If you have a creative knack and you love working with flowers, you might be a great candidate to become a florist. Although the actual title of florist is a professional one and that person has a certificate 3 in floristry, most people working in the profession do not have formal education in floral design.
Here are some tips for you to get started in the industry if you have an interest in becoming a florist.
Become Well Versed in Floral Design
To become an expert in floral design you need to understand the basics first. The job entails cutting and arranging every type of flower and greenery and including silk and dried ones. You must learn to cut and arrange them in many different styles. You will also work with various types of containers, ribbons, containers, vases and other accessories that help to enhance and complete a design. You must work with these elements to create a floral arrangement that is pleasing to the eye.
You will need to do lots of research on floral arrangement, and as mentioned you will need some creativity as well. In the beginning, you might find the tasks overwhelming, but as you get more experience you will begin to understand the basics better and be able to add your own flair.
If you are working in a floral shop and have the chance to do some floral design embrace the opportunity. Focus on the event or occasion that you are arranging the flowers for and this will direct you toward a style or design.
Work on Your Customer Service Skills
Being a florist is all about knowing how to make your customers comfortable first and then happy. When they come to you they will likely not know how to describe what they are looking for. This is one reason why florists always have arrangements in their shop. It gives customers a point of reference.
They will often take the arrangements that are already made! For this reason always get the customer talking and show them lots of examples and they will help direct you. If they want you to make a new arrangement, give them flower, vase and accessory samples and show them how they will look in an arrangement. Always have visuals of previous arrangements so they can be directed better.
If it is for a special occasion, talk then through the event and how they see it and the flowers they want to purchase. Will they be window dressing only? Will they be the center of attention? The more you know the better you can serve them so keep asking questions until you are sure you understand fully. Be sure to keep them comfortable throughout.
Be Mindful of Your Time
Florists can get busy and like any creative endeavour, if you do not pay attention you can easily run behind. Give yourself a specific time to complete an arrangement and finish on time. No one likes a late florist.
Pay Attention to Detail
People select high priced florists partly because of their attention to detail. Every flower is perfectly placed. There are no wilting or damaged flowers in an arrangement. The accessories are neat and the vase is spotless. Never send out a job that is not perfect. And if it is delivered make sure it arrives the way you sent it. This will create more business for you.
As you gain experience, take pictures of your arrangements. This is to see how you improve, and so you can show others. If you love the job and are good at it, you might consider a degree in floral design or perhaps opening your own florist shop.