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I officially started my banner painting business on November 28, the day after Thanksgiving. I have been wanting to start a banner painting business for a long time after seeing others post about it online. I have always enjoyed placing colors together to make a bigger picture and banner painting is just that.
In general, I like starting businesses. This business model checks a lot of my boxes and has even more room to grow in the digital sphere. It’s something I can do completely all on my own time.
Why I Started
I started this business to make money, and spoiler alert – I have! One of my dreams is to own several successful businesses and this is just one of them.
It isn’t all about money though, I promise. I enjoy painting and seeing my banners come to life. There is something so satisfying about a long smooth brush stroke that seems to never run out of paint. This business is overall fun, low stress and in high demand.
What I Love About It
There are so many things I love about this business. What I love most about banner painting is designing each mock up in Canva and sharing it with the client. Every banner has a purpose. It could be for a birthday, baby shower, engagement, business promotion, or other type of celebration. Each order is different which keeps things interesting.
I also love the flexibility. I can create on my own schedule, improve my skills with every banner, and directly see the impact of my work when a customer is happy with the final result.
The Banners I’ve Made So Far
Since starting, I have sold a few custom banners, and made a few for promotional purposes. Every banner has helped me refine my process, improve my technique, and better understand what customers are looking for. Each order has built my confidence.
I got my first sale from someone random within a few hours of advertising online. I was super nervous but went all for it. I got lucky because this Client is genuinely a nice person and was super kind the whole time. She wanted a banner for her daughter’s bridal shower that had a “Fresh Off The Market” theme. The reference pic she sent me was not simple and had gingham in it. I had never done gingham, but with research it actually came out pretty good!
First Banner I sold – $70. I spent so many hours on it and really tried my best.
Fastest Banner I put in a new home. I listed it like this(needing customization) on Facebook Marketplace and it went to a new home in about 3 hours.
My most recent sale – $50 + $10 tip.
Should I Be Charging More?
Yes and no. Realistically, I need to charge at least the cost of materials and my time. Each banner cost $4-8 in materials (paper, paint, brushes, tape, markers, grommets). If a banner takes 8 hours to make and minimum wage is $12 an hour, I need to charge at least $104 including materials.
I will raise my prices after gaining more experience and confidence. Right now I have a simple pricing guide that is helping me with clients.
As a special gift, here is my pricing guide template on Canva: https://www.canva.com/design/DAG7-3_vFok/hR-GbVPyKf-yPTg4b2IhGw/view?utm_content=DAG7-3_vFok&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link&utm_source=publishsharelink&mode=preview
Oversaturation?
As a new banner painting artist, I have stayed busy with work after just starting and without much prior experience! This tells me that the market is not oversaturated. Banner painting isn’t new but it has gained in popularity these last two years.
You can easily start a banner painting business for $25 if you already have brushes and paint at home. It is a low cost business to start and maintain which means there will always be competition. I live in a city with around half a million people so I don’t worry about competition at all. If anything I would love to connect with other business owners and strengthen our market.
Final Thoughts
Starting a banner painting business has taught me confidence, discipline, and the importance of standing by my value. I’m still early in this journey, but I am really proud of how far I have come. I am proud of myself for starting! I set out to make a little extra cash and I have!
Show some love and follow my business page on instagram: @DesireFunBanners
https://www.instagram.com/desirefunbanners/