Candle making is a fun, easy way to create your own unique scents and styles. Not only that, but candle-making can be a lucrative business if you do it right. If you’re new to candle-making, don’t worry – this guide will help you get started. We’ll cover the basics of candle-making supplies and teach you how to make your very first candle!
Make Money Selling Candles from Home
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The candle-making process is simple: all you need is a stove, melting pot, fragrance oils (for scented candles), and some wax. With these supplies, anyone can make candles at home.
If you’re looking to set up your own candle business, there are a few things you’ll need to keep in mind. First, choose a candle style that you’re confident in making.
There are dozens of different candle styles out there, so it’s important to choose one that you know you can make well.
Next, research the competition and find out what other candle-makers are selling their candles for. Finally, set a fair price for your own candles – remember, the goal is to make money selling candles from home!
With these tips in mind, you’re ready to get started in the candle-making business. candle making is a fun and easy way to make extra money from home.
How much money do you need to start a candle business?
If you’re looking to start your own successful candle business, as opposed to just making some candles for family and friends, the good news is that you don’t need a lot of money to get started. Candle businesses are springing up every day and there is always room for one more.
The candle industry and sector is expanding and in 2019, it was valued at $3.54 billion and was projected to grow to $6.64 billion by 2027.
As already mentioned the minimum to get started is a heat source, melting pot/double boiling pot, wax, containers, and wicks. Of course, if you want to sell your candles, there are a few other things you’ll need to invest in.
You’ll need labels for the candle jars and maybe some higher-end tools like thermometers and pourers. We’ll go into more detail later.
The average cost of starting a candle business is between $200 and $500 – depending on the scale of your operation.
Of course, if you’re just looking to make a few candles for fun, the cost will be even lower.
Can you make money making and selling candles?
Is candle-making profitable? Oh Yes, you can! a candle-making business can be a fun and profitable hobby. With a little bit of creativity and elbow grease, you can make beautiful candles that will sell like hotcakes!
The amount you make will depend on how much effort you’re willing to put into your new venture. Handmade candles are one of those items that always seem to sell well.
How much can you make from selling candles?
This is a difficult question to answer as it depends on many factors such as candle size, candle price, how many candles you sell, etc.
However, a good average amount you can realistically achieve from your candle business is between 500-1000 dollars a month.
Getting Started Creating Your Candle Business from Home
Now that you know how much money you can make from selling candles, it’s time to get started on your candle business.
So what are the steps you need to take, and in what order should you do them? That’s all set out below.
Master Your Candle Formula
The first step is to perfect your candle formula. The secret to making candles that keep on selling means finding the right combination of wax, fragrance, and wicks that will give you a candle that burns evenly and smells great.
To do this, you’ll need to experiment with different types of waxes ( soy wax, beeswax, paraffin wax, etc.), fragrances (essential oils, synthetic fragrances, etc.), and wicks (cotton wicks, wood wicks, etc.).
Best selling candle scents
Some of the best selling candle scents are:
- Lavender
- Vanilla
- Cinnamon
- Pumpkin spice
- Peppermint
Select scents and fragrances for your targeted audience
When you know what scents are popular, it’s time to decide which scents you want to use for your candles.
You’ll need to think about your target audience and what type of candle they would like. For example, if you’re targeting a male audience, then using a floral scent probably wouldn’t be the best idea.
Some other factors to consider when choosing your candle scent are:
– The season (e.g. pumpkin spice candles for autumn/winter, citrus scents for spring/summer)
– The occasion (e.g. lavender candles for relaxation, peppermint candles for energy)
– The time of day (e.g. vanilla candles for the evening, citrus scents for daytime)
Buy Your Supplies from a Wholesaler
Once you’ve perfected your formula and chosen your scents, it’s time to buy your candle material supplies.
The best place to buy supplies is from a wholesaler. This way you’ll get the best prices on all of the supplies you need.
You can find candle-making supply wholesalers online or in person at trade shows.
Picking A Name for Your Business and Creating A Brand
Now that you have your candle-making supplies, it’s time to pick a name for your homemade candle business and create a brand.
Your business name should be something catchy that will help you stand out from the competition.
If you’re having trouble with getting some ideas flowing there are some free online tools that can help.
Some of my favorite ones are
- https://businessnamegenerator.com/ simply type in your business idea, eg candles, and hit enter.
- https://looka.com/business-name-generator/ type in candle set the length to 0-12 and hit return.
- https://namelix.com/ play around with all the options on this one and have some fun.
- https://www.namesnack.com/ type candle for the keyword and category and hit enter. You’ll get some very distinctive names from this tool.
Make sure the domain is available for any name you choose. Preferably a .com name as they are more trustworthy. Also, try and find out if the name you choose is available on social media.
For example, if you chose nationcandles.com then look on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Tiktok for the username nationcandles.
If it hasn’t been taken and it’s the name you choose then go ahead and register the domain (I prefer namecheap.com for this) and then register all the social media names you think you’ll use.
I would try and get as many as possible, even if you don’t intend to use them in the future. For two reasons, one, you may expand to the others eventually, and two to protect yourself from others nabbing the name and putting content on there that may negatively impact your brand.
Try and get a catchy name that is easy to remember and is not overly long.
Now’s it’s time to create your logo.
Create your logo
Try it yourself in Canva.
Canva is a free online design tool that’s perfect for creating simple designs like logos.
If you’re not familiar with Canva, it’s a drag-and-drop design tool that anyone can use to create professional designs without any prior design experience.
Creating your logo in Canva is easy, just sign up for a free account, select “Logo” from the main menu, and then choose from one of their many logo templates.
Once you’ve found a template you like, just click on it to edit it in Canva. And remember sometimes simple is best.
You can then change the colors, and fonts, and add your own images to create a unique logo for your candle business.
When you’re happy with your logo, just download it and save it to your computer.
If you don’t fancy creating the logo yourself then get a designer to do it for you. You can use Fiverr.com for this and spend around $40 for a reasonable graphic. 99designs.com is another site. But this is more professional and a logo can cost upwards of $200.
Define Your Target Customers
Now that you have your candle business name, logo, and social media accounts set up, it’s time to start thinking about your target customers.
Who are the people that are going to buy your candles?
Are they men or women? What age group are they in? What is their income level? Where do they live?
You need to have a good understanding of who your target customers are so that you can market your candles to them effectively.
Once you’ve defined your target customers, you can start thinking about your USP or Unique Selling Proposition.
Find your USP for candle making business
What makes your candles better than the candles that are already on the market?
Do you use natural ingredients? Do you hand-pour each candle? Do you offer a unique scent or design? Do you produce pet safe candles?
Your USP is what sets your candles apart from the competition and it’s what will help you attract customers to your business.
Now that you’ve defined your target customers and found your USP, it’s time to start thinking about branding and packaging.
Work on Your Branding and Packaging
Your branding is how you present your candle business to the world.
It includes your logo, colors, fonts, and overall design.
Your packaging is what your customers will see when they receive your candles.
It’s important to make sure that your branding and packaging are cohesive and reflect the quality of your candles.
If you’re selling high-end, luxury candles then your branding and packaging should reflect that.
Spend some time working on your branding and packaging before you launch your candle business.
Again you can use Canva or Fiverr to find designers who can help you with this.
Pricing Your Candles
One of the most important aspects of starting a candle business is pricing your candles.
You need to make sure that you’re charging enough for your candles so that you can make a profit, but you also don’t want to price yourself out of the market.
Do some research on other candle brands and see how they price their products.
Then, come up with a pricing strategy for your own business.
I recommend using a cost-plus pricing method where you calculate your costs and then add a percentage on top of that to cover your overhead and profits.
For example, let’s say it costs you $2.00 to make one candle. You can then add 50% to that price and charge $3.00 per candle.
Think about your profit margin and what level of profit you will be happy with starting out. You may want to keep the price competitive when starting out as nobody will know your brand yet. You can increase prices when word of mouth starts to kick in.
The right pricing strategy for your candle business will depend on a number of factors, such as the cost of materials, the time it takes to make each candle, and the perceived value of your candles.
A main point that a lot forget to factor into their calculations is what you value your time at. DO NOT forget to put an hourly cost for your time into your cost calculations.
DIY Product Photography
Now that you’ve priced your candles, it’s time to start thinking about marketing and selling them.
One of the best ways to market your candles is through product photography.
Product photography is a great way to show off your candles and attract potential customers.
You don’t need to be a professional photographer to take great product photos.
There are plenty of tutorials online that can teach you how to take beautiful product photos with your phone or camera.
I also recommend checking out Canva’s product photography templates.
They have a great selection of templates that you can use to make your candle photos look professional.
Take amazing product photos and then use them on your website, social media, and marketing materials.
Start a website for your candle business
If you want to sell candles online, then you need to have a website for your candle business.
Your website is like your online store and it’s where potential customers will go to learn more about your products and place orders.
You don’t need to be a web developer or designer to create a professional website.
There are plenty of platforms out there that make it easy to create a beautiful website without any coding required.
I recommend using Shopify, WordPress or Squarespace as they’re user-friendly and offer plenty of features and customization options. Shopify and Squarespace are more user-friendly than WordPress which does need a little more technical knowledge to get it working the way you may like.
You’re going to need a method to take credit card payments on your site and PayPal and Stripe are the biggest players in this space. Sign up for these and offer both on your website.
Where can I sell homemade candles?
Now that you have your website set up, it’s time to start thinking about where you want to sell your candles.
You can sell them on your own website, through online marketplaces like Etsy or Amazon Handmade, or even in local stores and markets.
The best option for you will depend on a number of factors such as the type of candle you’re selling, your target market, and your budget.
If you’re selling luxury candles, then selling them in high-end stores might be the best option.
If you’re selling more affordable candles, then selling them online might be the best option as it’s easier to reach a wider audience.
Selling candles at local markets and fairs is also a great option as it’s a great way to get your products in front of potential customers.
Whatever route you decide to go down, make sure you do your research and figure out what’s going to work best for you and your candle business.
- Facebook Marketplace
- Farmers Market
- Collaborate with party planners, wedding planners, and hotels to sell candles
- Sell candles at departmental stores
- Sell candles at a Crafts fair
- Selling Candles on Amazon Handmade
- Selling Candles on Etsy
- Selling candles on Pinterest
- Selling Candles on Instagram
- Create an online presence using social media and build a community
Promote Your Candles
Now that you know where you want to sell your candles, it’s time to start promoting them.
There are a number of ways that you can promote your candles and it really depends on where you’re selling them as to what methods will work best.
If you’re selling candles online, then social media is going to be your best friend.
You can use platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest to reach a wider audience and drive traffic back to your website or online store.
It’s important to post high-quality photos and write engaging descriptions of your products. You should also make sure that you’re using relevant hashtags so that potential customers can easily find your products.
Another great way to promote your candles is to collaborate with other businesses.
For example, if you’re selling soy candles, then you could reach out to local coffee shops and offer to provide them with candles for their customers.
This is a great way to get your products in front of potential customers and it can also help to build relationships with other businesses in your area.
Finally, don’t forget about good old-fashioned word of mouth.
Make sure you let your friends and family know about your candle business and ask them to spread the word. This is still one of the most effective forms of marketing and it’s completely free!
As candle-making becomes more popular, there are endless opportunities for those who want to sell their products. With a little creativity and some hard work, you can easily turn your candle-making hobby into a successful business. So what are you waiting for? Get started today!