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It takes more than creativity, more than a flower
shop business plan, to make your businesses a success. It takes a
lot of planning, a lot of hard work, and a lot of luck.
KEY CONSIDERATION
There are
lots of florist shops in most parts of the world. There are few
really successful ones. There is no school you can go to to learn to
operate a florist shop. But you can apprentice yourself in that
business -- and that's not a bad idea.
STRONGEST ADVANTAGE
When you
can demonstrate the strength of your marketing skills, you set
yourself head and shoulders above competitors. It's more than
placing an ad in the Yellow Pages. It's more than running a few ads
in the local newspaper. It is a full fledged, consistent program of
promotion that will determine your success.
STRONGEST DISADVANTAGE
Unless you
have direct, measurable success in the floral industry, bankers will
assume that you are going to fail. Without setting out your written
flower shop business plan, with marketing information and
financials, you will have a tough time.
OVERCOMING THE DISADVANTAGE WITH YOUR FLOWER SHOP BUSINESS PLAN
Strut Your
Stuff
Whatever
your direct experience is, bring it front and forward. Yes, you need
floral design capability. But do you also know how to reach the
wedding market effectively? or the funeral market? or the Mother's
Day market?
Pepper
your business plan with photos of your work. And pepper it, too,
with references to your extensive successes in the industry.
Prove that you have the marketing background and skill to make the
store successful.
It doesn't
matter that you were vice president of finance for a Fortune 500
company. It does matter that you were manager of floral shop, and
successfully so, for several years.
Use the
creativity that draws you to the floral industry, and apply it to
marketing. Devise unique marketing programs that cost little, but
bring big results. This is what will impress your banker.
OTHER
PLUSSES FROM YOUR RETAIL FLORIST BUSINESS PLAN
Your
flower shop business plan will be judged by the hard figures in
your business plan, and its aesthetic value. In a business like
this, the aesthetic approach you take in your business plan becomes
even more important.
Be sure to
include all the basic information. And make sure it is packaged to
demonstrate your skill.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR YOUR RETAIL
FLORIST BUSINESS PLAN AND YOUR FLORAL BUSINESS MARKETING PLAN
For
traffic information on your retail location, contact the
owner/manager of the retail center. Also go to your city or county
planning department where you can get traffic counts and information
on housing and construction in that area. The flower shop business
plan must include strong demographic information (see below for more
on demographics) as well as strong financials.
For
statistical information for your marketing plan for a floral
business, go to BizMiner. Having solid statistical information is critical in
your flower shop business plan. Bankers pretty much assume that you
are artistic; and they also assume you don't know business.
At the
home page of BizMiner, look for the Search box. Enter "florist".
You will
be taken to a page that gives you a choice of several businesses in
this sector, including:
-
Florists' green and flowers
-
Florists' green, cultivated
-
Pottery
florists' articles
-
Flowers
and florists supplies
-
Florists' supplies
-
Florists
-
Florist
telegraph service
Choose the
option that best suits your business. For each specific type of
business, there is both a Financial Analysis and Marketing Research.
These two reports will let you really wow the lender with your
knowledge of how the business side of the business operates. That,
combined with your artistic talent, and you are home free!
Be sure to
look at the left side of that page for VIEW ALL REPORTS, where you
will find DEMOGRAPHICS compiled from US Census statistics. This is
the information that your banker will be working with, so know what
it says before you meet your banker.
Your creative talent will
shine in your new business! Use this flower shop business
plan to its full advantage.
YOUR ONLINE
PRESENCE
The internet is the great
leveling field for small entrepreneurs. Here is where you can
compete against anyone in the world, and do it effectively. In fact,
the stronger your niche area, the better the possibility that you will be
a strong contender for online visitors.
And
here is
the web host that can help you get there.
YOUR LIKELY
LENDER/INVESTOR
The
SBA
is a strong lender in the retail field.
If yours is an established retail
business looking to expand regionally, nationally or internationally, a
venture capital firm may be your best choice. Be sure to check out
the newest development in venture capital:
venture
lending.
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