Crafting As A Career
Sunday April 29, 2007
What do you need to know to sell your crafts for a full-time income? Make sure your products are marketable by attending enough shows to know what sells and what does not sell. Be sure you can produce what you sell. This means no big wholesale orders that you cannot fill on time! And most importantly, make sure you price your products so that you are making enough income from your business to not only survive, but thrive.
Comments
You give some good advice here.
I know many people who started a business and expected to have 1000’s of steady customers instantly. These same folks often had put themselves into heavy debt to have fancy signs, decorations, fixtures… .
Then, most of these businesses failed within 3-4 years because it could not yet support itself. This doesn’t mean the business idea wasn’t a good one, but it fails anyway because the owner could not keep it going and had huge debts to pay.
My little Vintage & Gift Shop is still considered (by the IRS) a “hobby” because I have been developing it slowly. As I could afford to add something to my inventory - I did.
I am also making up all of my own business cards, flyers, brochures, signs… . I have a few family members and friends placing them where ever they go.
I also joined several online groups where we help each other with gardening advice, pet care help, business tips, and we refer customers to each other when appropriate.
And yes, as long as it is NOT “spammy”, put advice/ideas/critiques… on message boards/guestbooks/comment sections… with a signiature line and/or your website link at the end so if someone is interested, they’ll contact you.
Go Organic or go home !
Diana