Being a creative business owner can be so much fun, and so fulfilling! The opportunity to work our own hours, spend more time with loved ones, choose our own paths, and wake up every morning to pursue our passion is the best feeling in the world. As a wedding planner, designer, and florist, I have the opportunity to immerse myself in creativity every single day; to embrace my right-brained-ness to the fullest extent and show my clients the best experience possible. But let’s be real, being an entrepreneur does have its challenges. Sometimes we have to make tough decisions and learn hard lessons amongst many other things. One thing I’ve found most difficult about being a creative entrepreneur has been making the sale. In our current market, social media marketing is critical, and because the market is full of thousands of equally talented florists and creative professionals, a simple post can sometimes feel like we are shouting in an overcrowded room, trying to make our voice heard and our talents shine. It can sometimes feel as though we are playing tug of war with other professionals in our market; only the rope is replaced by our potential clients. And let’s face it, no one likes to sound like a used car salesperson. There has to be a way to make our passion shine without compromising our integrity or the authenticity of our brands, right? That is correct, friend! And I’m so excited to share three ways to use social media to increase your sales and maintain authenticity in your creative floral business!

Be yourself

I know this may sound cliché, but it’s so important to be yourself when selling to your ideal client. Think of it this way, just like no floral arrangement is the same, no business owner is the same either, even if you are sharing the same market. As florists, we are asked to make gorgeous floral arrangements often. Yes, the fundamentals of design are pretty much the same, but our interpretation of composition, color, methods, and so much more are unique to every florist. Your design style and choices are a direct reflection of who you are as an individual and a brand, and someone out there has been greatly impacted by your passion and the way that you do it. When you brainstorm social media posts, it’s so important to keep your blinders on and cater your posts to your ideal client by actively using your brand voice and posting images that reflect your aesthetic best. The best way to sell yourself is to be yourself. Above all else remember this: someone needs the gift of you more than you know! (For tips on florist branding, check out this blog.)

Engage

So you’ve got your brand voice down—great! Now it’s time to take things a step further and engage your ideal clients with social media posts that show them that what you offer is the solution to their pain point. Maybe your ideal client is looking for a florist who loves using a bold color palette, or maybe softer tones strike their fancy. Maybe they love freshly picked garden roses, foraged greens, and very natural bouquets. Whatever your signature style is, use that to actively engage with your clients on social media by posting images that reflect your best work in that style. Social media can be used to both attract and repel, and if used correctly, it can attract your ideal clients and repel those who may be better suited for another florist. The opposite can also be true, that if you do not post images that are not a true reflection of the type of client you are hoping to attract, that they may attract the very clients you were hoping to repel. If you’re building your portfolio or even starting fresh to cater more to your ideal client, that’s okay! Here are a couple of tricks you can use to still engage your ideal client:

• Watch a YouTube tutorial teaching you the basics of using your phone to take better photos!  A working cellphone camera, natural light, and a great editing application like Afterlight can do the trick and provide images that make your work shine. You can also check out the Team Flower How to Photograph Flowers course for more in-depth details on taking social media-worthy pictures.
• Post images of you and/or your team working behind the scenes. Post images of yourself interacting with your clients. Post images of you networking with other industry professionals (photographers, planners, designers, etc.) that share the same ideal client as you. It’s important for potential clients to see that your business is alive and well and that you surround yourself with the people they would hope to work with.
• Take photos of your favorite product to work with. The florals you love to use will often be the same florals that your ideal client loves too! Attract them by sharing that you can grow or receive the best product to create a gorgeous arrangement just for them!

Be consistent

Being consistent is key to selling your brand and your floral artistry to the right people. Like I said before, potential clients want to see that you are committed to your work to make sure that they are making a sound investment. When you exhibit discipline in authentically and intentionally creating social media posts, you also establish trust with your ideal client. If you’re not feeling confident in your brand voice or your ability to engage your social media audience, you’re not alone. Practice makes perfect and developing a clear strategy, routine, and content calendar can help make sure that your content is getting out to the right people more and more often than before.