Start a Picture Framing Business

Business Overview:

If you enjoy working with your hands and find satisfaction in making people’s memories last a lifetime, you should start a picture framing business. Picture frames are needed for everything from fine art and diplomas to posters and snapshots and can be made in any size. Operating a framing store that offers customers plenty of frame choices as well as excellent customer service can turn a hobby into a lucrative business idea. In order to have a large enough display area to properly show all your frame options, you will need to have a storefront. You should look for a location in a high traffic area, perhaps in a mall or outdoor shopping center. People love one-stop-shopping and if they can get a piece of art framed on the way to buy their child some shoes, they’re more likely to stop in. If you’re unsure how to start a picture framing business, you should look into purchasing a franchise. This will be a more costly investment but the benefits are huge. A franchise will come with training so you don’t need to have any prior experience in framing. You will also receive branding, marketing assistance, equipment and materials. Very few decisions need to be made when starting up a franchise which is great if you’re ready to get right down to business. However, if you’re interested in a more unique framing shop that perhaps caters to fine art, personally selecting each frame for your store would be important to your business model and a franchise wouldn’t be the best option. If you already operate an arts and crafts business, you could add framing to your services to bring in more customers. You can quickly learn this skill by reading a how-to book and practicing with a few pieces of your own before handling others’ art and photographs. Market your business by placing ads in the phone book and in magazines that cater to your market. If you specialize in framing large pieces, try to contract your services with a local art gallery so you can handle all of the framing for their business. They can also refer local artists to you for their framing needs. With excellent selection, skills and service, a framing business can be fun, exciting and quite lucrative.

A Day in the Life of a Picture Framing Business Owner:

Your day will begin by opening your store. You will help customers throughout the day with their framing needs. If you have a staff person helping you, you can work on framing during business hours while your employee mans the front of the store. You can also train your staff to do the framing as it’s a skill that many people are eager to learn. At the close of the day you’ll want to check your inventory and take of the finances to be ready for the following day.

About Your Customers:

Your customers will be individuals who need excellent framing services for their art, documents and photos.

What You Need to Start:

• Picture framing business plan
• Marketing plan
• Storefront
• Frames and mattes
• Framing skills (or you can hire an experienced framer)
• Equipment and other supplies
• Staff (optional)
• Computer with finance software

The Good:

• The demand for custom frames will always be high.
• You can charge top dollar for excellent framing services.
• Franchises are available to help you get started.
• You get to work with interesting people and unique art pieces.
• Excellent service will earn you repeat business.

The Bad:

• The start-up investment is high.
• It can take some time to build your client base.

Resources:

• New England Professional Picture Framers Association
• Professional Picture Framers Association
• Bureau of Labor and Statistics Article on Framers
• Wikipedia on Picture Frames

About The Author

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