If only it were as simple as mastering something on the second or third try! Sometimes we can get in a rut and think there is nothing more to learn, particularly when it’s been your specialty for years. So then, why is it important that florists continue educating themselves, regularly updating design methods, or even exploring new marketing techniques? We’ve compiled a list of effective ways to learn what’s new in the world of floristry and why it’s beneficial!
But first, why is it important to stay refreshed and continue learning?
- Use modern trends
- Stay up to date with social media
- Understand cost adjustments in an ever-changing market
- Branch out into new markets
- Get ahead of your competitors
- Venture into new styles, or renovate current ones
- To refresh your memory
- To switch up the day-to-day
- Find a new niche or clientele
- Expand your business
By staying regularly up to date with social media, you show that your business is current and relevant. A modern profile with consistent posting is more appealing to viewers than one who sparingly posts irrelevant content. One social media tip is to create a separate Instagram account or Facebook page for your business from your personal. All business posts should go onto the business account, this can include events, special deals or promotions, weddings, photos of your work, or shop updates. Posting content is necessary to be seen by audiences you don’t reach in person. Be selective with your posts and how your shop represents itself. There are millions of users spread across many platforms, and the way to hook your right audience is by being authentic, but occasionally utilizing trends such as reels, music on posts, “day in the life,” and behind the scenes. Read our blog Audiences Crave Authenticity for more ideas on how to come across the way you want to on social media!
By continuing your education, you can get ahead of your competitors and break into new markets. Focus on your timing and marketing to spot underdeveloped ideas and make them your own. While many flower shops offer “build your own bouquet flower bars,” have you considered a “kids bouquet workshop for Mother’s Day” or a partnership with your local bakery or coffee shop? Have you made a designing video series, or stood on the side of the road to give out a free flower for every person that follows your social media? Maybe you opened your shop in the 80s or earlier this year, nevertheless, the market changes constantly and it’s important to stay on top of your game. Continuing your education, developing your skills, and keeping marketing in mind will assist you more than you realize at first!
Now that you know it is beneficial to regularly refresh your knowledge, what are some ways to implement them?
Important ways to stay with the times:
- Regularly post content, have a calendar or schedule
- Venture into new styles, or renovate current ones
- Do a brand refresh if it fits your business and timeline
- Utilize social media (TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, posts, stories, reels)
- Revamp your space
- Develop a new way of doing things
Let’s break a couple of these down. First, venture into new styles, or renovate current ones. Be sure look for what is big right now and what is next. This can be with flower arrangement designs, your social media style guide, or details that you include in your shop. There is nothing wrong with sticking to the classics, in fact, staying consistent with branding, design motifs, and overall image is quite important. However, trying out new signature styles will not change the foundation of your flower shop, unless you are intentionally looking for a full renovation. If you feel like a certain look isn’t your style, try it with your own twist! The great news is you get to decide what trends you’d like to try out, so it is not permanent. Play around with garden style, ikebana, or modern surrealist; you just might surprise yourself!
Revamping your office, warehouse, design space, or the overall flower shop will bring a new energy into your business. A simple coat of fresh paint or a new set of doors can make a drastic change. Clean all of your vases, move boxes around, or build an entirely new design counter. Take a few days to change things up. However big or small, do whatever makes the most sense for your business! Making a space that feels authentic and allows for creativity to flow will only benefit your brand and overall business.
Perhaps the most important, develop a new way of doing things. This doesn’t have to mean completely reinventing your florist business, but it can mean trying out a new point of sale, a new card printing system, or a new wholesaler. The main idea is to get rid of any stagnation and prevent burn out. There are many ways to switch things up if you’re tired of the old ways of doing things. Want to try out new window displays? Do it! Want to shake up your marketing? Go right ahead! The only thing stopping you from where you are now and where you want to be is one small step at a time.
None of these dramatic changes happen overnight. Doing things with care takes time, and you care deeply for your flower shop. You wouldn’t be reading how to stay ahead of the curve if you didn’t! Be patient, try out a few helpful steps, and watch your progress.
Ways to gain new education:
- FSN Education Center
- Regularly attend conferences or showcases (Come see us on October 5 in Marlow, or the SAF Profit Blast, November 4 in Atlanta.)
- Get inspired by other designers work (Check out our #FSNFloristFriday’s to view arrangements made by some talented florists in our network!)
- Read design magazines
- Visit art galleries or design shows nearby
- Explore new avenues of creativity
- Refresh your passion for floral design
- Remember why you got into the floral industry in the first place
Check out the FSN Education Center for articles, blogs, and video series about design and marketing. Need step by step instructions for designing a meadow arrangement? We’ve got you covered! Want to learn how to advance your business without a storefront? Read our blog on just that. There are many new and exciting things just around the corner, so stay tuned and come learn with us!
By watching other artists, a creative person cannot help but want to replicate or create their own version of it. Art will always create other art. Inspiration will always lead to more inspiration. In a beautifully creative space such as a flower shop, let your curiosity, passion, and intrigue show through your work. By watching other designers or looking through floral magazines, it can push you to try something new. Perhaps another designer has a method you’ve never seen before, and it becomes the way you do things from there on out. You never know until that inspiration strikes! Don’t let something so precious as individuality and creativity be squashed by complacency. Revive your drive by visiting art museums or finding another way to express your need to create something beautiful, unique, or strange.
Do you remember why you got into the floral industry? Is there a sentimental story or a charming dream that came true for you? Is it something you regularly think about or has it become jaded in your mind? Consider thinking back to who you were when you got started, and what it was that kept you going. Did you listen to your gut or did the pieces fall right into place when you needed them? Was it a tiring journey or has it been all sunshine and roses? Whatever the answer, remembering what got you here is a big part of your business. Reconnect with your passion for floral design, business, marketing, or whatever it is that you love most about your flower shop!
Don’t let anything get in the way of growing your business, even if it’s burnout. Reignite your passion by continuing your education, remembering what it is that got you where you are today, and looking to the future. Progress in your business, utilize our tips for gaining new education, and find ways to stay with the times while remaining authentic. Stay ahead of the curve and start your own trends!