Florist News

i have started this thread for anyone who wants to share their money saving ideas, because not everyone has the money when they have just started out in business, and there are lots of ways to save money so that in the future you will be able to spend more, some things may not seem expensive to some established shops but when you are starting out every penny counts, so share your ideas with the forum

my first one is... oasis spray paint is expensive per can, if you are only spraying twigs etc for xmas, go to a pound shop and buy 5 cans for the price of one oasis can, its not as good as the oasis stuff but it looks just as good and its not like you can tell the difference

Yay, Lisas money savings tips. Hmm, I'm rubbish at saving, let me think...

Pick up your twigs from the woods and pine cones, take the littleones its an adventure for them.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!i have been quotes 25.00 for sacks of cones of my supplier its outrageous if you need sack fulls like us

i just think its a good idea cos everyone has some way to save money

This one is a bit obvious, but at this time of year (ie pretty quiet) buy lots of twiggy stuff and berries that make your stand look full when it might not really be, and they last, keeping down your flower spend. The dutchmen will hate you for it but hey ho! Also, if you can get hold of them, buy a big box of fruit, spice,chillis etc. Rather than hiding it away make up some packs of 'festive mix' and flog em too! Better out on the shop floor than gathering dust behind the counter!

Not sure if this works for you guys but instead of wrapping bunches of loose flowers or even small bouquets in wrapping paper or even paper with our logo on it, we started last year wrapping things in old newspapers and tying red raffia around it. Add a logo sticker and my customers were happy! The red raffia makes it look like we don't just want to save money! (Red is my logo colour) If a customer wants 'normal' paper thats not problem, we have red paper on a roll for them. But the newspaper wrapping has become one of our signatures! We actually started it because we had so much lying around and I thought it would be a good recycling idea and it just stuck! We've even started wrapping presents and gifts in newspapers and decorating them with greens or ribbons. As i said its become our signature and the customers think we are SOOOO environmentaly aware!

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~success is a lousy teacher...it seduces smart people into thinking they can't lose~

Stop buying coffee for the girls..water will keep you alive.

Turn off fan heaters...invest the money in an extra pair of long johns.

When you phone people...hang up just before they answer...they'll most likely phone you back and pay for the call. (learned this from my kids!)

Get a water meter. If you're still paying rates, you're wasting money

Negotiate on everything you buy..unless you know someone really is looking after you. It costs nothing to ask and they can't shoot you.

Sell at a discount if option B looks like throwing it away.

Get into the habit of trying to upsell every customer. Whatever they ask for, make it your own personal challenge to sell them something extra, even if only a few quid. This can add loads to your bottom line.

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good ones Fly!

I asked everyone i know for foliage (good loads of good quality holly/cupress etc coming and have a shop full of dried hydrangea), all family and friends to keep an eye out for cones etc (have a big bag full now) and also for them to check their christmas tat and give me anything they are sick of - amazing what you can save on bits and pieces that other people might be binning. I have almost nothing to buy for wreaths etc.

at this time of year, steal holly, its naughty but you can find it in loads of places, if you are quiet in your shop make your own holly wreaths you wont feel like you are wasting time