The DIY candle game is a big one. In fact, more than 1 billion pounds of wax are used in producing the candles sold each year in the U.S. While there are known brands distributing candles in big box stores, a huge portion of the candles sold are made by small independent retailers. It could be the perfect industry to get involved in. Here’s how you can make money selling candles you DIY.

The Global Marketplace

In our modern age, potential customers are all over the world. Just because your neighbor may not be interested in your product doesn’t mean someone in Sri Lanka or Australia wouldn’t jump at what you’re selling. We talk about the digital revolution as if it’s something that happened once. While the advent of the internet was a huge game-changer for business, it continues expanding daily. In fact, nearly two-thirds of the global population will have internet access by 2023, according to the Cisco Annual Internet Report. A candle business, or any small business, has more opportunities to thrive now than ever before. In addition to its help in finding customers, the internet allows candle makers to get quality supplies from cheap wholesalers. Makers can shop around, compare rates, and buy huge volumes of products over the internet to increase their margin on each sale.

Jazz It Up

It’s incredible what small, independent retailers can do these days in terms of creating attractive packaging. In an industry with so many sellers, the packaging is an important way to stand out from the competition. Whether you want to do it yourself with free graphic design resources or hire someone to make something beautiful for you, top-notch visual appeal is just a click away. Customers make decisions based on what they see, and if the branding is pulled together and tastefully done, massive sales are sure to follow.

Find a Niche

As mentioned, there’s a lot of competition to get lost in. Finding a niche among other candle sellers is the way to go. Not every company (especially a small company) can be everything to everyone. But there are large, unseen markets of people ready to find products created uniquely for them. Will your products be professional, luxurious, trendy, or comical? Could they be tailored to fans of a certain popular culture nook? Crystallizing why one more candle seller should exist in the vast sea of candle sellers will help give your product attention and staying power in the market.

Experiment With It!

One of the great things about selling DIY candles is that there isn’t much in the way of expensive materials or overhead. This gives you the opportunity to experiment with different kinds of creations to see how customers respond. The word pivot is an important one in business. The ability to see what is going well and what is not, and respond accordingly will make the difference between success and failure for businesses. Research what other sellers are doing and try to make it your own. Be willing to try anything once or twice just to see how it goes. Continuing to do the unpredictable can keep a client base interested.

Protect Your Products

As a business owner or creative professional, you likely have proprietary works, creations, brands, or other property you need to protect from infringing parties. This is important as your candle company continues to grow. Many small businesses start out successful only to be swallowed up by larger ones that can do the same thing at a cheaper price and on a larger scale. Legal protection of what makes your candle company unique will prevent this from happening.

As you can see, it’s not too difficult to get started selling candles you DIY. Do your research and follow this guide and you’ll be making money in no time.