Published by The Advisor Group, Ltd.
Experienced business consulting firm for over 30 years.

Business marketing and public relations plans usually cost anywhere from $1,000 to $10,000 and
the business planner typically has no experience in your business. This business plan is developed as a
result of over 8 years experience in owning and operating a Victorian Gift Gallery and English Tea Room.
If you are considering starting your own Gift Gallery or Tea Room, this manual could save you well
over $10,000 and help you avoid making many mistakes.

This manual will help you evaluate whether you should start a Tea Room.
It will educate you on how to start a Tea Room, and provide a total resource
of information for starting and operating your business.

Manual Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION

• Our business history & background
• The growing tea room phenomenon
• The history of tea

ASSESSING YOUR BUSINESS EXPERIENCE

• What is your work experience
• The “business hats” you must wear
• Filling in the “gaps” in your skills & knowledge
• Evaluating your skills

MARKETING & LOCATION

• Defining your customer profile
• Researching key market locations
• Determining your store location
• Parking requirements

BUSINESS ASPECTS OF SETTING UP YOUR BUSINESS

• Choosing a name
• Type of building
• Important facility layout
• Checklist for leasing a property
• Leasehold renovations
• Buying an existing business and converting the facility
• Utilities
• Basic floor plan and layout
• Remodeling and the disabilities act
• Dealing with building inspectors
• Handicap requirements

YOUR EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS

• Office equipment
• Kitchen & food equipment
• Gift store fixtures
• Tea room serving equipment
• Buying used equipment
• Sources and supplies
• Wholesale companies

• Your initial shopping list - tea and food resources
• Storing food
• Timing and serving food
• Menu
• Serving beverages & alcohol
• Food presentation
• Serving “high tea” and “proper tea”
• The culture and formality of serving tea
  

• What does the term “focus” mean
• Defining your business image
• The appropriate décor for a tea room
• Image issues you should avoid - No discounting
• Make the customer’s visit to your tea room an experience

• Determining your costs
• Adding “value” to your presentation
• Pricing tea & beverages
• Pricing your “high tea” & “proper tea” menu
• Pricing your lunch menu
• Pricing your gourmet dinner & special events menus
• Menu presentation
• Cash register, tickets & group billing issues
• Gratuity policy
• Carry-out & local delivery

• Gift gallery inventory
• Selecting your inventory & supplies
• Resources for purchasing inventory
• Creative displays
• Suppliers
• Design and color themes
• Sources for store displays
• Computer inventory tracking
• Calculating your mark-up

• Umbrella liability insurance
• Business & property liability insurance
• Vehicle insurance

• Staffing requirements
• Hiring personnel
• Staff wages & payroll
• Working & business hours
• Controlling staff hours
• Job descriptions

• Deciding on your legal entity
• Business tax opportunities
• Working with banks
• Control your indebtedness
• Financial management
• Accepting credit cards, checks and lay-a-ways
• Bookkeeping & accounting
• Payroll records
• Personal, business, state & local taxes
• Use of advisors & consultants
• Business licenses and permits

• Developing your printed image
• Your marketing budget
• Pre-marketing your business
• Promoting your grand opening
• Seeking feature articles
• Press releases
• Promoting special events
• Avoid discounting promotions
• Choosing the right media
• Personal contacts
• Direct mail cards
• Newsletters
• Mailing lists
• Brochure
• Display ads
• Yellow page ads
• Co-operative marketing
• Chamber of Commerce support
• Property signage
• Gift wrapping as a marketing tool
• Market, market, market

• Why use a web site
• Your web site image
• Keeping it simple to use
• Use of pictures
• Adding on-line shopping
• Methods of purchasing on-line
• Drop shipping and expanding your product line
• Gift wrapping and shipping
• Web site costs
• Personalizing your web site

BUSINESS OPEREATIONS

• Staff training
• Planning daily job descriptions
• Your refund policy
• How to offer special sales
• Your start-up budget
• Developing your first year operating budget
• Forecasting your break-even point
• When does the owner get paid
• General business principles

FINANCING YOUR BUSINESS

• Common business failure factors
• Methods of financing your business
• Financing resources
• Having “staying power” for the first five years

MISCELLANEOUS

As you can see, this manual is very comprehensive. It is designed to help you be successful and avoid failure. It will save you hundreds of hours of work and thousands of dollars in cost. In fact, it may even prevent you from failing in your new venture.

Price: $39.95 (Shipping in the USA is included)

We also provide personal consulting in our Tea Room at $150.00 hour. As a special, when you purchase this manual, you may receive up to 2 hours personal consultation on-site with lunch or by telephone for $200.00.

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