10 Selling Mistakes You Don’t Know You’re Making

With dogwood, hyacinth, and tulips, this arrangement is the epitome of spring!

Sales is a vital part of running a successful floral business, but let's be real: It's not the part that inspired you to start in the first place. You're driven by your love of blooms—not buyer objections or pricing strategies.

As you surely know, though, a great sales approach allows you to attract more business—which opens up more opportunities for you to get your hands dirty.

But many creatives struggle to present their value in a way that sets them apart from competitors and wins over the prospective client on the other side of the table. Selling requires confidence in your product, quick thinking to respond to a lead's questions, and the charisma to develop authentic relationships with interested people.

If your sales strategies need work, it's up to you to work on your approach. That way, you can build a thriving client base that attracts abundance from doing what you love most.

Below are the top 10 selling mistakes made by creative entrepreneurs—if any of them resonate with you, write them down and keep them close to remind yourself before heading into your next consultation call.

You—yes, you—can sell big, even if it's not your favorite part of your business!

1. You aren't selling YOU.

When you engage with prospective customers, they start by judging who you are and what you have to offer. Your business and what it offers are secondary—they want to know how you will help them achieve their goals.

Once you win them over personally, they'll move on to considering whether your products or services are the right fit for their needs. Sell yourself and your qualifications to show them why they should take the next step in the buyer's journey.

2. You aren't selling to their REAL needs.

When an interested lead inquires about your products and services, they need a floral designer. That's obvious. But dig deeper to find out their true intentions!

There's a big difference between needing flowers for a retirement party and needing eye-catching floral installations to celebrate a prospect's lifelong mentor who has helped them build a successful career. When in doubt, ask more questions to reveal their true motivations.

Using neutral colored flowers is a great way to bring more interest to a “white and green” color palette.

3. You aren't prioritizing the human connection.

At the end of the day, people buy from people they like. If your consultations come across as a robotic script of features and policies, you’re not setting yourself up for success.

The fine print can come later—start any new relationship by building trust and a genuine connection. Head into each prospective client meeting like you're meeting a lifelong friend that you want to help!

4. You aren't asking the right questions.

Your sales approach probably hits the important details: budget, date needed, color preferences, and favorite flowers. But remember that your prospect isn't clued into the floral industry. They may have no idea what they want. Maybe they say roses are their favorite because they can only name a handful of flower types off the top of their head.

“You are the expert, so you need to guide them to their destination!”

Pivot your questions to step inside your client's mind. What are the feelings, ideas, opinions, and attitudes they have about their floral needs? You may learn that peonies are a better fit than roses, making them happier than ever. You are the expert, so you need to guide them to their destination!

5. You think the price is the issue.

News flash: Most of the time you lose a sale, it is not about the price! Instead, it's because your prospect did not see the value in your products and services.

Say you charge $1,200 for a service, and another florist charges $1,000. If people only think they are getting "standard floral arrangements," they will choose the cheaper option. They haven't factored in your VIP white-glove treatment, your vast network of suppliers, or your detailed onboarding process to pinpoint the custom design best for them. Sell your value—and price becomes a non-issue!

“Sell your value—and price becomes a non-issue!”

6. You don't differentiate between features and benefits.

People tend to sell the features of their offerings: This is what you get, how many you get, and when you will get it.

But how does that help someone understand how a product or service will improve their lives? You need to sell the benefits more than the features!

"Perfectly curated bouquets that capture your wedding theme" or "a collaborative process so you can provide input every step of the way" will go much further than "six centerpieces with an eight-week timeline."

Make a point to answer their biggest question: What's in it for me?

Create an urn arrangement to make the entrance to a ceremony or reception more inviting.

7. You aren't mindful of your body language.

Nonverbal communication has a major influence on your sales game and, in some cases, says more than what is said out loud!

Make sure you are sitting up straight, maintaining eye contact, and demonstrating confidence in your pitch.

On the flip side, you can use body language to identify subtle cues in a client's behavior to see how they're swaying—crossed arms and fidgety legs? Attentive eye contact and leaning into you? You can read a lot in someone's body language!

8. You haven't identified the real influencers.

More often than not, your potential customers are not making their decisions alone. They may have the final say, but those around them can influence their choices. It could be parents, friends, bridesmaids, colleagues, or bosses — whoever they go to for advice, direction, and opinions.

Tapping into this network can help you tailor your sales approach. Perhaps you can sell a bride's parents on your cost-effective options, or maybe your client's boss is impressed with your past work for corporate galas. Tune into your prospect's network and adjust accordingly.

9. Your closing technique is weak.

You can own the first 90% of the sales game, but you'll still lose the client if your closing technique is weak. Closing a sale is a calculated process that involves identifying the client's needs, demonstrating how you fit into their vision, and building a relationship that fosters trust and connection.

“Closing a sale is a calculated process that involves identifying the client’s needs.”

This takes place in the final minutes of your consultation, in the pages of your proposal, and the intention behind your follow-ups. You want the sale—go get it!

10. You make assumptions about your prospect.

Confidence is important in sales, but don't let it become the reason you don't take every step seriously. Think about the times you've had a great consultation and are certain you've got it in the bag. But then, a week later, you can't get ahold of the client and learn they chose to book someone else.

“No matter how assured you are in a relationship, make sure to ask for a deposit before ending a sales call. ”

No matter how assured you are in a relationship, make sure to ask for a deposit before ending a sales call. Use it to hold the date they are interested in, so you can establish an official connection right out of the gate of your awesome meeting.

So how many of these mistakes have you made? Don't let the number discourage you! Now that you know the gaps in your sales process, you can be intentional about adjusting and refining your approach to land all of the customers and clients you really want in your business.

Photography: Design by Kelly Perry, Photography by Landon Jacob Photography