Need feedback on my sites...need customers!!!

M

Mryan229

New Member
Nov 12, 2012
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South Windsor
State / Prov
CT
I have started up as a freelance floral designer recently and have been using facebook primarily to promote, I also have a regular website, and business cards etc. Without a store I rely mainly on facebook to promote and gain customers...I am having a difficult time getting any orders, I have gotten a couple wedding orders (1 booked, 2 upcoming consultations) they were all referred by friends, and have not generated any customers from the site and can not seem to get ANY orders for basic arrangements or parties etc....I do not know what else I can do to get my name out and was hoping for suggestions and also hoping to get critique and feedback from some of you on my websites, if you would be willing to take a look any advice would be greatly appreciated!!!! Thanks!!
https://www.facebook.com/PoppysFlorals

and poppysflorals.org

Thanks,
Megan
 
Most consumers want to deal with a brick and mortar retailer. Even if they call or click, they want to know there's a human at the other end.
 
One other thing, why is your site written in third person? Sounds very odd.
 
Why the .org? Most people think that .org is an organization.. I did visit your site, the pictures take quite a bit of time to load and I have very fast broadband. Also, maybe some consistency in the photo backgrounds would help. Various backgrounds as opposed to solid white, cream, or black gives it a willy nilly feel especially when all the pictures are loaded on to one page. Also, you really have no listing as to "where" you are located and that could cause some confusion. HTH
 
Hi Megan-
Just some thoughts...
Your Home page needs more flowerwork - like a pic of a typical arrangement that you sell. Just doesn't visually grab the viewer. And, try to cut down on the number of fonts you have. Appears very busy and difficult to read.

I agree with Rhonda and Boss that your location and phone number need to be on each page. People want to know that there is a human behind your website.

Regarding your photos...definitely clean up the backgrounds of the photos. No one wants to see a lovely bouquet with a spray bottle in the pic. Just doesn't look professional. And try to include photos of real weddings.

HTH. Best of luck.
 
Also you need to sell you as a designer. Since you are a free lancer it is about you not your brand. Very, very rarely is a website going to sell someone on using you as a wedding vendor. They either need to be referred to you by another trusted vendor or have met you personally to trust you as a legitamate floral provider who can handle a very very important day to them. It's not just about pretty pictures on a website (which you do have to have), you have to build your reputation and trust and that is very slow, building a business and a reputation is not fast. Bridal shows can help both with meeting other vendors (though don't be surprised if they won't refer you until they know you for a few years) and face to face with brides where you can actually show them your work and your excitement for your craft. Building a company is not cheap and takes a lot of time. Expect not to take a paycheck for a very long time. Even with a brick and mortar location it is slow getting started, I think without it is even slower to establish yourself, though the overhead can be less. Did I mention taking a long time enough? It really does take an enormous amount of work to develop the relationships to have a viable business.
 
Megan, Ditto on most of what has already been said. I do not see where people can place an order with you. There is no pricing or other information to indicate that this is a site you can use to place an order. It looks more like an online portfolio, informational type of site.
HTH...Anne
 
Thanks everyone, really perfect pointers! I never would have thought of, I'm curious how you go about providing prices, as a freelancer, I do not have an inventory and have to order cuts to order, any suggestions???
 
Regarding your facebook page specifically, it doesn't have any information about how the business is started etc. Regarding both the site and FB, neither state where you were trained. Did you work for a florist, take design classes, etc.

Some of your photos look like they were taken in a florist workroom. Is this a set up in your home or did you previously work for another florist? If it was taken in your work space (at your home) show people that you have a professional set up to fulfill their needs.

You need to give people a reason to buy from you. So ask yourself, why would someone buy from me over XYZ florist? What do I offer that they don't? What services can I provide that they cannot? You do not have any prices listed at all, not even any starting prices or ranges.

Additionally, I would watch the typos...although this happens to us all, you want to appear as professional as you can possibly be. There were many on the FB page.

One more thing I noticed, you had a remark on your FB page regarding a bouquet holder. I would be careful about saying anything negative about a product. It makes you appear that you don't know how to use the product, especially somethng so widely used in the industry.

Regarding pricing, this is a complicated question. You need to determine the amount that you need to run the business (all expenses including electric, phone, website, buisness license, insurance, etc) before you can determine your prices. This is not a one size fits all situation. If you have no experience running a business, I would suggest that you go out and get books and/or take a class and learn about running a buisness before going any further. This will save you lots of time and, hopefully, mistakes that we have all made.
 
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