This is not an ideal situation by any means and for most florists who are used to dashing around and working plenty of overtime it can be an anxious time. We have been thinking….. what about all the times you wished you had the time to do things? If you can’t remember them now, we’ve put together a little list to keep you going! Please remember to abide by the rules regarding how you have dealt with staffing and employing yourself during this time.
Lets all make a bad situation into some time spent investing in the future……
- Spring clean your space and stock take: If you are at your place of work for whatever reason then a good sort out can help to organise yourself for reopening as well as keeping you active and focused. Just pick an area and start! There are also lots of apps to help you but here is a link to Sortly, You can take pictures, input prices and it’s free for up to 100 item entries. Using these for your wedding hire items too makes it easy to keep track of what you have. There are plenty of others apps out there too for larger quantities of stock.
- Disaster plans for different situations: Have a think about what would happen in other situations, like if you were to be sick, if maybe your premises was flooded or perhaps a computer crashes? How would you deal with that? Who could you call on? Making step by step plans can help to future proof you. Make notes on each subject, contact numbers of essential services (like plumbers), where to look on your insurance documents and create a file…. It might not be used but if you need it, it could help reduce a stressful situation in the future.
- Staff handbooks, Job descriptions and contract templates: If you don’t have them already you can draw up contacts and job descriptions for all the different roles in your business. If you have templates ready to go when you need them, you’ll save lots of time when things pick up again. Use guidance online and tailor it to suit your business.
- Templates for wedding quotes: Read through what you send out to brides and grooms, can it be improved, worded differently or look nicer? Also think about how you will contact everyone once everything returns to normal. What can you do to stand out from the crowd and make your couples feel at ease?.
- Re do your cash flows: A tricky thing to achieve but once you have worked out what payments you’ll need to make over the next few months, and what benefits you will get from government, you can make a plan to ease your mind. Chat to your accountants too and ask for their advice. The BFA will soon release a ‘Toolbox’ within the members area of the website which will contain blank spreadsheets for your use and adaptation.
- Brainstorming, team get togethers, ideas, future dream planning: Use video chats or team what’s app to keep regular friendly meetings, check in on staff or colleagues and keep the team spirit going. Ask them for their ideas of the future. If your staff are furloughed you cant work but you can use this time to see if they have ideas perhaps you hadn’t though of. It’ll be a lovely way to let them know they are still valued.
- Update your website: Use this time to update webpages, check back links, create new content and make notes on what you’d like to do next. Connect with photographers to get the photos from those amazing weddings you have already done, Ask for reviews and up to date comments you can use on the website too. Check your google analytics and make improvements based on your findings. Update your find a florist profile on the BFA website too.
- Blog titles, research and make notes: If you are a blogger then get out the note pad, create new blogs and have several ready to go. Now you can put words to the titles you already have as well. Collect photos and great images to go along with them and if you struggle to write out the words then have a go with Hemingway editor You can write directly into and this online site and it will assist you with readability. Once your done simply copy and paste into your blog. Easy!
- System streamlining, what niggles you about your business that you’d like to change: What have you been wanting to change for ages but never got round to it? Could be as simple as moving your desk or setting up a wrapping station. If you are in your work space, you can do it, If you’re not you can plan it all out.
- Branding: Check your branding, is it consistent over printed goods, online, vans etc. Digital work can be done from home either yourself or through a graphic designer. https://www.color-hex.com/ is a website where you can choose a colour and find its code so that you can make sure your brand colour is the same for everything. If you need to find a code from a photo or existing logo there are apps you can use to do that too.
- Tell the BFA what you want help with and share your ideas with us: Contact us with your ideas for the association, Let us know if you want to be involved, ask us questions and share your thoughts. Email us whenever you like, we love to hear from you.
- Social media planners: Set up a social media planner and create content for it, ideas and images. Plan on how to stay connected to customers even if you are shut. You can set up a monthly planner on your computer calendar to keep track and sometimes it a good idea to track it out on a monthly planner with good old pen and paper. What ever works for you. When it comes to organising and setting up you can use an online organiser to automatically post for you. There are lots of them around but here are some for you to look at Later, Buffer or Hootsuite
What ever you are doing try also to get some rest, read a book, have some quiet time, and do some things just for you. This will all be over at some point so remember making the most of precious time by relaxing could be all you need to recharge.
Stay in touch with the BFA through Facebook, Instagram, Newsletters and Emails
