How to Start a Flower Shop Business

Conducting market research is the first step in how to open a flower shop business. It will give you a fair idea about the suppliers, manufactures, retailers, designers and above all your targeted customers.

It’s easy to start up, you can run this business from your own home and build from there. Everyone loves  flowers. They are really pretty and make a great gift for any occasion. People want to give flowers as gifts to their partners, family and loved ones, not to mention weddings, funerals, graduation ceremonies and other important functions.

This business idea is centered on selecting, cutting, designing and arranging flowers for a variety of purposes and occasions. 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.

Learning how to start a flower shop is the first step in planning and running your business.  If you are behind on any skills, take courses or do self teaching exercises using books and videos. The first step to starting a florist business is to determine what kind of service you want to provide.

A flower 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: passion, knowledge, materials, labor, a basic knowledge of flowers and plants and skills in floral design.  It would greatly help if you get some formal education in floriculture. If not, try to gain experience in the business by working in another flower shop before venturing into your own. Experts even recommend that a would-be retail florist must gain at least three years of  practical experience before starting their own business.

Customers will ask questions and even want advice, so an extensive knowledge of soils, plant nutrition 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.

Check out other flower shops to determine what you can get and their prices so as to know how to price yours. What type of product (various flowers, plants, etc) do you want to carry in your flower shop? What is the average life span of the flower or plant you want to sell? How often are you going to need to replenish your stock? Will you be carrying artificial plants or live plants?

       Things You Need.

Obtain a business license or permit - Many states require that you obtain a business license or other permit before starting your business. Visit your state’s business licensing office to find out what you need to get started.

A business location - Open your flower shop in a prime location. However, you need to find a location you can afford to rent and still be visible to many customer. This is if you choose to do your business outside of your home.  

A basic understanding of flower arranging – you can easily get this by taking a basic class.   

Basic tools of the trade – coolers, a display counter,shelves, trimmers, clippers and a storehouse·     

A florist business plan– stating the markets you will target and your advertising strategies·                    

It offers lots of variety; you’ll be catering for many different types of occasions and people. It can be very rewarding – you’ll be making a contribution to special moments.

One of the downside in this business is that it can often take up to a year to build an established customer base.

You will need to be patient and accommodating or it may become frustrating and stressful at times because most customers can be very detail oriented.