How to Operate a Flower Shop as a Florist
One of the most fun, artistic and fulfilling careers is that of a florist. As a florist, you have the pleasure of working with an assortment of flowers and plants. You assemble bouquets and arrangements, designs weddings and parties, and help customers to commemorate some of life's most important moments with flowers. As a florist, you will generally create floral designs and conduct business in a flower shop, where customers can come to select and order flowers. There are several factors you must keep in mind to operate a flower shop so that both your business and your creativity thrive. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Choose a prominent location for your flower shop. Pick a place that is visible to passing traffic and pedestrians; this will encourage a lot of walk-in customers and spontaneous purchases.
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Display a large variety of different types of flowers and plants in your shop. Place the flowers in buckets throughout the shop where customers can see, smell and touch them up close; this will make your shop an attractive, pleasant place to be and encourage healthy sales.
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Offer an assortment of services, including: floral designs for all occasions, including weddings and funerals; delivery; wire service to have flowers delivered in distant locales; standing orders for repeat customers; flowers for restaurants, hotels, and other businesses; and hand-wrapped bouquets for walk-in customers.
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Determine where you will make deliveries and what you will charge. Note that most shops deliver to locales within 30 miles of the shop's location, and that delivery fees can range from five to 20 dollars, depending on how far the delivery will be.
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Keep your shop open from morning until night. Be available to customers on their way to work and on their way home from work. Open your shop on Saturdays, when many people do a lot of shopping.
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Offer seasonal specials, such as Valentine's Day rose bouquets or Thanksgiving centerpieces at bargain prices. Paint colorful advertisements of your specials on your shop's windows.
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Advertise your flower shop in local publications. Include coupons with your advertisements to encourage new customers to visit your shop.
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Create a website for your flower shop. Detail the services offered, the different floral designs you assemble, and the location and phone number of the shop. Include many color photographs of your floral creations, and give customers the option to place orders via the website.
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Hire qualified employees who can help you take orders from customers, design arrangements, make deliveries, and set up weddings and other events. Take the time to train your employees according to your needs. Remember that all flower shops have their own style, so even employees with experience will need to be shown how you like things done.
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Tips & Warnings
Enhance the atmosphere of your flower shop by including a fountain that adds the sound of trickling water, or by playing soft music.
