After seven years of running my own wood flower business I’ve come to understand that success in this industry isn’t just about creating beautiful arrangements—it’s about finding meaningful ways to connect with your audience and position yourself as a trusted expert. Hosting DIY wood flower workshops is one powerful way to do just that.
Over the course of my business, the years that I hosted workshops were the years that my revenue was highest. This is not a coincidence. Not only did the workshops generate revenue, but they created new leads, recurring customers, and custom orders. It is a revenue stream you do not want to miss out on as the wood flower industry keeps booming.
Picture yourself in front of a room of individuals eager for a fun night. They're full of energy and enthusiasm, if not a little curiosity too. As their guide, you’re not just teaching a craft—you’re creating an experience that fosters creativity, builds community, and showcases your expertise in a way that leaves a lasting impact.
In this blog, I want to walk through how offering workshops can enhance your business, establish your authority, and open the door to new opportunities. As an instructor of close to 100 different workshop events, I can speak to the positive effects that marketing and offering workshops has had on my own business and would like you to consider this revenue stream as an option for your growing business too.
Here are the steps that it takes to host a wood flower workshop:
Setting the Foundation for Your Workshop
Success lies in preparation. Here’s how to ensure your workshop is not just another event, but an experience that reflects the care and quality your brand represents:
1. Choosing the Right Venue
Size and Functionality: The space should comfortably accommodate your group while allowing enough room for participants to work freely.
Accessibility: Think about your ideal attendees. Is the location easy to find and navigate? A venue familiar to your community can be an added advantage.
Ambiance Matters: Whether it’s a charming boutique, a welcoming café, or a rustic studio, the venue should complement the creative energy of your workshop and align with your brand’s aesthetic.
2. Building Strategic Collaborations
Partner with local businesses that align with your values and audience. Venues like cafés, co-working spaces, or event locations may be eager to host workshops that bring in foot traffic or create buzz for their space. Consider the needs of the venue hosts and your needs and factor in the "win, win"!
Approach with clear benefits: Be ready to explain how your event adds value to their business, whether through exposure, community engagement, or shared promotion.
Consider a monetary benefit to the host. This could be a "rental" of their space or selling a portion of the tickets to cover costs of their drinks, food or other refreshments they may provide. This is something that you will need to set up with them individually on a case-by-case basis.
3. Designing a Meaningful Workshop Theme
Focus on your audience’s needs: Tailor the workshop to suit their interests or time of year. Are they beginners excited to learn floral arranging basics, or seasoned crafters looking for advanced techniques?
Highlight your expertise: Choose themes that reflect your strengths, whether it’s creating seasonal arrangements, wedding bouquets, or sustainable designs.
Stay relevant: Incorporate trends like popular color palettes or themes that resonate with current seasons, holidays, or local events.
Consider heading over to ChatGPT for a list of DIY Wood Flower Workshop themes to spark your creativity! You can use a prompt like this:
"I am a wood flower florist who wants to host a DIY workshop for my [target audience]. My ideal client is [describe your ideal client: their age, interests, and what they’re looking for in an experience]. The workshop will take place during [season or specific holiday], and I want the theme to feel [adjective or mood you want, e.g., romantic, fun, luxurious, cozy].
Please help me brainstorm workshop ideas that align with my audience's preferences, such as [list specific interests or themes they might enjoy, e.g., floral home décor, crafting for a cause, seasonal celebrations]. I’d also love ideas that [specific goal, e.g., teach a new skill, highlight sustainability, encourage creativity].
Here are a few details to consider:
Workshop length: [short, half-day, full-day]
Experience level: [beginner, intermediate, advanced]
Group size: [intimate, medium, large]
Venue type: [boutique, café, studio, virtual, etc.]
Can you suggest workshop themes that fit these parameters and include ideas for unique takeaways or special touches to make the experience memorable for my clients?"
Marketing Your Workshop:
Promoting your DIY wood flower workshop effectively is essential to ensuring a successful event. Here’s how to approach your marketing strategy step by step:
Create Eye-Catching Graphics: Visuals are the first thing your audience will notice, so make sure your graphics reflect the personality of your workshop. Use branded templates with consistent colors and fonts to maintain a cohesive look across platforms.Tip: If you’re short on time, pre-designed templates can be a lifesaver.
Engage on Social Media: Start posting early to build anticipation. Share behind-the-scenes peeks, countdowns, and sneak previews of what attendees can expect. Don’t forget to engage with comments and messages to connect with your audience.
Send Strategic Emails: Email marketing is a powerful way to reach past customers or subscribers. Announce your workshop, provide details, and follow up with reminders as the date approaches. Include a clear call to action, like a direct link to sign up.
Offer Value Through Content: Share educational or inspiring content about your workshop’s theme, like tips for working with wood flowers or photos of past projects. This helps potential attendees see the value in joining your event.
By incorporating these strategies, you can build excitement and reach your ideal audience effectively. Tools like branded templates, content calendars, and example captions can help streamline your process and make your marketing feel effortless.
Remember, your marketing is an extension of your brand and the experience you want your attendees to have—keep it authentic, inspiring, and true to your mission!
Key Considerations During Your Workshop
Delivering a successful workshop goes beyond technical know-how—it’s about the experience you create for your attendees.
Set the Stage: Arrange your space thoughtfully, ensuring everyone has enough room to work comfortably. Create an inviting environment that feels professional yet approachable and ALWAYS consider the flow of foot traffic for efficiency!
Prepare Thoroughly: Gather all necessary supplies ahead of time and ensure quality standards are met for everything from tools to wood flowers. I like to arrange all of my items in "kits" so each person has what they need already counted out. This is a lot of prep work, so if it is not an option, I like to have a "bar" of sorts with labels for how many of each item to grab. Then they can select their items and put into their basket/bag provided to go back to their tables with their supplies.
Structure with Purpose: Develop a detailed agenda that guides participants through the process, starting with introductions and moving seamlessly into hands-on crafting. Bonus points if you put this on their tables for them to stay on track ahead of time!
Educate with Care: Share your knowledge in a way that empowers attendees. Teach them not only how to create but also why wood flowers are special, and how they can incorporate them into their lives. The storytelling of the workshop makes or breaks the whole event in my teaching opinion! Make it personal and connect with your attendees!
Encourage Creativity: While providing structure, leave room for participants to explore their unique vision. Offer guidance when needed but let their personalities shine through in their work. There will be pieces that are not "sale" worthy in your eyes, but as long as they are happy that is truly all that matters!
Now, I know how intimidating it can be to take on something new, so I wanted to share with you a bundle of resources that will help alleviate the intimidation factor.
I have put together a workshop marketing bundle as a Canva Template for you to use as you get started with these offers and to get people in those seats! You can see what it includes and some extra details here. Already got the marketing down? That's fantastic! Canva is my ultimate go-to in business for marketing and I highly recommend getting comfortable there creating your own marketing graphics and checklists to keep yourself on track!
Hosting DIY workshops isn’t just an opportunity to share your craft—it’s a way to position yourself as a leader in the wood flower industry. Some people think that this will "create competition", but I really think it establishes more credibility. You will become the go-to-expert in your local area by being a workshop instructor. By thoughtfully curating each aspect of the event, you’re not only elevating your brand but also fostering connections that can lead to long-term growth. It also gives unique insights to your attendees of the care, time and artistry that goes into your pieces as a business owner and artist.
If you’re ready to take this step in your business, I’d love to support you. Whether you’re looking for guidance in planning, marketing, or executing your workshop, let’s work together to create an experience that leaves a lasting impression on your audience.
Here’s to growing your business with confidence and creativity—one workshop at a time. 💪
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