Real Flower Business

Education and Business Training for Floral Designers.

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What’s your 3 year plan?

Hey, Floralpreneur®,

Where do you want your business to be 3 years from now?

It may not sound super sexy, but…

planning ahead is not only necessary when you own a business, it’s actually really clarifying! Which is why I’m inviting up to 30 business savvy floral designers to a 4th Quarter Planning Session*!

Getting clear on what you want in your business–not what someone else wants in their business, but what works for your world, your life, your income goals, and your unique branding qualities–well, that can be the most liberating thing you can do for yourself in this next year in business!

Are you making plans this year to ensure you reach your future goals?

If you’re not sure where to start, we can chart this course together!

Ready to map out a plan for your business over the next 3-5 years?

Join me for a 4th Quarter Planning & Productivity Jam Session, October 22-26!

This is a bonus planning session for florists who’ve enrolled in The Art of Good Business* and I’m inviting up to 30 new enrollees to join us, too.

*You’ll be invited to this bonus planning session when you sign up for The Art of Good Business before October 22!

(scroll down for more details on the course & scholarship opportunities!)

New! Scholarship Opportunity

I’ll be awarding 2 full scholarships to join my planning session and my course for free!

Click HERE to fill out a scholarship application!

This program requires you to “do work”. If you do the work, you will get results!…and I’ll be here to help along the way with a live session of the course in our private Facebook group this January!

Note: The scholarship value for The Art of Good Business is $1,000.

Applications must be received before midnight on October 12th.

floral industry, Art of Good Business, floralpreneur

Marketing and branding is complex.

Talented florists often thrive in the creative aspects of the business, while the critical elements of marketing and “selling yourself” can be more frustrating and elusive.

I mean, what IS the best way to find the right customers year after year?

How CAN you market your business in a way that feels authentic to you–and not an imitation of someone else?

What steps are you going to take in order to fully express your one-of-a-kind style & brand? (You know, “the thing” that brings people to you/your business over any of your competitors!)

About The Art of Good Business:

This online program teaches you how to stand out from your competition by identifying your unique branding strengths so that you can run a business that feels authentic, trustworthy and fulfilling.

The Art of Good Business shows you how to tackle your marketing 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.

You don’t have to be a branding expert to have a reputable brand, but you do need to dig deep to discover your most valuable selling points. This is the work we do in The Art of Good Business and it’s easy to get started…

 Click HERE to enroll today. 

Who is The Art of Good Business for?

You may be a talented floral 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 The Art of Good Business is made for you!

Testimonial:

“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 Floral

How can you transform your business into a brand?

Attract awesome clients (and repel clients who aren’t a good fit),

by designing an engaging website (that converts into sales),

and choreograph your client management (take the lead to establish trust),

so that you can build an integrity brand that eliminates the competition.*

*If you’re about to update your website or refresh your branding, then you’ll want to do the work in this course first! 

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE COURSE!

*Pro tip: At some point you have to stop worrying about what your “competition” is doing so that you can focus in on what you’re actually doing to attract more clients who love you!

 

Do you bootstrap your floral business?

If you’re anything like me, you probably “do it all”….sure, maybe you hire some help for deliveries or design work, and if you can afford it, you may have a bookkeeper handle all your business receipts & payroll…

But for the most part, you’re do it yourself-er. DIY floral biz owners make every decision from which shade of blush garden rose you’ll order, to how you spend advertising dollars, to the sales copy on your website, to the big-picture planning and forward thinking.

This business has a lot of moving parts to manage all at once…especially in the midst of a busy wedding season!

It can be hard to plan ahead when you’re struggling to just keep up with what’s happening this week, but we’ll dive deep into The Art of Good Business together to make sure you make progress, not just plans!

Here’s what you’ll learn in the course…

  • Gain valuable strategies around how to prequalify customers so that you’re not wasting time with clients who aren’t a good fit;
  • Florists will 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.

I teach you how to level-up with actionable steps & stellar tips so that you can perfect your brand’s messaging in The Art of Good Business!

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 learn more about what’s included in the course.

Or Click HERE to fill out a scholarship application!

You can check out a free preview of the course HERE!

Scholarship requirements and application guidelines are as follows:

1. You must have a website for your business.
2. Scholarships are for floral retailers; home-studio florists, flower growers and brick & mortar shops are welcome to apply.
3. Your business must be at least 3 years old (established no later than December 2015)…even if it’s still only part-time!
4. You’ll be asked to list out your SWOTs (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities & Threats). (If you need more info on this, Google it! You don’t have to know everything to run a business, but the Google can answers these sorts of questions for you.)
5. Submit a video introduction! Introduce yourself on a short video (5 minutes or less) and tell me what your business is currently known for as well as where you’d like to be in the next few months to 5 years in your biz.

This program requires you to “do work”. If you do the work, you will get results!…and I’ll be here to help along the way with a live session of the course in our private Facebook group this January!

Note: The scholarship value for The Art of Good Business is $1,000.

Applications must be received before midnight on October 12th.

Click HERE to fill out a scholarship application!

floral design business courses, floristry, floral design, Alison Ellis

Learn more about Alison here.

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Reaching Your Potential As A Florist

Can you remember who you were, before the world told you who you should be?

-Danielle LaPorte (from The Fire Starter Sessions)

In The Fire Starter Sessions, Danielle LaPorte writes, “Invest in your second nature.” She goes on to talk about “the acorn theory”; the idea that we’re all “born with a soul that shapes our destiny–that our full potential already lives within us.”

The theory was first published by James Hillman. He explains it like this:

The acorn theory expresses that unique something that we carry into the world, that is particular to us, which is connected to our “daimon”.

(The Greek word, daimon, can be considered your “inner voice”. The Roman word was genius, and the Christian word is guardian angel.)

To quote Hillman, “They are all a little bit different, yet each expresses something that you are, that you have, that is not the same as the personality you think you are.”

In other words, we must make our way through the layers of soil and compost and debris until the conditions are right and we’re ready to grow to our true potential.

Because you were born an acorn…with everything it takes to become a huge oak right inside you. And it’s been there all along.

It does take time to perfect your processes and meet (or exceed) your goals and make enough money to quit your “other job“….and the time it takes to streamline, perfect and practice can feel pretty dark some days.

We’re going to spend some time in the dark before we can burst into the light!

So this post is for the late bloomers–the floralpreneurs who’ve lived a first life before pursuing a floral dream or falling into flowers as a side-hustle…

And it’s for the determined–the florists who try and try and then, try again, because there are always more layers to break through in this work to get to the light….

The florists who’ve worked slinging stems in someone else’s flower shop for a decade or two, and are finally branching out on their own….

The newly retired, newly single, new moms, new grandmas, new floristry students, basement Betty’s….

This one is for you….wherever you are on your floral journey….

I’m honored to be on this journey with you.

 

real flower business, online education for florists

Whether you’re a newly aspiring floral designer or a seasoned pro, I hope you’ll take advantage of some of my free resources, as well as my pdfs and online courses for florists.

Here’s an e-mail I received recently:

“Every email you send or post you make I find myself nodding my head and saying “yes…. yup… great advice… totally agree… that’s me… she’s spot on…”
You see, I’m one of your “seasoned” Floralpreneurs. July 1 marked the 24th anniversary of [my business]. I started slowly and have built my business thoughtfully and sustainably. All the things you teach are a confirmation to me that I’ve been doing it right! (that and having my biz sustain me and now my family for the past couple decades.) Your reminder that COGS should be no more than 30% has me tightening up a little bit. (I was just under 30% for 2017 and also for this year so far… but sometimes there’s that one wedding that sneaks over. I’m even more vigilant now thanks to you!)
I admire your floral business AND your Real Flower Business….Thanks for doing what you do! I look forward to connecting with you and participating in your group.“

Remember you don’t have to buy anything from me to be a floralpreneur! Join us over in my free Facebook group HERE!

Thanks for taking the time to read my blog today.

Keep doing beautiful work!

With love from me to you,

Alison

 

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Floralpreneurs Go Greener

OK, floralpreneurs…..can I get real for a minute?

I LOVE being a floral designer. Love it. It was my first job, it’s been my only real job for 24 years!….but the reality of the environmental impacts of floristry are pretty ugly.

From the pesticides that growers and florists are exposed to, to the monocultures that produce them, to the plastic packaging, to the transportation and distribution, to the preservatives added to the water to extend longevity, to the floral foam, to the “waste”….well, this is all “less than pretty”.

So what can we do to be more eco-friendly in our business?

Let’s pledge to do more this year with a Go Greener Challenge!…You in?

Even if you’re not 100% green, what can you do to get 1 or 2 or 3 steps closer to green-er?

I came up with 8 super easy steps to get us started…..

1. Eliminate or reduce the amount of floral foam you’ll use this year.

#nofloralfoam has support on Instagram….it’s not just good for the environment to be eco-friendly, it’s also very fashionable.

You can sell your “no foam” approach as a positive.

“I cannot make that design as I would in foam, but here’s what we can do instead to create something beautiful without the green stuff.”

Ariella Chezar is all for the no floral foam approach. Chickenwire, waterproof florist tape and armatures are used in its stead. I attended a workshop with Ariella recently where she was using my friend, Holly Chapple’s, new plastic “egg” or “pillow” which are both now available from Syndicate Sales. It’s an amazing alternative to foam and it’s incredibly versatile. Give it a try; you’ll dig it.

2. Buy locally grown flowers.

If you buy locally grown flowers (particularly organically grown!) you’re supporting a local source and voting for the environment with your dollars.

Check out Debra Prizing’s Slow Flowers movement!

3. Shop local.

Shopping local is a huge priority for my business. I will pay more for something from a business that’s owned and operated in my state because source matters to me. Whether it’s organic or a purchase from my wholesaler, location matters.

Maybe you can get it shipped directly for less….or maybe it’s worth supporting your local supplier!

4. Don’t waste water.

Turn off the sink instead of letting the water run when you’re washing or filling buckets, fix that leaky faucet, reuse water from buckets instead of “just dumping it” once a bucket is empty if it’s only a day old, take any small step toward conservation.

5. Compost.

I know this is required in some regions and that’s the way it should be! Compost your organic waste. I have a compost pile that’s just for my “business waste”; this pile will not be used on the garden as I’m not exactly sure what pesticides the flowers may have been treated with when they were grown. So I’ll compost them, but I won’t spread it around the yard.

6. Drop a product.

Is there a preservative you use to process your flowers that you can do without? Is there 1 chemical you can drop? Even a more earth-friendly cleaning product for your shop is a step in the right direction.

7. Don’t do “not eco-friendly stuff” just because the client wants it!

Just think about the environmental impact when people release balloons or light those paper lanterns that were popular until people started seeing the impact on wildlife…if you’re working on a gig make sure it meets an ethical environmental standard that aligns with your vision.

8. Repurpose leftovers instead of tossing them at the end of the week/event.

It’s going to take work and time….and time is money….but if you can reduce your loss and turn the flowers you pick up from an event or consider your “loss or overage” for the week into a giveaway/windfall in your local community, that’s its own form of being more mindful and repurposing what you have. (Small steps count….think The Lonely Bouquet, for example.)

It’s not easy being a green florist…

I know that it’s hard to consider yourself “environmentally friendly” if you work in the floristry trade…unless you’re an organic grower and you don’t use any chemicals or pesticides, in which case you’re making huge strides as an eco-friendly florist!…..but for those of us who are “more traditional florists” when it comes to sourcing and methods, we can still take steps to lower our impact once the flowers reach our doorstep. That is always my goal, but I realize I can do even better and try even harder to be more eco-friendly. Maybe you can find ways to take steps to be greener, too.

Leave a comment below (scroll down!) if you want to take the Go Greener Challenge with me! 

Let’s see what we can do. Today, tomorrow, all year long.

Oh, and Happy Earth Day, y’all.

With love from me to you,

Alison

Have you tried a free course?

Click here for a full list of free course offerings!

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Because You’re a Maker

It doesn’t matter if your favorite blog is closing because you are a maker.

And you will make more. You will keep on making until you’re done. Because that’s what makers do.

We design because we love this work.

We take classes and seek out inspiration from other florists we admire because we love to do this work really well.

Click to watch “What does it mean for your business now that Style Me Pretty is closing?”:

It cannot be the end of your marketing plan if your favorite blog closes its doors.

It’s OK to miss it….a lot of people who’ve been devoted fans for many years may miss it.

But you are a maker. You’re the one who makes the content that beautiful blogs want to share. You’ll make more. And more….and more.

Remember: The only thing you own online is your own website!

It’s the only thing you truly control. Instagram, Facebook, just like your favorite blog, can disappear, too, so what’s your plan for when that happens? Where will your best stuff be then?

On your own website, floralpreneurs. That’s where you want to shine.

What to do now: Instead of simply moving those ad-dollars to another online platform, re-invest back into your own business!

 

Put that ad budget into a website upgrade, take an online course….or attend a workshop….or take the funds and give yourself a raise.

You are your own best representative for your business. You have the power to get that SEO all on your own. The power is in your hands (and inside your computer….aka on your website!).

Keep doing beautiful work!

With love from me to you,

Alison

Click for more:

 

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Can you be professional without a storefront?

It’s not always easy to work from home.

But it’s not unprofessional to “not have a shop”.

A shop doesn’t make you “more professional”. Your talent-level isn’t related to your workspace.

If you create beautiful work and provide excellent customer service….from home, a small studio, or your basement or garage….don’t feel inferior due to a lack of storefront.

Click to watch, Can you be professional without a storefront:

A few questions for you:

How many people do you allow in a consultation?

Do you prescreen clients with a phone consultation?

Consultations are an investment of time and I like to start with a phone consultation.

We can arrange an in-person meeting if we both feel we’re a good fit.

I can put together a quick proposal and quote after a consultation to get the ball rolling, make sure we’re on the same page; it’s essential to have a meeting of the minds.

Have you signed up for my FREE e-mail course, How To Book More Weddings More Quickly?

Check it out my FREE course HERE to get some of my best tips for booking more clients in less time.

Thanks for stopping by and checking out some of my Real Flower Business “stuff” today!

Keep doing beautiful work, floralpreneur.

With love from me to you,

Alison

Find a full list of my course offerings HERE.