For
all those stay-at-home moms who want to
make their craft hobby into something great, but don’t know where to start,
this one is for you! You have the product that you want to sell, something
creative and unique and totally you, now all you need is a platform to sell it
on, right? Wrong! Setting up a page on Etsy or
Amazon and eBay won’t cut it these days.
You need to have a plan
of action, right from the start. If you want your craft business to
succeed, you need to treat it like a business. Here is how you can make a
splash for your small craft business:
1.
Plan It Out
You won’t get anywhere without a solid plan of action. Doing
this will make everything cohesive and save you time down the road. Plan your
specific goals, so you know you are
always on track. Create a list of accomplishments,
so you have something clear to work towards; milestones, where you want to be featured, where you want your products to be sold, etc. Write up goals for the quarter, or
the whole year. The path to success is filled
with stepping stones, after all.
2.
Build an Online Presence
Before you can worry about getting an audience or try to sell
your product to stores, you first need an online presence. Not only is this one
of the best ways to market yourself, but it
is also crucial to be taken seriously in today’s digital world. You will need a
professional, unique website for your work
and corresponding accounts associated with your website. This includes a Facebook Page, an Instagram
Account, a Pinterest Account, and an Etsy account (or another online
marketplace). You want your customers to be able to find and follow you,
easily! Make sure that the brand image and theme is consistent throughout.
3.
Market Yourself!
Now it’s time for the hard part - marketing. This includes building
your social following to curating content to old school traditional
marketing. You can do almost all of this by yourself, by using online tools and
being consistent with your commitment. You want to be engaged and present, otherwise, you’ll be left behind.
Double your online efforts by using traditional marketing like posters or
flyers. You can easily use an online
flyer maker to create an eye-catching advertisement that you can leave in
local shops. The more attractive your flyer, the more likely people will want
to take it home with them.
4.
Other Options
You can attend craft fairs to bring more attention to your
work and build a strong network of crafters in your area. You can contact local
boutique shops and see if they will buy and sell your work. You can write craft
articles that mention your craft business and send them to craft magazines.
There are a lot of options that depend on your time and commitment to your
craft business.
The
biggest tip for any small craft business owner is to keep at it. Like anything,
giving up won’t do anything! Be committed and stick to it. After all, this is a
project for yourself, rather than something to pay the mortgage with.
