The holiday season is already upon us, and one of the most common things during the time is seeing people rush around to get the perfect Christmas tree for their homes. While Christmas trees are comparatively inexpensive, there is always a high demand for them every year in most parts of the world. That makes it a good business opportunity for any spirited entrepreneur looking to make quick cash during the festive period.
The Christmas tree industry is a fairly competitive one, yet rakes up to $1.1 billion every year in the United States. So, if you are wondering how to make money as this year closes down, you might want to consider selling Christmas trees in your neighborhood. In this post, we will discuss everything you need to know to get the business off the ground.
So, let’s get straight into it!
Why Should You Consider Selling Christmas Trees As a Business?
The truth is that if you really need quick money during the Christmas and New Year seasons, selling Christmas trees should be part of your list. It doesn’t matter how bad the economy is, or how bad people’s financial lives get, they would always have enough to spend on a Christmas tree.
People no longer go for artificial Christmas trees; they all prefer to have them natural. And because of this, more farms growing Christmas trees are springing up by the day in the U.S. So, even though it is a seasonal business, you can be sure it can help you make good money at the close of the year.
How Much Can You Make Selling Christmas Trees?
This is another good question. Well, it depends on how many trees you are able to sell and how strong your marketing plan is. But you can make about 50% to 200% markup on each tree. If you are able to sell enough trees and ones with good heights, you can make thousands of dollars before the season finally winds up.
When Should You Start to Sell?
The ideal time to start planning your Christmas tree selling business is towards the end of November. By the first Saturday in December, your business should already be up and running. Sales should continue even till the closing on Christmas Eve and Christmas day. You will always have last-minute shoppers, so position your business to receive them.
How to Start a Business Selling Christmas Trees
#1: First, get familiar with the market by conducting a comprehensive market research
Like with any other business, you shouldn’t also start a Christmas tree selling business without first understanding what’s in it for you. Conduct thorough research to identify who your target market is, their preference, and where you can best position yourself to meet them.
Get to know the length of tree that sells more, and understand the popular varieties that are, including noble, Turkish firs, grand, and silvertip. Knowing all of these will give you a good start in the business and help program the business for success.
#2: Know the best place to buy your trees
Well, this should also be part of your market research, but it’s what mentioning separately because it will go a long way to determine your success in the business. As you get close to the middle of November, it is ideal that you identify the Christmas tree farms around you. List them all down and start contacting them to know which one will be perfect and available for your business.
At the same time, if you think you have what it takes to start your own farm, including a good plot of land and the expertise, then look for farms that can sell you seedlings. But of course, you must have started preparing for this long time before December.
#3: Look for a perfect location for your business
This is a no-brainer. Getting yourself a perfect location will set your feet on the path to success. You actually don’t have to be at the busiest corner or right off the main drag before you can make good money selling Christmas trees. You only need to find a place that will be easy for your target markets to find. Get a place with features that can encourage your buyers, such as a parking space.
#4: Get the required equipment and materials
Yes, you will need to get some necessary tools and supplies for the business. Some of the things you might need include a few saws of varying lengths for cutting the trees and pruning shears for trimming down the branches.
You will also need packaging materials like twine, netting, cellophane, and bungee cords. If possible, you can buy these things in bulk to cut down on expenses.
#5: Know about the laws governing the business in your area
Don’t be too much in a haste to start the business and forget to check if there are any laws governing such a business in your area. to be on the good side of the law while you make money selling Christmas trees, contact state, and local authorities early enough to know what is required of you to run such a business.
#6: Have a good marketing plan in place
One of the keys to your success is knowing how to market the business to the right people. There is no better way to make more money from the business than understanding how to get the word out. So find good ways to market the business. Some avenues include Facebook posts, word of mouth, free Craigslist ads, flyers, ads in local newspapers.
#7: Hire and train more people to help
Whether you like it or not, the business might become too overwhelming for you to handle alone as time goes. So, plan ahead for extra help during peak hours each day. When you hire some people, don’t neglect the place of training. Make sure they understand the vision behind your business and let them know all they need to know to deliver the best service and product to customers.
Final Note
Selling Christmas trees during the festive period is a good way of making extra cash during Christmas. It doesn’t require much capital to start and you can always with little or no experience about planting trees. You only need to have a good business plan and marketing strategy.
If you are thinking of making money selling Christmas trees this season, here is everything you need to know. And one interesting thing about the business is that you can combine it with other stuff to rev up revenue!
