Selling from the Greenhouse
Your greenhouse is a setting in your landscape that is a center of attention. A commercial greenhouse is also a hub of attention as customers come to find what you have been growing and to review the types of plants they may want for their own. A commercial greenhouse, even if originally started for private use, should be located with easy access for potential customers.

Posted Thursday, April 6, 2006

In making the decision to sell from your greenhouse, you will have to note what type of sales you want to focus on. There are mail order sales, walk in sales, and wholesale plant sales. Mail order is just that; mailing plants, seeds, and starters to gardeners across the state or country. Walk in sales are customers who know where your greenhouse is, and come to buy seeds, starts and plants for their gardening needs. Wholesale plants sales take place as you go out and make contacts in the retail world. You'll start to sell plants and seeds to these stores who will in turn sell them to customers.

To start selling from your greenhouse, you will want to learn more about your market. What does your market need most? Who are you going to sell to? How are you going to reach your market and let them know what you have for sale? What type of plants are your customers wanting to grow? What types of plants are going to survive best where you are selling them?

To reach your market and be successful in sales from a greenhouse you will have to think about a few more things, such as: How will you get your plants to your customers? If you have to ship plants you will need containers that will protect them on their journey. How can you "cold call" on retailers? You will need to start with a listing of stores that sell plants, and that are in a great location to sell them successfully.

Depending on the type of greenhouse sales that you are going to promote, you will need a way to reach potential customers. Cold calling, hanging flyers, passing out business cards, making contacts in agricultural centers, and even in local business chambers will aid in your successful greenhouse nursery business.

What are some of the hidden costs of operating a commercial greenhouse? Customers often return items when they fail to keep up on the care needed for growing their plants. Taxes and fees related to sales, and being a retailer can add up quickly. The time to do paperwork, purchasing, and collecting receivables are often forgotten about.

What are some of the advantages of operating commercial greenhouse that you might not have thought about? You are going to be able to grow more for less money. Seedlings, seeds, and bulbs are going to cost less when purchased in bulk. Because you are growing, you can afford to give a few plants away to new customers, and they will return to purchase more from your greenhouse if satisfied. The commercial greenhouse is a way to create your own job, without having to punch the time card and worry about getting to work on time!

What is the most important thing that one should be thinking about when starting a commercial business? Location of the greenhouse involving growing and ease in getting to the greenhouse for customers to find you. If you are in a rural area, where customers easily get lost finding you, it can be difficult to attract new business. If you are located along a highway or on the way to another large retail store you have easy landmarks for customers to locate you.

Planning a successful greenhouse business can take a minimum of six months, but up to two years for some. Starting with your first crops while advertising will be the basis for a successful first season but planning the business operations, when you do what and how you are going to reach the market will be equally important.