How to Become a Floral Supplier
A floral supplier provides flower shops with necessities such as vases, ribbons, balloons, baskets and cards -- everything but the actual flowers themselves. A floral supplier buys inventory directly from manufacturers and then resells it to its business customers -- flower shops -- for a profit. A floral supplier needs a good sense of which supplies are popular, plenty of inventory and an efficient distribution system.
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Instructions
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Perform market research to see if there is sufficient demand for floral supply services in your area. If there is, how many other floral suppliers are already taking advantage of that demand? The first step to opening any business is identifying your likely customers, estimating if there are enough of them to support you and determining how much competition you'll have for their business. Study your competition and learn its strengths, as well as areas of opportunity, such as a needed service they aren't providing.
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Educate yourself about the fundamentals of starting a small business. You will need to obtain financing, office space -- including space to store your inventory -- and all required business licenses. You must decide how many employees you need and can afford. You must apply for a business name and print up business cards and other advertising materials. As a wholesaler, you must also find reliable manufacturers to buy from and establish an efficient supply chain to ship your client's orders quickly.
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Attend industry conferences and seminars to learn about the floral industry, such as what floral supplies are hot and will sell this season. It's a good idea to join trade associations to get a feel for what's current, and to network with potential clients (see "Resources").
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Identify your target customers and their needs in order to advertise effectively. Try to find a need that isn't being met, or a unique sector that isn't being served, and position your company to fill that gap and stand out from the competition. Print up brochures to pass out at trade shows and association seminars, take out ads in floral trade publications and set up a website.
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References
Resources
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