Welcome everyone to the Flower Files podcast sponsored by Wildly Native Flower Farm. Here everyone is welcome to talk with fellow flower lovers, including real perspectives from the farm, the flowers and me, the florist.
Speaker 2:From the messy day-to-day operations down to the details and even business perspectives, this podcast has a little bit of everything. To keep it real, we know that life can get crazy and we don't always have the time to spend on what we love, so we are here to help you take a little time to indulge in nature. I'm Liza Goetz.
Speaker 1:I'm Lizzie Frey, and we are the team that makes this podcast. Every once in a while, we have a couple guests. This business thing and what we are working with is called life.
Speaker 2:Join us as we walk you through how to think outside the box, talk from the farmer's perspective, have honest conversations about florals and how to run well life so listen in.
Speaker 1:You can find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify in the podcast section and any of your other podcast platforms. You can also find us online at wildlynativeflowerfarmcom and, in an easy way, you can look in the show notes and all of the information will be right there for easy access for you guys.
Speaker 2:Well, good morning. Good morning flower friends. This is Liza coming to you live from the closet because it has the best acoustics. So welcome to the Flower Files, where we keep it real about flowers farming, apparently, laundry and business behind the blooms. I'm Liza, and if you've been here before, you know that this isn't your average fluffy floral chat. We talk about the wins, we talk about the losses and we talk about the messy middle of building a business in the flower world, which includes weddings, farmer's markets, day-to-day business sales and everything in between.
Speaker 2:Today's episode. It's one of those topics that most people don't want to touch, but you need to hear. We're talking about why couples don't book you. From ghosting to price shock, to personality clashes and even the dreaded momzilla, we're going there. So that's right. This isn't the pretty bouquets and the dreamy installs. I want to talk about the deal breakers. I want to talk about the lost clients. I want to basically do the good, the bad and the downright ugly side of working with potential customers. So, whether you're listening in from a flower studio, you're out on the farm or hiding in your car between deliveries, grab your coffee, your matcha, your wine, depending on your time zone, or whatever keeps you sane, because this one is about to get real for you. All right, so let's talk about why people should book you.
Speaker 2:I think one of the most rewarding moments in any of the phone calls that I do is when I first have that moment of connection with a client. When I start off a phone call, I always ask people to tell me a little bit about them and their fiance. It's nerve-wracking, talking to a stranger and sharing your deep dreams and really connecting and trying to understand. Pictures are one thing, but it's a little intimidating because you're talking to this stranger. Maybe you have a recommendation from something on this long list that comes from the venue. Maybe it's from a photographer, maybe it's from a friend, but maybe you don't have that. Maybe you're new from the venue. Maybe it's from a photographer, maybe it's from a friend, but maybe you don't have that. Maybe you're new to the area. Maybe you're just not sure where to start. Maybe your wedding is different than everybody else's around you and you're not sure. So it can be a little intimidating. So when I first ask my clients to tell me a little bit about them and their fiance, a lot of the times there's moments through there where I get to understand their story, where they're coming from, and, honestly, that's some of my favorite parts, because you can just hear the ah in the conversation from them, which then means ah on my end, where I'm not as stressed about like oh my gosh, how is this going to sound, what is this going to be like.
Speaker 2:It's hard also as the person making the phone call being like hey, you want to talk about your wedding flowers, not knowing. Am I the first, the third or the fifth florist that they're talking to? Am I talking to the bride? Is the bride going to call in her mom or her aunt or somebody else who knows and loves flowers? And those are all slight game changers and shift things a little bit, because I would talk to somebody one way if they are brand new, have no idea what they want, compared to somebody who is in love with flowers and can list 10 different things that they're like, I definitely want these. So so it it's. I feel like there's a little bit of stress all around until you first make that connection.
Speaker 2:I also think that having a really strong brand is critical at this point. You have to have a strong brand. People don't log on to our website, our social media or just chat with us in general and go oh, they do, roses and baby's breath. No, they know that they're going to get a completely different feel with us in general. And go oh, they do, roses in baby's breath. No, they know that they're going to get a completely different feel with us. Our name in itself wildly native. We're not native in the area to Central America to grow long stem red roses. That's just not what we do. So we do things a little bit different to begin with what we do. So we do things a little bit different to begin with. So your client knows who they're talking to right out of the gate, kind of thing.
Speaker 2:So I always try to make sure that people understand that working with us is not like working with a traditional florist. First of all, to work with us, you drive down a long lane, you have flowers on one side, you have a flower barn in the back and I always personally picture a floral shop where you walk in through a glass door, there's a tinkly little bell, there's this cute shop with all of these beautiful things and little gifts and flowers everywhere and it smells good and there's coolers and everybody's like oh, it's so pretty. It's a floral shop. No, not what you get with us. You drive down that lane, you drive to the back barn and as soon as you pull up you know that we're working because there's buckets everywhere. We're the messy in your face. Nothing's behind the scenes. When you walk into that barn, there is plant material on the floor, there's racks of glass and vases and all of that kind of stuff. You walk in there's things drying overhead. You can tell you are in the middle of everything that is going on. So it's a very different experience and I don't apologize for that. We are who we are and this is what we do and this is how we do it.
Speaker 2:So, having that connection, I love when I get to talk to somebody who is going for their master's, for example in Chesapeake Bay Studies, because, man, I can connect with them and they get it and I get them and we understand each other's vision and how everything works. So when you're crystal clear in your brand voice, people who vibe with you will run to sign that contract because they're excited that it all just works. And some people love our creativity and they trust us to completely just make it pretty. Some of those clients everybody says that's the dream client. Oh, just make it pretty. Oh God, no, oh. That stresses me out worse sometimes, because my version of pretty and their version of pretty could be different. I want your screenshots, I want your TikToks, I want your Pinterest pins, I want your spreadsheets, I want your pictures and I want to make sure that your version of pretty and my version of pretty match.
Speaker 2:So I think the joy of connecting with couples who share our values and local flowers, the artistry and the ways we do things and our gut wrenching honesty really, really, really is important. And when someone doesn't book you, it's actually a gift, and it took me a long time to come to terms with us. It took me a really long time to not take it personally, but it's a gift because it means they weren't your person and now you have more room for the ones who are. So take that, think about that for a minute. It's okay, it's not you. Sometimes it's probably just the cosmos saying not a good fit, square, peg, round hole, all of those things, yeah, no. So I think it's easy to talk about why they book you, but let's talk about some of those reasons why maybe they don't book you, and here's where you can have a little bit of some understanding.
Speaker 2:For a long time, when I initially did phone calls, I would take people's information as they went through, because our process is there's initial contact form where they fill out some basic information and then we send a brochure that has the majority of the prices listed so that people have an idea, going into it, where we're going to fall, and then they have the option after that to set up a phone call. My goal behind that is three parts. First of all, it puts them in control. Secondly, if they're looking at the prices and they're going, oh, I really don't think this is my price point or I don't think this is a good match, we know that and then they never book a phone call. It's not wasting their time and it's not wasting our time. Third, it helps me understand, as I go in, where their threshold is and where some of those price points are.
Speaker 2:I'll be honest for a long time I was uncomfortable having the money conversation and I want you to picture the money, the money conversation, in air quotes, because it's one thing to have all of these ideas and want all of these things and listen to everything and say, okay, we'll price it. But then it's another thing to go back, do the work, figure out the calculations, sometimes contact the venue, if we haven't been there before, to find out what their rules are for a hanging installation and things like that. If I know that somebody has a thousand dollar budget and they want a greenery install to cover the inside of the tent, those things aren't going to match it. Just, I feel like couples brides, because nine times out of 10, if a guy's on a call, he goes oh yeah, cool, well, what do you think? Yeah, yeah, yeah, let's do that, and he just defers back to the bride.
Speaker 2:It's very unusual that men have strong emotions when it comes to flowers, unless they're flower literate. But I feel like folks come in and they expect Pinterest worthy work or AI generated is something else that we're starting to see, cause I'm like that flower doesn't exist or that flower doesn't even come. There's not a cultivar in that size, shape, color, variety, like. So we're starting to see a little AI things come in too. But you've got all of these grand visions and it's amazing, but people don't understand the time, effort, work and labor that it goes into. So they want that for pennies. So they want a $10,000 install with a $500 budget. I got to tell you, math is math.
Speaker 2:So one of the things to think about when you're looking for installations and those bigger pieces that you see that are amazing is the budget, because we have to get there before everything is set, get all of those things set up, make sure the mechanics and hardware work ahead of time. If it's in a tent, we have to prearrange and make sure everything matches. If it's in a tent, we have to prearrange and make sure everything matches, and then we have to install and then at the end of the night, we have to deconstruct. There's a lot of rules, there's a lot of insurance, there's a lot of behind the scenes things that I mean. Why would you think about it Realistically? It's pretty and you're like, wow, I would love to have this, okay, but if you want draping with greens, what are the rules and how does it work and who's installing? And is it ladders or lift and who's certified to run the lift? Like there's so many, so many moving parts, and I think that's why having the money talk matters, because it's a little bit of education.
Speaker 2:But educating the client as to how everything works is really important, but sometimes they're not ready for it. Sometimes they're not ready to hear, and I can hear it in people's voices where they're super excited and they want to do this and they want to do that, and I'm like that's great. Let's talk about your budget. And if somebody says, well, I have 50 people and I have a budget of a thousand dollars, I'm just like, okay, here are your options and here's where you are tentatively right now options and here's where you are tentatively right now. If this is the end-all, be-all and this is exactly what you want, great, we'll quote it. But if it's not in the cards for you and you don't have any flex in your budget, it doesn't make any sense and you can hear the disappointment. But I'm also not going to hang a hula hoop in the air with some flowers tied to it and be like, ta-da, here's your $200 over the head piece. It just doesn't make sense. So I think it's really important to be transparent In that regard.
Speaker 2:There's many times where I will chat with a client and then we take the time to put together a proposal. We put together that initial proposal and I always tell everybody hey guys, this is like a rough draft. It's not going to be perfect. Things are going to change. You're going to have to add, change, delete things as your vision changes throughout the process. We send out that proposal. I try not to be pushy and I wouldn't want somebody breathing down my neck. So a lot of the times when I send that initial proposal I try to wait at least a week, 10 days to see. Okay, where are we? Are you interested? Do you have questions?
Speaker 2:Because a lot of the times folks will need time to meet with other people, chat with folks. Sometimes they haven't even talked about a budget yet because nobody knows what the budget should be. So they start to get proposals and then try to figure out wow, what should the budget budget? Hmm, what should the budget be? And then I think some people are not good with confrontation because in their mind they probably feel like it's confrontational to respond. But I also think some people are just uncomfortable saying to somebody because they maybe don't want to hurt their feelings. Maybe they really liked the connection and the person, but maybe it just didn't work timing wise.
Speaker 2:So when there's no response, so we send the proposal and then there's no response and we send another email. That is like hey, just reaching out to see if you have any questions, to see if there's, you know, anything else that you would like to clarify or change. No response. And then if we, I always hesitate. If I hear nothing to be like are you done, do I call? What do I do? And a lot of the times if I've made those personal connections and contacts, then I don't mind making a phone call back or sending a text.
Speaker 2:It's individualized for each person. So it's really really hard. But sometimes couples just use you as a price check against the florist they already really really wanted. Ouch, but it's the truth. They're just kind of price comparing, which is fine, that's part of it, I get it. But let that initial florist know hey, we're not going to use you or like one line Thank you so much. We've gone a different direction. Thank you so much, we've gone another direction. Look, it's not even 10 words, it's single digit words. It's so easy.
Speaker 2:So I think another reason why you may not match is your personalities may just not click. There are people in this world that you're just not going to click with and sometimes I can get a judge on that from the tone. Sometimes it's just the way people speak that you're like oh, this is not this, we just don't, we're not jiving, and that's OK. But if they're feeling that and you're feeling that, it's OK for you to not be each other's cup of tea. And some people just want to yes, ma'am, okay, that's great.
Speaker 2:Some people just want a vendor who's going to do whatever they say. However, they say it without any extra information or recommendations or suggestions or anything. And the other extreme of that is other people want a collaborator. They want someone that they can work with and send things to, and we've had, we've had brides in the past who every single decision they've made down to like here's our linen, here's our table napkin, here's our glassware, we, we've picked this, we've picked this, like, every single detail is included. So there's so many versions and every single bride is different. Every single person is unique, every single situation is different, and that's important, very, very, very important.
Speaker 2:Another reason why they may not book you is you may have too many options. Some people want a cookie cutter, some people want a package deal. That's what they're comfortable with, that's what they're looking for, because a lot of the times, we speak a different language, because this is what we do every day and I'm not picking on anyone and I'm not trying to hate on anyone, but we have even worked with people who don't understand what what's a votive Okay? So that tells me. As we go through, their level of understanding is going to be a little bit different. So for that person going through our brochure it's going to be really overwhelming and it may feel like too many options.
Speaker 2:Couples get overwhelmed with a ton of different quotes and they pick the one that feels probably the easiest and maybe it's not the best one, but maybe it's where they feel comfortable. So if there's too many options and too much stuff, maybe it's too much noise for them and they're trying to figure out the best way to do it because, remember, it's not just you the photographer, it's not just you the dj, it's not just us the florist, it's just not you the planner, or or the venue or any. They have to pick all of those things and inside each of those are individual choices. This decision fatigue try to say that 10 times fast decision fatigue is a real thing. So trying to understand how to manage it and what to do with it, ooh, that can be a tough one.
Speaker 2:And your communication style. Clients may not book you if your email website or that first meeting feels confusing or too overwhelming. So those are kind of some spots where you know it's tough. So the ugly truth about when it gets messy is probably the scariest part to share. But I think People don't understand when they have this expectation. They go through. You have the proposal, they sign. They then make changes to reduce the budget or because their vision has changed or something else has come up that is expensive, that they hadn't accounted for, and now they're scrambling to try to fix things.
Speaker 2:Other spaces. So if you send me a vision board that includes compotes full of flowers with a very specific feel and then you go back, you make changes, you shift it to be scattered vases with a reduced number, count, change the recommended amount of candles in a ballroom that's supposed to be for 200 people, and then you walk in the day of and it's underwhelming. I don't know how to fix that. I don't know what to do about that. You're going to be disappointed. We're going to be disappointed. You're going to be frustrated. We're going to be stressed. It's not a great situation. It's not a great situation and those are the things that I take home with me and those are the things that I never want a bride to remember.
Speaker 2:So if you try to force it, if you try in that initial call when you're like, oh, I think we can figure it out, or if there's something along the way where you're like I just don't know if this is a good fit, say no. Please learn from my experience to say no and listen to your gut. Listen to your gut. People want these grand, elaborate things and they want it on that shoestring budget and it doesn't always work. And and bottom line, you don't have to have all the stuff. It doesn't, doesn't have to be like that um, it really, really, really makes it hard. It really makes it hard. And then, if you've got some type of repurposing included, you cannot judge your final product until the room is completely set. It just it, it's, it doesn't work because it's not complete. You cannot judge all that. And sometimes, honestly, it's not the couple. Sometimes it's the mother of the bride, the sister, the aunt or somebody who's kind of behind the scenes who is making comments.
Speaker 2:I worked with a bride. She was incredibly particular on the hues of her colors. She was an ophthalmologist so to totally made sense that hue was very important to her. She sees the world through a very specific lens. Got it Pun intended, but she wanted burgundy and white. She didn't want any other hues. She was so specific and the venue we were working had an upstairs space for the bride to get ready and that space overlooked the reception area and we were setting up the reception space. Rich greens, lots of deep colors, merlot, merlot, merlot. Everything was Merlot. That's not the right hue. Because she came and we did wedding florals in person on the farm. We made sure everything was the correct hues lots of dahlias, lots of asters, lots of mums, lots of just those really deep, rich colors. Had to be careful with zinnias because they had a couple hues in there that, you know, leaned one direction or the other. So day of we're downstairs, we're setting up, I have buckets and buckets and buckets of flowers in the one corner because some of it was on-site installation, things that had to be tucked in.
Speaker 2:And this lady I didn't know who she was, but she came over and she was like she put her hands on her hips and she's looking at me. She was older. She's looking at me and she goes. Actually she didn't look at me, she looked at my, my partner in crime that day. And she was like well, where's the pink? And she, she, my gal, looked up at her and said what do you mean? She's like well, it's not a wedding unless there's pink. We've already had discussions about this. And my one gal, she goes, she's the boss, and points her over to me. So here comes this woman storming. She has sequins on. I distinctly remember the sound of her wrestling sequins coming towards me in her heels. I was like, oh God, what is wrong? So, cause, cause, fun fact, I didn't hear the first conversation. I was told about it later.
Speaker 2:So she comes over and she goes well, I hope you're not finished. I said no, ma'am, we're not finished, we still have plenty of things to put out. And she was like well, where's the pink? I said, excuse me. She's like well, where's the pink? She's like it's not a wedding unless there's pink. And I was like well, you're, you're the bride. And she was like my daughter. I was like, okay, she's like, well, my daughter should have pink.
Speaker 2:And, thank God, one of the bridesmaids comes literally running across the room here she comes in her little bare feet. She's like oh, come on, mrs Such and Such. You know, come on back upstairs, come on, come on. And she's like well, I just wanted to check and make sure everything was going according to plan and this, that, the other thing, and she goes oh no, we have everything. It Everything was going according to plan and this, that, the other thing, and she goes oh no, we have everything, it's all straight. Come on, you're needed upstairs. She like shoves, not shoves her, but like kind of really pushes her, really encourages her strongly. She turns around, she looks at me, the bridesmaid, and she goes. I'm so sorry, it was my job to keep her out of trouble. Oh my God, she's like all I have to do is keep her away from all the vendors. I was like oh my God, oh my God. So she had a handler.
Speaker 2:So there is lots of family drama that you may not even know anything about. There may be expectations that are being set by other people that you may not know anything about. So there's lots and lots of other people who are behind the scenes. I've definitely been on phone calls where the bride who thinks she is doing the kindest thing or is being steamrolled I'm never quite sure, but she'll have her mom and the mother of the groom on at the same time and I can't tell you how many times that poor bride gets steamrolled by those two women and it's my job to bring it back to the bride to make sure it's what she wants, while still being polite to the other people on the phone. Or sometimes we just have to shift the call and maybe do something later or different.
Speaker 2:You think you're hired by the bride, but sometimes you realize you're working for a momzilla or an auntzilla and guess what? Mom's not booking you if you don't bow to her vision. I always feel bad for that bride. Um, as I called out earlier, comparison. We have a comparison culture. I could be getting something better or more for less over here. So couples shopping you against every other vendor in town is a thing that's going to happen. But but we're not Amazon Prime. And stick to who and where you are, because when you try to undercut other people, you end up hurting everybody in the industry. I get it when you're first starting out. It could be an honest mistake and you may just not know, but you don't need to compete in a race to the bottom. If they don't see your value, let them go, and that's okay.
Speaker 2:One thing I will say in the ugly category. There are clients who will ask for the moon and when you politely explain the reality, they'll call you the difficult one. Those aren't your people, because at the end of the day we actually had to put a clause in our contract because we've had people be rude to the point where they were making fun of my team when they showed up to deliver that they had a U-Haul van. When you have that many flowers you're not going to fit in a usual vehicle. The guys were drunk, they were catcalling, it was so rude and so uncomfortable and it was just so extra. It's hard, it's really really hard.
Speaker 2:And if you know, going into something that it's not a good fit, from that phone call or from somewhere in the contract, listen to your gut, absolutely listen to your gut. So, and let's call out the mental toll. Let's talk real here. There is self-doubt. When you're ghosted, when you're're undercut or you're just plain dismissed, it stings, it makes you feel bad and everybody says, oh, you have to build a thick skin and know that no booking is better than the wrong booking. And and they say that, but it's still okay to be that little kid inside, being like my feelings are, or that big kid or that, whoever you are inside and be like it hurt my feelings or I don't understand, or I'm so frustrated. It's okay to have those feelings, but it's not okay to perseverate on them. Move on.
Speaker 2:Business is business and business is cold. And as much as we are in a fluffy, fun industry, it's still business. You have to treat it like a business. So let's talk about the point of all this. What was the point of all of this? This is not a complaint session. This is not. You know, she's just bitching on the pod. No, I'm not. I want it to be real. I want the conversations to make sense, because I wish someone had said some of these things to me the first time I had somebody who was disappointed with us, I was panicked and I was crushed. And if I were to work with them today, if I was to book with them today, I wouldn't have been in the same space because I would have caught different flags. So not everyone is going to book with you, and that is perfectly fine. Not everyone is going to book with you, and that is perfectly fine.
Speaker 2:Your job is not to be the cheapest, the easiest or the most available. It's to be the right fit for the right couple and learn from every no. Ask yourself was it my pricing, was it my communication, was it my process? Or was it just not my client? And that's okay. So a couple quick tips Make sure you refine your inquiry process to make sure that they know who you are and what you do. Be crystal clear about pricing and value up front. You want to attract the right clients by showing your real work and your real style. And, most importantly, don't take every no personally.
Speaker 2:So at the end of the day, some clients aren't going to book you because you're not for them, and that's the good news. Your energy, your time, your artistry it's sacred, it's important and you want to protect it. So the right couples are going to find you. They're going to value you and they're going to celebrate you. They're going to celebrate with you. The wrong ones let them walk, because you are not for everybody. You're for your people. So, on that note, I'm glad, those of you who are listening that you are my people and I am so excited to share this episode with you. And if it resonates with you, please share it with a friend. Can you do that like thing and share and all of that kind of stuff, because it really helps us grow and it really helps us understand our people. So till next time. That's all for now. I hope this episode helped you. I hope you have a fantastic day. Bye.