Do you want to start a body piercing business? If yes, find here a business plan guide to start this business from home or on a small scale.
The body piercing business is ideal for those entrepreneurs who have a creative bend of mind and take a keen interest in body piercing art. Body piercing is exactly making a piercing in the body with a needle to get an opening for the installation of a piece of jewelry. In the present day, the body piercing business becoming a mainstream fashion industry.
If you are one who is passionate about this type of body art, this article will surely help you in launching a profitable body piercing business.
14-Step Body Piercing Business Plan
1. Learn the Skills of Body Piercing
Skill and experience is the major factor in get success in the body piercing business. It is always advisable to attend some practical workshops on body piercing before. Also, you need to have a good knowledge of sanitation and safety measures.
Most countries and states have certain requirements to become a piercer. It can be short training courses on piercing techniques and sterilization activities. You must join and work as an apprentice at a reputed body piercing studio.
Some government health departments provide body piercing courses. For example, The Florida Department of Health conducts body piercing training courses in several counties of the state.
Body piercing experts always suggest beginners first learn the art by execution on paper. And then when you get confidence, try out on human bodies.
2. Understand the Local Market
Like any other business, it is essential to know more about the local demand for body piercing services. Collect information about the design trends that customers are looking for in your locality.
Furthermore, check the level of competition that you might face from other service providers in your area. Conduct in-depth market research and find out the gaps and plan accordingly to your advantage.
3. Select Your Niche
There are different types of body piercing that can be done on different parts of the body. The most popular areas are the nose, ears, and lips. However, body piercing can be done in almost all places like the torso, navel, and many more.
For a beginner, it is advised that you start by concentrating on some specific areas. Then when you gain the expertise and become more confident, expand your services.
Here we have listed down some of the popular types of body piercing for your benefit:
- Helix Piercing
- Tragus Piercing
- Nose Piercing
- Tongue Piercing
- Navel Piercing
- Nipple Piercing
- Lip Piercing
4. Create a Body Piercing Business Plan
Though often ignored by new entrepreneurs, a business plan is as a matter of fact the most important document for a successful business. A business plan not only works as a roadmap for the present and future activities of the company but also as a numero uno document for pitching funds from investors.
Some of the issues your startup body piercing business must address are the following:
- Startup and recurring costs
- Type of body piercing services offered
- Target customer profile
- Pricing Strategy
- Hiring plan
- Profit margin
Furthermore, remember the business plan is a dynamic document. As your business grows, you need to make changes to face new challenges.
5. Name Your Business
Choose a business name that correctly relates to your body piercing company and its services. It should be catchy and unique. One can take help from online business generators in finding out the desired name.
In addition, check whether a relevant domain name is available or not. If you don’t find a similar domain name, creating a website can be difficult.
Learn More: How to Name Your Business? Step-By-Step Guidelines
6. Choose a Proper Location for Your Body Piercing Shop
The location will play a major role in the success of your body piercing business. Select a location where customers can locate and reach easily. There will be a number of visitors who will come in their own cars. So, ensure there is sufficient parking space to park cars.
However, your budget will be a major factor in selecting a retail space. Find the best location as per your resources.
7. Register Your Business
If you want to start and run a legally compliant company, registering your business is essential. Talk to the local competent authority and learn about the different legal company structures allowed in your locality.
For example, if you live in the United States, the popular business structure for small businesses are sole proprietorship, partnership, and limited liability partnership(LLC). Forming an LLC is a preferred choice for many business owners as it provides certain extra benefits like protecting your personal assets in case the company is sued in financial disputes.
You can form an LLC yourself or hire a professional LL company formation service provider at some extra cost.
8. Licenses & Permits
To run a body piercing business you will need to have several permits and licenses. It is always better to consult an attorney about the requirement.
Also, contact your local health inspector to obtain permission. Always ask for a consent letter from the parents when any under 18 asks for a piercing.
9. Buy Equipment
As body piercing is asking invasive procedure, you have to be highly careful while purchasing the required equipment and tools. In addition, you also need to take sufficient safety measures so that no infection occurs after the piercing job is done.
Some of the basic types of equipment to do body piercing are as follows:
- Sterilized Body Piercing Needles
- Dermal Punch
- Piercing Guns
- Threaded Tapers
- Insertion Tape Sets
- Ring Pliers – Opening & Closing
- Corks
- Forceps
- Needle Receiving Tubes
- Medical Latex Gloves
- Soap Solutions
- Plastic Wheel Gauge
Additionally, you must have a stock of some fashionable jewelry. Some popular ones are listed below:
- Bent Barbells
- Captive Rings
- Circular Barbells
- Straight Barbells
- Labret Studs
- Dermal & Surface Piercing Jewelry
- Latest Piercing Retainers
Contact local reputed suppliers and procure the tools. It is without saying, never compromise with quality in this business.
Other than equipment for carrying out the body piercing job, it is important to set up the studio so that customers feel comfortable. The look and feel of your body piercing shop must provide customers with the feeling that they are in the right place.
Do not forget to have a point of sale(POS) software for ease of payment.
10. Calculate the Cost of Starting a Body Piercing Shop
Other than the equipment cost, the major investment in starting a body piercing shop is the rent/ lease cost of the retail space.
One can start a body piercing shop for as low as $5000 if one can save the rent cost. Do not forget to keep some money for supplies for at least the coming three months.
11. Set Pricing
The pricing of your services will largely depend on the demand and competition in your area. It is advised to find out the prices offered by your competitors for similar services if there are one.
Furthermore, another factor that will decide the price is the kind of jewelry the customer is asking for. The more expensive the jewelry more the price you have to fix. On average, the price ranges from $50 to $100 for basic body piercing services.
12. Arrange Funds if Required
It is obvious that arranging funds is the most difficult part of a startup entrepreneur. If you are short of money it is best to take loans from friends and relatives. Because it is almost impossible to get your body piercing business funded by banks or investors in the initial phase.
However, you can approach crowdfunding sites where there are many individual investors who invest money in new startups. But you might have to pay higher interest there.
For recurring costs, business credit cards are a good option for small credit.
13. Hire Skilled Manpower
Customer satisfaction and providing healthy body piercing service is the last word to get success in the body piercing business. You have to be extremely choosy while recruiting a body piercing expert in your company. Hire skilled professionals with good communication skills who can make your customers happy.
14. Promote Your Body Piercing Business
Create an informative brochure that includes the services, pricing, products, and contact detail. Also, you will sell different body piercing fashion jewelry with your services. You may go for some business partnerships with local fashion jewelry stores and salons.
online presence is a must for small businesses nowadays. Create a website and add necessary pages like About You, Services, and Contact Details.
Also, educate your potential clients about piercing safety measures through your blog and social media platforms. Offer special discounts to the customer on jewelry purchasing with piercing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What qualifications do you need to do body piercings?
You do not need any formal qualification to carry out the art of body piercing. However, learning the art from a recognized institute or internship under a professional body piercer for at least 6 months to 1 year.
Do you need a license to be a body piercer?
The need for types of licenses and permits for starting a body piercing business will depend on the state or country where you plan to set up. For example, if you are from Texas in the United States, visit the official website of the Texas Department of State Health Services to learn more about licensing requirements to start a body piercing business.
How much do body piercers make?
The average salary of a professional and experienced body piercer is in the range of $18 to $30 in the United States.
Editorial Team at 99BusinessIdeas is a team of experts led by Rupak Chakrabarty with over 25 years of experience in starting and running small businesses. Started in 2010, 99BusinessIdeas is now one of the largest free small business resources in the industry.
