF TEMPLATES WHEN YOU BUY A BUNDLE.

Here’s what ya get in 10 E-mail Templates:

How to….

Tell someone you can no longer “hold their date”.
Present a proposal that’s over budget.
Ask someone why they did NOT book with you.
Tell someone you’re not a good fit for their event.
Reply to a complaint.
Bill for damaged or missing rental items after an event.
Explain you won’t order flowers until full payment is received.
Tell someone that their most recent changes/additions will result in a price increase.
Tell someone you will not update their proposal (again) or meet (again) without a deposit.
Respond when a wedding is cancelled.

And here’s what’s included in 12 E-Mail Templates:

How to…

Say, Hello in an introduction e-mail.
Present a minimum.
Present a proposal, contract and invoice.
Tell someone you’re unavailable for their date.
Tell someone you will not lower your price.
Follow up if you don’t hear back from a prospect.
Tell someone you cannot hold their date without deposit.
Confirm receipt of contract & deposit.
Confirm receipt of contract, but missing deposit.
Confirm receipt of deposit, but missing contract.
Request final changes and final payment.
Confirm receipt of final payment before event.

Plus These Bonuses:

5 E-Mail Etiquette Tips
How To Ask For a Testimonial

Click here to grab my templates and start leveraging your e-mails to increase your confidence, authority, and income.

This is the lowest price I’ve ever offered on templates!

…so if there is even an inkling of a desire to grab these templates, jump on it right now.

I’m closing the doors on this sale at 3pm EST on Oct. 31.

Templates save you time! You can customize your own e-mail templates by modifying the language and phrasing provided in my templates. Simply create an e-mail folder for your most commonly used conversations, then, copy, paste into a new e-mail and adjust as needed to suit your client!

Florists often tell me they use these e-mail templates the same day they buy them! Copy, paste, rinse, repeat!

If you have questions for me, get in touch! floralartvt@gmail.com

xo. -Alison

By Alison Ellis

Business Planning Jumpstart

Many of the florists I’ve talked with recently say it’s been a busy year, which is awesome news as someone who keeps a beat on what’s happening in the floral industry!….but if you want to plan for a busy next season….and the season after that, you’re invited to join me LIVE Monday, Oct. 22-26 for a business planning boost before the end of the year!

This is a bonus planning session for paid members of The Art of Good Business. You have lifetime access to this course, including any bonuses and updates I add, plus you can ask me questions any time in our private Facebook group for members only.

Next-level planning starts now for your business!

Here’s what’s covered in the 5-day bonus planning session starting Monday:

Day 1: Planning ahead: You future-thinking business goals
Day 2: SWOTs (Note: I want you to identify 1 opportunity that you can act on!)
Day 3: Improving Sales Copy With “Benefits & Results”
Day 4: Bare Bones Business Plan (you’ll have a current and future plan for your biz this week!)
Day 5: Updating and Implementing (because action is essential!)

THIS IS IMPORTANT WORK TO DO BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.

Your business can’t wait until January to plan for a successful 2019.

And you can’t just “hope business increases” without a plan to make meaningful moves that create changes in your biz.

So if you’re looking for better clients or struggling with your sales copy or you’re not sure how to improve your brand without investing $20,000+ in a marketing expert, this course is made for you!

You don’t have to be a marketing expert to have a good brand.

(But you do have to do some hard work to get to the heart of your brand’s message and values!)

Here’s what you’ll learn in The Art of Good Business:

Gain valuable strategies around how to prequalify customers so that you’re not wasting time with clients who aren’t a good fit;
Uncover a deeper understanding of who your ideal customers are so that you can speak directly to them;
Learn how to improve your website to create a first point of contact that attracts ideal clients;
Choreograph outstanding client management that feels like personalized customer service for your ideal clients;
Hone the unique blend of talents that make up your one-of-a-kind brand so that you can eliminate the competition by highlighting your own personal branding strengths.

To get the maximum benefits from this course you’ll need:

a computer to log in & download pdfs,
an open mind & willingness to expand your thinking,
a pen & notebook,
and a commitment to start what you finish!

And if you need some encouragement, I’ll be live once a month in our private Facebook group to help get you over the finish line & answer your questions!

Click HERE to enroll before 9am Monday to join my bonus jam session.

Click HERE to read more about The Art of Good Business.

If have any questions for me, don’t hesitate to get in touch floralartvt@gmail.com

We can even hop on a phone or Skype call so I can address your questions before signing up.

(Yes, I’ll talk to you on a Sunday!)

If you know a florist who would enjoy my Real Flower Business “stuff”, please pass it on.

Keep doing beautiful work!

With love from me to you,

Alison

By Alison Ellis

Behind the Scenes

There are only a few days left to get in on my end-of-year business reboot!

Before signing up for my 4th Quarter Business Planning Jam Session and joining me for The Art of Good Business, check out this quick behind the scenes video:

Click here to learn more about the course.

OR get an inside look at the course HERE.

Real florists say:

“I was hesitant to start and not finish the course online, but this course was very accessible.

[This course is for]…anyone and everyone seriously interested in improving their business. Learning to be passionate, but at the same time differentiate a hobby from a business.

I would love to do it again…”

-Sarita De Castro

“Being a success is more than dollars earned, recognition, or floral-designing mastered. More than visibility on social media or working prestigious venues. The integrity of delivering great value… and client’s perception of being well served is what is a worthy goal.

AND the work is mine to DO not just to KNOW. This falls in line with my personal life values so I’m happy to put this at the top of my list of business goals…

It was worth every penny. It was at the top of my affordability at this time in my fledgling business. And I did not have to get a hotel room or plane ticket, which kept me in the game.

I am so happy with the value of this course. I didn’t even know that all of THIS is exactly what I needed to know!“

-Cathy Lamb

“There is so much content in this course! Definitely exceeded expectations.

The most important part of this course for me was the section on choreographing the customer service portion of my business. I am learning how to communicate clearly and lead my clients in a way that builds trust and sets realistic expectations.

This course is great for anyone that is ready to refine their business practices. You have to be ready to take action for this to really make a difference.

I really enjoyed the live portion of the course…Felt like having you there with us.”

-Jessie Partridge

Click here to learn more about the course.

OR get an inside look at the course HERE.

And if you have a question for me, get in touch! floralartvt@gmail.com

Who is The Art of Good Business for?

You may be a talented designer, but do you also…

Write your own website copy & social media posts?
Manage your marketing & branding strategy?
Struggle with “selling yourself” sometimes?
Still spend too much time with clients who aren’t a good fit?
Wonder if you even have a brand yet?

If you said “yes” to any (or all) of the above, then this course is made for you!

You’ll learn how to focus your marketing efforts and take your website from beautiful to functional by honing the voice of your brand so that you can prequalify leads and attract more clients that love you. It’s easy to get started…

Click HERE to get started today.

By Alison Ellis

Business Plan Reboot

When’s the last time you wrote a business plan?

Was it 5 years ago? 10 years ago? Last week?

If it’s been longer than 3 years since you wrote a business plan, then I want to invite you to get on the good foot & put your business on a forward-thinking path by joining my Bonus Business Planning Jam Session Oct. 22-26!*

Because you can’t move forward if you’re following an outdated business plan.

*This is a bonus session for paid members of my course, The Art of Good Business, and you can click HERE to sign up before Oct. 22nd to join us or click HERE to learn more about what’s included in the course.

In this jam session you’ll take action & set clear goals! Including:

Looking toward the future of your biz
Identifying new opportunities right now
Improving your sales copy
Updating your business plan
Touching up your website to reflect your newfound insights!

As soon as you sign up, you’ll get instant access to the entire course and you’ll be invited to join the 5-day Bonus Jam Session.

When planning for success in business, it’s important to understand:

What’s your current vision? (And if you’ve been in biz for a while, how does your current vision compare to the vision you set forth when you wrote your first biz plan?)
What are your objectives? (ie. Why do you have this business?)
What are your SWOTs? (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats)
What strategies are you employing to reach your goals?

If you’re having a hard time answering some of the above questions,

or it’s been a little while since you’ve really answered these questions honestly and thoroughly in your biz,

then you should seriously consider joining me for my 4th Quarter Biz Planning Jam Session, Oct. 22-26th so that you can get your business on the path to success in 2019 and over the next 3-5 years!

Testimonial:

“Alison has put her heart and her vast knowledge into this class. She is open and supportive. Honest and kind. She will tell the truth. She is clear and concise. She is a bit of a genius and she’ll bring out the genius in you! Her class is one of a kind because of all the backing and support she offers.

I won’t lie, at first, I thought, this is not my forte, this is going to be a challenge…

But Alison’s approach is to encourage us to take some action, because it all adds up. One success leads to the next and soon it was fun! My new discoveries are exciting, I found myself not wanting it to end, and was pleased to discover that the information in the class will always be available to me.

I encourage you to indulge in the Art of Good Business. I promise when you are done, your journey to business success will have just begun.”

-Rebecca Raymond

You can do this work at your own pace.

This course is perfect for self-starters–but after our Oct. Jam Session we’ll be doing the entire course together, LIVE, in January in our private Facebook group. You don’t have to do this work alone. I’ll be here to support you along the way!

You can sign up any time between now and Jan. to join the course live, but the Jam Session is happening next week so the time to register is NOW….well, technically you have until 9am EST on Oct. 22nd, but why wait? Sign up today so you don’t miss the Bonus Session!

Testimonial:

“It was worth every penny…I am so happy with the value of this course. I didn’t even know that all of THIS is exactly what I needed to know!“

-Cathy Lamb

The total investment in this program is $1,000. In return I give you everything I know about building a trustworthy brand & designing an engaging website that helps you attract more customers that love you.

Plus monthly livestreams in our private Facebook group, and lots of encouragement to get moving and “do the work” to implement changes in your business.

You’ll have access to hours worth of videos that complement the written content in your pdfs. You can do this course at your own pace, but you’re not alone.

A 4-payment plan is available and I do not charge any interest for the convenience of the payment plan. If this course is right for you I want you IN the course….I don’t want to put any speed bumps in the way.

Have a question for me? Shoot me an e-mail any time: floralartvt@gmail.com We can even hop on a call this week if you’re not sure if my course is right for you.

Testimonial:

“There is so much content in this course! Definitely exceeded expectations.

This course is great for anyone that is ready to refine their business practices. You have to be ready to take action for this to really make a difference.

I really enjoyed the live portion of the course…Felt like having you there with us.”

-Jessie Partridge

Ready to sign up? CLICK HERE TO ENROLL!

Note: Don’t sign up if you’re not willing to get out of your comfort zone and “do work”.
You’ll have to take action to get results.

I’ll be there to help push you over the finish line, but you have to take the first step to get started (read more)!

I look forward to welcoming some of you to my jam session and diving into The Art of Good Business with you!

With love from me to you,

Alison