November and December are two of the busiest shopping months of the year, thanks to all the gift-giving opportunities. Many businesses earn the majority of their revenue in the last quarter of the year. Are you ready to make the most of holiday sales? By the end of October, there’s not a lot of time…
If you haven’t noticed by now, I love translating my riveting life experiences (buying an outhouse and eating blizzards for dessert) into business lessons. This article is yet another lesson taken from the exciting pages of my life, this time when I was bathing suit shopping. Who wants to try on bathing suits,…
Asking for the sale is not as awkward as it sounds. The sales technique isn’t about coming right out and saying “will you please buy?”, but rather, asking questions that help a shopper make a decision to buy. If they’re not interested in buying, they’ll simply let you know. But if they’re on a…
It kind of amazes me how many handmade businesses start before they know who they’re starting for. No shame. I didn’t know who my ideal customer was when I started my first handmade business. However, that was over a decade ago and the Internet is much different today; rich with bloggers sharing free advice….
It’s funny, the day I started this article, I was browsing the Internet in the evening, killing time, and came across a *GQ interview with Steve-O. In the interview he mentions a stunt he was getting ready to pull. His plan was to sit in a lawn chair, on the roof of a wooden outhouse,…
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you. Please read the full disclosure here. Your customers are most certainly on one of the major social media platforms; Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or Twitter, so your business should be too. If your competitors,…
When several businesses are selling similar products, consumers feel no urgency or desire to choose one business over the other. It often comes down to price. As a handmade business, you do not want to attract customers who are after the lowest price. It’s a hard game to keep up with and doesn’t create…
A little over a year ago, I felt completely hopeless about my business. I started each day with a pit in my stomach and went to sleep each night with sweaty palms. Made Urban was a failing business and I didn’t know what to do. I had one big light bulb moment that turned…
I honestly love reading stories like this one because they help me realize that every business goes through struggles and none are an overnight success. So I hope this story will inspire you too and show there are many failed business attempts, mistakes and years behind successful businesses. If you’re looking for advice on…
Who doesn’t want to sell more handmade products? Of course, that’s what every handmade business owner is after. But there’s a common misconception when it comes to sales. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard from business owners when wondering why they don’t sell more handmade products: People love my work, but they’re…