Is Your Business Online or Just On Social Media?

Summary

• Social platforms like Instagram are fantastic tools for florists to share their work.
• Customers now have a window into floristry design that they never had before social media.
• Clients often don’t choose things from a florist’s portfolio anyomore, but instead straight from social media.
• Most grand floral installations take skills that only experienced florists will have.
• Florists themselves need to be realistic about their abilities, but always strive to be creative.

We’ve all seen the social media wedding of our dreams splashed across the screens of our digital devices. Scenes of grand halls and gardens dressed in towering floral installations, blooming with the most beautiful seasonal flowers.
In today’s digital world, the professional florist is forever being challenged by clients to push their boundaries to makes these lavish dreams come true. But does this type of demand help or hinder a florist’s talents?

Social platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and TikTok are fantastic tools for florists to share their work, express their ideas, and gain inspiration from other florists. But the ability to compare also puts added pressure on florists to continuously learn new skills at a faster rate. It also gives customers a look into the world of floristry that they never had before.

It is not uncommon these days for a client to approach a florist and ask them to recreate an idea that they saw on social media. With the help of social media, the consumer now has a pictorial platform to dream with when it comes to flower design. Add to this the diverse religious and cultural society we live in, and now you have an infinite number of possibilities when creating floral ideas and themes. The days of customers picking something out of a florist’s portfolio are well and truly gone.

Many customers believe they simply need to ask and magically the flower arrangements will appear as if summoned from the feeds of their favourite platforms. In some cases, this can be done, but in many circumstances, these installations will be limited by the florist’s skill and creativity.

Many florists will take up the challenge of creating lifestyle weddings or corporate events. They use many skills that are sometimes even outside their scope of trade. Structures need to be built, transport organised, installations coordinated safely, sourcing flowers which are quite often seasonal and generally managing the customer’s needs, Most of these things are not taught at flower school. Also, with the ever-changing demand of being “new and relevant,” the standard is never a standard anymore.

So how can florists learn to do these amazing things and meet the challenges thrown at them? It is important to respect the level of skill and creativity a florist actually has. Florists themselves need to be realistic about their own limitations and their abilities to get the job done and communicate this to their clients.

We always recommend believing in yourself and be ready to ask for the right reward for your effort because not everyone can deliver what you can. This type of floristry is for the brave-hearted and if you put your skills to the test it can create impactful brand awareness. It also offers exciting new sources of revenue that the mass market cannot compete with. The one certain thing is that social media is here to stay and these client-lead challenges continue to make the florist industry unique and stronger.

For more interesting articles about the florist industry read our other Koch Blogs Is Your Business Online or Just On Social Media? and How To Manage A Safe and Healthy Workplace For Your Florist Business.

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