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Finding the Passion
How to pick up the petals in your shop |
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Written by Bernice Klassen
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"Event + Reaction = Outcome” according to Jack Canfield, an
inspirational speaker and writer. The event is the downturn in the
economy. The reaction is how you choose to deal with it and the outcome
is either a benefit or not. Canfield is also recognized by this
quotation: “I heard there is a recession and I have decided not to
participate.”
Since July, I have had the honour and privilege of visiting hundreds of flower shops in Alberta, British Columbia and the Yukon to promote a floral sales product. In my travels to different shops, I am haunted by the looks of fear, hurt, resentment, discouragement, resignation and exhaustion that I sometimes see. I find myself desperately wanting to find ways to help these shops in any way that I can. Most shops can adapt to one or two rough years, but when it becomes three and four, there is a lot of uncertainty and adjustment.
Luckily, there are many shops that still appear upbeat, enthusiastic and happy, so I’ve asked them how they handle things. The biggest answer would have to be a love for what they do – a passion. But even if you have the passion, things can become turned upside down and you struggle.
This article resonates with me the most, because I have been there. I get it. Some say I should write a book about all I have gone through. I say I’m not so sure I want to tell all about the poor reactions I had to events that led to undesirable outcomes. Let’s just say I have lots of experience and I am so thankful that there are better ways. I’ve written this article in the hopes of helping the struggling shops out there find the inspiration to take control of their businesses and work towards achieving success.
Honour yourself
When you’re exhausted and burned out, the road ahead seems dark and it appears there’s no escape. You’ll say “I don’t have time,” “I’m so busy” and “I can’t get away from my business.” Whether we want to admit it or not, these are choices. You need to remember that you are your only asset.
Dedicate time just for you. There is no need to justify time for yourself to anyone, least of all yourself. Find the time. If you really want it, it’s there. Often before I go in to visit a shop, I take a moment to “ground myself” and find my peace. It can take just seconds to get to the peaceful place. It is my method of getting away because I am a workaholic by nature. I honour my 3 a.m. awake time because that is often when my brain is the most relaxed and comes up with the greatest ideas. An attitude of gratitude does wonders for your well-being. Negativity drives people away while positivity draws people to you.
Listen to your body. Stress plays a huge factor on your hormone levels, no matter what age you are. This is not the venue to discuss all the options medical or non-medical, but listen to your body. Don’t depend on someone else to because they are not in your body. Imbalances can cause depression, exhaustion and a whole host of other ailments.
Respect your appearance. Taking time to dress as if you mean business about being in business portrays an attitude of respect for yourself and your customers.
Find a cheerleader. Find a mentor, someone you can talk to and trust with your frustrations, and someone who will give you feedback on your new ideas. You don’t have to go it alone.
Do some online motivating. There are so many motivational sources out there on YouTube or from around the Internet. All you need to do is type in motivation and decide if you want something to read, an audio clip to listen to or a video clip to watch.
Honour your surroundings
Clutter, unpaid bills, dirt, dust, are all ways of portraying lack of respect for yourself and business. Appearances do matter and if you look like you’re struggling, your customers will take notice.
Come up with a plan. Make a vow to declutter. Devise a plan of action, commit to it by writing up a schedule and tackle a bit every day. I just love walking into a shop where the floors are clean, the shelves are dust-free, the cooler floor has no debris and the glass vases gleam. I know right off the bat that this owner is dedicated to success in business.
Put on a fresh face. If you have a client base that comes into your shop on a regular basis, revamp the entire front of your store. Marina in Our Flower Shop in Medicine Hat, Alta., found that not only did she sell items that had been there for quite some time by moving them around, but the process gave her renewed energy for her business.
Communicate with your vendors. Nothing is more daunting than unpaid invoices. The most important thing is to communicate with your bank and with your wholesalers. You are not the first business that has gone through tough times and you won’t be the last! Building a relationship is good business and this will ensure people will be willing to work with you, not against you.
Honour your business
Some businesses still feel that customers will come to them. That is absolutely false! You need to reach out to your clients. They need to feel validated for having done business with you. A respect for a shopper’s time and money is so important. Going to your customers means greeting them by name, thanking them for orders, finding ways to give them the best value and letting them know that.
For example, in August, gladioluses are at their best price. It is such a no-brainer to me to put them on special, not by the stem, but by the bunch. Customers absolutely adore this! Out of about 100 shops I visited, maybe a handful passed the value on to their customers. Passing along your savings is a wonderful way to let your customers know that you value them. Happy customers will tell their friends about your shop and they’ll come again the next time they need flowers.
All business is synonymous with passion. If you no longer have the passion, then you’ll need to find it again in order to be profitable. Even when times are tough there are some great avenues out there to help you find inspiration and reignite your passion.
M.G. Bernice Klassen is experienced in nearly every aspect of the floral industry, including retail, wholesale and grocery chain. Armed with a usiness administration degree, with a specialty in marketing and management, Bernice is now offering her services as a floral consultant to the industry. Contact Bernice directly at
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