Starting Your Own Craft Business

Your New Year’s Goal is to start your very own crafting business but you really don’t know where to start. You can benefit from our experiences over the last 7 years. First off, you might want to grab a copy of this eBook series we offer on our sister site, Jolene’s eBooks and More.

Profitable Crafts Collection – 4 eBooks with loads of information about starting a crafting business, some of the crafts that sell, patterns and ideas for crafts to try and much more and for only $1.99 well worth the price just click on the picture and check it out.

https://jbmstore.jolenesbooksandmore.com/downloads/profitable-crafts-collection

In the mean time we can offer some tips to get you started that might just save you a bit of time and frustration later on. First off. you have to decide what you are going to specialize in. What we mean by that is that you have to pick something that you really, really like to make. Concentrate on creating just those things for the next month or so. For instance, say you like to create hand crocheted scrunchies. These are fairly easy to create and don’t take a lot of material and you can make up a wide variety of those in every color of yarn you can find. We think at least 5 to 10 of each of those colors would be a great start. Why? you ask, because when you go to sell your items at a festival of some kind you want to specialize in one or two items only so that your booth will be known for that particular item. It is a great marketing scheme. Even if people can’t remember your name they might remember to tell their friends and family it’s the booth with all the pony-tail holders in it.

https://swconlinestore.com/product/variegated-brown-black-gray-crocheted-scrunchie/

All through the last 7 years we have been trying to get our craft business running and selling consistently. The one piece of advice we have ignored is the specialization one. We really wanted to be able to offer our customers a wide variety of items that we make and it has taken us 5 years to build up enough inventory to offer a large variety of the same items in all the various sizes that can be available for that item. I mean I love to make bead and wire jewelry and accessories. I have tried to make at least 5 to 10 necklaces in every size there is from choker necklaces of 12 to 14 inches long to opera necklaces of over 40 inches long. However, I really like to make earrings, bracelets, anklets, eyeglass chains, pin brooches, beaded barrettes and keychain charms as well. As a result I have a large inventory that I have to carry around and display when we attend craft vending events. You cannot display all of that at the same time and have to pick and choose which ones might appeal and store the rest.

Mom crochets all the time. She gets bored making the same thing so she experiments and starts making other things. As a result we have a wide variety of styles and colors of hats, wrist warmers, pony tail holders, scarves, totes, etc., that we have to carry around with us, put online to sell and figure out how to display at craft vendor events where it doesn’t look all crowded up. During the events we can only display a few samples of each thing and have the rest underneath the tables behind the tablecloths just in case someone asks for a different size or color that is not already displayed. They have to be priced and ready to sell just like those on tops of the tables. Again, more inventory to carry around, lots of different display equipment to add variety, height and keep everything looking neat and interesting. So more expense and even more stuff to carry around between events. Now a mobile shop would alleviate some of these hassles but that’s a whole other story.

Till next time when we will continue in our series on how to get your craft business going.