[Hua11.com Original] By the end of 2020, we had operated 9 physical flower shops, including some chains. We understand that for beginners, investing a large sum of money to open a physical flower shop carries high risks and a high chance of "paying tuition fees." Therefore, starting with a low-cost store, minimizing unnecessary expenses, and focusing on the most effective investments is advisable. This approach allows us to gain experience, build connections, and attract customers. With these foundations, transitioning to a larger investment in a physical store later will be more certain, confident, and likely to succeed. In this article, we will achieve this goal by integrating previous knowledge points and some necessary Internet tools. (Note: For the "Flower 24 Hours" alliance mentioned in this article, you can follow the official account [Flower 24 Hours] to view the specific service content.)

1. Choice of operation mode

From the analysis in the first article of this series ([Hua11.com · Low-Cost Entrepreneurship Practice Series 1] Comparing flower shop and floral studios once more: The core of opening a flower shop), we know that currently, the cost of opening a studio is lower. So we choose this operation mode. However, this mode has disadvantages in promotion (Refer to [Hua11.com · Flower Shop Startup Series 2] What is the difference between a floral studio and a flower shop?). We need to address this issue.

2. Choice of order sources

From the analysis in the second article of this series ([Hua11.com · Low-Cost Entrepreneurship Practice Series 2] How does a flower shop deal with the increasingly high cost of online promotion?), we know that all Internet and APP platforms have limitations.

We must be very clear that for all customer acquisition platforms, due to the operation mode, homogenized competition cannot be avoided in the end. So we must always remember to transfer the customers coming from these platforms to WeChat as the customer sources that we can fully control. Then, manage these customers and orders through the "Flower 24 Hours" mini-program tool. Only in this way can we turn the tables and avoid being controlled by the platform to the greatest extent.

Next, if you have a budget, you can pay to join Meituan Group Buying and group with the Flower 24 Hours Alliance; if you don't have a budget, you can join Meituan Takeout, Ele.me, and other platforms that distribute customer sources based on location for free. According to our practical operation experience, these platforms can all bring certain orders. However, since the entry threshold of the takeout platform is zero, the competition will be more intense and the unit price of customers will be lower. For newly opened flower shops, it will be more difficult to start. Therefore, it is recommended to join Meituan through the Flower 24 Hours Alliance group, which can immediately obtain the market-verified model and the sales of the entire alliance.

It should be noted that since Meituan, Ele.me, etc. are all open platforms, users can easily make cross-shop comparisons. Therefore, on these platforms, customers pay more attention to cost performance. Thus, the quality of customers on these platforms is actually not very high, which is also something we need to pay attention to.

Instead, these platforms should be positioned as platforms for obtaining general orders and basic customers. Don't be too concerned about the quality of this part of customers. Take the first step well, which will bring confidence to your later floral business.

In addition, while joining the platform, you need to give full play to your initiative, make full use of Moments, the publicity channels of various APPs, and conduct ground promotion. (Refer to the "Marketing First Step Series", "Marketing Advanced Series" and "Marketing High-End Series" of this work. Especially: [Hua11.com · Marketing First Step Series 8] Why prioritize ground promotion for flower shops and studios? Isn't online marketing easier?)

It is emphasized again that you cannot rely too much on any order source platform. Joining the platform is only a temporary measure. When you accumulate more and more customers, you should make choices about your business and focus on development to take a differentiated development path with your own characteristics, such as floral salons, light arrangements, etc. (Refer to: [Hua11.com · Flower Shop Risk Defense Series 6] What to do in the floral industry's off-season? Find the best strategy to manage flower shop risks., [Hua11.com · Light Decoration Series 2] The significance of Light Decoration to modern flower shops and floral studios)

3. Customer retention

We finally divert the customers obtained from Meituan, the alliance, and various channels to our own WeChat, retain them, and then carry out our own brand output to enhance the brand value.

4. Mini-program assisted operation

Finally, on WeChat, we use the Flower 24 Hours Alliance mini-program to assist us in operation.

Enhance your brand value through the certification information and member information displayed in the mini-program store:

Through the work template (you can copy the alliance work template with one click to quickly build your basic work library. Refer to [Hua11.com · Low-Cost Entrepreneurship Practice Series 4] Flower 24-hour mini-program 1: One-click copy of work templates and sharing), and upload and manage your own work library to communicate with customers about orders quickly and accurately.

Through the customer management and order management system, uniformly manage customers and orders, track the situation of customers, and wake up and repurchase customers at the appropriate time (such as before festivals).

5. Purchase of fixed assets

The above are the necessary tools. In addition, in the operation of the floral studio, we can consider adding the fixed asset "freezer". Having a freezer has some benefits, but it is not necessary. You can choose according to your actual situation or purchase it when the order volume is large. (Refer to [Hua11.com · Flower Shop Startup Series 8] Does a flower shop need a flower preservation cabinet? Or would an air conditioner suffice?)

Overall Plan:

Based on the above analysis, we can create the following low-cost flower shop entrepreneurship plan:

"Alliance experience sharing and communication" is one of the services offered by the Flower 24 Hours Alliance. You can visit the official website of Flower 24 Hours (hua24.com) or follow the official account "Flower 24 Hours" to learn more.

Under this framework, each of your steps and choices has a clear goal, making it easy for you to assess your progress. Strengthen the successful aspects and address any weaknesses. As you gain more experience and customer resources, you can add your own content to make this structure more complete and stable. This way, your approach is very clear, and I believe you will be more likely to succeed than others.

Investment Amount of This Plan:

Since this is a low-cost plan, how much is the investment amount exactly? Let's take Guangzhou as an example to list the total cost:

(Note: This book focuses on operation. The training part is not listed for now. For detailed floral training fee standards, please consult the official website of Hua11.com. It is highly cost-effective.)

- Studio Input:

 

This part of the investment can vary. Even the bedroom where you are reading this article can be used as a studio. The rent can be adjusted according to your actual situation. A small studio can range from a few hundred to a few thousand yuan. Let's assume 3000 yuan per month.

 

If you need to do simple soft decoration, purchase necessary flower vases, flower tools, a floral workbench, and an ordinary laptop, the total fixed investment is about 4000 to 7000 yuan.

- Pay (Group with Flower 24 Hours Alliance) to Enter Meituan Group Buying:

 

The official charging standards of Meituan Group Buying vary by region. In Guangzhou currently (in 2020), it is 4800 yuan per year, plus a 15% order commission. In some regions, it is 2400 yuan per year. Please consult the local customer service for details. The group fee is 2300 yuan per year.

- Free Entry into Meituan Takeout and Ele.me:

 

Zero. The platform will have a higher commission after generating orders.

- WeChat:

 

Zero.

- Operating Mini-Program:

 

The current official charge of Flower 24 Hours is 299 yuan per year.

- Freezer (Optional):

 

The one we use ourselves is about 6000 yuan. We are also organizing group purchases for students.

Then, the overall investment amount can be calculated:

The fixed investment is approximately between 9000 and 20000 yuan, plus 3000 yuan per month for rent.

That means if you open a studio in Guangzhou with this low-cost plan, the minimum start-up capital needed is about 12,000 yuan, which is quite low.

The outstanding advantage of this plan is that you can make rolling investments with relatively little pressure. (Refer to: [Hua11.com · Flower Shop Startup Series 3] Discover the 'rolling' internal investment strategy for your flower shop or floral studio)

Example:

The following is an example from when we participated in the operation of the Flower 24 Hours Guangzhou Fangcun 1850 Creative Park store.

This store was built from scratch, with a total investment of only over 19,000 yuan (including the freezer).

If you are as excited as I am after reading this, it proves that this plan is suitable for you. Please carefully digest and understand the key points of this article, including the reference articles listed. I believe that as long as you are attentive, you will definitely do better than us. Welcome to communicate with us.

Copyright Statement:

This article is an original creation by Hua11.com and is included in the “How to Run a Flower Shop and Floral Studio” Ebook. The content of this article may be periodically updated and is initially published on the Hua11.com official website blog. You can find the article at this link: https://hua11.com/blog/4681.html.

Reproduction of this article is permitted, provided that it is reprinted in full and all copyright information is retained. Any form of plagiarism, whether partial or complete, is strictly prohibited. Legal action will be taken against violators.

The work titled “How to Run a Flower Shop and Floral Studio” is copyrighted by Hua11.com. Additionally, the “Practical Floral Training” model and the concept of “Light Decoration” are original creations by Hua11.com. The trademark “花艺意” is registered and protected by relevant national laws.