How Much should You Charge for Laser Engraving Business?

If you have a steady source of business, you can project the appropriate pricing based on the material and size of the engraved item. Here are 5 ways to help you know the right cost to charge:

Multiply the cost of engraving a blank item by 5 or 6.

The exact price of laser engraving business depends on the complexity of the engraving, size, material, etc. So laser engraving business model is very wide.

Pricing by the square inch.

This is one of the most common pricing methods used by most laser engraving business model. If you have a unique engraving technique, you can set the price at $80/square foot. And each engraving must be at least 1 square foot. In addition, materials are not included in the price. Many common business card laser engravers now charge between 40 and 55 cents per square foot. However, this is probably the most basic bundle, and the pricing would skyrocket if you wish to engrave more advanced materials or more complicated patterns. So, before placing your order, make sure to ask if there are any hidden fees.

Charge by the minute

If the engraving quantity is huge, charge according to engraving time. For example, $1-$5 per minute. This is the most common type of charge when large quantities of laser engraved business cards are used.

Charge for each character engraved.

If you are engraving words or characters(such as laser engraved business cards), you can charge per character. 3D letters are best for this per character concept. For example, we charge $12 for a 3D letter 8 cm to 10 cm in height. The larger the letters, the higher the cost per character.

Pricing based on engraving layout charges.

This is one of the features of our pricing that we disregard. “Time is money,” as the adage goes. Time is money, so don’t waste it. We spend a lot of time preparing artwork for our clients in our engraving business. As a result, they are unable to convert it into cash. As a result, we must charge for our time, knowledge, professionalism, and other services. This is how we can maximize our laser engraving business profit.

Understand the Costs

Understanding your costs is one of the most important considerations in determining how much to charge. It is also the only way to test whether we are profitable at a later stage. Starting a laser engraving business itself is a relatively inexpensive process. But we have to include the time of engraving, the cost of the machine, the cost of materials, electricity, etc., into the price. If you have a low frequency of use of the laser engraving machine, then purchasing an best laser engraver for small business will not doubt the meaning.

Material costs

If the customer brings his own materials, then this part you can ignore. If the customer does not bring their own materials, then the cost of materials is also an important factor for us to consider. The cost of different materials also varies greatly. Therefore, you must consider the material that will be used for the project and increase its cost accordingly. Some examples of carving materials are

1. Wooden board (5.9 x 3.9 x 0.07 inches) = $6.50
2. Leather = $10-$12
3. Aluminum (24 x 36 inches) = $35
4. Granite = $10-50
5. Brass = $2.25

Starting a laser engraving business can be done on various materials, depending on the job. Each material’s cost price is a variable cost. As a result, it’s best to assess each product line before presenting it. If you acquire raw materials in bulk, determine how much each raw material costs per unit.
Then consider an often-overlooked factor: the time you spend making your product. Although this is a difficult nut to crack, it is vital to consider. Consider this: what is an acceptable hourly wage for laser engraving business profit?

Calculating laser engraving business profits

Once the above questions have been addressed, our next step is to calculate the profit. Profit margin = (selling price – cost)/cost. We can adjust the price according to the profit we want by calculating the profit margin. It is worth mentioning that we have to consider both loss and profit. If there are days in the month when there has been no business, we need to calculate the break-even. This way, you can keep yourself from losing money and keep your laser engraving business profits stable.

After calculating the profit, we almost know whether the laser engraving business is profitable or not. However, the above calculations are done in an ideal state. So we can’t estimate our profitability 100%. But the simple answer is yes. Because there are already many successful engraving manufacturers who have already made their first bucket of money in the engraving business. But …..

Just because someone else is successful with a laser engraving business does not mean you will be. To be successful, you must devote a significant amount of time and attention to marketing and product differentiation. Most people who try to sell their things online fail without some fundamental marketing abilities. However, if you master the marketing aspect, sales will begin to flow. We’ll go over this in further detail later, but first, let’s address some frequently asked topics.

Know your customers

To get to know your customers, you’ll need to undertake market research. Market research is usually easier for established businesses because they may poll their existing clients or launch a new sponsorship campaign. However, since your laser engraving business is still in its infancy. You most likely don’t have a ready-made case study to employ in your research. As a result, you’ll need to be more inventive in your study.
The most crucial thing you need to know about your consumers is how much money they’re willing to spend on your laser engraving services.

Know your competition

Put yourself in the shoes of your customer. Wouldn’t you want to evaluate various possibilities if you went to Etsy to buy etched laser items? Wouldn’t it be great if you could obtain the best deal without sacrificing quality? That is precisely what your clients will do. That’s why, for the same goods, we can’t get away from the market pricing.

1. Charge less than the competition

   This is usually the most straightforward method of defeating the opposition. The trick is to use lower prices to steal customers from your competitors. The biggest disadvantage of this pricing plan has a lower profit margin. As a result, you should only utilize this strategy if you’ve carefully considered your operating costs and are confident that a reduced selling price will not jeopardize your laser engraving business.

2. Charging morethan the competition

   You are charging more than the competition is also a viable pricing strategy. However, important factors will determine whether or not you can take this step. First, determine if your product is unique. If your product is amazing, this is undoubtedly a better way. If your product is better and more memorable than others, raising prices will not impact profitability.

1. Laser engraving machine

This is a laser engraving machine that everyone knows. If we want to carry out a laser engraving business, we first need to have a laser engraving machine. Of course, choosing a suitable laser engraving machine is also very important according to the material of our main engraved products. Suppose the engraving of plastic, acrylic, leather, greeting cards, and other non-metallic materials are more.

Then you can choose to buy a CO2 laser engraving machine. If engraving brass, aluminum, stainless steel and other metal materials. Then you can choose a fiber laser engraving machine. You can consult with the laser engraving machine seller. Choose a laser engraving machine that best suits your needs. It’s also good to look for a supplier who offers tutorials, especially if you’re new to the industry.

2. Laptop

Must connect the business card laser engraver to a computer through which you will then operate the artwork. Generally, the business card laser engraver is equipped with EzCad2 software compatible with Windows XP, 7, 8, and 10. It can engrave images from AutoCAD, CorelDraw, Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, etc. So we need to have a basic computer. It should have at least the minimum specifications of a well-running photo editing software such as Photoshop. It does not have to be a new computer – as long as it is working correctly and meets the minimum requirements above. Computer specifications are as follows:

1. Processors: Intel Core 2 or AMD Athlon 64 (at least 2GHz)
2. Microsoft Windows 7 or higher – A minimum of 2 GB of RAM, while 8 GB would be ideal
3. Monitor with a resolution of 1024 x 78 pixels and a color depth of 16 bits or more
4. A minimum of 2.6 GB of free storage space

In conclusion, starting a profitable home laser engraving business is extremely possible. However, if you approach it with the expectation of becoming wealthy quickly, you will be sorely disappointed. To expand your business, you’ll have to put in more effort. As a result, if we are prepared to work hard and learn, we should have no trouble producing a profit with a laser engraving business.