How to Start a Flower & Gift Business
If you thoroughly enjoy helping people and working with flowers, and you are skilled at creating beautiful floral arrangements, starting a flower and gift shop may be in the cards. There are a number of directions that you can take your business, depending on your talents and interests. The possibilities are truly limitless; however, your success lies in your ability to set yourself apart.
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Instructions
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Become extremely familiar with floriculture if you are not already. Customers will expect you to have at least a basic, if not thorough, knowledge about the flowers you sell. You will need to know about proper fertilization, lighting and temperature. The more you know, the more likely you are to have repeat customers.
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Visit other floral shops in your area, taking note of what you like and don't like. If they sell gifts, take note of particular companies or artists so that you can contact them later about selling in your shop.
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Select a location that gets a good amount of traffic, including foot traffic, if possible. A location near a mall or shopping center would be ideal. Expect to need at least 600 square feet. Your shop will include space for your showroom, a cash register, a small back room, a bathroom and refrigerators. A preferable locale would be one with a number of windows, where a passerby could easily see your floral arrangements and displays. In addition, ensure that you have reasonable parking.
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Select a catchy name for your business, then register it at your county clerk's office.
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Carve out a niche for your shop. Determine the types of gifts and flowers you will sell and whether you intend to specialize in any particular area, such as baby showers, weddings or funerals. You may choose to sell gifts made by local artists or by artists who donate a portion of their proceeds to charity. You might include candles, art, ornaments, books, mints, hand-painted pots and vases, card holders, wreaths, garland, gourmet and fruit baskets, stuffed animals, dried floral arrangements and silk flowers.
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Contact wholesalers to purchase your supplies, flowers, gifts and equipment. You may need display cases, a refrigeration system, cash registers, counters, card holders and display tables. For your flowers, visit local nurseries. To purchase niche gifts, visit local art shows and galleries or contact local artists found in the newspaper. Gift card artists typically have a website listed on the back of each card. Don't hesitate to contact favorite artists about buying their merchandise.
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Purchase appropriate signage for your shop. If you are at all artistic, consider painting floral designs on your storefront windows.
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Build beautiful displays to place around your store on tables and near windows. Create holiday-themed displays for all of the major holidays. Be sure to take pictures of your best displays to put on a website. In addition, use the photos to build a portfolio that customers can flip through to get ideas for their arrangements.
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Tips & Warnings
Consider having Goldfish crackers or other snacks and juice on hand for customers with kids. Parents appreciate anything that might keep their kids occupied long enough for them to complete their task. Consider purchasing a website. You can then submit it to Google Maps and other online directories. Contact the IRS about your tax obligations for your business structure. Purchase liability insurance for your store.
