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Woodworking can be a rewarding hobby, but turning it into a profitable side hustle takes more than just skill and creativity. Uncle Nick, a woodworking enthusiast and entrepreneur, shares his top five woodworking projects that sell like hotcakes on a cold winter’s day. From tea light candle holders to wine bottle stands and boomerangs, he highlights the features that make each project a hit with customers.
But Uncle Nick doesn’t stop at project ideas. He also reveals the secret sauce to making more sales and profit: customization. By catering to customers’ preferences and going above and beyond in customer service, woodworkers can turn their passion into a successful business.
Project 1: Tea Light Candle Holder
Gift Idea
The tea light candle holder is a versatile product that makes for a great gift idea. It is especially popular during occasions such as Christmas, Mother’s Day, and birthdays. Its rustic and elegant design makes it a perfect decorating item for occasions like a rustic wedding.
Profit Margins
The tea light candle holder is a simple, quick, and cheap product to make, making it a profitable item to sell. With proper setup, it can be batched out quite quickly, which is good for profit margins. Adding a personal touch to the product can make it stand out from the crowd and attract more customers.
Batch Production
Batch production is an efficient way to produce the tea light candle holder. With the right tools and materials, it can be produced quickly and easily. The product can be customized with a unique twist to make it stand out and attract more customers.
Customization
Customization is key to making the tea light candle holder stand out from the competition. Various options such as image transfer, laser etching, painting, and staining can be used to customize the product. However, it is important to note that the more complicated the finish, the longer it will take to produce, which can affect profit margins.
Laser Engraving
Laser engraving is an excellent way to add a personal touch to the tea light candle holder. It is a popular customization option that can be used to engrave names, dates, or designs on the product. Laser engraving can increase the value of the product and attract more customers.
Size Variations
Producing the tea light candle holder in different sizes can cater to a wider range of customers. Larger sizes can accommodate bigger tea lights, making it a more versatile product. Offering various sizes can attract more customers and increase sales.
The tea light candle holder is a profitable and versatile product that can be produced quickly and easily with the right tools and materials. Customization options such as laser engraving and size variations can make it stand out from the competition and attract more customers. Batch production can increase profit margins, making it a great product for a woodworking side hustle.
Project 2: Phone and Tablet Stands
Material Costs
Phone and tablet stands are a popular woodworking project that can be made with minimal materials, making them a cost-effective option for those looking to sell their creations. The custom materials needed to make a phone or tablet stand are very little, which is great for profits.
Production Time
The time it takes to make a phone or tablet stand is very quick, especially if a template is used to mark out the pieces. However, the complexity of the finish can significantly impact the production time, which in turn can affect profits.
Customization Options
The sky’s the limit when it comes to customizing phone and tablet stands to make them stand out from the competition. Options such as image transfer, laser etching, painting, staining, and more can be used to add a personal touch to the product. However, it’s important to keep in mind that the more complicated the finish, the longer it will take to produce, which can ultimately impact profits.
Marketing Upsell Technique
One effective marketing technique for phone and tablet stands is to offer a smaller item as an extra purchase, similar to the classic McDonald’s “Do you want fries with that?” upsell technique. For example, a small phone stand can be offered as an additional purchase to a larger tablet stand. By doing this, woodworkers can increase their profits and provide customers with more options.
Overall, phone and tablet stands are a great woodworking project to sell due to their popularity and cost-effectiveness. By offering customization options and using effective marketing techniques, woodworkers can increase their profits and stand out from the competition.
Project 3: Beer-Related Products
Wall Mounted Bottle Opener
Beer-related products tend to be popular, and one such product that sells well is the wall-mounted bottle opener made from recycled pallet wood. It is an excellent gift idea for occasions like Father’s Day, birthdays, Christmas, etc. The product is cheap and quick to make, and adding a unique twist to it can make it stand out from the competition. The demonstratable nature of the product is also a plus, making it an attractive option for market stalls or online sales.
Cappapult
Another beer-related product that sells well is the cappapult, which can launch bottle caps with ease into the outer stratosphere. It is a fun product and a great gift idea for occasions like Father’s Day, birthdays, Christmas, etc. The product is cheap and quick to make and has a demonstratable nature, making it an attractive option for market stalls or online sales.
Demonstratable Products
Demonstratable products tend to attract customers, and beer-related products like the wall-mounted bottle opener and the cappapult are excellent examples. The ability to showcase the product’s functionality in a market stall or via a video demonstration can make it stand out from the competition and increase sales.
Gift Ideas
Beer-related products like the wall-mounted bottle opener and the cappapult are great gift ideas for occasions like Father’s Day, birthdays, Christmas, etc. Personalizing the products by adding a unique twist to them can make them more sellable. For example, engraving someone’s name on the product or offering it in various materials can increase sales and drive up profits.
Project 4: Wine Bottle Stands
Profit Margin
Wine bottle stands are a great woodworking project to sell due to their high profit margin. They are made from two small boards screwed together and can be made using basic woodworking tools. Using a rustic piece of wood can also add to the product’s appeal. By offering customization options such as different paint or stain options, engraving, or different materials, the profit margin can be further increased.
Batch Production
Batch production of wine bottle stands is also very efficient as they can be made quickly and cheaply. A single 2.4 meter or eight-foot stick can produce multiple stands, making it easy to create a large inventory for market stalls or online sales.
Customization
Customization is key to making more sales and profit from wine bottle stands. Offering different finishes, personalization options, or different materials can set the product apart from competitors and make it more appealing to customers. Personalizing products with names or designs is a popular trend that customers love and can lead to more sales.
Shipping Considerations
Shipping costs can be reduced by unscrewing the two pieces of the wine bottle stand for packaging. This makes shipping cheaper and more efficient. By offering customization options, the product can be tailored to fit the customer’s needs, leading to more satisfied customers and repeat business. Providing excellent customer service is also important in building a loyal customer base and increasing profits.
Project 5: Boomerangs
Fun Factor
Boomerangs are a fun product to make and sell. They have the ability to grab people’s attention and appeal to all ages. They are also enjoyable to fly. By adding a unique touch to each boomerang, such as using the Spin Art technique demonstrated in the video, they can be sold as one-of-a-kind products, which can bump up the price and make them even more attractive to customers.
Cost Efficiency
Boomerangs are very easy and cheap to produce. They require very little material and can be made quickly. Additionally, they are light and thin, which makes shipping costs very low.
Unique Selling Proposition
The unique selling proposition for boomerangs is their ability to be customized. By adding personal touches, such as engraving a customer’s name or offering various materials, they can be made more attractive to customers. Personalization sells, and offering a variety of options can help drive up sales and profits.
Shipping Costs
As mentioned earlier, boomerangs are light and thin, which makes shipping costs very low. Additionally, they can be easily packed and shipped as they don’t require any special packaging or handling.
Overall, boomerangs are a great product to add to a woodworking side hustle. They are fun, easy, and cheap to produce, and can be customized to appeal to a wide range of customers. By offering a variety of options and going above and beyond in customer service, a woodworker can turn their side hustle into a profitable business.
Secret Sauce: Customization
Catering to Customer Wants
One of the keys to making more sales and increasing profits in woodworking is to cater to customer wants. This means offering products that are tailored to their specific needs and desires. One way to do this is by offering customization options. For example, offering different stain or paint options for a wine bottle stand or engraving someone’s name on a product can make it more personal and sellable. By offering a variety of options, woodworkers can attract a wider range of customers and increase sales.
Personalization
Personalization is another way to cater to customer wants and increase sales. People love seeing their names on things, so offering products that can be personalized with a customer’s name or initials can be a great selling point. This can be done through engraving, laser etching, or other methods. By offering personalized products, woodworkers can set themselves apart from the competition and attract more customers.
Material Options
Offering products in different materials is another way to cater to customer wants and increase sales. For example, offering a wine bottle stand made from a beautiful piece of recycled hardwood can command a higher price and attract customers who are willing to pay more for a unique and high-quality product. By offering products in a variety of materials, woodworkers can appeal to a wider range of customers and increase sales.
Customer Service
Providing excellent customer service is essential for any business, including woodworking. It takes a lot of time and effort to acquire a customer, so it’s important to go above and beyond what they expect in order to keep them coming back. This can include things like offering free shipping, providing prompt and helpful responses to inquiries, and offering a satisfaction guarantee. By providing excellent customer service, woodworkers can build a loyal customer base and increase sales over time.
Conclusion
In this video, Uncle Nick shared his top five woodworking projects that sell well and are profitable as a side hustle. These projects include tea light candle holders, phone and tablet stands, wall-mounted bottle openers, wine bottle stands, and boomerangs.
To make these projects stand out and sell more, Uncle Nick emphasizes the importance of customization. This can include adding personal touches like engraving or offering different stain or paint options. He also encourages woodworkers to go above and beyond for their customers to create a loyal customer base and increase profits.
Overall, while making money from woodworking as a side hustle requires hard work, choosing the right products to sell and customizing them to meet customers’ needs can make the process easier, quicker, and more profitable.
