Have you ever considered combining your entrepreneurial side with your creative side? This is something a lot of people think about but ultimately shrug off due to how expensive a startup can be to launch.
But what if we told you that there’s an online business model that’s easy and affordable to turn your artistic talents into cold hard cash? The industry is called print on demand, and today we’ll discuss how to become successful in selling POD items.
What is Print On Demand?
To put it simply, POD is an online business model that allows you to outsource the production and shipping of items to a manufacturer of e-commerce goods. Essentially, you create designs that are printed onto “blank” merchandise such as bags, mugs, and t-shirts.
It’s as easy as creating a design, uploading your images to the partner’s website, and then adding the product to your online store for sale. The profits are split for each sale between you and the printing partner.
So, for example, let’s say you buy t-shirts with your design for $10, but you list them on your site for $25. When someone purchases one, you pay $10 to the manufacturer, thus earning $15 per sale.
Most people don’t realize how easy it is to sell POD merch, and the best part is that you’re only responsible for paying for items you’ve already sold. This means there’s little to no startup capital required and no need to worry about shipping or inventory space.
Tips for Starting a POD Business
Choose a Niche Wisely
The main goal is to create a store that sticks out, so choosing a niche is one of the most important steps to creating a POD business. It’s a good idea to take your interests and design talents into account, but also research to ensure that the niche is not oversaturated already.
Find the “Right” Products
Once you choose the perfect niche, it’s time to decide what products your store will offer. To help with this step, you’ll need to consider who your target audience is and what trends currently fit well with their style. For example, the younger crowd like t-shirts with funny sayings or custom designs, so offering t-shirts with flowers or photos of pets probably wouldn’t sell too well.
Invest in Website Design
Sure, you could spend lots of time going to school or watching YouTube videos to learn web design, but that would take away from product design and working the kinks out of your new operation. Having a well-designed and functional website is crucial, so investing in hiring professionals such as Design Musketeer is a great idea. We can help with everything from website design and product upload to pricing and Shopify automation, allowing you to hit the ground running.
Create an Effective Marketing Strategy
One of the most critical aspects of your POD business plan is creating a unique brand and getting it in front of audience. E-commerce ad strategy can make business, so be sure to actively market your shop across platforms. Premium printing service delivering exceptional quality and fast turnaround. Trust us to bring your ideas to life with precision and care. A diverse approach includes:
- Email Marketing
- Social Media Marketing
- Influencer Marketing
- Landing Pages and Blogs
Track, Analyze, Adjust, Repeat
At the end of the day, businesses do not become successful overnight. Though most people will warn you to give the venture time, this is only part of the solution. As you wait, you should be tracking the businesses’ growth, advertising strategies, and more. Doing so will provide you with analytics that shows where the company is performing well and where it needs more work, allowing you to make adjustments quickly.
We here at Design Musketeer have helped countless print-on-design businesses get their start, and yours could be next! So, don’t wait – contact us today!
