Lighting A Fire - Five Tips For Profitable Candle Making
December 4th, 2008

Do you enjoy making candles, and always seem to receive positive comments from friends and family? If you think you have a flair for making eye-catching candles, you may want to consider a candle business. But before you begin to market your candles, make sure you follow these five tips for profitable candle making.

1) Calculate your costs.

Before you begin to think of pricing, calculate the exact cost of each candle you make. This can be tricky since you probably plan to buy your supplies in bulk. To calculate the cost per candle, work out the cost per ounce of each of your ingredients. For instance, you'll want to know how much you are paying for paraffin wax, acid, color, scent, and any other ingredients you may use to make your candles. Measure how many ounces of each ingredient you use in each candle, and then multiply that number by the cost per ounce. This should give you a good idea of how much it costs you to make one basic candle. If your candles are accompanied by any type of accessory, such as ribbons, bows, natural accents, or containers, don't forget to add the cost of these to the total cost of each candle. You should also add the approximate cost of the wick. As a general rule, you should price your candles 3 or 4 times the price of production. If you plan to sell your candles wholesale, pricing should be set at roughly 2 times the cost of production.

2) Buy your supplies in bulk.

It's always a good idea to purchase your basic supplies, like wax and jars, in bulk. Contact your supplier and see if they are willing to provide any further discounts. Most shipping companies also provide a sizeable discount if you order more than 200 pounds in supplies. Also, if you use a wide variety of candle fragrances, consider limiting the number of fragrances you use until you become better established. Producing such a variety of candles can make it difficult to turn a profit.

3) Approach local shops with your candles.

One of best ways to become profitable through candle making is to get your line of candles carried at local shops. Approach a local store that carries a good selection of candles and ask to make an appointment with the store manager. Be professional and courteous-some people aren't as open to sales pitches as others, so make certain you don't come on too strong. If you aren't able to secure an appointment with the store manager, or if the store personnel seem busy or unapproachable, be very polite and offer to return at another time. It's a good idea to leave materials that they can review at their leisure. Be prepared with brochures, samples, and business cards. Follow up at another date to see if they've had a chance to review your products.

If you find a store that seems open to your products, offer to provide them with a few candle samples that they can leave burning on the front counter. This provides you with good exposure and free market testing. Also, if customers express interest in your sample, there's a good chance that the store will consider carrying your candles.

4) Specialize in a popular ‘theme.'

If country-themed candles are popular where you live, by all means, specialize in creating your own special brand of country-themed candles. Natural candles that incorporate the use of leaves, twigs, dried flowers and fruit, are also very popular. And, of course, you will want to consider seasonal and holiday-themed candles. Find out what sells best in your area and base your candle creations on this information.

5) Never underestimate the power of smell.

Make sure your potential customers can smell your candles! Many people work hard on creating beautiful, long-lasting candles, but package their candles in a way that makes them impossible to smell before purchase. Most people, whether they realize they're doing it or now, sniff candles before buying them. If your candles have distinct fragrances, make certain the packaging allows customers to enjoy them. Otherwise, all your hard work to create sweet and memorable fragrances may not be readily evident to potential customers

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