To be able to make a living doing what you love would be a dream come true for any crafter. Whether you knit elaborate scarves, hand-paint decorative dessert plates, or upcycle vintage shirts, there’s probably a market for what you do. Taking what you love and turning it into a business is difficult but entirely possible, as long as you’re approaching the venture with the right mindset. If you give it your all, you may be surprised by how many people love your creations. Here are five things to do if you want to make a living by selling your crafts!
Work Up a Budget
Think about how much you spend on raw materials for your crafts. If you’re thinking about becoming a business, chances are it’ll be smarter if you buy in bulk. Price your items based on how much the materials cost, and how much you want to make per hour of labor. The rest of your budget will need to go towards things like packaging, listing fees (if you sell through other platforms), and a website. Getting a good handle on the numbers is an important first step, and is vital if you’re looking to turn a profit.
Brand Yourself
You’re a brand now! You’ll need to come up with a logo that represents who you are and what you do. What do your crafts mean to you, and what makes them so special? It’s time to shout it from the rooftops. Create a blog or site for your crafts, and make social media profiles for your business. Brand everything! Choose great color schemes and fonts that fit with the aesthetic of your crafts. Make yourself recognizable in order to set yourself apart from individuals who make similar crafts.
Choose a Retail Method
How do you intend to sell your products? If you want to sell them all independently, you’re probably going to need a dedicated ecommerce website. A lot of crafters love platforms like Etsy, as it’s easy to create and customize a storefront. If you know of any local shops who would like to sell your wares, start asking them what they would charge to retail them for you. A lot of boutique shops sell crafts on commission, but some may be willing to pay for limited stock. Always keep an eye out for craft shows, and see if you can set up a table at these events.
Learn to Market
If you want the kind of income that can really pay the bills, you’ll need to learn how to market. Marketing does require a lot of effort, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be difficult. Identify your target audience, and determine where they’ll be most likely to see your content. If you’re really serious, it may even be worth taking an online course in marketing. Once you know the ropes, it becomes easier to market to your desired demographic.
Build Your Customer Base
Repeat customers are the backbone for any business. Incentivize people who have shopped with you to make future purchases. Sometimes, offering exclusive coupon codes will be enough to keep your crafts fresh in these people’s minds. In order to draw in new customers, you’ll need to maintain an active presence on the internet. This means regularly updating your social media profiles with original content and responding to your comments. If you have a blog, regularly updating can even boost your crafts closer to the top in Google’s results.
It’s not always easy, so don’t be discouraged if things don’t work out at first. It may take you a few months to establish yourself in a way that would allow you to quit your day job. If you’re consistent and you apply all of the feedback you receive from customers along the way, it’ll only be a matter of time before your crafts become your sole career.
Leave a Reply