How to Start a Flower Shop or Florist Business

How to Start a Flower Shop or Florist Business
The first step to starting a florist business is to determine what kind of service you want to provide. There are three major kinds of a florist business:
supplies retailers with fresh-cut flowers and potted plants. They may sell and deliver directly to flower and flower shops or they may sell wholesale produce and flower markets. Some wholesale florists are growers as well. This kind of business requires extensive knowledge, experience, and funding; and thus, is not suitable for start-up entrepreneurs.
ranges in size and function from a hospital flower kiosks to large flower shops in the mall serving different customer needs. A flower shop may focus on providing arrangements for weddings, funerals, gifts, and other occasions and deliveries. A business floral service caters to business people and whose floral designs tend to be more conservative and longer-lasting. A hospital flower kiosk offers primarily bright and cheerful flowers that need little maintenance as possible. You can also choose to create a niche. There are some online stores that sell roses primarily.
sell the various non-growing components that floral designers use in making arrangements: ribbons, vases, baskets, floral foam, wreath, frames, stands and other supplies. This kind of business requires extensive inventory and an efficient distribution system.
florist business goes beyond selling flowers. Rather, what you are selling is a service of providing skillfully-arranged flowers. To succeed in this business, you would need to have all the elements in the process of providing a service: knowledge, materials The key element needed in the florist business is the knowledge and skills in floral design. You must have basic knowledge of flowers and plants. Customers will ask questions and want advice, so an extensive knowledge of soils, plant nutrition, and light and temperature control will be handy. You should also know the proper methods of handling cut flowers. Of course, you must possess creative and artistic flair to come up with innovative flower arrangements
Flowers are a big part of people’s lives. Their beauty and color allows us to convey our messages perfectly ­ get-well-soon for our sick friends and family, congratulatory messages to a newly promoted colleague, condolences to a grieving family, and to express our love to another person. Every occasion is celebrated with flowers.
Or even without an occasion. Recent trends indicate that majority of those who buy flowers buy it for themselves. The American Floral Endowment Consumer Tracking Study conducted in 2000 showed that about 67 percent buy flowers for themselves, and only 33 percent buy it as a gift.
It is thus no wonder that flowers have become big business. The Society of American Florists estimates that the floriculture industry will sell $19 billion in flowers, plants, and floral supplies for 2001. There are about 26,200 retail florist shops in the United States today making an average of $250,191 in annual sales.
If you love flowers and have an innate artistic ability in creating wonderful floral arrangements, you may consider starting a florist shop.