What is a "joke"? This is a joke, a cartoon, a laugh, a practical joke. Of course, this kind of business (fun) is not taken seriously by many.
Yes, probably it shouldn’t! The real people who made a million by opening a store of jokes and practical jokes have not yet been observed. Until.
But the fact that the joke shop brings real profit is not worth denying.
This type of business does not require any huge costs and investments, and specific knowledge and skills are not needed. Just some five to ten thousand dollars, and you're already in business! The most important thing is the presence of a sense of humor. Although a certain amount of pragmatism will not hurt you.
Market monitoring
For small towns, one such store of masks and jokes is more than enough. In large cities, the number of points can grow up to ten. You should be guided both by the average buyer (acquiring mostly cheap products), and by the very wealthy, who will be able to spend a large amount of money in your store.
The market is mainly filled with products from China, India, and Taiwan. This is primarily a low price and poor quality of goods. Only ten to twenty percent come to us from Europe, where the quality is, of course, better (not always!), But the cost is also more expensive.
Location and equipment
How to open a joke store? Well, if for your institution you choose a room in a fairly crowded place. A department in a shopping center is suitable, but it is also possible to stand alone. The main thing is that there is good pedestrian traffic. At first, it will be enough to rent ten to fifteen sq.m. You will also need display cases, preferably transparent and inexpensive. Equipment can be used both in installments and in installments in order to spend as little as possible on this.
What to sell?
If you are thinking about how to open a joke store, great attention should be paid to the assortment of goods. Most of the funds you invest will go there. Always in demand: comic postcards, medals, badges, product simulators (for example, a cutlet with a fly or rubber fried eggs), funny magnets, electric lighters, electric shock, souvenir bills, funny documents, masks, t-shirts. MORE: technical gadgets, cool trinkets.
The flight of your imagination is not limited. Some people like glasses with painted eyes, and someone likes a King Kong mask. This running "small things" sold out for the holidays and throughout the year. Place such products on display windows as conveniently as possible so that the buyer notices them. A good assortment starts from five hundred items, but this is not the limit! It is important that the client can touch the trinkets with his hands, touch before buying.
Holidays are approaching, and carnival cool costumes, T-shirts, masks, wigs are already in use! Organizations that have a tradition of holding corporate parties on holidays are also your potential buyers. Orders of such enterprises will be up to twenty percent of your entire business.
It is possible and necessary to sell pyrotechnic products (having previously obtained special permission). During the New Year holidays they are bought very intensively. And the profit from these sales will significantly cover all your costs.
Business development
Thinking about how to open a joke store, you need to look a little ahead - what's in the future? The first thought that comes to mind is holding holidays for children and adults!
This thorny path has already been thoroughly tested by the participants of the “joke business”.Of course, you will have to hire both a screenwriter and a showman, but you will not remain in the loser. From practice, the cost of such orders is from five hundred dollars and more!
In addition, it is also an additional advertisement for your store. So feel free to develop and develop this type of activity. He will be able to bring you additional income. A good topic is also a t-shirt shop with jokes (more precisely, a department).
Such T-shirts with inscriptions like “beer instructor” are still popular among young people. Moreover, new products with new original slogans always appear on this market.
Employees
For a small department in a shopping center, one seller is enough. But it is worth choosing carefully. Great if he will be with a good sense of humor. It is important that one knows how to communicate with people, inspiring to buy. Suppose you pay him more, but with jokes and jokes he will sell more. At first, the second seller is not needed at first, especially if you are able to replace the first for the weekend (the store should work daily)! If you expand the business, you will need a cashier and a consultant, but for now you can do it.
Payback
Your "cool business", as a rule, will "beat off" in six months, the maximum is a year. This original genre is in demand, especially in regions where there are not so many entertainments. Of course, goods of this kind are not basic necessities, but people need a holiday as much as bread.
Advertising
You need to make the right (and preferably inexpensive) advertising for your store. We immediately sweep television and radio - this is for large corporations and moneybags. The easiest way to organize an advertising campaign in newspapers. It is quite effective and does not require a lot of money. It will be good if you print the original leaflets, business cards and hand them out on the street.
You can use both "advertising on the pillars" and "word of mouth". Objective: spend your money as economically and as efficiently as possible. Do not forget, you have a small business, and every penny counts. In general, in a good way, you need to spend about a third of your profit on advertising. People need to know about you, where you are, what you sell!
Summary
So, now you know how to open a joke store. At least you have a more or less clear plan of action. I must say that this type of business, although it is considered small, is highly profitable. Having invested from five to ten thousand dollars, you get an almost win-win version of your business. You can’t earn millions, of course, but you will always have a “piece of bread and butter”. As a bonus - always a good mood for you and your customers. Good luck
