Greenhouse Business Plan for the Summer

Making a solid greenhouse business plan and running a successful operation requires a lot of forethought. Seasons tend to sneak up on you, and they’re gone before you can maximize them. We are already well into the summer!  

In the greenhouse industry, summers are all about planning. This year may have been a bit different for your business, but now is the time to plan for next year. We hope this checklist will help you take advantage of this season.

Greenhouse Business Plan: Summer Checklist

• Look at previous spring sales and make necessary changes to planning. Don’t factor in this year’s sales too much, though. Next year may be different! Go ahead and book your orders for plants, pots, and soil for spring sales to have the best chance at availability. Make sure you add at least two weeks in buffer time for any unforeseen delays! You can always add to or make changes to those orders later.  Need help setting better goals? You can find our blog on that here.

• Clean house and get ready for next season. Your greenhouse is likely more empty than usual. Take advantage of this opportunity to clean out, reorganize, and make any applicable upgrades to your facility.

• Speaking of upgrades, make sure your office or retail space is staying cool, while saving money. This article from the NC State Extension talks about home energy conservation, but the information can be applied to your business space.

• Update your website. It’s good to take a look at your website at least once a year to freshen it up. Make sure your prices are up to date, your products are listed, and all of the information you want shared is easily accessible. I would encourage you to take this time to consider expanding your business online. Check out easy ways to do that here.

• Make an advertising plan for the fall and following spring. Some of our best money spent is on advertising costs. You don’t have to be pushy or salesy. You simply want to get your name out there so that people know you are nearby and can see what you have to offer.

• Maintain a small online presence through free advertising. Remember to update Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, or other forms of social media, with anything that shows off your finished product. Your goal is not to sell plants, but to be part of the gardening community. If you don’t have any social media accounts, make some! Check out our blog on how to boost business through social media.

• Start advertising for the fall. Throughout the summer, you can release sneak peeks or subtle hints at what you will be offering for the upcoming season. These posts will be the groundwork for your fall advertising plan.

• Take a vacation. Now is the best time to get away. If you’re a small business owner, you know you’re not going to have a break again until next year!

What can you sell now?

Mostly foliage, houseplants, and succulents. Not a lot of blooming plants sell during the hot summer months, but house plants are becoming increasingly popular. Houseplants are a big seller for the millennial market, especially if you display the plants in creative containers.

What can you produce for the fall?

It’s late in the game at this point for most fall crops. Succulents, however, are always a safe bet. These easy-to-care-for plants are a hot seller year-round —  especially if you display them in unique containers, too!

New to the greenhouse business? Give us a call at (704) 283-1800. We’ll be glad to help you out!