One tried-and-true method of generating a little extra income at your studio’s dance recitals is to sell bouquets of dance recital flowers to proud parents. This strategy is genius, as parents love having the option to pick up lovely flowers for their dancers without having to make a pit stop at the florist. However, it often takes studios a few years to perfect their flower-selling processes, as the cost, supply, and execution can be a bit confusing. If you’re selling bouquets for the first time, here are some tips to help you make the most out of this recital extra.
Determine the Demand
The first time you’re selling bouquets at your end-of-season recital, you probably won’t know how many to order. Should you assume that half of the parents will purchase flowers? Or maybe three-fourths? It can easily become a guessing game.
However, it’s best to come up with an informed estimate instead of picking a random number. After all, you don’t want to end up with 20 extra bouquets, as that’s just a waste of money. Consider sending out a survey to parents to get an estimate of how many people would buy recital flowers and what price point they’re interested in.
When in doubt, err on the lesser side. It’s better to sell out than to have bouquets left over.
Arrange for Flower Delivery
Hopefully, you left ample time in your flower-planning process to arrange for delivery. Dance Exec recommended that you contact local florists at least one to two months in advance. If you wait until the last minute, you might not be able to get competitive quotes on the style of bouquets you’d like. You also may want to explore online vendors, such as 48 Longstems. Odds are, you’ll get a better price online.
When you’re ordering, keep the price point that parents agreed to in mind. You’ll want to mark up the flowers at much as possible so you can optimize your profits. If you can find quality bouquets for $10 a bundle, you should aim to sell them for around $20 apiece. Another option to consider is just purchasing a large number of roses or carnations and allowing parents to purchase one or more for around $5.
Consider Pre-Selling Bouquets
Another option that dance studio owners suggested on this Dance.net forum is to pre-sell recital flowers. This takes a lot of the guesswork out of the equation and also eliminates the need for someone to man the bouquet booth on recital day.*
If you’re going to do a pre-sale, create order forms and hand them out to your parents. Then you simply give the orders and payment to your local florist, and let them take care of the rest! Parents can pick up their pre-ordered bouquet on recital day. The only downside of this method is that some parents might forget to place their orders and be disappointed come recital day. If you think this may be the case, pick up a few extra arrangements for last-minute sales. Be sure to mark the prices up accordingly!
Other Merchandise to Stock Up On
When you’re selling bouquets at recitals, chances are that parents will be willing to purchase other add-ons for their accomplished dancers. For this reason, it is often beneficial to have other merchandise available at recitals. Consider having branded studio attire, balloons, teddy bears, trophies, or recital DVD forms available for parents. These inexpensive items are often a hit with students and parents alike, and they are a great way to generate a little extra revenue for your studio.
