Gaia Grows: Make your Floral Business Bloom

Kathleen Miller

Gaia’s Farm and Gardens

Preparing your Flower Shop for 2021 

“Where flowers bloom, so does hope” –Lady Bird Johnson 

Nothing could have prepared any flower shop owner for the year 2020. There were many unique and unprecedented challenges that probably forced you to alter the regular routine of your flower shop. So, what things can be done to help make your New Year start off right in your flower shop?

Here is a list of some ideas to prepare your flower shop for success in 2021.

Things that must be done in a flower shop to start the new year:

Review your Year

• Evaluate what worked and didn’t work this past year.
• What products sold the previous year? Do you need to order more of the top-selling products? Research what products and trends are coming for the new year.  
• What marketing avenues were successful last year? It helps to get feedback from customers regarding marketing. Think about some additional ways to better reach your target market in 2021? 
• Review previous years’ financials. See where you can cut costs to save money for the new year.  
• What processes worked last year for your flower shop? Evaluate what processes and systems might need updating.

Plan New Products and Offers 

Do an inventory and clean up-During the slower months after the holidays is a good time to clean up and do an inventory of your flower shop.

Keep track of your flower shop’s merchandise so you know how much you have sold and how much you need to order. Inventory tells you a lot about how your business is doing.

Go to an inventory specialist and hire a team to count your merchandise. These specialists are trained to count inventory properly.

Bring your staff in to count the inventory. Pick a day or time when the flower shop is closed. Count all items in your shop including flowers, bulbs, vases, and gift items.

Recordkeeping 

• Keep business licenses up to date. 
• Get your taxes and financials in order. Having a handle on the finances of your flower shop is critical.  
• Financial Plan-If you need help with financial issues, hire a bookkeeper and accountant. The cost of this service is money well spent and will pay for itself while ensuring you have enough money to support your flower shop in the new year.  
• Working capital is needed to buy products, pay suppliers and cover operating expenses, including payroll for the upcoming year.  
• Know when your business taxes are due so you can schedule an appointment with your accountant well in advance.
• Make a plan for hiring and overseeing employees as well as creating staff schedules for the new year.

Review Your Goals and Objectives for New Year 

• Start off the new year by reviewing your business plan. Review your goals and plan for new ones. Setting goals is essential to motivate yourself and your employees.  
• Goals and objectives are vital for the growth of your flower shop.
• Clear communication about what the shop expects can help employees stay positive and focused. 

3 Ideas of Blog Topics that you would write in a florist blog and why?  

Sustainable Sourcing of Cut Flowers 

The environmental impacts of cut flowers are associated with the energy used for the transport and refrigeration of the flowers. Cut flowers from local growers travel a less distance, reducing the carbon footprint. 

• Eco-conscious consumers are looking for locally-sourced blooms more than ever now. Some want flowers that are specifically native to the region and in season. Native, in-season blooms lower the carbon footprint by decreasing energy used to heat, cool, or water the flowers to mimic their natural growing climate or season.  
• The informed, eco-conscious customer will be asking about seasonal blooms and flower sourcing before choosing a florist.  
• Sustainably grown flowers should be sourced from a grower that eliminates or reduces the use of pesticides that harm the environment.  

Slow Flowers Movement  

A movement that supports the purchase of American-grown flowers. The  Slow Flowers movement encourages consumers to support their local economy and purchase flowers that are grown locally, seasonally, and ethically in the United States. 

Feng Shui Your Flower Shop 

• The impression about your flower shop starts the minute the customer walks in your flower shop or visits your online store. 
• The layout of a flower shop must meet the needs of both the customer and the employees.  
• Design your flower shop so that the customer can easily move through the store and not feel crowded.  
• They should be able to smell the wonderful smell of fresh flowers.
• Feng Shui is an ancient art and science developed over 3,000 years ago in  China. It is a complex ancient art that reveals how to balance the energies of any given space to assure health and good fortune for people inhabiting it.