Have you ever thought about starting your own home-based business? You may be surprised to learn that a nice chunk of our customer base uses our button machines and button making supplies as the means of production for their own home-based button businesses.

The purpose of this post is run down a few of the reasons why so many of many of our customers have gotten into the button making business part-time — or even full-time — from the comfort and convenience of their own home.

We know that a home-based business is not for everyone, and that making buttons isn’t the right choice for everyone considering a home-based business, but you should at least know the benefits of being your own button making boss.

First of all, let’s get a few of the obvious reasons out the way:

• Everyone can use a steady stream of income, or extra income if your home-based button business will be “on the side”.
• Working from your home saves time, is convenient, and can be especially useful as a means of generating income when one spouse has to stay at home with the kids.
• Making buttons is not physically demanding, meaning that anyone can do it. Watch this video that shows how to make a pinback button if you need to be convinced.

Now let’s get into more of the specifics, and some things you may not realize about the business potential of button making.

1. Lots of businesses need buttons and you can supply them

Restaurants, libraries, schools, sports teams, churches, daycares…there are myriad business and organizations who need buttons to identify staff or members, promote important events, or to use as gifts or fundraisers. Many of these organizations don’t have their own button making capabilities. You can step in to fill the need while charging lower prices than a craft shop because you have lower overhead.

2. Speaking of low overhead, buttons are not expensive to make

The price per button will be dependent on the volume you are producing, what size button you are making, and how you are creating your graphics. We don’t want to cite specific prices in this post with so many variables in play, but the differences would be measured in cents and fractions of cents, which shows you just how cost-effective making a single button is.  The point is that buttons are inexpensive to make and can typically be sold for a healthy margin.

3. Campaigns always need buttons and they occur every year

If becoming the supplier for a business, as described above, is not the avenue you want to go down, how about producing buttons for campaigns? Come every November, in every municipality in the nation, there are campaigns from elementary school class president to the President of the United States. Every one of these people running for office could use campaign buttons. This is an annual event that will never run dry and never stop having a need for buttons. Talk about easy demand creation!

Plus, considering the uncertain economic times we live in, knowing that you are running a business that has a consistent and guaranteed annual market is always nice. It is up to you to sell your button making services, but there will never be a shortage of politicians at all levels who will need them.

4. You don’t need much to get started

What supplies you need will be completely dependent on what kind of buttons you’re making and what your anticipated volume is. But just to dip your toes in the water with our Beginner and Professional Button Making Systems costs about the same price as a couple of trips to Wal-Mart for groceries. What other purchase gives you legitimate revenue potential for such a modest investment?

Additionally, there are free software programs like OpenOffice.org that you can use to create your graphics and templates. If you need a tutorial or two to help you out, we offer some of those for free here at The Button Blog. Just glance over there at the sidebar and you’ll see the free tutorials and templates.

5. It’s fun!

We talk to people all the time who tell us they love making buttons and wish it was their job. Our response: why not make it your job!? We can help you get started, provide guidance, and have all of the supplies you need to be successful.

When you add it all up, button making has all of the elements you could want for a stable, enjoyable, and relatively lucrative home-based business. The only question we have for you now is: what are you waiting for?

Brighid Brown – Director of Blogging and All Things Cool at ABM