One of the biggest mistakes that crafters make when they first start selling their crafts (and a mistake many craft business veterans make) is to discount the impact that packaging and labeling have on sales success. I talk about packaging and labeling in my book, “How to Start Your Own Craft Business,” but I just came across this post on HomeBasedCraftBusiness.com that discusses the packaging and labeling issue at length.Inventive packaging that tells your story is one of the best ways to set yourself apart from the competition. And, it also helps you charge a premium for your crafts. So, take the time to develop a great packaging and labeling strategy. You'll be glad you did.
Happy Crafting!
Chuck
I found this great craft video on YouTube. It's not really related to a craft business, but I thought it was a great way for a craft business to showcase their skills – provide some free training on a simple craft on their website.
When you give back to the community, people start to visit your web site and also recommend it to friends. It's a great way to build traffic and a reputation.
Happy Crafting!
Chuck
I was checking out my Google Alerts, and ran across a story about the Manchester Craft Mafia, a group of craft business owners in Manchester, UK. Here's their mission statement from their site:
Manchester Craft Mafia is a group of crafty businesses dedicated to supporting and sharing a creative, maverick spirit of crafting in Manchester, Greater Manchester and beyond. We’re craft and proud!
We want to help kick-start the new wave of . . .
. . . entrepreneurial crafters sacking the rat race and finding other ways to make a living . . . people crafting en masse and in public . . . anyone hiding an inner crafter . . . and everyone who just loves buying, finding or making something that bit different.
The idea for the Manchester Craft Mafia came from the original Austin Craft Mafia, who have now set up a website to explain what a Craft Mafia is, and provide links to Craft Mafia Familias from around the globe. In addition, they tell you how to start your own Craft Mafia Familia and share ideas with other craft business owners in your area.
This is such a GREAT idea! When you can get together with other craft business owners and discuss how to improve your craft business, you leverage the experience and creativeness of a number of individuals.
A craft business can sometimes be very lonely. When you are working in isolation, the tasks you have before you can be daunting – creating your crafts, going to craft shows, developing marketing, working on a web site, and more… – and a group of crafters going through the same struggles can be a great source of support and wisdom.
Check out the Craft Mafia website, and see if this is something you can create in your area.
Happy Crafting!
Chuck
I just came across this wonderful interview with Cathy Callahan, owner of the craft business, Cathy of California. She makes some really wonderful, vintage-style crafts and has her own successful craft business web site (and the design is super cool).
The interview is short, but there are links to her website and blog, and you can get a ton of good, quality information by just visiting her sites and seeing how she works.
Happy Crafting!
Chuck Smith
www.CraftBusinessGuide.com
Technorati Tags: craft business, crafts, sell my crafts, small business, work at home, craft fair, craft show, craft project, craft plan
I found this short craft business article on the Asbury Park Press website. In the article, a couple of crafters discuss the need for some business skills if you are going to be successful on the craft fair circuit. There's also some encouraging words about the amount of business done at many of these craft fairs, and how successful others have been.
Take a couple minutes to check out the article.
Happy Crafting!
Chuck
Technorati Tags: craft business, crafts, sell my crafts, small business, work at home, craft fair, craft show, craft project, craft plan
I found this very interesting article in The Courier News (a Chicago area paper) about a woman who is offering custom-made body and bath products – shampoos, lotions, shower gels, etc. – out of a retail outlet in St. Charles.
The interesting thing is that the owner, Dina Marie Tenuto, started out selling her handcrafted products from a cart at craft fairs and shows. Customer demand soon outstripped her ability to handle customers with just the cart, and she opened the retail store. To open the shop, she quit her finance job and is now a full-time craft marketer.
Here is an example of someone who took their craft business to an entirely new level.
Happy Crafting!
Chuck
Technorati Tags: craft business, crafts, sell my crafts, small business, work at home, craft fair, craft show, craft project, craft plan
This is a very specific post, but as I have a number of readers in the UK, I thought it would be worth mentioning…
The Distinctly Cumbrian programme offer rural Cumbrian businesses the ability to receive a grant for a new or existing business. You can find out more at the Cumbrian Rural Enterprise Agency website.
There's also a story in the Times & Star that discusses this program.
Again, if you're in the Cumbria region, you should check it out. It may be a way to start your own craft business, or expand your existing craft business.
Happy Crafting!
Chuck
Technorati Tags: craft business, crafts, sell my crafts, small business, work at home, craft fair, craft show, craft project, craft plan
