Which businesses thrive around Valentine’s Day?

As Valentine’s Day approaches, there are opportunities for both romance and revenue. As consumers across the country increase their spending on gifts and romantic dates, for businesses the period is a time to acquire new customers and increase profits. If you are looking for a new business idea, the following are the businesses which thrive around Valentine’s Day.

1. Florists

Valentine’s Day is one of the busiest days of the year for florists, with bouquets a popular gift option. There are many ways to start a floristry business, from a small stall selling single roses to a website with a wide range of bouquet choices. Floristry is a passion and requires a gifted keen eye to put together breathtaking bouquets that your customers will love. It pays to take a floristry course to ensure that you understand the industry inside and out. If you're already a qualified florist looking to progress and open your own business, start by taking a look at your competitors and try to find something which will help you stand out. For example, you could offer a subscription or personalised delivery service.

2. Confectionary

Who doesn't love chocolate? Very few people! There are many popular days in the year for confectionary businesses, such as Halloween, Easter, Christmas, Birthdays and more. However, Valentine’s Day offers a unique opportunity for personalising confectionary and increasing profit margins. Great business ideas include personalised chocolate wrappers or decorated chocolate bars, whatever your skills there are many ways to add a unique touch to confectionary.

3. Valentine’s Day cards

They say Valentine’s Day was started by greeting cards companies as a way to increase profits. If you have an eye for graphic design or enjoy crafts, making cards can be a lucrative business idea. There may be local events where you can sell your cards, although online sites such as Etsy are also a great place to start. You could also use social media to drive customers to your website.

4. Babysitting

If you are looking for a business idea with low start up costs, babysitting is a great option. Many parents would like to have an evening to themselves, however they struggle to find a babysitter. Local papers, shop advertising boards and social media pages are a great way to advertise your services. To give yourself a head start, apply for a basic Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check to get a copy of your criminal record. It costs £23 and provides your employer with peace of mind that their children are in safe hands. Then you need to figure out your hourly rate and start advertising.

5. Write poetry and love letters

If you're a budding writer, have you considered writing poetry or love letters? A simple and low-cost business idea is poetry and love letter writing, especially if you have a natural flair for words. If you are able to create heart-touching poems or personalised love letters, you could sell your services to those who are looking for a unique Valentine’s Day gift. This business would work brilliantly alongside a card design business.

6. Organise a Valentine’s event

If you have great event organisation skills, you could use these to plan a local Valentine’s event. Many couples will be looking for a date night idea and your event could reel in the crowds. There are many event options, such as stage performances, comedy nights, pop-up restaurants and live music nights. Or even consider lonely hearts looking for love and set up a fun speed dating event.

7. Baked goods

If you are a great baker, there are many opportunities to sell your baked goods around Valentine’s Day. For example, personalised cupcakes and cookies are always popular options for gifts and there are many potential sales outlets. Your local shop, café and craft fair are great places to stock your items and it could open the door for future sales.

We know that finding a great business idea is only the first step, the key to succeeding depends on many factors. Here at BusinessComparison we aim to help your business succeed by finding the best deals for financial products. Whether you need help finding the best startup business bank account or help arranging a loan to get you up and running, we will find the you best deals. Our comparison tool is designed to be quick to use and we compare deals from both leading providers and smaller independent organisations. To find out more, please contact our team today.

Kerry Fawcett