how to make money Archives - Little Bird Bloom

Instagram Reels for Florists – 3 Things to Know

Feeling left out of the loop when it comes to Instagram Reels for florists? You're not the only one. Does the thought of adding yet another thing to your ever-growing to-do list feel impossible?

I've gotcha covered.

I'm here to give you the low-down on Instagram Reels for florists and share the three most important things you gotta know.

Instagram Reels for Florists

Instagram launched Reels in Brazil in late 2019. They then rolled it out internationally in 2020.

Now, as we are on the doorstep of 2021, it's become a fairly standard part of most businesses marketing repertoire on Instagram.

As is the case with most new features on Instagram, the algorithm is going to prioritise users who are using their newest features. You're bound to have heard the stories of new business launches in 2020/2021 and growing to 10,000, 100,000 +++ in just a matter of months simply because they jumped on the Instagram Reels bandwagon early.

And now you're wondering WTF you gotta do with Instagram Reels for Florists. If you're anything like me, you're barely comfortable showing your face on camera and now Instagram wants you to dance and point and lip-sync some silly lyrics?

Is this whole scenario just bringing up more anxiety and making you question all your life choices even more? You're not alone.

That's precisely why I wanted to put together this blog post, to help you short-cut your success and learn the right strategy to follow for Instagram Reels for florists.

Rule #1: Think Like Your Customer

Let's switch gears for a minute. Close your eyes and imagine you are your customer (...actually don't close your eyes, that'd make reading the rest of this read hard).

If you sell daily flower deliveries, where do you think your customer turns to when they're looking to order flowers?

One of two places:

Google
Instagram Search

Do you know what your customer doesn't do...they don't start following a random florist on Instagram in the hopes that one day they'll need to order flowers from them, remember they follow them, go in and explore their feed, check out their Instagram shopping and then send flowers.

Nope.

Most of your followers are following you because they like pictures of pretty flowers. Better yet, they like free pictures of pretty flowers.

You'll find thousands of business coaches, teachers and mentors spouting out the importance of increasing engagement and giving you tips to crack the algorithm. Because in most industries it's your followers that are going to translate into your paying clients.

But it's not the case in floristry. Our followers are fans of flowers, fans of free flower photos. If that follower doesn't know anyone in your delivery area, they are never going to buy from you.

If that follower is never going to host a wedding or event in your area, they are worth $0.

Stop Following the Crowd

Where florists get themselves into trouble is assuming marketing flowers is the same as marketing shoes, notebooks or even a cafe.

It's not.

Marketing your flower business requires you to question every assumption and step outside the square.

This includes how you approach Instagram Reels (and even TikTok for that matter).

Instead of wondering how to approach Instagram Reels for florists, stop for a second and ask yourself a different question:

If Instagram Reels are a shortcut to help you increase engagement, grow your following and crack the Instagram algorithm...but never leads to a paying customer, increased revenue or a new enquiry...is it a good use of your time?

Only you can answer that for yourself.

You can decide you love Instagram Reels for the creative expression, the challenge and discomfort of stepping out of your comfort zone or because you want to experiment with your messaging in a new medium.

If, on the other hand, you feel obligated to jump into Instagram Reels for Florists because you think it's going to help you grow your business, get customers and increase your revenue, I'll challenge that thinking.

At the end of the day, there are three things you gotta know about Instagram Reels:

Yes, it will help you grow your following.
If you feel awkward when you're doing it, you're doing it right
Your Followers ≠ Your Customers

If you need help figuring out how to promote your flower business on Instagram, also be sure to check out this super helpful blog post: How to Promote Your Flower Business on Instagram

When it comes to getting more enquiries and growing your business, your #1 is to put yourself in your customer's shoes.

Map out their exact path to purchase. How will they find out about you? Where are they looking for a florist? What matters to them the most?

Get super specific, write it down and make it your only goal to be where your customers are actively searching for a florist.

And yes, if it feels like you're not following the crowd, not doing what everyone else is doing...you're probably doing it right.

The Easy Way to Get Found on Instagram (Podcast Episode)

Getting found by your dream customers isn't as hard as it seems. It just required a slightly different perspective, a better strategy (and going against the grain when it comes to worrying about exposure, stressing about the algorithm or increasing engagement).

This approach to Instagram is one of my most favourite lessons to share with florists because it helps cut through the confusion, overwhelm...and gives you permission to play with the big boys while being the new girl in town.

What you'll learn from this episode

✓ My super simple approach to getting found by your dream customers

✓ How to cut through the confusion and shortcut your success

✓ A better option than worrying about getting on a preferred vendor list

✓ My step by step guide to sorting through your flower business hashtag strategy

Listen to the Full Episode Here

Enjoy the show?

Don’t miss an episode, follow on Spotify and subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Google Play or Stitcher.
Leave a review in Apple Podcasts
Come join us inside Flower Boss Bootcamp

Maximise Profit in Your Flower Business – 8 Tips

Let’s talk about makin’ money!! In fact, let’s talk about how to make more money in your flower business. Here are 8 ideas to help you maximise profit in your flower business.

WHAT IS PROFIT?

First things, first, let’s all agree on a definition of “profit”, can we?

There are a few different ways to define profit, but for simplicity, I’m going to define it as follow:

Profit = the money left over after you’ve paid all the bills.

In most cases, profit is defined over a timeframe – you could define it over a week, a quarter, a year, or you can evaluate it on a per-project basis.

Let’s get into a real-world example, with the last design project you did, you’ve got bills from growers, invoices from suppliers, labour costs as well as operational costs (petrol, insurance, rent, heat, electricity, etc.).

Once you pay all those invoices, there should still be money left in your bank account (this includes after you pay yourself).

Most florists are gobsmacked to realise they’re barely breaking even. If that’s you, you’re in exactly the right place!

Getting a handle on your numbers and learning to evaluate your profitability regularly is so helpful!

I know it’s super scary and intimidating at first, but it gets easier!

Know this: getting comfortable reviewing your profitability is incredibly powerful. That's why I've put together these tips to help you maximise profit in your flower business.

This isn’t about using your numbers as an opportunity for your inner critic to come in and judge, ridicule and beat you up (more than usual).

Treat this as a science experiment. A pure fact-finding mission.

Look back at your last project. Maybe you way overspent on ingredients for the event. Or maybe you miscalculated how many freelancer hours you needed.

That’s OK.

Don’t stress. Don’t beat yourself. Don’t dwell on what went wrong.

“When you know better, you do better.”

Maya Angelou

I have lived by this mantra for years and it has served me so well in my flower business. Beating yourself isn’t going to help you move forward. Let that sh*t go, friend. Instead, make notes of what you would do differently next time… and then do it differently.

The best way to improve your numbers is to know your numbers. Once you know your numbers, you can take action to change them, to always improve.

Now, with all that said, here are 8 ideas to maximise profit in your flower business:

IDEA #1 – REVIEW YOUR PRICING

And do it today. I spent far too long putting this one off when the reality is, there is no reason to hold off. Just go in there and update it straight away. And no, you don’t need to gradually increase your prices. Embrace the discomfort, peoples! Don’t dilly dally. (Need help? Check out this recent blog post How to Price a Bouquet.)

IDEA #2 – KNOW YOUR COSTS

When I first started, I had no idea what was involved in running a flower business. Just becoming aware of money in, money out is helpful because that increased awareness will help you measure your progress. You will feel more in control and have a more complete picture of what’s happening (rather than just hoping you have money in your account to pay for the next bill that comes in your inbox).

Your homework: how much money does it take for you to just have your business “open”? Grab a worksheet and add up your rent, insurance, website hosting, accounting software, electricity, water, internet, phone, etc. Whatever you spend money on just to keep the lights on.

IDEA #3 – SHAVE 10% OFF YOUR NEXT WHOLESALE FLOWER ORDER

I used to overbuy at the Sydney Flower Market all the time. $100 there. $200 here. It adds up so quickly and is one of the simplest ways to eat up your profitability.

Shopping for flowers is like being a kid in a candy shop. Building the discipline to stick to a budget and work through the urges to buy the things, not on your shopping list takes practice but it’s doable. It made a dramatic difference to our bottom line. So, put your list together and then cut it back by 10%. Keep shaving a little bit off here and there, push your design skills and watch your profitability increase. It’s so good!

IDEA #4 – PUSH YOUR CREATIVITY + DESIGN SKILLS FURTHER

In the shop, we used to have little design wars. We’d grab the bucket of orphan stems (the leftover from full bunches) and we’d challenge each other to make something look good with an imperfect set of ingredients.

I used to be so impressed by what we could create using three mismatched gerberas and one snapdragon. Learning to create beautiful designs with an imperfect number of stems is a valuable skill to learn and helps you push your creativity to the next level.

It makes you a better designer and teaches you how to make more money.

IDEA #5 – REVIEW YOUR DELIVERY CHARGES

Free delivery isn’t a tactic you have to adopt. If the relay services and networks can charge $12.95 for delivery, you can too.

In 2017, we sat down and did the math, adding up the total cost of just doing deliveries. Once it was all said and done, we saw that it cost us $25,000 to do deliveries PLUS, adding on the labour charges to then make the deliveries happen.

When you look at those costs on an annual basis, the numbers become very real. It is a sort of tedious job to do, but it’s so worth it.

And if you need any evidence to see that you can charge for delivery, check out one of the national wire services or relay networks.

IDEA #6 – STOP OVER-STUFFING

We have high expectations of our work. We want everything that leaves the bench to look good. It’s super tempting to add in one extra stem of this or an extra stem of that. Don’t!

Multiply that one stem x orders per year and watch the money just walk out the door.

So, it’s time to solve this problem a different way: set your prices so your designs reflect your expectations. Then you won’t ever need to worry about overstuffing designs.

IDEA #7 – CHARGING OUT YOUR STAFF

When it comes to quoting for set-up and pack down, double-check your staffing mark-ups. (Yes, like we mark up our flowers, we also mark up our staff).

I take the hourly rate we pay our staff/freelancers and multiply it by 3. That becomes your per hour charge for each staff member.

In Australia, we also have rules around staff rates for after hours and weekends. So be sure you’re keeping up with proper staffing requirements when you’re quoting per hour for the projects.

IDEA #8 – BEFORE YOU BUY THOSE CONTAINERS…

I spent so much money on stuff I never used. Honestly, I had an entire shed of containers and stuff that I might have used once.

Today, my rule is that I don’t buy the thing until I get the project. I’ve also told myself I need to give myself 7 days before I hit “buy”. This ensures I don’t waste my money on things I don’t need or won’t use.

FREE COURSE #FORFLORISTS

Want to go deeper? Want more than these 8 tips to help you maximise profit in your flower business? Learn the secrets of successful florists – sign up for my Ultimate Guide to Building a Thriving Flower Business. CLICK HERE