![]() | |
![]() | |
![]() |
Crafts & Hobbies Information |
|
![]() |
Getting Started Selling Your Crafts
Until recently crafts were usually sold locally or, at best, regionally. Now you literally have the whole world at your fingertips! Some of you may choose a gradual progression from selling to friends, to selling at fairs and shows, to retail selling ? and so on. Others may decide to jump directly from selling within their circle of friends to the worldwide Internet market - the costs are low enough that this is surprisingly doable. My first career was as a special education teacher. After 15 years of teaching I earned an MBA degree followed by CFA (Certified Financial Analyst) certification. After 15 years in finance I was a vice-president and portfolio manager of a major insurance company before I was downsized. Tired of the rat race, I opted for early retirement. Looking for something to do with all my free time, I started crafting and am now making a nice supplemental income from it. As a crafter and a businesswoman, I feel I have some valuable insights into the craft business that I can share with you. Getting Organized At some point in your progression from crafting for fun to crafting for fun and profit, you go from handcrafting individual items for yourself and friends to filling quantity orders for a broader marketplace. That's the time to take a very business-like approach to your craft business. This needn't be daunting. You don't need an MBA or management experience - just a bit of common sense. If you're going to do this for profit, you need to understand The Four M's: 1. Meet your market; Traditional craft retailing methods are what most crafters use to get started. They're the easiest way, especially if you don't know if anyone will buy what you make. I believe that there is a market for any well-made craft, whether decorative or useful. The problem facing many crafters is how exactly to go about selling them, or more accurately, finding paying customers. The fact is that there is an awful lot of competition out there. My own business got jump-started by my "circle of friends". My friends noticed and liked my calling cards and began to ask me to design and make cards for them. Starting with just Broderbund's Create-a-Card program, I was soon earning a nice supplemental income in just a few hours a week. It probably helped that I was retired and live in an area dominated by retirees. But I think that everyone has a "circle of friends" either socially or at work. Of course you don't want to impose on their friendship by making a hard sell, but rather use or display your crafts in front of your friends to see if they draw any interest. If they do and if they're priced right, you're on your way to craft retailing for profit. If your "circle of friends" market starts extending to friends of friends, you're probably ready to tap the general marketplace of craft retailing. Most crafters are aware of the periodic craft shows put on by local groups or even by the local Parks Departments. These usually cost little or nothing to join and should give you a fair idea of whether there is any broader interest in your craft. What better way to jump into craft retailing? There are also organized craft shows that tour the country, most of which charge an entrance fee for participants. Check your local papers, especially the free shoppers, for information about upcoming shows Another venue for craft retailing is at the local flea markets that spring up in every community just about every weekend. Again the entrance cost is usually minimal. The only other thing you need is a little marketing savvy. With little cost and some effort, you will be well on your way to knowing whether there is a market for your craft. Once you know that, you can move on and think about other ways of selling, such as in galleries, on consignment, on eBay or from your own website. All these methods and more are discussed in great detail on my website, The Artful Crafter www.theartfulcrafter.com Eileen Bergen The Artful Crafter
MORE RESOURCES: The pieces may be small, but miniatures are a growing part of the craft scene Pacific Northwest Inlander The Crafts That Trended In Lockdown: Will Small Businesses and Hobbyists Continue The Trend? | News Craft Business With Time to Pursue New Hobbies, 6 in 10 Have 'Leveled Up' – And 40% Think They'll Make Money From it Good News Network Harry Styles, Michelle Obama help knitting’s popularity surge among Gen Z - South China Morning Post Harry Styles, Michelle Obama help knitting’s popularity surge among Gen Z South China Morning Post New Hobby Lobby location will open Wednesday Zanesville Times Recorder Pandemic boredom drives students to make crafts - Spartan Newsroom Spartan Newsroom ON THE SAME PAGE: Gardening is more than a hobby Manistee News Advocate Lori A. Darling | Obituaries | fhtimes.com Fountain Hills Times Susan Gayle Trousdale | Obituaries Main Street Nashville Barbara Jeane Moore Perry Now Habersham Unveiling the 2020-2021 Patriot Ledger Girls Basketball All-Scholastic Team The Patriot Ledger Best Subscription Boxes for Mother's Day 2021 Mental Floss Susan A. (Mulkey) Smith Yakima Herald-Republic Velma Leichtenberg | Timber Lake Topic Timberlakesouthdakota Winstead uses heart, not cookbook in kitchen Philadelphia Neshoba Democrat Could our year of crafting revive the craft of building? Building Design Happening around Delta: week of April 15 North Delta Reporter Top 10 Best Dremel Bits For Metals 2021 – Bestgamingpro Best gaming pro Roberta 'Bobbie' Drake | News, Sports, Jobs Morning Journal News Mary Feduniw paNOW Mary Eudora Wood Rice, 92 | Obituaries | laconiadailysun.com The Laconia Daily Sun Get your crochet hooks, paintbrushes, scrapbooks, and creativity ready: Hobby Lobby opens soon Progress Index Routines for Writers and Readers The Banner Newspaper 50 Hobbies for Men You Can Start at Home The Trend Spotter 30 Best Hobbies for Women - Creative Activities to Fill Your Free Time - GoodHousekeeping.com GoodHousekeeping.com Most Popular Lockdown Hobbies for Women Revealed | News Craft Business Hobby Lobby To Discontinue 40% Off Coupon Curtis Tucker 7 Quarantine-Friendly Hobbies to Try Right Now Real Simple Endangered Crafts and the Destinations Keeping Them Alive The New York Times Local hobby and craft specialists seeing uptick in consumer interest Charleston Gazette-Mail 11 unique at-home craft ideas to see you through quarantine, creatively goodhousekeeping.com Hobbies keep us entertained, relieve stress during pandemic HollandSentinel.com Need New Skills? How About a Hug? The Women’s Shed Welcomes You. The New York Times Interesting Hobbies to Try in 2021 That Will Benefit Your Life Morocco World News Creative workshops see boost in numbers as people pick up new hobbies in lockdown South West Londoner Michaels Draws Buyout Interest From Private Equity The New York Times Mark your calendar: April 15-21 Chicago Daily Herald The Top 5 DIY Trends, According to Michaels BobVila.com Sign artist The Happy Gilder Norwich Eastern Daily Press SHOP TALK: Great books, stats and other helpful news for homeowners The Florida Times-Union Crafting new hobbies to get through 2020 INQUIRER.net The rise of yarn crafts during the pandemic Miami Student Perry County Obituaries - April 10, 2021 pennlive.com Detroitisit - Looking for an Exciting New Hobby in Detroit? Submerge Yourself into the City Culture Detroitisit Widen Your Horizons: Hobby & Craft Books 2020 Publishers Weekly Not a crafter? Here’s why you should consider becoming one during the pandemic. The Washington Post COVID Long Island: Roslyn teen Caroline Faber creates crafts program for kids in homeless shelters WABC-TV Hobby Lobby raises minimum wage to $17 Asheboro Courier Tribune I like crafting Newsday 15 hobbies that will raise your IQ, according to science Countryliving (UK) Get crafty at your Abilene Public Library Abilene Reporter-News Elon students turn hobbies, passions into small businesses Elon News Network This Crafting Machine Sparks so Much Joy, Especially if You Love Sending Cards (and Immaculate Organization) Real Simple A pandemic winter is a great time to start a new hobby Minnesota Public Radio News Sew much fun quilting and crafting your way through COVID Wooster Daily Record Community Notes | This Week | courierjournal.net courierjournal How the pandemic pushed crafters toward Michaels Retail Dive |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
RELATED ARTICLES
The Surprising Popularity of Cigar Smoking The practice of cigar smoking has been on the rise in the U.S. Amish Furniture for Kids Summer Projects Summer is coming, and the kids will soon be out of school. Mom's and dad's everywhere will soon here "I am board; I don't have anything to do. Build Your Own Bar Stool (In An Afternoon) Bar stools are as important as the best wine in your bar. It is said that if you don't get a good stool to sit on, you won't enjoy the drink. Security Advice for Gold Jewelry, Diamonds, and Gemstones For you to enjoy your treasures, they need to be somewhere close and accessible, but NOT in the Bedside Jewelry Box.Although we DO advise a Jewelry Box on the Dresser and easily seen, BUT ONE CONTAINING SEVERAL PIECES OF JUNK JEWELRY. Blown Glass: They Do Still Make It Like They Used To Blown art glass is quickly becoming one of the fastest growing hobbies in North America.. Embroidery Designs Digitizing Software Embroidery Magic 2 software program was created with multiple function lettering, editing and digitizing features for embroidery designs and was designed for those who have home embroidery machines and software. We have also have had customers purchase this embroidery software who have well established commercial embroidery businesses but have found that it creates better lettering than any other program they have purchased, regardless of price! However, in regard to the EM 2 price, it should be understood that you will not get the full features of a high end digitizing program with a lot of "bells and whistles". Embroidery Sewing Quality of Machine Embroidery Designs Many new to embroidery have experienced numerous problems because of the inferior quality of free embroidery design files that they downloaded over the internet. One of the biggest mistakes that many new sewists make is using free designs patterns that have problems built in. Copyright: Five Facts Every Scrapbooker Needs To Know! Here are five basic things that EVERY scrapbooker should know about copyright: #1--When you create an original scrapbook layout, card or other project (not from a sketch, scraplift or idea book) you AUTOMATICALLY own the copyright. No, you don't have to add a copyright notice. Collectible Action Figures - Is About Fun Memories And More Money Superhero action figures first stormed the doors of department stores and toy stores nearly 35 years ago. Constructed of various kinds of plastic and clothed in uniforms, costumes and capes G. Weaving Photographs and the Use of a Collage to Give Your Scrapbooks Artistic Flare For more dramatic results from your photographs, trying weaving two copies of the same photograph together. This technique creates a three-dimensional artist look. Money Making Hobbies - Which Ones? Which ones can be money making hobbies? A friend made a life-sized cow out of plywood once. He painted it, put it in the yard, and people started asing if he would sell it. Jewelry Making: Measuring for Bracelets Without a Tape Your cousin's friend in Saskatchewan has asked you to design a custom bracelet for her. You have all the beads, materials, and tools, but you're stumped about the length. What is a Battle Ready Sword? You'd think that the term "battle ready sword" would be pretty much self explanatory wouldn't you?Unfortunately, many of the swords being described as "battle ready" are anything but. And to quote Adrian Ko from Sword Forum International, "a lot of these swords I wouldn't want to take into battle even if they were strapped to a M-16. Woodworking Tools: Right Selection And Care Will Save You Money, Part 2 Woodworking: Tools Of The Trade, Part 2 - Tools For CuttingA civilization's maturity and intelligence is judged, in part, by the diversity and sophistication of its tools. When it comes to woodworking, the human race is quite advanced. Kona Cotton: The Quilters & Embroiderers Dream Fabric What, Exactly, Is Kona Cotton? Kona(R) cotton is a premium, 100% cotton broadcloth from Robert Kaufman Fabrics in Los Angeles. The company introduced the fabric in the 1980's in response to the then rapidly emerging quilting industry, an interest that continues unabated today. A Look At Cigar Humidors Cigar humidors are storage units designed to hold, preserve and display a collection of cigars. They come in varying shapes and sizes, and can typically be custom made to suit the tastes of the owner. Embroidery Basting Frames Use for Stabilizing Designs Using a basting frame around designs can do a great deal to help prevent fabric puckers around a design, aid in positioning multiple or split designs and it's the best way to trap the fabric and stabilizer at the start! You will need editing software for this, but for best results, resize the frames to fit as close to the design as possible. It's also possible to use a basting frame even if you don?t have embroidery software to combine the frame with a design. Bookmarks As Unique As You Racks and racks of bookmarks ranging from funny to inspirational are available in most bookstores. But for a truly unique bookmark, make your own from a treasured digital photo. An Introduction to Lanyards Lanyards are pieces of rope, wire, or cloth specifically designed to attach to objects. They are typically used to secure small items such as a work badge, key, identification card, eyeglasses, whistle, cell phone, bottle opener, knife, or compass. Scrapbooking Teen Memories By the time your teen is in high school, you probably aren't taking as many pictures of them as you used to. I have to keep reminding myself that I only have a couple of years left and no time to waste trying to capture fleeing teenage memories. ![]() |
home | site map |
© 2006 |