How to Start a Craft Business with No Money
When a craft business is a side project, it often means there’s some sort of a shortage of time and money. When I started my handmade business, it was because I was tired of working for someone else, not having enough creative control, and I wanted something bigger and more meaningful to work…
Where to Find Craft Shows to Sell Handmade Products
Craft shows are a great way to generate revenue and move a lot of stock (when executed properly). First, you must find craft shows in your area (or an area you can travel within and stay profitable). To do so, you may use the following ways: 1 – Social Media Social media is a…
Craft Show Table Layout Tips
When creating a craft show display that stands out, you must consider the layout. Once you get your craft show table layout perfected, setup will be a breeze. It will then be a matter of rotating products into each section to coordinate with the season, demographics of the event, or the theme of the event….
3 Steps to Improve Sales Pitches at Craft Shows (or Online)
Introverted, shy, nervous, or none of above but wanting to become a better salesperson? There are 3 steps to do so. We often feel we have good knowledge of our product, our customers, and ourselves but it’s important to get really specific for a deeper understanding of each area. These 3 steps can also help…
10 Ways to Get More Buyers to your Craft Show Table
Although craft show organizers should be doing their part to get lots of shoppers to the event (if they don’t have a marketing plan, it’s a red flag, watch for these ones too before you commit to any event), those shoppers aren’t guaranteed to be interested in your products. You know who is guaranteed to…
Most Handmade Businesses Get an F in this Area
There are usually only a few things that throw a business of its path to success: Lack of demand for the product being offered That may be because there’s nothing different about it, learn how to correct that here…and a few more tips are here Too much selection is causing shoppers to make NO selection….
5 Ways to Know if People will Buy your Handmade Product
Parts of this article are from my ebook HOW TO SELL HANDMADE BEYOND FRIENDS & FAMILY There’s no way to guarantee your business will succeed or your products will sell, no matter how much research you do. But you can get a good idea of whether you’re…
50 Prop Ideas for your Craft Show Display
These ideas are in my ebook MAKE MORE MONEY AT CRAFT FAIRS. If you already own the ebook, you’ll find a few NEW ideas, examples, and sketches in this article. Although there are many photos out there that are great examples of the techniques I share, it can often be difficult to find the…
Why I Quit Craft Shows & What I’d do Differently
A lot of people feel like throwing in the towel when it comes to craft shows. If you don’t find the right ones, with the right organizers, bring the right product and create an amazing display, they can be anything but profitable. Although a handmade business can be successful selling only online and…
5 Things Crafters Waste their Time (& Money) On
I made this list based on areas I wasted my time when starting my handmade business. I was able to see positive changes when I corrected them so I think the changes can be beneficial to your business too. I also based it on the mistakes I commonly see other handmade businesses make. I wish…
How to Prune your Business for Maximum Growth
In gardening, to keep plants healthy, you have to regularly trim away dead and living parts of it. The same must be done to keep a business healthy. If you’re not sure it makes sense to cut off perfectly healthy areas of your business or which areas to prune to promote growth, this…
2 Key Points Your Craft Show Display Must Convey
Craft shows have been levelling up since I sold at my first one in 2005. They’re in bigger venues, attracting bigger crowds, and are better organized, branded, and marketed. Craft show vendors are no longer crafters making random items and seeing if they can earn a few extra bucks. They’re business owners focused on profits…
How to Start a Successful Handmade Jewelry Business
Starting a handmade jewelry business is a good way to make money on the side. And it’s a business that can easily grow into a full-time business. I come across a lot of handmade businesses and love to challenge my ideas and theories to see if they match up with how handmade businesses,…
5 Steps to Viral Social Media Posts for your Handmade Business
Going viral on social media is all about getting people to care about what you’re posting. There are several factors that must be in place such as using the correct platform for your business and audience, attracting the right audience for your products, posting at appropriate times, etc. But those are fairly easy to…
How to Attract More Customers to your Handmade Business (Part 3)
As you can tell by the title, this is the third article explaining how to attract more customers to your handmade business. If you missed article one or two, which cover 2 other factors that are essential to make more sales, you can read them here: HOW TO ATTRACT MORE CUSTOMERS TO YOUR HANDMADE BUSINESS…
How to Attract More Customers to your Handmade Business (Part 2)
This is part 2 of a 3-part article series to get you attracting more customers. If you haven’t read part one, please check out the first article here. You’ll need to read it to have an understanding of the points explained in this article. Article one covers why most handmade business owners turn to…
How to Attract More Customers to your Handmade Business (Part 1)
There isn’t a business owner out there who doesn’t want to reach more people; either online or at craft shows. And marketing is the way to do it. Marketing is also the step between creating a product and getting paid for it. It’s the step I think most handmade business owners get frustrated with….
Can you Make a Living Selling at Craft Shows?
I’ve met many people through the craft show circuit who sell at craft shows full-time. Especially when they’re selling items on the craft show bestsellers list. I remember chatting with a jewelry vendor who spent her entire year traveling to different shows. I had a table beside her at a 3-day event so…
365+ Newsletter Ideas (for your handmade business)
If you’ve started a newsletter for your handmade business but aren’t sure what to send each week or month, have I got a download for you! Before you jump in, I want to explain the purpose of it first. You’ve probably landed here because you know you should be making better use of…
What to Send to your Email List
If you have a newsletter set up for your handmade business, congratulations! You’re using the most effective form of marketing and are ahead of most of your competitors. But let’s make sure you’re putting that list to use and sending content that will help boost sales. If you don’t have a newsletter set up for…