your top three simple business tips

[JI]

So I feel like I am learning as I go. I would love to start a list of your top three business tips. I would love to benefit from your insight. And who knows, maybe it will help others. I am also interested in the "If I knew then what I know now" type of tips. Here are my three:

Keep it simple (at least in beginning); one jar with a very limited number of fragrances; no more than 3-4 (wish I had done that!).

Don't dye soy candles! (Unless you have the patience to fiddle around with pour temps and additives.)

Factor a labour charge - like a percent into the actual cost of your candle. I did 20-25%. So if the candle cost me $3 in materials and shipping, I add an additional 60 cents to figure out the final cost of the candle. In this case, $3.60.

[leisa2003]

I can give you three, but you probably already know them.

1. Locate your nearest distributor, anything you can buy local and not pay shipping is always helpful.

2. You can make beautiful soy candles just add some paraffin to help with the frosting and it also help with HT.

3. If you want to smell a scent before you dedicate to buying a FO, buy some tarts or candles from your crafter friends, you can sniff it in wax, look at others packaging, and you help support the your fellow crafters at the same time.

Hope that seems helpful for the list.

Edited January 6, 2013 by leisa2003

[Guest OldGlory]

I love this idea Ironrose! It takes more than the ability to make a good product to have a successful business.

My top 3:

1. Get out there. Don't be afraid to sell yourself and your product. Fear of rejection will not get you new customers!

2. Establish your policies before you begin selling. Do you have minimums? What's your return policy? Will you deliver? Do you charge for developing new custom blended fragrances? Will you do private labels, and if so, do you charge to create the graphics? Etc. And, in the event someone throws you a curve, have a standard reply... "let me get this right - you want me to ___ ___ ___. is that correct? OK, let me get back to you in one week, which is next Tuesday."

3. Know your limits. Can you make 1000 candles with customized labels that have to be cut by hand in 3 days? How long would it take you to make this size order? How soon would it be ready to ship?

[nursenancy]

I have a couple:

1. get your branding down right from the start. Logo, catch phrase, color scheme, etc. hire someone if you have to.

2. don't sell yourself short. Figure out your costs and price your products appropriately.

3. pick a well established supplier. My business has outlived many of my original suppliers and that has been very frustrating and costly to me...

[deb426]

1. Don't try to please everyone. No matter what you make and how many scents you have, there will always be scents and products which your customers ask you about that you do not have in your line. Just because someone asks about it doesn't mean you have to add it. Its an expensive lesson to learn.

2. Try to have an organized work area. It will save you time and enable you to be more creative and productive.

3. Give lots of samples to friends and co-workers. They will help you build your business.

[JI]

I love reading these. A couple of them make me sigh bc I think "if I only had done that!" Better late than never.

[safetysue]

Great thread. Love this idea and have a few to add.

1. Communicate with your customers. Always make sure the customer knows you appreciate them. People want to be appreciated. Send a real email with a personalize message. I often get a thank you for my thank you's.

2. If you're doing a show have a little something free for everybody. A basket of hard candy goes along way for the cost. Give your buying customers a small sample. I like to pour small tarts of my new scents. I can usually tell by the follow orders if its going to be something I want to keep carrying.

3. Although its already been stated don't overbuy. Speaking from my own FOHO experience don't buy the biggest bottle to save a buck. It doesn't pay.

[Faerywren]

1. Find your style and stick to it. Make what you do best and OWN it. Go for a cohesive presentation instead of all over the map.

2. You can't own all the FOs. Sometime, somewhere, someone will want something you don't have and that's okay.

3. Learn to say "no". Being a hobby business where I know my customers personally, they often feel they can ask for custom scents and items on short notice. I work full time as a nurse and I am the sole producer of my products. I used to work myself to death trying to please everyone and it almost burnt me out.