Florist

Q. Describe the most common types of jobs you do for your clients.

A. I do alot of weddings, funerals, birthdays, anniversaries, welcome to your new job, new born arrangements, get well, I do alot of just because flowers.
My business is seasonal as well. I do alot of Prom work, Valentine flowers, Easter, Mother' Day, Father's Day, Veteran's Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, & New Years.
I also do alot of Gift baskets. Most have a variety of food items made to order. I do Goodie baskets with books, treats, toys for kids.
We have GIFT CERTIFICATES for that flower lover that is hard to buy for.

Q. What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A. I would start early looking for a florist to do a wedding.

Ask questions like how much experience they have in the business?

Most florist book their weddings with a client at least 6 months in advance. They usually require a deposit and most of the time the deposit is non-refundable. At the time you place a deposit that florist has the right to start working on ordering the flowers and doing the things that they can do in advance, bows etc. Therefore, do not book the florist until you are absolutely sure of everything. That way there are no hard feelings.

Read the contract....

Expect to spend an hour or two with the florist while ordering your flowers.

Q. If you were a customer, what do you wish you knew about your trade? Any inside secrets to share?

A. When you place your deposit with a florist is when they usually go over the order and order the flowers. Sometimes flowers are not in season and it is alot easier on everyone if the client knows this up front.
Sometimes we have to substitute with another fresh flower or silk. The weather and transportation of the flowers also affect alot of our resourses. It has an impact on the price of the flowers also.
If you have been in the business for along time you know what kind of flowers to substitute for other flowers without changing the look of the bouquet.

Q. What questions should a consumer ask to hire the right service professional?

A. How many years in the business?
Do they have pictures of their work?
Do they keep up on their training in the business by attending floral classes to learn the latest in styles?
Do they read alot about flowers?
Do they know how to care for the flowers before working with them?
Ask them if there is a "special item" that you would like placed in your bouquet?....(Pictures of parents who are there to see the wedding, necklaces, hankies).

Q. What important information should buyers have thought through before seeking you out?

A. If you are looking for us to deliver the arrangements, please have you names, addresses with zip codes, and phone numbers available when you place your order.
It is very important that if you want flowers delivered to a place where there is a gated community; that you have the code to the gate. Double check on Apartment numbers also please.

Q. Why does your work stand out from others who do what you do?

A. I personalize the arrangements that I produce. I add a special lady bug in every arrangement that goes out of my shop. Sometimes I hide it in the arrangement, but it is there......so you have to look.

Q. What do you like most about your job?

A. I have a passion for flowers and people. So what better occupation than a florist? I love my job and the bonus is that I get to talk to people.
I also teach at Pierce College Cont. Education and I love my students and their creations in flowers. Each student walks out of class with a flower arrangement that they made themselves (with my help).
It is the enjoyment of the people that receive the flowers that makes my day.

Q. Do you do any sort of continuing education to stay up on the latest developments in your field?

A. I am constantly keeping up with the new trends. The wholesalers have top designers that come from all over the country to teach us what is new in our field at least twice a year. I attend everyone of those classes.
I walk away from the wholesaler knowing that I can forward those designs onto my customers.
I am also reading in our trade books all the time. It always amazes me how the trends seem to come back every several years. I have been in this business for over 30 years and I have seen it come and I have seen it go.

Q. If you have a complicated pricing system for your service, please give all the details here.

A. I dont think our pricing system is complicated. It just has a lot of variables. Our pricing depends on the weather all over the world, gas prices (because of shipping the flowers from So.America etc). It depends on the prices that we can accumulate the flowers for from the wholesaler.
The prices usually are higher during the months of Jan.-Feb.(Valentine's) Apr-May (Mother's Day) Nov-Dec (Thanksgiving, Christmas). That is based on the growers and the shipping usually.
You have to be ready for the competition. Stay on the game and keep updated on new trends.