William's Arts / Crafts Business Blog July 2007 Archive

Trade Show Time!
If you attend, or will be attending trade shows, start planning well in advance. When you sell at trade shows for arts and crafts, you are in the big leagues. ... Read More

Sunday July 29, 2007 | permalink | comments (0)

Designing Your First "Booth"
Our first booth design for a craft show was a card table with sheets to cover it. We sat the products out in a line across the front. Guess what? We ... Read More

Sunday July 29, 2007 | permalink | comments (4)

10 Mistakes To Avoid
People who have been selling handmade items for a long time can tell you that there are lots and lots of mistakes to be made when operating their business. Of course ... Read More

Sunday July 29, 2007 | permalink | comments (0)

Should You Run "Sales"?
Recently, we were visiting a craft show inside our local mall. One vender had an entire booth full of discounted/clearance crafts. From the professional signage stating that everything was ... Read More

Sunday July 22, 2007 | permalink | comments (5)

Feasible Free Web Hosting
A great discussion is going on in the forum about free sites and free hosting from crafters. These days, there are so many inexpensive options available for online sales that ... Read More

Sunday July 22, 2007 | permalink | comments (0)

Inventory Control
How much inventory should crafters bring to shows? Well, empty shelves do not sell crafts. Bring enough items to keep your display looking full throughout the entire event. If you ... Read More

Sunday July 22, 2007 | permalink | comments (0)

Consignment Sales for Crafts
A great way to increase your yearly sales is to put your products into several quality consignment locations. Remember that the same guidelines about attending shows that match your work ... Read More

Sunday July 15, 2007 | permalink | comments (4)

What's the Wal-Mart Mentality
The "Wal-Mart Mentality" is the conscience (and sometime unconscious) decision that shoppers make that will almost always choose lower price over higher quality. If you are attending very many festivals ... Read More

Sunday July 15, 2007 | permalink | comments (0)

Finding Good Suppliers
Without great suppliers at great prices, your business will suffer. Make sure you always show around for the best quality, while paying attention to price. Also don't forget that you ... Read More

Sunday July 15, 2007 | permalink | comments (0)

Is Your Craft Marketable?
One question people have when they are considering selling their craft for a living is the simple one: is there a market for my craft? Well, that's pretty easy to ... Read More

Sunday July 8, 2007 | permalink | comments (0)

Starting Out
Are you a hobbyist who is thinking of taking your craft to the professional level? There are several factors to consider when starting your craft business. First off make sure ... Read More

Sunday July 8, 2007 | permalink | comments (0)

Selling Online
Selling your arts and crafts online may not be as hard as you think. More and more crafters are finding the Internet to be a profitable marketing tool for their ... Read More

Sunday July 8, 2007 | permalink | comments (0)

Festival Time!
Ahh... Those glorious summer festivals are here! Great food, lots to see, lots to do and crafters, sweating and selling! Well, hopefully selling. Remember that not all events are geared ... Read More

Sunday July 1, 2007 | permalink | comments (1)

Photography Tips
When sending in slides and photos for a craft show jury, high quality images are very important. In the "old days", we would hire a professional to take our photos ... Read More

Sunday July 1, 2007 | permalink | comments (1)

Trade Show Prep
Although right now is not the peak of trade shows for crafters in the U.S., it is time to prepare for your trade show circuit that will be coming up. ... Read More

Sunday July 1, 2007 | permalink | comments (0)