Coffee Wine & Flowers Podcast

I think that one thing all of us humans can relate on is that we want to feel heard and feel seen.

Today's topic is centered around human connection but more specifically how to use this form of connection as a means of growing your business on social media.
If there is one thing that I’ve learned while growing a business on social media it’s that realness is rare. And I think it’s slowly becoming more common now, as people and as businesses and brands learn that it’s an effective form of marketing. But I think there are still quite a few businesses out there who are afraid to just be real.
If we think about people and how we naturally operate, both as a human and as a consumer, we don’t just crave realness but we crave connection. And the reason we crave realness is because it gives us a means to connect and relate.
How does one go about engaging more authentically on social media? I’m going to share with you 5 tips that are straight from my own social media approach.
Tip #1: SHOW UP AS YOU ARE

The first step in creating an authentic presence on social media is to show up as you are. If your followers and customers are going to experience this human connection, there needs to be a human on the other end for them to connect with. Showing up in person and being open on social media will allow you to deepen the connection with your audience, by inviting them to start conversations and to feel a part of your brand story.
Tip #2: BE HOSPITABLE

Another strategy I use in my approach when engaging on social media is to think about it from a place of being hospitable. I think when you walk into a business, something that really makes a good impression and leaves an impact is when there is a sense of hospitality. I try to imagine my social media page as a physical place where people will come to experience my brand. How do I do this on an instagram page? I can’t literally greet someone and smile at them, obviously. But I can create a sense of welcome in the feel of the page - through my use of the features that are available to me in the app.
To think that your social media account can not just be beautiful but be useful to a follower or potential customer. That it could provide value to them. That is making the most of social media as a marketing platform.
Tip #3: ACKNOWLEDGE EVERY FOLLOWER

I think this should go without me saying, but if you’re thinking of your social media profile as a place where you host your followers and you’re inviting them into this space, it’s so important that you acknowledge your followers. The most obvious way to do this reply to each and every comment you receive. If you are at a beginner level in engaging with your audience on social media, at a minimum level, you should be replying to every single comment and DM. Rather than just liking the comment, take the extra step to comment back.
By acknowledging each follower, and especially the ones who are going out of their way to like, comment, or engage with your content in some other way, it’s a way of thanking them and letting them know you appreciate them for showing interest in your brand. And that appreciation goes a long way.

Tip #4: RELATE
Relating to your audience is something that requires a sense of humanity. It requires compassion, kindness, listening and caring. Those are things that leave people feeling good. Relating to your audience makes them feel heard and

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Today, I am sharing with you my best kept secret. If you’ve listened to past episodes I’ve shared with you that there were some discoveries I made a few years into my business that came as good news and really changed my whole way of thinking. One of them specifically was the idea that I could build and craft my own ideal business, and reverse engineer the steps to help me generate enough income to support my goals and dreams.
When it comes to crafting your ideal business and life, I really believe that the steps I'm going to share with you are the foundational building blocks for getting you from point A to point B (without getting sucked into a chaotic whirlwind!) As a business owner, you should be in the driver's seat!
I will start off by saying that success looks different for everyone. What does success look like to you right now, today, as you imagine your business and your lifestyle several years from now? Take note of that.
Okay, here come the steps.Step one - Imagine the life you dream of for yourself.
Whether you’re starting a new business or you have a business that you would like to hone and refine to really start working for you, it’s important to spend some time dreaming and really thinking about the life that you want in the future, so that you can allow these goals to be the foundation that support your business decisions and actions, while guiding you towards your destination.
As a part of this visualization of your dream life, include the salary you would like to have that will support your goals and ideal lifestyle. Consider what your monthly expenses will look like in the future (5 to 10 years from now) including how much you would like to save monthly or annually towards vacations, investments, or other endeavors you noted on your wish list.

Step two - Determine your business revenue goal
Remember that your personal income and your business income are separate, and your personal income will be a salary that you pay yourself as a portion of your business net profit. So you will want to figure out the salary that you would like to pay yourself, and from that, figure out the gross income that your business must bring in in order to pay yourself that salary.
Download my free resource: How to Set a Salary & Revenue Goal for Your Business
Use the resource above to calculate your ideal salary & revenue goal for your business based on your personal goals and dreams you wrote down in the first exercise. You can use this equation to test different scenarios and decide on a set of figures that you feel comfortable with as a goal.
This is meant to provide you with a business revenue goal to reach so that you can keep your eyes fixed on your ideal future and making it a reality in a reasonable number of years. You can inch closer to your goal by making profit-focused choices for your business that steer you towards growth.

Step three - Choose your business model (or income plan).
Did you know there were many different business models for your specific niche , or different ways you could structure and design your business offerings? I certainly did not know this when I was starting out! But as it turns out, no two businesses in any given niche are exactly alike. YOU get to decide how to structure your business, what services or products you want to offer, how you want to price your services, and every other detail

Floral Business Tools & Resources:
www.mulberryandmoss.com/shop
Podcast Home Page:
www.mulberryandmoss.com/podcast
Follow on Instagram:
@mulberryandmoss

If you own a creative business, then you are probably an artist or creative and most of us creative people love to do one thing - create! Sometimes budgets and numbers just feel like they’re hindering your creativity and standing in the way of being able to fully express yourself. In this episode I share with you exactly why profit should be your main focus in your business and walk you through some practical ways you can shift your focus towards profitability.

When I started my business, I was so excited to start creating for people who wanted to hire me, and I was pouring my heart and soul into every design. And a lot of the time, that meant sparing no expense at the flower market. Of course I’d try to stay on budget ... But most of the time, I was letting my passion win me over and letting my budget go out the window. I told myself this was helping me build my brand and attract my ideal clients. I learned the hard way what it meant to truly market my business and that in order to do that, I needed to make money on my events.
Overtime, I've started implementing some strategies to help me stay profitable, and I'm going to share my top 4 strategies with you!
Strategy #1 - I shifted my focus away from my own taste and artistic urges, and started paying close attention to the client’s values, so that I could better align my stem selections with their value system.

This requires truly understanding your clients values and making design decisions that serve those values. This way, you don't make expensive choices that may not be worth it to your client. And if it's not worth it to them, it's probably not worth it to you! That's because the entire wedding will not reflect the same design quality that you value. So it won't really be a portfolio piece in the end.
Which brings me to...
Strategy #2 - I started collecting more detailed information from each client, like which other vendors I would be working with, to identify which weddings would be portfolio builders ahead of time.
I did this by adding extra questions to my bride questionnaire and doing my vendor research. This helped me to build connections with vendors and make sure my efforts were not in vain! For the weddings that did justify that extra special attention because they were going to truly push my brand forward, I made sure to approach my spending strategically and most importantly, made sure that my client knew when they were getting a deal. It's alright to price competitively as a temporary strategy when you're starting out, but make sure that you reflect those discounts in your pricing so that the value of your work is clear.
Strategy #3 - I prioritized getting my markup and pricing sorted, and built in a buffer to mitigate overspending tendencies.
That's a mouthful, I know... But basically, I became smart with my pricing and left extra money in my budget to shop! How did I become smarter with pricing exactly? A few of the ways I did this were helping the client to prioritize their needs from their wants, making suggestions for what pieces would leave the greatest impact, as well as being smart with my recipes and flower selections according to the client’s values as I mentioned in step 1. This helped me to optimize my proposals - in other words - lowering the quantity of items and making sure the quality was there.

Floral Business Tools & Resources:
www.mulberryandmoss.com/shop
Podcast Home Page:
www.mulberryandmoss.com/podcast
Follow on Instagram:
@mulberryandmoss

It's a brand new year of possibilities! In this latest podcast episode, "5 Ways to Level Up in 2023" we explore strategies to elevate your floral business in 2024. Join us on this journey as we unlock the doors to success.

Reflecting on Progress

Before we dive into 2024 strategies, take a moment to reflect on your business's past year. Celebrate markers of growth, whether it's increased wedding totals or assembling an exceptional team. Distinguish between intentional short-term goals and delightful surprises, emphasizing the importance of having a clear, long-term vision.

The Essence of Clarity

Clarity is crucial; it's the guiding light that ensures every decision aligns with your business's overarching purpose. Short-term growth steps are integral to manifesting your long-term vision. Achieving harmony between personal aspirations and professional goals is key for success and fulfillment in life and in business.

Strategies to Propel Your Business

1. Focus on Engagement: Navigating Social Media
Shift from quantity-focused to quality-centric posts. Embrace meaningful engagement, prioritizing likes, saves, shares, and video views. Authentic connection is the linchpin for building credibility and authority.

2. Conduct a Website Audit: Are you Attracting the Right People?
Consider your website the digital storefront. A website audit ensures simplicity, clarity, and effectiveness in showcasing your portfolio. It's your first point of contact for potential clients.

3. Grow Your Team: The Power of Strategic Delegation
Recognize you can't do it all. Outsource tasks that aren't your strengths or don't bring joy. Place trust in beginners with the goal of discovering new team talent and positive energy. Cultivate a team culture aligned with your business vibe.

4. Shedding Dead Weight: A Financial and Emotional Audit
As the tax season approaches, assess areas not serving you financially or emotionally. Rate your excitement about different aspects of your business. Distinguish between what fuels your passion and what no longer serves you.

5. Re-center on Your Goals: Diversify, Streamline, and Create Space
Explore diversifying your business and streamlining processes. Evaluate how to create more space for peace and joy. Let your goals inspire your choices and decisions throughout the year.

Conclusion

We wrap up this episode with the hope that you will carry these insights with you into 2024 as the foundation for a year of growth and success. Whether you're a seasoned floral entrepreneur or a budding creative spirit, these strategies offer a roadmap for navigating the evolving business landscape from a place of authenticity and alignment in 2024.

Come back next week as we delve into additional strategies to propel your business further. Let's make 2024 a year of flourishing businesses, fulfilled dreams, and bountiful blooms!

Floral Business Tools & Resources:
www.mulberryandmoss.com/shop
Podcast Home Page:
www.mulberryandmoss.com/podcast
Follow on Instagram:
@mulberryandmoss

You are going to love this conversation!
In this episode, Janelle Thomson, owner of Lavender Flowers and Tono & Co, shares her inspiring story of how she fatefully acquired Lavender Flowers (on Craigslist) and transformed it to align with her creative vision. She walks us through how she rediscovered her creative voice after hitting her "business rock bottom," and figured out a way to create financial sustainability in her business without sacrificing her creative urges.
Ever encountered the dilemma of feeling pulled to those irresistible blooms that are outside the client's budget? Or trying to communicate budget realism to clients without causing disappointment? In our conversation, Janelle shares how she has overcome budget restrictions and managing client expectations, and we also reveal our shared discovery of how structuring tiered offerings can help you communicate value in a streamlined way while setting your business up to scale.
Janelle and I close this episode with sharing our excitement of our upcoming in-person workshop, along with a preview of what students can expect.
Interested in joining us at the workshop this April? We'd love to have you!
Here's how to redeem your special bonus!
1. Click here to purchase your workshop ticket.
2. Send an email to [email protected] (or DM me @mulberryandmoss) after purchasing your workshop ticket, provide your order # and mention this episode of Coffee Wine & Flowers.
We will sign you up for a free 1-hour coaching call with Janelle or myself, redeemable at any time in the coming year.
Click Here to Explore all Workshop DetailsChapters
00:00 Introduction and Background
03:02 Taking Over Lavender's Flowers
06:05 Shaping Lavender's Flowers
11:50 Managing Pricing and Budgeting
28:04 The Importance of Mock-ups and Communication
29:12 Understanding Client Expectations and Budgets
37:00 Creating a Lower-Tiered Offering
45:28 Streamlining Processes for Efficiency and Profitability
51:00 The Excitement of the In-Person Workshop
55:52 Final Thoughts and Words of Encouragement

Floral Business Tools & Resources:
www.mulberryandmoss.com/shop
Podcast Home Page:
www.mulberryandmoss.com/podcast
Follow on Instagram:
@mulberryandmoss