Creating and selling advent calendars can be a fun and profitable seasonal side hustle. As the holidays approach, more people search for advent calendars to count down the days until Christmas.
In this comprehensive guide, as a professional advent calendar printing manufacturer, I’ll share my best tips on how to make an advent calendar that stands out from the competition – and actually sells.
Choose a Unique Advent Calendar Design
The first step is deciding on a design for your homemade advent calendar. When brainstorming, consider the following:
Make It Reusable
Disposable advent calendars add to landfill waste. Appeal to eco-conscious customers by creating a reusable calendar.
For example, you could sew charming fabric advent calendars like AppleGreen Cottage’s tutorial. These can be used year after year.
Theme It
Lean into popular interests like toys, sweets, beauty products, or activities. For instance, felt play food makes an adorable countdown to Christmas for kids.
Niche themes help your calendar appeal to specific demographics. Just make sure to do keyword research to assess market demand.
Try New Styles
Move beyond the typical cardboard box advent calendar. Craft advent calendars out of wood, felt, metal, clay – anything that sparks inspiration.
Unconventional materials stand out and give your advent calendar an artisanal edge.
Source Sustainable Materials
Using upcycled and eco-friendly materials aligns with the eco-conscious direction many industries are headed.
Check craft stores, thrift shops, and online marketplaces like Etsy for:
- Recycled wood, metal, cardboard and fabrics
- FSC-certified papers and woods
- Vintage materials like antique lace, buttons, or trims
- Natural materials like bamboo, seagrass, and organic cotton
Repurposed materials give your advent calendar a unique look while reducing waste – a win-win.
Master Top-Notch Craftsmanship
You want your advent calendar to impress customers with quality construction and attention to detail. Some tips:
Allow for Variety
Size compartments to fit small treats, toys, beauty items – whatever you intend to include. Sturdy construction prevents breakage.
Offer Personalization
Consider offering customization options like name embroidery, personalized messages, or themed fillers to suit individual customers.
Perfect Your Technique
Practice your advent calendar plans until you expertly execute elements like flawless stitching, smooth woodworking joints, or perfectly assembled origami.
Your portfolio of samples comes in handy later when photographing finished calendars.
Brainstorm Creative Filler Ideas
The little gifts inside each advent calendar pocket create a sense of thrill and anticipation. Include:
Sweets and Treats
From gourmet chocolates to artisanal candies, any bite-sized treats. Be mindful of allergies and safety.
Mini Toys and Trinkets
Seek tiny toys like mini Lego sets, bouncy balls, tiny stuffed animals, or temporary tattoos.
Beauty and Self-care Items
Mini lip glosses, single-use face masks, scented wax melts for a diffuser, manicure tools.
Activity Ideas
Craft punches, mini watercolor pan sets, origami papers – things to spark creativity.
Get inspiration from unique Advent of Change calendars that feature daily acts of service.
Market Through Social Media
Showcase your advent calendars attractively on platforms your target demographic uses, like:
Engage frequently and utilize relevant hashtags. Paid social ads help expand your reach.
Launch an E-Commerce Site
Once you build interest on social media, drive traffic to your own website to transact sales. Shopify and Wix offer easy template-based websites for makers and artists to open an online store.
Alternatively, sell advent calendars through online marketplaces like Etsy, Amazon Handmade or local arts and crafts sites.
Price Advent Calendars Strategically
When pricing homemade advent calendars, benchmark against comparable products. Calculate your costs for materials, tools, workspace, labor time, photography, marketing, overhead and profit margin.
Remember, customers don’t just pay for materials alone. They value artistry, originality and the charm of handmade goods. Price accordingly.
Selling well-crafted advent calendars taps into shoppers’ nostalgia and excitement surrounding the December holidays. With the right combination of creativity and business savvy, your advent calendars can turn seasonal cheer into sales success.