Marketing in Your First Season as a Flower Farmer
Hello, friends! Welcome back to another episode of Field & Garden, where I help anyone, anywhere, learn how to grow cut flowers. Today, I’m excited to share some valuable tips on marketing and selling flowers, especially in your first season. This is such an important topic, and I hope to inspire you to take action!
Getting Ready for Your First Season
Let’s dive into how to market your flowers before you even have them! This is crucial because the best time to start marketing is before you have buckets of flowers waiting for customers. In fact, you want to have people excited and ready to buy your flowers even before they bloom!
Facing the Challenges of Marketing
It’s normal to feel overwhelmed by the business side of flower farming, especially marketing. It can seem daunting, but facing these challenges will get easier over time. Don’t give up after one or two attempts; persistence is key! Remember, marketing is simply about educating people about what you do and how they can buy from you.
Top Ten Marketing Tips for Flower Farmers
Here are ten points to help you market your flowers effectively:
- Highlight Local Flowers: Always include your location in your posts. People want to know where they can buy your flowers, so make it clear.
- Showcase Seasonal Varieties: Talk about unique flowers that are only available locally. Highlight their beauty and why they are special.
- Emphasize Sustainable Practices: Share your commitment to sustainable farming methods. Educating customers about your practices can attract environmentally conscious buyers.
- Promote Artisan Bouquets: Your bouquets will be different from what people see in stores. Whether you make them or allow customers to create their own, this is a unique selling point.
- Variety and Diversity: Offer a wide range of flowers. Consistent quality is what keeps customers coming back, not just new trends.
- Personalized Service: Build relationships with customers through excellent service. Good customer care can lead to repeat business.
- Farm-to-Table Experience: Consider inviting customers to your farm for tours or events. This helps them connect with your flowers in a meaningful way.
- Specialty Cuts and Unique Blooms: Highlight the nostalgia of garden flowers. These are often the flowers that remind people of their childhood.
- Offer Workshops: You don’t have to be an expert to host workshops. Start by inviting people to cut their own flowers and create bouquets.
- Community Involvement: Share your connections with local businesses. This reinforces the importance of supporting local economies.
Building Anticipation
Remember, the goal is to create excitement around your flowers before they are ready to sell. By using these marketing strategies, you can warm up your audience and have them clamoring for your flowers when they are available!
Until next time, happy flower farming!
Lisa Z.
Mentions
Lisa’s Online Course, Flower Farming School Online: Basics, Annual Crops, Marketing, and More!
Jennie Love’s Online Course: Making Workshops Work for You
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The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-winning author of Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers, owner of The Gardener’s Workshop, Flower Farming School Online, and the publisher of Farmer-Florist School Online and Florist School Online. Watch Lisa’s Story and connect with Lisa on social media!