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On The Level With Neville: January 2012
How to Work with Interior Designers |
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Written by Neville MacKay
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It seems everyone’s an expert these days, and it’s getting harder for us florists to keep our credibility, as well as to let everyone know that we are so much better at floral design than they are! When a person comes into our store and says, “I do crafts at home!” (we all get those people, don’t we?) I usually say, “Well, what are you doing here then…go home!”
There are those, however, who are very good at what they do, and we need to establish a relationship with them so we can both survive and grow. I work with great cake people, photographers, wedding and party planners as well as interior designers and decorators. It has taken a lot of hard work and determination to build these relationships, and now I work with them all very well, rather than working for or under them. You know that feeling you get from some of them – you are “just the florist.” (That was actually said to me at a charity event…she’s dead now…just sayin’). That isn’t a good fit on any of us, and we sometimes portray that ourselves, which is even worse!
Interior design and home décor folks are a great bunch to work with; it just takes time to crack that nut, but believe me, it’s worth it! I remember when I first started working with one designer in particular; she was so mean, I thought, and very impatient with me. I smiled (gritted my teeth), and did what I needed to for her. After a time, she softened to the idea of actually asking me for my opinion, and then we started to become friends. I get it: they have an idea of what they want to create and often times a floral piece isn’t make-or-break in the whole look. The thing is to play nice and get along, just like Mum used to say.
There are many ways to get an “in” with interior designers, home stagers, and decorators. Every town, village and city has some sort of home tour for a charity, so get your foot in the door by offering your work to them. I did this when we first started our store and the results were fantastic. Contact your real estate agent and see if they use a stager for open houses, again offering your services. It seems as if everyone is having a home lottery these days, too, so get your work in there – lots of folks root through those homes, wanting to know who did what. Oh, and here’s a thought: call a few designers in your area. Chances are they don’t know you, or much about you, so this is a great opportunity to let them know you are there to help. Send a sample of your work to them, remembering what trends are on the go, as well as (hopefully) knowing what their style is. Think about sending a lovely vase with a big monstera leaf and a branch in it, a dressed up potted orchid, or a low cluster of roses (anything but red!), along with a note inviting them to your store to see the great décor products and ideas you have. This does cost a little money, and I can hear some of you cringing at the thought of sending out yet another freebie. Suck it up, sister, put on your big girl panties and deal with it! This is a guerrilla type of marketing and one that is much more effective these days than most others.
Trends come and go, and we have to keep on top of what’s hot and new so we can stay current. If we do the same thing all the time and don’t try to evolve, then we become stagnant and folks will know us to be “the same old poop, but in different piles.” I did a design show for the folks at the Flower Group in Calgary and they brought in some fantastic succulents for me to use. There was a florist in the audience (who works with an interior designer) who looked as nervous as a hooker in church. That wasn’t the case; apparently she was just excited! She asked at the break if she could bring in her designer to see them (of course she could!) and they bought the lot of them. It doesn’t matter who it is, people assume you won’t or can’t provide the product and services they want if they don’t see it. We get that a lot at this end of the country, as we are not the centre of the universe down here, so I relish a customer’s look of shock and surprise when they see what we actually have.
Don’t be afraid of the interior designers. They are merely the help, just like you and me, and when we work together it makes for a great finished project. Just be in the know by reading a shelter magazine or by watching “almost” any home décor show. (There’s one that makes me gag on CBC.)
Neville owns and operates My Mother’s Bloomers in Halifax and lives close to Peggy’s Cove with his partner, David, three cats and an overgrown garden. For more info on Neville or to book him for a show or talk, check out www.mymothersbloomers.com .
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