The unique and beautiful traditions of May Day have sadly become lost and wilted over time—is it time to bring them back?

Spring is finally here! This time of year is often associated with floral holidays like Easter and Mother’s Day, but years ago, the season used to start in earnest with May Day.

When Did May Day Start?

The earliest known history of May celebrations began with the Floralia, the festival of Flora, the Roman goddess of flowers. This festival was typically held on April 27th. The Floralia opened with theatrical performances, including a ritual called the Florifertum that was performed on either the 27th or May 3rd, where a bundle of wheat was carried into a shrine for the devotion of Flora.

In the 18th century many Catholics observed May Day with various devotions to the Virgin Mary. In works of art, school skits and other performances, Mary’s head would be depicted adorned with flowers.

Today, the most commonly-known May Day traditions are the maypole, crowning the Queen of May, and the giving of May baskets. dancing around a painted maypole decorated with flowers. People dance around the maypole holding long ribbons attached to the top of the pole. Crowning the Queen of May, and the tradition of anonymously leaving neighbors, family, and friends May baskets of flowers and sweets on their doorsteps.

What is a May basket?

In the 19th and 20th century, children and young adults would start the spring off by gathering flowers and arranging them in a paper cone along with candies and small trinkets. These were then hung on the door of a friend’s or neighbor’s home to welcome them into spring.

As time progressed, baskets were then used along with paper cones in the May Day tradition, and a new meaning was formed. The holiday started to become a second Valentine’s Day, it was a way of letting a romantic prospect know your feelings.

So what happened to this joyous holiday—was it a spread of “stay off my lawn” mentality? Nowadays, only certain parts of the US, Canada, and European countries still observe May Day.

Can May Day Be Brought Back?

Why not?? As florists we handle and arrange beautiful flowers each day, why not bring back the May Day series of traditions to put a smile back on someones face.

It’s all about informing the customer and piquing their interest. Write a blog or post on social media, offer discounts or specials on May Day.

As a business owner, there is a potential in obtaining a new and younger generation of customers by offering May Day baskets or cones. One way is to offer May Day baskets or cones to your customers, explain the tradition and see if they would like to purchase to distribute the basket or cone themselves or for you to deliver to a local nursing home or hospital.

Everything is potential and why not start with a holiday that was created for flowers!

 

Florists, do you try and keep the May Day tradition alive at your shop, and would you be interested in bringing it back? Please share your thoughts and comments below!

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Floranext offers great florist software, florist POS, florist websites and florist wedding proposal software. Our florist technology products are built by florists, for florists. Let us know if you want a free demo or try our software for free here.

The 2019 Florist Valentine’s Day Survey Results Are In!

A big thank you to everyone who participated in our annual Valentine’s Day survey. Once again we received a strong response from our readers and members.

Results were based on the 347 retail surveyed by Floranext between February 15th through February 17th.

 

Were 2019 Valentine’s Day Sales Better Than Last Year?

• Lower – 20.8%
• Same – 17.9%
• Higher – 61.3%

 

Were Valentine’s Day In-Store Retail sales greater than last year?

• Yes – $65%
• No – 35%

 

Aside From Red Roses, What Were Your Top-Selling Products This Valentine’s Day?

• Arranged Flowers – 71.4%
• Hand-Tied Bouquets – 11.4%
• Other Roses – 16.6%
• Other – 0.6%

 

What Did you Charge For  Dozen Long Stem Roses Arranged

• $88.00 (average total from participants)

 

Did You Sell Short Stemmed Roses?

• Yes – 42.2%
• No – 57.8%

 

How Many Extra Temporary Drivers Did You Hire This Valentine’s Season?

• 0 – 9.7%
• 1 – 14.3%
• 2 – 25.1%
• 3 – 21.1%
• 4 or more – 29.7%

 

How Many Extra Temporary Shop Staff Did You Hire This Valentine’s Season?

• 0 – 16.7%
• 1 – 23%
• 2 – 25.3%
• 3 – 14.9%
• 4 or more – 20.1%

 

Did You Use/Rent Delivery Vehicles / Trucks This Valentine’s Holiday?

• 0 – 61.3%
• 1 – 6.1%
• 2 – 16%
• 3 – 5.5%
• 4 or more – 11%

When Did Your Floral Business Start Receiving Valentine’s Day Orders?

• First Half Of January – 6.9%
• Second Half Of January – 32.6%
• First Week Of February – 45.7%
• Valentine’s Day Week – 14.9%

 

What, If Anything, Would You Do Differently Next Valentine’s Day?

List of a few randomly selected comments:

• “More budget friendly walk-in options.”
• “Have more staff and grab & go items ready.”
• “Order less colored roses. Make even more premade arrangements.”
• “Pre-make more arrangements.”
• “Get more drivers to deliver early.”
•  “Keep marketing as much as possible, locally & with technology.”
• “Order less being that it will be a Friday next year.”
• “Hire an Additional Designer.”
• “Not panic that you did not receive very many pre-orders. This year I wrote it down when the guys started to order.”

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Florists, was this Valentine’s season successful and resulted in more sales? What would you consider to implement that next year? Do you have any feedback on your 2019 Valentine’s Day sales season? Your fellow florists would love to hear about it—please feel free to share in the comment section below.

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Floranext makes great florist software. Florist websites, floral POS, florist wedding/event proposal software, and florist technology. Let us know if you want a free demo or try our software for free here.

With the overwhelming amount of orders and questions that build up before Valentine’s Day, this time of year can be quite stressful for florists. Sometimes we just have to stop and smell the roses before continuing to work hard and provide the best quality service we can to our customers.

Sometimes you just need to read something that is inspirational or just to put a smile on your face. Remember, laughter is the best medicine.

We wanted to give you a little stress reliever and offer some inspirational quotes and funny puns to keep you entertained during this busy time of year. Who knows, maybe you can provide these as suggestions to your customers as a card message!

Inspirational Flower Quotes

 

• “Where flowers bloom, so does hope” –Lady Bird Johnson
• “The rose is the flower and handmaiden of love—the lily, her fair associate, is the emblem of beauty and purity.” –Dorothea Dix
• “Flowers… are a proud assertion that a ray of beauty outvalues all the utilities in the world.” –Ralph Waldo Emerson
• “Flowers always make people better, happier and more helpful; they are sunshine, food, and medicine for the soul.” –Luther Burbank
• “If I had a single flower for every time I think about you, I could walk forever in my garden.” –Claudia Adrienne Grandi
• “Love is like a beautiful flower which I may not touch, but whose fragrance makes the garden a place of delight just the same.” –Helen Keller

 

• “Minds are like flowers; they open only when the time is right.” –Stephen Richards
• “Flowers… are a proud assertion that a ray of beauty outvalues all the utilities in the world.” –Ralph Waldo Emerson
• “A rose can never be a sunflower, and a sunflower can never be a rose. All flowers are beautiful in their own way, and that’s like women too.” –Miranda Kerr
• “Love is flower like; Friendship is like a sheltering tree.” –Samuel Taylor Coleridge
• “A flower cannot blossom without sunshine, and man cannot live without love.” –Max  
• “Life is the flower for which love is the honey.” –Victor Hugo

• “Earth laughs in flowers.” –Ralph Waldo Emerson
• “Flowers don’t tell, they show.” –Stephanie Skeem
• The butterfly is a flying flower, the flower, a tethered butterfly.” –Ecouchard Le Brun
• “Flowers don’t worry about how they’re going to bloom. They just open up and turn toward the light and that makes them beautiful.” –Jim Carrey
• “The flower that follows the sun does so even in cloudy days.” –Robert Leighton
• “Many eyes go through the meadow, but few see the flowers in it.” –Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

Funny Flower Puns

• I hope thistle show you how much I love you!
• Hey bud, how’s it growing?
• You’re my best bud!
• I will love you till the end of thyme.
• I love you mum, you’re the best!
• You had me at aloe.

 

• We should put our tulips together this Valentine’s day.
• What’s up, buttercup?
• I love you tulip much!
• I really lilac you.
• We’re mint to be.
• Not a daisy goes by where I don’t think about you.

• I can’t wait to see our love grow and grow and grow.
• Just wanted to say aloe!
• I love you a lily more each day.
• My love for you blossoms every day.
• Life would succ without you.
• Don’t stop beleafing.

 

Florists, what are some inspirational quotes or funny flower puns that make you feel inspired or laugh? Please share your comments below.

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Floranext makes great florist software. Florist websites, floral POS, florist wedding/event proposal software, and florist technology. Let us know if you want a free demo or try our software for free here.

Halloween is one of the top holidays for business retailers, with sales outperforming every holiday other than Christmas.

An ever-increasing number of individuals share in this fun occasion by spending millions of dollars per year on sweets, home decor, costumes, and more. Couldn’t florists take advantage of Halloween?

Is it because of lack of inspiration or interest, or is Halloween outside the brand? Not everything needs to be in black and white…or purple and orange!

Instagram is a great source of inspiration for some frightening floral arrangements that can generate some interest with customers while helping you stay true to your brand and style.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Florists, are you selling Halloween arrangements at your flower shop? Are you seeing an influx in sales during this holiday? Share your comments below!

 

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Floranext makes great florist software. Florist websites, floral POS, florist wedding/event proposal software, and florist technology. Let us know if you want a free demo or try our software for free here.

Add some Tricks and Treats to your flower sales with these spell-binding tips!

Halloween has gained serious recognition among business retailers and no wonder why, as adults look forward and partake in this fun holiday and are spending millions on the holiday.

It is said that Halloween sales surpass every holiday except Christmas. So why aren’t Florists cashing in on Halloween?  In this blog, we want to help floral businesses cash in on Halloween profits and establish long lasting  patrons.

 

Make A Ghoulish Flower Arrangement

Make a few creative, spine – chilling, Halloween flower arrangements and donate them to your local busy eateries, pubs, hair salons, and so on.

Think large crowds and make sure your business card is displayed and visible.

Many florists have participated in donating arrangements and it has paid off big time. The purpose here is to bring recognition to your flower shop business.

Tip: Donate an arrangement to the main office of your high school. Kids love these and will remember your flower shop when prom comes around. 

 

Spooktacular Window Display

First impressions count! Be sure to make your window display or front entrance stand out and ooze with creativity. Getting patrons into your flower shop is key in increasing your profits.

Tip: Adding an enticing sign to your entrance will help bring traffic into your store, remember, everyone loves bargains incorporate these signs in the Halloween decor.

 

Sell Halloween Hair – Raising Items

Think of carrying a few Halloween specific items in your store. Patrons flock for candles, Halloween baskets, soaps, lotions, and jewelry. Make a small display, preferably at the front counter near cash drawer. Create designer pumpkins with ribbon, wheat, and other fall items to create a centerpiece that will last through the fall season.

Tip: It’s great to include mums, hay, and pumpkins for sale, at your shop.  These items will allow your patrons to buy all they need from one location. 

 

Be A Sales Warlock

Cold calling still works, if you are located near hotels, corporate businesses, and busy restaurants, pick up the phone and give them a ring.  Ask them if they would like a jaw-dropping Halloween arrangement for their lobby or front entrance, you will be surprised how great this works.

 

Host a Spellbinding Flower Workshop

These are all the rage and create fun exciting pass times for your patrons. Remember the theme is Halloween. You can teach anything from a fun Halloween arrangement, like adding flowers to a pumpkin or even decorating a Halloween wreath.

These are buzz worthy, don’t forget to post on social media!

 

Thrill Customers On Your Website 

Make sure to update your floral website. Do not skip over Halloween, make sure to add some beautiful Halloween arrangements and items for sale.

How about also writing a Halloween blog? Offering your readers some creative tips for this festive holiday. This will help increase your SEO and make your eCommerce store recognizable across the internet. Be sure to add enough content and images. Remember,  Dia De Los Muertos is November 1st.

 

Flowers Mystify The Media

Involving the media is a sure way to get you and your flower shop recognized. There are many things you can offer on Halloween to get you recognized in the media.

If you are close to your local news channel, send them a beautiful creative flower arrangement.  Make sure to offer the arrangement to all the anchors and thank them for a job well done.  You are sure to get your flower shop and creative arrangements on the news.

Another way is get your schools involved, offer free arrangements for students who write the best essays, these can include why Halloween is their favorite holiday, someone they admire and so on.

 

Enchanted Costumes = Flower Sales 

If you are open on Halloween have everyone dress up. This may sound far-fetched, however, you will see an increase traffic into your store if everyone is participating. Have one of your  best -dressed employees stand out front your store throughout the  day preferably holding an enticing  sign.

Offer special discounts on single stem or bunched flowers for costumes or accessories for customer Halloween costumes.

 

These are just a few suggestions on how florists can tie Halloween into marketing and sales.  We would love to hear about your Halloween marketing and sales tips, please share with our readers below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Florists, were you surprised by the results? How do you get your floral shop ready for the holidays? Please share your recommendations, feedback, or questions below in the comment section. 

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Floranext makes great florist software. Florist websites, floral POS, florist wedding/event proposal software, and florist technology. Let us know if you want a free demo or try our software for free here.

Mother’s Day is just around the corner, is your business ready for this busy floral holiday?

Having a decent plan in place to make the most revenue during Mother’s Day is fundamental in receiving every one of the rewards of this bustling blossoming occasion. In this blog, we will go over an agenda to help you during this Mother’s Day holiday.

1. Promote Your Floral Business!

Begin by using your Floral Website and Social Media sites to start marketing your floral arrangements and your business.

Images & Products

• • Post high-quality photos of your work or any specials you are offering during Mother’s Day on your website or Social Media platforms.
  • Don’t forget to link your social media posts to your website!
  • Mother’s Day products should be prominently displayed and easily accessible throughout your website.

Hours & Policies

• Clearly post your shop’s business hours on your website and social media.
• Having clear policies and return/substitution policy will alleviate any headaches for you and your customers.

Promotions & Discounts

• Increase traffic to your store by offering deals or discounts on pickups rather than deliveries.
• List special Promotions. This is a great way to encourage customers to shop early before Mother’s Day week.
• Don’t forget to update your product pricing to cover your costs.

Note: Promoting does not always have to mean discounts. Remind customers why they should order flowers through your business.

2. Staffing, Scheduling and Duties, Oh My!

Making sure you have enough coverage can be overwhelming during the holiday rush. Not to worry, take a deep breath and follow these great tips!

Hiring

• If hiring extra help, offer them a day to come in before Mother’s Day week to go over job responsibilities and training.
• If hiring extra drivers, discuss with them if you require them to use their own vehicle.
• If you can, keep a standby driver at the shop to handle new orders for delivery.

Employees

• Have an employee meeting and discuss what is expected of them during Mother’s Day
• Make sure to explain how important everyone shows up and does what is expected of them.
• Encourage and Praise your employees and floral designers. Its always better to be positive than negative.

Scheduling & Duties

• Have your Mother’s Day week schedule out two weeks in advance. That way there are no surprises to your staff and you have time to make adjustments.
• Go over job descriptions with employees as its always nice to have a reminder of what everyone’s responsibilities are.
• Assign sections for the delivery drivers in specific areas. Add finished flower arrangements to this area with the date of delivery that is bold and clear.

 

3. Don’t Forget your Flowers & Supplies

Making sure you have enough flowers and supplies to get through the holiday is important.

Supplies

• Start looking around for supplies, containers, baskets and vases weeks before Mother’s Day.
• Visit your local supplier. However, don’t forget to visit discount home stores and dollar stores. You can find some great unique items.
• Don’t settle! Shop around for the best deals on supplies and florals.

Flowers

• Start ordering your Mother’s Day flowers early to get the best value.
• Don’t forget to shop around if you buy from multiple wholesalers.
• If you are comfortable, get your flowers through a floral auction. A great opportunity to get some discounts when purchasing in large quantities.
• Make sure to order flowering plants, orchids, and dish gardens. These are big sellers and require very little work.

Note: if you are new to the floral industry, Mother’s Day spans for a week, not a day. So order enough flowers!

4. Start Prepping & Showcasing your Flowers!

Stay ahead of the game with these prepping and showcasing tips during the busy holiday rush.

Prepping

• Prep your flowers when they arrive.
• Teach your front of store staff how to wire flowers to help cut down the time.
• Cut any ribbon and make bows ahead of time
• Green any vases, baskets or containers.
• No wastefulness! With the abundant supplies and flowers in the shop, it is easy to get sidetracked and be super wasteful. Everything thrown on the floor that can be used should be. Wasting or throwing out even a good pin or wire is considered money out of your pocket. Please be sure to express this to your employees.

Showcasing

• Gather up all your add-ons and gift items and display them prominently in the store.
• Make sure you re-stock your impulse buys on your front counter to sell in addition to flower arrangements.
• Make sure your flower shop and displays are clean and have an inviting atmosphere.
• Remember if Employees have time to lean, they have time to clean!

Work Ahead

• Work a day ahead. Fill any orders for next day the day before. Working a day or two ahead will allow you flexibility just in case there are any last minute orders.
• Place pre-made orders in a cooler, well tagged with date of pick-up or delivery.
• Mark any time sensitive orders and bring those to the front of your cooler.

Note: It helps to have a system that works best for you. However, working on orders per day can feel overwhelming, so staying ahead of the game is always best.

5. Take Care of Yourself

It is important to take care of yourself during this busy Mother’s Day week.

• Wear comfortable clothes and shoes.It’s best not to wear open toe shoes as this can be an insurance liability in some areas.
• Make sure you eat! Breakfast, Lunch, and dinner are important—don’t skip meals!
• Get enough sleep. No one is at their best with lack of sleep.
• Take mandatory breaks.
• Do not sweat the small stuff. Regardless of how hard you try, there may be a complaint here or there. Do not let this get you down. It’s the nature of the business. The world can’t survive without florists!
• Try to enjoy Mother’s Day week by keeping a journal of all the funny things that happen or mishaps that take place to reflect on for next year.

Tip: Bring in extra shoes and store them in your cooler to remedy those aching feet. 

 

We would like to wish all florist a very successful Mother’s Day!

Florists, do you have any great Mother’s Days tips to share with our readers? Please post any of your Mother’s Day tips or feedback below.

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Floranext offers great florist software, florist POS, florist websites and florist wedding proposal software. Our florist technology products are built by florists, for florists. Let us know if you want a free demo or try our software for free here.

Florists, did you know you make a huge difference?

The world as we know it would never survive without floral professionals. With potentially one of the busiest floral holidays here, it’s no wonder florists may be feeling frazzled and drained. It’s our job to remind you just how amazingly awesome you are and how your career choice makes such a difference. Not just for your community but in general for all humankind!

Yes, we know that sounds deep and profound but it’s true. Florists you create so much beauty, emotions and memories. Your passion for the floral industry is recognized and very much needed.

 

Florists Have Been Around For Centuries:

Earliest known flower arranging dates back to ancient Egypt to 2,500 BCE.  Egyptians were the first to cut and place flowers to decorate and add color to their surroundings.

• Florists were so sought after and so necessary that it was almost royalty to be a florist.
• Back then (and even today) the most beautiful accessory, gift and decor accents are arranged flowers.
• Flower arranging made these miraculous gifts from Mother Nature to evoke everlasting emotions.

 

Flower Arrangements Benefit Health:

Did you know that studies continually find that floral gift giving has a tremendous impact on our health? You would be surprised to know that lavish gifts, money, tech gadgets and clothing have little or no benefit to our general health.

• Studies find that patients in hospital rooms with colorful floral arrangements are in often a better, positive mood, need less pain relief medication and have overall lower blood pressure.
• Flower arrangements also have a profound effect on your workspace and home. Making you more productive, able to think clearer and also calmer.
• Surrounding oneself with flower arrangements helps increase your sex drive, evoking increased erotic feelings.
• Flower arrangements boost senior citizen’s spirits. Researchers at Rutgers released the shared results of a six-month behavioral study on the health effects of flowers on senior citizens. The study shows that flowers ease depression, inspire social networking and refresh memory as we age.

 

Why We Need Florists So Much:

Florists, could we ever imagine what the world would be like with no flower designing? The impact would be tremendous and we imagine a less cheery, more drab world.

• No special way of adding color and beauty to one’s life.
• No way of giving a gift of flowers which convey our deepest gratitude.
• No way of marking memories in our life’s journey with the addition of floral arrangements.
• Weddings would not be the same.
• Life would just not be the same. People count on their florist professional. Remember that!

Your contribution to the world is so special, so enduring, floral designs run deep within the receiver’s soul.

Think of all the ways you as floral professional impact patron’s life changing events.

Adding special memories;

• New baby
• Child’s first play
• Prom
• Graduation
• First date
• Breakup
• Showing love
• New job
• Birthdays
• Get Wells
• Mother’s day
• Weddings
• Holidays
• Anniversaries
• Offering beautiful floral arrangements for sympathy in helping to convey condolence and enhance the service.

Florists, during this busy holiday think of what a superstar you are and how your career choice impacts the lives of all and helps the world. We want to send all floral professionals across the world a special thank you for all you do in helping everyone’s life journey. We hope that you have a very prosperous Mother’s Day! Please share any feedback or questions in our comment section below.

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Floranext makes great florist software. Florist websites, floral POS, florist wedding/event proposal software, and florist technology. Let us know if you want a free demo or try our software for free here.

 

 

 Opening a flower shop is a great career opportunity. You get to be creative and work with flowers all day, right?

Well, yes. However, there are so many other facets when it comes to opening a flower shop business. The floral industry does require much more than just designing flowers. Remember, you are selling, designing, delivering, marketing and much more!

We asked florist’s all around the world to share their most crucial advice/tips on opening a flower business. If you are thinking or just starting a floral business this will help you get answers to some of your questions.

 

Which is most important when opening a flower shop?

1. Location (111%)
2. Creativity (55%)
3. Revenue (52%)
4. I just like flowers (7%)
5. All of the above (63%)
6. Other (30%)

 With an overwhelming 111%, Florists have stated that location is key when opening a flower shop. So remember Location, Location, Location.

Additional Florist Expert Advice: 

• “Is there a need in your community for “Your” idea of a flower shop?” – Wild By Nature

• “Knowledge of business in general. KNOWING how to design already!” – Victorias Floral Design 

• “Driven work ethic.” – Tilted Tulip Florist

• “Social media, marketing and internet presence” – anonymous

• “A working knowledge of flower care and preparation methods and reliable suppliers.” –  The Enchanted Florist

 

What would you say surprised you when you opened your flower shop?

Long hours was the #1 answer by most florist’s for this question, however, there were many great responses that we believe are important to keep in mind when opening a floral business.

Additional Florist Expert Advice: 

• “How much yelp reviews really grew my business. After the first year, people calling the shop always mentioned: “I found you on Yelp”. I had more business from that then the local community that soon followed.” – Ace of Vase

• “All the prep work” – anonymous

• “The overwhelming bookkeeping if you are no prepared or don’t have enough financial experience.” – Flower Bomb

• “That many of the people who buy flowers know a lot of things about them.” – anonymous

• “How much you worry about it all and never get a true break from it. Even when on holiday, you don’t ever stop! ” – Beco Flowers

• “It’s hard work.” –  anonymous

• “How quickly the local people embraced us.” – Maureen’s Designs

• “How much of a percent wire service take for orders.” –  anonymous

• “How complicated the process was from start to finish- all the different ways something could go wrong from the weather to the shipping issues, flower care, and handling, order taking, design and delivery.” – The Flower Bar

• “How much fun it is!” – anonymous

• “The physical aspect – from collecting and packing flowers at the market to the lifting, cleaning and moving of heavy buckets.”  – Petals

 

 How much money do you say is needed to start your own brick and mortar flower business?

1. $1,000 to $5,000 (10%)
2. $5,001 – $10,000 (22%)
3. $10,001 – $15,000 (60%)
4. Other (102%)

Other was the #1 answer for this question with the winning budget amount $25,000.

Additional Florist Expert Advice: 

• “Depends on style location. Could be as little as $300. or as much as $250,000.” – Kelly Mayo

• “$40,000 ” – anonymous

• “Up to $50,000. You need refrigeration, insurance, vehicles. You also need to buy flowers and supplies c o d for at least 6 months before people trust you. Salaries and advertising are big unexpected hits in the first 6 months.” – Gloria’s Florist

• “I began with 15k. I would have been wiser to double that.”  – anonymous

• “The worst thing is to be undercapitalized” – anonymous

• “Purchase a shop already in operation if possible, would be what I recommend. “-  anonymous

 

 If you could open your flower shop today, what is the one thing you would do differently?

Do not join a wire service was the #1 answer if florists could do one thing differently. Trailing behind and almost taking over the number one sport was “Choose a better location,” with having an eCommerce website in third.

Additional Florist Expert Advice: 

• “The decor and the location to be more accessible.”-  anonymous

• “Design myself and eliminate payroll” – anonymous

• “Not take wire orders, EVER.” – anonymous

• “Web strategy and online marketing”  – Menifee Florist

• “I would go to flower school first and then open my flower shop.” – anonymous

• “I would have done more advertising to let people know I was there. Put decals on my van sooner. ” –  Mugfords Flower Shoppe

• “Coolers flush to the floor and better processing area.” – The University Florist

• “MORE WEB EXPOSURE.” – anonymous

• “Change business name” – anonymous

 

 What is the best part of opening a flower shop?

1. Customer Interaction (50%)
2. Money, Money, Money (3%)
3. Being Creative (45%)
4. Being Your Own Boss (62%)
5. Flowers Galore (9%)
6. Other (22%)

Florists have chosen Being Your Own Boss as the best part of opening a flower shop. Though percentages were very close, coming in at 2nd place is Customer Interaction.

Additional Florist Expert Advice: 

• “Creating something bigger than myself.” – Studio Vincca

• “Being my own boss and being able to bring my children to work with me.” – anonymous

• “Satisfying a deep desire to own my own business, and put my big business and academic knowledge to work.” – anonymous

• “Bringing smiles to people’s faces thru my creativity.” – anonymous

• “Being able to go to a job you love every single day of your life! ” – anonymous

• “Rewarding to know you could do it, pleasing customers with your products.” – anonymous

 

What would be your most valuable tip to someone who wants to open a flower shop?

Working in a flower shop was the most valuable tip given to someone who wants to open a flower shop. This gives new prospects the understanding and functionality of how a flower shop is operated.

Additional Florist Expert Advice: 

• “Go for it! You must always try! Do not cut yourself short with the funds when borrowing $$.” – anonymous

• “You have to be passionate about flowers and ready for hard working for many hours to open a flower shop!!!”-  anonymous

• “Service from the heart.” – Yousef

• “Control labor and cost of goods sold.”-  anonymous

• “Keep your focus on quality and customer service.” – anonymous

• “Forget the idea there is no money to be made anymore and stay way from wire services.”-  anonymous

• “Be creative, make a difference.” – Floral Factory

 

What is the worst part of owning a flower shop?

1. Customer Interaction (4%)
2. Long Hours (64%)
3. Demanding Work Load (49%)
4. Having To Be Creative All The Time (2%)
5. Nothing (13%)
6. Other (54%)

Long hours took the top with florists on the worst part of owning a flower shop. The long hours and the demanding workload is something each florist will experience when opening and running a flower shop.

Additional Florist Expert Advice: 

• “All of it. Long hours, Staff, Customers, Physical Demand.” – Musgrove Florist

• “Having to make all the decisions and be the boss.” – anonymous

• “You pretty much need to eat, drink & sleep it unless you have a well paid very skilled staff.” – Flower Bomb

 

Would you recommend someone join a floral wire service when opening a flower shop? Tell us yes or no and why.

Overwhelmingly the #1 answer to this question was no, there was a tremendous response to this question with many great florist advice.

• “No! They undersell the florist and steal their business.” – anonymous

• “You don’t have to belong to a wire service at first. Many shops are moving to a direct call system where they call other shops and offer reciprocating discounts for the shop to shop orders. A wire service is helpful when you have the high volume out of town orders or if you have inexperienced employees.” – Beco Flowers

• “No. But I’m trying to get away from them. You have to buy their software/equipment and it is over priced. In the end you really only get around 70% of the order amount. Once you take out your costs & labor there’s not much profit there.” – Tilted Tulip Florist

• “Depends on the area- But I say no in this day and age.” – anonymous

• “Nope, No longer can make money with them.” – anonymous

• “Maybe for the first year to get your name out, but negotiate the terms. Otherwise no” – anonymous

• “Yes and No. They steal your hard earn income but it is more difficult to get orders and new clients without them. They have completely cornered the floral market.” – Amazing Occasion

• “Maybe but be selective and shop around.” – anonymous

 

According to design, what makes the most revenue?

1. Everyday Arrangements (40%)
2. Parties & Events (17%)
3. Sympathy (84%)
4. Weddings (35%)
5. Other (16%)

Sympathy is the biggest revenue generator for florists with everyday arrangements coming in second.

 

What are the standard flowers, filler, and greens you order on a weekly basis for your flower shop?

• “Baby breath, wax flowers and leather leaf.” – anonymous

• “Roses! Carnations, Mums, Alstromeria Lilies & Pomps/Daisies because they last… I like when people tell me and others how long their flowers lasted. Filler flowers – Baby’s Breath for sure and one or two others. Then some feature flowers for interest…Stock, Iris, Tulips etc. depending on the season.” – anonymous

• ” We stay away from the typical standards (carnations/mums) and buy the more unique blooms. Weekly purchases include mini cymbidium sprays (so many ways to use them!), hydrangeas and seasonal flowers such as tulips in spring, sunflowers in late summer, etc.” – anonymous

 

What popular florist holiday makes your business the most revenue?

1. Valentine’s Day (66%)
2. Easter (0%)
3. Mother’s Day (86%)
4. Memorial Day (1%)
5. Halloween (0%)
6. Thanksgiving (1%)
7. Christmas (20%)
8. None (4%)
9. Other (14%)

Step back Valentine’s Day, With a whopping 86% Mother’s Day won the top spot with the most revenue made for a flower shop.

 

What are the must have florist tools when opening a flower shop?

A knife was #1 tool recommended as a must have when opening a flower shop, with Secateurs taking 2nd place. For those of you who are not familiar with Secateurs, they are pruning clippers. Good scissors were also very close to 2nd place.

“Floral tape, wet foam, containers, knives, wrap paper, cellophane, deferent wires gauge, scissors, ribbon, bows, moist and shine spray”  – anonymous

“FloraNext! A cooler is also an important investment.” – Petals Flower Company

“Knife, wire nips, pruning shears…great accounting system, telephone, the internet….and the list goes on!!!” – anonymous

“A cooler, buckets, cutting tools, containers.” – anonymous

“Computer, phones, functional front of store, good size fridge” – Carls Flower Company

“A good POS system and Website.” – anonymous

“Knives, Scissors. Clippers” – anonymous

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Florist’s we are very appreciative of your participation in our surveys. We had an overwhelming response to “tips on opening a flower shop survey”. We plan to continue surveys as your expert tips and advice is so helpful to our readers and for new and upcoming florists who are considering or opening a flower shop.

Please share any feedback you may have on Opening A Flower Shop in our comment section below.

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Floranext makes great florist software. Florist websites, floral POS, florist wedding/event proposal software, and florist technology. Let us know if you want a free demo or try our software for free here.

 

Mother’s Day (or should we say Mother’s Day week) is the busiest and potentially the most profitable holiday for the floral business owner.

Having a strategy in place to make the most profit is essential in reaping all the benefits of this busy flower purchasing holiday. In this blog, we will go over a checklist to help you through Mother’s Day and make sure you dot your i’s and cross your t’s.

#1 Employee Scheduling & Duties:

• Gather your employees and provide what is expected of them for Mother’s Day week.
• Make sure everyone knows their set times and days to work.
• Hire extra help and offer them a day to come in. (This should be done before Mother’s Day week to go over their job descriptions.)
• Make sure to reiterate how important it is that everyone show up to work during Mother’s Day week.
• If you are hiring extra drivers, discuss with them whether you require them to use their own vehicle.

#2 Flowers & Supplies:

• Start looking around for supplies, containers, baskets, vases and so on. Visit your local flower shop supplier. However, do not forget to also visit discount home stores and dollar stores. You can find some great unique items there!
• Order you Mother’s Day Flowers early from your supplier to get the best value. Keep in mind, if you are new to the floral industry, Mother’s Day spans for a week – not a day. So order enough flowers!
• If you are comfortable, get your flowers through a floral auction. These offer great discounts when purchased in large quantities.
• Make sure to order flowering plants, orchids and dish gardens. These are great sellers and require very little work.

Flower Must-Haves For Mother’s Day:

1. Alstroemeria
2. Carnations
3. Daisies and Poms
4. Dahlias (if possible)
5. Freesia
6. Roses
7. Garden Roses
8. Sunflowers
9. Gerbera Daisies
10. Tulips
11. Lilies
12. Orchids
13. Hydrangeas
14. Delphinium
15. Calla Lilly
16. Lisianthus (if possible)
17. Stock

Filler Flower Must-Have For Mother’s Day:

1. Baby’s Breath
2. Limonium
3. Queen Anne’s Lace (if possible)
4. Statice
5. Thistle
6. Wax Flower
7. Lilac
8. Buttons/ Pom
9. Matsumoto
10. Monte Casino – Aster
11. Trachelium

 

3# Floral Website:

Much like any flower industry holiday, it is important to have your floral website ready and reflecting Mother’s Day in early April. If you have great Easter sales, it is OK to do this right after Easter.

• Make sure you have a clear Mother’s Day Policy and shop hours on your floral website. Clear return and substitution policy is also a must!
• Mother’s Day products should be displayed throughout your website. Add these wherever possible.
• Have an easy way for customers to order Mother’s Day products. Use a “Call To Action” (example: a “Shop Now” Button) or clear image/banner/button that says Mother’s Day Flowers.
• List special Promotions. This is a great way to encourage customers to shop early before Mother’s Day week.
• Make sure you update your product pricing to compensate for your costs.

#4 Prepping & Showcasing

Prepping in a flower shop can be fun! Okay, not so much. However, prepping is most important in ensuring long lasting arrangements so please be vigilant about prepping your flowers correctly.

• Prep your flowers when they arrive. How to Prep Flowers 
• Get ahead of the crowd and cut any ribbon needed. Gather up your gifts and display them neatly.
• Green any vases, baskets or containers you can ahead of time.
• Make sure your flower shop is clean and displays an inviting atmosphere with beautiful decor and lots of great impulse gifts to add on to flower arrangements.

#5 Week Of Mother’s Day:

• Work a day ahead. Fill any orders for next day the day before. Working a day or two ahead will allow you flexibility just in case there are many last minute orders.
• Make sections for Delivery drivers by areas and add finished flower arrangements to this area with the date of delivery that is bold and clear.
• No wastefulness! We do say this a lot. With the abundant supplies and flowers in the shop, it is easy to get sidetracked and be super wasteful. This is a “No No.” Everything thrown on the floor that can be used should be. Wasting or throwing out even a good pin or wire is considered money out of your pocket. Please be sure to express this to your employees.
• Check you sales totals daily not at the end of the week.
• Make sure you re-stock your impulse buys on your front counter to sell in addition to flower arrangements.

Mother’s Day Checklist Tips:

1. If you can, keep a standby driver at the shop to handle new orders for delivery.
2. Wear comfortable clothes and shoes. It’s best not to wear open toe shoes. This can also be an insurance liability in some areas.
3. Make sure you eat breakfast, lunch and dinner. Do not skip meals.
4. Do not sweat the small stuff. Regardless of how hard you try, there may be a complaint here or there. Do not let this get you down. It’s the nature of the business.
5. Try to enjoy Mother’s Day week by keeping a journal of all the funny things that happen or mishaps that take place to reflect on for next year.

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We would like to wish all florist a very lucrative and successful Mother’s Day holiday!

Florists, do you have any great Mother’s Days tips to share with our readers? Please post any of your Mother’s Day tips or feedback below.

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Floranext makes great florist software. Florist websites, floral POS, florist wedding/event proposal software, and florist technology. Let us know if you want a free demo or try our software for free here.