When you want to make money from home made candy there are basically
three important elements to focus on. These may seem very simple but it is not
as easy as it may seem.
You want to make a profit from your efforts and focusing on the
following will help you achieve that goal:
Selecting
the right product
Making a
quality product
Marketing
your product
A homemade candy business can be very profitable but the competition out
there is extremely competitive and you will have to do something unique to be
successful.
Selecting the right product
This
is probably the biggest problem to overcome to be able to earn a decent income
from home made candy. There are so many candy options that it is difficult to
decide which product will be the most profitable. As a general rule it is
better to have a number of products that will offer a greater chance of making
a profit. A range of products can be from different types of candy such as soft
candies or brittles etc. The other option is to take a particular product such
as fudge for an example and then by adding different ingredients such as white
chocolate, brown chocolate, ginger etc. get a variety of the same product. You
could also use these products to add to a special theme such as an Easter fudge
candy or a valentine fudge candy. The point is that your creativity can provide
that special niche for your product.
Another
point to consider is the cost factor in making certain candies. Sometimes the
cost to produce a product is such that it is difficult to make a decent profit
from it. So each type of candy should be carefully costed to make sure that you
can earn a profit from it. Also consider items such as packaging, transport
etc. By using a costing tool such as can be found in my e-book “Baking for Profit – start a home business”, you can quickly and accurately
calculate the profit margin of candy products and also be able to compare different
candy recipes to find the best options.
Making a quality product
There
is no compromise for a quality product – especially if it is a homemade candy.
Consistency in quality is crucial. Every batch should be of the same high
standard. The aim should be to establish a reputation for high standard
products that look great and taste great. If a recipe is used for the first
time, make sure that it is tested properly. When you are happy with the end
product, the recipe must be followed exactly every time a batch is made.
Another
important point is to make sure that you use only the best quality ingredients.
Trying to save on the cost of ingredients will just be shooting yourself in the
foot. The same goes for tools and
equipment. A good quality candy thermometer, electric mixing equipment and
measuring tools are all vital for success.
Marketing your product
The
end objective of your candy business is to sell your product at a profit. The
first point is to aim your marketing effort at the top end of the market for
discerning buyer. There are a few reasons for this strategy.
Firstly, you want to make a good
profit to reward you for your efforts. There is no sense in doing all the hard
work and not earning a reasonable return on your efforts.
Secondly, items such as packaging,
wrappers etc. are expensive and you want to develop your business to a higher
level for which you will need money.
Potential
marketing efforts should include as many options as possible. Think of selling
at flea markets, farmer markets, boutique shops and the internet. For the
internet you will have to create a website. To start off you can use one of
many excellent free website creators such as Simple Site, Weebly and Site Build
It. You can also start a blog and start marketing through social media such as Facebook.
