If you’ve been a journeyman craftsperson for a while, you may be wondering how you can transform your passion for crafts into a profession.
Is it possible to make money while still doing the thing you love?
The simple, short answer is yes, it’s possible, but it’s going to take some work. You’ll need to totally overhaul the way you approach your craft and how you think about everything surrounding the actual act of making things. Here’s our foolproof beginner’s guide on how you can translate your crafts skill into a genuine money spinner for yourself.
Build up funds first
Whatever you do, don’t simply rush into a new crafts business without any money built up as a cushion. There are plenty of ways you could go about amassing the funds you need to protect yourself from rainy days (and there may well be a lot of them if you’re a new business owner).
You could dip into savings, talk to family members, or even try out an online casino like casimba.com if you’re feeling particularly lucky. Using tried-and-tested strategies, online casinos can be an excellent way to make money, so don’t dismiss them before you’ve tried them as a fundraising strategy!
Evaluate your product
Before entering the world of online crafts as a business, you should ensure that you’re making something people will actually find appealing. Do you already have a dedicated following for your products?
If so, then they can act as your litmus test for discovering whether there would be a market out there if you commercialise what you’re doing. Alternatively, you could conduct your own version of “market research” – ask your friends and family if they would buy products that you’re crafting if they spotted them on an online shop. If so, you can proceed with confidence.
Don’t skimp on presentation
Perhaps the most important aspect of an online craft business – even more so than other types of e-commerce ventures – is the presentation. It’s very important that customers love your product as soon as they land on the front page for your website or storefront.
As such, make sure to draw attention to the best elements of your products and put the pieces you’re most proud of at front and centre. You should also use a theme for your site that complements the theme of your craft and emphasises your skill and individuality.
Accept constructive criticism
Many people – potentially including customers and investors, if you decide to go down that route – will scrutinise and critique both your products and the storefront on which you’re selling them.
You should accept that criticism and take it on board, but you don’t have to take it to heart; it’s most likely not meant personally. Instead, those people are likely trying to tell you how you can improve your business model and increase your sales. That’s why it’s important to dismiss your initial reaction to constructive criticism and really think about what people are saying to you.
Analyse the competition
Just like it’s important to understand the demographics that make up your audience, it’s also crucial to analyse your competition in depth. You can do this by studying your competitors’ landing pages, how they construct their initial customer experience, and what kind of products they’re selling.
Of course, there will be things about your competitors’ strategy that you’ll likely never understand, just as there are things about your strategy that they’ll never be able to implement. What’s crucial is that you ensure you’re participating in a competitive market while still offering a unique, individual edge.
Carve out a niche
Trying to be all things to all people as a business owner is a surefire way to fail. Instead, you should understand what your niche is and cater almost exclusively to that niche.
This should come about as part of your market research; by asking potential customers and those close to you what your business should be selling, you’ll be narrowing down the kind of clientele you’re looking for. Catering to a niche also has the advantage of your business feeling much more personal to each of your customers, which is a good way to increase the chances of repeat business coming your way.
Create and stick to a business plan
Unless you’re only looking to sell your craft items on a sporadic basis, you’ll want to have a business plan for your store. Broadly speaking, this should include your sources of funding, your potential audience, and the strategy you’re going to use in order to create, market, and sell your products.
Sticking to that plan – as long as it’s been meticulously researched, of course – is the way to success. If you simply walk into starting a craft business with no plan, you’ll find yourself quickly outclassed by more organised rivals. Make sure you know what you’re getting into.
Think about your future
Are you content to simply sell your craft items on your own, or do you plan to expand? This is a crucial part of your strategy; if you don’t intend to grow, your operation is going to look drastically different to a situation where you’re looking to make selling craft items your main source of income.
You’ll need to consider hiring staff, overheads for physical premises if you have them, and the possibility of outsourcing production if your operation grows big enough. Just make sure you’re not blindsided by the requirements for your business exponentially growing as you go.
Consider graphic design
Many people think that they’re able to handle the graphic design aspect of their store by themselves, and if you’re artistically inclined, this may indeed be true.
However, hiring a professional graphic designer can give you a well-designed, unique logo that will set you apart from the competition and give you that all-important edge. This is, of course, part of your overall presentation; your graphic design should reflect your branding and be consistent with the other visual elements of your store, such as your website. Remember that presentation is a huge factor in whether customers decide to stay on your store!
