Are there any other benefi ts? Being on our list of good fl orists means you’ll be the fi rst port of call for any industry happenings that come our way. When the BBC call because they want to interview a fl orist in North Yorkshire, we call our GFG fl orists in North Yorkshire. When wedding magazines call us looking for gorgeous images of bridal bouquets, we contact our GFG fl orists to see if they would like to supply some pics (in return for a credit, naturally!). When we hear about a fab opportunity for a talented young fl orist in Portsmouth… you get the picture!
How soon can I be signed up? We usually reckon at least a month from you submitting a portfolio simply because it’s not something we like to rush and Emily and her team do spend a lot of time on each one. The sooner you get your portfolio in, the sooner you’ll be assessed and if successful receive your Good Florist Guide logo.
What happens if I fail? We have a pass mark of 42 – you can see the mark system on the next page. If you fall below 35 then you would have to reapply. If you are between pass and fail then Emily will let you know where you fell down and assuming that you can sort it out you will be passed.
Do I get extra points for having
qualifi cations? Not really. We take qualifi cations into account and obviously we will be scrutinising your design work but we are assessing your business from a consumer perspective rather than as a fl oristry judge. Therefore we will be paying more attention to how the business looks, what your designs look like and how your website works than if you used the right gauge wire.
How important are the photographs, I’m not
David Bailey! Pretty crucial. We don’t need them to be of studio quality but they do have to be more than phone camera snaps. You are showcasing your work so the more eff ort you can put into it the better. However we don’t need prints, you can send them by Dropbox or Wetransfer, or post as a CD or USB stick. If you’re not sure of the best way to do it, just give us a call and we’ll help you out.
What’s in it for you? Running this free service doesn’t exactly generate big bucks for us, but we do it because we believe in it. We want to promote the good in the industry by putting consumers in touch with good fl orists and steering them away from the bad so that they can see how great fl oristry really can be.
Criteria for applying for
the Good Florist Guide™ Shops must: Operate from business premises Have an awareness of all design trends Have a website showing your own work Have a high level of experienced and trained staff Stock an above average selection of fl owers and plants
Freelancers must: Regularly provide fl owers for a range of events Have an awareness of all design trends Have a website showing your own work Have a high level of experience and/or training Be able to source and supply an above-average selection of fl owers and plants
How to apply
You can fi nd an application form on the next few pages. Simply fi ll it in and post it back to us. You must include (at least) the following images, but remember the more the better. Please note that if you do not supply all of these images your application will not be evaluated.
Shops - The outside of the shop, including outside display and shop sign - Your best-selling design - The inside of the shop, including all fl ower and sundries displays - A wide selection of your work, including wedding and funeral designs, corporate and everyday work - Your delivery vehicle - Yourself and your shop team
Freelancers - A wide selection of your work, including wedding and funeral designs, corporate and everyday work - Your best-selling design - Your work area - Your consultation area - Your delivery vehicle (if applicable) - Yourself/your team
Additional information Please also send samples of any branded materials you have, eg. business cards, letterheads, fl yers etc. Some applicants choose to include customer testimonials, clippings of their adverts, newsletters they send out, samples of their wrapping paper, all sorts of things (one chap sent us one of the lovely shells he writes his prices on!) so have fun with the application! Go on, be a show-off !
F&wb Autumn/Winter 2013
39
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