Currently, got your sights set on opening up your very own 3D printing business? You’re making a great choice. Growing in customer demand each year (and seeing a steady growth in market value thanks to it) the 3D printing industry is booming and is full of opportunities to open up your own business and earn a steady profit.
Besides being a lucrative space to get into, the 3D printing world is also extremely vast – which means that, so long as you’ve got your own niche business angle in mind, you’re not going to have any trouble dealing with oversaturation. The only question left to ask is – how do you go about starting up your very own 3D printing business, exactly?
If you’re currently asking yourself this question, then rest assured that you have clicked on the right article. To help get you started on the right foot, below we are going to be sharing with you some tips and tricks on successfully launching your very own 3D printing business. Ready? Let’s begin!
How To Start A 3D Printing Business In Five Simple Steps
Step One: Decide How Much You Want To Spend On Your Startup
First thing first, you’re going to need to decide how much you want to spend initially. Even though the cost will differ from startup to startup, you should be prepared to invest at least thousand dollars (though this figure is usually higher) to ensure that you have all of the equipment and resources you need to get going – which brings us to our next point.
Step Two: Get Your Equipment Ready
Before you even think about branding your business or even selecting a name, you’re first going to need to make sure that you have a 3D printer that you can use. Without a 3D printer, you aren’t going to be able to bring any of your customer’s designs to life, so it’s imperative that you get started with one in your business arsenal.
However, as there are so many 3D printers on the market, choosing the right one for your business can be a little trickier than you might think, which is why we recommend keeping your 3D printing business’s niche at the forefront of your mind while you’re making your selection.
In need of a reliable, all-rounder? If you don’t have too many preferences when it comes to the 3D printer that you select, we recommend checking out the ELEGOO 3D Printer Neptune 2! This awesome 3D printer offers excellent value for money and comes equipped with a variety of smart features that will make using it a delight, including automatic cooling fans.
Step Three: Give Your Business An Identity
After you’ve gotten your hands on your 3D printer, now will be the perfect time to begin fleshing out your business niche. Already got an idea in mind of what you want your business to look like? Great.
With that in mind, we recommend that you take some time to do a little bit of research surrounding your niche, as well as take some time to check out your competitors. When starting out a new business, lots of budding entrepreneurs will take a look at how their competitors are doing it for inspiration and gain a deeper insight into what’s attracting a loyal customer – so you’d be making a good choice to do the same.
Once you’ve decided upon your niche, you can then move on to the fun part! Spend some time brainstorming with friends or family (or even just by yourself) to come up with a name and logo for your business, so that you can begin creating your own online presence on social media. If you’re not too sure of how to go about doing this, then why don’t you get your foot in the door by asking successful business owners in your niche how they got started?
Step Four: Decide What Type Of 3D Printing Business You Want To Have
After you’ve done a little bit of research and brainstorming, you will then need to take the time to make a decision on what type of 3D printing business you want to start. As we have already mentioned above, there are plenty of different niches in the 3D printing business, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t take inspiration from the areas of the 3D printing world that are getting the most attention and demand.
Generally speaking, when it comes to this industry, over 50% of customer interest comes via the development of different consumer and industrial products and goods, and most interest generally comes from the engineering and technology sector. Most of these industries will require the help of a 3D business to draft up initial design prototypes to aid in their own manufacturing processes, so this might be something of interest to you.
If you don’t like the sound of that, then you could alternatively decide to start up a 3D printing service that is based on creating different types of toys and models. This area of 3D printing is also highly lucrative, with most demand coming from model collectors and children’s toys.
Step Five: Network, Stand Out And Have Patience!
Once you have all the equipment you need and your 3D printing business is good to go, you’ll now be ready to begin taking orders from customers. As we have said before, one of the biggest keys to success is to stand out from the crowd and appeal to your customers.
If you’re not overly marketing-savvy – we recommend hiring a professional to help out in that department, as first impressions are everything. Besides that, stay consistent and don’t be afraid to network with others in the industry. What’s the worst that could happen? In the best-case scenario, you’ll get a few orders under your belt, and at the very least – you’ll have the opportunity to gain advice from peers in your industry.
Top Tip
In order to boost your chances of making that first sale, why don’t you take some images and videos of the designs/models you are able to make and then upload them to your social media channels? This will help promote your business and allow potential customers to see what you can do.
Hi, my name is Michael Moore, and I have been 3D printing for a number of years now. I have created many cool gadgets over the years, but my current passion is creating one of a kind jewelry pieces. They can be so intricate and beautiful that many people wouldn't believe they are 3D printed.
Through Love and Robots, I hope to share my knowledge with others, and provide advice about everything 3D printer related.
