Like many florists, Heather Waits, AAF, has seen her wedding and event business plummet during the pandemic. To recover some of that lost revenue, she has embraced a new idea: virtual design classes.

During a recent Society of American Florists webinar, she offered best practices and step by step instructions for hosting your own online flower school.

“People are stuck at home, they want to do something creative,” said Waits, the owner of Bloomtastic Florist in Columbus, Ohio, and author of “Vow to Profit,” Floral Management’s wedding advice column. “This is a fabulous way to get some income for your shop.” With Waits’ average attendance (25 students), pricing ($40) and schedule (one class a week), she anticipates bringing in $50,000 revenue with her virtual workshops. “That’s pretty significant money for not a ton of work,” she said.

New to online teaching? Here are a few of her pointers:

Do your homework. First, you’ll need an account on a video platform, such as Zoom. “Microsoft Meetings and Gmail are some other options, but Zoom is the most popular,” Waits said, with the added advisement of paying $15 a month for the upgraded version that allows calls to exceed 45 minutes. (“They will abruptly end at 45 minutes if you use the free version,” she said.) You’ll also want to register with Eventbrite, a site that lists upcoming events across the country and makes it easy for customers to sign up for your classes. Decide when you want to hold your classes and how long they should last. (Waits recommends picking a weekday evening and aiming for an hour.) Lastly, brainstorm a variety of class themes, such as hand-tied bouquets, holiday centerpieces, wreaths, terrariums or succulent gardens.

Write out detailed notes. “You need to list everything — specific flowers and greens, container, tape, foam, scissors, etc. — that students will need,” Wait said. Be sure that list includes flower food and care instructions for maximum vase life and customer satisfaction!

Price for profit. Classes are meant to be fun, but don’t lose sight of your goal: to make some money. Be as strict with stem counting as you would any other design leaving your shop. And be mindful of your time too. “Your labor should not exceed 30 minutes longer than the actual class,” Waits said. “That should be enough time to get setup.”

Offer add-ons. Waits purchases floral scissors from Amazon for $6 and sells them for $25. “It’s an easy way to make more money — and it helps students be more successful with their projects,” Waits said. “I want this to be as professional an experience for them as possible. If I don’t recommend floral scissors, they’ll use school scissors.” Other opportunities: vases, frogs/grids/pillows, delivery service.

Market professionally. When you describe your class, steer clear of weak verbs and phrases, like “make” or “put together.” Instead, use words like “create” and “design,” which convey artistry and skill. In addition to posting your class on Eventbrite, be sure to market it with your email list and on social media, as well.

Be friendly, but efficient. “Start the class at the exact time you said you would, and get right to business,” Waits said. Keep your personal introduction to about one minute, then explain the flowers and tools you’ll be working with, fill the vase with water and flower food (and explain why professional care and handling formulas are so much better than bleach or Sprite!), and then slowly and deliberately start designing, while offering lots of commentary. Ask students to show you their creations after each step.

Watch the full webinar, “Reignite Your Business: Virtual Events,” for more tips including when to start marketing a class, what to say to encourage and engage students, and how to get even more business with private classes for customers’ special occasions.

Katie Hendrick Vincent is the senior contributing writer and editor for the Society of American Florists.