How to Start a Candle Business: 8 Practical Marketing Strategies to Launch Before You Open

If you’re wondering how to start a candle business and want to get traction before your shop officially opens, this guide is for you. I’ve built and scaled candle companies, and in this article I’ll walk you through eight marketing strategies I use personally that you can start today to build anticipation, trust, and a loyal community before the first product ships.

If you’re serious about learning how to start a candle business the right way, you’ll find step-by-step tactics, examples, and a practical content system you can copy. These strategies aren’t theoretical—they’re the exact approaches that helped us have a nearly $3,000 first weekend and land press coverage in local media. Read on to learn how to start a candle business with momentum, even before your doors open.

Overview: Why Marketing Before Opening Matters

One of the biggest mistakes new founders make when they learn how to start a candle business is waiting to market until after they “have something to sell.” Marketing isn’t an afterthought; it’s the engine that creates demand. Starting your promotion early gives you time to build an email list, test product ideas, gather third-party validation, and shape an audience that’s excited to buy when your store goes live.

Here’s the simple truth: a successful launch is rarely spontaneous. It’s planned. It’s built on relationships, on content, and on small wins that compound over time. If you want to know how to start a candle business and actually see meaningful revenue in the early days, you should begin marketing now.

Outline

• Local First: Use your neighborhood and networks to gather momentum
• Leverage Email Early: Build an email list even on a coming-soon page
• Social Media with Purpose: Choose platforms and use content pillars
• Collaborations: Partner with creatives and complementary brands
• Community & Networking: Join local groups and give value
• Storytelling & Blogging: Build SEO and brand authority
• Sampling & Gifting: Strategically put products in the right hands
• Press & Media: Prepare press materials and pitch local outlets
• Marketing checklist, content calendar, and FAQs

Tip 1 — Local First: Start Small, Start Loud

When you learn how to start a candle business, start where you have the greatest signal-to-noise ratio: your local community. Word of mouth remains one of the most effective, low-cost marketing channels. Tell friends. Tell family. Tell your mail carrier. The people around you are often your first customers and most vocal promoters.

Why local first works:

• Immediate feedback: In-person markets and vendor events reveal what products resonate.
• Cost-effective exposure: Local events often have affordable vendor fees.
• Credibility: Seeing your product in the wild (in someone’s home or at a market) builds trust faster than screenshots ever will.

How to use local strategies effectively

Attend farmers markets, craft fairs, and pop-ups. These events are not just sales opportunities—they’re research labs. You’ll quickly learn what scents people prefer, which packaging formats attract attention, and what price points feel appropriate.

Another high-impact local tactic: fundraisers. Reach out to nonprofits and offer to run a fundraiser where you donate a portion of revenue—say 20–25%—to a cause they support. Nonprofits will promote the fundraiser to their followers and email lists, and you receive both direct revenue and community exposure. For us, fundraisers were a key early growth driver and a major reason our brand became well-known in our town.

One last tip: be visible. Wear branded shirts, put your business name in your social bios, and post about the journey on your personal social channels. Don’t be an undercover candle maker—let people follow the build and root for you.

Tip 2 — Leverage Email Early: Build a Launch List

When you learn how to start a candle business, one of the most important things you can do is collect email addresses from day one. Email is consistently one of the highest ROI channels for small e-commerce brands. Even when cash is tight, a well-timed email to your list can drive immediate revenue.

Set up a simple coming-soon page

Don’t wait for a full website. Create a password-protected Shopify or landing page with a “coming soon” message, a few prototype images, and an email capture form. Offer an incentive to sign up—an exclusive launch discount or early access works well. This positions your website as the destination where people will buy and trains potential customers to return when you launch.

Examples of incentives:

• Save 25% during the first week of launch
• Early access to limited edition scents
• A free mini candle for the first 100 subscribers

Use email to build anticipation, not just sales

Email is for more than promotions. Use it to tell your story, describe your sourcing and sustainability approach, give behind-the-scenes looks at prototype testing, and share tutorials (candle care, fragrance pairing, ambiance tips). When subscribers feel invested, they’re more likely to convert.

Tip 3 — Social Media: Pick Platforms and Post with Intent

Social media is essential, but you don’t need to be everywhere. When you learn how to start a candle business, choose one or two platforms where your target audience spends time and own them. For many candle brands, Instagram and Facebook are strong starting points. Others will succeed on TikTok, Pinterest, or niche communities depending on the audience and product style.

Don’t spread yourself too thin

Grab all handles to protect your brand, but focus on 1–2 platforms for content creation. If you try to post across five platforms without a plan, you’ll burn out quickly and produce low-quality posts. Instead, create a repeatable system that lets you batch content for the month and repurpose it.

The 4 content pillars: a framework for consistent posting

Use content pillars to balance your feed and keep followers engaged. The four pillars I recommend are:

• Educational — Teach your audience something about candles, fragrance, sustainability, or your process.
• Inspirational — Post mood shots, quotes, or lifestyle content that aligns with your brand aesthetic.
• Connection — Share personal stories, behind-the-scenes, and reasons your brand exists (your “why”).
• Promotional — Product reveals, launch dates, discounts, and calls to action.

Rotate through these pillars. If you only post promotional content, your audience will tune out. If you don’t post promotions at all, you’ll miss sales. The right mix builds desire and trust.

Content ideas to use before you open

Even before you have a product to sell, you can post:

• Prototype photos and scent descriptions
• Packaging mock-ups and mood boards
• Polls about scents or names to generate engagement
• Short videos showing the production process or studio setup
• Local posts about events where you’ll be present

Bonus: follow accounts and blogs where your target customer hangs out. If your candle brand targets travelers, follow travel publications and inspiring travel accounts. If you’re making foodie-inspired candles, watch culinary influencers and recipe blogs. This helps you understand the language and interests of your audience and supplies easy content ideas you can adapt for your feed.

Tip 4 — Collaborations: Expand Reach Without the Ad Spend

Collaborations are one of the smartest ways to reach a new audience without paying for expensive ads. When you learn how to start a candle business, identify local creatives and complementary brands that serve the same audience and partner with them.

Potential collaboration partners:

• Photographers for styled images
• Bakers and food creators for sensory pairings and gift sets
• Soap makers and skincare artisans for cross-promotions
• Hair salons, boutique shops, and wellness studios for in-store displays and giveaways

How to structure a collaboration

Approach collaboration with a clear plan and mutual benefit. Offer to provide product for a photoshoot in exchange for professional images and tagging. Propose joint giveaways where both audiences must follow each participating account to enter. Create curated bundles with local partners and promote them on email and social.

Measure collaboration success by tracking new followers, email signups, and direct sales associated with the partner. These metrics help you decide which relationships to scale.

Tip 5 — Community & Networking: Be Present and Helpful

If you want to know how to start a candle business that’s recognized locally, invest time in community groups. Join local Facebook groups, Nextdoor neighborhoods, and civic organizations. Contribute helpful posts, respond to questions, and position your brand as a local resource.

Some practical ways to engage:

• Answer helpful questions in community groups as a subject matter expert
• Donate a product for a raffle or silent auction at a local school or non-profit
• Sponsor small community events—your contribution can be cost-effective and high-impact
• Partner with local businesses to create co-branded experiences

When we started, we sent a personal letter and a candle to the mayor of our town explaining who we were and why we loved the community. The mayor shared that message internally and publicly, and that simple action created organic visibility across municipal channels. Strategic, small gestures like that can lead to disproportionate exposure.

Tip 6 — Storytelling on Your Website: Use Blogs to Build SEO and Authority

When people search for how to start a candle business, they often land on websites that offer value through content. Your website is more than a storefront—it’s a place to tell your brand story, educate customers, and build search engine visibility.

Start blogging early

Create content that is relevant to your niche and to your customer’s interests. If you make travel-inspired candles, write about destinations, packing tips for scented items, and how to choose scents for hotels or Airbnbs. If you make foodie candles, write about pairing scents with recipes or hosting tips for dinner parties.

Blog content helps:

• Drive organic traffic through SEO
• Give shareable material for social media and email
• Provide useful answers to customer questions, reducing support friction

Guest blogging and backlink strategy

Reach out to established blogs that serve your target audience and offer guest posts. A guest article with a link back to your site improves your domain authority and boosts your Google ranking. The more reputable links you earn, the better your SEO performance, and the more searchable you become for queries like “how to start a candle business” and product-related searches.

What to write about

Evergreen content performs well for small brands. Ideas include:

• “How to light and care for candles to extend burn time”
• “How fragrance notes are chosen and blended”
• “Packaging choices and sustainability: what matters?”
• “Behind the scenes: building a small-batch candle operation”

Every blog post should include internal links to product pages (when available) and calls to action to join your email list.

Tip 7 — Sampling & Gifting: Be Strategic with Free Product

Giving product away can be a powerful marketing tool when it’s done strategically. It’s easy to waste limited inventory by handing out samples to people who aren’t likely to convert. Instead, design gifting and sampling with clear objectives.

Who to gift to

Give samples or small gifts to people or organizations that will amplify your message:

• Local influencers with engaged and relevant followers
• Community leaders, event organizers, and local media contacts
• Complementary businesses (e.g., boutique shops, spas, wedding planners)
• Potential wholesale accounts

Avoid large-scale giveaway bags at events where the return is unclear. Those often reach people who would have attended regardless and don’t create engaged follow-up. Instead, opt for high-value, targeted gifting that can generate content, testimonials, or referrals.

Creative gifting ideas

• Create a curated press kit for local editors and lifestyle journalists containing a sample and a personal note.
• Send a small gift to a community leader or local business owner with a short story about your brand.
• Offer product to a salon or boutique in exchange for them featuring you on their social feed with a tag.

One of our memorable wins came from gifting a candle and a heartfelt note to our mayor. That simple gesture led to internal distribution and visibility we hadn’t anticipated. Think about gifting as an investment, not a giveaway.

Tip 8 — Press & Media: Create a Press Kit and Pitch Stories

Local newspapers, TV stations, podcasts, and regional magazines love feel-good stories from small businesses, especially when there’s a local angle. If you want to know how to start a candle business with real PR momentum, develop a simple press kit and begin pitching your story.

What to include in your press kit

• A concise brand story: who you are, why you started, and what makes your candles different
• High-quality photos: a mix of lifestyle shots and product images (photographers are great collaboration partners)
• Contact information and social links
• Product details and launch dates

Use press releases to announce milestones: website launch, store opening, special collaborations, charitable fundraisers, or seasonal collections. When you pitch local news, emphasize the human element—why the story matters to the community.

We’ve been featured by multiple local TV stations and magazines by pitching stories that were community-focused and authentic. You don’t need a brick-and-mortar store to get coverage. Local media love new small businesses with a compelling story.

Putting the Pieces Together: A Pre-Launch Marketing Checklist

If you’re asking how to start a candle business and want a practical checklist to follow, use this sequence to launch with momentum.

1. Decide brand identity: name, logo, fonts, mission statement.
2. Open a domain and Shopify account; setup a coming-soon page with email capture.
3. Create social media profiles and choose 1–2 platforms to focus on.
4. Plan content for the month using the four content pillars.
5. Begin outreach to local photographers, collaborators, and media.
6. Attend local markets to test products and collect feedback.
7. Run at least one fundraiser or community partnership to build local awareness.
8. Design a simple press kit and send a press release announcing your launch timeline.
9. Plan sampling and gifting with a strategic list of recipients.
10. Continue collecting email addresses and regularly engage subscribers until launch.

This checklist is a practical roadmap for the early stages of your brand. Each step reinforces the others: local events provide photos, which feed social and email content; collaborations amplify reach, which strengthens press pitches; and a steady email list gives you a direct channel to convert interest into early sales.

How to Start a Candle Business: Content Planning and the Free Calendar I Use

One of the hardest parts of early marketing is knowing what to post. To make social simple and repeatable, I use a monthly content planner based on the four content pillars: educational, inspirational, connection, and promotional. This framework helps me batch content in one session and schedule posts for the month.

Why batching works:

• Reduces the daily creative load
• Ensures balanced content across the pillars
• Makes it easier to reuse and recycle high-performing posts

Practical steps to batch content:

1. Pick a day to plan: map out the month and assign each post to a content pillar.
2. Write the copy and select images or videos for each post.
3. Use scheduling tools to queue posts in advance.
4. Keep a spreadsheet with image, caption, and post date for future reuse.

Pro tip: reuse posts after 6–8 weeks. Organic reach on social is limited, and many followers will not have seen your first post. Save your best content and repost it with slight variations—new caption, updated call to action, or a new photo crop.

Pricing & Cost Considerations Before Launch

While this article focuses on marketing, pricing is a core part of your launch strategy. If you’re learning how to start a candle business, you need to understand your cost of goods sold (COGS) and target margins before you promote widely.

Basic COGS checklist:

• Wax and fragrance costs per candle
• Wicks, jars, lids, and labels
• Packaging and shipping materials
• Labor time per candle
• Overhead: utilities, equipment, studio rent

Set a pricing model that covers all of the above plus an operating margin. Offer an early-bird launch discount for your email list to reward early supporters, but make sure that discount still supports your margins.

Balancing Free Marketing Tactics and Paid Ads

When you learn how to start a candle business, you’ll rely heavily on free tactics at first—social, email, community, and PR. These are low-cost and build credibility. As you gain traction and have revenue, reinvest in paid advertising to scale.

Start with small ad tests:

• Test one platform at a time (Facebook/Instagram or TikTok).
• Run multiple creatives and measure click-through versus conversion.
• Use email and organic posts as the foundation for ad creative.

Remember: paid ads amplify what’s already working. Don’t rely solely on ads to create demand. Invest first in content, product-market fit, and an engaged email list before scaling with ad spend.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Starting Your Marketing

Learning how to start a candle business means learning what not to do as much as what to do. Here are common errors I see founders make in the early stages:

• Waiting to collect emails until after launch—missed opportunity for pre-launch momentum.
• Posting only promotional content—audiences need value and connection.
• Giving away too many products indiscriminately—be strategic with gifting.
• Doing too many platforms—this spreads effort thin and reduces quality.
• Not tracking results—if you don’t measure followers, email growth, or event ROI, you can’t improve.

How to Start a Candle Business: Measuring Early Success

Before you open, success isn’t just revenue. Track these KPIs pre-launch:

• Email list growth rate
• Social followers and engagement rate
• Event feedback and product preferences
• Media mentions and inbound PR inquiries
• Collaboration outcomes (new followers, referral traffic)

These indicators tell you if your marketing is working and where to focus. For example, if your email list grows quickly but social engagement stagnates, invest more in emails and leverage that list for sales once you launch.

Sample Launch Timeline: 8-Week Roadmap

Here’s a practical eight-week pre-launch roadmap to follow if you’re asking how to start a candle business and want a concrete schedule.

1. Week 1: Finalize brand identity and order prototypes. Launch coming-soon page and start collecting emails.
2. Week 2: Set up social profiles, begin content planning, and schedule the first two weeks of posts.
3. Week 3: Start local outreach—join community groups and reach out to possible collaborators.
4. Week 4: Attend a small market or pop-up to test product and gather feedback.
5. Week 5: Create media press kit and begin pitching local journalists and podcasts.
6. Week 6: Host a soft launch event for friends, family, and local partners. Collect testimonials.
7. Week 7: Finalize product inventory and prepare packaging. Start paid ad tests if budget allows.
8. Week 8: Launch week—send email to list, amplify social posts, run promotions, and follow up with press outreach.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. How do I start a candle business with no budget for marketing?

Start locally and with high-impact, low-cost tactics—email capture on a coming-soon page, social media using the four content pillars, community networking, and targeted collaborations. Attend markets, do fundraisers, and gift samples strategically to people who can amplify your brand. Focus on consistency and relationships; those scale over time with minimal cash outlay.

2. When should I start collecting emails if I don’t have products yet?

Collect email addresses immediately. Set up a simple coming-soon page with a promise—early access, a launch discount, or exclusive updates. Email subscribers are high-intent prospects you can convert quickly once you open.

3. Which social platforms are best when learning how to start a candle business?

It depends on your target audience. Instagram and Facebook are generally safe starts for lifestyle and home-focused candle brands. TikTok can be powerful for younger audiences and viral growth. Pinterest is useful for evergreen lifestyle content and product discovery. Choose 1–2 platforms to master, and secure other handles to protect your brand name.

4. How do I know if a collaboration is worth it?

Evaluate whether the partner’s audience matches your target customers. Ask for clear deliverables (posts, tags, email features) and track results like new followers, email signups, and referral sales. Start with small, low-risk collaborations and scale the ones that produce measurable returns.

5. Should I try to get press before I have a full product line?

Yes. Local media love feel-good and community stories. Pitch your story with authentic reasons for starting your business—fundraising efforts, local ties, or a unique process. Include photos and your press kit. You don’t need a storefront to get coverage.

6. How many email subscribers do I need before launching?

There’s no magic number, but more subscribers increase the chance of a strong opening weekend. Focus on the quality of subscribers—people who opted in because they’re genuinely interested. A highly engaged list of a few hundred can outperform a large but disengaged list.

7. How often should I post on social before launching?

Consistency beats frequency. Plan a schedule you can maintain—three to four posts per week is a reasonable starting point for many small brands. Use your monthly content calendar to batch-create posts and keep a steady rhythm.

8. What are good incentives to collect emails?

Discount codes, early access, limited edition pre-orders, and freebies for the first X subscribers are effective. Make the incentive simple, valuable, and easy to redeem.

9. How can blogging help when I’m learning how to start a candle business?

Blogging builds SEO and positions you as an authority. Write about candle care, scent education, behind-the-scenes stories, and niche topics related to your customers. Guest posts on related blogs help with backlinks and visibility.

10. How do I handle product gifting without losing margin?

Be strategic: gift to people who can create content, reach new audiences, or influence buyers. Keep a gifting log with expected outcomes and measure the return. As your business grows, expand gifting but start with targeted, high-impact recipients.

Final Thoughts: Take Action Now

If you’re still wondering how to start a candle business, remember this: marketing is not something you wait for until your store opens. The best candle brands begin promoting early, building trust, anticipation, and community well before the first sale. Choose a few strategies from this guide—start locally, collect emails, use social media intentionally, collaborate, and tell stories on your website.

Start small and consistent. Use the content pillars and a monthly content calendar to make social simple. Be strategic about gifting and sampling. Build relationships in your community and pitch local media with a real story that resonates. If you do these things, you’ll be ahead of most new founders who wait until they “have everything ready” before they start telling people about what they’re building.

If you want the exact content calendar I use to plan posts each month, look for a downloadable template that follows the educational, inspirational, connection, and promotional pillars. Batch your content, schedule it, and recycle your strongest posts after six to eight weeks. Little systems like that make launching and running a candle business manageable and repeatable.

Good luck. If you’re building a candle business right now, take one action today: set up a coming-soon page and add an email capture. That single step begins your journey to turning followers into customers and curiosity into a first-weekend launch that matters.

Remember: Marketing begins before your first sale. Build community, collect emails, tell your story, and be visible. These are the foundations of a sustainable candle business.