A taxidermy business can be quite profitable as long as you have the right know-how. Many individuals will want their pets preserved, and hunters and fishermen will also seek out taxidermists to preserve their catches. Museums are also frequent customers if you’re really good at the craft.
Before starting a business, it is imperative that you have experience. Not many people will be willing to put their precious animals in your hands if you aren’t, even if you offer them a significant discount. If you don’t have experience, then take the necessary time to learn before you try to establish your business.
Whenever you start up any type of business, you will need to have a plan. You may be the best taxidermist in the world, but that won’t mean much without a solid business plan in place. It’s also a requirement to have good management skills and work ethics if you want to run a successful business. Also, you will have a very difficult time securing any financial resources without a plan.
Your taxidermy business will need to be setup in a good location. You will need to check the laws in your area, especially if you’re planning to run it out of your home. There may be issues with the local zoning laws to make this impossible. If there are issues, then you will need to find another suitable location.
Licensing and the associated fees will also be necessary. There will be laws regarding how you can run your business too. Depending on the state you’re in, you may be required to collect sales tax and send it to the state. Make sure that you find out all of this information before opening your business.
You will need to have competitive prices whenever you open your doors. The best way to find out what to set your prices as is to call around other taxidermy businesses in your area and ask them what their prices are. When you’re first starting out, you may want to charge slightly lower prices until you get more customers.
Networking will certainly help in this regard. As mentioned previously, hunters and fishermen commonly need taxidermy services. Therefore, consider reaching out to people in your area and see if they need your services. To get them on board, you may need to offer them a discount, especially if they refer some of their friends to your business.
With any type of business, you will need to get the word out to your potential customers. You will need to market your business aggressively instead of waiting for prospects to find you. Get yourself a listing in the phone book, and consider placing advertisements in your local paper.
It’s also a good idea to have a lot of business cards created and hand them out whenever you get the chance. Setting up your own website is a good idea too. You can use the website to showcase your skills so potential customers can see what you’re capable of doing.