Get Crafty Today

It can be difficult to decide how to expand your range of services as a small business owner.  You don't want to take a big risk on something that won't sell, but equally, you need something that will help you to stand out from the crowd and draw in more customers.  One thing you should absolutely consider is custom picture framing. 

You'll take clients' most treasured memories and help to preserve them in a beautiful customised frame.  Whether this is done via engraving on a base or built entirely from scratch to the customer's specifications, you'll be offering something unique and special to each buyer.  But aside from this being a solid and interesting service for your customers, it should also interest you and your business.  Here's why.

Low Overheads

Once you've outlaid the initial cost of an engraving machine or the tools you need to build your frames, the material costs of running this side of your business will be low.  You'll only need to stock the base materials for your frames.  More bespoke services could even order the materials specifically for each customer, ensuring no wastage.

Flexibility

Because each item will be made custom, you have a huge amount of flexibility with regards to what you can provide for your customers.  You can create something modern and simple for a birthday gift, or something elaborate and complex in colours that suit the decor of your customer's home.  As such, you're able to offer a niche product, but in an enormously wide range that stretches as far as the imagination.

Existing Market

Custom frames are an established gift, so you won't need a hard sell to convince customers to buy.  Your existing customer base is likely to have already heard of giving beautifully framed photographs to friends and family to mark special occasions.  Because of this, you're not really taking a risk in expanding your business in this direction; you're almost guaranteed to succeed if you keep costs low and quality high.  If you can offer something really unique or innovative, such as a range of customisable bases that are specific to your business, then all the better for it.

Essentially, this could be the next big arm of your business, and you won't even need complex training or massive restructuring in order to do so.  You'll simply need to purchase the right equipment, create a few samples, establish a line of production... and watch the orders start rolling in.