3 Reasons Why People Will Buy Your Handmade Candles

One main concern that tends to hold people back from turning their candle-making hobby into a business is the fear that nobody will want to buy their candles. However, this is far from the truth! In this article, I will walk you through 3 reasons why people want to buy handmade candles as well as some tips for marketing your candles to the right crowd.

Hand-Poured Candles vs. Mass-Produced Candles

Let’s face it, there are so many mass producers of handmade candles that offer high production rates along with low prices. It can feel like an impossible task trying to keep up with companies like Bath and Body Works. That’s because competing with these companies is impossible, especially if you are a small batch, hand-poured candle-making business. 

Thankfully, you don’t need to compare yourself to companies that rely on mass production. That’s because the handmade candle industry is in a market of its own. In other words, the people who prefer to buy handmade candles aren’t usually the same people who are looking for the cheapest three-wick candles money can buy. When you are selling hand-poured candles, you will be working with a different target market altogether.

Why Do People Buy Handmade Candles?

There are plenty of reasons why people might want to buy handmade candles. Perhaps they appreciate the time and care that goes into making each one. Or maybe they like the idea of supporting a small business. Whatever the reason, there's no doubt that handmade candles make a great gift or addition to any home. Here are the top three reasons that people will buy your handmade candles.

1. Incomparable Quality

Each and every handmade item is unique in its own right. When you buy handmade, you can ensure that attention and care are being poured into every step of the process. Even if your customer knows nothing about candles or how they are made, there is something special about buying handmade that just can’t be compared to any mass-produced item.

Sure, mass-produced candles might be perfectly poured and sold at unfathomably low prices. But the people who are shopping for the cheapest candles are not concerned with the value that handmade goods can bring on other levels. 

People who prefer to shop handmade, on the other hand, recognize and appreciate the value that comes with each product they purchase. Each time you light your handmade candle, you are also igniting a sense of appreciation for the amount of work that went into creating it. There is also a significant appeal to supporting small businesses, especially when they are local. This brings me to the next reason why someone would want to buy your handmade candles.

2. Sense of Community

Being a handmade creator myself, I understand how important it is to form personal connections with your customers and build a sense of community around the product you are selling. This is an edge that large-scale candle producers will never be able to compete on. 

That’s because small businesses are driven to take a hands-on approach to meeting with customers, doing customer service, and running social media accounts. These are all essential parts of building a sense of community around your products and directly educating your customers about your product. 

With that said, there is an art to building this community and educating customers about your product, especially when it comes to social media. Directly listing all of the reasons why your product is amazing can be too forward for some customers, which might deter them from purchasing your product. 

Instead, try to take your customers on a backstage journey of your candle-making process. Giving them an exclusive glimpse into your business can help them feel connected and involved in the process. In turn, they will be more likely to want to purchase your product because they know where it comes from and the effort that went into making it. 

The ability to put a face to your brand is another edge that you will have over larger candle-making corporations. Instead of buying from a faceless manufacturer, your customers can rest easy knowing that they are purchasing products from a person that they can trust. 

Building trust with your customer is a huge part of creating a sense of community around your brand. For example, I like to get personal on my Instagram page and through social media. This gives my customers an honest representation of who I am as a person and what my life is like as a candle maker.

Once you have a solid customer base, you’ll find that this helps your brand spread through word of mouth as well. This will prompt more people to share your posts, gift your candles to their friends and family, and spread your brand’s message in ways that are 100% organic. 

When your customers know you personally and feel the sense of community that you have created around your brand, they will be happy to spread your message and introduce others to your brand through word of mouth.

3. Customization

People will be more likely to purchase your handmade candles over mass-produced candles because of the customization aspect behind your product. When you hand-make your own products, the potential for customization is virtually endless. When it comes to the candle business, there are so many different niches and sub-markets, some of which haven’t even been explored yet. 

On top of this, we are able to offer our clients one-of-a-kind candles that are perfectly suited to their preferences. That’s because we can customize labels, jars, scents, and tons of other options depending on what the customer is looking for. This is another thing that makes us stand apart from mass-produced companies. 

As a small business that sells handmade products, it is in your best interest to offer as many custom options as possible. Not only can this enhance your customer’s experience, but it can also be a great way to stand out for making exclusive candles.

Light Up Your Small Business!

As you can see, there are plenty of reasons why someone would want to purchase a handmade candle over one that is produced in a factory. The trick is figuring out how to market to your intended audience and build a sense of community surrounding your product by highlighting what makes it unique. When you follow these tips, you will be in the perfect position to light up your small business.

If you would like to learn more about this topic, head over to my YouTube video where I go even more in-depth on the reasons why people will buy your handmade candles.