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A step-by-step guide to teaching a class
for consumers.
A growing segment of consumers is seeking opportunities
in the “do-it-yourself” (DIY) arena, and retail florists across the
country are embracing this trend, offering floral design classes that
not only allow consumers to learn new skills but also foster customer
loyalty to the flower shops and increase consumption.
If you are new to teaching or are looking for ways to
help the process go more smoothly, Teresa P. Lanker offers the
following step-by-step plan for working with consumers. She is chair of
the horticultural technologies division and coordinator of floral design
and marketing technology at The Ohio State University Agricultural
Technical Institute.
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Prepare each work station ahead of
students’ arrival. Make sure each person has a bucket of
flowers needed to create the planned design. Measure and cut ribbon,
count out wood picks, etc., and put materials in bags so they are
ready for participants to use. This helps eliminate waste and saves
valuable time during the class. Reserve a few “extras” in your
demonstration area, in case someone says he or she did not receive a
particular supply.
Ms. Lanker also advises
buying inexpensive paring knives for participants to use, to help
avoid injury to those who are not accustomed to working with bunch
cutters or florists’ knives. “Paring knives are sharp enough to cut
the stems but not sharp enough for people to hurt themselves,” she
explains.
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Introduce yourself, and let them know what
to expect. Break the ice by welcoming students and
telling them a little bit about your shop and your background. Then
show them a sample of the floral design they will create, letting
them know that they will follow along, in step-by-step fashion, as
you demonstrate how to create the design. Ms. Lanker advises also
having samples of larger and more complicated designs on display so
that participants can see not only what they can aspire to create in
a more advanced class in your shop but also the many beautiful
arrangement styles your designers are capable of creating for them.
Also during the
introduction, let students know that they are welcome to take their
creations home, and tell them about any handouts they will receive
once they have completed their designs. Be sure also to point out
the restroom as well as refreshments to which they can help
themselves.
Ms. Lanker cautions to keep the introduction brief—no more than 10
minutes—but also to be specific so that everyone knows what to
expect, which helps reduce the possibility of repeated questions. If
you plan to have a break, let the group know, up front,
approximately when it will occur. Ms. Lanker says two to three hours
is a good length of time to conduct a class, depending on whether
the group will work on one or two projects. If participants are
making only one arrangement, she relates that a break is not
necessary, but a two-arrangement class should have one break between
the projects.
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Create the arrangement. After
you demonstrate each step of the arrangement, allow a few minutes
for everyone to follow your instructions. Use this time to mention a
few interesting facts about the design style or the flowers used.
Although a bit of improvisational speaking is fine, Ms. Lanker
suggests planning ahead of time—while you are putting together the
sample arrangement—the types of things you could note during each
step. For example, when designing with tulips, be sure to mention
that these favored bulb flowers continue to grow after they are cut.
Because people work at
different paces, it is important to identify when the majority of
participants are finished. Acknowledge this by saying something
like, “It looks like most of you have completed this step, but if
you are still catching up, please listen to the next step as you
work.”
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Wrap it up. Following the
demonstration, as participants are completing their designs, make
some type of wrap-up statement such as, “Thank you for joining us
this evening. Everyone did a great job.” Offer care and handling
information, either verbally or, better yet, in a handout that
participants can take with them.
Ms. Lanker says it also is
a good idea to make participants at least somewhat responsible for
cleaning up at the end of the class.
“If you want help cleaning up, you need to let them know, and it’s all
about saying things in the right way,” she relates. “Rather than saying,
‘Everyone has to clean up her station,’ simply say, ‘The brooms are over
here, and the trash can is over there ... .’” |
