If you’re considering starting a flower shop or already own one and are wondering how to grow your business, then it’s important that you understand who your target market really is so that you can focus your marketing efforts on the right people.
If you’re in this business already, then you know that fresh flowers don’t last forever. This means that you have to constantly be finding new customers so that you can keep your business afloat. You will need to carefully judge the demand for certain types of flowers and adjust your supply accordingly.
In this article, we will discuss the top 10 target markets for flower shops. Keep reading to learn more!
Who are the top target markets for a flower shop?
Here are the top 10 target markets for flower shops:
- Weddings
- Birthdays
- Get Well Wishes
- Special Days (Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Easter)
- Sympathy Flowers
- Corporate Gifting
- New Baby Gifts
- Housewarming Gifts
- Graduation Gifts
- Romantic Gestures
Let’s look closely at each of these markets for flower shops.
#1. Weddings
Of course, weddings are one of the most obvious target markets for flower shops. Every year, there are millions of weddings taking place all over the world, and each one requires a wide variety of flowers.
From the bride’s bouquet to the decorations at the reception, there is a lot of potential business to be had by catering to the wedding market.
If you’re looking to break into this market, it’s important to build relationships with local wedding planners and venues. They will be able to recommend your services to their clients and help you get your foot in the door.
#2. Birthdays
It’s quite common to get flowers for someone (especially an adult woman) on their birthday. This is because flowers are seen as a thoughtful and beautiful gift that can brighten up someone’s day.
To market to this demographic, you could advertise your services on birthday-related websites and social media platforms. You could also offer special discounts for people who are buying flowers for a birthday present.
Each time a customer walks into your store you could give them a discount coupon if they come back to buy flowers for someone’s birthday. In fact, leveraging such opportunities for upselling and cross-selling are essential to a flower shop’s profitability.
#3. Get Well Wishes
One of the best ways to brighten up someone’s day is to send them flowers when they’re feeling under the weather. This act of kindness can really make a difference in someone’s recovery process, and it’s something that your flower shop can provide.
To market to this target market, you could partner with local hospitals and clinics. You could also send out direct mailers to people in your area who have recently been discharged from the hospital.
#4. Special Days (Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Easter)
Special days like Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, and Easter are obviously big days for the flower industry. People tend to buy flowers more frequently during these holidays, which means that there is a lot of potential business to be had.
To make the most of these holidays, you should start marketing your services weeks in advance. This will ensure that people know about your business and have time to place their orders. You should also offer special deals and discounts during these times to encourage people to buy from you.
For example, you could offer a discount for people who order flowers online or by phone. You could also offer a discount for people who buy multiple bouquets.
#5. Sympathy Flowers
Flowers are not just for happy occassions. Sometimes, people need to send flowers to express their condolences. This is a significant market for flower shops, as there is always a need for sympathy flowers.
To market to this target market, you could partner with local funeral homes and crematoriums. You need to be careful with your advertising, however, as you don’t want to come across as being insensitive.
It’s also a good idea to have a section on your website or in your store dedicated to sympathy flowers. This will make it easy for people to find what they’re looking for and will show that you’re a compassionate business.
#6. Corporate Gifting
Corporate Gifting is a great way to get your flower shop’s name out there. When businesses are looking for gifts for their clients or employees, they often turn to local flower shops.
To market to this target market, you could create a corporate gift catalog. This would showcase your best products and give businesses an easy way to order gifts from you. You could also offer discounts for corporate orders and deliver the flowers directly to the recipients.
Another great way to market to this target market is to participate in local business networking events. This will give you a chance to meet potential corporate clients and pitch your services to them.
#7. New Baby Gifts
When someone has a new addition to their family, it’s a special occasion that calls for a gift. What better way to celebrate a new baby than with a beautiful bouquet of flowers?
To market to this target market, you could partner with local hospitals and birthing centers. You could also send out direct mailers to people in your area who have recently had a baby.
You could also create a new baby gift catalog. This would showcase your best products and give people an easy way to order gifts for new parents. You could also offer discounts for multiple orders and deliver the flowers directly to the recipients.
You could also consider advertising on social media like Facebook and target your marketing to friends and family of someone who’s just had a baby.
#8. Housewarming Gifts
When invited to a housewarming party, most people don’t know what to bring. If you get an object like a vase or a painting there is always the risk that the new homeowners already have one, or that it won’t match their style. Flowers, on the other hand, are always a welcome gift.
You could market to this target market by creating a housewarming gift catalog. This would showcase your best products and give people an easy way to order gifts for new homeowners. You could also offer discounts for multiple orders and deliver the flowers directly to the recipients.
#9. Graduation Gifts
Common graduation gifts include money, gift cards, and clothes. While these are all great gifts, they can be a bit impersonal. Flowers are a unique and thoughtful gift that will really stand out.
It is true that graduating young ladies are the primary market for this gift, but this market can also include the parents of the new graduates.
#10. Romantic Gestures
Needless to say, flowers are a popular gift for anniversaries, Valentine’s Day, and other romantic occasions. And it doesn’t even need to be an occasion. Sometimes, people just want to show their significant other how much they love them and one of the best ways to do that is with flowers.
Now it isn’t going to be easy to time impulse purchases of flowers for romantic reasons and so you must ensure that you always have a nice selection of flowers available for purchase.
Conclusion
The target market for flower shops includes people who buy flowers for the most obvious occasions like weddings, birthdays and special days like Christmas, Mother’s day, etc.
It also includes people who buy flowers to wish someone well after an illness or as sympathy flowers for someone who has just had a loss.
Flowers are also used given as corporate gifts, new baby gifts, housewarming gifts, and graduation gifts.
And naturally, they are one of the best ways to show someone you love them on a romantic occasion or just because.