These days, cosplay is expensive.
You have travel costs, hotel rooms, the ever-increasing costs of materials, supplies, tools, and admission to cons. Yes, it’s a hobby and hobbies are expensive.
But what if it wasn’t “just a hobby”
What if you could turn it into a hustle that allows you to generate enough revenue to cover the costs of travel and building your next killer cosplay?
Cosplay is more than just a hobby; it's a creative outlet that allows you to step into the shoes of your favorite characters and connect with like-minded enthusiasts. But what if you could transform your cosplay passion into a thriving business? Whether you dream of selling costumes, props, or offering your cosplay skills as a service, this article will guide you through the steps to monetize your love for cosplay and make it a successful business venture.
Go Niche, or Go Broke.
The first crucial step in turning your cosplay hobby into a business is defining your niche. Consider your strengths, interests, and the aspects of cosplay you're most passionate about. Do you excel at crafting props, sewing costumes, or bringing characters to life through makeup and performance? Identifying your niche will help you target a specific audience and stand out in the market. Although Anime and video game cosplay seems to be where everything is going, there is still plenty of room for others.
Consider your niche wisely. Find something that really makes you stand out as a cosplayer and lean into it as hard as you can.
Start building a presence online
In today's digital age, a robust online presence is essential for any cosplay business. Create a dedicated website or portfolio showcasing your work, skills, and previous cosplays. Utilize social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube to connect with your target audience. Consistently post high-quality content, engage with your followers, and use relevant hashtags to expand your reach.
Quality over quantity
Quality is key in the world of cosplay. Whether you're a vendor selling costumes, props, or a pro cosplayer offering cosplay services, ensure that your work is top-notch. Invest in high-quality materials, pay attention to detail, and strive for accuracy. Satisfied customers are more likely to become repeat buyers and recommend your services to others. Credibility is everything. Back up what you say with the best customer service possible.
As a pro cosplayer, this means that you are bringing your “A-Game” to every con you guest at. Yes, there is downtime where you can “Chill out” and cosplay as a normie; on the con floor you need to be in your best cosplay possible. You are being paid to be an expert in your field: Make sure your cosplay puts your skills in the best light possible.
Generating Revenue
There are several avenues to monetize your cosplay skills and services:
- Prop and Costume Sales: Create and sell costumes of popular characters. You can offer custom-made costumes or produce a line of standard sizes. Or you can Craft and sell props, weapons, and accessories. Consider taking custom orders for unique, personalized items. This is more for the foamsmith/fabricator/maker that would prefer not to compete or appear and sell their wares in the exhibition halls or online.
- Cosplay Services: Offer your cosplay expertise for hire. This can include selling cosplay tutorials, offering costume repairs, offering makeup and wig styling, or even being a guest cosplayer at events or conventions. This can be extremely lucrative. Start with an online presence and find your tribe. Once you have a following, leverage them to conventions as guest appearances. You need to have a photographer you can work with to sell prints, along with a MEDIA KIT. This one is more for the extroverts, as networking is key to this one.
- Patreon, OnlyFans or Ko-fi: Create a Patreon, OnlyFans or Ko-fi account to offer exclusive content, tutorials, and behind-the-scenes access to your supporters in exchange for monthly contributions. Both of these options have a pay-to-play attachement (they will take a cut of the proceeds) but can help you advertise, and handles all of the back-end costs (taxes, invoicing, etc). Before you go this route, make sure you have a goal to convert your following to your own website and socials. The endgame in this option is to sell your services without these programs.
- Attend Conventions and Events: Participating in cosplay conventions and events can provide valuable exposure for your cosplay business. Consider setting up a booth to showcase your work, sell merchandise, and connect with potential clients. Networking at these events can lead to collaborations, sponsorships, and word-of-mouth referrals. Yes, in the age of Social Media, walking up to someone and talking to them will always have the best results. Networking is king, and you want to make sure you are damn good at it.
Start with a plan
Now that you have an idea of how you are going to monetize your dream, now you need to put together a business prospectus. Write out your entire plan on paper. Talk to others in your field (networking, remember?) and use what they offer as a baseline. How are they pricing their work? What are they offering that you could also offer (Just better). What will your web presence look like? What will be your target (NICHE) market? How will you advertise? All of this is critical. Once you have a business plan together, have a practiced business coach tear it apart. This could be your local branch of SCORE, the Small Business association (SBA) or a coach or consultant in the cosplay field. They have made all of the mistakes and seen all of the pitfalls with starting a business, and will help you make your business plan ironclad. You can also find templates online, that will have varying success. Best Case scenario, work with someone who has experience in the convention/cosplay community and knows the specifics you need to know before moving forward.
THis cannot be stressed enough. Have a business plan before you go to market.
Legal and Financial Considerations
Now that you have a business plan, you need to fill out all the services you need in order to keep your business healthy. Just like you have a doctor to make sure you are healthy, and a mechanic to keep your vehicle healthy you need to have several services to keep your business healthy.
These are as follows:
- Attorney / Bannister: You need to have a business attorney. They don’t have to be on a constant retainer (yet) but you want one to incorporate your business, and help you with contracts and releases. As a pro cosplayer, you will be dealing with contracts regularly (photography releases, Guest agreements) and you want a attorney that has your back looking through all of them, and at times making them for you. Please Note: There are just as many hurdles using a company such as LegalZoom and rocket lawyer to organize your business. Start off right and retain an attorney. You will thank me later.
- Bookkeeper: Having someone that you can send your expense receipts to is a godsend. They also have the knowhow to make sure your bills get paid. Nobody likes to pay bills, hire a bookkeeper to do it for you.
- Accountant/Tax attorney: The big brother to the Bookkeeper, this person will help you make sure you pay your taxes properly. They have the knowledge and the knowhow to help you navigate what is one of the hardest parts of business. They can also show you how to properly keep everything together. If you are travelling to different states, you are required to pay taxes in that state if you are contracted. Keep that in mind because it can bite you in the ass. Hard.
Don’t stop learning
Don’t settle. Period. Continue to challenge yourself as a cosplayer, keep coming up with new panels, build more complicated props, and keep competing when you are not guesting. Cosplay fandoms and conventions are organic; they are an ever-evolving art form. If you don’t change with it, you will be left behind.
