Instagram Tips for Florists

15 Instagram Tips for Florists and Flower Farmers

Feeling totally confused by Instagram and all things social media? Not sure what to post or where to go for guidance and help?

You're in the right place. Here are 15 Instagram tips for florists and flower farmers.

Instagram Works

Yes, you read that right. Instagram is an amazing platform to help you reach new customers and grow your client list. But it's so easy to get off track and spend time on things that just don't matter when it comes to all things Instagram.

At the end of the day, the most important lesson to learn is that we floral designers get to approach Instagram very differently from other industries. In fact, we get to break all the rules. Literally.

When it comes to Instagram tips for florists and flower farmers, we don't need to worry about the algorithm or chasing engagement.

Why? Because your followers ≠ your customers.

I know it flies in the face of everything everyone else is spouting out about Instagram but when it comes to selling flowers, finding customers for your flower business, having more followers isn't a recipe for success.

At the end of the day, the reason marketing in our industry gets to be so different is because our service is limited to a specific footprint and our customers are buying flowers to fill a specific need.

This means we have to follow a smarter marketing plan. We need to drop all of our assumptions and 'supposed to' storylines and get in the minds of our customers. It's time to start thinking like your customer and approach Instagram marketing from a more strategic, informed point of view.

My 15 Instagram Tips for Florists

  1. Map Out Your Hashtags – this is THE secret to getting found and getting on your customer's radar when they need you. Avoid general and generic hashtags like #whitewedding or #floristsofinstagram and focus on the hashtags your clients are actually using in their search.
  2. Curate your feed – yes, having a pretty, fancy feed attracts prettier, fancier clients. Your customers use your feed as a placeholder for your ability to design. So, level up your feed, elevate your vibe and you'll see a higher quality level of customers coming your way.
  3. Use Stock Photos – Yep. Jump on Google and do a quick search for "Free flower photos" just to see what comes up. Or use Canva.com, my most favourite resource for this (yes, paying for the premium version is worth every penny!).
  4. Use a Mix of Graphics + Photos – a feed filled with a wall of flowers is overwhelming for your customers. It all just starts to look the same. Break it up and create a new rhythm that works for you. Those design principles you use in your floristry, put them to work in your Instagram feed too!
  5. Level Up Your Captions – the easiest answer to 'what should I write about?' is to simply answer the very last question a customer asked you. Yep. It can be that straightforward.
  6. Repeat Stuff. A Lot – Yes you can repeat photos and captions. Ain't no rule against that, is there?
  7. Make Your Bio Clear – confusion always leads to no sale. Very specifically, make sure your location and delivery area are clear in your bio. If your customers aren't clear on your location or where you operate, they're immediately going to move on to the next supplier.
  8. Post Consistently – and define 'consistently' in a way that works for you and your business. At a minimum, post at least once a week. (And no, you don't need to post more than once per day. Remember, we don't need to try to beat the algorithm. We're playing a smarter game.)
  9. Use Instagram Stories to Show You're 'Open for Business' – the beauty with Instagram is you can bring your customers into your studio or shop without them even having to set foot inside. It's magical. Use Stories to do this.
  10. Set Up Your Highlights – Highlights are where you can save your Stories. A lot of new clients and potential customers will flip through your Highlights to get a taste of what your business is up to. It's like a 'best of' summary that you can customise based on your customer's needs.
  11. Skip Reels – I know. I know. Tik Tok and Reels are all the rage these days. But you gots a lot on your plate. Give yourself permission to not have to do all the things. Remember, we don't care about engagement and you're not worried about exposure, yeah? (re-read Tip #1)
  12. Plan Ahead – I use Planoly to map out my feed and make it look pretty. There is a desktop and phone version so you can sit down for one hour and plan out a whole week's worth of content with much less fuss. It makes the whole "curate your feed" job way funner.
  13. Talk About Budgets + Process – I know it's boring and not as charming as a cute set of emojis or your favourite poem. But putting in the effort to proactively educate your customers and answer their 2 biggest, most burning questions builds trust. Trust grows sales. In the end, you breaking the secrecy and being the florist who talks about money will make you more money. Yeah!
  14. Link in Bio – Set up a new, stand-alone page on your website that includes 5-6 buttons and nothing much else. Those buttons will point to the next logical step in your client's purchase process. This makes it easy in your captions because you can simply say 'Visit the link in our bio @..... to [insert next step]". (Hot tip, repeat your IG handle in your post to make it super duper easy for your customers to go to your bio.)
  15. Set up Instagram Shopping – the easier you make it for your customers to order flowers, book in a workshop or plan out their a la carte wedding blooms, the more money you'll make. It's so fun!

Want more tips to help you conquer the Instagram game?

As a floral designer, it's easy to fall into the crowd and worry about getting followers or chasing engagement. It's a hard habit to break, trust me!

But the truth is, when it comes to getting found by your dream customers on Instagram, learning to play a smarter game is the key to success. For my business, we landed so many high-value customers by getting really smart with our hashtag and content strategy.

I love sharing the insights we learned in our flower business, particularly when it comes to Instagram, because it's so opposite to what I used to assume. No more chasing followers or worrying about engagement. It's time to get your hashtag strategy sorted!

And in a recent podcast, I'm walking you through the exact strategy I use, breaking it down for you, step by step.

Enjoy the Podcast?

How to Promote Floral Business on Instagram

How to Promote Floral Business on Instagram – 3 Time-Saving Tips for Florists

Wondering how to promote floral business on Instagram? I'm here to help.

I used to be so intimidated and overwhelmed by all things Instagram. I used to look at the famous florists and think 'Wow, their work looks so effortless. They show up and make it look so easy.'

Meanwhile, I was struggling with finding halfway decent photos, knowing what to write in the caption and constantly second-guessing what I needed to do.

I spent so much time stuck, so much time wondering how to promote floral business on Instagram.

But then I started to look at things differently. I shifted my frame of reference.

Very specifically, I stopped focusing on what I thought I was supposed to do in comparison to my florist idols. I stopped worrying about what my competition was doing, I stopped dwelling in my own insecurities and self-doubt.

Change Your Perspective

When it comes to how to promote floral business on Instagram it's super important to remember that we're using Instagram as a way to attract customers. At the end of the day, Instagram is simply another way to market your flower business.

And when it comes to marketing, job #1 is to focus on your customers. It's time to get your self-doubt, your uncertainty and your fears out of the way. Hit pause for a few minutes and put yourself in your customer's shoes.

When you shift your perspective, stop focusing on yourself and start obsessing over your customers, it brings so much clarity.

It gives you guidance on what really matters when it comes to how to promote floral business on Instagram. No longer do you need to have the sexiest captions or worry about having the world best photos.

Instead, you can pour your heart into helping your clients, being helpful and making it easy for your customers to find the answers they're looking for.

You can play a totally different game.

Step Away From The Crowd

If you've ever spent any time deconstructing how most florists show up on Instagram, you'll see feeds filled with flower photos, pithy captions filled with a handful of emojis and, mostly, a lot of self-centred, look-at-how-good-a-designer-I-am posts.

This is how I thought we were all supposed to show up on Instagram.

But I realised that approach wasn't helping me get clients. It wasn't helping me streamline my systems and it definitely wasn't helping me show up consistently on Instagram.

All in all, that approach was just too hard.

So I came up with a totally different path. I decided to step away from the crowd, break with tradition and make my own rules for posting to Instagram.

Turns out, Instagram can be easy. When you shift your perspective and step away from the crowd, you can use your creativity to develop a better process – one that is (1) helpful to your customers (2) saves you time and (3) is actually fun (seriously!).

3 Time-Saving Tips: How to Promote Floral Business on Instagram

It's time to follow a new path, my friends! It's time to learn a better way to approach Instagram.

Here are my three favourite time-saving tips to help:

  1. Batch Your Posts + Plan Ahead – set aside 60 minutes in your schedule to sit down and plan your posts. I use Planoly to schedule and map out my feed. Decide ahead of time how often you want to post to your feed and then get to work making it happen. And remember, consistency is more important than frequency. Start with 1-2 times a week and go from there. It's better to post 1-2 per week x 52 weeks a year rather than 100 days in a row and then give up for 36 weeks.
  2. Use Stock Photos and Graphic Headlines as Images – Canva.com is one of the greatest shortcuts available to us and makes it so much easier to create a pretty feed and cohesive vibe on your feed. And, instead of posting a wall of your designs, switch it up. Be intentional with curating your feed and creating a sophisticated, cohesive vibe using a mix of stock photos and graphic headlines. (You also schedule your content using Canva.com, so if having it all in one place is helpful, this might be worth checking out.)
  3. Answer Your Customer's Questions – this is one of my favourite time-saving shortcuts when it comes to Instagram. Instead of wondering what to write or filling up that valuable real estate with a pithy, charming caption, use your Instagram captions to educate and inform your clients. It can be as simple as taking the very last question a customer asked and writing out the question + answer in the caption. Literally. (Yes, it really can be that simple my friends!)

Instagram is an incredible marketing tool to attract new customers and better clients to your flower business.

But one of the most important things to remember is we flower business owners get to play a totally different game. We can create a new set of rules because we don't need to worry about engagement or followers or cracking the algorithm.

If you're ever stuck wondering how to promote floral business on Instagram, come back to these three time-saving tips. They really do work!

Oh, and, if you want more Instagram tips for florists, check out this recent post on how to use Instagram Reels in Your Flower Business.

Marketing Tips for Florists

Marketing Tips for Florists: How to Get Found Online

So you've spent all your time and energy getting your website sorted. But now you're left scratching your head, wondering why the orders and enquiries aren't piling in? Now you're wondering, WTF do I need to do to get found online?

I've gotcha covered. Check out these three super helpful marketing tips for florists.

Marketing is a 'Thing'

Before I started my flower business, I spent 15 years working in fancy corporate marketing jobs. In fact, I've been studying marketing for over +20 years. I did my undergraduate degree in marketing and even have my masters. #overachiever

To say I LOVE marketing is an understatement. I'm totally, utterly obsessed with deconstructing and dissecting how the big multinationals market their business, how they attract the right customers, at the right time, with the right message.

Even more than that, I love taking those same business and marketing principles and teaching florists the right and wrong way to market their business and make money.

When it comes to marketing tips for florists, one of the most important lessons I learned was that we gots to approach our marketing from a totally different perspective.

Where other businesses need to grow their following, increase engagement and prioritise exposure, we floral designers get to approach marketing from a totally sideways perspective.

Why?

Because our customers shop differently. Our customers behave differently.

Let's pause for a moment...If you think about your dream client, the person who is going to place the next online order or send through the next event enquiry. Close your eyes and imagine you are that person. Put yourself in their shoes.

Quite literally. Close your eyes and think about how they would approach it. When they're looking for a floral designer, what do they do? Get super-specific.

When they jump online, where is the first place they go? If they're on Google, what do they type into the search bar?

If they're on Instagram, what do they type into that search bar? If they're somewhere else, what do they do? Envision the process in all its itty bitty fantastic detail.

The most important part of this planning process is to get super duper specific:

  1. Get specific in the platforms that your ideal clients use
  2. Get specific in the words/phrases/hashtags your clients use

Putting yourself in your client's shoes, envisioning the experience from their perspective is the single most powerful thing you can do. Seriously.

Stop Following the Crowd

Our industry teaches you that you need to do a heap of styled shoots, get exposure and worry about being featured on some famous blog. Then, and only then, will you be able to attract the kinds of clients you're dreaming of, yeah?

Wrong. I'm happy to tell you, there is an easier way. But it requires you to stop following the flower crowd.

Winning at floristry, building a thriving flower business requires you to learn a new approach to marketing.

Of course, you could go to business school, get all the degrees and geek out on all things marketing. Or you could shortcut your success and spend your energy focused on three super simple marketing tips for florists:

  1. Be in the right place
  2. At the right time
  3. With the right message

The Golden Rule of Marketing

If I had to distil down the single most important lesson from all my years as a fancypants marketing exec and spending thousands of dollars on all the degrees and qualifications, it would be this:

Get out of your own head and put yourself in your customer's shoes.

When it comes to getting found online, this really is the secret to success. It's not rocket science. It's not about being the best designer and it's definitely not about being famous or popular.

It's about being your most empathetic, helpful self. Using your imagination and really getting in touch with what matters most to your customers.

If you find yourself constantly second-guessing, over-thinking and over-complicating things (like we all have a tendency to do, being smart AF humans), hit pause for a hot second.

Go out into the real world and find 1-2 real-life humans who embody your dream client (or at least a kinda close proximity to a version of your dream customer).

Have a conversation with them. Buy them a coffee. Or a cocktail. And ask them to explain to you their research process – where would they go if they needed a florist? Get super specific and write it all down. Verbatim. Better yet, ask them if you can record the conversation and then get it transcribed.

Flashback to my corporate days, working with the likes of Dominos Pizza, Expedia and HSBC, we used to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on focus groups. You can do the same thing. Just on the super cheap.

It's time to take a page out of the successful big business multinationals. Learn from their process and do the same thing in your flower business. It's time to stop overcomplicating things, overthinking things and get back to basics.

You will be so surprised at how simple this can be. And even after just one conversation, you'll start to see how differently you can think about this whole marketing thing – you will start to be able to answer that burning question: How do I get found online?

Marketing Tips for Florists

At the end of the day, the right marketing mix is going to depend entirely on what services you're offering in your flower business.

Customers looking for a flower delivery behave differently to those looking for a wedding stylist. Someone looking for table arrangements for a christening behaves differently than someone looking for a casket cover.

Putting yourself in your customer's shoes truly is the secret to figuring out the right approach.

If you need it, here's a quick list of marketing priorities for floral design businesses:

Daily Flower Deliveries

Wedding Flowers (without a Planner)

  • Instagram Hashtags
  • Google My Business Listing
  • Search engine Optimisation

Floral Subscriptions

  • Local media + influencer partnerships
  • Instagram / Facebook paid ads
  • Word of mouth

Remember, every flower business has its own subtleties, its own nuances to consider. But use this list as the foundation for your marketing plan. Build on it and call out your own BS when you start to overcomplicate things (yes, we all do it).

Start tracking your data and test out new ideas. And if you ever feel like you're off track, make a plan to sit down with another real-life human being. Ask them to explain their process again and then recalibrate your approach.

No matter what, just keep going.

You got this, peoples. Let's go!

And don't forget, if you want to get my A-Z blueprint to marketing your flower business, join us inside Flower Boss Bootcamp. This is THE program to help you grow your business, get customers and make more money.

You get my exact approach, my step by step system to make it work. Click here to learn more.

Instagram Reels for Florists

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:

  1. Google
  2. 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:

  1. Yes, it will help you grow your following.
  2. If you feel awkward when you're doing it, you're doing it right
  3. 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?

How to promote your flower business on Instagram

How to Promote Your Floral Business on Instagram

We all agree: most floral designers know Instagram is a “thing”.

Very literally, using Instagram to promote your floral business makes sense. Instagram is a visual platform. We are visual creatures. 

Designers and flower lovers flock to Instagram every day. Every time you log on to Instagram, you’re inundated with beautiful photos of perfect designs, perfectly coordinated styled shoots and perfect flower studios. 

No doubt, you as an Instagram user, quite enjoy seeing all the pretty pictures and perfect details.

Then, when you shift into our role as flower business owners, you think, “This must be what is required. This is how it’s done.”

The truth: that approach doesn’t always work.

HOW TO PROMOTE YOUR FLOWER BUSINESS ON INSTAGRAM

When it comes to using Instagram to promote your floral business, most florists buy into the idea that those perfect flowers, perfect photoshoots and perfect studios are what really matters. 

Every one of us, at some point or another, jumps on the hamster wheel, chasing after Instagram followers, craving validations, and chasing legitimacy. 

We post to Instagram, dreaming of the day someone will finally notice us. We want to be showered with praise and recognised by our peers. 

Every time we post, we’re saying a silent prayer, “Let this be the one. Let this next post be the one that will help me breakthrough.”  

Over time, you start to realise it’s not working. You’re not getting many new followers, no one is noticing you and you’re not making money.

So you stop posting.

And before you know it, it’s been forever. It’s been weeks (possibly months) since you posted anything to your feed.

Every day, you wake up telling yourself, “OK today is the day I’ll muster up the courage and finally break the silence.”

You search your photos for the perfect image. You spend an hour crafting the right caption. But then you freeze up. 

That little voice in your head has you second-guessing everything.  You hate that picture and those words aren’t enough. 

You end up closing the app falling into a spiral of “I’m not good enough. I’ll never figure this out.”

How do I know this experience so well? This story is my story. For years I walked around thinking Instagram was all about getting famous and getting more followers.

I assumed more followers meant more customers. More followers meant more money.

Turns out, I was wrong.

It just so happens that we floral designers get to approach Instagram from a totally different perspective.

And that Instagram can be very easy.

WHAT MATTERS MOST – INSTAGRAM FOR FLORISTS

Here is the most important thing to remember when you’re wondering how to promote your floral business on Instagram:

Your next post isn’t for your peers. 

Your next post is for your customers.  

At the end of the day, Instagram isn’t about showing off your design skills to receive praise from your peers.

Instagram is a marketing platform – as in, Instagram is an opportunity to connect your business with your customers. (You know the ones who buy your stuff and pay you money? Yeah, them.)

Once you shift your perspective and understand the point of posting to Instagram, you will experience newfound freedom. You will see how easy Instagram for flower shop owners can be.

INSTAGRAM FOR FLORISTS – 3 TIPS TO MAKE IT EASY

The truth is, how to promote your floral business on Instagram is as easy as 1-2-3. Here are three tips to help you promote your floral business on Instagram:

  1. Your captions: You know how you see florists post a photo and then in the caption write “Tim & Ty 🌼  ⭐ 💛 ” Don’t do that. You’re missing out on the opportunity to educate and inform, to separate yourself from the competition. Remember, Instagram is all about your customers. And your customers are looking for help. They have so little experience or understanding of how flowers work that they want you to take the lead. Your captions are the perfect place to do that.
  2. Repetition is key: There is no rule that says you cannot post the same content, the same captions or the same photo more than once. Seriously. There isn’t. Repetition is, in fact, super helpful. We use repetition in our floral designs to create rhythm, you can do that same thing on your Instagram feed. (Yes, all those design skills you’ve got, you can use them in so many other areas of your flower business, including Instagram!)
  3. Focus on the future: your next post is about your next customer. Stop posting work from your past if that’s not the kind of work you want to keep creating. Set your sights higher and dream bigger, peoples!

If you are wondering what to post on Instagram, then this YouTube video will help you out.

NEED HELP WITH INSTAGRAM FOR YOUR FLOWER BUSINESS?

I promise you, Instagram can be easy. It can be way simpler than you think.

Coming up with a strategy for how to promote your floral business on Instagram is super straightforward.

Why? Because of how our customers shop for floral designers on Instagram.

It means we get to break all the rules. You don’t need to chase after followers. You don’t need to worry about the algorithm and you don’t need to waste time on IG Live or Reels.  

There is a better way.

And I pass along my exact approach inside my Flower Boss Bootcamp (click here).

I teach you how to show up on Instagram with confidence, how to play a smarter game and how to get found by your dream customers.

Instagram isn’t as hard as you think.

Inside my Flower Boss Bootcamp, I’ve packaged up my exact approach to conquering Instagram. 

My Flower Boss Bootcamp is like a 90-day online business school for florists. It’s the perfect program for florists who are on a mission to make money and build a better flower business.

We’re here to make it easier for you to make more money in your flower business! You don’t need to have a flower shop or qualifications. Don't even need to have thousands of Instagram followers or worry about being featured on a fancy blog. 

All you need are the tools to get you focused and pointed in the right direction. That’s where our Flower Boss Bootcamp comes in. We’re here to fast track your progress, to give you the tools you need to change the trajectory of your flower business. Click here to learn more about my Flower Boss Bootcamp and we’ll see you on the inside.

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