Oh, you bet I learned so much all these years in my wedding career, especially in the early years. When I look back, there are so many things I wish I knew and didn’t have to learn the hard way. I know how it is to start a business, it’s tough, and I want to share some of my hard-learned lessons with you.
1. Write Everything Down
- Checklists – to-do’s, packing list, order list, processes
- Flower recipes – so you don’t need to build it from scratch everytime
- Personal things I learn about the clients – they appreicate you for remembering next time you bring it up
- Meeting notes – so you remember what you discussed and what you promised
- BONUS: Send the notes back to the client so you’re sure you didn’t get anything wrong or your client will email back to let you know otherwise.
2. I Do Not Want to Work With All Couples
- The couple might have different styles
- The couple might be asking for things that are out of our comfort zone, which will cause us time and money
- The location and timing might not be right
- At the end, it might not be worth our time, business is business!
3. I Can Say No
I don’t need to say yes to everything! Things that aren’t profitable, things that take up too much of my time, things that don’t help my business grow (i.e. sponsorships and free gigs for exposure). As business owners, we need to do things that help move our business forward and not spend too much time on things that don’t.
4. I Don’t Need to Reply to Clients Instantly
I need to set boundaries and expectations from the get-go! I’ve always been glued to my phone because I thought I need to reply to emails right away. This is something you shouldn’t be doing.
- You need to set boundaries for yourself and your family
- You need to let clients know you are not there to answer them right away
- It’s actually less efficient if you’re just replying to emails as they come in
- You need to create a healthy work habit for yourself so that you can be sustainable
5. Never Rely on Help From Clients
6. Never Rely on Photographer to Give You Photos
- Some photographers won’t share their images unless you pay for them
- Sometimes the photographer doesn’t have time to take detailed shots
- The photographers aren’t florists, sometimes they don’t take shots that reflect the best of your work. If you take them, you can control what images you have.
If any of these things happen, you’re left with nothing. No images of your hard work. As a wedding floral designer, images of your work is crucial!
There are so many other lessons and mistakes I learned and wished I knew in my early years in business. This is not everything, stay tuned for Part 2 next week! Are there things you wish you would have known earlier? Share with us in the comments!
Cheering you on!
