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Just wondering how many people have actually chosen to make a business out of their craft passions? If people are in business, which country are you located in and what tips do you have?
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I do craft mostly for pleasure and to pass time. Not good enough yet to sell my stuff. 
Howbout yourself scrap4u?
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You should post some of your stuff in the gallery. I`m sure your work is great! I always look at my stuff and think it`s crap compared to other peoples, but I have still managed to sell it to a number of people. At the moment, it`s mainly friends and family who are placing orders - I haven`t really advertised anywhere... When somebody needs guestbooks or a canvas to give as a gift or a bunch of cards, they can order from me.
The problem with paper craft is that I`m always buying stuff so my expenses always outweigh my profit
That`s why I`m interested to know what other people out there are doing...
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This is something I wrote and posted on another site ages ago and I realise that you create scrapbook products and I sell jewelry but I think most of this will still be relevant. I also want to apologise in advance for how long this post will be but anyho, I do sell my jewelries and this is what I’ve discovered so far:-
1. Gift shops & local galleries: - Don’t depend on the internet because your designs are up against a zillion others. Get out there and see if you can get gift shops and galleries to take on your designs. There’s a gallery & gift shop near where I live that takes my designs on consignment so I only pay a small fee when the pieces sell. Before you approach a gallery or gift shop you should be able to talk about yourself, the work you do, your inspiration, materials that you use and take a case with examples or a portfolio of your work
2. Craft fairs - This can be a good way to sell a lot of work in one go.
3. Online clubs, galleries, communities etc. - Like this one and numerous others. It can be a good way to, amongst other things, get important feedback. Feedback is essential because it helps get another perspective on your work, let you know when you’ve gotten it wrong. I find also that sometimes the one piece that I’m not that crazy about is the one that everybody else loves. I can’t stress how important feedback is!
4. Etsy - Like ebay but for everything handmade!
5. Get your own domain - Pay for one, it’s not expensive and pop-ups don’t make people like you.
6. Promote your website - Just because you get yourself a website doesn’t mean that people will flock to it in a frenzy to buy your work so list it in every directory you can and exchange links with everybody, basically have no shame. Website submission tools can be a good plan.
7. Good website - If you’re going to have a website at least have a good one. Customers won`t purchase your work if you don’t have a professional look to your website especially on the front page. If they don’t like the front page, they leave. Learn how to write in HTML code or have a professional design it for you, it’s worth the money.
8. Promo cards - Have some cards printed up. They don’t have to be expensive but they should have a nice look and good quality. Give your cards to customers, family, friends, random people and most importantly to other crafters. I’ve discovered that the people that are most successful are the ones that exchange their cards, then mail them out together with their own cards to their customers.
9. Local newspaper ads - Tried and true for decades to connect you to your target market.
10. Google Adwords & similar - This is another good way to advertise and it doesn’t cost a lot.
11. Start a Blog - This is a good way to let people know more about yourself and what you’re trying to do.
12. Keywords - have the right keywords in your title and description and for gods sake keep it relevant, people don’t like being tricked.
13. Secure payment: - Implement a secure cart system or use Paypal or something because nobody will buy your work unless you have a secure way for them to pay up.
14. F.A.Q. - Customers like to be well informed so you should have a good F.A.Q. section on your website to answer some of the questions they might have.
15. Contact info - Using an email form is ok but make sure your contact info is clearly displayed. People will think it suspicious if you don’t display your contact info and just use an email form.
16. Selling point - Develop your own style. If you sell the exact same thing as everybody else then it’s going to be difficult to convince customers to buy from you an not everybody else.
17. Good craftsmanship - You don’t have to go all fancy, sometimes simple designs are the best but whatever technique you’re using, perfect it before you try to sell it. If you give somebody a crap item then they’ll rep
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Can I have your address please, I would like my cookie 
Great tips, thanks for doing that (insert hug smilie) 
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That was great! Thanks heaps! Some of the stuff I already do... some I need encouragement with! It`s the self-promotion that holds me back... I need more confidence in myself and the product. After all, people are already paying for it and i suppose they wouldnt be if it was crap!
I`ll make an effort to promote myself! I promise!
Ill let u know how i go!
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| TenJewel...those are some great tips! I have implemented some and need to implement others! I`m just starting out so that helps a lot. thanks!
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| those are some great tips. i`m in the same boat as Scrap4U, i get nervous about self-promotion. ...which is rubbish if you think about it, because self-confidence is the last thing i`m lacking. (^^;)
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Some excellent tips there.
I mostly craft for pleasure but have made some items to order for friends and family. My sister in law would love to trun her sewing creations into a business but she doesn`t feel she has the time. I`ll pass on your tips though
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| Aw, you’re welcome guys, no probs! Self promotion is always a bit tricky when you’re starting out and it takes a little time to see results but you have to just go for it and stick with it!
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| I am not good enough to sell my stuff yet. I just do it for fun. I enjoy it. And maybe one day Ill be good enough to sell.
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I work for a large beading and material company. As long as it is your passion in life, I bet you will succeed.
TenJewel has given a bunch of helpful tips. Triple check them.
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I do ceramics, work it as a business out of my house. Now is my best time of the year from now til Christmas.
My other business is soy gourmet candles, I just joined a company and have started to work that as a business. But I can use my ceramics with the candles as well as re-working the votives into - roses, dipped pine cones, dipped teddy bears, etc.
Tenjewel your 24 items post is excellent information!!
Thanks,
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| I craft for fun and a small profit . I sell mostly at craft festivals and a couple of small galleries around town. I have a 10 day arts and crafts show starting next week end it is my biggest event all year. It is fun and stressfull all at the same time.
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Both! We learned crafting from out mother, of course and what was once a neccessity is now a desire! lol
We do a lot custom orders and they have paid a bill for us more than once!
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| Ten Jewel you`ll be pleased to know that I took some of your advice... and business is actually starting to pick up! It`s all about being pro-active! Thanks again for kicking me out of my rut...
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Ten Jewel,
Those are all salient, useful tips! Thank you for sharing them! I have a link for keyword selections if anyone wants it, just let me know. It allows you to enter a key search word for your item and then tells you the number of times that has been searched and offers similiar wording with their search numbers also.
There are page hosters that actually do your HTML for you and your web page too. I like Page Buzz. It`s basically copy and paste and they even have templates you can use. Then it`s all plug and play - so to speak.
ecrater is free but they don`t have as many options.
Great advice from you! It was good for me to read it and remember it all again!
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Both for me!!
It started out as a hobby but I recently decided to make it a business. So far I have my business certificate, now I`m working my tax forms. Anyway, I`m just starting out with some beaded jewelry, and for now this part time.
But by the time I`m a stay at home mom, I plan for this to be a full time business I run out of my home. I eventually plan on adding crocheted afghans and scarves, hand painted ceramics (stuff I buy unpainted but paint it myself), maybe other types of jewelry, and if I ever learn how to sew...my own fashion creations.
I like being very busy. I used to do web design for a living, but I am all self taught so on the bright side I don`t have to pay anyone to make me a website. I also do graphics for fun (see http://dolls.torn-wings.net/ to see some of those). I have a strong background in sales and retail management to begin with, so I`m glad to see that I already do most of what TenJewel mentions.
I plan on eventually doing craft shows, but right now it`s very tricky to do with a full time job! ESPECIALLY since I work at a very large technology chain retail store that is all over the US and some in Canada and we are hitting the holiday season.
A lot of my online friends are eager for me to fully open my store (which I think I will do anyway regardless of the tax forms). I only have to charge tax to people in New York State anyway.
Now I`m gonna go redesign my webpage again. 
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Mostly pleasure. I have a website where I display my jewelry, but it`s mostly just a gallery. I don`t promote my work because for now I`m not interested in selling my things. However, if someone were to ask me about buying one of my pieces, I wouldn`t say no.
Maybe in a few months I`ll start promoting my work more, but for now I`m happy to be a hobbyist.
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I Definetely do this for a Business. for almost three years now. and I wouldn`t change a thing. it`s not hard if you want to go in business. and getting a business license doesn`t cost much!
~Norma
http://www.Normasbathandbody.etsy.com
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I did and I am loving it. I specialize in glass beaded jewelry. What started as a hobby has now turned into a full time job.
Take a look at just one of my websites:
http://www.SelenaMeCreations.etsy.com
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| I craft for pleasure and occasionally sell for "pin money" I am going to try to sell at some markets this year though as my jewelry collection is becoming rather large.
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I create for pleasure but since last year people have been crazy enough to give me money for my art hehe so imma take it!
Now its pleasure and profit. But still in the end.. I mainly create because its my passion and even if others hate my work I love it and will never stop.
Hmm I suppose my true answer is pleasure
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