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Florist Business Plan
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Red, White & Bloom
Executive summary executive summary is a brief introduction to your business plan. it describes your business, the problem that it solves, your target market, and financial highlights.">.
“ If, at any time, it comes into my head, that a present is due from me to somebody, I am puzzled what to give, until the opportunity is gone. ” Ralph Waldo Emerson “ Gifts ,” Essays, Second Series (1844).
In the 160 years since Emerson made this statement, certain things haven’t changed: some of the most successful businessmen still have trouble purchasing gifts – especially flowers – for their wives, fiancées or girl friends. While some things don’t change, fortunately others – such as technology that can make the gift-giving process easier – do.
Red White & Bloom believes there is an opportunity to use technology to make it simple for male executives to easily purchase custom flower arrangements, with delivery on days they determine in advance, for their loved ones. The company plans to approach its goal short term by targeting affluent executive businessmen in Midtown and Downtown Atlanta for a very upscale, Frequent Flower Gift Program and, long term, to debut the city’s first floral art gallery in a neighborhood that is building its name as the next major arts community in Atlanta. Red White & Bloom will differ from traditional florists by cultivating personal relationships through the use of technology and marketing, offering a gift program that makes purchasing flowers easy (and forgetting special dates a thing of the past), and delivering exceptional customer service. Ideally the company plans to open its gallery in March in Castleberry Hill, one of Atlanta’s historic loft neighborhoods that is less than one mile from Downtown Atlanta.
The company anticipates modest first year total revenue with the opportunity to increase Year Two revenue dramatically because of Valentine’s Day sales (excluded in Year One due to a March opening). Additional revenue growth should stem from the maturing Castleberry Hill area as a destination shopping district. At the time of opening the Castleberry Hill area will have approximately 1,500 residents. Studies indicate that a population of 10,000 is necessary to support a traditional retail florist; therefore, it is important to point out that Red White & Bloom will not be a typical retail florist. In Years One to Three of Red White & Bloom’s development, the company will not depend on retail traffic, but will instead use technology and savvy marketing programs to target ideal, repeat buyers (individuals and commercial accounts) in the more than 1,500 targeted businesses in Midtown and Downtown Atlanta office buildings.
With the anticipated expansion of Castleberry Hill as an arts district for leading Atlanta galleries, along with continued projected commercial and residential growth for the downtown area by Central Atlanta Progress, the Castleberry Hill location presents steady growth opportunities for Red White & Bloom. The company is forecasting conservative, yet healthy, revenue projections for Years Two and Three. If the company manages to this plan, revenues should consistently reach over $170,000 each additional year.
Red White & Bloom is an S-Corporation started by Jamie Muir, who is the majority owner.
1.1 Mission
Red White & Bloom will use technology to identify and serve an ideal target audience within a five-mile radius of Castleberry Hill. The company will use sophisticated marketing techniques to secure a core clientele of executive businessmen and corporate accounts, and will differentiate from other traditional retail and on-line florists by offering Frequent Flower Gift Programs with personalized service (e.g., customers can select the specific delivery dates) and custom floral designs (e.g., customers can specify flowers, colors, scents, etc.).
Red White & Bloom is dedicated to operating with a constant enthusiasm for learning, being open to implementing new ideas, and maintaining a willingness to adapt to evolving market conditions.
1.2 Keys to Success
- Using technology to develop loyal, frequently-buying male clients instead of traditional, walk-in retail shoppers.
- Designing and selling innovative, high quality fresh flower arrangements using a variety of design styles, flowers, and containers.
- Creating a storefront that resembles an art gallery, with fresh, avant-garde floral arrangements displayed like art (and always for sale).
- Offering additional products, including gourmet chocolates and original artwork from local artists.
- Communicating with potential customers through direct mail, print advertising and an easy-to-use website.
- Offering complimentary in-store events, such as book signings, cheese tastings, and art showings, that coincide with other neighborhood gallery openings.
1.3 Objectives
- Generate healthy total revenue of $79,600 in Year One.
- Maintain an average direct cost of sales 40% or lower, and a high gross margin.
- Build pricing programs based on the assumption of 10% profit.
- Increase sales approximately 72% in Year Two and 21% in Year Three.*
*Note: Red White & Bloom will open after Valentine’s Day and Easter/Passover in Year One. The large percentage increase in Year Two reflects a full 12-months of revenue (versus 10 months in Year One), the benefit of one year of marketing, and the inclusion of Valentine’s Day and Easter/Passover. Valentine’s Day alone typically accounts for one third of a florist’s yearly revenue.
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Flower Shop Business Plan Sample
JUN.09, 2018
Florist business plans for your own flower business
Are you planning to starting a flower shop business ? Floriculture is profitable business to venture in when planned properly. The history of floriculture industry began back in 1800 in England where flowers were grown on large scale on estates. Today, growing of flowers as greatly changed and have been embraced by many people across the world. For instance, in 1950s the flower growers in the United States was less than US $3billion. In 1992, this figure had increased to US$100 billion. In 2003, the global trade for flowers had tremendously increased to US$101 billion. According to reliable sources, the floral industry grows more than six percent annually. Venturing into the floral industry is definitely a great idea, but it needs proper planning and finances to make in the flower shop business plan . With this flower shop business plan, you will have a clear picture on what it required of you to succeed in the industry. Flowers are loved by many and with the right customer target, you are in for business.
Executive Summary
2.1 the business.
The flower shop will be registered using the name Kate’s Blossoms and will be situated in Seattle, Washington. The shop will be owned and managed by Kate Spencer who is an experienced florist.
2.2 Management Team
Kate Spencer owner and manager of Kate’s Blossoms is an expert florist who has worked extensively in the flower industry for over a decade. During her career, Kate worked for high profile and flower shops across United States. Considering her extensive, it wasn’t difficult for her to open a flower shop business .
2.3 Customer Focus
Before beginning a flower shop, it is essential to have an in-depth understanding of your flower market and statistics. Kate’s Blossoms plans to set up its shop in a strategic location with plenty of people traffic. Customers are anyone who is a flower enthusiast or keen on purchasing some flowers for different reasons.
2.4 Business Target
Prior to s tarting a flower shop business , Kate went through a couple of flower shop business ideas , so as to make the right decision. Kate’s Blossoms intends to offer different types of flowers for various occasions to a wide range of customers visiting the shop. Kates’s Blossoms plans to find a creative marketing approach to survive competition and get good market.
Florist Business – Company Summary
3.1 company owner.
Kate Spencer is an experienced florist specialist with a successful career journey in the flower industry. She has also majored in flower farming and attained excellent floral certification in her career. Having worked for various famous shops and companies across the United States, she has an immense understanding of the procedures required for starting a flower shop business . With this experience and knowledge, Kate is positive that the launching of the flower shop with go as planned and customers will start visiting the shop soon to make purchases.
3.2 Aim of Starting the Business
The modern society presenting flowers as a gift to friends and loved ones has become a tradition and for this reason, the demand for flowers has gone up. The fact that flowers are beautiful and yet affordable, is the reason why many people prefer using them for expression. With the flower trend as a tradition across the United States, Kate thought it was the right time for starting a flower shop business to address market needs.
3.3 How the Business will be Started
With over 10 years’ experience in the flower industry, Kate Spencer enjoys a massive experience in the industry. For this reason, she has a keen understanding on what it required to start the flower business. After carefully studying local flower shop market trends, Kate has worked closely with experts to come up with a comprehensive financial analysis. In addition, she has invested to have an in depth flower shop business plan that will cover all sectors required to set up the floral shop. A good marketing plan will be greatly helpful to market the business to reach as many people as possible in Seattle, Washington and across the United States.
Most flower shops aim at providing a wide range of flower products and services.
A Floral Services for Customers
Unlike small flower shops who only sell flowers to individuals, Kate’s Blossoms floral shop will focus on availing flower products and related services to different types of people and go a step further to offer customized flowers in accordance to customer preferences. Kate’s Blossoms intends to provide a wide variety of floral services to different customers. When planning on opening a flower shop business , you should survey the market and determine what customers are looking for. In this case, Kate’s Blossoms intends to offer the following products at its Seattle floral shop:
- Offer bouquets with flower arrangements to make each occasion memorable.
- Offer floral settings and table setting, wedding receptions, corporate events and ceremony venues.
- Provide floral consultation services to help a customer choose the flowers that complement the theme and style of their occasion.
- Offer exquisite floral arrangement for the perfect finish.
To open a flower shop and make it successful depends on the creativity and diversifying consumer products. This is why it’s essential to come up with a realistic and competitive florist business plan .
Marketing Analysis of Florist Businesses
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The flower industry is raking in impressive numbers and for this reason, businesses venturing into the industry are witnessing fast growth and high profitability. However, when coming up with a business plan for flower shop , it’s essential to do your homework well. With each passing day, new flower shops continue to emerge in Settle, Washington. Understanding your local market is key to give you intimate knowledge of local trends. Many floral shops are working hard to meet the growing demand for flowers and a creative customer oriented approach is required to make your flower shop dream come true. A good floral shop should be in a position to offer fresh and healthy different types of flowers to potential customers.
5.1 Market Segment
In order to ensure Kate’s Blossoms to meet its obligations, the flower shop will focus on selling various flower products and services. The aim it to introduce a wide array of services that are exclusively associated with Kate’s Blossoms. A good flower shop business plan sample should be in a position to identify potential customers for the flower shop business plan . Kate’s Blossoms will basically reach out to anyone who’s interested in flower and services being offered. After extensive market research, the flower shop has identified the following customers to patronize the facility.
5.1.1 Individuals
One of the biggest markets for Kate’s Blossoms is individuals who love flowers. The concept of buying flowers for personal use has been embraced by many people across United States. For instance, some people buy flowers to keep in their house for beauty or other could get rose flowers for a loved one to express their feelings. During special occasions such as Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day or Father’s Day to mention but a few people tend to buy flowers more compared to normal days. According to many florist business plans , statistics indicate that Americans spent $31.3 billion on floriculture in 2015. The growth witnessed in the floral industry has been attributed to an increasing number of people embracing the flower giving lifestyle. This flower shop business proposal sample is designed to focus on reaching out to current flower enthusiasts in a bid to encourage them to try out different types of bouquets arrangements.
5.1.2 Corporates
This group consists of customers who are looking to hosting events that require some floral arrangements. This group consists of people drawn from various corporates and firms from various professional and industries looking for a flower shop provide top notch arrangement for the perfect finishing touch or completely transforming a space. Once in a while, corporates usually host parties and events and require a professional to handle the arrangement. Kate’s Blossoms, wishes to target these kind of events to provide floral services as well as table setting. The business will provide a conducive environment for your planned event for your flower shop business plan partners, employees and potential business partners to meet, exchange ideas, celebrate and socialize. Seattle is a big city with a lot of companies that hold events once in a while. For this reason, Kate worked on the perfect plan on how to start a flower store business plan that will target these corporates for frequent gigs.
5.1.3 Weddings
Weddings happens all the time across Seattle city. One of the main requirements to have a beautiful wedding receptions are flowers. Most couples when planning for a wedding they want to deal with a company that provides top notch flower service to make their day memorable. According to the sample business plan for a flower shop, Kate’s Blossoms intends to focus on couples planning a wedding to provide over the top flower arrangement for their special day. The flower shop will give couples the options to choose the flowers they want so as to get a customized service. Today, people getting married are willing to spend a considerable amount of money to grace their occasion with beautiful flowers and table setting. The flower shop business plan example plans to invite potential couples to visit the floral shop to look at previous successful work and benefit from experts advice.
5.1.4 New Mothers
Presenting a bouquet of beautiful flowers to a new mother is always a heart melting action. Kate’s Blossoms floral shop business plan will focus on targeting people having new mothers in their lives to spoil them with some flowers. New mothers will also be a business target when it comes to baby arrangements. These flower arrangements will be arranged depending with the gender of the child. For instance if it’s a baby girl, a mixture of daisies and pink roses can be arranged in a basket to celebrate the birth of a new baby girl. In another instance, a baby boy can get an arranged bouquet of yellow Asiatic lilies, green pompons and blue delphinium.
5.2 Business Target
Everyone wants to become part of the floral culture and Kate’s Blossoms has an excellent opportunity to launch its services on the market. Settle is a large city and the floral shop intends to set up in a strategic location with high human traffic. In order to boost revenue, the flower shop plans to offer a diversified product range of services for its customers. With a good strategic business plan flower shop in place, Kates’s Blossoms hopes to achieve a 28-35% increase in annual sales.
5.3 Product Pricing
When planning how to open your own flower shop, it is necessary to do a market study and compare product prices from competitors. You should also make use of free flower shop business plan ideas available in the internet to have helpful information on how to run a successful floral business. When it comes to pricing the services, a proper research needs to be carried out to come up with attractive packages. Given the increasing number of flower shops, Kate’s Blossoms is keen to have competitive pricing in order to stay afloat and compete favorably with other industry players. The business will also capitalize on introducing awesome packages that are not be offered by other flower shop to attract even more customers.
The flower industry is experiencing rapid growth as giving of flowers as a form of gift becomes more predominant. With more people and corporates keen on finding a sensitive and beautiful way to express themselves, the of floral shops has drastically increased and there is need for Kate’s Blossoms to find the best strategic plans of how to open up a flower shop business and remain relevant in a fast growing industry.
6.1 Competitive Analysis
Kate’s Blossoms plans to come up with business model that will sustain business operations and ensure customers enjoy superior quality products. There are other flower shops in the city but the business has identified strategies to help it remain ahead of competitors.
6.2 Sales Strategy
For the flower shop to attain its sales goals, the following strategies have been identified to help market the business.
- Organize a grand party for the entire neighborhood to introduce the flower shop to customers. During the event, offer customers free coffee and snacks for them to show them what the flower shop business plan s to offer.
- Offer training sessions to keep staff up to date about the latest floral services available in the flower shop. Doing this empowers staff to convince customers why they should spend their money on various flower services and products.
- Embrace SMS text messaging as a way to retain clients and build long-term customer relationships and loyalty
- Place signage at strategic points within the customer target areas to create awareness and market the flower shop.
- Come up with loyalty plan that see loyal customers enjoy goodies from the floral shop and remain committed clients
- Advertise the flower shop on local media channels such as radio, newspapers and television
- Use social media channels such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to market the flower shop
6.3 Sales Forecast
To achieve its targets, Kate’s Blossoms has formulated a sales forecast to demonstrate how the floral shop will perform when it starts operations. Before you venture into how to start a floral design business, you have to have a comprehensive flower shop business plan with achievable goals. Kate Spencer has the right information on how to start a flower shop and believes the business will be the best in Seattle.
Personnel Plan
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Kate’s Blossoms hopes to employ well trained and experienced personnel to run the operations of the flower shop on a daily basis. According to many floral business plans , the business costs should include a personnel budget to enable the business have an idea how much it will spend on salaries.
7.1 Personnel Plan
Kate’s Blossoms is owned by Kate Spencer who will also be the manager of the flower shop. As preparations are put in place for the business to open doors to the public, the following staff will be employed in the flower shop.
Owner/Manager Operation Manager 2 Marketing Executives 1 Cashier 2 Cleaners 6 Florists
Successful applicants will be undergo training to familiarize themselves with flower shop operations to boost productivity and performance. The flower shop business plan s to encourage everyone to work as a team for smooth day to day operations.
7.2 Average Salaries
Kates’s Blossoms plans to compensate its members of staff the following salaries within the first three years of operation. If you are planning on how to start my own flower shop business , paying your employees a competitive package should be among your priorities to motivate them.
Financial Plan
Kate’s Blossoms has come up with a detailed financial plan that will guide the operations of the flower shop. Initial capital and business expenses need to be well-defined in the flower shop business plan template . In this flower shop business plan , Kate Spencer will finance the flower shop business plan assisted by two investors. A bank loan will be secured to help finance budget deficiencies. When it to how to start a floral business , you shouldn’t be afraid to seek help form experts to come up with a comprehensive financial plan. If you are wondering on how to start your own flower shop and make it successful, you will need to come up with an awesome flower shop business plan that will guide you to achieving your goals.
Below is important financial data for Kate’s Blossoms.
8.1 Important Assumptions
Financial forecast for Kate’s Blossoms shall be based on the assumptions below.
8.2 Brake-even Analysis
The Brake-even Analysis for Kate’s Blossoms is shown in the graph below.
8.3 Projected Profit and Loss
Profit and Loss information for the flower shop calculated on a monthly and annual basis is shown below.
8.3.1 Monthly Profit
8.3.2 Yearly Profit
8.3.3 Monthly Gross Margin
8.3.4 Yearly Gross Margin
Profit and Loss Analysis for Kate’s Blossoms is shown below.
8.4 Projected Cash Flow
Below is a summary of pro forma cash flow, subtotal cash received, subtotal cash spent on operations, subtotal cash spent and subtotal cash from operations.
8.5 Projected Balance Sheet
Below is a Projected Balance Sheet for Kate’s Blossoms that shows assets, capital, liabilities, long term assets and current liabilities.
8.6 Business Rations
The following is the Ratio Analysis, Business Ratios and Business Net Worth for the flower shop.
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Flower Shop Business Plan Template
Written by Dave Lavinsky
Flower Shop Business Plan
Over the past 20+ years, we have helped over 500 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans to start and grow their flower shop companies.
If you’re unfamiliar with creating a flower shop business plan, you may think creating one will be a time-consuming and frustrating process. For most entrepreneurs it is, but for you, it won’t be since we’re here to help. We have the experience, resources, and knowledge to help you create a great business plan.
In this article, you will learn some background information on why business planning is important. Then, you will learn how to write a flower shop business plan step-by-step so you can create your plan today.
Download our Ultimate Business Plan Template here >
What Is a Business Plan?
A business plan provides a snapshot of your flower shop business as it stands today, and lays out your growth plan for the next five years. It explains your business goals and your strategies for reaching them. It also includes market research to support your plans.
Why You Need a Business Plan
If you’re looking to start a flower shop business or grow your existing flower shop company, you need a business plan. A business plan will help you raise funding, if needed, and plan out the growth of your flower shop business to improve your chances of success. Your flower shop business plan is a living document that should be updated annually as your company grows and changes.
Sources of Funding for Flower Shop Businesses
With regard to funding, the main sources of funding for a flower shop business are personal savings, credit cards, bank loans, and angel investors. When it comes to bank loans, banks will want to review your business plan and gain confidence that you will be able to repay your loan and interest. To acquire this confidence, the loan officer will not only want to ensure that your financials are reasonable, but they will also want to see a professional plan. Such a plan will give them the confidence that you can successfully and professionally operate a business. Personal savings and bank loans are the most common funding paths for flower shop companies.
How to Write a Business Plan for a Flower Shop Business
If you want to start a flower shop business or expand your current one, you need a business plan. The guide below details the necessary information for how to write each essential component of your flower shop business plan.
Executive Summary
Your executive summary provides an introduction to your business plan, but it is normally the last section you write because it provides a summary of each key section of your plan.
The goal of your executive summary is to quickly engage the reader. Explain to them the kind of flower shop business you are running and the status. For example, are you a startup, do you have a flower shop business that you would like to grow, or are you operating a chain of flower shop businesses?
Next, provide an overview of each of the subsequent sections of your plan.
- Give a brief overview of the flower shop industry.
- Discuss the type of flower shop business you are operating.
- Detail your direct competitors. Give an overview of your target customers.
- Provide a snapshot of your marketing strategy. Identify the key members of your team.
- Offer an overview of your financial plan.
Company Overview
In your company overview, you will detail the type of flower shop business you are operating.
For example, you might specialize in one of the following types of flower shop businesses:
- Retail Flower Shop : this type of flower shop is located in a retail location as part of a shopping mall, store, or is housed in a stand-alone building. Customers served are typically from the local residential and business areas, with a high rate of repeat customer business. Flower delivery is usually offered at an additional cost.
- In-Store & Online Flower Shop: this type of flower shop supplies flower arrangements in various formats for both walk-in or call-in retail customers and, additionally, serves online retail customers. Pricing for flower arrangements is congruent in both types of sales; however, delivery charges vary according to the type of delivery required.
- Online-Only Flower Shop : As the name suggests, this type of flower shop is concentrated on the primary website of the business and offers numerous floral arrangements created and delivered to customers who order online. No services exist for walk-in or call-in customers and there is no store location.
- Mobile Flower Cart : Customers of a mobile flower cart include those who work in businesses or frequent busy city districts. Mobile flower carts typically carry floral bouquets wrapped in paper or loose arrangements rather than formal floral arrangements that include vases.
In addition to explaining the type of flower shop business you will operate, the company overview needs to provide background on the business.
Include answers to questions such as:
- When and why did you start the business?
- What milestones have you achieved to date? Milestones could include the number of flower shop customers served, the number of deliveries made, reaching X number of mobile flower carts, etc.
- Your legal business Are you incorporated as an S-Corp? An LLC? A sole proprietorship? Explain your legal structure here.
Industry Analysis
In your industry or market analysis, you need to provide an overview of the flower shop industry.
While this may seem unnecessary, it serves multiple purposes.
First, researching the flower shop industry educates you. It helps you understand the market in which you are operating.
Secondly, market research can improve your marketing strategy, particularly if your analysis identifies market trends.
The third reason is to prove to readers that you are an expert in your industry. By conducting the research and presenting it in your plan, you achieve just that.
The following questions should be answered in the industry analysis section of your flower shop business plan:
- How big is the flower shop industry (in dollars)?
- Is the market declining or increasing?
- Who are the key competitors in the market?
- Who are the key suppliers in the market?
- What trends are affecting the industry?
- What is the industry’s growth forecast over the next 5 – 10 years?
- What is the relevant market size? That is, how big is the potential target market for your flower shop business? You can extrapolate such a figure by assessing the size of the market in the entire country and then applying that figure to your local population.
Customer Analysis
The customer analysis section of your flower shop business plan must detail the customers you serve and/or expect to serve.
The following are examples of customer segments: individuals, wedding parties, families and corporations.
As you can imagine, the customer segment(s) you choose will have a great impact on the type of flower shop business you operate. Clearly, individuals would respond to different marketing promotions than corporations, for example.
Try to break out your target customers in terms of their demographic and psychographic profiles. With regards to demographics, including a discussion of the ages, genders, locations, and income levels of the potential customers you seek to serve.
Psychographic profiles explain the wants and needs of your target customers. The more you can recognize and define these needs, the better you will do in attracting and retaining your customers.
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Competitive Analysis
Your competitive analysis should identify the indirect and direct competitors your business faces and then focus on the latter.
Direct competitors are other flower shop businesses.
Indirect competitors are other options that customers have to purchase from that aren’t directly competing with your product or service. This includes grocery stores selling loose flowers, flower farms, or wholesale flower markets. You need to mention direct competition, as well.
For each direct competitor, provide an overview of their business and document their strengths and weaknesses. Unless you once worked at your competitors’ businesses, it will be impossible to know everything about them. But you should be able to find out key things about them such as
- What types of customers do they serve?
- What type of flower shop business are they?
- What is their pricing (premium, low, etc.)?
- What are they good at?
- What are their weaknesses?
With regard to the last two questions, think about your answers from the customers’ perspective. And don’t be afraid to ask your competitors’ customers what they like most and least about them.
The final part of your competitive analysis section is to document your areas of competitive advantage. For example:
- Will you provide packages for wedding floral arrangements?
- Will you offer preferred customer discounts that your competition doesn’t?
- Will you provide better customer service?
- Will you offer floral arrangements for all budgets?
Think about ways you will outperform your competition and document them in this section of your plan.
Marketing Plan
Traditionally, a marketing plan includes the four P’s: Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. For a flower shop business plan, your marketing strategy should include the following:
Product : In the product section, you should reiterate the type of flower shop company that you documented in your company overview. Then, detail the specific products or services you will be offering. For example, will you provide floral arrangements for weddings, funerals, social gatherings and corporate events?
Price : Document the prices you will offer and how they compare to your competitors. Essentially in the product and price sub-sections of your plan, you are presenting the products and/or services you offer and their prices.
Place : Place refers to the site of your flower shop company. Document where your company is situated and mention how the site will impact your success. For example, is your flower shop business located in a busy retail district, a business district, a standalone office, or purely online? Discuss how your site might be the ideal location for your customers.
Promotions : The final part of your flower shop marketing plan is where you will document how you will drive potential customers to your location(s). The following are some promotional methods you might consider:
- Advertise in local papers, radio stations and/or magazines
- Reach out to websites
- Distribute flyers
- Engage in email marketing
- Advertise on social media platforms
- Improve the SEO (search engine optimization) on your website for targeted keywords
Operations Plan
While the earlier sections of your business plan explained your goals, your operations plan describes how you will meet them. Your operations plan should have two distinct sections as follows.
Everyday short-term processes include all of the tasks involved in running your flower shop business, including answering calls, building floral arrangements and delivering them, billing corporate accounts, or restocking your mobile flower cart daily, etc.
Long-term goals are the milestones you hope to achieve. These could include the dates when you expect to sell you Xth floral arrangement, or when you hope to reach $X in revenue. It could also be when you expect to expand your mobile flower carts to reach your entire city.
Management Team
To demonstrate your flower shop business’ potential to succeed, a strong management team is essential. Highlight your key players’ backgrounds, emphasizing those skills and experiences that prove their ability to grow a company.
Ideally, you and/or your team members have direct experience in managing flower shop businesses. If so, highlight this experience and expertise. But also highlight any experience that you think will help your business succeed.
If your team is lacking, consider assembling an advisory board. An advisory board would include 2 to 8 individuals who would act as mentors to your business. They would help answer questions and provide strategic guidance. If needed, look for advisory board members with experience in managing a flower shop business or successfully running a small gift shop.
Financial Plan
Your financial plan should include your 5-year financial statement broken out both monthly or quarterly for the first year and then annually. Your financial statements include your income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statements.
Income Statement
An income statement is more commonly called a Profit and Loss statement or P&L. It shows your revenue and then subtracts your costs to show whether you turned a profit or not.
In developing your income statement, you need to devise assumptions. For example, will you sell 50 floral arrangements per day, and/or contract with corporations for monthly floral services? And will sales grow by 2% or 10% per year? As you can imagine, your choice of assumptions will greatly impact the financial forecasts for your business. As much as possible, conduct research to try to root your assumptions in reality.
Balance Sheets
Balance sheets show your assets and liabilities. While balance sheets can include much information, try to simplify them to the key items you need to know about. For instance, if you spend $50,000 on building out your flower shop business, this will not give you immediate profits. Rather it is an asset that will hopefully help you generate profits for years to come. Likewise, if a lender writes you a check for $50,000, you don’t need to pay it back immediately. Rather, that is a liability you will pay back over time.
Cash Flow Statement
Your cash flow statement will help determine how much money you need to start or grow your business, and ensure you never run out of money. What most entrepreneurs and business owners don’t realize is that you can turn a profit but run out of money and go bankrupt.
When creating your Income Statement and Balance Sheets be sure to include several of the key costs needed in starting or growing a flower shop business:
- Cost of equipment and office supplies
- Payroll or salaries paid to staff
- Business insurance
- Other start-up expenses (if you’re a new business) like legal expenses, permits, computer software, and equipment
Attach your full financial projections in the appendix of your plan along with any supporting documents that make your plan more compelling. For example, you might include your office location lease or a list of corporations interested in long-term contracts for floral services.
Writing a business plan for your flower shop business is a worthwhile endeavor. If you follow the template above, by the time you are done, you will truly be an expert. You will understand the flower shop industry, your competition, and your customers. You will develop a marketing strategy and will understand what it takes to launch and grow a successful flower shop business.
Flower Shop Business Plan FAQs
What is the easiest way to complete my flower shop business plan.
Growthink's Ultimate Business Plan Template allows you to quickly and easily write your flower shop business plan.
How Do You Start a Flower Shop Business?
Starting a Flower Shop business is easy with these 14 steps:
- Choose the Name for Your Flower Shop Business
- Create Your Flower Shop Business Plan
- Choose the Legal Structure for Your Flower Shop Business
- Secure Startup Funding for Your Flower Shop Business (If Needed)
- Secure a Location for Your Business
- Register Your Flower Shop Business with the IRS
- Open a Business Bank Account
- Get a Business Credit Card
- Get the Required Business Licenses and Permits
- Get Business Insurance for Your Flower Shop Business
- Buy or Lease the Right Flower Shop Business Equipment
- Develop Your Flower Shop Business Marketing Materials
- Purchase and Setup the Software Needed to Run Your Flower Shop Business
- Open for Business
Learn more about how to start your own flower shop business .
Where Can I Download a Free Business Plan Template PDF?
Click here to download the pdf version of our basic business plan template.
Our free business plan template pdf allows you to see the key sections to complete in your plan and the key questions that each must answer. The business plan pdf will definitely get you started in the right direction.
We do offer a premium version of our business plan template. Click here to learn more about it. The premium version includes numerous features allowing you to quickly and easily create a professional business plan. Its most touted feature is its financial projections template which allows you to simply enter your estimated sales and growth rates, and it automatically calculates your complete five-year financial projections including income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements. Here’s the link to our Ultimate Business Plan Template.
Don’t you wish there was a faster, easier way to finish your Flower Shop business plan?
OR, Let Us Develop Your Plan For You
Since 1999, Growthink has developed business plans for thousands of companies who have gone on to achieve tremendous success. Click here to see how a Growthink business plan writer can create your business plan for you.
- How It Works
How to Structure & Write an Impressive Flower Shop Business Plan
Flowers bring freshness and natural aesthetics to every occasion, be it a wedding or a convocation ceremony. Despite seasonality in demand, flower shops see fairly regular client requests and come with solid business potential. With novel techniques emerging in flower arrangement and decoration, florists are presented with a golden opportunity to offer exotic flowers and decoration services to their clients. Being a successful florist requires an efficient flower shop business plan that guides your business meticulously and pragmatically. The necessity of a business strategy cannot be understated in any business, let alone one that sees considerable competition and requires pointed marketing efforts.
Why Business Plans are Essential
Preparing a business plan is one of the most important undertakings for your enterprise. Considering every business requires a roadmap and a detailed approach to address operational concerns, a business plan can become your reference document in tricky situations. Here are a few important reasons why they’re essential when you’re trying to run a stable and prosperous business:
Aids Decision-making
The most immediate advantage of business planning is the decision-making advantage that comes with it. Good plans often include financials, market research, management, services offered, marketing goals, and fundraising. The document puts together a holistic perspective so you can prioritize your goals when you need to make decisions for your business.
Helps Obtain Capital
Financiers like FundKite require a well-drafted business plan to learn about the concepts, cash flow, expected funding, unique selling points, and promotional undertakings. Business plans with concrete facts, thorough research, and well-informed projections help your business obtain much-needed capital. Florists, like other businessmen, can run into several requirements. This can include sudden expenses, capital for inventory, exploration of new markets, and expanding existing supply lines. Having a well-written business plan can help you access seamless florist business funding for your business.
Promotes Realistic Growth
All enterprises look forward to growing their capabilities. However, ambition must be driven by a careful understanding of the market and existing capabilities, in addition to a long-term business strategy. Growth is directly impacted by how lucid and realistic your business plan is, allowing you to leverage your strengths and address weaknesses in your journey toward business expansion.
Allows Efficient Resource Management
Managing your resources effectively impacts your business's overall health. Handling your finances, inventory, and human capital recklessly can result in chaos and jeopardize your business. A well-thought-out business plan can help you put measures in place to ensure the resources at your disposal are handled with prudence and efficiency.
8 Components to Include in a Flower Shop Business Plan
While simplistic approaches to florist business plans also work, providing a multidimensional perspective to your flower shop’s core business document is sure to fetch you funding while guiding you through your business operations. Here are some of the most important components you cannot ignore when writing a business plan for your flower shop:
1. Title Page & Basic Details
Being the first page of the document, the title page needs to put forth all the basic details about your flower shop attractively and succinctly. Title pages commonly present:
- The name of the business and captions, if any
- The flower shop’s brand logo
- The owner’s name
- The owner’s and the business’ contact information
- The name of the business plan’s author
- The current year/the year for which the business plan applies
Without a title page, the content of the business plan might seem abrupt and out of place. Title pages also make an impression on potential funding partners, so it’s important that you focus as much on the title page as on the content of the business plan.
2. Executive Summary
An executive summary collects all the salient points contained within your flower shop’s business plan and presents them concisely. Financing institutions like FundKite often analyze the executive summary carefully to understand the nature of the operation you’re running. This section also serves as a persuasive tool to convince financiers to read further into your flower shop business plan. Executive summaries include subsections to present an overall view of the business:
- The core objective of your flower business
- Your vision for the flower shop’s future
- Market metrics and summaries
- Summaries of future goals
- Brief financial projections
- Current and projected sales
- Strategic summary
3. Company Profile
This section of your flower shop business plan is completely dedicated to detailing all the essential information surrounding your business. From the shop’s name to the expenses incurred in operating your business, the document should detail all the salient points a financing partner needs to know about. Having a straightforward company profile section also allows financing companies to verify the nature of your operation with ease. Here are some of the most important subsections you should consider including:
- A brief history of your flower shop
- The operational routines of your shop including details regarding working hours, staff strength, and executive strength
- The inventory of flowers you hold in your business
- Precise figures of the amount already invested in your florist business
- Details of large undertakings or contracts
- Achievements and recognition of your florist business
This section also allows the investor to establish a primary relationship with your business.
4. Services Offered
The services offered by your business must be listed in their entirety in this section of the flower shop business plan. Apart from providing a well-rounded understanding of your business's current capabilities, they also shed light on the unique selling proposition. You can also include products and services you intend to offer in the future so that the document can be used to help you and your business stakeholders take necessary decisions to aid in the diversification of your offerings. That’s not all, listing out the services you offer helps you obtain financing, as building capability towards offering listed services requires considerable amounts of capital . Prepare a list of current services and a separate list for planned future services. In case there are products you no longer offer, including them in the business plan might also allow you to be mindful of iterations that did not work in your flower shop’s favor.
5. Market Studies
No business plan is complete without a market study, let alone a flower shops, considering the variable demand patterns observed in a single year. Apart from helping you unpack what’s in vogue with potential customers, it also helps you know what your competitors are getting right. Indulging in market analysis and research also helps you target potential niches that can help you carve out specific products your flower shop can offer to increase profit margins. Conducting thorough and targeted market research also allows you to define your ideal customer, helping you draw up suitable marketing plans and to create products with better sales potential. This section will also serve to be a guide when you hit turbulent times and require inspiration to wade through lulls in demand.
6. Financials & Projections
Being one of the most important aspects of business strategy, including granular financial data and future monetary projections adds immense value to your flower shop business plan. While this helps your investors analyze cash flow, revenue, profits, growth, and liabilities, it also enables you to look at your shop's year-on-year performance to chart your projections in the long term. Here’s what you should consider including under this section of your flower shop business plan:
- Time is taken for breaking even
- Yearly profits and losses
- Net revenue and revenue growth
- Projections for the next 1 to 5 years
- Cash flow statistics
- Assumptions made during the analysis
- Net liabilities
It's important to note that effectively managing finances is key to long-term success.
7. Marketing
Marketing is the driving force of your business, allowing you to bring more customers from untapped demographics by promoting your services to them. Alongside existing marketing efforts undertaken by your shop, you should also include future marketing strategies that feature in your business’ growth goals. Apart from ad campaigns & social media marketing, promotions such as discounts, benefits for returning customers, and loyalty programs also boost the effectiveness of your marketing strategies. Be sure to include these in your flower shop’s business plan to curry favor with both your investors and customers.
8. Future Strategies & Implementation
Merely showcasing your existing capabilities will fall short when you're building a holistic flower shop business plan. Linking your current metrics to your future strategies is just as important. Include what you plan on doing to grow your business and how you intend to go about it. Future strategies involve all the components of your business such as marketing, sales, pricing, product design, and customer satisfaction. Identify areas where you think your shop is lacking and develop an informed action plan to address it so you can make it a part of your business plan.
While the mentioned components are some of the most essential, there might also be unique facets of your business to consider incorporating into your flower shop business plan. Indulge in extensive research and involve all the stakeholders when drafting your strategies to ensure everyone is on the same page. Go through a few versions before you settle on a final business plan and pitch your investment options to potential funding partners.
Category: Management Advice
- Business Plans Handbook
- Business Plans - Volume 01
- Retail Florist Business Plan
Retail Florist
BUSINESS PLAN
DESIGNS BY LINDA, INC.
378 Martin Luther King, Jr. Bldg. Columbus, OH 74730
June 10, 1991
Designs by Linda is a full-service retail florist providing decorative planning for weddings and conventions, plant maintenance, and plantscaping. Designs is seeking funding to incorporate its new second location into its current successful enterprise. This plan details how funding would assist in the continued growth of the company .
INTRODUCTION
Description.
- MARKETING STRATEGIES
COMPETITION
Application and effect of loan.
The following is the proposed business plan designed to implement the continued growth of Designs by Linda, Inc. This plan was written by its president, Linda Irvin.
Statement of Purpose
The reason for developing this new business plan is to include our second store located in the Martin Luther King, Jr. Building in the University District area of Columbus. We have secured a lease, effective September 27, 1991, in the former location of Wilson & Burton Florist. This space, in the Martin Luther King, Jr. Building, has occupied a full-service retail florist since the building opened 63 years ago.
Our second location is an integral part of Designs by Linda, Inc. The expansion will give us over 1600 square feet of new retail space, 300 square feet of office space, and over 2000 square feet of production and storage. Currently, we have only 650 square feet of usable space in our Phoenix Center store.
We are also negotiating with the management company, Phoenix Center Venture, and with Guido Associates, a leasing company, for more suitable facilities within the Phoenix Center.
At this time, 1240 square feet of retail space on the promenade level, formally occupied by Henry's Horticulturals, should be available after the landlord completes legal proceedings to repossess the space.
Financing Sought
Designs by Linda, Inc. is seeking to secure financing of $100,000 comprising a $75,000 loan and a $25,000 line of credit. The $75,000 loan would be for five years and the money will be repaid from the proceeds of the Fisher building location and the Phoenix Center location. The $75,000 and the $25,000 line of credit will be spent on leasehold improvements, beginning inventory, and debt restructuring. These monies will supplement a cash allowance of $36,600 that Goble, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Building landlord, is supplying Designs by Linda, Inc. for leasehold improvements. A copy of the work letter detailing the cash allowance is enclosed in the appendices.
$45,000 of the loan and $20,000 of the line of credit, along with the $36,600 cash allowance, will give us over $100,000 to open the Martin Luther King, Jr. Building store. This store will enable Designs by Linda, Inc. to more than double our annual sales and will provide us with a facility capable of handling the future growth we plan to produce with our aggressive marketing strategy.
The remaining $30,000 loan and $5,000 line of credit will be used in leasehold improvements at the Phoenix Center location.
Designs by Linda, Inc. is located within the 100 Tower of the Phoenix Center in the former location of the Terra Viridis Plant Boutique.
Designs by Linda, Inc. strives to be one of Columbus's most innovative and unique florists. Our approach to floral design is pure and natural and it explores not only the character of flowers, individually and in combinations, but also the aesthetic relationship between flowers and the setting. We are determined to continue and enhance the tradition of flowers through innovative design, aggressive marketing, and most importantly, quality products and service.
Activities and Services
Designs by Linda, Inc. is a full-service retail florist selling cut flowers, fresh-cut arrangements, silk and dried arrangements, dish gardens, and green and blooming plants. We offer a variety of services such as:
- Decorative planning (including a referral service for caterers and musicians) for conventions, corporate and private parties, weddings, cultural events, and holidays
- Standing floral orders for offices and homes
- Plant maintenance
- Interior and exterior plantscaping
- An AFS floral wire service for out-of-town orders.
Merchandise
In addition to a wide variety of fresh cut flowers and green and blooming plants, Designs by Linda, Inc. sells stuffed plush animals, gift wrapping, greeting cards, ceramics and pottery, crystal and glassware, baby novelties, balloons, and birthday products.
Designs by Linda, Inc. currently maintains eight full-time employees. We supplement regular staff with part-time help as needed for major holidays such as Christmas, Valentine's Day, Sweetest Day, and Secretaries' Week, and for local events such as the Columbus Grand Prix.
Designs by Linda, Inc.'s designers have many years of combined experience in the field of design. In addition to skills required in the floral industry, Designs by Linda, Inc.'s designers have experience in architecture, interior design, graphic design, the fine arts, and hospitality industries. The variety and quality of staff experience and skills strengthens Designs by Linda, Inc.'s ability to provide the customer with a variety of approaches-be it traditional or state of the art- and allows them the versatility to choose the style that fits their own individual tastes.
Hours of Operation
Designs by Linda, Inc.'s business hours are from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Monday through Friday, and from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Saturdays. However, we routinely keep the store open past our normal closing hours if there are customers in the shop.
Business History
Designs by Linda, Inc. is an S corporation and was chartered under the laws of the state of Ohio in September of 1989. Its 50,000 shares, with 500 shares outstanding, are owned by the president, Linda Irvin.
We assumed the existing lease and bought the assets of the Terra Viridis Plant Boutique for $8,000 in February of 1990. Terra Viridis is a plant maintenance company with over 900 accounts in the metropolitan area.
Designs by Linda, Inc. was established as the result of a combination of circumstances. Terra Viridis's owner, William Wilson, was highly motivated to relinquish his lease on the Plant Boutique after losing the Park Place Hotel plant maintenance contract which carried an annual value of $200,000. Without the Park Place contract and with the store's annual sales only totaling $80,000, the Phoenix Center location was not profitable and became a financial burden.
With my years of experience as a floral designer in the metropolitan area and my familiarity with downtown businesses, hotels, and restaurants, I knew my reputation was established and secure enough to support such a venture. In addition, the $8,000 price was very reasonable for a turnkey operation with such a favorable location. All of these factors—the situation of the previous tenant, the sound price, and my professional experience—contributed to the establishment of the store.
First Year Successes
In its first 12 months, Designs by Linda, Inc. brought in over $210,000 in sales, almost tripling the previous tenant's business.
Our projection of $320,000 in sales for the second twelve months, shows an additional increase of over 50 percent.
Future Needs
Although Designs by Linda, Inc. has nearly quadrupled the previous tenant's sales, we believe the existing facility has hampered potential growth. Our current location has no running water and does not have adequate cooler space for the volume of cut flowers we require. Inadequate refrigeration has also impeded our ability to create, display, and sell stock floral arrangements which, with the existing cooler space, we are unable to store. These floral arrangements are used throughout the industry as an important, proven sales tactic.
Designs by Linda, Inc.'s marketing program is geared toward enlarging our customer base, building up corporate accounts, increasing our special-occasion and "cash-and-carry" sales, and expanding our traditional holiday business.
Target Market
The Phoenix Center has over 10,000 people who work in the center and studies show an additional 4000 people, on average, visit the building daily. The Martin Luther King, Jr. Building quotes similar numbers by incorporating residents and visitors of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Building, the University District, Columbus Town Center, the Federal Building, and the Hotel St. Regis — all of which are connected by skywalks and tunnels.
Designs by Linda, Inc.'s secondary market is any hotel, club, restaurant, or conference center in metropolitan Columbus. The expansion of our corporate client base is a priority because businesses generate a consistent sales flow which covers fixed costs.
MARKET STRATEGIES
National marketing.
Designs by Linda, Inc. is a member of the American Floral Marketing Council (AFMC), an independently funded committee of the Society of American Florists (SAF). AFMC's mission is to provide the industry with a marketing program that builds business between holidays when traditionally sales are slow. AFMC conducts a three-tiered program of advertising, merchandising, and public relations which covers the entire United States.
FTD, AFS, and other floral wire services offer national marketing using radio, television, and print media. In addition, these wire services have national spokespersons making public appearances on television talk shows to inform the public of new ways to purchase flowers and plants. These efforts stimulate consumer demand for flowers which translates into additional sales for our store. In order to boost our in-coming wire service orders and build our reputation outside of Ohio, Designs by Linda, Inc. has established an 800 number in our wire service advertisements to attract more business.
Local Marketing
Designs by Linda, Inc.'s local marketing program will utilize many of the national marketing tools, but will employ a more direct approach. By exploiting information gathered in our cash register (we track over eighty different items) and analyzing our sales figures, we identify our problems, take advantage of opportunities, and develop marketing objectives and strategies.
Current Situation
Designs by Linda, Inc. studies the current marketing situation on a daily and monthly basis to analyze trends and identify sources of business growth. Designs by Linda, Inc.'s owners are on hand daily to insure customer service. Our services include products of the highest quality and a prompt response to feedback from customers and clients. Our extensive and highly detailed financial statements, produced monthly, have enabled us to stay competitive and exploit presented opportunities. Copies of our financial statements are available upon request.
Marketing Budget
Our objective in setting a marketing budget has been to keep it between two and five percent of our estimated annual gross sales. Our main marketing "fixed costs" have come from our participation in AFMC and AFS. The remaining marketing programs have been more discretionary. Some examples are:
- Promotion expenses (free gifts for coming in the shop)
- Printed materials (pamphlets, fliers, postcards)
- Media advertisements (radio, newspapers, outdoors)
- Bartering (exchanging our products for ad placement)
- Product donations (door prizes, building promotions, charities)
Marketing Objectives
Our overall goal is to continue to offer excellent quality, service, and value.
Primary Objective
Increase corporate sales by fifteen percent.
Strategy We will use our metropolitan Columbus chamber of commerce to target prospective contacts. We will mail letters to each prospect describing our corporate services. We will follow-up with phone calls and product samples.
Second Objective
Increase standing orders for floral arrangements by 200 percent.
Strategy We will exploit our corporate and hotel contacts which will be our best source for new clients.
Third Objective
Increase overall sales by fifteen percent.
Strategy We will monitor our sales figures and data to confirm that products in demand are well-stocked and slow moving products are phased-out. We will improve telephone skills of employees to boost phone orders.
Fourth Objective
Increase sales for Mothers' Day by ten percent.
Strategy We will advertise with flyers, distributed throughout Phoenix Center offices, in an effort to capture more of the outgoing wire orders. We will decorate the shops early and promote specials.
Fifth Objective
Increase sales for Secretaries Week by twenty percent.
Strategy We will advertise through direct mail campaigns aimed at all offices in the Phoenix Center and in surrounding buildings. Free delivery to local offices will be offered. We will follow-up direct mail campaigns with phone calls to the larger offices. We will coordinate our efforts with The Phoenix Club and other downtown restaurants to promote the holiday.
Sixth Objective
Increase sales of our Christmas decorating services.
Strategy We will set up appointments with prospective clients and follow-up with product samples and photographs of past work.
Seventh Objective
Increase overall sales by 300 percent within a two year period by opening Martin Luther King, Jr. Building location and moving or remodeling Phoenix Center Location.
Strategy We will increase our market share by the tactics listed above. We will also increase our plant maintenance program in order to boost our overall sales. With our increased buying power, we expect to be in the position to offer discount prices on particular items which will, in return, encourage clients to buy more flowers more frequently.
Monitoring Marketing Results
Designs by Linda, Inc.'s financial statements will offer excellent data to track all phases of sales. These are available for review on a daily basis.
Designs by Linda, Inc. has three main competitors: Alexander's Flowers, Blossoms Fresh Flower Market, and Rowers Plus. Our main downtown competition, Henry's Horticulturals, has recently gone out of business and their Westside Center location has been taken over by Alexander's Flowers.
Alexander's Flowers
Headquartered at: Trapper's Alley, Columbus, OH Additional Locations at: Ashley's, Westside Center, Columbus, OH
Strengths Alexander's is run by a hands-on owner. Located in the University District for over ten years, the shop continues to do well even though Trapper's Alley has been struck particularly hard by the recession and has had difficulty keeping tenants.
Weaknesses With the recent establishment of their second location in the Westside Center (doing business as Ashley's), Alexander's could have overextended itself. The Westside Center location, with its marginal success record, could prove itself a burden on the University District location.
Blossoms Fresh Flower Market
Owned by: Ron Silk and Dale Morgan Headquartered at: 2338 Carpenter Highway, Dayton, OH Additional Locations at: 154 W. Maple, Columbus, OH; 115 Kercheval, Columbus, OH
Strengths Blossoms, in business for over ten years, is well-known for their avant-garde design and imported products that are high in quality and originality. Their business is expanding and they are recognized for their high profile parties and weddings.
Weaknesses Because of Blossoms' concentration on lavish imported products, they have effectively priced themselves out of the downtown Columbus market. Although their business is expanding, it is growing mainly in the suburbs. They have failed to maintain a steady repeat business in the downtown area, a necessity in the floral industry, because along with their high quality comes extremely high prices. Their emphasis on imported flowers has been very successful for their suburban locations, but they have been unable to translate this success to the downtown area because they misunderstand the different type of customer. With the recent closing of their Westside Center store, the result of low sales, they are concentrating their efforts in the more affluent suburbs.
Flowers Plus
Headquartered at: Columbus Town Center, Columbus, OH Additional Locations at: Algonquin Building, Columbus, OH
Strengths Flowers Plus is a well-managed operation that concentrates on providing products at reasonable prices.
Weaknesses Both stores operating under the Flowers Plus name are not owneroperated which impedes their ability to make decisions and results in a less personal approach to customer satisfaction. The recent closing of their store in the Columbus Dispatch Building illustrates the disadvantages of not having an owner on the premises.
Designs by Linda, Inc.
Our store has the aggressive sales strategy necessary to compete in the downtown market. We take the initiative to show clients, like The Phoenix Club, the Park Place Hotel, and the Dayton Inn, the type of work and the quality of service we can provide. In the few months since the closing of Henry's Horticulturals, Designs by Linda, Inc. has moved quickly to absorb several of their major accounts including the Park Place Hotel, the Columbus Athletic Club, and several corporate accounts located in the Phoenix Center.
Although there has been a general decline in the number of florists in the downtown area in the past few years, we have been successful in expanding our client base. Our business continues to grow because we concentrate on satisfying every patron, whether corporate or individual. We are determined that every customer will walk away happy regardless of their budget. We have found our customers appreciate having the owner on the premises taking an active part in every order. It is a guarantee that their business is important and will be given undivided attention and care.
Our sound business practices have resulted in credit accounts with every major Columbus wholesaler allowing us the flexibility to make wise and speedy purchases. All competitors cited within this report have a strict cash on delivery relationship with wholesalers impeding their ability to maintain a wide variety of products.
Although our competition may try to undercut our prices, we feel we will be able to meet their challenge because our reputation is both financially and artistically reliable. Growth in the Columbus floral industry during the 1990s will come from market share. Although the number of downtown florists has shrunk dramatically, the demand for flowers has not, making this the ideal time for Designs by Linda, Inc. to expand. Our clients and our suppliers trust that we will deliver.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Building Location: Designs by Linda, Inc. has been extremely fortunate to assume the former location of Wilson & Burton's within the Martin Luther King, Jr. Building. Taking over a location that has been identified as a flower shop for more than sixty years carries tremendous recognition value and almost certainly guarantees a secure client base.
The Martin Luther King, Jr. Building location will give Designs by Linda, Inc. 1600 square feet of sales space, over 300 feet of office space in the mezzanine level, and over 2000 feet of storage and production space directly accessible to the store. We have the option of expanding the storage and production space to over 5000 feet as business warrants.
Lease Agreement The Martin Luther King, Jr. Building is owned by Goble Properties, Inc. and terms of our lease are available.
Renovations The necessary renovations to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Building location are as follows:
- Installation of air-conditioning
- Structural repairs to marble cooler
- Construction of check-out and production counters
- New floor covering
- Updated lighting
- Painting and other general cosmetic repairs
Goble is giving us a cash allowance of $36,600. (A copy of the work letter detailing the cash allowance is available.) We believe in order to complete renovations, buy necessary fixtures, and purchase a beginning inventory, it will cost an additional $65,000. We are currently working with John Olgensen, A.I.A., P.C., and they have recently completed a set of drawing working within a budget of $40,000 or less.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Building Tenants: Major tenants of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Building include Unisys Corporation, Capitol City Communications, Alexander and Alexander of Ohio Inc., MLK Hospital, and the Columbus Theater. Connected to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Building by extensive sky walks and tunnels are Columbus Town Center, University District One, the Hotel St. Regis, and the Algonquin Building.
Parking Goble Management offers shoppers validated parking to encourage commerce.
Location Possibilities The Martin Luther King, Jr. Building location offers Designs by Linda, Inc. the latitude and space to meet our growing needs. Although over five times larger than our Phoenix Center location, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Building store has essentially the same operating costs. Given its sixty year history as a flower shop, the equitable lease and work allowance we negotiated with Goble Properties, and its well-balanced division of production, retail, and office space, we believe this location is the best possible option for Designs by Linda, Inc.
Personal History
I have been working in the floral industry for over eight years, gaining personal knowledge and experience in all phases of the industry from horticulture to wholesale to retail. Prior to working in the floral industry, I worked in party stores gaining experience in running small businesses.
I have had college course work in business administration, banking and finance, investments, and commercial credit management. I have also attended several FED management seminars.
Reasons for entering the business include the personal challenge.
Duties and Responsibilities: Currently, I handle all aspects of planning, purchasing, sales, personnel, promotion, and production. As the company grows, a more formal management hierarchy will be developed.
Financial growth is monitored by myself and by an accountant who completes monthly statements used to make sound management decisions. A "check and balance" system is in place and entails the cross-checking of daily receipts against the cash register tape and the accountant's review of bookkeeping for errors.
I draw an annual salary of $60,000 from the business although most of this goes to repay loans to finance Designs by Linda, Inc.'s start-up costs. These loans will be paid-in-full by March of 1993. One additional fringe benefit is membership in The Phoenix Club, which is a business tool used to maintain a good working relationship with the Club (one of our larger clients) and its members.
Resources Available to the Business
- Accountant S.L. Schornack, P.C. 26847 Grand River Redford, OH
- Attorney LJ. Bowden, P.C. 2115 Livernois Troy, OH
- Insurance Broker D.C.Davis Florists' Mutual 500 St Aidan St. Edwards ville, IL
Additional Assistance
Floral wire services, such as FTD and AFS, and wholesale suppliers offer assistance in marketing, design, accounting, and management practices. In addition to FTD and AFS advice, Designs by Linda, Inc. is currently a member of the American Floral Marketing Council, the Ohio Floral Association, the Society of American Florists, and the National Association of the Self-Employed, all of which are professional associations designed to assist small businesses.
Designs by Linda, Inc.'s personnel structure is that of one company with two locations. Many of the employees will work at both stores depending on production needs. The office staff, located at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Building, will service both stores. Drivers will also serve both stores simultaneously.
Phoenix Center Location We currently employ eight full-time people. We supplement core staff with additional part-time help during holidays and special events. We expect to transfer some personnel to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Building location when the store opens.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Building Location We expect to employ four to six additional full-time people for this location. The Martin Luther King, Jr. Building store will function as the main facility for Designs by Linda, Inc. because it has over 2,000 square feet of production space. The Phoenix Center store does not have running water, sufficient storage space, adequate coolers, or enough design tables. The Martin Luther King, Jr. Building location was designed as a flower shop and has functioned as such for over 60 years. In addition, this location has over 300 square feet on the mezzanine level which will be used as our office.
Skills and Abilities Staff must have a high school education, be self-motivating, and have strong customer service skills. Previous experience in the floral industry is preferred.
Recruitment Designs by Linda, Inc. has found that local wholesalers and personal referrals are an excellent source for experienced designers and sales clerks. We have not had much success with published classified ads.
Training and Supervision Training is largely accomplished through hands-on experience with supplemental instruction given on more complicated design projects. Additional knowledge is gained through FTD and wholesaler design shows, and industry books, magazines, design manuals, and promotional materials. Designs by Linda, Inc. fosters professional development and independence in all phases of our business. Supervision is task-oriented and the quantity is dependent on the complexity of the job assignment. More experienced employees are responsible for managing certain aspects of production.
Salaries and Benefits Designs by Linda, Inc. pays from $5 to $15 an hour depending on experience. An employee discount of 30 to 50 percent on merchandise is offered. As business warrants, we hope to put together a benefit package that includes insurance, parking, and paid vacations.
The secured monies will be applied as detailed below and will enable Designs by Linda, Inc. to increase our overall sales to over one million dollars annually within the next two years.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Building As stated earlier, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Building location, with its production and office space, gives Designs by Linda, Inc. the facilities to increase our market share in the downtown area.
Phoenix Center By moving our shop to the Promenade Level with its large walkin cooler, running water, and greater production area, Designs by Linda, Inc. expects to gain efficiency, improve the store's image, and increase gross sales. An additional benefit is the guarantee of the Park Place Hotel's banquet contract (estimated sales worth $200,000 to $300,000 annually) which is a condition of the lease agreement. The expanded space and promise of a lucrative contract make this relocation a financially sound decision.
Equipment Purchasing a computer with adequate software packages to satisfy our accounting needs is a priority. We expect to set up a system for $5,000. Cash registers for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Building store, duplicates of the models currently used in the Phoenix Center, will cost $1,000. A zon machine (credit card data capture machine) costs approximately $300. The purchase and installation of telephones for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Building will cost at the most $5,000. We plan to purchase used office equipment to supplement our existing fixtures. We plan to spend no more than $4,000 for office equipment.
Leasehold Improvements The bulk of the load will go towards leasehold improvements at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Building store. These include:
- Air-conditioning
- Tile floorcovering
- New and upgraded lighting
- Structural repair to marble cooler
- General and specialty painting
- Check-out and design counters
- Other carpentry and metal work
We have asked our architect to work within the budget of $50 per square foot, or less, for these improvements not to exceed $80,000. Designs by Linda, Inc., along with Goble Management, are acting as general contractors and have begun to gather bids.
With the expected relocation of our current store in the Phoenix Center to the Promenade Level, certain leasehold improvements will be necessary including:
- Upgraded lighting
- Repairs to work counters and cabinets
- Repairs to glass doors
- Wallcoverings
A budget of $25 per square foot, not to exceed $30,000, is our starting point for this project as this space does not require the extensive repairs the Martin Luther King, Jr. Building site does.
Operating Capital The remaining monies, comprising most of the line of credit, will cover:
- Any cost overruns
- Start-up costs
- Moving expenses
- Initial advertising and promotional costs associated with the move and opening
- Additional tool purchases
- Security deposits
- FID and AFS wire service fees and membership expenses
- Additional insurance premiums.
Designs by Linda, Inc. has experienced trememdous growth and success in its first two years of existence. We have outgrown our current facility in the Phoenix Center. Our production has expanded far beyond what our current facilities can handle and it has hampered our ability to deliver quality service. Our primary goal is to increase customer satisfaction by providing quality products and attentive service. Relocation is the only answer to our problems with production and storage space. We believe our new stores within the Phoenix Center and in the Martin Luther King, Jr. Building will satisfy current and future plans for expansion.
Both stores are located in areas where the demand for flowers has been proven. These locations have already established reputations as flower shops and, based on our experience with the Terra Viridis space, we know this is an advantage over an untried location.
Our recent successes have been, in part, a result of less competition. It is imperative that Designs by Linda, Inc. take advantage of this opportunity and move quickly to capture business left in a void by the recent closing of our main competitor, Henry's Horticulturals. We are better suited to do this than other downtown florists because of our key commercial accounts and the customer loyalty we have built over the last two years.
By expanding our production facilities and client base, Designs by Linda, Inc. will have positioned itself as the dominant florist in both the downtown and University District area. Because our reputation is established with the down-town work force (most of whom reside in the suburbs), we have an added edge over suburban florists because their business rarely overflows their neighborhoods. This lays the groundwork for potential future growth into the suburbs.
The Martin Luther King, Jr. Building location will provide us with ample production and office space as well as being a desirable retail space. It is also very reasonably priced.
By moving to the Promenade Level of the Park Place Hotel, we would be guaranteed the Hotel's Banquet business with an annual value of $200,000 to $300,000. The 1,200 square feet of retail space is enough to insure that this would not become a satellite shop to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Building, but will be a full-service flower shop capable of satisfying the majority of what this location generated in terms of business.
Designs by Linda, Inc.'s two years in business has eliminated the time needed to experiment and establish management techniques that work the best for our company. We are confident that our success can be translated to more than one store.
To finance our planned expansion, we are asking for $100,000 which comprises loans and lines of credit. We are open to suggestions as to the best way to secure this type of financing. We welcome the chance to meet and interview with any prospective party interested and willing to help us excel.
Supplemental Materials
The Martin Luther King, Jr. Building lease and work letter, letters of intent, and architectural drawings are available upon request.
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Flower Shop Business Plan
Are you thinking of starting a flower shop We have prepared a solid flower shop business plan sample that guides you on every stage of your business plan writing
All of us can agree that any occasion is incomplete without flowers. Also, several people like to have flowers for their homes all the time. After all, flowers add the required pop of color to any decor without becoming an eyesore.
And if you are a nature enthusiast who loves flowers, plants and has some amount of knowledge about plants and how to take care of them, or if you like to do flower arrangement as a hobby, you might have thought of having your flower shop at some point.
If you are planning to start a new flower shop, the first thing you will need is a business plan. Use our sample Bloom Valley – Flower Shop Business Plan created using upmetrics business plan software to start writing your business plan in no time.
Before you start writing your business plan for your new flower shop business, spend as much time as you can reading through some examples of retail shop business plans .
Industry Overview
The floral industry stood at a whopping value of 5 billion dollars in 2020 in the US and would grow as it recovers from the effects of COVID-19.
The size of the floral industry is mainly due to the need for flowers and flower arrangements for all sorts of occasions and decorations. Also, the demand for flower saplings as a more eco-friendly way of giving flowers to people is gaining traction.
Also, with globalization and consumerism at their peak, people like to go as fancy as possible with flowers.
Things to Consider Before Writing a Flower Shop Business Plan
Decide what services you’ll offer.
As a florist, you can offer a wide variety of services, but it is always a smart choice to niche down whenever possible. It helps you gain expertise in the area and also sets clear expectations for your customers.
Also, it helps you manage your resources and services in a better and more efficient way. Apart from that, it also makes research and developing skills for a particular service easier.
Develop your soft skills
As you’ll be constantly dealing and working with different types of people it becomes extremely important for you as a business owner to develop your communication skills, people skills, negotiation skills, and so on. These come in super handy as you go about your business.
Know your audience
Knowing what your audience wants, and giving them that in the best possible way, can work wonders for any business. Hence, you should try to gather all the relevant information about your customers including their demographics, buying patterns, the kind of flowers they prefer, the reason they buy flowers, etc.
Decide on a brand name and message
A brand name makes you memorable to your clients and helps you get customers who stay and also promote your brand. As yours is the first name that comes in their head whenever they are asked to suggest a flower shop. That is the power of a brand name and a message that your audience can resonate with.
Also, you should decide your brand message as per your niche and your target audience.
Chalking Out Your Business Plan
Reading sample business plans will give you a good idea of what you’re aiming for and also it will show you the different sections that different entrepreneurs include and the language they use to write about themselves and their business plans.
We have created this sample Bloom Valley – Flower Shop Business Plan for you to get a good idea about how perfect a flower shop business plan should look and what details you will need to include in your stunning business plan.
Flower Shop Business Plan Outline
This is the standard flower shop business plan outline which will cover all important sections that you should include in your business plan.
- Mission Statement
- Vision Statement
- Keys to Success
- 3 Year profit forecast
- Store Design
- Store Operation
- Startup cost
- Market Trends
- Target Market
- Sales Strategy
- Advertising Strategy
- Pricing Strategy
- Financial Plan
- Important Assumptions
- Brake-even Analysis
- Profit Yearly
- Gross Margin Yearly
- Projected Cash Flow
- Projected Balance Sheet
- Business Ratios
After getting started with Upmetrics , you can copy this sample business plan into your business plan and modify the required information and download your flower shop business plan pdf or doc file. It’s the fastest and easiest way to start writing your business plan.
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We have plenty of free business planning resources available to help you with your planning. You can download our resources to learn all about business planning.
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Writing a Flower Shop Business Plan
Florists’ goal is to make money doing the thing they love most.
Writing technical papers like business plans sounds like a lot of work, and you may think it’s irrelevant for someone who’s starting out. However, business plans are even more important for a business early on.
What Makes a Floral Business Plan Important
A business plan guides your helps you track your long-term objectives and the strategies you use to achieve them. Planning is crucial in business because we are not simply dealing with money; time and effort are on the line—your time, and everyone helping you. Also, formalizing your vision helps you assess your current position and your capabilities of reaching it.
Aside from that, business plans let you plan ahead for possible problems you might get into. This requires you to analyze the market trend of flowers around your area, and look into your possible competitors. By getting this knowledge, you can appropriately predict possible highs and lows of the industry.
Business plans are also a requirement to get a loan from most banks. Banks need to determine if you can, at minimum, pay the loan back. This is very important especially for newcomers and people who plan upgrades to their shop.
Parts of a Business Plan
The title page contains all the basic information about your flower shop, which includes your shop’s name, address, your name as the owner (and of others who co-own the shop), and other relevant information like the registration number of your business (if you have any, this may vary by area). It should also contain your business logo.
Executive Summary
The summary of your business plan, It has its own parts in it: (a) the business summary, (b) the future summary, (c) the market summary, and (d) the finance summary.
The business summary basically contains all the basic information related to your shop (think title page but more comprehensive).
The future summary outlines your vision for your shop, as well as your goals and objectives.
The market summary contains the information you’ve gathered about your customers and the marketing strategies you’ll use.
Lastly, the finance summary contains your expected sales, the money you need to start up, where you’ll get these funds and other monetary information. It should tell the reader your current financial position.
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Management Plan
The management plan or the operations section contains all the nitty-gritty details of your business, from your flower suppliers, equipment, and production processes to your inventory, payment modes, operating hours, and communication channels. You can list out the products and services you plan to deliver. This can easily become the longest and important part of the business plan, so take your time writing this part.
Marketing Plan
As the name suggests, the marketing plan contains your analysis about your potential customers and competitors. It also includes your key marketing strategies that you plan to implement for your shop, such as running special discounts on holidays and other special occasions.
Future Plan
Again, the name suggests that the future plan contains your prospective plans for your shop. Here you can state your vision for your shop (something like the “premier flower business in the locale”) and your business goals. It is important to not just think of quick goals to attain but rather long-term goals that you hope to achieve.
Financial Plan
The financial plan contains everything about your shop’s finances. Here, you go into detail about the cash flow of your business. You are expected to list out your current creditors and debtors, your source of funding, and your projected cash flow; these are often tabulated with the figures and dates. If you have been working on your business plan with your shop already up and running, you can also add a profit and loss statement.
Supporting Documentation
At this part of the business plan, you can include some documents that are relevant to your business: permits, maps, financial tables, and other attachments that readers of your plan might use to refer.
Florists, do you have a business plan in place, What are some things you put in place that could help other florists, please share your comments down below!
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Helpful all the information.
Thanks for the information, very helpful.
please help to make a business plan about flowers shop for may project thanks and God bless
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Flower Shop Business Plan Template [Updated 2023]
I. executive summary.
This Section's Contents
Business Overview
Products served, customer focus, management team, success factors, financial highlights.
[Company Name], located in [insert location here], is a new flower shop that will provide fresh cut flowers, arrangements, bouquets and small plants. [Company Name] will provide flowers for many different occasions including weddings, Valentine’s Day, corporate gatherings, anniversaries and funerals. It will also provide same-day, home delivery services to customers within a 10-mile radius of the shop.
[Company Name] will provide the following products and services for multiple occasions:
- Fresh flowers
- Floral arrangements
- Potted plants
- Event Flowers
[Company Name] will serve the residents living within a 10-mile radius of the business location. The Company will also serve businesses, local organizations, weddings and other local events. The demographics of the customers are:
- Local Residents: 67,394
- Average Income: $45,800
- Businesses: 1,750
- Median Age: 35 years
[Company Name] is led by [Founder’s name], who has been in the floral industry for [xx] years. During his career, he has worked for high-profile clients and flower shops across the US. Considering his extensive expertise, it won’t be difficult for him to open a flower shop business.
[Company Name] is qualified to succeed due to the following reasons:
- There is currently a high demand for flowers and floral bouquets in the community due to the rise in the trend of gifting flowers on multiple occasions. In addition, the shop has surveyed the local population and received highly positive feedback pointing towards an explicit demand for the products, supporting the business after launch.
- The Company’s location is in a high-volume traffic area and will thus be highly convenient to a significant number of people visiting nearby.
- The management team has a track record of success in the floral business.
- Flower shops are a proven business and have succeeded in communities throughout the US.
[Company Name] is currently seeking $190,000 to launch its flower shop. Specifically, these funds will be used as follows:
- Store design/build: $100,000
- Working capital: $90,000 to pay for marketing, salaries, supplies, initial inventory and lease costs until [Company Name] reaches break-even
Comments are closed.
Flower Shop Business Plan Home I. Executive Summary II. Company Overview III. Industry Analysis IV. Customer Analysis V. Competitive Analysis VI. Marketing Plan VII. Operations Plan VIII. Management Team IX. Financial Plan
Solving Business Challenges
Helping businesses grow, running a successful florist business in 2022: a complete guide.
April 7, 2022
Whether it’s a simple accessory for a young person’s first prom or a romantic Valentine’s Day gesture, a floral arrangement never disappoints. And those bouquets are big business, with the floral industry generating more than $5 billion in revenue every year . With plenty of opportunities to break into the market and earn a profit, now is a great time to start a florist business.
Jump to the section that most interests you:
How to Start a Florist Business in 5 Steps
Expand the reach of your florist efforts by offering delivery, offer reliable delivery with routing software, delight customers with 21st-century features, faqs about starting a florist business.
Starting a florist business begins with careful planning, and by marketing your floral abilities to win over customers, it will continue into the future.
1. Create a business plan
A good business plan contains important information about your business, such as the business name, operational practices, financial details, and long-term business goals. You’ll need to create a business plan, as it will act as your go-to guide for success. A few of the most important parts of your business plan will be:
- Executive Summary and Business Overview: These sections will name your business, explain how it operates, and define your business goals. You should also use these sections to outline what steps you plan on taking to reach those goals.
- Target Market and Summary of Services: In this part of your plan, you should outline who you hope your customers will be, as this will define what services you offer. For example, if you plan on selling flowers to funeral homes, you’ll need to offer large bouquets with traditional funeral flowers like lilies.
- Financial Analysis: You also need to plan for your financial wellbeing by including a detailed report on your financials. This includes how much you intend to charge for floral arrangements and any of your ideas to increase profits by growing your business.
2. Get funding
The startup costs for a florist business can cost anywhere between $10,000 and $50,000 . You’ll need to get at least that much capital to get your business off the ground. And until you start to earn a profit, you’ll also need money to cover other costs associated with your business, such as vases and fresh-cut flowers.
If you don’t have these funds readily available, then you should either apply for a small business loan or seek out investors to support your business. Taking out a business loan will provide you with the money to start your business. But you’ll need to repay the loan, so make sure to carefully plan and prepare your financials to make sure you don’t miss a payment. If you aren’t sure you’ll be able to take out a loan, you can seek out investors to cover your startup costs. However, rather than repaying the loan, your investors may ask for shares of your business, which will give them control over the decision-making.
3. Find a location and suppliers
Where you open your flower shop has a big impact on your business. To select a location to base your business, you’ll need to consider the location’s proximity to your customers, its accessibility, and the cost to rent or buy the storefront.
Opening up a shop in a high-traffic shopping area like a mall or supermarket offers a great opportunity to generate new business by using window displays to showcase your floral arrangements. However, while these high-traffic storefronts are a great way to sell your flowers, they often come at a higher price. Setting up shop in a less-trafficked area means not as many passersby will see your floral displays. So while you’ll save money on rent, you may have to invest more heavily in marketing to promote your business.
You’ll also need to find suppliers to provide the flowers for your arrangements. You may look for a reputable grower in your local area who can provide beautiful flowers directly to your shop. But if local growers aren’t able to provide the type or quantity of flowers you need, you may need to turn to online flower suppliers like Florabundance .
4. Purchase equipment
Along with the flowers, you’ll need the right tools to arrange them. You’ll need a variety of tools to cut, trim, and place florals into specific arrangements. Some of the tools you’ll need include:
- Floral knife
- Branch cutters
- Pruning shears
- Thorn strippers
- Floral cages
- Floral foam
- Floral wire
You’ll also need gloves to protect your hands while you work and vases to hold the finished arrangements. You can also invest in additional accessories like ribbons to enhance your bouquets.
5. Market your business
Once you’re open for business, you’ll need to start marketing your floral shop to attract customers. Start by creating a marketing strategy that you can use to guide your efforts. Your marketing strategy should contain specific goals that you can track, like increasing sales by 20%. It should also contain the tactics you’ll use to reach those goals, such as creating a Google My Business profile, building a social media presence, and promoting positive customer reviews on your website.
To maximize your marketing efforts, make sure you take high-quality photos of your flower arrangements. High-quality photos will not only showcase the beauty of your arrangements, but they will also make your brand look more expensive and luxurious. Along with traditional marketing materials like advertisements, you can use these images to enhance your Google My Business profile and social media accounts.
Offering online delivery is the best way to reach your customers because 97% of shoppers use the internet to find local businesses. Once a potential customer has located your business online, they will want to order flowers right away, and offering delivery services allows you to get their order to them quickly. These quick sales don’t require any additional marketing on your end, and in addition to boosting sales, they also save your business money by reducing floral losses.
Once cut and put into an arrangement, florals have a short lifespan. This means that only about half of the average florist’s flowers survive long enough to sell. As flower shortages lead to higher prices for florist shops , these unsold flowers become increasingly costly. You can minimize this risk for your business by offering flower deliveries.
Planning delivery routes can be difficult and time-consuming. It requires dispatchers to consider a variety of factors, including how many deliveries there are to complete, during what time slot, and which team members are available to complete them. Manual planning quickly becomes impossible to do accurately if you have more than a handful of deliveries. A routing tool automates the process of scheduling, planning, and creating routes focused on last mile delivery best practices. This helps your floral business in a few ways:
- Saves time by streamlining planning, scheduling, and delivery notifications
- Makes deliveries more efficient through route optimization
- Provides excellent customer service with 21st-century features
- Scales to meet seasonal demand fluctuations
Though they typically are open year-round, florist businesses operate as unique seasonal businesses. Rather than a traditional season that lasts a few months of the year, the peak “seasons” for florists include single, specific dates, like Easter and Mother’s Day. While a florist may sell and deliver 100 floral arrangements on a typical day, those delivery numbers can skyrocket into the thousands when special occasions like Valentine’s Day roll around. This presents a difficult challenge for flower delivery: florists must be able to scale delivery operations to meet these seasonal demand fluctuations. And they need routing software to do it. For example, by using OptimoRoute to streamline planning, Little Posy Co. was able to scale its operations to complete five times its normal number of flower deliveries on Valentine’s Day.
OptimoRoute allows you to work more efficiently by streamlining mobile workforce management . The system automates many of essential planning tasks, from generating employee schedules to building and optimizing delivery routes. It also offers a variety of features that help you improve the overall experience your customers have with your business, including sending proof of delivery and facilitating customer feedback.
Provide live ETA and real-time order tracking
Once a customer orders a floral arrangement from your business, they’ll likely be excited to receive the flowers with ample time to enjoy their beauty before the petals begin to fall off. You can put their minds at ease with customer notifications, letting them know their order is a top priority for you. Alternatively, if flowers are ordered for someone else, you arrange that the tracking notifications go to the purchaser, so they see exactly when their arrangement arrived to the recipient.
After you’ve confirmed their order, you can use OptimoRoute to automate notifications to update your customers with a text when their flower delivery is scheduled. And if a customer calls wondering what time the flowers will arrive, you can use the platform to see exactly where your delivery person is and give your customer an accurate answer to their question.
Proof of delivery
After your team delivers a floral arrangement, it will be important to track details like who signed for the delivery and if they were happy with their order. This kind of information is important because it lets you know how your delivery operations are working, but more importantly, it ensures that the customer has a positive experience with your business. OptimoRoute helps facilitate this with proof of delivery .
OptimoRoute allows your delivery team to collect customer signatures and take notes if anything out of the ordinary happened during the delivery. And if no one is available to receive a delivery, drivers can also take photos of completed deliveries – showing the arrangements and where it was left – and send this information to the customer to let them know everything went according to plan.
Customer feedback
As your business grows, it will be increasingly important to stay connected with your customers, so you can continue to thrive. Collecting customer feedback helps you do this as you hear directly from your customers what they like about your business and what they wish were different. OptimoRoute’s tracking link asks your customers for a rating and comment following service directly to your customers, making it easy to collect feedback.
Weekly planning
To maximize your profits, you’ll want to accommodate all of your customers’ flower orders, whether they walk into your shop to pick up a simple bouquet or order an arrangement weeks in advance. OptimoRoute can help there too. The system can easily update routes at the last minute if you receive an order on short notice, and will maintain all delivery deadlines. It also allows you to plan deliveries up to five weeks at a time, so your customers can plan ahead for anniversaries, birthdays, or any other special occasion. You’ll be able to accurately maintain all agreed delivery times and dates, while easily seeing what else you can fit in and where.
Sign-up for a free, 30-day trial to see how OptimoRoute simplifies flower delivery with just a few clicks.
In this section, we’ll address a few of the most commonly asked questions about starting a floral business.
How much does it cost to start a florist business?
Starting a florist business can cost anywhere between $10,000 and $50,000. But the exact cost will vary depending on factors like how much it costs to rent a storefront in your town and what specific tools you need to buy to build your flower arrangements.
How profitable are florist businesses?
As an individual florist, you can make around $29,000 annually , according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. However, expanding beyond work as a solo contractor into a full business can increase your profitability. Exactly how much money you’ll earn as a business owner can vary based on factors like how many floral arrangements you’re able to sell and what your overhead costs are, including the price of fresh flowers and the rent you pay for your storefront.
What licensing or registration do I need to start a florist business?
There are no licenses, permits, certifications, or degrees required to become a florist. This makes it relatively easy to start a flower business. However, in some states, retail florists may need to apply for a special business license to buy flowers for arrangements from certified growers or to sell flowers to customers. Contact your local labor authority to find out the specific requirements in your area.
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Florist Business Plan
This free, printable business plan can assist florists provide flower and gift delivery for special events and holidays in the public and private market.
Sample text from Florist Business Plan:
1.0 Executive Summary
Introduction
COMPANY NAME provides flower and gift delivery to the [CITY], VA area. Upon receipt of grant funding, the Company will launch a wholesale floral operation in [CITY], [STATE].
COMPANY NAME retail location is in [CITY], [STATE].
The Company
The Company offers a large variety of fresh cut flowers, arrangements and gifts. COMPANY NAME is a sole proprietorship owned 100% by INSERT NAME. INSERT NAME has been in the floral business since 1999. COMPANY NAME is committed to quality and service. The Company's 100% Satisfaction Guarantee is our personal commitment to creating long term relationships with our customers.
Our Services
COMPANY NAME will offer a variety of floral products and services including; fresh cut flowers, flower arrangements, flower vases/containers, gifts, delivery and internet ordering.
COMPANY NAME retail store is located in [CITY], [STATE]. The wholesale operation will be located in [CITY], [STATE]. The Company will target households and floral shops in [CITY] and [CITY], [STATE] and the surrounding City and County areas.
Financial Considerations
The current financial plan for COMPANY NAME is to obtain grant funding in the amount of $600,000. The grant will be used to launch our wholesale division including leasehold improvements, purchase coolers and display cases, purchase of office furniture, fixtures and equipment, purchase of Company vans and cars, upgrading our website, hiring employees and launching an advertising campaign.
1.1 Objectives
COMPANY NAME has the following objectives:
1. To exceed our customers' expectations with quality, value and professional service
2. Build a loyal satisfied customer base
3. Expand operations in the [CITY] and surrounding areas
4. Launch a wholesale floral operation in [CITY], [STATE]
5. Launch an advertising campaign in the first quarter of 2011
6. Hire employees to help with unemployment in our area
7. Financial stability and future growth using grant funds over the next three years
1.2 Mission
COMPANY NAME mission is to provide quality customer services and 100% guarantees on all products and services. To give back to the community by providing needed services and promote quality of life.
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