As you know, when it comes to weddings, people want the day to run and look just the way they have imagined it will be. That means that they will be very careful when they are selecting every element that will contribute to their vision of the day. The competition for florists is considerable and it all comes down to convincing the customer that you can provide their vision.
The internet these days is host to a huge array of websites filled with ideas on wedding decorations, themes and floral designs. Many of them encourage people to buy cut flowers wholesale and design their own arrangements. Still more advise soon-to-be-weds on how to choose a floral designer. All of these sites emphasise the importance of consulting at least three florists before making a choice. So how do you make sure that you win over these savvy window shoppers? They are, in effect, interviewing you and knowing what they are looking for is the first step. Here is the checklist that a lot of the sites are advising people to look for in a floral designer:
• Was the florist willing to spend the time you required during your initial consultation?
• Was he/she professional, prompt, and courteous?
• Did he/she listen to your ideas?
• Did he/she “get it”? And did he/she make suggestions that you liked?
• Was he/she knowledgeable, for instance did he/she suggest which flowers would be in season?
• Did he/she have a portfolio of flowers that you loved? If you didn’t like anything you saw in their portfolio, chances are you will not like what you see on the day of your event!
• Were the photos of the designer’s actual work?
• Were they willing to work within your budget?
• Were they able to provide references?
• Were they familiar with your event site, and/or willing to visit it prior to your event?
• Did they provide you with a detailed cost estimate and contract?
• Are they able to provide all of the services that you require? For instance, can they provide linen rentals, arches, urns, etc.?
• Will the person that you met with be your contact (and designer) throughout the entire process?
• Will your florist deliver and set up the flowers? Or, do they use an outside delivery service?
• How many events will the florist book on the day/weekend of your wedding?
• Did you enjoy speaking with him/her, and would you feel comfortable working with them?
We marked some of the points in bold as they seem to be the ones that will really make the sale easy you. The major point seems to be that the customer has to feel comforted that the job will be done and their vision realised. Of course you can’t always do what the customer wants but in those cases it is important to be able to come up with good alternatives. The customer might even like your solutions more than their original vision in the end.
