The floral industry brought in more than $35 billion in a single year recently. This is a field that brings joy to people through the beauty and uniqueness of flowers of all types.
There are so many different types of flowers and arrangements that you can specialize in if this is the type of business that you’d like to get into. However, you also need to learn the ropes of the industry as a whole so that you can cut out mistakes and watch your company blossom.
If you would like to become a florist, the tips below will help get you started.
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How to Become a Florist
So you’d like to get into the flower business. That’s awesome! After a brief celebration, it’s time to roll up your sleeves and get started with the following steps:
1. Learn What You Love Most About Floristry
Since the flower industry is so vast, it’s not enough to just get into it and open up a shop. The best way to be successful is by learning where your passion lies and what unique perspectives you can bring to the field.
Some people love wedding flowers, while others prefer romantic bouquets or flower arrangements for events. The more you dig, the more you will see that there are so many different avenues that you can go down.
What’s more, you will be better able to love what you’re doing and enjoy time on the job when you stick to what you know best, rather than trying to do a little bit of everything.
2. Work in a Shop for a While to Learn the Ropes
Research is awesome, but there’s no substitute for time on the job. The best way to really learn how to become a florist is by learning from other florists.
Get a part-time job in a flower shop, or volunteer with the shop just so that you can learn. This time that you put into learning the industry will allow you to see what a typical day looks like, in addition to the behind-the-scenes matters that you might not have ever even thought about.
You can study companies like Phillip’s Flowers so that you can learn more about their business model, how they execute, and other matters that will come into play when running a flower shop.
3. Draw Up a Business Plan for Your Flower Business
Be sure that you also have a solid business plan that will help you learn more about the flower business. A business plan will detail a number of core matters that will play into how your business is owned and operated.
For instance, you will want to outline things like what sort of workspace you need, your startup costs, operating costs, the size of your staff, market outlook, and a variety of other details. This business plan will be the starting point for not only understanding your business, but also helping someone else understand it.
This comes in handy when you’re looking to get lending or to take on partners or investors.
4. Find a Space to Store Your Goods and Operate Your Company
Having enough space for storage and operation is essential for your business. You will need to be especially detailed about finding the right space since flowers are perishable and require a strict set of conditions for them to have more shelf life.
Figure out what kind of office you want to work out of and where you would like to store your inventory. If you’re opening up a retail space, make sure that it is also in an optimal location so that you can get attention and traffic.
5. Study the Art of Sales and Customer Service
No matter what sort of industry you’re in, you’re in the sales business. This requires you to look into the art of sales and customer service so that you can draw people in with your knowledge and experience, and convert it into sales.
This takes you from someone who loves flowers to someone who understands business.
6. Set Goals for Your First Year and Beyond
You always need to have goals so that you know how your company is progressing. Set goals that you can measure so that you also know what timetable you are on.
The goals for the first year are the most important, and make sure that you also have goals for turning your first profits and surviving through the next 5 years. Use software systems so that you can track these goals and adjust them as needed.
7. Market Your Florist Business
Finally, solid marketing is what will make it all come together. Learn the ropes of some different kinds of marketing, such as search engine optimization (SEO), search engine advertising, video marketing, pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, and others.
It will also be helpful for you to start a blog and to master some social media marketing that can help your company thrive and find new customers for your grand opening and beyond.
Use Flowers to Power Your Business
When you take the time to learn how to become a florist, you’ll be in a great position to open a business while doing what you love. This is a tremendous business to get into, and you’ll be more successful at it when you do your due diligence.
Use these tips and start moving forward with your floral company. Lean on us when you need to learn more about business products and services of all types.