Editor's Note: This week's lead article comes from Joe Guggia, AIFD.
Where would we be without our beloved Internet? Just a touch of a few keys gives us information about almost anything we can think of. How about those DIY videos?
Any crafty soul can learn how to design flowers in just a few minutes. And a few believe, once they have a few skills, they’re a bonafide “designer, dahling.”
I viewed some YouTube floral design videos and was totally shocked at what I saw. One lady, sitting at her kitchen table, took some flowers and more or less threw them into a vase. And she had 65,000 hits! Others were by quality designers, boring as heck, but informational.
This got me thinking: Why don’t more florists jump on this bandwagon and show their clients the correct way to design flowers? They’re doing it anyway, so you might as well make some quality cash by showing them proper design skills and techniques. DIY is here and there’s no turning back!
Florists have the perfect set for design seminars: Great tools, proper lighting, a cooler, extra flowers, and usually a great space for a group to gather around a table or tables. With your quality “know how” you can wow them with your creative process. People love being around their florist, and will love you more when you’re done. Have no fear about them taking business away from you. You’re quality, and while they may do a dinner party or two, you still will be their choice when they really need to make a big impression (think: weddings, anniversaries, fundraisers). They will come back for your marked up supplies because they trust your judgement and abilities.
Deciding what to charge is something to think about. By no means cut yourself short on this cash cow. You’re worth it, have the experience, and deserve to get paid for it. If it’s a one night class, you should charge at least $35 ( or $50 or $75, depending on your market) per student. Being confident that your skills warrant what you’re paid and do not be afraid to charge it. If you’re doing a 3 day class, charge for the class in one lump sum for the three days. It is difficult when you have a retail business going on, but work it so they can see how a flower shop runs. People love that, and trust me, they will admire it all more than putting you out of business. Once they realize how much work it really is, these students will think twice about the whole journey.
Sharing in our wonderful floral industry is so vital. I do lots of sharing on my YouTube channel “Joe Guggia: Floral Sharing” with a Facebook page by the same name. I love helping florists find their true value. Show your talents and prove your worth by charging your lovely clients for that valuable time and experience. Time for you to be the local DIY floral guru and bring in some extra cash to help your journey….it’s going to happen anyway, so let’s embrace this fact and be on the top of the mountain!
Where would we be without our beloved Internet? Just a touch of a few keys gives us information about almost anything we can think of. How about those DIY videos?
Any crafty soul can learn how to design flowers in just a few minutes. And a few believe, once they have a few skills, they’re a bonafide “designer, dahling.”
I viewed some YouTube floral design videos and was totally shocked at what I saw. One lady, sitting at her kitchen table, took some flowers and more or less threw them into a vase. And she had 65,000 hits! Others were by quality designers, boring as heck, but informational.
This got me thinking: Why don’t more florists jump on this bandwagon and show their clients the correct way to design flowers? They’re doing it anyway, so you might as well make some quality cash by showing them proper design skills and techniques. DIY is here and there’s no turning back!
Florists have the perfect set for design seminars: Great tools, proper lighting, a cooler, extra flowers, and usually a great space for a group to gather around a table or tables. With your quality “know how” you can wow them with your creative process. People love being around their florist, and will love you more when you’re done. Have no fear about them taking business away from you. You’re quality, and while they may do a dinner party or two, you still will be their choice when they really need to make a big impression (think: weddings, anniversaries, fundraisers). They will come back for your marked up supplies because they trust your judgement and abilities.
Deciding what to charge is something to think about. By no means cut yourself short on this cash cow. You’re worth it, have the experience, and deserve to get paid for it. If it’s a one night class, you should charge at least $35 ( or $50 or $75, depending on your market) per student. Being confident that your skills warrant what you’re paid and do not be afraid to charge it. If you’re doing a 3 day class, charge for the class in one lump sum for the three days. It is difficult when you have a retail business going on, but work it so they can see how a flower shop runs. People love that, and trust me, they will admire it all more than putting you out of business. Once they realize how much work it really is, these students will think twice about the whole journey.
Sharing in our wonderful floral industry is so vital. I do lots of sharing on my YouTube channel “Joe Guggia: Floral Sharing” with a Facebook page by the same name. I love helping florists find their true value. Show your talents and prove your worth by charging your lovely clients for that valuable time and experience. Time for you to be the local DIY floral guru and bring in some extra cash to help your journey….it’s going to happen anyway, so let’s embrace this fact and be on the top of the mountain!
