A great way to make an extra income is by starting a candle business. You can start a candle business with very little capital and it only takes a few days to get into the swing of things. This article can help you better understand the candle business and how you can start a candle business for yourself.
How to Start a Candle Business from Home Quickly
There is nothing quite like being your own boss and earning money from your hard work. Although this home business opportunity reaches into the real world along with the virtual world it’s still an excellent opportunity for someone who wants to earn an extra income. Plus, at the end of the article I will give you ideas on how to make this more of an online business.
The Basics of a Candle Business
Like any other crafts business you’re going to be selling products to customers. In this case the products are candles. There are business ideas that you’ll need to understand when starting any business and those also apply to the candle making business. I’ll go over a few of these ideas below for better understanding.
- Know Your Customers : Make candles that your customers are going to want. If they are interested in scented pillar candles, then that’s something that you’ll want to make. You can also query your customers to see what they like and you also could have people who request certain blends or designs.
- Know Your Customer Acquisition Cost : getting a customer to your website or store means you’re likely going to spend money on marketing and advertising. Keep a close eye on your advertising and try to figure out how much it costs to gain each customer. This can really help you in determining the profitable endeavors and the losing ones.
- Get Your Product Costs Down : Everyone knows that buying in bulk can reduce costs. For people just starting out and learning the business however this can be difficult. Try to shop around and get the lowest prices on the products you need in order to make the candles. Once you’ve established your business you can look into ordering larger quantities and how much you can save.
Products You’ll Need to Start Making Candles
Although this article is based on starting a business with candles and not how to make candles there are some basic elements that you will need in order to start making candles to sell. For people who are starting out on a low budget I included a stripped down list as well.
If you want to get all the information including how to make candles for a business it’s best to start with a course such as Candle Making 4 You. Learn more about the course here.
Start With the Wax
First thing you’ll need when starting a candle business is the wax. There are several different kinds of wax that you can use including soy, bees, and paraffin wax. The prices for each wax can vary greatly and each has pros and cons. You can start with smaller quantities of wax such as the 10 Pound block at Amazon. Keep in mind the shipping costs of wax since when you start ordering larger quantities later the shipping cost could rise dramatically.
Burner or Melting Pot
To melt the wax you’ll need a melting pot. Although many people who are just starting use old pots or pans they already have. Or you can visit a local thrift shop for inexpensive pots. If you want to save time and put less effort in you could check out some of the burners they have on Amazon.
Wicks For Your Candles
Wicks for your candles is sometimes not needed. Many people now use warming pots and other devices that heat and melt the wax. For pillar candles you’ll still need wicks however. If you’re just starting out you can omit these wicks and just make small melts. They are typically one of the most inexpensive items in the candle.
Color Your Candle
Making candles in cool colors can add lots of character to the candle. Matching the scents and colors can also help when selling them. For instance a “Pumpkin Pie” candle would need to be a burnt orange color. Although you don’t need color for the candle and it can be omitted it still helps the look of the candle.
Scented Oils
Many times the characteristic of what sells a candle is the scent. Offer the correct scent and you’ll sell more candles. For each scent however you’ll need a different essential oil or even a mixture of a few. If you’re low on capital try to determine what the most desired scents are and target those first.
Containers for Your Candles
You’ll need packaging for your candles. The containers can be all sorts of things including glass jars to plastic wrapping for melts or pillar candles. If you’ll be shipping the candles you’ll also want to make sure you can ship them safely in their packaging. To start you can make pillar candles which don’t require a jar.
Miscellaneous Items
If you’re starting a candle making business then one thing that you’ll want to consider is the miscellaneous items. Making candles is a messy process and you’ll need things like gloves, cleaners, and other items.
Where Do You Sell The Candles You Make?
Selling the products you make is where many people run into problems. It’s likely that your first batch or two won’t be that great so make sure that you really attempt to make a product that people will want to buy. You can start with selling to your family and friends and maybe even make a Facebook page to help promote your candles. You can also sell at places like festivals and home shows. Some of these shows will require a fee for vendors so be sure you have products to sell.
You can also start a website that has your candle products. When you’re just starting your candle business a website may be an expense but it could really secure orders from places that are not local. Of course you’ll need to market and promote the website along with your candles.
Another great way to sell your candles and products is by offering home parties where you give the person throwing the party a free gift or a discount if they get a certain number of orders. Throwing home parties is great to get things kick started in your candle making business.
There are lots of things you can do to make a candle business work for you. It helps to start with a proven blueprint. That way you don’t fall victim to so many of the common mistakes. If you want to get a head start on your candle business then I suggest you check out the Candle Making 4 You course which can teach you exactly how to turn this hobby into an extra paycheck each week!
If you have anything to add or if you’ve started your own candle making business be sure to let me know in the comments section below. I’d love to hear your experiences with your candle business.
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