When it comes to products that have been relevant for centuries, flowers take one of the top spots. Over the years, the target market for florists has changed very little; bouquets of flowers are still very much in high demand for weddings, special occasions, funerals, and more. If you enjoy gardening as a hobby and are skilled when it comes to flower arrangement, then you might want to consider setting up a business as a florist. As a florist, you may want to simply buy your flowers from suppliers and sell them on for a profit, or, you could grow you own plants and flowers to sell. We’ve listed some top tips to help you make a success of your floristry business.
Tip #1. Invest in the Right Equipment:
To ensure the best results for your new business venture in floristry, it’s important to ensure that you invest your money in the right equipment. This is especially true if you are planning to grow the flowers to sell yourself, in which case, you will need a range of equipment and tools, such as an auto blackout greenhouse for maximizing growth potential, and equipment for keeping flowers as fresh as possible before they are sold to a customer.
Tip #2. Know Your Target Market:
As a florist, you will have a very wide target market, so it’s down to you to decide which sector of your target market you plan to focus on, or whether you are going to cater for all. For example, many florists will deal mainly with orders for weddings; a popular option as you can always guarantee that people are going to be getting married, and will be in need of flowers for their ceremony. On the other hand, you can also find a lot of business in the funeral industry, or, you could simply sell flowers for any kind of occasion – bear in mind that sometimes an occasion isn’t needed to buy flowers for a friend or relative.
Tip #3. Consider Online Trading:
Today, shopping for all kinds of products has been well and truly taken over by the internet, and floristry is an industry that hasn’t been untouched. In fact, more and more people choose to purchase flowers for others online; it provides an easy and convenient method of sending a gift, since the flowers can be delivered straight to the recipient’s address. To make sure that your floristry business remains relative in the industry, it’s likely that the option to buy online will be needed.
Tip #4. Become an Established Expert:
Customers today, no matter what the industry, want to know that they are purchasing from a brand that is an expert in what they do. Because of this, to make a success from your floristry business it’s important that you establish yourself as an industry expert and show your authority. The best way to do this is with your online presence; a business blog where you provide your target audience with informative advice on choosing flowers and caring for them, for example, will help to improve your reputation. Your aim should be to become the go-to brand for anybody who’s looking to purchase flowers for any reason.
Tip #5. Stand Out from the Crowd:
When it comes to the floristry industry, many florist businesses tend to all do much the same type of thing. So, to get an edge over your competition, it’s important to think outside the box and try to offer something new and different to your customers, that may not have been done earlier. For example, offering customers the option to design custom bouquets, utilizing eco-friendly strategies, or coming up with new and exciting flower-based product ideas that there’s a demand for in the gift industry, can help to strengthen your company and improve competitiveness.
Tip #6. Find Business Clients:
For many florists, the idea of taking on contracts with business clients, rather than simply selling to the public, is a no-brainer. As a florist, there are many businesses which will be in need of the products and services that you provide, for example, wedding planning companies that are often tasked with putting together the floral arrangements for their clients’ big days. Or, you could work alongside funeral directors to provide floral arrangements for funerals. Event planners may also be in need of the type of products that you provide, with various types of events using flowers to decorate rooms and halls, for example.
Do you have any further tips to suggest? We’d love to hear from you in the comments.
