Summer’s a fine time to catch up on reading, but we’re not talking about “Girl on the Train” or anything by E.L. James.
If you want to earn big bucks from stylish flower buyers, staying abreast of trends is “absolutely essential,” said BJ Dyer, AAF, AIFD, of Bouquets in Denver, who takes advantage of downtime (plane rides, waiting rooms, quiet moments in the shop) by perusing publications that detail what’s in vogue.
Try this:
- Make a list of sources that affect flower purchases. Bridal blogs, such as 100 Layer Cake, Wedding Bee and Style Me Pretty, offer your potential clients dozens of inspirational shots — daily. Bookmark them, “like” them on Facebook, or follow them on Twitter, so it’s easy to check for updates whenever you have a few minutes to spare.
- Think beyond floral design. You can also glean information about the dominating aesthetics from fashion and design magazines, such as Vogue, Elle Décor and House Beautiful.
- Pull out pages and organize trends by categories, such as colors, shapes, textures and motifs. That’s a winning tactic for Marisa Tsikounas, manager of Michael Daigian Design in San Francisco, whose clients’ floral and décor budget for events typically falls between $5,000 and $25,000. That way, when customers come in for a consultation, “you have a comprehensive catalogue that’s easy to flip through,” she said.
For more research tips from some of the country’s most sought-after florists, check out “10 Trends to Have and Hold.”
