In this internet age, it’s no longer a requirement to have a storefront in order to start a successful florist business. So whether you’ve had proper florist training or you’re a creative flower lover your florist dreams have never been more within your reach.
Starting a florist business out of your home has its advantages. First and foremost, it’s far less expensive than buying or renting a space. If you plan to eventually open a retail storefront, it allows you time to get your business off the ground and save money along the way. Not to forget, there are obvious perks to a work from the home lifestyle: little travel, flexible hours, and additional family time.
How do I Start a Florist Online?
Like any business, it’s smart to start with a business plan. It’s here that you will establish the following:
- Mission and Vision: Why does your business exist? What is your long-term ambition?
- Scope of Work or Product Offerings: Will you specialize in a certain type of arrangement or event? Will you offer any service or product beyond flowers?
- The Competitive Difference: How will your business stand out from your local competition?
- Key Audience: Which the audience offers the most opportunity? Who will be your key targets as you roll-out?
- Marketing Objectives & Sales Forecasting: How many sales do you need to break-even and turn a profit?
Creating a distinctive and appealing brand identity is crucial to your success as an online business. If graphic design isn’t your strong suit, hire a designer to help you get started. Key questions to ask yourself as you develop a brand identity include:
- How do you want people to feel when they interact with your brand?
- What do you want people to say about your brand?
This can inform everything from the colors, fonts, and designs you choose to put out in the world.
When you’re done establishing a clear brand identity, you can go forth and develop your marketing materials and social media presence. This includes everything from your website and logo to flyers, business cards, pamphlets, and even social post templates. It’s important to keep everything consistent so people begin to recognize your brand presence.
Once your online presence is established via a website and social channels, use digital marketing and SEO tools to amplify and get your name out there. On social media, make use of Facebook and Instagram’s business tools to create local ads targeted towards your ideal audiences. And don’t shy away from utilizing influencers like local businesses who can shine a spotlight on your brand in your local community.
What do I Need to Start a Florist Business From My Home?
To start your business from home, there are a few essentials to ensure your success:
- A proper space to work: Do you have enough space for a large working table and commercial cooler? Will you need a space that will accommodate customers?
- Equipment: Flower cooler, working table, trash can/boxes, floral containers/vases
- Floral Tools: Knife, scissors, bunch cutters, stapler, floral tape, floral foam, wire, tape, cardettes, cards/tags.
As your business grows, there are endless supplies and floral tools available to expand your capabilities.
Will I Make Money Selling Cut Flowers?
Cut flowers are an additional, high-margin source of income. Many successful florists will specialize in a specific cut flower or even turn their extra or unused flowers into added profits.
Is it Best to have a Commercial Floral Cooler, and What Features Should it have?
If you’re serious about starting up your flower business, it’s smart to invest in a commercial floral cooler. The better the cooler, the better and longer the flowers can be preserved. People expect nothing short of pristine when they’re buying flowers. Commercial-grade coolers offer precision that enables the exact environment needed for floral display and storage.
Floral coolers are not like your typical food service coolers. Since flowers can wilt with a temperature change as little as 5 degrees, floral coolers offer precise temperature control to ensure temperatures within a few degrees. Additionally, they feature airflow that’s conducive to maintaining proper humidity for flowers to survive, deterring fungus and bacteria from growing which can be harmful to flower preservation. Depending on where the flower cooler will be placed, consider whether a sliding door or swinging door will best fit your needs.
Why choose Powers Equipment for your Commercial Floral Cooler?
At Powers Equipment, we have been constantly refining our flower refrigerator design and construction methodology for several decades. We bring those decades of experience in knowing what will work best for the specific needs of all types of flowers and arrangements as well as commercial environments. This deep knowledge is always tempered by our drive to seek out and utilize the latest technology, materials, and assembly methods that can improve on those exemplary designs.
Whether you are looking for a sliding door cooler, a swinging door cooler, or a custom-built cooler we have the tools and expertise to help you start your floral business today.