Creating customized candy wrappers is a popular home-based business option. This business is fairly easy to start if you have a good color printer and basic computer skills.

What you’ll do:

You create candy wrappers on your computer which you then print, cut and wrap onto pre-made candy bars, like Hershey’s. A big part of this business is marketing your services to companies and individuals who can use custom-wrapped candy for promotions, party favors and the like. Custom-wrapped candy bars make great wedding favors and baby announcements, so be sure to include new brides and mothers in your marketing plan.

Essentials:

You will need a computer with graphics and word-processing software, a color printer, cutting tools, and sales ability. You will print your wrappers on glossy paper, and your printer should be one that will create good-looking wrappers. Mastering Digital Printing comes highly recommended for learning digital printing and will definitely help you create better candy wrappers, and perhaps even expand and add more printing services to your business. Plus, you’ll need a business license, business checking account and business insurance.

Helpful tips & resources:

The success of this business will depend on your ability to get clients. Direct sales, networking and referrals are good marketing actions to use. If you have a large network already, you will find getting your first clients much easier.

Printing your own business cards on candy wrappers is a good promotional tactic. Nobody will just throw away your card if there’s a candy bar inside. (You might want to have regular cards for your clients to file, too.)

Creating custom samples for clients you call on is also a good idea—show them how great their company name and logo look on a candy bar, and put your contact information on the back.

Candy Wrap Warehouse has a free ebook for starting a candy wrapper business that you might want to check out.

There are several companies online that offer candy wrapper templates you can use. Some will sell the rights to you outright, and some charge a membership fee. Be sure to check out several, as prices will vary tremendously for the same or similar products.

Potential Earnings:

Earnings estimates range up to $1,000 per week working at this business full time, but it really depends on you. You will buy the candy bars (check your local yellow pages for bulk candy distributors), add your wrapper and charge a per-bar price to your client. So, you can charge whatever your clients will pay (usually from $1.00 to $5.00 per bar).

To polish up your sales skills and learn to get clients, start with The Little Red Book of Selling by Jeffrey Gitomer.

Good Luck in your Sweet new business!