How to Make Money Doing On-Demand Laser Engraving at Events with Your Tyvok P2
On-demand laser engraving at craft fairs, farmers markets, festivals, and corporate events is a great way to make extra money with your laser engraving business. Customers love being able to get a custom engraving done right in front of them while they wait, and you can make great money in a single day at an event.
But doing on-demand engraving at events works best when you have a fast machine that can finish an engraving in under a minute while the customer waits. That's why the Tyvok P2 10W galvo laser is perfect for this – it's fast, compact, and affordable, which makes it ideal for event work.
In this complete guide, we'll walk you through everything you need to know to start making money doing on-demand laser engraving at events with your Tyvok P2.
Why the Tyvok P2 is Perfect for On-Demand Event Engraving
There are several reasons why the P2 is ideal for this kind of work:
1. Blazing Fast Engraving Speed
The biggest advantage is speed. With galvo technology, the P2 can do most small custom engravings in 30-60 seconds. That means customers don't have to wait long – they can browse your other products while the laser does its thing, and then take their finished item with them in just a minute.
Compare that to a traditional gantry laser where the same engraving would take 5-10 minutes. Most customers won't wait that long at an event – they'll get bored and leave, and you'll lose the sale. With the P2, you can turn over customers quickly and make more sales in a day.
2. Compact and Portable
The P2 is small and lightweight, which makes it easy to transport to and from events. You can fit it in the back seat or trunk of most cars, and setting it up at the event only takes a few minutes.
You don't need a huge booth space at the event – the P2 fits on a standard folding table, so you don't have to pay for extra-large booth space. That keeps your costs down and your profits up.
3. Affordable
Compared to traditional galvo lasers that cost thousands of dollars, the Tyvok P2 is affordable enough that most small business owners can buy it without taking on a lot of debt. Even if you only do a few events a year, it can pay for itself pretty quickly.
4. Great for Small Items Which Sell Well at Events
Most of the popular items that sell well at events – keychains, dog tags, jewelry, bottle openers, wedding favors – are small enough that they fit perfectly in the P2's 100mm x 100mm working area. You don't need a bigger working area for event work because most customers are buying small items anyway.
What You Need to Get Started
Here's a list of everything you'll need to do on-demand engraving at events with your P2:
1. The Laser: Tyvok P2 10W Galvo
Obviously you need the laser. The 10W power is perfect for event work because it can handle all the common materials people like to buy at events – wood, leather, anodized aluminum, acrylic.
2. A Good Power Source
Most events provide power for vendors, but you should bring your own extension cord and make sure it's long enough to reach from the power outlet to your booth. If the event doesn't provide power, you'll need a portable power station that can run your laptop and your laser for the day.
3. A Laptop or Tablet to Run the Software
You need a computer to run LightBurn and accept the customer's custom text or design. A regular laptop works great – just make sure you have it fully charged the night before, or keep it plugged in.
4. A Portable Table
You need a table to put your laser and your blanks on. A standard 6-foot folding table works well – one side for the laser and laptop, the other side for displaying your blank products.
5. Selection of Blank Products
You need to have a selection of blank products that customers can choose from. We'll cover the best products to sell below.
6. Change for Cash and a Way to Accept Cards
Most customers at events will pay either with cash or a card. Bring enough change for cash payments, and get a mobile card reader like Square or PayPal Zettle so you can accept credit and debit cards.
7. Tent and Weights (If It's an Outdoor Event)
If you're doing an outdoor event, you need a tent to keep the sun and rain off your laser and your products. Bring weights to hold the tent down in case it's windy.
8. A Tyvok Engraving Platform
You need a good honeycomb platform for your P2. The Tyvok engraving platform that's perfectly sized for the P2 gives you good ventilation and prevents back burning, just like it does in your workshop. It's small enough that it's easy to transport.
9. Safety Glasses
You still need to wear your laser safety glasses even when you're doing event work. Make sure you bring them and wear them while the laser is running.
Best Products to Sell at Events
Some products sell much better than others at events. Here are the most popular products that work great with the Tyvok P2:
1. Custom Pet ID Tags
This is one of the top sellers at almost any event. People love being able to get a custom engraved tag for their pet right on the spot. You can buy blank anodized aluminum tags in bulk for cheap, and sell them for $10-$15 each. The profit margin is excellent, and the engraving only takes 30 seconds on the P2.
2. Custom Keychains
Custom keychains are always popular. You can do names, initials, dates, funny sayings, custom logos. Wooden, acrylic, and leather keychains all work great. Price them at $10-$15 each, and they sell really well.
3. Personalized Wedding and Groomsman Gifts
If you're doing a bridal show or wedding expo, personalized wedding gifts and groomsman gifts are great sellers. Things like bottle openers, keychains, flasks, small wooden boxes with custom engraving. People are already looking for these things at bridal shows, so they'll buy them on the spot.
4. Custom Jewelry
Wooden and acrylic earrings, pendants, and bracelets sell really well at craft fairs and festivals. You can cut the shapes ahead of time in your workshop with your Tyvok A1 Mini, then do the custom engraving on-site at the event with your P2.
5. Corporate Event Giveaways
If you get booked for a corporate event or trade show, companies will often pay you to do custom on-demand engravings for their giveaways. It's great publicity for them, and it's a steady gig for you. You can do hundreds of engravings in a day easily with the P2.
6. Commemorative Engravings for Festivals
Many festivals and events have custom commemorative items that they sell with the festival logo and the year. You can set up a booth and engrave the festival logo on different products right on site.
Pricing Your Products for Events
Pricing for events is similar to pricing for online sales, but you can usually charge a little more because customers are getting it immediately and they don't have to pay for shipping.
Here's a sample price list for common products:
- Custom pet ID tag: $10-$15
- Custom keychain: $10-$20
- Set of coasters: $20-$25
- Small personalized cutting board: $30-$40
- Custom leather key fob: $15-$25
- Jewelry: $15-$50 depending on the materials
Your profit margin on most of these products should be 50-70% after you subtract the cost of the blank. That's really good for a small business.
Tips for a Successful Event
Here are some tips that will help you have a successful day at the event:
1. Arrive Early to Set Up
Always get to the event early so you have plenty of time to set up before the crowds start coming. Test your laser and make sure everything is working before the event starts. There's nothing worse than having technical problems when customers are already waiting.
2. Let Customers Watch the Engraving
People love watching the laser work. It's fascinating to see the design appear right in front of their eyes. Position your laser where people can see it working – this actually attracts more customers to your booth because people are curious.
3. Have a Good Selection of Blanks Ready
Bring a good variety of blanks in different materials and price points. Some customers just want a cheap keychain, others want a nicer leather product. Having options means you'll make more sales.
4. Keep Everything Organized
Keep your booth organized so you can find what you need quickly when a customer wants something. Nothing turns off customers faster than a vendor who's digging through a big box looking for the right blank while the customer waits.
5. Promote Your Business
Have business cards and maybe a few flyers with your website or social media. Give a business card to every customer so they can order from you again later. This helps you build your customer base for future online orders.
6. Make Sure You Have Enough Power
Double-check that you have enough power for the day. If you're using a portable power station, make sure it's fully charged the night before. Bring an extension cord long enough to reach the power outlet even if you're set up a little ways away.
7. Focus on Fast Turnaround
The whole point of on-demand engraving at events is that customers get their product right away. With the P2's fast speed, you can usually have an engraving done in under a minute, which keeps customers happy and lets you process more customers per hour.
How to Find Events to Do
There are lots of different types of events you can do:
Local craft fairs and farmers markets: These are great when you're just starting out – they're usually not too expensive to get a booth, and there's always a crowd of people looking for handmade products.
Bridal shows and wedding expos: Brides are looking for personalized wedding products, and they often buy on the spot. This is a great market for personalized wedding favors and gifts.
Art festivals: These attract people who are looking to buy art and handmade products, and they're often willing to spend more money.
Corporate events and trade shows: Companies will hire you to do on-demand engraving for their giveaways at trade shows and corporate events. These can be really well-paying gigs.
County fairs and community festivals: These draw big crowds, and people are there to spend money.
When you're just starting out, start with smaller local events to get experience, then work your way up to bigger events as you get more comfortable.
How the A1 Mini + P2 Combination Works Perfectly for Event Work
Most people who do event engraving with the P2 also have a Tyvok A1 Mini back in their workshop. This combination works really well:
Before the event: You cut all your blank shapes out of wood, leather, and acrylic using the A1 Mini. This is what the A1 Mini is great at – cutting out shapes.
At the event: You bring all your pre-cut blanks and your P2, and you do the custom engraving on-site. The P2's fast speed means you can keep up with customers.
This workflow lets you maximize the strengths of both machines. The A1 Mini handles the cutting back at your workshop, and the P2 handles the fast on-demand engraving at the event. It's the perfect combination.
You also have the A1 Mini back at the workshop to handle your regular online orders while you're doing events on the weekend.
Safety Considerations for Events
When you're doing events, you still need to follow the basic laser safety rules:
- Always wear your laser safety glasses while the laser is running.
- Make sure the area around the laser is clear while it's running, so people don't accidentally stick their hand in front of the beam.
- Have your fire extinguisher handy just like you do in your workshop.
- Make sure you have basic ventilation – at outdoor events this isn't usually a problem, but if you're indoors make sure there's enough fresh air.
Following these simple rules keeps you and your customers safe at events.
How Quickly Does the Tyvok P2 Pay for Itself for Event Work?
This depends on how many events you do per year, but most people find that the P2 pays for itself after just 2-3 events. Your booth fee for an event is usually a couple hundred dollars, and if you have a good day you can make $500-$1000 or more in profit after all your costs.
Even if you only do one event a month, the P2 will pay for itself in the first year, and everything after that is pure profit. That's a really good return on investment.
Final Thoughts
On-demand laser engraving at events is a great way to make extra money with your laser engraving business, and the Tyvok P2 is perfectly suited for this work. It's fast, compact, affordable, and it handles all the common small products that sell well at events.
Whether you're just starting out and you want to add event work to your business, or you're already doing events and you want to upgrade to a faster machine, the P2 is a great choice. Pair it with a perfectly sized Tyvok engraving platform, pre-cut your blanks with your Tyvok A1 Mini before the event, and you'll be ready to make great money at your next event.
Many laser business owners find that event work is one of the most profitable parts of their business, because you get paid on the spot and you don't have to deal with shipping. If you've never done event work before, give it a try – you might be surprised at how much money you can make in just one day.
Ready to get started with on-demand event engraving? Learn more about the Tyvok P2 10W galvo laser and pair it with a perfectly sized Tyvok engraving platform for the best results at events.
