Real Flower Business

Education and Business Training for Floral Designers.

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Hello floralpreneurs! I’m just coming down from a super busy 2 weeks, but starting Sept. 5th I’m launching my LIVE course, The Art Of Good Business and that means I have lots of awesome free content lined up this month to get you geared up for the class, which begins Oct. 2nd.

Tuesday, Sept. 5th, I’m dedicating my livestream to answering a question I received last week….a vent/question I received last week….on undercutting.

It’s a good one so I hope you’ll join me live at 10am (EDT) on Tues. And if you can’t join me live, catch a replay any time.

All September long I’ll be talking about attracting awesome clients, building a better website to increase engagement (and repel clients you don’t want to work with), choreographing client management (so you’re clearly in the lead) and building a brand that eliminates the competition.

Sound good? If so, join me for free livestreams this month. Click here to join!

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If you like my free stuff, you’ll LOVE my courses and if you’re truly ready to dig deep and take a good look at where you are vs where you want to go….join me for The Art Of Good Business this October. (see the course schedule here!)

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What happens after you meet a bride?

What do you do after meeting a potential client?

A floralpreneur® submitted this question in my Facebook group:

Q: What is your workflow after meeting a bride? Do you give them an estimate or a detailed proposal?

She went onto say: “Right now after meeting with a bride we figure up what flowers we are using and recipes and build our proposals. I am always calling getting prices on flowers for whatever month it is unless it is something I already have an idea about. It is so time consuming! Are we going about this all wrong?”

Well, if it’s taking more time than you’re willing to commit before booking a client, then the answers is YES!

It’s essential to streamline your workflow and create processes that are:

  • easy to follow,
  • accommodating to potential clients,
  • and allow you to take complete control over the booking process, planning process and beyond.

Over the past 15 years I’ve developed my proposal template so that I’m spending no more than 2 hours on the pre-qualification, consultation and proposal writing process.

You can sign up for my FREE e-mail course “How To Book More Weddings More Quickly” HERE where I share some of my best tips to booking the right clients more quickly.

I do not create recipes before booking an event. If I’ve “never made something like this before” I will create some recipes to determine a stem count and possibly bounce ideas off of another floral designer, but I don’t create a recipe for every single bouquet and centerpiece before I get a commitment from the client.

Here’s why….

I’ve set some minimums on each piece which I can use as a jumping off point when I create a quote.

A professional florist should be able to determine the baseline price for a bouquet based on an inspiration photo and their own pricing experience.

Do your centerpieces start at $75? $95? $125?….what is your starting point? What’s your “average”? What’s your “premium” price?

When you’re unsure about pricing, you must do the math! Will you use 12 roses, 6 callas and 5 dahlias? Can you make it with 9 roses, 5 callas and 3 dahlias? What’s the price difference in each of these designs? What price will you quote to THIS client for THEIR desired look? What does it cost to achieve their ideal outcome?

It’s so important to “think like a flower shop”, as I always say, and think of flowers in retail dollars. Yes, it may take time to learn the “average wholesale cost of snapdragons in August”, but it’s not hard to remember that snapdragons are usually $3 retail or $2.50 or $4….what do you SELL it for? That’s the number to focus on.

Moral of the story….

Your time is valuable and so are your design ideas, which is why you have to create processes that allow you to provide potential clients with enough information that they can easily choose you, but not so much information that feel like you’re giving away too many ideas to a client who’s “shopping around” and may decide to just take your ideas somewhere else. (Speaking of which, have you seen my post on O.P.P? check it out here.)

Thanks for checking out my Real Flower Business “stuff”….keep doing beautiful work!

xo. -Alison

Additional resources:

  • Grab my FREE e-mail course “How To Book More Weddings More Quickly” here!
  • Get my 16 Steps To Client Management HERE in my Wedding Workflow!
  • Can Florists Write Proposals Without A Recipe? read it here!

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What’s Good In Your Business?

Hey, Floralpreneur,

What’s Good? I mean what is really good in your business right now?

Are you crushing it in your design work this year?

Are clients over-the-moon happy with your professionalism and attention to detail?

What are people thanking you for lately?

Acknowledge the things that are going well in your business; congratulate your employees if they’ve helped you get here!

What’s happening in your business that you’re especially proud of?

What progress have you made over the last year…or two…or ten?

floral industry, floral training, business courses, floralpreneur

Now, what’s next?….

Every year I set a new goal. I identify an area with “room for improvement” and I get to work on that.

One year it may be a website upgrade (i.e. an investment in my business);

another year, I may focus more on the numbers (how much profit as a % am I making on each event, what’s the average sale, what’s the total sales projection for the year?);

it may even be as simple as reorganizing my workbench. (It doesn’t have to be “major” to be a significant change. Simply streamlining the physical work space counts toward this “room for improvement” goal.)

Momentum builds…

A few years ago I made a decision to spend more time on boutonnieres and corsages. It’s an area I’d often leave until last and then rush through a bit as I just wanted to “get it done”. Once I made a serious effort to dedicate more care and patience into my bouts and corsage work, I was happier with the end product!…and now it’s just “the way I do it”.

Each year’s resolution for improvement builds upon the last until the brand is stronger and stronger through practice and dedication to excellence in as many areas as humanly possible.

The moral of the story…

As small business owners we cannot be perfect in all ways at all times, but we must continually set new goals and raise the bar for ourselves if we’re doing the work of a good brand.

floral jewelry, floral bracelet, real flower business, Alison Ellis

Here’s a floral bracelet I made late on a Friday night for a wedding on Saturday.

Even though I’d had a long day, I kept my commitment to quality….because I’m the one who sets the standards.

Hey, have you unlocked The Vault yet? Get it for only $13 here.

Read more on setting standards for your work here!

Find out about more Alison here.

 

 

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Contracts For Florists

I’ve been asked about florist contracts and my usual response has been, “I am not a lawyer. I don’t give advice on contracts.”

I’ve received quite a few questions on contracts over the past few months, which indicates that this is something floralpreneurs really need, so I decided to open up my wedding contract to you, and added some important notes, plus 10 additional clauses you might want to consider for your own contract….then, I threw in a bonus e-mail template, “How to tell someone you cannot modify your contract.”

Voila! Contracts For Florists is available NOW. And it’s On Sale for $79 ’til 11pm Monday, 7/17.

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Here’s what’s included:

Contracts For Florists includes 14 Terms & Conditions of my contract,

10 Additional clauses or phrases you may consider adding,

1 parting thought, “Not everyone can be your customer!”,

Plus a Bonus E-mail Template: Can You Modify Your Contract?

Here are 10 Points Not To Miss:

  1. Acceptance clause. (Section 3 of my contract! This one is essential.)
  2. Things I won’t agree to. (Can I get an A-mend?)
  3. Minimums and reduction clauses. (What’s the bottom line?)
  4. Exclusivity clause. (Only You.)
  5. Disputes. (Who’ll litigate, mediate or arbitrate?)
  6. Rights to use images & Make substitutions!
  7. Force majeur. (‘cause every contract’s gotta have one.)
  8. Rentals. (Security deposits and billing for damaged goods.)
  9. Additional work. (May be billed.)
  10. Payments & Termination. (Who can cancel?)

LEGAL DISCLAIMER: I AM NOT A LAWYER. I’M A FLORIST! (BUT YOU KNOW THAT!) The information in this course is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. The author is not liable for any losses or damages related to actions of failure to act related to the content in this course. If you need specific legal advice, consult with an attorney.

THIS COURSE INCLUDES THE EXACT LANGUAGE OF MY WEDDINGS/EVENTS CONTRACT, AS WELL ADDITIONAL SUGGESTIONS FOR TERMS & CONDITIONS YOU MAY WANT TO CONSIDER ADDING, HOWEVER, YOU SHOULD CONSULT AN ATTORNEY WHEN DRAFTING A CONTRACT.

Click HERE to buy Contracts For Florists. Retail Price $99. On Sale Now for just $79 (1-day-only-price!)

Click here to watch my video “If you’re eager to book weddings….First, consider this…”

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Is floristry an art or a commodity?

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.

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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. Share on X

The 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

  1. 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.
  2. 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.

Try a FREE Course HERE!

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