Have you ever wanted to be your own boss? Have you always enjoyed making crafts for family and friends but now want to make it official? If so, this blog post is for you! Join us as we discuss how to start your own craft business. We’ll share 20 steps that will help get the creative wheels turning in order to create a successful business.
1. Make a list of all the things you enjoy doing
First and foremost, we recommend starting by making a list where you include all your skills and the things you can make with your hands and, more importantly, the things you like to do.
2. Think of ways to make these items for saleable products
Now that you have a list of crafts, it’s time to think about how to make them for saleable products. Can you create a tutorial for others to follow? Could you sell the finished product through an online store or at craft fairs and local markets?
3. Determine your niche – what type of crafts do you want to focus on, such as jewelry or woodworking?
This is an important question to ask as it will help you focus your marketing efforts and target the right customers. For example, if you’re interested in making jewelry, then start a social media page or website specifically devoted to this craft.
4. Choose one of the items from your list to start with
This is a big decision! We recommend choosing one of the items from your list that you’re most passionate about. If you end up not enjoying it or don’t think it will sell, then move on to another item and try again. This way you’ll be more likely to stick with your business venture if you truly enjoy what you do.
5. Research what supplies are needed for that project
Once you’ve chosen an item to focus on, it’s time to research what supplies are needed for the project. This will help determine how much your product will cost and whether or not there is a market for it (i.e., do people buy products that look like this? Is there demand?).
Remember: don’t worry if some of these items aren’t available in one place – online search engines can be helpful by providing multiple options! Just remember to always compare prices before making any purchases.
6. Write down how much time it will take you to complete each task on your list
This is important as it will help you determine how much time you need to devote to your business on a regular basis. For example, if it takes you two hours to make one necklace, but you want to make five per day, then you’ll need at least ten hours of work time.
Remember: don’t overwork yourself! Make sure to factor in personal time, breaks, and sick days.
7. Find inspiration from other online craft sellers and brainstorm about how they market their business
Now that you have all your materials, it’s time to brainstorm. Where can you find inspiration for marketing? We recommend looking at other craft sellers on Instagram and Etsy (there are tons of great ideas out there!). Try picking one or two people whose branding methods really resonate with you.
From here, try thinking about how their branding could be applied to your business in order to get creative juices flowing!
For example: what if you used the same images but changed up the colors? What would happen if instead of using a picture of an actual object/product, you drew something similar by hand? Think outside the box when trying to come up with fun ways to market yourself so that your brand feels unique while still familiar enough for customers.
8. Figure out where you want to sell your creations – consider Etsy, Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, at flea markets/craft fairs/bazaars
Now that you have your supplies and marketing down, it’s time to think about where to sell your products. This can be a fun part of the process as there are so many options out there! We actually recommend starting small by selling only online (for example, on Etsy) in order to get comfortable with the business side of things before moving onto other locations.
9. Figure out if there is enough demand for this product in your area or not
The best way to find out whether or not there is enough demand for this product in your local area is by talking with friends and family about their thoughts on the topic – they’ll likely have some ideas!
If you can also get honest feedback from people who are willing to pay money for these types of items (even better!), then that’s an even stronger indication that maybe there really IS interest in what you’re doing after all! We recommend trying both methods so that you know exactly where things stand before making any final decisions.
10. If there is enough demand, create a business plan and pricing strategy
Now you’ll need to come up with a business plan. This document will outline your goals, strategies, and how you plan on achieving them. This is an important step in starting any type of business, so don’t skip it!
11. Start small by making one item and selling it on a site like Etsy or Ebay
Once your business plan is complete, start by setting up an online shop. This is an excellent way to get your business out there and gauge the interest in what you make. You can also sell handmade items through local craft fairs, art shows, or flea markets if you want a more hands-on approach.
12. Pick your business name and brand your products
One of the most exciting parts about starting a craft business is coming up with your company name and branding! The possibilities here are endless, so we recommend just sitting down and brainstorming for a while: what do you want customers to feel when they see your products? What values should be associated with them? Think deeply about how your brand makes people feel in order to come up with something truly special.
Labeling your crafted products as purses, handbags or t-shirts for instance is one of our specialties at Sienna Pacific. We offer Custom Clothing Labels, Custom Metal Tags, Custom PVC Labels, Custom Patches, Leather Patches and leather labels, among many other personalized products.
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If you are thinking about ordering your Custom Clothing Labels, just fill out our simple quote request form, our expert Sales Reps will get back to you within 24 business hours and guide you through every step of the process.
13. Design a logo and define a fixed color palette that identifies your brand on all your marketing efforts.
Once you have some ideas written down, it’s time to start putting together branding materials such as logos & color schemes that will help tie everything together. For inspiration on this step, look through other online shop owners’ pages – there are tons of incredible resources out there!
14. Create an online presence for yourself on social media, blogs, or e-commerce sites
Now that you have all your ducks in a row, it’s time to create a social media plan! This is important as it will help keep you accountable and make sure that your branding is on point across all channels.
We recommend creating separate accounts for each platform (Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter) and dedicating specific times of the day/week to post content. For example: Mondays might be reserved for Facebook posts about new products while Thursdays might be used for Instagram Stories about what’s been going on behind the scenes at your business. Planning ahead like this will help ensure that you’re actively engagin withg your customers on a consistent basis.
15. Consider hiring employees, especially if you’re running the business full-time
If this craft is something that you enjoy doing and want to continue making money off of it long term (i.e., not just as a hobby), then consider hiring people who can help with things like packaging & shipping orders or graphic design work so that you can focus more energy on creating new product! If demand grows significantly enough down the line, maybe even look into renting out an office space for all of your team members to meet at once or hosting workshops where customers come in and make their own items under supervision. You never know – starting small may lead to some pretty exciting opportunities later one!
16. Find a place to sell your products that isn’t in competition with other sellers (eBay, Etsy)
Once you have some items listed for sale on your online shop, it’s time to start thinking about where else you can sell them! If possible, try to find a unique location that won’t be in direct competition with other sellers. For example: maybe there is an art store nearby that isn’t selling handmade goods at the moment – they might be more receptive if approached directly!
16. Create business cards
When designing promotional materials for yourself (business cards, flyers), focus on one specific product line rather than several. It is also a good idea to have a section in your business plan devoted entirely to marketing and advertising.
18. Define an SEO digital marketing strategy
SEO (search engine optimization) is the practice of improving the ranking of a website on search engines. In order to make your craft business as visible as possible, it’s important to have an SEO strategy in place! This could involve optimizing product titles & descriptions, using keywords throughout your site, and guest blogging on other sites related to your niche.
19. Celebrate milestones along the way
Starting a small business is hard work – there will be times when you feel like giving up but don’t forget to celebrate each accomplishment no matter how big or small! Whether it’s launching your first collection, reaching 100 followers on social media, or getting featured in a magazine, take time to reflect on all that you’ve accomplished and give yourself a pat on the back.
20. Define an SEM strategy, Google Ads and Facebook Ads
SEM (search engine marketing) is the practice of optimizing your online presence to show up in search engines. On Google Ads, this means that you can pay a fee so that when someone searches for keywords related to your industry, an ad with click through link will appear at the top of their screen and take them directly to your site!
Facebook ads allow companies promote posts on Facebook’s News Feed or users’ Timelines by paying $$$ each time it reaches more people.