The Floral Hustle

  📍 Hello, flower friends. This is Jen and you are listening to the floral hustle podcast on this week's episode. We're going to talk about the number one way to grow your business. And really, if you are just starting out in your business, those first steps. That you should take to get started and get some momentum.

And it's probably not something that you're, you're thinking. Yeah. If you listen to the podcast, you've definitely heard me talk about this, but I always think starting out in your business and the number one way to grow is networking. Networking has grown my business exponentially. It, for one, I love working.

With the people who I've built relationships with I appreciate and give back to those friendships. And if you haven't listened to, um, there's an episode that I did a couple of weeks ago. That talked about like having this kind of symbiotic relationship where you're, it's like a give and take give and take so that you're, you're volleying back business to each other, um, favors, kindness, whatever it is so that these relationships are an equal exchange of energy.

You need to start somewhere. You need to make some friends in the industry to really start that growth. And I do think if you are brand new, one of the things that you need to start out with is really developing some design skills. But that's not a way you're going to grow your business. In my opinion, that's just going to help give you a foundation.

And so that's why this isn't my main topic about growing your business, though. I do feel it is critical. It is something that I think confidence sells confidence, propels confidence, makes you take. Bigger risks take bigger action and that confidence is something that isn't just automatic unless you're, you're like, soul feels like, oh, yeah, I can do this.

I can do anything and that confidence. Is something that often needs to be earned by doing, but you can get that same experience. Not necessarily growing your business, but helping someone else by freelancing. I think that freelancing is a huge opportunity that a lot of florists, I know I actually personally have only freelanced for one florist in all of these years.

I've worked for a couple florists. I, uh, worked at a grocery store floral, actually three different ones. I worked in, um, a like mom and pop floral shop down in my hometown where I grew up. And I also, um, you know, have had. At this point, because of my confidence, when somebody is not feeling confident, I have people reach out to me and they're like, I really need to do this things, but I don't feel good about it.

I'm nervous about it. Like, okay, bring it over and I'll make it. And we'll talk about it, and I'll do it for you. So, I don't feel it's exactly working for them, but it's me helping them. Because I am somebody that really wants to support other florists. I want to support other florists in their journey. I want to be that, uh, what's funny is I, I put this big workshop together.

And, uh, one of the responses from a friend when she tagged me on Instagram. Was that, like, I had an unwavering pursuit. Of supporting the local floral community and giving back and for someone that I, I sort of knew, but not really knew to see that like that. I unapologetically support people. I go out of my way to support people was really great and that has a lot to do with.

This number one way to grow your business is supporting others. So I feel one of the biggest ways is networking, networking with other wedding professionals, other floral friends is my secret sauce of how I've grown my business. I have so many weddings that I can attribute to a. Another wedding planner, another florist, a photographer friend, a something out there because I always am trying to be kind.

I'm trying to cultivate, um, friendships within the wedding interest. I'm trying to support people. Uh, if somebody needs help, I am offering to. Or to support that, uh, in any way I can that is feasible with everything. I am not someone that just goes out and does a million styled shoots because I think that's financially exhausting even when you have support in the styled shoot itself.

I've seen people, I call them styled shoot whores that just do a million styled shoots. I don't understand it. It's not something that I feel is, is beneficial. Strategically doing styled shoots, supporting others, helping other vendor friends. That is the way to grow your business. I did an episode, I think it was about a month ago that talked about like how to have an equal energy exchange relationship with other wedding vendors.

And that other wedding vendor isn't just a planner, isn't just a photographer, isn't just a venue. Those other places are. are like flower friends, other florists. And I talk a lot about florist friends because I feel like it's a critical component that in many markets, everybody's just unkind to each other, kind of gamey, kind of like reminds me of Mean Girls florist edition, which makes absolutely no sense to me because It used to be like that here.

I have worked so hard to de stigmatize that. I've created the MN Floral Collective. I have local training events. I literally try to cultivate people in this Facebook group to be flower friends, intro posts, doing all these things so people connect with each other. So we don't have that type of market.

And that is work, but honestly, it is paying off. I have had people, they're like, are you serious that like happens in your market? Yes, we are kind to each other. We support each other. We have people like, Hey, I need freelancing help. And people who have a busy schedule just because maybe somebody got COVID or whatever weirdness happened.

They're going to support one another and that. Relationship with flower friends is something that is invaluable because not only are they there to potentially send you a referral if they have a booked weekend, but you might find a freelancer, you might find somebody that has a common interest, a common good and like really enjoy it really enjoy that person really enjoy their friendship.

You are like minded humans. And I like to be around like minded humans that are a more elevated version who dream big, who want bigger things in their business. Don't think small. Like, I am drawn to those people and want to support them in any way possible. So you can do the same thing when you're at the wholesaler, smile.

Say hi to people, introduce yourself, be friendly, be outgoing. That is going to draw people in because that energy is magnetic. You can be a magnet. If you go to a networking event, do the same thing. Hi, I'm Jennifer McGreen, Gattus Floral. What's your business? Say hello. Oh, I think I follow you on Instagram.

I absolutely love. Um, like you do a lot of because I pay attention. I strategically spend 15 minutes a day interacting with other people's posts so that I can cultivate those relationships so I can make note of those details about people. Because I'm consistently consuming that content. I'm not just taking from Instagram.

I'm not just taking from Facebook. I am giving back. When you get a comment on your post, how do you feel? I am grateful. I go and respond and tell them how grateful I am. Thank you so much for responding. That was so kind. Thanks. I just absolutely love this. I acknowledge that they exerted some effort to comment and you can do the same thing strategically spend 15 minutes a day interacting with other accounts, interacting with your posts, interacting with other posts to cultivate relationships.

That is how you can grow your business. Even if you are new kind comments. And spending the time to strategically interact with people can be so helpful in getting the planner that all of a sudden had a bride come on board or a couple come on board and they do not have a florist yet. So guess what? The person who just in the last month has interacted three or four times will be drawn to that.

So, you too Can cultivate relationships, even if you are new, but if you have been doing this for a while start today when you go into mindlessly scroll Instagram, do it with purpose, do it with intention that you are here to grow your business to make big things happen. And you are there with a mission to grow your business.

And that purposeful intention. If it's backed by somebody who genuinely wants a positive energy exchange, and what I mean by positive energy exchange, if you're a person that all you're doing is giving to everybody in the universe, you are going to start to feel like you are that butter that just was the end of the tub and you're trying to scrape it on bread and it's just not enough to cover it.

But if somebody dollops in a little bit more butter. Over here, dollops a little bit more butter. It keeps filling your buttercup up to get it back to full and you have that energy. So if you are strategic about those interactions with people who have the same good intentions, who are also like at a place maybe that you are, I often say starting with somebody that's where you're at so you can grow together, whether that be a planner, a photographer, is a great way to be a magnet for similar energy.

Because they're looking for that support and oh my God, this person is supporting me like that was so kind of them to say that they took time out of their day to interact with my post and then you're at a wedding, and especially if you see someone having like a hard time because maybe somebody was a little B word.

Take time to go and talk with them. Take time to introduce yourself. Take time to like, give them some. Vendor kind of love because those relationships can really spark into something big and I personally would rather go spend that 15 minutes a day than randomly reach out to someone on Instagram because I know that once that interaction they see me posting and I do it again in a week and I do it again in another week, my name is going to start to sink.

I have people all the time go, Oh yeah. I've seen you on Instagram before. I personally do a lot of videos. And so that definitely gets me to be seen. And I have, um, a presence or a look that also could stick out because of the red hair and tattoos. But I also like make sure that I'm being friendly with people when I'm at a wedding, I'm interacting with people when I'm at a wedding, because I know how critical that is to my continued growth.

And the same thing can happen for you. So take time, spend 15 minutes a day intentionally interacting, pick some accounts that you really would love to work with, maybe try to see, are these people around where I am? Or am I, am I reaching for the sun and the moon and I'm brand new? That might not be the most productive.

So try to find someone around your level. Maybe they're You know, have a similar amount of posts on Instagram to you, or maybe when you Google them, their website looks similar to you, or they look like they've been in business because they say been in business since 2020 or whatever it is, try to find someone on common ground and invest in trying to cultivate that relationship, but also don't ever go into those interactions with expectations that they need to give back.

We don't know if they're going to serve and volley back. If they reply to your comment or they follow you back, that is an invite to go in and try to network. If they follow you back after you followed them, Hey, thanks so much for following me. Send them a DM with this. Thanks so much for following me. I just absolutely love X about your account, or I love that wedding you did at X.

It's just so beautiful. I loved how you curated everything. And if you'd ever be up for virtual coffee, I'd love to hear how, um, more about your business. And, um, potential ways, like if I have a customer, like how your business works. Um, in case I have somebody that needs planning services or needs photography services.

So like you're basically saying, I would love to support you more with clients that I'm dealing with. So I'd love to learn more about you. That's a great invitation. You can virtual copy it, you can do a, uh, actual copy like me, like humans did before COVID. Whatever feels good, you're in charge of what feels good and what is in your market or what works in your market.

And so, Grab that and really capitalize on also newness is something that is magnetic, like. Uh, I sold cars for a long time, like almost, I worked in automotive for like 17, I sold cars or I was a manager at some point for over seven and new people always sold more cars because they were just like happy, excited, magnetic.

And like they always outsold veterans because they were just hungry and excited and that excitement sells. So you have that excitement if you're just starting. And if you don't, then maybe you're not doing the right thing. Thank you so much for listening, flower friend, and you have an amazing flower filled week.