Starting a plant nursery business is a perfect way to pursue your passion for gardening and plants. It can be an exciting opportunity for you to earn income whilst doing what you love! But before you think about even running a business, you need to carefully plan and conduct thorough research. Let’s go through a few basic steps to help you get started.
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Step 1) Choose your plant nursery business structure
There are various types of plant nursery businesses. Some may choose to specialise only in certain type of plants whilst others may operate on a mail order basis. Retail nurseries sell primarily to homeowners whilst wholesale nurseries sell to landscape contractors, distributors and retail outlets. Do your research on the pros and cons of each type of plant nursery business and choose accordingly. You should consider your desired size and profitability of the business and practicability of obtaining resources in choosing the most suitable type of business you wish to run.
Step 2) Create a business plan
Arguably, this is the most important step when starting a business. You need to map out the specifics of your business and understand your business goals. Grab a piece of pen and paper and start answering these questions in detail:
- Who is your target market and how will you reach them?
- What is the name of your business?
- Where will you be located?
- What are the startup and ongoing costs? How will you cover these costs?
- Who will be your suppliers?
- What is your business goal? Do you have a mission statement?
- How much will your charge customers for each product?
Note, you must also comply with any legal requirements applicable to your type of business. Navigate your way through Australian Securities & Investments Commission website here.
Step 3) Understand the plant nursery industry
After you’ve chosen your plant nursery business structure and spent a reasonable amount of time creating your business plan, it is now time to really dive deep into understanding the industry. This is a crucial step in order to succeed in the long term. Consider reaching out to existing plant nursery businesses to learn valuable tips and examine which type of plants are currently most in demand. You can ask insightful questions such as:
- What were you biggest struggles when setting up the business? How did you overcome this?
- Is there anything you wish you did differently when starting up your business?
- What is your number one tip for being successful?
- How did you get your business name out there?
- Who are your competitors at the moment?
Step 4) Advertise your business
Now that you’ve understood your business structure, plan and the industry, you need to wrap your head around how you will advertise your plant nursery business. You can choose to market on sites such as Google as well as popular social media platforms. Instagram in particular is a growing marketing platform for businesses. The algorithm allows for targeted advertising, distributing your business name in consideration of the age and interests of users. There’s no point wasting your money on advertisements for people who wouldn’t even give a second glance. So take advantage of social media platforms and read more about the 5 Ways Your Business Can Use Social Media Effectively.
Final Note
This can be a lot to take in at first. But once you get through the nitty gritty of planning, you’ll have a clear idea on how to start your plant nursery business. If you’re still unsure, you also have the option of obtaining legal advice on certain matters in starting a business. Now, get to work and live out your dreams!
