The trend of bringing online solutions to pretty much anything continues. There are already many applications available for users to scan houseplants to find out how to take better care of them. And though starting an online plant shop or plant nursery can seem a bit out of the box, only a feasibility study can evaluate how much potential this business endeavor will have.
For more: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/online-plant-nursery-market-insights-navigating/
About the reviewer:
Cynthia Turner, business plan developer at OGS Capital, has over a decade of expertise in business in strategy development for building lasting relationships between startups and local communities.
Feasibility of a business idea
Many online resources are available nowadays to carry out a preliminary assessment of a business idea’s feasibility. Sample business plans, reports and industry research carried out over the years are freely available. For innovative ideas, there won’t be an exactly matching example, but there will still be something to use as a reference. For an online plant nursery, a sample plant shop business plan can be used.
Writing a business plan
When writing a business plan, focus on three factors that can help you determine your market strategy: approach to sales, content and communication. Your strategy should show an understanding of what a plant nursery is, how it operates and who your clients are. For online businesses, it is important to explore the availability of technology and applications and how the systems will be sustained and managed.
Finding a competitive feature
Competition is fierce across industries, what really helps startups is to come up with an idea that’s not only novel, but which also either provides a solution to a problem faced by the target audience or a startup that fills up a niche demand.
To consider and research:
- Current market situation, main players, market share division, current trends and demand;
- Emerging trends and potential demand in the future;
- Opportunities, namely which segments of the market are currently not catered to or overlooked. There is great potential in focusing on closing niche segment demand;
- Carrying out a SWOT analysis for an online plant nursery.
Conclusion
Expansion into new markets and growth are the underlying goals of most businesses. However, many entrepreneurs choose to overlook the benefits and business perspectives of partnering up with the locals, both in terms of businesses and the target audience. Especially for a startup promoting ecology and a green lifestyle, becoming an active part of the local community is an efficient marketing strategy.
Exploration for online solutions for classical business has a lot of potential. It is a process that started a while ago, and along with development in technology and software, it is becoming a sought after trend.