Running Great Consultations

Your consultation is the moment a potential client decides whether you’re the right florist for their event. They’re likely meeting two or three others, so this is your chance to stand out. A well-run consultation builds trust, shows you’re organised, and makes the client feel confident that their vision is in safe hands.

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Why consultations matter

This is where you win or lose the booking. Everything that follows — the quote, the proposal, the flowers themselves — depends on how well this first conversation goes. A great consultation does three things:

• Builds trust. The client sees you’re professional, prepared, and genuinely interested in their event.
• Captures the details. You walk away with everything you need to put together an accurate quote.
• Sets expectations. The client understands what’s realistic for their budget, season, and venue.

Most florists lose bookings not because of price, but because someone else made a better impression. The good news is that preparation and structure go a long way.

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Before the consultation

Preparation is what separates a good consultation from a great one. Spend 15-20 minutes before each meeting getting yourself ready.

• Review the enquiry details. If the client came through your website, check their submission so you’re not asking them to repeat themselves. See the Converting Enquiries guide for how these flow into events.
• Prepare sample arrangements or photos. Bring examples of work that match their style or event type. Nothing sells better than seeing what you’ve actually done.
• Have a portfolio ready. A physical album works beautifully, but a tablet with well-organised photos is just as effective.
• Check your availability. Confirm you’re free on their date before the meeting — there’s nothing worse than building excitement then realising you’re already booked. Check your Calendar first.
• Prepare a rough pricing idea. You don’t need exact numbers, but having a ballpark for their budget range helps the conversation flow naturally.
• Bring colour swatches or flower samples. Holding a real flower or seeing a swatch is far more powerful than looking at a screen.

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Setting the scene

Where and how you meet matters more than you might think. Small details signal professionalism.

• Choose somewhere comfortable. A dedicated consultation area in your shop is ideal. A quiet coffee shop or the venue itself both work well too.
• Offer tea or coffee. It sounds small, but it sets a relaxed tone and shows you’ve thought about their experience.
• If you’re meeting at the venue, walk the space together. Standing in the actual room where the flowers will go helps both of you visualise arrangements, centrepieces, and installations.
• Allow 45-60 minutes minimum for wedding consultations. Rushing through a consultation is one of the fastest ways to lose a booking. Corporate events can often be shorter, but weddings need space to breathe.
• Be punctual. Arriving late — even by five minutes — sets a tone that’s hard to recover from.

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During the consultation

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Listen first, suggest second

This is the most important piece of advice in this entire guide. Resist the urge to jump straight into what you’d recommend. Let the client tell you what they want first.

• Ask open questions. “What’s the feel you’re going for?” and “Have you seen any arrangements you love?” get much richer answers than “Do you want roses?”
• Take notes. Write down specific flowers, colours, and styles they mention. You’ll be glad you did when you’re building the quote three days later.
• Look at their Pinterest boards or saved photos together. This is often where their true vision lives. Pay attention to recurring themes — if every saved photo has lush greenery and trailing foliage, that tells you something.
• Don’t dismiss ideas. If something isn’t feasible, redirect gently: “That’s a beautiful look. For your season, we could achieve something very similar with…”

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Key information to capture

You need to walk away from every consultation with enough detail to build an accurate quote. Here’s what to cover:

• Event date, time, and venue(s) — including ceremony and reception if they’re different locations
• Guest count and table layout — round tables, long tables, how many of each
• Colour palette and style direction — specific colours, moods, and references
• Budget expectations — handle this sensitively. Ask for a range rather than an exact number: “Do you have a rough budget in mind so I can tailor my suggestions?”
• Contact details and who’s who — bride, groom, coordinator, parents. Knowing who the decision-makers are saves time later.
• Must-haves and absolute no-gos — “My grandmother’s favourite flower was a peony” matters. So does “No lilies — allergies.”
• Delivery and setup requirements — access times, venue restrictions, setup windows

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Show your expertise

This is where you earn their confidence. The client is relying on you to know things they don’t.

• Suggest alternatives they haven’t considered. “Have you thought about using dahlias instead? They’re incredible in September and give you that same lush, romantic feel.”
• Explain seasonality. Tell them which flowers will be at their best for their date and which ones will need to be imported at a premium.
• Be honest about budget constraints. Clients respect honesty far more than vague promises. “With that budget, I’d recommend focusing on the bridal bouquet, top table, and ceremony arch — those are what guests and photographers notice most.”
• Share photos of similar work you’ve done. Real examples from real events carry far more weight than stock images or supplier catalogues.

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After the consultation

The work isn’t finished when the client leaves. What you do in the next few days often determines whether you win the booking.

• Send a thank-you message within 24 hours. A short, warm email or text that references something specific from the conversation shows you were paying attention.
• Create the event in Digital Florists with all the details you captured — contacts, venues, dates, colour palette, and consultation notes.
• Start building the quotation while the conversation is fresh. Head to the Quotation Builder and get your recipes and pricing in place.
• Upload any inspiration photos the client shared to the Media Library so everything’s attached to the event.
• Aim to send the proposal within 3-5 days. The longer you leave it, the more momentum you lose.

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Common mistakes

These are the pitfalls we see most often. They’re easy to avoid once you’re aware of them.

• Talking too much about yourself instead of listening to the client. The consultation is about them, not your awards or how long you’ve been in business. Let your work speak for itself.
• Not taking notes and forgetting key details. “Was it blush pink or dusty rose?” is not a question you want to be asking yourself later.
• Quoting on the spot without checking costs. It’s tempting to throw out a number to seem confident, but guessing puts your margins at risk. Say “I’ll have a detailed quote for you in a few days” instead.
• Not following up quickly enough. Momentum fades fast. A client who was excited on Tuesday might have booked someone else by Friday.
• Overselling beyond the client’s budget. Suggesting arrangements they can’t afford builds distrust and wastes everyone’s time. Work within their range and show them what’s possible.
• Forgetting to confirm availability before the meeting. There’s no recovering from “Actually, I’ve just realised I’m already booked that weekend.”

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