69% of entrepreneurs start their business at home.
If you fall into this group but are wondering what to do and how to do it, then screen printing might be for you.
From benefits that range from cheap production costs to the versatility of products you can offer, the question really is: why wouldn’t you want to start a business printing apparel and other cool things?
Ready to start your own screen printing business? Here’s how.
Calculate the Costs
You’ve gotta get the boring part out of the way first. How much will this business venture cost you?
Screen printing costs vary depending on the type of equipment you have and the products you sell.
Like other businesses, you’ll want to factor in costs such as:
- Equipment (buying or leasing)
- Design expenses
- Cost of goods (purchasing the apparel you’ll be printing on)
- Wages (if you plan on hiring people)
- Taxes (state and federal)
Experts suggest calculating the cost of labor first. This equation helps:
(The time it takes to print the job) x (The hourly wage of your printer) = Labor Cost
Now, you can factor in the amount of time it takes an artist to craft up the design. Then, you will add the cost of materials, screen, and ink onto that.
Once you’ve added all of it together, divide it by the number of products you’re producing. Now you have the cost per item!
You can learn more about screen printing costs and associated expenses by seeing how other similar companies price their goods.
Register Your Screen Printing Business
As with any new business endeavor, you’ll have to submit all of the paperwork in order to start your screen printing business.
Aside from the standard procedure of and registering with local authorities, you’ll need to think about the machinery you’re going to use.
Ask your local business licensing authorities if you need a special permit to use any t-shirt printing machine or other material you plan on using.
Once you’re legal and registered, it’s time to start thinking about all of the equipment you’ll actually need. And, where you’re going to store it all.
Buy or Rent Screen Printing Equipment
But wait! Before thinking about where you’re going to store all of your equipment and merch, think about the actual size of the printing equipment itself.
Screen printing equipment includes more than just the machine. You also need to consider renting or buying:
- Graphic design software
- Drying rack
- Industrial sink
- Curing unit
- Dryer
- Screens
- Scrub brushes
- Apparel or accessories to begin with
If you have all of that taken care of, then you can find the right place to do business. Essentially, you’ll be able to better understand what kind of space you need.
It’s important to think about growth. If you plan on growing your business, try to that will allow you to hire employees or even host business contacts.
Understand How to Market
Every industry has an audience, and the more niche that audience is, the better your chances are of targeting them.
Understanding what kind of audience your screen printing business caters to is the first step in your marketing process.
Then, you’ll need to differentiate yourself from anybody else selling a similar product. However, it’s not enough to just show them you’re different. Give them added value that others don’t.
If you’re able to, try building a that can help you identify prospects that aren’t individual customers.
They’ll be able to sell to other businesses who need bulk orders. Bulk orders mean more cash for less work. That all equals great return on your investment.
If you can’t afford to hire a sales team, you can try signing up for an online platform such as Shopify or WooCommerce. These e-commerce sites provide users with free templates for online stores and a lot of great tools that make marketing easier.
At the very least, you’ll want to learn a little bit about social media marketing in order to share your products with others.
Amp Up Your Offerings
So you’ve got your business up and running. Now, put that screen printing machine to good use and sell more than just t-shirts.
Be sure to make it clear what kinds of service you offer. Try adding to your offerings by printing on:
- Hats
- Athletic bags
- Towels
- Tote bags
- Mugs
- Umbrellas
- Whatever brings the business in and is profitable for you!
If you’re smart, you’ll be able to plan ahead for big events and screen print offerings before companies and individuals even know they need them.
Changing up the kinds of services and printing options you offer is a great way to ensure you’re staying ahead of the game.
If you plan on only doing t-shirt screen printing, for example, you can plan ahead and have Christmas-themed shirts in stock before the holiday rush hits.
It’s best to constantly ask your customers what they like and what the feel like they’re lacking. If you’re able to implement these changes then you’ll see high levels of customer engagement.
That will pay off more than anything when it comes to sales and customer satisfaction.
Enjoy Owning a Profitable Business Venture
Starting a screen printing business is a great way to flex your entrepreneurial muscles.
As long as you’re smart about how you plan to start your business, you’ll be able to enjoy the benefits.
It’s smart to calculate the costs first, rent or buy the required equipment, and hone your marketing skills to be able to offer the best quality products to your customers.
If you need more help getting started, you can take a look at our where you’ll find templates, plans, contracts and more information that can propel you to success.
