Top 5 tips on How to Make Money with Your Longarm
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To make money with a longarm, you need to establish a successful quilting business by combining your technical skills with strong marketing and professional practices.
Here are five tips for making money with your longarm:
1. Build a strong brand and online portfolio
Investing time and effort into your online presence is crucial for reaching customers.
- Create a professional portfolio. Set up a website, Facebook business page, or Instagram account dedicated to your quilting services.
- Showcase your work. Take high-quality photos of finished quilts, especially a variety of custom and pantograph designs. Post these images regularly to demonstrate your skills and style.
- Use social media strategically. Tag your customers (with their permission) when you post their finished quilts. This creates a positive feedback loop and helps new people find you.
- Get local exposure. Visit local quilt shops and guilds. Ask if you can leave business cards and bring some of your sample quilts to "Show and Tell" events to gain word-of-mouth referrals.
2. Offer different quilting services
Diversifying your services can attract a wider range of customers, from those on a budget to those seeking a personalized finish.
- Focus on high-volume pantographs. Offering edge-to-edge pantograph quilting can be a profitable, high-volume service. Many quilters are looking for a simple, fast, and affordable finish for their quilts.
- Specialize in custom quilting. For higher-paying jobs, focus on custom quilting with intricate designs, ruler work, and thread play. This can include detailed motifs in borders and blocks that require a high degree of artistic skill.
- Provide specialty and supplementary services. Offer add-ons like basting for hand quilters, sewing on bindings, or making t-shirt and memorial quilts to capture more market share. You can also explore specialized markets, like making quilted items for interior decorators or bed and breakfasts.
3. Establish a clear business structure and pricing
Treat your longarm quilting as a professional business from day one to ensure profitability and avoid burnout.
- Create a business plan. Before taking on clients, define your services, pricing, and operational flow.
- Set fair and clear pricing. Research local rates and structure your pricing based on the complexity of the job (e.g., separate rates for edge-to-edge vs. custom). Use an intake form to outline all costs and manage customer expectations from the start.
- Keep meticulous records. Use accounting software to track income, expenses, and taxes. Knowing your numbers is key to knowing your profit margin.
- Have your legal paperwork in order. This may include obtaining a business license, sales tax number, and insurance.
4. Market to different clients and segments
Expand your customer base by thinking creatively about who needs longarm quilting services.
- Quilters by "checkbook." Advertise to busy quilters who love piecing but prefer to outsource the finishing work.
- Businesses and interior designers. Approach local businesses and interior decorators to create custom quilted wall art, bed runners for hotels, or decorative pillows.
- Special events. Create personalized quilts, banners, or wall hangings for weddings, graduations, and other milestones.
5. Consider teaching or renting your machine
Leverage your expertise and your machine to create additional revenue streams.
- Offer lessons. Host workshops or one-on-one sessions for other quilters. You can teach a variety of skills, from beginner boot camps to specific techniques like ruler work or free-motion feathers.
- Rent your longarm. If you have a trusted system for training and supervision, you can rent your longarm machine to other quilters for hourly use. This allows them to finish their own projects while your machine is earning income.
Happy Longarming!! XOXO ~ Tabatha