Real Flower Business

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By Alison Ellis Leave a Comment

The Results Are In: Real Florists Tell Me What They Think

Floralpreneurs were kind enough to share their feedback with me (thank you!) and in my last blog post I shared the #1 Thing florists told me they want to learn (you can read it here).  Today I want to share Thing 2; the #2 Thing Florists Need To Learn based on the survey results I received.

Thanks so much to all who took the time to share your thoughts with me! It really does help me to hear your input so that I can work to better tailor my course offerings and free content to meet your needs, struggles and wants. Everything I create is designed to help you better manage your successful and fulfilling small business.

Before I share “Thing #2” florists told me they need to learn, I want to let you in on more of the feedback florists gave me…


I asked: Do you feel confident that your brand is “as good as it can be”?

Real florists said:

“I’m not sure I really even have a brand…“

“I don’t think you can ever stop developing your brand. I need to improve in making my voice come through stronger. I struggle with the thought that I need to sound professional and businesslike while also be personable and show my voice without sounding like it is forced.”

“I am not good at “selling” myself.  I have a style that people can immediately identify as my work, however I haven’t been able to translate that at all via website. Of course I haven’t been good at taking photos of work—I’ve done tons of work with really nothing to show for it.”

I think every business owner can relate to these feelings….do I have a business or a brand?…what IS my voice?…I’m good at what I do, but I hate selling “me”.

Good brands are built, not born. It takes time and practice to develop a brand that goes “beyond just a business”.

 

The #2 Thing Florists Told Me They Want to Learn is “Website stuff”. Only 3% of respondents said they don’t update their own website! If “website stuff” is on your list of things to-do, then you will LOVE the Art of Good Business!


I asked: What made you think the course was NOT right for you…click below to watch!

It’s easy to understand that floralpreneurs expressed skepticism regarding the value of a $999 investment; on the other hand, some were not clear on what I was actually offering…and then, some were hoping they could buy just part of the course…But these are the stats that I found most interesting:

89% of florists told me hands down that the course was out of their budget…

However, only 1 florist said that she already works with her ideal clients, has an awesome website and a stellar client management process!

(And, by the way, I did have at least 2 men fill out my survey as well, so shout out to the guys, too!)


If only 1% of respondents is reaching her ideal clients and crushing it with her business, then it seems to me that florists really do need The Art Of Good Business and the results you can create for yourself once you take action and join my course here.


2 of most frequent answers as to why floralpreneurs did NOT sign up for The Art Of Good Business– #1. it was a busy time of year and #2, I was surprised to learn that most florists said they’d never taken an online course before.

I’d like to address ALL of your concerns regarding time, cost and “busyness” and invite you to 3 new sessions of The Art Of Good Business starting in November, January or March. And because people mentioned price as the #1 roadblock, I’m introducing a 4-payment plan.


Since we’re talking about price…

Think about the investment like this: what it would mean if you booked JUST 1 MORE IDEAL CLIENT after taking my course?……Would you make back your investment in 1 gig? Would it be worth it?

What if you booked 5 more ideal clients? Now, what if you consistently book more and more ideal clients every year from now on?…..what would that be worth?

Whether you missed the boat for the October session or you simply didn’t think it was worth the investment, think about where you are NOW….and consider where you want to be next year….2 years from now….5 years from now……What steps are you going to take to get there? How are you going to transform your business into a long lasting brand?

(I’ve spent almost $2k in online education in the past 3 months…at a time when I was “so busy” I knew I didn’t have time to fully absorb all the info, but I started anyway…and over the next few months I’ll be digging in.) I am not afraid to start before I’m ready….it’s the only reason I am where I am right now.


Being too busy or not having $999 in your budget can be a totally valid reason to not sign up for my course and I understand the feeling–it took a long time for me to decide it was worth the risk to try to figure out how to have a business that was branded and excellent; I had to take a leap and invest in myself if I wanted to move on to the next level with my biz.

I always felt like I had to do everything myself–for years–but I took my first leap on a conference in NYC with Marie Forleo & Danielle LaPorte called Selling Your Soul and I got so much value–so much inspiration–that I’ve been investing in my business education and development every year since.

Don’t wait until “the time is right”…..the time is NEVER right. There is always a holiday, or another project, or an upcoming “big ticket item” that we have to plan for….think about what it would mean if you booked JUST 1 MORE IDEAL CLIENT this my course…….would you make back your investment? Would it be worth it?


While most florists said that they had never taken an online course, of those who’ve taken online courses, over 6% of people had been disappointed in a previous online course they’d purchased.

I’m sorry to hear that and I’ve been there, too. When Flower Math first came out in November 2015 I purchased another pricing course to see how it compared and I was really disappointed in what I saw. Frankly, it was marketed to floral designers, but it wasn’t nearly specific enough and did not properly represent the industry standards on pricing & profits. It was heavily marketed to florists and I bet a lot of business owners bought it and didn’t get their proper value.

Bad courses happen. Your skepticism is warranted.

But if you’ve been burned before, don’t give up hope! I’ve invested in several online courses (admittedly not wedding or floristry related; they were highly vetted business courses) and each of them has majorly helped me to push my business to the next level.


Join the November session HERE.  Registration is open Nov. 1-30. Class begins Nov. 6th.

Doors Open for the next session Jan. 1-31.

As always, you can contact me with any questions you may have!

With love from me to you,

Alison


P.S.

When I asked you what you’re most interested in learning or improving, the hands-down response was “Pricing and profitability”. This doesn’t surprise me. My very first course is Flower Math, The Florist’s Guide To Pricing & Profitability, which I created because I know that there are really talented florists out there who still don’t have a firm grasp on how to price their work.

I know how important pricing and profits are to your small business. Since so many of you answered that this is what you’re most interested in learning or improving I’m introducing a 2-payment plan for Flower Math….you can start today if you’re ready.

November 2, 2017 — 1:46 am

By Alison Ellis Leave a Comment

Website Tips For Florists

Website Tips For Florists

I’ll be honest, when I started my business I had no clue how much time I’d spend working on my website.

Your website is one of your sharpest sales tools…

And it’s always a work in progress…

And it isn’t just about looking pretty.

Which comes first, a better website or better clients?

(Well, that’s not easy to answer, but a great website certainly can’t hurt!)

An excellent website is a must-have; this is not optional! Your website is your storefront and it represents your brand.

Your brand is how the world sees you….SO…what does your website say about your brand? (Not sure? Grab my free pdf HERE!)


When you scroll through your website, answer the following questions:

“Does your website…”

  • Lead your client through the pages you most want them to see?
  • Explain the booking/ordering process?
  • Represent your brand in its best light? (Is your website as professional as you are?)
  • Help you prescreen clients for style and budget?
  • Fully express what you do and what you sell? (You must be willing to sell on your site!)

If you didn’t answer a resounding “yes” to all of the above, it’s time to build your website and your brand!

Grab my FREE pdf “Website Tips For Florists” with my 6 Quick Fixes plus 3 More Tips to take your website even further!

Get your free pdf here!


And if you’re finally ready to level-up and create an awesome website that attracts your ideal clients and helps you book better gigs, CHECK OUT MY WEBSITE BOOTCAMP HERE!

You can do this work yourself with whatever website platform you already use!

It’s easy to get started.


 

Not sure if my course is right for you? I’m happy to answer any questions you may have before, during or after taking a course. You can easily reach me via e-mail right here: floralartvt@gmail.com

September 19, 2017 — 4:37 pm

By Alison Ellis Leave a Comment

Build A Better Website

Hello floralpreneurs! Do you run a one woman (or one man!) show when it comes to your website design, marketing, and overall business strategizing (i.e. what you do to attract ideal clients!)? If the answers is “yes”, I’ve got something for you!

Join me Monday, Sept. 18th in my FREE PopUp Group on Facebook with Website Tips For Florists. I’ll be live at Noon (EDT) on 9/18, but you can catch a replay in the group thru Sept. 30th.

Click HERE to join the free group!

Your website is your online storefront. It’s how the world sees you! And I know that honing your message to attract your ideal clients isn’t easy!

I’ve done a lot of work around this in my own floral design business and in my LIVE online course, The Art Of Good Business, I share with you exactly how I “do the work” to build a brand that attracts my ideal clients over and over again.

Ideal clients are a gift. I never take them for granted. Each and every time the “right client” finds me I am thrilled and reassured that the hard work I do is worth the effort! 

If you’re ready to make room for quality over quantity in your business (i.e. the RIGHT clients vs just “any” clients) I hope you’ll join me in my free PopUp group and then, make a leap to join me for The Art Of Good Business. (Door close Sept. 30th)

Not sure if my course is right for you? Get in touch! floralartvt@gmail.com 

We can even hop on the phone for a chat.

xo. -A

September 14, 2017 — 2:36 pm

By Alison Ellis Leave a Comment

Join me on Facebook

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!

real flower business, floral design courses, floral industry, floral design institute, business of flowers, floralpreneur

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!)

September 4, 2017 — 11:08 pm

By Alison Ellis 1 Comment

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.

 

 

July 24, 2017 — 12:44 am

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Welcome, Floralpreneur®.  I’m Alison Ellis, creator of Flower Math, published author, and founder of Real Flower Business. My online business courses and private coaching help floral designers increase profits, book great clients & build a better brand.  Learn More →

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