Last Updated on Mar 11, 2020 by James W
February 14.
It’s a date that fills a lot of people with all sorts of emotions. Some look forward to the day, believing it’s the best time for them to show how crazy they are for the one that’s got their hearts. Some absolutely dread it, thinking that it’s nothing but a sad reminder of how alone and miserable they are.
For the entrepreneurial minded, it’s the perfect occasion for business opportunities. There’s no harm in cashing in on the love craze. You get paid, while the customers get… erm… a very romantic time together with their partners.
-
Valentine’s Day Card Printing
It’s a tradition that dates back as far as the 15th century, growing more and more popular in Europe until the 19th century when it grew into an entire industry. The fact that it has survived for that long without any indication that it’ll go away even in this 21st century probably means that it works.
Of course, there’s no competing right now with Hallmark which has a stranglehold on all greeting cards. What a smart upstart entrepreneur could do is to focus on making personalized Valentine’s cards instead of churning out generic mass-produced cards.
Considering how everyone else seems to be getting mostly the same cards on this occasion, it doesn’t feel truly special anymore. Giving a custom Valentine’s card shows a little more effort on the part of the giver, and it’s a sentiment that can be capitalized on.
It will require a respectable level of artistic ability, so it’s best to hire designers to do the job. Take orders in advance so they can be worked on immediately, and that they’ll be ready when the 14th of February rolls around. This can also be a suitable supplement to a custom business card printingoperation.
-
Chocolates
Although giving chocolates on Valentine’s Day doesn’t have as long a history as Valentine’s cards, it has nevertheless become part of the entire tradition to treat loved ones to these sweet delights. They’re sweet, they look very nice organized in a box, and they also help make people feel good, thanks to the phenylethylamine found in them. What’s not to like?
The concept of putting them all in a nice heart-shaped box for Valentine’s Day was introduced by the famous chocolate company Cadbury in the 1860s. Today, it’s one of the top Valentine’s gifts with about $1.5 billion spent on the special candies in 2012.
With all that cash in the market, selling chocolates is an obvious money-making route. But just like with Valentine’s cards, you need to offer something unique to stand out among the multiple confectionery stores out there.
Again, customization is key to having financial success as a startup in this business. It will take some skill and an eye for aesthetics to create such delicious and good-looking confectioneries. You also have to take the design of the boxes into consideration, because presentation is just as important as the taste.
-
Matching Shirts
If you think going with what’s been tried and tested for years isn’t an exciting business model, you can try capitalizing on the bonds already made between people in relationships with matching shirts.
This idea is all about letting couples tell the world how much they’re into each other, and February 14 is the best day for them to express those feelings.You can spin this in a number of ways to cater to a wider audience:
- There’s the simple matching t-shirt idea where you put the same design on both shirts. This lets both partners show how alike they are, from their mindset to their tastes down to their own style.
- Another route to take is to create a design that will only make sense when the two shirts are next to each other. It highlights how well the couple fits together, showing their differences and how they complement each other.
- Lastly, you can just come up with designs that don’t necessarily have to be totally similar or complementary, but carry the same tone or message. This is for the couples who aren’t overly cheesy about their love, but still want to make a statement that they’re together for good.
-
Delivery Service
If you can pursue any of the three previous ideas, you can take it to the next level by offering a way of delivering the products to your customers’ doorsteps. Providing this service opens up your range of customers.
Not everyone can just drop by in a brick-and-mortar store, and there are situations where distance can prove to be a problem. With this service, your business can be the bridge between lovers’ hearts separated by circumstance.
It’s also what some people are looking for, considering the amount of would-be Casanovas out there wanting to surprise the objects of their affections.
And if you’re only selling your products online (and that’s usually the case these days for small businesses), then it should go without saying.
-
Matching Tattoos
This is in the same vein as the matching shirts idea but taken to the extreme. And what is love but an extreme dedication of one’s self to another? So in the Day of Hearts, there probably isn’t a bigger way of showing your love than getting matching tattoos.
Make no mistake about it—getting inked is a very big decision for couples, considering a tattoo is permanent for most people. There’s absolutely no way of guaranteeing a couple would still be a couple in the future, so understand the hesitance a lot of people will have in taking this service.
But it’s the season where people do a lot of crazy things for their lovers, so if they’re all for it, indulge their preferred demonstration of their commitment. You can sell them on the idea that even if their relationship falls apart, it still happened and that the mark left behind serves a purpose of reminding them of the good times shared with a special person.
Like the ideas for the matching shirts concept, the designs can just be similar in tone without having to be complemented by one another. This can take care of the potential awkwardness if the couple does break up.
Getting into the business of love is much like falling in love. It’s an exciting venture that can pay dividends if you’re committed and creative, but there’s always a risk of failing with the coming and going of the seasons.
