A Frank Discussion is needed here...

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Rhonda

Rhonda

Well-Known Member
Nov 1, 2002
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Millinocket
www.millinocketflorist.com
State / Prov
Maine
HELP!!??
I am so "glib" at most times.... I have the gift of gab but am now having a very hard time describing what I need for basic info pages for my new website (by Strider, am I allowed to say that?)
I've been wandering around our member directory looking at member sites. Wondering if I've bitten off more than I can chew...Can't imagine naming arrangements if I can't write an "about us" page.
 
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I'm so glad you posted this. I'm having the hardest time figuring out what the heck I'm doing with my template site. I'm a web designer and I really don't know what the heck to write or much less describe. Maybe we can figure this stuff out. Are you doing a template site or a customized site?
 
Just tell your story...write a rough draft..then go back and edit. What would you like your customers to know about Millinocket? About you? About your shop's philosophy? Its' core beliefs. Just put on some music for inspiration and let it flow. It will come...just let it.
 
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alisonm1215 said:
I'm so glad you posted this. I'm having the hardest time figuring out what the heck I'm doing with my template site. I'm a web designer and I really don't know what the heck to write or much less describe. Maybe we can figure this stuff out. Are you doing a template site or a customized site?
Click to expand...
Template, so not sure how far or how contrite I need to be.

OOH...just dawned on me...can't we edit as we go along? Test it...like it fine..don't edit it?
This could take me months......forget that thought. I'm going to take the dog out!
 
Thank Aileen,
Rhonda, Me too. My problem is I don't want to look like or sound like all the other OG or other florist out there. Now I've fallen into this creative blank page and I can't seem to figure out the GUI either. I just figured out this morining that the FAQ area was for us to fill out not for our FAQ of Strider.Duh? but it has been about 5 days now and I would really like to get this party started. I did make some headway on some copy this morning before I opened the shop, but then the interruptions start and by this time of night I'm fried.
What is it you are stuck on in the about us section. I think the simpller the better.
 
For 'About Us', write like you are were telling a new customer about your shop. A little history, your focus on customer service, industry participation, community participation, etc.

In this day and age, it's good to say a bit about yourself and more about what you can and have done for customers. :)

Write something! And if you don't love it, keep editing.... just don't be paralyzed by perfection.
 
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I put basic adding my certification (mmfd) but after looking at some others I really want to add that we keep current with design keeping tradition in mind...
I love Mark's about us pages...lots of pics of the store (mine is much too small) I'd like to add our 19 year old cat and the dog greeter...keep it "homey and small town" without being sappy?
I want it as personalized as possible using the JH book until I get good enough with pics. After April I'll be wire service free and will rely on IFA and other methods so can't include the ws pics that I really like.
 
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Rhonda,
Here in lies my biggest hurdle with websites....

I sit and stare at it like I have no idea what to do...I think we are so trained for our shops to sell us and what people see that it is very difficult to put what we actually know and love about ourselves into words....

I have at least a hundred onf my own pictures that have yet to make it out of the website folder on my computer because I have given up on naming and descriding...but if no name or description they may as well not be on the web..You need to make the people, smell, see and feel the arrangements with words, harder than it seems...and I am a good talker myself, but when it comes to flowers it all seems so fakey and sappy to me..
 
I believe the benefit of maintaining your own site is that it can be changed occasionally.

We just started working on ours, after two months of letting it sit idle, so don't feel bad about 5 days! Don't rush your thoughts, but Cathy's phrase about being paralyzed by perfection is spot on. It's my achille's heel, though I'm learning that sometimes finishing is way better than letting something wait freakin forever for making it just right.

About us - personal, friendly, especially in a small town. If you're headed for lah-de-dah high end customers, maybe a little more formal. I think personal pics of the shop is great. I really want to include a staff intro for our employees .... I want the site to reflect how friendly we are in person, and want the readers to know who we are, all of us, even if we change employees. It will be a work in progress, just like our store. :)

I want to include a brief history of how our shop started too - but haven't decided how.

good luck everybody - it's kind of like therapy, thinking about this stuff. Makes you examine "who you are" as a florist. I'm very very excited!

:)
 
Maybe you should categorise things...

Colour
layout (just show them a couple that you like)
what you want to sell, gift bouquets, sympathy, weddings etc etc, make a list of what categories.

About us - to me it is not that important as i dont feel that all of the customers read it, so i would concentrate on the above more and then just go around others sites and see what they have written about themselves.

Strider did my site, i sent them a drawing of what i liked and what colour i wanted. They then did that and we ammended things along the way before it went live, you know font a different colour, different size. Once you have something basic to work with it is very easy. Dont forget these guys are the professionals so they know what they are doing.

I am the most untechy person in the world and if i can do it you can honestly. If you would like to look at my website that strider did you can at www.about-flowers.co.uk.

This may be a little bit unpersonal for you, over here the websites do tend to be a little less personal i find, although i have put a picture of the shop on my about us page. Also info on about us page tends to be more about what we do rather than a lot about the staff.

Anyway hope this helps a little. Good luck;)
 
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Two things stand out for me in this discussion. I very much like what you,Rhonda said about keeping current with design keeping tradition in mind. That's really exce llent. Next Palms said the about you is best about what you actually do. Sorry to say, If I were shopping about on the internet, I would not be interested in your dog and cat!!! I feel somewhat mean telling you that, but this is a frank discussion.
Sandra
 
I find that I'm stuck writing something informational, I start with the basics:
Who?
What?
Why?
When?
Where?
and How?

Once you start with the super basic information, you can start to edit and focus in on what's really important.

Another tip: Write it out the first time as it comes out of your head. Then re-write by editing out extra words you don't need, then re-write again shaving it down even more. We all tend to use way more verbage than needed to get across a simple point.

Especially me-when I post, I just write as it comes to me. If I was writing for something more "professional" I would edit the crap out it. But, since it's just for you guys.......;)

Hope this helps!
 
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My about us page is one of my top 5 pages viewed on a daily basis...it is the only place anyone can get to know you if they care to...it is like walking into a shop and starting a conversation with whom ever greets you....

I think of my webpage as my shop, the front page is my window display, the other pages are the shelves and cooler, the about us is me and my staff...but just because I think of it this way doesn't mean I am very good at writing it and making it sound like me...Like Tracy said it is always a work in progress...a PITA in my opinion but needed...even more for the future because there will be a day where we need the website more than the storefront...unfortunate in my eyes..
 
Quick suggestion...

I think it's a great idea to look at other florist's site that you like, but maybe draw inspiration for writing from general websites you like, too. What about them makes them appealing? Is it that things are written short and to the point, more images than words? Or do you prefer more description?

Look at what you've bookmarked, make brief notes, and then like others have said, just write something. A lot of times it's easier if you "prime the pump" by writing just anything, which might put you on a roll! :flowers:
 
yes Heather's website is great. I also like this one you posted in another thread, Thom. I love the informality and color:
http://www.rosenowfloral.com

Here's another fave of mine. http://www.mintsflower.com/

I agree with those who said it can be a work in progress. :)

Oh. just thought of something. I have a FAQ on my site of the questions I've been asked a lot, I think it's helpful especially if you have some unusual facet to your biz, like me sharing space with a spa. Or just a place to give info that you want people to have in an easy-to-digest form. I also put affiliations on my about us page, like SAF, bbrooks, a couple others.
 
Aw thanks! That means a lot. It's a work in progrees and probably always will be :) I need to get a pic of me and my sweetie like you have on yours
 
I'll tell you what, I have gotten sooooo many compliments and remarks from Brides that say that our website is so personal because they can see the people they are talking with.
 
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