How to Start Your Own Card Making Business

Pricing Your Cards

Setting a price for your handmade cards is often the most difficult part of starting a card making business. Your price should be based on:

• The cost of materials: Try to calculate your material cost by dividing the price of bulk purchases by the amount of cards you’ve created. For example, a spool of ribbon that costs $3 and provides enough decoration for 10 cards adds 30 cents to the price of each card. Similarly, a package of five fancy vellum envelopes purchased for $5 will add $1 to the price of each card.
• Overhead expenses: Paying for advertising, packaging, and other miscellaneous business expenses can be costly. Keep track of what you spend and include this figure in the price of your cards.
• The value of your time: How much money do you want to earn from your card making business? Do you need a salary that’s comparable to a regular full-time job or are you just looking for a fun way to support your hobby?
• General market competition: To get a better idea of how much money people are willing to pay for handmade greeting cards, you’ll need to do some market research. Talk to other crafters, visit local craft shows, and keep your eyes peeled for cards that resemble your designs.

Selling Your Cards

If you want to start your own card making business, you have several different options. You can sell your cards online, make them available for purchase in your community, or accept special orders.

Selling Cards Online

The Internet has made it easier than ever for crafters to generate interest in their work. Sites like Etsy provide an opportunity for you to set up your own virtual shop to attract customers who are searching for unique handmade items. If you decide to try this business strategy, just remember to factor in the expense of shipping charges and listing fees in to the price of your cards.

Selling Cards Locally

If you don't want to sell your cards at local craft shows, try visiting gift shops and specialty stores in your community to see if they would be interested in making your cards available for purchase. You’ll need to offer the owner a percentage of the purchase price, but this arrangement is an easy way to generate interest in your product.

Taking Special Orders

While many crafters sell their designs to the general public, focusing on professionals in need of attractive and unique greeting cards can be a highly profitable strategy. For example, many businesses send out Christmas cards to their clients. If you come up with a pretty design that can be easily reproduced, you may find yourself with an order for 50 to 100 greeting cards.

Keeping Accurate Records

Although learning how to start your own card making business can provide a great creative outlet for your talents, don’t forget that it’s important to keep accurate business records. In addition to recording how much money you earn from selling your cards, you’ll also need to keep track of the cost of your supplies. To make this process less stressful, set up a simple filing system and plan to devote one day per month to updating your business records.

If you have questions about how your business income will affect your tax liability, it’s best to speak with a qualified accountant.

Additional Information on How to Start Your Own Card Making Business

If you want to learn more about how to start your own card making business, turn to LoveToKnow Business for an extensive collection of articles on entrepreneurship. For example:

• Home-Based Business Tax Deductions
• How to Start a Home-Based Business
• Characteristics of Successful Entrepreneurs