by Casey
(Michigan)
For someone starting a scrapbooking business, there's incredible opportunity in providing personalized die cutting to local schools. Here's the story of what I have done. And it has been met with much success, so I thought I needed to share it.
Many scrapbooking-based stores are using their die cut machines to create school themed die-cuts.
For example, they use their die cut machine to cut out the school name or mascot on the top page and lay over top a second page, using the school colors.
Die cutting can be used to die cut Varsity style jacket, sports themes, specialized clubs, and a host of other opportunities.
Most scrapbooking stores carry a supply of specialized die cut items for the larger school districts in their area.
However, I have found that there are smaller schools and districts that are overlooked.
In order to reach these markets and avoid the high overhead of an actual store, I am experimenting with a mobile market.
I am renting booths at craft shows held in these smaller districts, specializing in the personalized items to meet their needs.
I sell the overlay designs customized for all of the schools (elementary, middle, high school and parochial) and various die cut titles to cover many of the typical field trips for the area.
Spring time sales are great as enthusiasts are working to complete a collection of School Days scrapbooks in time for graduations, but I am hopeful that fall and winter will be as successful.
While I have no intention of scrapbooking, I will be paying for a table to set up my equipment and provide personalized instant die cuts for those individuals as they are working on their projects throughout the day.
If at any time they need a title or simple die cut to put the finishing touches on their page, I will be able to work with them for a minimal fee to customize and cut the perfect designs.
Find the right niche and invest in a professional computer driven die-cut machine that will give you the freedom to create a diverse array of die-cut items.Here's to starting a scrapbooking business with much passion and success!