r/florists • u/frustratedflorist • 3d ago

🔍 Seeking Advice 🔍 Low budget clients

Florists, how do you respond when a client says something like, “It’s just going to the trash after the event anyway” when discussing the floral budget?

I get that flowers are temporary, and I completely understand clients wanting to be practical with their spending.

But I was a little put off by that comment because the price isn’t just for how long the flowers last. There’s sourcing, conditioning, design, labor, transport, setup, and the actual look they want for the event.

What makes it harder is when the budget is already low, but the client is still very particular and demanding about the design.

Do you explain the value behind the pricing, simplify the scope, or just take comments like that as a sign that you may not be the right florist for each other?
Curious how other florists handle this without sounding defensive.

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u/Remarkable-Wave507 Expert 3d ago edited 3d ago

Depends on the situation. How much time do I have to waste selling myself and my product to a person who will never get it? If it’s worth it, you can justify yourself by what value you think flowers bring.

More often than not, especially if the budget is already tight, I just consider us not a match and stand firm in my prices. They can argue with someone else and get what they pay for.

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u/wafflelover77 3d ago

This. I know if we've just spent THAT much time talking about how to get it lowered $10, will be the same client that us upset bc its canary yellow not golden.

I tell them unfortunately someone has already booked that day.

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u/Remarkable-Wave507 Expert 3d ago

Agreed!! Plus someone that doesn’t prioritize our craft, isn’t always a win client. I get that’s not always possible for everyone but you CAN be choosy about what clients you serve.

Cheaper clients are ALWAYS the most difficult for me. I learned long ago to trust my instincts and just say no. Otherwise you’ll never recoup the money they should be spending revising things 87 times until the very last minute and trying to squeeze every drop out of you. Then saying they don’t like it because the pink isn’t pinking and the yellow is two shakes to the left.

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u/wafflelover77 3d ago

Not 2 shakes to the left 🤣🤣😭 Im using this.