Making money from design and print

Personalised stationery makes a really nice gift for someone who loves to write.
If you can dream up some unique or unusual designs for letterheads, cards and envelopes, then bring it all together in a nice attractive package, you could quickly gain orders by selling them through giftshops and stationery outlets. Study the market and see what`s available, then imagine how you could make something better.

Print plans for hobbyists who like to make wooden toys or soft toys from fabrics.
These are always popular. If you can come up with some imaginative designs that are easy to make, you could be on to a winner. You can sell them from a mail order catalogue with photographs of the finished item. Advertise in woodworking magazines, hobbyist magazines, and sewing magazines, depending on the type of market you`re aiming at.

Start your own leaflet printing and distribution service.
There are always plenty of new and well established small businesses who rely on leaflet distribution to inform prospective customers of their services. Tree surgeons, double glazing firms, take-aways (menu/price lists), decorators, to name but a few, will always find this service useful. Design and print three or four different sets of leaflets at a time and deliver them together to save on distribution costs. Advise clients to offer some kind of printed discount voucher to get the best response and increase sales. A good result would mean satisfied clients will return again and again to use your service.

Design and print calendars based upon an astrological theme.
The two ideas go well together. Suitable photographs or illustrations could be accompanied by astrological predictions for each month. A successful design could sell well through card shops and stationers, or any other shop that sells calendars. Alternatively, send your designs to firms who specialise in printing calendars.

Wedding stationery is always in demand, so why not design your own?
Start small by using your home computer and printer, to offer a cheaper alternative to the expensive stationery supplied through printing firms. Use the best cards and papers you can obtain however, to achieve a professional finish. Once established, consider purchasing a hot foil printer and eventually a lithographic printer.

Start a regular newsletter for small specialised businesses.
These are normally well received, and potentially very profitable. Sold by annual subscription, thousands of copies could be printed, based on a few well presented articles. Double sided, full colour printing on A3 folded into an A4 size publication normally works best. Full colour is expensive however, so stick to 2 or 3 colours with black and white photographs until success is assured.

Print I.D. cards in laminated plastic.
Photo business cards and club membership cards can easily be produced using a good home computer and printer. With the right kind of software, a supply of materials and a small affordable laminator, you can be in business in no time. Canvas small businesses and clubs with a good selection of samples to gain orders. Eventually, you may get enough repeat business to concentrate solely on the design and print work. You could then employ a rep to expand the business further.

Design and print limited edition screenprints to sell through art shops or on the internet.
Screenprinting is an easy way to reproduce your artistic ideas. Remember Andy Warhol? If you`ve never tried it before, check out your local art college for course availability, or find a good reference book in your local library. Alternatively go to Amazon and purchase the book `Water Based Screenprinting`. Equipment and supplies can be obtained from specialist suppliers, and you can easily make some of the printing frames yourself.

Painting by numbers can be a very absorbing hobby for some people.
If you have the artistic skill, why not design pictures for those less talented who like the idea of painting, but need a helping hand? A painting by numbers kit, properly packaged and sold through art shop supplies, hobby catalogues and numerous other outlets, could turn into a very lucrative business.

Personalised storybooks for children is an idea that caught on a few years ago and still remains popular today.
If you can write, illustrate and tell a good story, one that appeals to the imagination of young children, then you have the potential to start a good business. Initially, a home computer and inkjet printer can be used to help you get started. Adding a child`s name and picture to a story, using a suitable software package, should be straightforward enough. The hard part is marketing and selling the books. Mail order advertising is one option. Another is selling through party plan, or bookshops willing to take orders for you on commission.

Specialise in designing and printing menus for pubs and restaraunts.
Produce a competitive price list and samples for mailing direct to potential customers, or canvas local businesses first to test your ideas and designs. If successful, you could eventually offer a print and mail service to customers nationwide.

A printed book of poems or speeches for special occasions makes a simple, but effective mail order idea.
Advertise in national newspapers and magazines to gain the best response. Test the market first using tried and tested mail order methods. (see `Secrets of Super Success in Mail Order`)

Start a novelty advertising firm to promote businesses in your area.
Using a hot foil press, various designs and wording can be printed on to blank pens, matchbooks, diaries, coffee mats, motor tax disk holders, key fobs and numerous other novelty items. Equipment and suppliers are often advertised in the Exchange & Mart and various business ideas magazines. To gain orders, canvas businesses, clubs, pubs and any commercial or industrial firm that may be interested. Alternatively, compile a mailing list and send out brochures by direct mail.

Produce a range of prints of dogs, cats and horses for animal lovers.
Pictures could be based on detailed pencil sketches or colourful soft pastels. Alternatively, oil paintings or watercolours can be used for the original design. Sell prints unframed by mail order from a catalogue. Framed or mounted prints can be sold through art shops.

Start a screenprinting service specialising in promotional t-shirts.
Art colleges generally have courses in screenprinting and fabric printing where you can quickly learn the skills involved. You could start your business with simple homemade equipment and purchase the other tools required. Once established, more professional equipment can be obtained to increase quality and output. T-shirts can be used as fundraisers for clubs, as well as promotional work. In these cases they`re usually printed in quantity. 25 to 50 prints on average, sometimes a lot more. Charging around £3 profit per shirt means the profits soon add up. To find out more about screenprinting, search for ‘Screenprinting’ on the internet or see what books are available from Amazon.com. or Amazon.co.uk

Design and print a range of academic and sports certificates for clubs, schools and training centres.
Your home computer and inkjet printer is all you need to get started. When possible, also obtain a laminator for laminating certificates up to A4 size, and a guillotine for trimming the edges. Promote your designs and a custom design printing service by direct mail to suitable prospects.

Produce a range of classic car prints and sell by mail order.
You could sell your designs through classic car magazines. If successful, use the same method to produce a set of prints illustrating performance cars and racing cars. High quality photographs and stylish illustrations of cars are always popular with car enthusiasts.

Design and print bookmarkers for souvenir shops.
Most popular tourist attractions have their own souvenir shop. You could produce designs that promote each attraction on to bookmarkers made of vinyl, plastic or leather using a hot foil printing device. The shops will then sell these to customers, making an excellent reminder of their visit. For details on where to obtain equipment and supplies, check out the Exchange & Mart and printing trade directories, available at your local reference library.

Start a business reproducing prints of famous old buildings.
These could be loosely sketched drawings or in the style of a detailed architectural plan or perspective view. Sell them by direct mail to architects and interior designers or through selected retail outlets.

Print and sell a range of signs suitable for commercial and industrial use.
These might include signs such as `No Smoking` `No Parking` `Private Keep Out` `Staff Only` `No Admittance` `Representatives by Appointment Only` etc. Send a catalogue and price list to potential buyers in the commercial and industrial sectors.

Set up a screenprinting service that prints magnetic vehicle signs.
Many small businesses use small magnetic signs that stick to their vehicle`s side panels or doors. Driving schools, plumbers, electricians, mobile mechanics, window cleaners etc., are just some of the wide range of potential customers you would be catering for.

Design and print humorous signs for the workplace.
Funny poems, quotations and posters announcing new rules and regulations, are just some of the ideas that come to mind. Colourful caricatures of management figures with witty descriptions are another possibility. A suitable range of designs can be packaged in cellophane and sold through various outlets, such as gift and souvenir shops. Alternatively, canvass shops and offices with framed and unframed samples.

back to index