How to sell flowers on March 8. How to make money from scratch trading flowers for the holidays

Answers to questions from readers of the site on the flower business.
Now let's consider a little the topic of the number of flowers on March 8 and what bouquets should be made for this holiday.
Questions below, visitors' spelling preserved.

Elena: “tell me, please, how many flowers should be ordered and what bouquets are usually in demand on March 8th? Do you need more bouquets or just single flowers?
we plan to open the store by this date, because no experience, difficult to navigate in such matters.
thank you in advance!"

Maria: “ MichaelHello. Give advice please. I'm going to open a flower pavilion, but I can't figure out how much goods I need to buy at the initial stage. (what flowers and in what quantity) And how many tulips do you need on March 8.”

Now let's get straight to the point.

Look, based on personal examples, on ordinary days in the provinces (everything that is not Moscow), one point brings 4000-8000 rubles. On Friday, Saturday (usually from spring to autumn), when there are weddings, income increases to 15,000-25,000 rubles a day.
On February 14, the income will be approximately 30,000 rubles (plus or minus). //Update. On February 14, 2013, the income of my relatives amounted to approximately 60,000 rubles.//

On March 8, you can make 250,000-400,000 rubles.
But these are sooooo general figures, since a lot depends on the region, on the place where you do the flower business, on the number of competitors, on the mentality of people and incomes in a particular region (maybe it’s not customary to buy flowers somewhere, people can use alternatives like going to a restaurant or buying jewelry/clothes/travel).
It also happens that on March 8 the whole city quickly sells all the flowers and there are almost no flowers left. This is just an awesome chance to earn! Don't miss it, but you have to think about where to get flowers. On March 8, in one of the years, they conventionally celebrated 2 or 3 days, when they first congratulated everyone at work on Friday, then March 8 itself, and then those who were late (these are the men who forgot about March 8, when all the deadlines for congratulations expired). So we had to go to Moscow on March 7 to buy flowers, buy them there, then urgently return on March 7 to sell a batch of flowers, since before March 8 the flowers were already running out. But year after year is not necessary. I almost forgot, often even after March 8 there are no flowers in the city, it’s also an option to earn money, since many florists take a break to count the money earned, and you can try to work further. I remember that the revenue in some year in the next 2 days after March 8 was simply huge.

Now figure out how many flowers you need for March 8, if sales increase 50 times(in our case, but for someone, maybe 100 times)!

I can’t tell you how many packs of roses or boxes of tulips are, it all depends on prices in your region, but now you can at least somehow be guided by what approximate amounts of flowers are sold on March 8. So consider the prices for flowers in your region.

Yet again to earn normally, you can’t sell flowers at everyday prices, you should not make special discounts, since all your friends will come to you, receive discounts, you won’t earn anything much. You can directly tell your flower customers in advance that you always have discounts, except for March 8th.
If you are just starting out and there is no experience yet (especially just experience in running any business), then I do not recommend that you buy for very large amounts, as there is a high risk of burnout. Do everything gradually.
Now for the flowers themselves on March 8. What flowers do men buy on March 8? They are the main clients.

They buy everything, but the main flowers for March 8, of course, are tulips. They take a lot. The main color is… hm, corny red, but other colors are also excellent, so don’t take only red tulips, it will be more interesting for you to sell multi-colored tulips yourself.

Tulips one by one is better not to pack. It will then be a very long necessary work that will not bring money. Pack 3, 5, 7 pieces in plastic bags (if you do this in advance). On the spot, it’s better to just have transparent rollers with cellophane (or the same ready-made bags) and quickly pack the right amount of tulips into them, which customers ask for.
In general, it is better not to do almost anything piece by piece in advance, in general, almost not to do piece by piece. Just judge for yourself how much time it takes to pack one rose and how much for normal bouquets. In fact, the difference is not very big, if the hand in arranging bouquets is full, but large bouquets are more expensive than one rose, then it’s better to focus on bouquets (if you make them in advance, with clients to make bouquets on March 8, I I think it's just killer).

By the way, about in advance. I recommend that you start making bouquets of the day 3 in advance. Otherwise, on March 8, you simply won’t have time to do anything, or rather, you won’t have time to earn the amount of money that you can really squeeze out of this day.
Roses, of course, are also taken. Try to sell armfuls, for example, a dozen roses in transparent cellophane (and cellophane also comes with different cool patterns, it is not floral, it is transparent, but with small patterns, we had such lessons on disks, if I am not mistaken, how to pack armfuls of roses ). So again it turns out easier, there is less work than packing each rose separately, and financially the gain is big.

Make from bouquets everything that you normally do, but only in large volumes. Well, of course, experiment, suddenly you find your chip. which will constantly bring you money and distinguish you from your competitors.
Don't forget about beautifully decorated potted flowers. They are great buys too. This is a good income item for March 8 in the flower business.
Do not forget about all sorts of small bouquets (European bouquets and something like ikebana) - this can also bring in a good income, especially considering that flower scrap often goes into such bouquets.
Not bad take and flower baskets, as well as toys from flowers.

But I still recommend that you decide in advance what exactly you will do from flowers on March 8, since different efforts can bring completely different financial results from sales in the flower business.
And further! Do not forget that all flowers, especially lilies and tulips, do not like frost.. That is, if you trade on the street, you need to think about how to keep them alive so that they do not freeze. If you have a shop or an indoor market, then you are in luck.

Lilies begin to turn black in frost, tulips simply become nothing. Roses in this regard are more tenacious, but as soon as all this frozen miracle is brought home, it will be almost immediately at room temperature. But don’t worry too much about this, the men will give flowers, then a feast and so on, everyone will forget about the flowers. Realities of life and flower business.

You will be very lucky if the temperature outside is in the region of zero or higher. If it’s lower, then use minibuses (if it’s not available, rent it for a day), otherwise, just in a couple of hours, the tulips will end, and then the rest of the flowers. But in principle, if there are a lot of people, and usually people walk like a wall (I'm talking about the market and street trading), then 90% of the flowers have time to sell. The main thing is that fresh flowers, which will still be sold, lie somewhere in a room or car and wait for their moment to be sold, and not somewhere on the street at sub-zero temperatures.

I will be very happy if you personally write to me about your sales results for February 14 and March 8! I hope our personal experience will be useful to you.

On the eve of the eighth of March, men are divided into two categories. One of them frantically thinks what to give to her beloved, wife, daughter, sister, mother, and the other half is looking for ways to make money on this holiday. A well-known fact is that for a couple of holidays you can make a good profit, especially if you know what to do. How to make money on one holiday that covers the entire population of our country? We will suggest some business ideas for making money on a holiday like March 8th.

Flowers

Like it or not, you can’t do without flowers. Regardless of what the gift will be, a man must give a flower (at least one). Such is the female psychology and you can not argue with that. So it turns out that the flower business on this day is considered not only the most popular, but also the most profitable. Income from such a business can be up to 300% of the funds spent. So where to start? First, you need to find a supplier. In any large city, there are a fairly large number of wholesalers who are ready to bring goods to your home (depending on the volume). What happens? We buy tulips for 15-20 rubles (with a large wholesale) and sell for 60-100 rubles. a piece? Profit in person.

Tip: organize several points of sale. And in order to save on sellers and rent, then offer work to grandmothers and rent a place in the market. And not expensive and help grandmothers earn some extra money.

Gift Baskets

Another common type of gift. They are bought by work colleagues, friends, and those who just want to please. It is not difficult to make such sets yourself, it is enough to collect an assortment of goods, gift wrapping and a little imagination. It is important to follow a few rules: creativity in design, the theme must match the items in the set. So, for example, shower gel will not be combined with a pack of beautiful tea, no matter how expensive they are.

What sets can be made of: it can be sweets and coffee, or tea, hygiene items, hygiene products (shower gel, body milk), dishes, or kitchen utensils, cosmetics, jewelry and ... in general, everything without what our woman can not do.

You can sell these products via the Internet (through groups in social networks) or rent a small point in the local market, where, as a rule, there is high traffic.

Bouquets of toys

A relatively young business, the result of which quickly won the hearts of women of any age. Bouquets can be made not only from toys, but also sweets and even balloons. This option is especially beneficial for those who have a rich imagination and can make such bouquets themselves. The main thing here is to create harmony, for example, hares, large kittens will look very vulgar and ridiculous in a small bouquet. By the way, you can show a little creativity and make a bouquet from a combination of small toys and sweets.

Profit: The cost of one bouquet varies around 600-700 rubles. (minimum price of a good bouquet with 5-6 toys). The cost of small toys is not very expensive. At wholesale warehouses, or ordering via the Internet from China, the price of such a toy starts at 15-20 rubles. per piece, or even less. Of course, you will also need additional paraphernalia in the form of paper, artificial flowers, etc., but all this can be bought at very low prices, and the end result can be offered to the buyer at a decent price.

The sale of bouquets is also possible through the Internet, a rented place on the market or agree with the seller, for example, fresh flowers, and sell the bouquets through him. There is no need to be afraid of rejection. Fresh flowers are always out of competition. And you can combine business. We have already written about fresh flowers above, so you can attach several of these bouquets to them.

HAND MADE

Every year, interest in manual labor increases and is valued much more than standard souvenirs from the store. If you have a small gift, and you have a lot of interesting ideas, then you can make a business on handmade souvenirs. They are also, without exception, like all women. Small souvenirs are very popular among companies that congratulate their employees on the holiday every year, regardless of their activities.

Fridge magnets handmade.

The theme is known, it remains only to buy various accessories, glue and sit in the evenings, collect magnets. Particularly interesting are magnets using spices (star anise), coffee beans, cinnamon sticks, etc. such a magnet will not only please the eye, but also give a subtle aroma in the kitchen. The cost of work is low, and you can sell with a higher markup. Manual labor is highly valued. Do not forget about another plus of manual labor: each product is unique and eliminates repetition.

Whatever your business idea, you yourself should like it, and only then the profit will not be long in coming. Good luck!

A friend of mine started with this mini. There is such a day in the year - March 8th. On this day, half the country like crazy buy flowers, alcohol and sweets. And the other part of the people thinks how to make money on it.

It is extremely difficult not to sell flowers on this day.

A few days before the holiday, you need to find flower shops on the Internet. Draw a rough map of the city. Determine where there are "empty" places. There will most likely be no empty places at all, you need to choose places where there are fewer flower shops, there will certainly be queues, and people really don’t like to stand in lines ... It’s also worth looking at places with high traffic: near large supermarkets, in the center cities, near markets.

When the seats are selected, you need to see them with your own eyes, try on where you can stand. In almost every city there are “illegal mini markets”, places where some people just stand regularly without any licenses and fees for a trading place. Most often, these are grandmothers: they sell clothes, seeds, flowers, honey ... Give preference to just such places, people in this area have already developed the habit of “buying here”.

Determine how much money you are willing to put into this business.

Select at least 10 flower shops, call them and find out at what price they are ready to give you flowers if you immediately take a batch from them for the amount of money available to you. Here it is worth being impudent, asking to throw off even more. Even if they refuse to shell out more, they certainly won't change their minds about selling at the regular price. Remember, they are actually very interested in selling as much as possible.

Then you need to find a small table that will serve as your counter. On day X we go to the intended place. From lunch to sunset there will be hands-on sales training.

The average retail price of a bouquet of flowers in Moscow is 500-1000 rubles. Let's say you manage to sell 10 bouquets with a markup of 100 rubles. Then your daily income will be 10,000 rubles. How much do you earn per day now?

You can dedicate your plans to friends who are also interested in the topic “own business”.

Together you can buy more flowers, which means you can get a big discount from the supplier. Earned money can go to other business projects.

The special charm of this real business idea is that one person will definitely be happy that day, it is a win-win. Either you will be satisfied with calculating the profit, or in the evening fill up your soulmate with unsold goods!

Despite the fact that the holiday of March 8 - International Women's Day - was invented in the Soviet Union, it is firmly established in many countries today. Many people on this day not only manage to congratulate their women, but also make good money.

It's no secret that all entrepreneurs are looking forward to any holidays, as they can make good money. On this day, the demand for services and goods is higher than ever. Those who have had their own business for a long time can foresee in past years what people will need on March 8th. Beginners will have to remember what they saw in stores, what they bought as a gift themselves, what they gave them, and figure out which of their goods or services will be in demand on the market before the holiday. So who makes money on International Women's Day and how?

flower profit

On the day of March 8, the biggest rise can be observed at flower sellers. On this day, there are much more sales than on a normal day. People buy both cut flowers and potted ones.

“We are looking forward to March 8th. We have already begun to prepare a little, brought small soft toys, postcards, boxes of chocolates, as customers willingly purchase them together with bouquets,” says Olga M., the owner of a flower shop.

Despite the fact that the competition in this business is huge, the probability of being left without income is extremely low. The fastest and most profitable option would be to purchase some plastic buckets and find students, young people who need to earn money. They gladly agree to temporary part-time jobs, and for little money. You need to arrange such sellers in places where there is a high traffic of people. It can be a business center, stops, shopping centers, metro.

You can buy flowers from wholesalers, but if you take the flower business quite seriously and in advance, you can grow tulips in your basement or greenhouse. The most popular assortment is all kinds of roses, chrysanthemums, carnations and tulips. Roses are in the greatest demand, chrysanthemums and carnations are unpretentious in their care. The wholesale price of one rose is from 3–5 UAH, retail sales start from 10–15 UAH. a piece. The price of one tulip in retail starts from 5 UAH.

You can sell not only live flower bouquets, but also sweet ones. A sweet bouquet is, first of all, originality and exclusive, which combines both flowers and sweets.

Before you decide to start your candy-bouquet business, you must understand that your main task will be to bring joy with your bouquets, and for this it is important to make them original, beautiful and always of high quality. The starting price of a sweet bouquet is from 150 UAH.

Gift Baskets

In addition to flowers, goods of the women's group are in high demand on the eve of the Women's Day. And these are perfumes, cosmetics, personal care products, jewelry and bijouterie. Buy goods and sell - the option is not suitable. Here you need a creative approach to interest the buyer.

These kits can be made at home. Take and put together several options for gift sets in various price categories. So that the buyer has a choice, since not everyone can afford to buy an expensive gift. For gift wrapping, you can use paper bags or transparent film. Just keep in mind that all this must be done in advance.

It is allowed to add a postcard to the gift set, you can make it yourself. The success of such an idea will depend on your diligence, business and oratory skills.

There is always a demand for hand-made goods, they are well popular on the eve of the holidays. You can sell your crafts on your own or you can negotiate with retail outlets and provide goods for sale, it all depends on your desire.

Earnings on balloons

On March 8, you can make good money on balloons. Congratulating a woman with a bouquet of balloons is unusual, cute, and most importantly, impressive.

On holidays, people are ready to pay a lot of money for balloon compositions. You can earn about 500 UAH per day.

“I have not completed any courses. I learned how to twist different figures from balloons in one day. First he twisted the dog, then he began to make flowers. Now I spend only 25 seconds on one flower. I invent many compositions myself,” says balloon salesman Vladimir.

You can sell “airy” bouquets in underground passages near the metro, at bus stops, and you can also sell them via the Internet. One flower from oblong balls costs 10 UAH. A composition of balloons in the form of a bear is valued at 200 UAH.

Earnings on services

Temporary job offers appear between March 5 and 9. The vacancies of an assistant florist, a sales assistant in a gift, flower or cosmetics store, as well as couriers are in great demand. The average salary of temporary workers is about 200 UAH. per day, and the duration of the working day is about 10 hours.

People who provide services make good money. These are taxi drivers, promoters, waiters, cosmetologists and manicure and pedicure masters.

If you have a car and a desire to earn extra money, then you will not be left without money. On March 8, it is not forbidden to be on duty near restaurants and clubs. It is on this day that most people gather there. The youth will be willing to pay a large amount to get home. For the evening you can earn a couple of hundred hryvnia.

Also on International Women's Day, cafes, bars and restaurants need additional staff, namely waiters. For a shift, the waiter receives from 120 UAH. plus a generous tip.

Masters of manicure, pedicure and make-up are also not deprived on this day. In many masters, the whole day has long been scheduled by the clock. On this day, women want to be beautiful and irresistible. Therefore, if you know how to cut, make up and manicure, offer services at home.

Julia Korniychuk

At two o'clock in the morning, when March 8 had already arrived, but the country was still sleeping in anticipation of the holiday, a bell rang in our workshop.

Flower delivery? We, please, by 10 am, twenty bouquets in Ostankino! Something interesting, no more than three thousand! - the cheerful girl, not at night, spoke on the machine and called the program of the famous TV presenter.

But we are no longer accepting orders...

How? Even for him? Don't you want to earn?

We don't, I replied. And it was the pure truth. At that moment I just wanted to sleep.

Of course, how would they know in Ostankino that for my company March 8 began a week ago! That work shifts have lasted 15 hours ever since. That the owner of the company, who took the telephone receiver, did not lie down for the last two nights. That we have already made a thousand baskets and bouquets. That all together they pricked 111 fingers, cleaning 4370 roses from thorns. That they put 350 orchid flowers in extension cords with water. What revived 7750 sluggish tulips that arrived from Holland in a lethargic state. That they stuck 500 fragile greenhouse lilies of the valley into a porous green oasis ...

While I was the owner of a small online flower shop and floristic studio, on March 8, I never gave flowers to my wife Tatyana. The business I created was a family business. My wife was its director and lead florist. The main gift that she dreamed of after a week of exhausting days and nights was sleep and peace.

The week that feeds the year

March 8 - a project that provides, probably, 15% of the annual turnover of the Russian flower market. In Moscow, it starts already in the first days of March, when corporate congratulations begin. And it is born even at the time of autumn leaf fall. Wholesalers are the first to start preparing: they coordinate future deliveries with flower producers abroad and in Russia. The best conditions - low prices and a favorable assortment - are received by those who make an advance payment to suppliers or guarantee large volumes of purchases.

In November, the largest customers of floristic products wake up - the country's leading corporations that purchase goods through tenders. More or less prominent online stores and studios are invited to participate in them. And throw these letters in the trash. A powerful oil company can easily order one and a half thousand bouquets for 2.5-3 million rubles for its employees. But tender conditions are often such that it is better to shoot yourself right away. All flowers must be delivered strictly on the specified day. In order for this unthinkable number of gifts to be ready at the right time, 25 florists, like machines, must twist 30 bouquets for two days in a row. And not a penny of advance payment from the client with a minimum income from the product!

Only market leaders or adventurers risk working on such conditions. In the fat years, when gifts were not saved, the largest corporate orders and supply contracts to supermarkets were taken by companies that had cheap flowers and large warehouse space to accommodate several crews. On March days, up to a hundred florists could work here in shifts. Most are women. The rhythm of labor is worn out. There were dozens of tables in the poorly heated room, and almost no chairs. Payment at the end of the shift - from the amount done. When recruiting a brigade, the owners can promise 5,000 rubles a day, but paying only 2,000 rubles, taking into account real output and fines, is a common thing.

But there were always those who wanted to work harder: the wild intensity of labor was offset by low qualification requirements. Mass floristic order - these are simple bouquets of tulips and chrysanthemums worth several hundred rubles. To make such one is within the power of any former flower saleswoman. And there were quite a few of them, the March emergency gathered in Moscow women from different Russian cities, from Ukraine, from Belarus and Moldova.

Some enterprising guys rented a hangar, put into it a brigade of hastily trained Uzbek women. And if their unsightly bouquets were inexpensive, the customer was satisfied with the wave. Fast and cheap - the main thing that most flower buyers need on March 8th.

In companies that make more expensive bouquets, the conditions are more comfortable, but also not sugar. There are places where it is forbidden to sit while working. Nothing to relax! Violators are fined! Earnings? If we get lucky. A good freelance florist may well earn 30,000 rubles during the March week. But only if the company is fully provided with orders and appreciates its florists.

How to do everything

Our small service "Happy Bouquet", in which four people constantly worked, from the very beginning chose a different business model - high quality and expensive. We have declared ourselves as an online boutique that performs special orders: delivery of large flower baskets, wedding bouquets, lilies of the valley - all year round, peonies - in December, and corporate customer service. The last March 8 we spent was in 2015. In a week, we then gained no less than the amount that could have been obtained from the tender from the oilmen. Profitability was higher, health losses for owners and employees were lower. But it took several years to learn how to work this way.

We were looking for customers through an online store or through personal channels. In the early years, they took all holiday orders in a row: both private and corporate, small and large. The result is a dissipation of forces and dissatisfied people. The incidents were both comical and almost tragic. After one, we decided not to make bouquets for brides before March 8, no matter how they asked us or persuaded us.

... That ill-fated bouquet was very simple: seven white roses surrounded by gypsophila. The groom promised to pick him up at the workshop after work. The hassle seems to be minimal. But when people “thresh” for several days in a row, their attention is dulled. And the florist put six roses in the bouquet instead of seven! It turned out quite beautifully, no one, including the groom, noticed the mistake. But the bride noticed - and huddled in hysterics. Even number! Black sign! Do not be family happiness!

An hour later, the angry girl and her embarrassed betrothed were with us. We apologized and offered to add another rose to the bouquet. But the bride, cursing, exchanged the rejected bouquet for the money it was worth. Did the wedding take place? How does this couple cope with the more serious difficulties of life? Don't know. But the lesson we received turned out to be very convincing: if you want to make a good project, choose the target client and focus on it. Otherwise, even with all your efforts, business processes can go awry.

The scheme of a successful March project, which we eventually came to, was as follows: from March 1 to March 7, we deliver flower gifts to offices, and do not fulfill orders from private individuals at all. We deliver flowers to apartments only directly on the holiday and only within Moscow. To cope with the rapidly increasing volume of work, we attract five or six temporary florists and three or four couriers in our own cars. We accumulate ready-made bouquets and baskets in a refrigerator and carry the largest orders (200-250 baskets and bouquets to one address) at night in refrigerators. We give a discount to large customers, but we take a 50% prepayment in order to get working capital for large purchases from wholesalers without resorting to loans.

Overdose of adrenaline

In the described scheme, everything is logical and predictable. Except for one thing: you may not know until the last what bouquets and in what quantity you will be instructed to make and deliver even the most respected, most friendly client. For everything to go well, he must make a decision in January. And in life it turns out - mid-February. Until the authorities approve the idea of congratulations, until the managers clarify the lists of women ... And the acceptance of wholesale orders two weeks before delivery ends. And without an order, you cannot buy the right flowers at the right price. And you won’t find good florists if you suddenly need additional ones at the end of February: everyone settled down. Walking on the edge!

Be sure: no matter how carefully you plan your flower project, you will still get an adrenaline rush.

The Russian greenhouse complex will supply diseased roses - and there will be no others at the same price. You will have to buy Dutch and Kenyan, which is more expensive.

The exchange rate of the ruble will jump in February, and corporate contracts signed in January at the old rate will become unprofitable.

Frost hits - and in a cold van you won’t be lucky with live gifts. Therefore, you order a warm car in advance, which puts an additional burden on the budget.

Festival of dancing prices

It would seem that when the demand for a product increases, the price should fall. But this only happens in stable markets if demand is constant. And when short-term and rush - everything is exactly the opposite. Before March 8 and directly on the holiday in different segments of the Russian market, prices increase by no less than 15-20%. Merchants and florists lay in them all the risks and expenses that go to flood the vast and cold country with flowers.

About 90% of the flower products sold in Russia are imported. In one day in late February or early March, several times more cut flowers cross the border than usual. And prices are out of balance at every level, from the wholesale auction in Holland to the last retail stall.

A huge amount of perishable goods must be delivered from abroad to Russian cities as soon as possible. There are not enough seats on airplanes, there are not enough refrigerated cars, there are not enough hands and eyes at customs, at border and phytosanitary control points. All along the path of the flower there is an increase in official and unofficial tariffs. Even renting a retail space at a wholesale and retail market like Rizhsky in Moscow from March 1 to March 8 becomes twice as expensive. How much does all this affect prices? Different for different types of flowers delivered from different countries. No one thought for sure, but the entrepreneurs with whom I had to communicate claim that the cost of imports rises by 30-40% on the holidays.

Most of all, market participants themselves do not like such dances: flowers are not a commodity for which people and companies are ready to pay any price. Therefore, in order not to lose regular customers, wholesale companies even reduce the margin on holidays - from the usual 20-30% to 15-18%. In rubles, the wholesale price, of course, is growing all the same, but disproportionately to import costs. We did the same: we raised holiday prices for corporate customers to compensate for the additional costs. Well, and if it worked out, just a little more. And cheap bouquets, whose buyers are especially sensitive to price, were excluded from the range in the first days of March.

60,000 for three women. Who is bigger?

A special song - VIP-orders, floral arrangements that are made for the wives and girlfriends of wealthy men, women leaders and employees of high receptions. The secretary of the minister will not notice the congratulations if you present her with just a box of chocolates. But if you put sweets in an unusually designed basket of flowers, it's another matter. And such a sign of respect is expensive: 10-15 thousand rubles for a floristic composition of rare exotic flowers is far from the limit.

Is it profitable to work with VIP clients? Yes. But only if everything is in place in the formula of relationships with them: the order arrives in advance + there is high-quality live material + there are experienced craftsmen who can emphasize its beauty + the client himself does not spread his fingers like a fan.

Somehow we received an order from one non-poor and loving Muscovite: on March 8, deliver three gifts to three addresses: two gorgeous bouquets for mistresses, and a giant flower basket for my wife. The result was an order for the amount of 60,000 rubles. But the client did not raise an eyebrow and threw an advance payment from the card into our account. And I forgot about it in the park, and re-issued an invoice for him to pay in cash. Everything that followed was like a cheap comedy.

Festive morning delivery of flowers to mistresses went like clockwork. Everyone was happy! By dinner, we collected tulips left in our refrigerator - 400 pieces! - and made a huge multi-colored composition. By three o'clock in the afternoon, the taxi driver Ararat, involved in a responsible task, took the order to a restaurant, where the client decided to put a festive end and congratulate his wife. But at the appointed time, the customer did not appear. He arrived only three hours later, drunk as a skunk. And when Ararat showed him a check for 60,000, he exploded: “Did you decide to cheat me?! I paid for everything!" If the man were sober, one call to our workshop, and the problem would be solved in a minute. But it was easier to teach the hare to read than to find out when and how he made the payment. I myself, after a sleepless night, was also as if drunk.

Ararat had to be saved: after waiting three hours, he was taken hostage by the raging customer and his perplexed friends. What was to be done? I gave the command to leave the basket and finish the disassembly. We didn't earn anything from this basket. And the taxi driver and florists had to be paid in full for the work.

The unpredictability of VIP clients, who cannot be refused, is the main reason for sleepless March nights. Just as your florist team completes the day's quota, the phone rings at 9:00 pm. A corporate customer reports that tomorrow's morning delivery is up by several high-priced baskets. And leading florists, having taken a hefty dose of coffee, have to stay at night.

It happens that the gift is ready, but the delivery is in jeopardy. Or by car on Moscow traffic jams in time not to be in time. Or the address where you need to issue a special pass. How do you like, say, a trip late in the evening on March 7 to the White House on Krasnopresnenskaya Embankment? It was necessary to have time to congratulate the assistant of a major government official before she left work. I grabbed a basket of favorite lilies of the valley of an important lady and rushed to the subway. Managed to do everything in just half an hour. And then ... an hour wandered around the floors and basements of the empty White House. I could not find the way to the entrance through which I entered it, and there was no one to tell me.

What "flowers" grew in a crisis

The small flower gift market is sensitive to events in the big economy. Some industry rises uphill - florists begin to carry bouquets to the corresponding industry companies. In 2009, our first major client was a well-known mobile phone sales network that was rebranding. We made her bouquets of tulips in the colors of the new brand. And with their help, she announced her new image to female partners. Then, IT companies developing systems for large organizations became the leaders in orders, and the gifts we made went to the receptions of state corporations and ministries. In 2013-2014, the arms manufacturing company became the best buyer.

And then the crisis came, imports rose in price by 30-40%, and the demand for everything flower fell sharply. How much? No one can say for sure: the market is not transparent. But if we evaluate the officially declared volume in pieces, it turns out that in 2016, 22% less cut flowers were imported into Russia than two years before. And only in 2017 there was a new growth: +6%. Familiar exotic importers testify that the most noticeable drop in sales occurred in the middle and medium-low segments of premium floristry. People who could previously afford exquisite bouquets began to deny themselves such pleasure. The structure of their demand has changed in favor of services and goods that cannot be refused: medicine, education, useful gadgets.

Most noticeably cut spending on flowers, which are purchased for their own employees. HR departments are increasingly replacing them with something more useful - certificates for cosmetics or candy. And those who follow the tradition often order tulips or hyacinths without packaging: they themselves then peel them and put them in plastic bags. A flower compliment costs in Moscow floristic companies from 350 rubles (five tulips in cellophane) to 800 rubles (three gerberas with mimosa in a flowerpot). You can't do it cheaper. Few people buy more expensive for intracorporate congratulations.

VIP-orders - superbouquets - have not become less: you cannot give a certificate to the deputy chairman of the bank. But some VIP congratulations, even very expensive ones, do not make the difference. For a floristic company to be successful, it must be able to earn consistently, and not just on big holidays. To do this, it is not enough to collect beautiful bouquets and burn at work. It is important to create a balanced business model focused on "your" type of customers and provide it with all the necessary resources. But no matter what model of flower business you take, for all participants of the project "March 8" is a holiday with lack of sleep in front of your eyes. Avral is avral.

The flower business is often run by families. After the crisis began, Tatyana and I decided not to take any more risks and sold our online boutique to another married couple. Business is over. But now I again give my wife flowers on Women's Day. The mystery of the holiday is back.

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Cover photo: Anadolu Agency / Getty Images