An article from My Community Made helped me understand the importance of brand identity. A brand is not limited to a logo or business name. It also includes the values, personality, colors, and message connected to a business. Instead of presenting each bouquet as an unrelated product, I must make every post look like it comes from the same creator. The article also discussed storytelling. Customers may become more interested in a handmade product when they understand who made it and why it was created.

Business News Daily also emphasized building relationships and adding value instead of focusing only on making a sale. This made me think differently about social media marketing. Rather than posting only prices and completed orders, I could respond to questions, show color choices, explain customization options, and ask followers what designs they would like to see. Professional photographs would still be important, but customers might also want to see the person and process behind the product. 

The Colorfully Sarah Shop video strengthened this idea by explaining that new business owners should plan their goals, time, expenses, niche, and brand before purchasing attractive packaging or unnecessary supplies. This advice was useful because it would be easy to spend too much money on ribbons, boxes, decorations, and business materials before knowing what customers actually want. Starting with a smaller selection would allow me to test designs before making larger purchases.

My academic research also helped me identify what customers would gain from purchasing my bouquets. Leonard Lodish and his coauthors explain that customers focus on benefits rather than only product features. A feature of my product is that the flowers are made from ribbon. The benefit is that the bouquet is long-lasting, customizable, and connected to a special memory. It can be displayed after birthday, graduation, anniversary, or quinceañera instead of being thrown away when the flowers die.