Many individuals depend on calligraphy services to produce memorable wedding invitations or other special occasion stationery with a personal touch. Others, on the other hand, desire to learn how to write in calligraphy and will seek to your company to educate them.
Follow these ten steps to start a calligraphy business:
Create a Calligraphy Business Plan
Create a legal entity for your calligraphy business.
Tax Registration for your Calligraphy Business
Create a Business Bank Account and a Credit Card
Create an accounting system for your calligraphy business.
Obtain the Required Permits and Licenses for Your Calligraphy Business
Purchase Calligraphy Business Insurance
Create a Calligraphy Business Brand
Make a website for your calligraphy business.
Configure your Business Phone System
Starting a company entails more than just registering it with the state. We’ve put up this short guide to getting started in the calligraphy industry. These stages will guarantee that your new company is well-planned, correctly registered, and legally compliant.
STEP 1: Make a business plan.
A well-thought-out strategy is vital for entrepreneur success. It will assist you in mapping out the intricacies of your organisation and uncovering some unknowns. Consider the following crucial topics:
What are the initial and continuing expenses?
Who is your intended audience?
How much money may you charge your customers?
Fortunately, we have done a lot of the legwork for you.
What are the expenses of starting a calligraphy business?
The actual expenses of starting a company are heavily dependent on how many services you want to provide and if you need a separate area to perform your business operations. For example, many calligraphy enterprises begin by manufacturing rather than teaching calligraphy. Because calligraphy can be done from home, your company may start for less than $5,000, which includes a substantial number of beginning materials, licence, and moderate promotion via conventional channels. If you have the room and the desire, you may also teach calligraphy in your own home or even make “house calls” to interested customers. If you want to lease a studio space to teach bigger groups, it will likely add at least $30,000 to your startup costs and significantly raise your overhead; as a consequence, you must be convinced that you will offer enough sessions to pay the cost of rent and other expenditures.
What are the recurring costs of running a calligraphy business?
The absence of recurring expenditures for a calligraphy company might make it an appealing notion to establish one. As previously said, many calligraphers operate from home, which eliminates the need for a lease, utilities, and so on. After the first supply investment, the cost of additional supplies should be effectively integrated into what you charge your customers. Since a result, your only continuous out-of-pocket expenditures should be whatever much you wish to spend each month on conventional advertising (which will normally be $500 or less, as most of your attention will appropriately be spent promoting through social media).
Who is the intended audience?
Finally, couples getting married will be your favourite clientele. These consumers will be looking for appealing and beautiful designs to use on invites and other wedding stationery, and they will be prepared to pay you handsomely to make their wedding stationery flawless.
How can a calligraphy company generate revenue?
There are various methods in which a calligraphy firm might generate money. You may charge a predetermined amount for specialised services, such as creating wedding invitations. You can also charge set prices for pre-made items that customers can use as decorations for home or work events. When offering calligraphy instruction, you must determine whether to charge by the lesson or by the hour.
How much money may you charge your customers?
The amount you charge will vary depending on your local market and the services you provide. Some calligraphers, for example, charge between two and five dollars only to address an envelope. Some calligraphers charge a flat cost for creating and printing wedding invitations (for example, $1000 to $2000 for 100 sets of invites, with rates increasing as the intricacy of printing and number of colours increases). You may offer a lower cost (say, $200 to $350) to design the invitation and have the customer handle the printing.
How profitable can a calligraphy company be?
The precise amount of profit your company can make will vary. According to the Art Career Project, the typical calligrapher earns about $50,000 per year, albeit the aforementioned lack of expense makes that figure more substantial than it would be in other enterprises. However, there are so many services you may provide (such as writing, teaching, or just selling pre-made things online) that your profit can easily exceed this figure.
How can you increase the profitability of your company?
Don’t be scared to boost your charges when your company establishes its value and excellence. Similarly, you may increase your profits by diversifying the services you provide. For example, rather than merely designing invites, being prepared to print and distribute them may help you treble the revenues from one of your main services. Finally, although diversification is beneficial, developing a speciality that is underserved in your town may help you produce more profit as you become one of the key names connected with your industry.
STEP 2: Establish a legal entity
Sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company (LLC), and corporation are the most frequent business structure forms.
If your calligraphy company is sued, forming a formal business organisation, such as an LLC or corporation, safeguards you from being held personally accountable.
STEP 3: File your taxes
Before you can begin for business, you must register for a number of state and federal taxes.
To register for taxes, you will need to get an EIN. It’s really simple and completely free!
Taxes on Small Businesses
Depending on the business form you choose, you may have multiple choices for how your company is taxed. Some LLCs, for example, may benefit from being taxed as a S company (S corp).
These guides will teach you more about small company taxes:
Taxes on LLCs
LLC vs. sole proprietorship
Corporation vs. LLC
S Corp vs. LLC
How to Form a S Corporation
S Corporation vs. C Corporation
There may be state taxes that apply to your company. In our state sales tax guides, you may learn more about state sales taxes and franchise taxes.
STEP 4: Establish a company bank account and credit card
Personal asset protection requires the use of distinct business banking and credit accounts.
When you combine your personal and business accounts, your personal assets (your house, vehicle, and other possessions) are at danger if your company is sued. This is known as penetrating your company veil in business law.
Furthermore, understanding how to develop corporate credit may help you get credit cards and other financing in your company’s name (rather than your own), lower interest rates, larger lines of credit, and other benefits.
Establish a business bank account.
Opening a business bank account is not only required when asking for business financing, but it also:
Separates your personal assets from the assets of your firm, which is required for personal asset protection.
It simplifies bookkeeping and tax reporting.
Create a net 30 account.
Net 30 accounts are used to develop and grow company credit while also increasing cash flow. Businesses use a net 30 account to purchase items and refund the whole debt within a 30-day period.
Many net 30 credit suppliers submit information to the main business credit agencies (Dun & Bradstreet, Experian Business, and Equifax Business Credit). This is how firms establish business credit in order to get approved for credit cards and other lines of credit.
Apply for a business credit card.
Obtaining a business credit card benefits you in the following ways:
Put all of your company’s costs in one location to separate personal and business spending.
Build your company’s credit history, which will be important for raising funds in the future.
STEP 5: Establish business accounting
Recording your numerous costs and sources of revenue is crucial to assessing your company’s financial status. Keeping precise and thorough accounting also makes yearly tax filing much easier.
STEP 6: Obtain all required permissions and licences
Failure to get appropriate permissions and licences may result in significant penalties or possibly the closure of your firm.
Requirements for State and Local Business Licensing
To run a calligraphy company, you may need to get certain state licences and licences. Visit the SBA’s reference to state licences and permits to learn more about licencing requirements in your state.
For additional information on local licences and permissions, please visit:
Check with the clerk’s office in your town, city, or county.
Contact one of the local organisations mentioned in the US Small Business Associations database of local business resources for help.
Service Contract
Before beginning a new job, calligraphy enterprises should demand customers to sign a services agreement. By defining payment terms and conditions, service level expectations, and intellectual property ownership, this agreement should clarify client expectations and reduce the likelihood of legal problems.
Occupancy Certificate
A Certificate of Occupancy is often required for businesses that operate from a physical site (CO). A certificate of occupancy certifies that all building rules, zoning laws, and government requirements have been satisfied.
If you want to lease a commercial space:
In most cases, it is the landlord’s obligation to get a CO.
Before leasing, ensure that your landlord has or can get a valid CO for a calligraphy company.
A new CO is often required after a big remodelling. If your location will be refurbished before opening, incorporate wording in your leasing agreement saying that lease payments would not begin until a valid CO is given.
If you want to buy or create a company location:
It is your responsibility to secure a valid CO from a local government entity.
Examine all building rules and zoning criteria for the site of your calligraphy company to guarantee compliance and the ability to acquire a CO.
Licensing of Music
Permission from the composer or licence holder is required to play music in a commercial environment. Typically, a “blanket” licence permitting a company to play music held by a vast library of artists and recording studios is available. Performance Rights Organizations, such as ASCAP or BMI, may provide such rights.
Contract for Services
Before beginning a new job, calligraphy enterprises should demand customers to sign a services agreement. By defining payment terms and conditions, service level expectations, and intellectual property ownership, this agreement should clarify client expectations and reduce the likelihood of legal problems.
STEP 7: Obtain commercial insurance.
Insurance, like licences and permits, is required for your company to operate safely and legally. In the case of a covered loss, business insurance protects your company’s financial well-being.
There are several sorts of insurance plans designed for various types of companies with varying risks. If you are unaware about the hazards that your company may encounter, start with General Liability Insurance. This is the most popular coverage required by small companies, so it’s a good place to start for yours.
Workers’ Compensation Insurance is another important insurance product that many companies need. If your company will have workers, your state may require you to purchase Workers’ Compensation insurance.
STEP 8: Establish your brand
Your company’s brand is what it stands for, as well as how the public perceives it. A strong brand will help your company stand out from the crowd.
How to Market and Promote a Calligraphy Business
As previously said, savvy use of social media and occasional public demonstrations will provide some of the finest promotion and marketing. Local fairs and festivals are excellent public venues for displaying your work since you can offer individualised calligraphy to passersby while also promoting your special event services. Because of the visual element of your gift, it may be good to spend in more conventional promotion as well: newspaper adverts, posters, and handmade postcards are excellent methods to showcase your calligraphy skills. In addition to people, it is crucial to target organisations, since corporations may need eye-catching writing and lettering, and corporations may offer a strong source of consistent revenue for you.
How to Keep Customers Returning
Getting clients is primarily a question of using the above-mentioned conventional and non-traditional marketing strategies. It all comes down to showing your future usefulness to present customers when it comes to customer retention. For example, if you’re creating wedding invitations, you could want to remind them that you’ll be pleased to supply your services for future anniversary celebrations, birthdays, and other important occasions. This allows you to leverage on current connections while also showcasing your work to more of their friends and peers, which will aid in client recruitment.
STEP 9: Create your company’s website.
After you’ve defined your brand and designed your logo, the next step is to build a website for your company.
While developing a website is an important step, some may be concerned that it is out of their grasp due to a lack of website-building skills. While this was a fair concern in 2015, online technology has made significant advances in recent years, making the lives of small company owners considerably easier.
The following are the primary reasons why you should not put off developing your website:
Every genuine company has a website, period. When it comes to bringing your company online, it doesn’t matter what size or sector it is.
Social media accounts, such as Facebook pages or LinkedIn company profiles, are not a substitute for your own business website.
STEP 10: Install your company phone system.
Getting a phone for your company is one of the finest methods to keep your personal and professional lives distinct and private. That isn’t the only advantage; it also helps you automate your company, provides it legitimacy, and makes it simpler for prospective clients to identify and contact you.