If you are already a fan of outdoor events and enjoy creating something unique for others, this might be the kind of business you can start. With a good plan, strong communication skills, and differentiated content, you can start a picnic business in your area with few materials. This post is your go-to guide on how to start a picnic business.
To get you to the specifics of how to start a picnic business, we will discuss the following:
What is a picnic business, anyway?
When you own a picnic business, you offer customers an Instagram-worthy atmosphere by organizing an outdoor custom picnic experience. People attain the services of your business to enjoy good company, delicious food, and an ambiance of their choice. Your customers want the pleasure of getting dressed and showing up at the picnic with everything set up in advance. Even better, you allow them to never clean up afterward.
To put it differently, the essential services that your business provide include picnic set up, décor, food and beverages, service, and clean-up. A complete restaurant-like experience for lower cost (or similar in some cases to be honest).
Also, the pandemic had an impact on the rise of this business industry. When people felt unsafe about the indoor coffee and restaurant dine-in outings, an outdoor picnic idea was a great alternative.
Who should start this kind of business?
Trust me when I tell you, anyone. You can run the business well if you have a passion for planning outdoor events and good communication skills to connect all the dots. You will have to consider a couple of things, and that’s why we are here for you.
Do you need any specific education, courses, or training?
I would way no, but. You can always benefit from an online course on hosting skills, setting up outdoor events, hospitality skills, and a lot more. Online courses and training programs help keep you updated with what’s new and trendy. Remember that an entrepreneur can never get enough learning and development.
Do your research
A good practice here would be to understand more about the habits of people in your area, neighborhood, and the city where you plan to start your business. You need to research the market you are entering to know who is already offering similar services. Also, you will need to know how frequently people book their picnics with them. This type of research will help you understand who you are targeting with your picnic business, what they are looking for, and how you should plan your business to grab their attention.
What do you need to consider to start the business?
Costs
Starting a picnic business does not require a lot of capital. However, there are some essential costs that you need to incur, such as the set up costs of supplies, transportation, clean-up, and marketing tools. Other options costs can include the paid ads on social media and insurance fee.
Food
Good food, good day. You need to ensure that you contract good catering businesses that can provide you with multiple menu options that serve all food orientations. Preparing mouth-watering menus can catch the eyes of many potential customers. One thing to remember here is that the eye eats before the mouth, so you must ensure perfect packaging and display of your food.
It’s also essential to research the kind of certificates your food handlers need to hold to ensure you are safe and legit here.
Location, location, location
I would say that finding and knowing unique spots to plan your picnics for customers is essential. Customers want to try out the picnic experience with a scenic view, good music, and other factors that please their senses. Building effective relationships with owners and landlords with unique places is important in this job. I remember meeting someone who owned an outdoor area but only rented it to one event planner!
Supplies and Suppliers
As mentioned earlier, you must purchase essential supplies for your setup. This includes basic furniture, tableware, blankets, cushions, and others. The good thing here is all these are reusable, with deep and dry cleaning services after every picnic.
Also, you should have a suppliers’ list for all your purchases for the business. The list will include transportation companies, catering businesses, florists, and others related to the business. Remember to have more than one contact for every category if anything happens to your leading supplier.
Promoting the brand of your picnic business
No matter how great your food is or how unique your ideas for picnics are, if you don’t market them well, you will not find your next potential customers. After you set up your catchy brand name, you need to get to the field, take great images of your picnic locations, and start telling others about them.
Instagram is a great platform now to market your picnic business. Your mobile phone camera can help you do magic. By posting attractive images, stories, and reels, you increase the number of followers and potential customers.
I also encourage you to create a website for your business and link it to your Instagram. This may be an additional cost. But a website for your picnic business builds trust with your potential customers since they can check your packages and services with a few clicks. Check out this great guide on how to build a website.
Leaving some flyers and business cards after setting up the picnic can also be a good marketing strategy. Your customers are eager to post about the picnic on their social media. Therefore, the more branding you have in the ambiance, the more you will increase your reach.
I would also like to let you know that themed picnic ideas are also essential to include in your packages and promotion. Could you tell your customers that you are there to help put together their unique celebrations? Birthdays, proposals, anniversaries, and graduation parties, are special events that people love to celebrate remarkably.
Bottom-line
Putting all things together, starting a picnic business can be fun and profitable for anyone who enjoys hosting and DIY ideas. You’ll be able to kick off your business with a suitable supplier list, communication, and organization skills. Promoting your business through good marketing, branding, and photography will help your business stand out.
Finally, if you’re out of time and would like a consultant to help you plan your picnic business, reach out to one of our freelancers.
Meet The Author Of This Article
I’m Jenny Ayman, a project manager in the development field with specific knowledge and experience in capacity building and entrepreneurship programs. I aspire to transfer the hands-on experience I gain in my professional career through writing.
Also, if you need help planning your business, I recommend checking out some of our freelancer’s business plans or pitch decks!
