Product or Service-based biz - which is right for you?
You’ve been told to “find your niche” and “define your target audience”. While those are absolutely important things to figure out, I rarely hear people talk about an equally important business decision for calligraphers:
Whether you want to be a product or service-based business.
It’s important to identify which type of business you want to be because it heavily impacts your marketing, sales, client experience, and growth strategies. So how do you know which type of business you want? Let’s start by defining what a product vs. service based business is.
A Product-Based Business most commonly means that you sell products through an online shop. Customers are likely to find your shop while searching for something specific (e.g. a birthday card), and because of this, you ideally want to create multiple variations of your products so that your client can find exactly what they’re looking for. There usually isn’t any direct communication outside of the purchase transaction.
EXAMPLE: A calligrapher who creates various table number designs to appeal to a wide audience on Etsy.
A Service-Based Business has a portfolio (usually through an Instagram account and/or website), but usually doesn’t have a direct option to buy. Clients are likely to come to you with their vision and ideas, and want some help to nail down exactly what they need, or ask for a custom order. You’ll have direct conversations and often build a relationship with your client. Even though what you deliver is still a product, there is a much larger service element to the experience.
EXAMPLE: A calligrapher who creates custom table numbers that matches the client’s overall wedding vision.
Catherine Lea Photography
Let’s take a deeper dive into how a calligrapher’s business strategy changes based on whether she or he chooses to be a Product or Service-based business:
As you can see, the products you create, the software you use, the ways you market yourself - these all change depending on whether you are a product or service-based business. You may still be unsure which business model is right for you. I would start by asking: “How do I want to engage with my clients?”
Do I want to complete orders without any interaction with the customer (product-based), or do I want to have a relationship with my clients (service-based)?
Do I want to set the product vision for customers to buy (product-based), or do I want to create custom work informed by my client’s vision (service-based)?
Keep in mind that as a calligrapher you may be a combination of both product and service-based for your different income streams. For example, as a wedding calligrapher, I am primarily a service-based business, but during the holidays I sell ornaments, which is a product-based aspect of my business.
P.S. If you enjoy working with clients and want to work weddings, I would encourage you to consider a service based business, where you’re more likely to book larger deals without shortchanging yourself on price. If this sounds like you, check out my Pro Wedding Calligrapher course, where I teach you to book your dream clients without needing a shop or a website!
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