How to Get a Home Job Doing Digital Scrapbooking

Selling Your Kits Independently

Selling your digital kits to other scrapbookers via your own website is one of the most obvious ways you can start a home scrapbooking business. This approach offers a number of advantages:

• You’ll have minimal start-up costs.
• You’ll have complete creative control over your products.
• Your product can be downloaded and sold an unlimited number of times.
• You don’t need to worry about stocking inventory.

Of course, it does require a bit of marketing savvy to make this type of scrapbooking business successful. You’ll need to devote a fair amount of time to publicizing your designs on scrapbooking websites and forums. If you’re unfamiliar with basic web design, you may even want to consider hiring a professional designer to create a site for your business.

Selling Your Kits through an Established Website

If you don’t have the time to devote to starting an independent business selling your digital scrapbooking kits, the ScrapSubmit.com website lists occasional job opportunities for digital designers. After completing a short registration process, you can use this site’s automatic submission form to apply for the opportunities of your choice.

Although you won’t need to spend as much time marketing your work if you choose this business strategy, you will be required to give a portion of the profits to the website administrators. As a digital designer for an established company, you may also be required to perform duties such as writing articles for the company newsletter, helping to monitor scrapbooking message boards, or participating in online chats about digital scrapbooking.

Creating Customized Digital Scrapbooks

Creating customized digital scrapbooks is a wonderful opportunity for anyone interested in how to get a home job doing digital scrapbooking. Many people love the look of digital scrapbooking, but lack the time or skill to complete their own albums. If you have a distinctive scrapbooking style and enjoy providing basic photo editing services, it’s possible to develop a successful business making albums for others.

If you’re interested in scrapbooking for others, you’ll want to advertise your services as much as possible. Flyers and newspaper advertisements are inexpensive ways to promote your business, but you may also want to consider creating a website with samples of your work as a way to gain clients from outside your community.

Since digital scrapbooks can be easily copied, it’s a great idea to market your services as the ideal solution to creating scrapbooks for sororities, fraternities, class reunions, sports teams, community organizations, and other groups. If you are willing to handle the printing of the books yourself, these large orders can be quite profitable.

Legal Considerations

Regardless of which type of digital scrapbooking business you choose, there are several important legal considerations to keep in mind as you pursue your entrepreneurial dreams. For example:

• Copyright Infringement: As a digital designer, you’ll need to be very careful that your work does not infringe upon the rights of others. For example, many digital scrapbooking freebies have a clause in the terms of use that prohibits you from selling layouts made with elements from the kit.
• Financial Records: The IRS will expect you to report all income and expenses from your digital scrapbooking business. Developing a file system that is simple, yet efficient will make this task much easier. If you frequently struggle with organizational skills, ask your accountant for advice on what documents will be needed to prepare your tax return.
• Insurance: Although digital scrapbookers don’t have to deal with piles of patterned paper, cardstock, and embellishments, the computer equipment you use to run your business can be very expensive. Make sure your homeowner’s insurance will cover your computer, scanner, graphics software, and digital camera or consider purchasing added coverage for your business.
• Licenses and Permits: Depending upon where you live and the exact nature of your business, you may be required to obtain a business license or permit. Your county courthouse or local zoning board should be able to provide additional information on these requirements.

Additional Information on How to Get a Home Job Doing Digital Scrapbooking

If you’re interested in learning more about how to get a home job doing digital scrapbooking, check out the following books:

• The Crafts Business Answer Book & Resource Guide: Answers to Hundreds of Troublesome Questions about Starting, Marketing, and Managing a Home-Based Business Efficiently, Legally, and Profitably by Barbara Brabec
• The Scrapbooker's Guide to Business by Kathy Steligo
• Secrets of Scrapbooking Success: Making Money, Making Memories by Sue DiFranco
• Scrapbooking for Profit: Cashing in on Retail, Home-Based and Internet Opportunities by Rebecca Pittman
• The Basic Guide to Selling Crafts on the Internet by James Dillehay