Learning How To Blog For Your Business

Today I spent the day learning how to use blogging more effectively for business. Wow never realised there was so much too it and all the mistakes I was making.

However with the amazing expertise of Aine Bermingham from Utter Digital, she gave us all step by step tips and ideas on how to get the most out of Blogging

Aine from Utter Digital

Here are just some of the Tips I picked up

• Its not all about you .....  Blogs need to be written with your readers in mind
• Don't over stuff your Blog with keyword ( Google don't like that ) 
• Keep it relative to your business - dont blog about car mechanics if your a florist
• Once written you need to Promote your Blog through Social Media 

On the Blogging Workshop today I also met some amazing business women with fantastic business and some great ideas and tips too. 

Sitting beside me was the gorgeous Mary from Addibeads who sells the most beautiful beads and also runs workshops for making jewelry. To see more of her stunning beads check out her website where she has thousands of beads for sale, we will definitely be checking out some of her beads for our brooch bouquet training workshops.

Also on the workshop was the talented Artist and Calligrapher, Josephine Hardiman, although specialising personalised wedding stationery, she also has lots of "How to draw" tutorials that she is planing on publishing soon.  I can wait to see them, as lots of our students in our flower school often ask about people who draw flowers for logos etc.  Josephine will be a great contact to have. 

Did you ever hear about Crookstown Craft Village???  this looks like and amazing place and definitely worth a visit.  They are open from 10am - 6pm Monday to Friday and during the Summer, Easter and Christmas they are open 7 days a week.  This Craft Village stocks a huge selection on Pottery, Hand Made Cards, Lamps, Alterations Service, Chocolate Outlet, Healing and lots lots more. I will definitely be popping buy very soon and will be passing on their information to our Christmas Workshop Students who might be interested in selling their Christmas designs and wreaths. 

Oonagh Sheehan is a N.A.E.T Allergy Elimination Therapist, and having never heard of NAET, we had a discussion over lunch about it.  Its a long time since I have come across someone as passionate about their specialty field.  I will without doubt be taking my son who suffers from Hey Fever to her later this year to begin the process of eliminating his allergies for next summer.  Oonagh tells me she she actually does not advertise her services that much because she gets so much business through word of mouth, now that tells you something. 

Liz from LizzieB fascinated me with her knowledge of scents and soap & candle making, and having recently spoke to a bride about an outdoor wedding Liz assured me that she can add citronella to wedding candles to keep the bugs away, isn't that just an amazing idea, cant wait to tell all our future brides who come to us to learn how to make their Brooch Bouquets about Liz's wedding candles.

Last but not least we met Michelle from Inspired Design, and Michelle's company can design websites and also manage all your social media for your business, and for our students who have opened their own flower shops this can be a fantastic service as trying to manage everything can be a bit daunting.

Well tired after a busy and intense day, I decided to come home and put into practice some to the things I learned, would love to hear your feedback on this blog post and make sure you follow our blog for hopefully some more informative posts and look back over some of our passed posts for lots of video tutorials on making bows 

How to make a bow for your wedding buttonholes & corsages

Step by Step on making a Bow for your wedding buttonholes and corsages 

Are you getting married?  Would you like to DIY your bridal party buttonholes and corsages?

Here is a step by step tutorial on making the florist bow that is used for buttonholes 

On our Beginners Bridal Floristry Courses we cover lots of different buttonhole & corsages for each member of your wedding party.

See our Facebook album here for lots of different style Buttonholes 

We offer courses in all aspects of Bridal & Wedding Floristry, call us today on 01 45 386 49 or email info@kaysschool.com for more details 

How to make a small cluster bow with florist ribbon - barbie bow

Over the next few weeks we will be uploading some tutorials on  making Bows.  

The aim of these videos is to make bow design and decoration easier for you our students, as feedback from our students tell us that these are the thing they find most difficult when they leave our school 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qufwKCPP8z0&list=UUuDEocgdNI5sYSQaGxemBlA&feature=share&index=1

Subscribe here to our flower school newsletter 

www.kaysschool.com 

Tip Top Floral Sundry Suppliers at the Dublin Corporation markets

Tip Top Floral Sundry Suppliers at the Dublin Corporation markets 

Tip Top  are a long established company with over 50 years of trading experience. 



They offer a comprehensive range of Oasis floral products, a wide selection of ribbons from inexpensive poli ribbon to organza and satin. They also offer basket ware for hampers and packaging such as cellophane and coloured tissues. 

Tip Top has a  wide range of silk flowers bushes and trees also.

 

Their memorial range is also extremely popular, providing an opportunity for family and friends to offer a tribute to someone close to them who has passed away.

Tip Top welcome you to visit their store in Dublin next to the cities fruit flower and vegetable market, they are open 7am -4pm Monday to Friday and 7am - 12 on a Saturday 

Tip Top have a fantastic selection of Silk and Foam Flowers make sure to go upstairs to have a look 

Down stairs in TIP TOP you will find a fantastic selection of floral sundries & ribbons 

For more information on any of our Floristry Courses or Flower Arranging Courses, which are designed for both complete beginners and the more advanced students also. 

Student Section - Pleating Ribbon

Box Pleating Paper Florist Ribbon

In conjunction with your class notes you can follow how to pleat paper ribbon. 

Step 1 Fold Pleat over on top - about the width of a staple

Step 2 - Staple this in place

Step 3 - Fold the pleat under 

Step 4 - Staple in place 

Only fold one side of the pleating, keep the other side "bouncy" 

Continue on until you have enough for your display 

For more information on any or our training courses email info@kaysschool.com 

Our Courses are designed for complete beginners 

Country Flower Baskets designed on our Commercial Flower Arranging Course

A recent Flower Arranging Course saw our students design these country baskets.. We have seen Baskets of flower become more and more popular, they seem to disappear for a while over the past 10 years, but they are back and we love them 

As florists they are a great alternative to bouquet of flowers and for the customer they have a prearranged basket ready to display immediately.

For information on any of our Commercial & Hobby Flower arranging Courses, just drop us an email to info@kaysschool/com or visit the website of Kay's Flower School 

Flower School Student Section - Kelly Flower Wholesaler, Lisburn

For our Northern Students Kelly's is a fantastic wholesaler with lots of choice in Fresh flowers and florist sundries. 

Kelly Flowers Wholesale

Kelly's is another one of Ireland's largest wholesalers of cut flowers, pot plants and floral sundries.

They offer  quality cut flowers, pot plants and floral sundries from across the world, 

They have grown their floral wholesale business over 30 years. and are now in their  new, hi-tech, premises in Lisburn, Northern Ireland, 

You can Visit their warehouse or shop on-line to view their extensive range of cut flowers, pot plants and floral sundries.

Kelly's is strictly a wholesale operation for the professional floral industry only.

How To Order

To make online purchases from Kelly Flowers Wholesale, Pot Plants and Floral Sundries please register your business here, and remember they are  strictly trade only business.

Registration will only take a couple of minutes and when complete and verified will allow you to browse their complete product range and use every aspect of our online ordering system. When registration is verified you will be notified by email with your username and password

ORDERING INFORMATION

CUT FLOWERS - ADVANCE ORDERING ONLY

Controlled by the following day & time restraints, if logged on outside of these parameters NO CUT FLOWERS WILL BE DISPLAYED

Available to Order Bought at Auction Delivery or Collection Sat 9am - Sun 11.59pm Monday Wednesday/Thursday Mon 12pm - 11.59pm Tuesday Thursday Tue12pm - 11.59pm Wednesday Friday Wed 12pm - 11.59pm Thursday Collection Saturday before 12pm Thu 12pm - 11.59pm Friday Collection Sun or Mon /Delivery Mon

For more information on Kellys visit their website or for information on Flower Courses and Floristry training visit our Flower School website Page 

Flower School Student Section - Eirflowers - Florist, Sundries & Fresh Flower Wholesalers

As a student of Kay's School of Floristry we have given you information and contact details for all of the main Wholesalers in Ireland.  This is just a small insight to Eirflowers.  To shop at eirflowers you will need an application form from janette.  If you have not yet emailed her regarding this you can do so here. 

EIRFLOWERS.COM

Eirflowers is one of  Ireland’s leading wholesale supplier for fresh flowers, plants, floral products and sundries, gift packaging, and flowers for trade. You can browse and buy online 

from their  wide range of floral products and accessories.

Eirflowers also have a very active Facebook Page, Make sure to pop over and like their page for regular up to date information.

Janette & John from Eirflowers 

Flowers for Trade

Eirflowers provide cash and carry warehouse facilities for Trade Customers to buy all kind of floral products & sundries. You can either buy securely online or place your order over the telephone.

New products are constantly being added to our website. If you can’t find what you are looking for, contact them directly.

Eirflowers offer a free delivery over €100 and are open Monday to Friday 7am - 4pm  & Saturday 7am - 11am

Upstairs in Eirflowers - Vast selection of flower sundries 

Great Range of Silver ware and stands available upstairs in Eirflowers 

Eirflowers Huge Fresh Flower Fridge 

The gorgeous staff of Eirflowers with Janette

Eirflowers Fresh Flower Fridges 

For more information on Eirflowers visit their website.  For more information on our Flower Courses and Floristry Training visit Kay's School of Floristry 

Flower School Students Section - FleuraMetz Ireland

In your course notes we have given you the contact names and numbers of FleuraMetz Reps.  Below is just a little about the FleuraMetz Concepts. 

FleuraMetz Ireland 

FleuraMetz represents a unique combination of the three sales concepts targeting  florist. 

• Cash & Carry, 
• Truck Sales. 
• Direct online sales

The Cash & Carry at FleuraMetz offers a wide range of cut flowers and foliages. Daily supplies to our Cash & Carry’s allows you to choose from all kinds of varieties of fresh products.

Besides cut flowers, their Cash & Carry offers a complete range of plants and sundries. Cash & Carry offer you an efficient buying methods through right quantities and the right colours because you are able to see what you buy without any restrictions.

With a cup of coffee  is always Available and the lovely Eddie Burke is always on hand with his expertise.

The FleuraMetz web shop/ online direct ordering offers everything you could wish for. By logging on to the well developed webshop or by ringing the head office, you will have the widest international range to choose from. Flowers, plants and sundries from all over the world are shown with a picture.

A specified logistical network ensures you that your orders – fresh from our partner growers – can be delivered to your shop multiple times a week. The best way to save your precious time!

With a truck full of fresh cut flowers and plants, FleuraMetz drivers/salesmen can visiting your shop on a daily basis.By letting our men know what you would like to have, you will be able to pick it out of the truck the next time one of our drivers/salesmen is paying you a visit. No need to leave your shop, wait for the expertise of our drivers/salesmen with a fantastic range of cut flowers and plants. 

For More information on FleuraMetz make sure to pop over and visit their website and for details of our flower courses and floristry training visit Kay's School of Floristry 

Sympathy & Funeral Tribute Training Course

What a fun week we have had this week, with only 1 new student who had not been to Kay's School before all the rest of our returning students had lots of tales to tell us of their journey into the flower and floristry world.

Monday morning saw the students creating gorgeous eternal circle funeral wreaths in whites and greens.  In the afternnon they took on the challenge of pleating florist ribbon....  and a challenge it was but by the early afternoon they were flying and pinning it onto their heart based wreaths .Using their own style each student designed and decorated their own Heart Shaped Wreath.

#

Over the next couple of days students got the opportunity to work on an array of different  funeral tributes, Hearts, Crosses, Gates of Heaven, Cushions and some mini tributes also.

These are just a few photo of their designs 

For more details of any of our courses or to speak o us about your career in floristry, 

just call us on 01 453 86 49 or drop us an email to info@kaysschool.com