How to Start a Party Supply Business

If you are well organized and experienced at throwing parties, setting up a party supply business could be the right business opportunity for you. Depending on your budget, you could start out as a home-based business or you could set up your own store, possibly as a franchise.

However, before you invest any capital, you should test your business idea, by providing the supplies for friends’ parties.

Parties come in all shapes and sizes, from kids’ birthday parties to engagement parties, golden wedding anniversary parties and everything else in between. So it’s a good idea to focus on a specific niche in which there is a high demand where you live. Once you have mastered one type of party, you can think about expanding if you have the time and energy or want to grow your business by employing other people.

Some other niche ideas are baby showers, graduation parties, pool parties and surprise parties for any occasion. And then there are wedding parties – sometimes held before the wedding, when the bride and groom have chosen a destination abroad which only a small number of guests are able to attend.

You will need to find a good wholesaler, preferably one who can supply everything you need under one roof, from party invitations to gift bags, party favors and decorations.

Depending on the size and location of the party you might need additional information such as where to find party tent rentals.

You will then need to create a book containing a series of party plans to show customers photographs of supplies and lists of prices. You can start this book when you plan parties for your friends or their children. They will be able to give you testimonials which you can use in your brochures and on your website, enabling you to approach your first paying customer in a professional manner.

As with any new business, you will have to do all the paperwork yourself until you can afford to pay an assistant. So it’s important to have good computer skills, a knowledge of spreadsheets and the ability to budget and keep financial records as well as organizing your customer records.

You can advertise locally and if your friends are happy with your work, you could soon be getting word of mouth referrals. You can target your marketing according to the niche, for example through schools and mothers for childrens’ parties.

Starting a party supply business is something you can do at your own pace. It’s a flexible business which can be started while you are still in full time work or can be adapted to fit in with your family commitments.