Real Flower Business

Education and Business Training for Floral Designers.

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What does 1 year in business look like?

Hey, floralpreneurs!

Growing a business is a journey. It’s not a sprint, not a straight line, and there’s no guarantee that anybody wants what you’re selling. I started my floral design business 15 years ago…before Facebook or social media pressures/rewards existed. When I started Floral Artistry I made my own business cards on my desktop computer and didn’t even have a website. It was a simpler time in many ways, but reaching a wider audience and making an impression is so much more possible now than it was “back then.”

The past year has been so intensely busy and absolutely rewarding. Did I set out to start a second business? Not exactly. I know a lot more about selling flowers than I know about selling courses… I love the business side of our business. And while I’ve never worked as hard as I have the past 14 months, I am so grateful for the connections I’ve made with florists across the globe.

In September 2015 I had the idea to create a pricing course for florists to teach everything I know about pricing and profitability. I spent the next 6 weeks working nearly around the clock to bring the course to life. Flower Math is a pricing “tell all” course that brings you behind the scenes of 3 real weddings with real profits and floral recipes to show floralpreneurs that IT IS POSSIBLE TO HAVE A PROFITABLE FLORAL DESIGN BUSINESS. You can provide value to your clients and turn a profit at the same time! I didn’t have any intentions to create other courses….Flower Math was “my only idea”…and it felt like a big risk to put it out there. It’s a serious look behind the curtain of my biz.

After I released Flower Math, a floral designer friend of mine (who also took my course), suggested that I make e-mail templates…and I do love client interactions and customer management!…so in Feb. I released 2 new courses: 12 E-mail Templates for Florists and How To Write Proposals That Sell. Then, in the fall, I released my Wedding Workflow which shares my 16 Steps to Client Management to show you how I’ve learned to step-up my customer service game over the past 15 years as a small business owner.

I appreciate every single person who took a leap of faith to purchase one of my courses. The thing that thrills me most is how many florists have returned to buy more than 1 course. That’s the highest compliment. There’s nothing more rewarding than earning trust. It’s crucial to building a brand.

My NEWEST COURSE will be LIVE Jan. 9-Feb. 6, The Art Of Good Business is a 5 week course on honing the voice of your brand, finding ideal customers (aka customers that love you!) and choreographing a customer service experience that will wow your ideal clients. My 2017 wedding season booked up more quickly than ever before thanks to the hard work and practice of building my brand. I’m going to walk through this course with you to show you exactly how you can do this hard work, too. Click here to see the course schedule.
BONUS: The first 10 people who register for The Art Of Good Business will also get a FREE one on one strategy session (value $249).

I’m in a unique position to work through this course with you because I’ve done the work to build my business and I’m also in the process of building a new business which means I’m experiencing new learning curves and lessons just about every week.

As I always say, Every year is a learning year!

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.
I want floralpreneurs to thrive!
Take advantage of free training on my blog and YouTube!
I’ve created lots of free educational videos for florists over the years.

Click below to watch The Worst Business Advice I Ever Took…I also share the BEST business advice I ever got! Check it out.

Read more about Alison here.

#floralpreneur #floralindustry #realflowerbusiness #theartofgoodbusiness

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Are you eager to book weddings? First, consider this….

In a seasonal business like weddings and events it can be a true test of confidence when one season comes to a close and you’re eager to book next year’s calendar.

This year I’m finding couples are booking much earlier for the upcoming wedding season and in fact, my calendar is nearly full. I may only take on 2 more weddings for next year. It’s nice when people plan ahead!

Whether your calendar is booking quickly or you don’t normally start booking until November or December, there’s an understandable eagerness to book ’em, and book ’em now!

BEFORE booking, it’s important that you’re on the same page with a potential customer…because this relationship has to endure several months of planning.

Doubt and uncertainty can lead to unnecessary hassles as a creative business owner and you don’t want to be in a position where you have to constantly reassure a client that you’re up for the job.

Don’t sign a contract with a customer you don’t trust, and don’t sign a contract with a customer who doesn’t trust you.

Click to watch: The Importance of Contracts in your Flower Business.

 

THE TAKEAWAY
Before signing a contract you must have a meeting of the minds.

It doesn’t matter if a client agrees to work with you if they question your every move.

You can’t invest too much time trying to convince people that you’re “worth it”.

The goal is to find clients who choose you for YOU.

If you need a proper contract for your clients, I share my weddings & events contract here in my course Contracts For Florists.

This downloadable pdf includes:

    • 14 Terms & Conditions of my contract,
    • 10 Additional clauses or phrases you may consider adding,
    • Things I will NOT agree to,
    • 1 parting thought, “Not everyone can be your customer!”,
    • Plus a Bonus E-mail Template: Can You Modify Your Contract?

A good contract should protect you/your business and define the working relationship with the client.

Always consult your attorney before implementing a legally binding contract or modifying your existing terms for a customer. (We’re florists, not lawyers.)

Thanks as always for reading and watching.

Keep
doing
beautiful
work.

With love from me to you,
Alison

Find a full list of my courses offerings EXCLUSIVELY for florists HERE.

real flower business, florist contract, contracts for florists

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Building a brand: A look at my most recent attempt at Branding My Biz.

Business owners can’t avoid the demands of the day….bookkeeping, employees, product sourcing, insurance, taxes….the list is long. And on top of all the things we “must” do, social media, branding and ideal clients are top of mind for most creative entrepreneurs.

Real flower business is what I care about.

I’m less concerned with appearing busy and more focused on creating business for myself.

Today’s video shares my most recent attempt at branding for my biz. If you’re looking for “more than a business card” you will want to see this branding tip.

I am by no means a branding expert. In fact, my lack of expertise in branding may be precisely why I’m well suited to share today’s video with you….because branding is complicated, but it could be simpler than you think.

I appreciate you taking a few minutes to watch.

 

YOUR BRAND IS HOW THE WORLD SEES YOU.
What are you doing to up-your-game around your brand or branding? Do you ask yourself, “Why do I keep getting clients with unrealistic expectations?”

It may be something you’re doing or saying on your website copy…or through your e-mail correspondence…or via your social media shares…or it may just be that you have too many inquiries to keep up with. If you’re attracting too many potential customers and you need to narrow your field.

Thanks as always for reading,watching and now, joining me on Facebook.

Keep
doing
beautiful
work.

With love from me to you,
Alison

Find a full list of course offerings HERE!

 

Above is a pic I snapped on my phone before delivering the bride’s bouquet on Saturday. It was worth arriving 30 minutes early to be able to take the time to find a few different spots!

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Welcome to Real Flower Business Blog

Hello, floralpreneur!

Thanks for noticing me! I’m truly happy that you’re here.

Welcome to my brand new blog.

I’ve been sharing free business education with floral designers for over 6 years now, first on FlirtyFleurs.com and via my YouTube channel, and now on my very own blog.

People often ask me why I share so much for free? The answer is easy:

I am passionate about the art of good business.

In October 2015 I invited florists to join my e-mail list and in November I released my very first online course, Flower Math, The Florist’s Guide To Pricing & Profitability.

I didn’t really have a plan when I created my first course. I knew there were florists who struggle to turn a profit and I knew I could show them exactly how I price my work & create recipes to ensure my profit margins. It felt like a big risk to share such an intimate behind-the-scenes look at my process, but it was all very organic (aka genuinely from my heart!) so I had to move through any worries or doubts about whether this was a good idea and just do it!

I didn’t have any intentions to create more courses. I thought Flower Math would be “my only course” because I hadn’t considered teaching any other topics.

Pricing is my wheelhouse.

Profitability is my jam.

Over the past year my e-mail list has grown to nearly 900 subscribers and a few months ago, I started a Facebook group just for floral pro’s (which has been pretty awesome and includes almost 900 members…and counting!) and now, here I am, blogging on my newly re-named website: realflowerbusiness.com.

This has been a major year of growth and production for me. 

I’ve never worked quite so hard…and it’s been really rewarding.

After I released Flower Math a florist-friend (half jokingly) suggested I make e-mail templates to help other floral pros with tricky or difficult conversations. I thought it sounded brilliant. I love to turn a phrase.

At the time I was already about half-way done with a proposal template I’d been working on, so I hopped right on it and about 2 months after releasing my “one and only course idea”, I suddenly had 2 new downloadable courses; 12 E-Mail Templates and How To Write Proposals That Sell.

A few weeks ago I released my third downloadable course, Wedding Workflow, which shares 16 Steps To Client Management. This course gives designers a look behind the curtain at my own personal approach to customer service from the initial inquiry to the post-wedding day follow-up and I’m really proud of the value it provides.

When florists tell me they used one of my templates and booked a gig or refused to reduce their price I celebrate that victory with them. What you say and how you say it tells your clients so much about who you are and what you’re willing to accept. Honing the voice of your business (and hence, our brand) is no small detail. I’ve been mining this area of branding and customer service for a long time…

And now I have my biggest course yet! The Art Of Good Business.

Business courses for florists, floralpreneur

This week I’m so excited to announce my newest and biggest course: The Art of Good Business.

Floralpreneurs will leave the course with a deeper understanding of who your ideal customers are and how to attract more customers that love you.

You’ll develop skills to identify your own unique blend of talents that make up your one-of-a-kind brand by looking inwards and practicing talking directly to ideal customers.

Florists will also learn how to better improve website engagement to increase inquiries and improve the overall first impression/first point of contact with potential customers.

In regards to customer service, florists will gain valuable strategies around client management, prequalifying customers and creating an outstanding customer service experience.

You can read the full details on my sales page here. I call my new course “a digital experience” because I will be walking through the course with you virtually from start to finish.

I’ll be hosting a private Facebook group to correspond with the course with monthly livestreams and live office hours so I can answer your questions in real time. I will vary the times a bit to allow designers in other time zones/hemispheres to hop on for some live discussions. (I know some of my favorite Aussie’s are usually sleeping when I host live events! I don’t want you to miss out!)

So that’s the word. My “big reveal”. I have a newer, bigger, “more online than ever before” online course and it is awesome!

Click here to read what florists say about The Art of Good Business!

And…I’m blogging now! So you’ll be able to hop on over here to find the free content you’ve come to know (and hopefully love) from me.

If you have questions for me or want to drop me a line any time you can reach me at info@floralartvt.com

Thanks so much for stopping by my new blog!

Keep doing beautiful work!

With love from me to you,

Alison

P.S. If you’re a floralpreneur who’s digging my content please share the love with a floral designer you know and love!

Have you tried my free courses?

Save on Bunch Pricing…


Find a full list of course offerings HERE!

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