The Floral Hustle

  📍 📍 Hello, flower friend. This is Jen and you're listening to the Floral Hustle podcast. On this week's episode, I want to talk about networking because I've had an eventful last week and when I sat down and really started dissecting how I had got to here, it was layered in Networking, networking, networking.

So this is something that often is terrifying to most people because they're, you're putting yourself out there. You're vulnerable. Are people going to like you? Are going to, are people thinking you don't belong here? Are people thinking you suck or whatever kind of fraudy feelings are seeping in? You need to start thinking that I am an expert.

People want to connect with me because I add value. I deliver amazingness, like all of these things that could really start to position yourself in front of others as an expert and as the go to person. I'll see tell you like a summary of what happened. I belong to Minnesota Bride, which is our Minnesota Bridal Association of sorts.

And they publish magazines in most states. You pay to be a member. But they have a best of, so it allows the public to vote for categories that are important like best alterations, best venue, best catering, best small catering, best installations, So I was nominated for best florist and I was really shocked because I put this on social media one time and I got enough votes to be in the top three, which then they just surprise you.

This person won at the actual awards, but. I had done a styled shoot and it was last February and I had met, which is the networking part, at the last Minnesota Bride event before that, which was the last best of, I had met this amazing photographer, Rachel L. And, uh, I instantly connected with her. We sat next to each other.

We were talking about being a mom. We were talking, she's starting a podcast. We were talking about trying to move up and elevate our business into a more mid range. Not necessarily luxury, but more of a premium market. And like that, we both got what a premium market really is. And just had this great conversation.

We've had coffee several times. She's had a baby. Like, I just think she's an amazing human. She invited me to be in a style shoot. And I was like, okay, sure. And like, they allowed me to have input into it. I decided because cultural weddings are my jam. If we could add like a twist of making this into a Jewish style shoot, because of based on what it looked like, I think that spin was a good one.

And so she invited me to be a part of this. It was some really great vendors and I was there because I networked. Well, that. Style Tute, I decided last minute to channel my inner Passionflower Sue and make this bridal bouquet off of a four inch gold cuff. And it was stunning. It had like hyacinth strung in it, it had bleached amaranthus, it had bleached ruscus in there, calla lily's freesia, phalaenopsis orchids, like waterfall phales in there.

It was really cool and different. And so we submitted this and they were like, great news. This is going to be published. The whole like shoot is going to be published. And I was like, awesome. So I told everybody that was there. And like, when I'm at a styled shoot, like I am interacting with people, I'm building relationships.

I'm asking them questions about their family. Like, I'm just trying to get to know people and not just sitting in my little like driver seat, not caring about everybody else. Because. Being there is about everybody else and networking. So, from there I was like, okay, great, I told everybody, and then, like, a month later, I got an email that said, I'm sorry, but we ran out of space, and so we're gonna pu publish your amazing cuff.

And I'm like, okay, that sucks. Cause I just told everybody that the whole shoot was being published. Well, we'll publish it next edition, which I'm like, okay. So I was told the key people and I'm like, I'm so sorry. Well, I had no idea, but. During the award ceremony at the beginning, they have editor's choice and I won editor's choice best floral.

So, I didn't have any clue that that was even on the radar to happen. I thought it was getting like published and maybe a section was like unique floral trends or something. But it got a full page. If you go to my Instagram, you can actually see I did like a little flip through of the The whole bouquet and I'll actually link that in the show notes as well because it is really cool.

But then I'm, at this awards event, I'm totally shocked that I won this. And I'm, then I get a copy of the magazine and I flipped, to all of a sudden this cake shoot that I did. So I had a person who I met at that style shoot. So, funny, that style shoot that got published and I won best of floral choice for, I had that cake person invite me to do, I had an event with Minnesota Bride that I was doing some florals for, and she's like, with all the leftover florals, would you want to do a cake shoot?

And I'm like, okay, what is that? and tale, and just tried to understand it and I was like, sure. So we brought, I brought all the flowers to this photographer's warehouse studio. Which was beautiful and there we just like had these beautiful pedestals that she made and we model cakes on there a model came in and did this.

It was just like this. Very kind of impromptu magical moment, but I was there because of networking. I met her at that styled shoot, putting myself out there. I've met her at other weddings and saying hi to her and interacting, and Since then, I have actually just messaged her today, Hey, do you want to do something fun for my next Floral Rockstar floral retreat that I'm having come up?

I want to do something out of the box because I usually do, like, a big main cake and some crazy floral installation and I have, like, this other idea and she's like, I'm game for whatever. But that's because of networking. Then, I thought about even deeper. In that shoot, that one shoot, I had a videographer who I also absolutely love, his name's Tim Thornberg, I met him at this shoot, he has done the video at two of my workshops, and I He did the video for me to redo my a la carte flowers and mini styled shoot of launching my luxury silk floral rental business that I've talked about on the podcast.

So like that one opportunity I. have expanded into these amazing relationships. I absolutely love Tim and would love to work with him that I was like, I just, even at networking events have messaged him, Hey, I want you to come to this. This is going to be so fun and a great opportunity for you to get exposure.

So like building and cultivating those relationships off of that one thing, I was published two different times because of the relationships that I built. I have deepened relationships with the videographer. The venue where we had that shoot at, while I was there, I talked to them, I would love to host my next Minnesota Floral Collective event.

Guess what? I had my next event there and it is a beautiful venue. It's called Urban Daisy. It has this amazing floral installation. I'm But it was because I made myself uncomfortable that day and was just like, Hey, this is so beautiful. Have you ever heard of the Minnesota Floral Collective? I am the founder of that.

And I started going into this and then I emailed her like a month later and was just like, Hey, I'm looking for a venue and I know we talked about it. Is that something you would consider? And it's like, boom, all because of networking. Then when I flipped through. the additional pages. The other cake person that I've done, two of my workshops, her ad was from one of those workshops.

One of the culture decorators, her ad was a wedding that we did together. But that relationship there, This isn't Nora, this is my friend Rena from Kahani Events, who is an amazing designer, amazing human, and we met at a networking event. There is Twin Cities Wedding and Event Professionals, it's a long name.

But, I was like, you know what, that sounds horrible to go to that. But then I was like, you know what, I need to put my big girl panties on, I need to get out there. And so, I went, and went to that event, and I met her. I have done, I just did, a 10, 000 cultural wedding with her just a few weeks ago. I did an amazingly, Like colorful that was in her ad wedding with her.

Um, we have done a bunch of other weddings together. We love to do coffee and chat because she also is somebody who believes in helping and educating and especially with cultural weddings, like nobody correctly understands them. And so she has formed the colorful wedding. I don't know if it's an association group, whatever, where she's put together events.

So very like minded, but like that started because of me getting uncomfortable and going to that, that event. And you never know if you are going to meet that person who can change your business. at one of these events. I am not saying go say yes to every styled shoot and actually that styled shoot I did not pay for all the flowers.

There were people who participated in the flowers cost. So you also don't need to put yourself out there and do everything for free. I'm not saying that sometimes when you're starting out, you might have to invest a little bit. That's just part of, I think, the game of growing your business. But, I do think that there are strategic ways so that you can position yourself to get yourself in this spot of being in front of the right people at the right time.

And really showing them that you're here to play ball and that you are here to disrupt, like, and just kick ass in your business. And people love to be around that energy, um, especially new florist energy. People love that. Anybody that's starting something out, they're dreaming big, they're daring, they're bold, they're trying to do things that, like, other people aren't doing, that is where, like, the secret sauce lies.

You want to always be trying to network with somebody who is at your, your, kind of, your level, either, In experience, in years in business, Instagram following, maybe number of weddings, like drawing some parallels and trying to be attracted and work with and network with people who are around where you are, because you can, I call it glow up together.

So you, you grow your businesses together. You are at a similar level. So you have similar struggles, similar, you know, like just. Things that you're dealing with that person might be dealing with you're probably attracting a similar clientele You can support each other at a commonality of just getting each other because you're, you're at the same juncture.

And even if that person is just a little bit ahead of you, push yourself to, to not be afraid. Because when you're not afraid, that is when opportunities open up and you're showing yourself and you're showing other people that you're, you're in this. You're taking this seriously. You're here to win.

And I want to talk about some ways to network that might seem unconventional or in the standard, uh, thinking of like, I need to go to a networking event. There are several networking events. And honestly, like there's one of them that I'm not a huge fan of actually too. I enjoy going to Minnesota bride events because I feel like that group is more who I am, but there are other groups that I just don't feel like as comfortable with, or I feel like I'm not.

cool enough, I guess is the best way to put it. Like I don't feel like I wore pink or that and it's Wednesday, you know, I feel like I'm wearing black and I have full set sleeve tattoos and I don't have blonde hair like those other girls. Like I don't want to go to a place that makes me feel uncomfortable like that.

I'll go and try anything once and I think that you should have a philosophy. I will try anything once, even twice. But if I don't feel like I, they're my people, like, then I'm not going to put energy in. I would rather put energy into double down on being around people who are my people, who get me, who think that my work is great, who think that I'm great, who think that, you know, I think they're great.

I think I want to support their business, all the things. So I'm out. Ways to network. Of course, checking out events. There are probably local wedding professional associations or things like that around your area. Put yourself out there. Just go to one. A lot of times you don't need to be a member to attend one.

I am only a member of Minnesota Bride, and I've went to four different types of Bridal type networking events that were some type of wedding professionals or, um, Ilia which is international league or international league of events association, something like that. But there's usually an Ilia chapter in every market.

So just look and see what's out there. So that's one, two, look and pay attention to vendor open houses vendor appreciation Then you open houses. If somebody is opening a new venue, those are great opportunities for, for one, if it's a new venue for you to hopefully slide in and maybe become a preferred vendor.

But for two, you want to be around people who are like excited and supporting new business opportunities or a supporting and like being grateful towards vendors. Because those are people who you want to cultivate relationships with. They are the ones that are there to provide a good experience for vendors that are at their venue.

The third idea is Instagram. And I know that seems like so cliche, like how do you network on Instagram? You purposely interact with people's posts. You follow like minded vendors or vendors in general. It doesn't matter if they're a DJ, they're a photographer. As you know, high up in the funnel, when people are booking those first things, you want to hopefully invest more time in those types of relationships, because those are the ones that are meeting with your clients before you are, then you also want to be like when they friend friend you back or when they follow you back, maybe send them a little high message saying, Hey, thank you so much for following me.

I absolutely love pick a specific thing about their page that you love. and go on from there. So like, maybe even say, Hey, if you're open to it, I'd love to set up a virtual coffee date to learn more about your business because who's going to sign up for a virtual coffee date that they're only talking about themselves.

They're going to want to practice reciprocity and they're going to want to learn about your business too. And so your networking, even on Instagram, somebody follows you back, just, Hey, put yourself out there. Have a script. If you want other than that one line that makes it be seen that you looked specifically at their Instagram profile and know something and are not just sending some blanket message out.

Then, not only that, but when you're interacting on posts, it's hard to get interactions. So if you write a thoughtful comment and you do that continuously, they're going to start noticing your name. Your name is going to build frequency in them. And when somebody asks, they'll be like, Oh yeah, that person that's super awesome that always comments on my posts.

Like you want to be that super awesome person that they are recommending to their client. So that is something that I know takes a little bit of uncomfortable with, like sending a direct message to somebody seems terrifying, but it doesn't need to. You are two people who are looking to grow your business and wouldn't it be cool if you could grow it together?

I think it would be cool. All right. Number, I think we're at five. Make sure you're saying hi to people on wedding day. If you're going to a venue, go and say hi to the venue manager. Go say hi to the. Wedding planner, go say hi to the photographer, have business cards. I actually in my emergency kit on the top, I have a, well, it's like an actual tool belt box.

So I have my business cards tucked into this little plastic thing that's supposed to hold like nuts and bolts or something like that. But my business cards are in there. I always have my business cards. So then I can just rip one out and say, Hey. I, I would love to connect sometime. I would love to do virtual coffee or I'd love to do coffee sometime and learn more about your business.

I always position it that I want to learn more about them. It's not that I want to tell you a bunch of garbage about my business. I want to learn because I meet clients who need wedding planners. I meet clients who don't have their photographer booked yet. I meet clients that might need some other service.

And so you're creating this mutually beneficial relationship. So that's another thing that is. Just a little thing to chip away at. Go and interact in five posts a day or interact 10 depending on the amount of time, like less mindless scrolling, more strategic interaction. So go say hi when you're at a wedding, but then make sure you're asking for following up in your cadence of communication after a wedding.

When you're off boarding your client, Hey, I would love the, photo link, the gallery, whatever, if you wouldn't mind sharing it. And your vendor tags, go and tag those vendors because every time you do that, your name is showing up again. Your name is showing up to all these people. And they're like, Oh my God.

Yeah. I remember her. I remember them. Their flowers were beautiful. Hey. And now you've maybe created three posts over two weeks time using those photos and tag them each time. So there you're building frequency. Like Oh yeah. I should. Like her work is so good. Yeah. Do you, Hey, do you, you know, you need a florist.

And so they're recommending you on a consult because you're creating this frequency and then take that up a level. And like, they're sharing that on Instagram stories. And now you're also getting in front of their audience. Because if you post someone, anybody who is doing a good job at Instagram is sharing that in their Instagram stories.

And when you share it. I know this seems weird, but make sure you re tag those vendors because you don't get notified other than the person who originally did the post. Because then it's just showed there in your like when you go in it's like in your messages that, or activity, it's in your activity that somebody mentioned you, but you want to know everybody that.

that was involved that you're sharing that content again. That is something that I think would be hugely beneficial for you to just start doing, like, start strategically interacting with people, start following wedding professionals, and then start Smiling, start really just putting yourself out there as a go to person.

I, I was shocked afterwards I received 46 DMs from sharing my win from vendors. Some of them were florists, a handful were florists, other vendors, other venues. It was crazy. And that night there were like a couple of people said, you're like so popular. And so the go to floral person, like didn't make any sense for you not to win best florist is what I had several people say.

And I know that people are always extra kind in those situations, but they were like, Jen, you're just like, you've built such a business and such a following. And like, here's people that I'm talking to because I've worked so hard at this. They, they're positioning me as an expert to others, not to myself, even they're going beyond.

They're like, duh. I had someone after I won, shared one of the photos and said that I was the go to Minneapolis expert. area florist or, like top tier florist. I don't know. It was something really, really sweet and really kind, but like you start to build this reputation and start to get shared and positioned that way consistently.

How is that not going to grow your business? Let's get uncomfortable. I want you to check out this Instagram reel because I want you to see how like these dots got connected. So I'm definitely going to put that in the show notes, but you never know. When that next person you meet could be a 10, 000 job, a 15, 000 job, a 20, 000 job, maybe even a 5, 000, who cares?

Like, you never know when you're going to meet that person and you need to put yourself out there to even get up to bat to meet that person. So I believe in you. You can do this. If you want next year, especially to be your best year ever, it's got to start now, you got to start somewhere. It's like a wood chipper.

I go to CrossFit and there are wads, they're called workouts of the day that are called wood chipper. And we're like doing a lot of different things, but we're like doing 20 of them here. Then we go through another round and we do 20 and we do another 20, like 20 pull ups, 20 push ups, 20 sit ups. 20 box jumps, whatever.

And they call it a wood chipper because we're just chipping away at the wood. Like, think you've got an axe and you're cutting down that tree and we're just chipping away. Every time you do one thing, you're chipping down. And I know that's where my successes come from because I would chip the hell out of everything.

And so should you. Thank you so much for listening, flower friend. You have an amazing flower filled day.