How To Start A Candle Making Business

Candle making business is one of the most popular handmade business ideas. If creativity is your forte and you love the idea of solopreneurship. Then, making hand-poured candles is for you.

You can read further to know more about the business of handmade candles.

How To Start A Candle Making Business

Is Candle Making Profitable?

Suppose your selling price is more than your expenses.  Then, for sure your candle making business will be a successful one. The expenses also include the cost of marketing, shipping, and making costs. The raw material costs are a small portion of the entire cost.

Though it is easier said than done. When you are starting a candle business, you would get overwhelmed by the entire ordeal. But if you follow a candle making business plan. Then, the entire process will streamline and will seem easier to follow.

How To Start A Candle Making Business

1. Invest In Candle Making Courses 

To sell candles, you must be able to create them. You can learn through the process of trial and error at your home. Though, you would require a professional course to master creative candle making.

This post may contain affiliate links. That means if you purchase any of the products mentioned in this article through routing via the links in this post. Then, I may end up receiving a certain monetary percentage from the sale. Though the one who purchases through the link does not end up paying anything extra apart from the mentioned MRP on the product. Full disclosures on the Affiliate Page.

• Save

• Save

A professional candle maker would guide you with various candle properties like :

• How to make candles last long
• How to add natural fragrances
• How to create candles that do not add to pollution
• How to create candles with creative shapes
• How to make personalized candles

2. Identify Who Buys Hand-Poured Candles

Understand this as knowing your customers. So, if you know what kind of handmade candles your customers prefer. Then, it is easier for you to create the ones that will propel your candle making business.

For instance, some people would prefer simple candles with witty humorous quotes. Though some would like the ones with exotic shapes.

So, if you know about your target market. Then, it gets easier to excel in your candle business niche.

3. Select A Suitable Name For Your Candle Business

An appropriate name for a business plays a vital role in brand pull. Therefore, pick up one that best suits your business image. 

If you cannot think of one. Then, try to play with your name in a quirky manner. Coco Chanel and Versace are examples of brand names made out of individuals. 

The best tactic would be to create a short and memorable word with your initials. Of course, you must check if there is no copyright issue with the name. That will save you legal troubles later on when your business becomes successful.

4. Look For The Best Candle Making Supplies

Wax is the raw material for making candles. So, you would need it in bulk to create all sorts of candles.

Most handmade candles are of beeswax or soy wax. The other elements of candle making supplies list include wicks, dyes, and moulds. 

Once made, you would then need labels and packaging supplies for shipping. 

Hence, it would be wise to look for wholesale candle making supplies.

5. Price Them Right

Much like the niche, the price of your candles matters. Every niche within a category can have different price points. 

As per your business goals, you will have to set your price. Struggles associated with pricing will ease if you price as per your niche.

While starting out, the price similar to your direct competitor. From there you can go higher or lower with experience up your sleeve.

How much money you make selling candles should align with your pricing strategy.  

6. Dress Them Well

It is rare for first impressions to go out of memory.

So is true for candles as well. It is rare for anyone to use an unpleasant-looking candle. Hence, it is the good-looking and smelling candles that run the show.

Along with creating fabulous candles, you should also package them well.

Branded packaging/labeling helps in the marketing strategy for the candle business.

So, if your candles are high in aroma. Then, the packaging must keep the scents intact.

7. Identify The Best Places To Sell Candles

Craft shows and handmade fairs are the best starting points to test your candles.

Depending on the feedback, you can decide on expanding/ limiting your product line.

In the current times, the best way forward would be to start your online store. Though, you can also invest in small kiosks to facilitate visual sensation.

8. Comply With Regulations

Since candles create fumes, your business would require pollution certifications. The laws would differ depending upon the country where you operate/ sell.

So, you must get the mandatory certifications sorted out before you become big.

9. Start Marketing And Never Stop

Marketing is a marathon that never ends. Over the years marketing has become synonymous with digital marketing. 

Therefore, the sooner you learn how to promote your crafted candles, the better it is.

Organic marketing with content and SEO is the best way forward. But for a boost, you can also try performance marketing.

10. Stick To A Simple Handmade Candle Business Plan

Planning is an important part of the business. It is all the more important to stick to a strategic plan when you are starting out.

Several steps and sub-steps complicate the business plans. That is one of the reasons why small handmade business owners shy away from using one.

To tackle the challenge, you can start with a small 2-page business plan.

It should collect basic data like supplies/product/customer management. Calculating the number of hours spent and the break-even point will be a bonus.

This basic information will track your progress. Plus, it will also help analyze your business with real data.

11. Make Learning A Routine 

Not only for business, but learning should also be a routine for life.

To grow your candle making business, you will need expansion plans. That means exploring new markets along with product innovation.

For instance, you can bundle candle holders with candles and sell them as an upsell. Subscribing to business bulletins will help you with such golden nuggets.

So, keeping a holistic intent of your category and small businesses will help.

Conclusion

Starting a business from home seems scary. But it gets easier when you take small but consistent steps.
This article lists a few of the basic steps that will help to start a candle business. Do share it with someone who is looking for candle business tips.

Planning to Read this article later? Why not save it as a Pin by clicking on the Image below.

• Save