You’re in business to sell your products to people, right? So it makes sense that you should know who those people are and make your products for them. Who you make products for is your target market. Your target market should be the first thing you define when starting a business. Where most businesses…
Aside from getting set up legally, choosing your target market is the first step every business should take…even before deciding on a product to sell. However, that’s not how most handmade businesses start. Most owners start with a product they’ve made (and friends and family have told them they should sell), then they go looking for…
Everybody likes candles. So if you make candles, everyone is your potential customer, right? Definitely not. That mentality is the quickest way to build a candle business that fails. As Marie Forleo says: If you’re talking to everyone, you’re talking to no one. Being too broad or general with your target market (or not having…
In my last article, How your Creativity is Killing Sales, I mentioned using a 3 – 5 guideline when creating your products, which helps ensure you’re not offering too much selection. Sticking to this 3 – 5 strategy also helps ensure your product line stays cohesive. This article is a detailed explanation of that strategy,…
When someone is at your craft show table or in your Etsy shop, you want to make it as easy as possible for them to buy. You may think letting your creativity go wild and offering an abundance of options makes it easier for shoppers to find something to buy. But it can actually have…
If you have larger items that you need to hang at a craft show, but you only have an 8 foot space, you may find these options will help. You’ll also find ideas for bigger spaces (e.g. you have a 10’x10’ booth). These options are ideal for displaying products such as: hanging planters smaller wall…
This is a list of ideas for products you can make and sell for Mother’s Day. The list IS based on research (and the Mother’s Day gifts that are popular now), however, that doesn’t mean an item is guaranteed to sell if you make it. Use these ideas for inspiration, but always consider your target…
There are many different pricing formulas out there and different ways to get to a retail price. Some are better than others (I personally find my method gives me the most accurate pricing…you can check that out here). Even with all the different ways to price, many people email me or leave a comment fretting…
When running a handmade business, you may have a variety of products and a wide range of prices. Simply dividing overhead expenses evenly among the products you make in a month, or the number of products you sell, can make some items overpriced. Here’s how to take your overhead costs and distribute them among your…
If you’re starting a business to sell handmade scrunchies, it’s important to price them right. Not only do you need to ensure they’re a price your target market is willing to pay, but you also must profit from your sales…or you don’t have a business. I’m not a fan of the popular pricing strategy: Production…