Pro Platform Growth
Thank you to each of you who has joined our Pro Plan in the last few weeks! This low-cost subscription service had been on our minds for a long time before we took the leap in September to give it a try.
We recently polled our Pro Plan members (survey link shared by email) to learn more about our members’ preferences on a wide variety of factors including: how our content is presented, which topics we select, the length of our presentations, how helpful the information is and more. The survey can be submitted anonymously and members who reply receive a 40% discount on their next 1-hr custom consultation booking.
We’re in the process of collecting and collating responses. The answers are fascinating and so helpful. This is a good reminder to take time to poll your customers and learn how to serve them better.
Here are some of our more encouraging remarks:
“I've liked all of the plant focused videos, as it gives me ideas for things I may not be growing (or have tried in the past but should try again, like baby's breath). Also anything that helps with process efficiency. I think farmers will appreciate different videos depending on where they are in their faming journey.”
“I have found this membership to be outstanding. Linda is a wonderful speaker and has a lovely disposition. Any time I have asked a question the response has been prompt. I would love the opportunity to visit Little Farmhouse Flowers, perhaps that's something you could offer?” (Ooh! and tours are something we offer, so this valuable feedback tells me that I need to make that service more visible to our clients.)
“I haven’t been in the group long, but I really like that I can ask questions. I always want to ask experienced growers questions, but know it takes time/their resources/knowledge to answer for free. This platform allows me to ask the questions and pay you for the answers, which I feel good about. I also like the short clips and tid bits of info. Big, long class formats do of work for me. Being able to search for what I am looking for and watch the video has been great.”
Of course, there are areas for improvement - and I’m probably always my biggest critic — I’m sure many of you know what I mean. But surveys are empowering and helpful and the direction they provide is so valuable.
For example, from a long laundry list of topic ideas I see that a few topics are appearing on almost everyone’s request list. People seem to be really interested in learning how they can help set their business apart and bring an original product or concept to our industry. This is a really important topic, and it’s one that I hadn’t really thought about addressing on this platform until I was asked to consider speaking about passive income on my farm and that conversation with a conference host re-kindled my interest in helping people find their “it-factor.”
This search for originality and innovation in a marketplace/industry was a cornerstone of my teaching curriculum when I worked with young artists and innovators. That question: “Can I bring anything truly different and special to the world?” should be at the very foundation of our businesses. Of course- the answer is “YES. - Everyone has a unique talent that is informed by past experiences in a way that can’t be replicated in the world.” Our work is to help determine the implications for that originality within our chosen career - be it flower farming or whatever else we elect to do.
There is also good interest amongst members in selling wholesale flowers to vendors and florists, and in learning about new/different plant varieties. Growing in profitability, understanding online course development, and managing all the tasks associated with flower farming / learning how to grow and staff a great team are also high on many people’s lists.
All of these things fall right into the purpose of this program: to share ideas and spark excitement for the things that are typically hidden from us in the world of flower growing. These things aren’t pretty enough for growers to share on Instagram - and it can be hard to find direction in a world that might seem increasingly competitive. I can’t wait to start putting together some content based on the survey!
We built this survey right into a hidden page on our Squarespace website and I set up the storage to feed automatically to a Google sheet. We use these kinds of custom forms to collect wedding and event inquiries and seek feedback from customers. We love how manageable the responses are in spreadsheet form where we can sort answers and make comparisons easily.
If you are thinking about polling customers but feel a little scared about it and not quite ready for potentially critical feedback, try this! Reach out to the 5 or 6 of the customers that you REALLY love and find out why they choose you. A quick 10 minute interview with a fan will 1, boost your confidence and 2, help you see trends amongst your favorite kinds of customers. I found this kind of follow up especially helpful for the wedding and events part of our business, but it could easily be applied to regular flower stand customers, frequent florist buyers, etc.
When I was building our wedding/events business I really wanted to “find my people.” I wanted all of my wedding clients to be the kind of people that I enjoyed working with. When you take the time to talk to customers who love your work, you start to learn what kind of people are drawn to you - you might see similarities in their careers (this was fascinating for me!), their physical addresses, their shopping habits (also crazy!), the types of products they buy most often from you, the amount they typically spend. All of that information can help you make more informed decisions about how your business works. It can help you determine when you should be available for sales or phone calls, where you might want to offer your products and in what ratios, how you should consider setting your prices.
While seeking critical feedback is important, I understand that it can be a difficult to do at first, especially if your business is young and you already feel like you have a lot to improve upon. This is when the “interview your favorite customers” feedback method can help you grow with confidence. Give it a try and let me know how it goes!
Here is a set of questions/prompts to help you on your way:
“Hi, ______, it’s so nice to reconnect with you. Thank you for taking some time to help me learn more about the direction of my business.”
“Can you share with me why you choose my business/products? Anything you can tell me about why you keep coming back is helpful!”
“Do you feel well-informed of our offerings? What is the best way to share product updates or announcements with you?”
“How far are you traveling to use my service/shop my goods?”
“I’m really interested in learning more about the kinds of people who are my ideal customers. Part of my homework for this interview calls for me to ask you a question about what you do for work - I’m sorry if that’s too personal! It’s OK if you rather not share. I’m just trying to see if certain kinds of people are my ideal customers. The more I know more about their daily routines and personal preferences the easier it may be to find them!”
“How do you feel about the look of my social media presence? Are there certain things that sort of stick with you or draw you in? What kinds of accounts are most appealing to you? Can you share the names of a few businesses that come to mind?”
“Is there anything else you can share that might help me find more people like you?!”
As always, please share your questions and thoughts in the comments.
Best,
