Why Start a Craft Business

Author: Anna Gooz

Craft business is a lucrative business is a growing industry. Craft business gives you an opportunity to make a full-time or a part time income from home. It is very easy start and run. You can get away from 9-5 and make money doing something you love to do.

Craft industry

Craft industry is almost $14 billion according to 2001 CODA survey and is growing. There is a growing demand for craft items. These items are often appreciated for their uniqueness and aesthetic value. Today everything is mass-produced and looks the same. Crafts enable people enhance their personal style, personalize their surrounding, and make a statement about them. Crafts bring a smile to people’s faces. If you have a craft that can bring out the uniqueness in a person or is pleasing, you can be a part of this industry.

Craft business

Craft business is an excellent income generating opportunity. Medium income of a household of a professional crafter is higher than the medium income of an average family according to the 2001 CODA survey. You can make money selling crafts and support your family.

Craft business can be easily done from home. You can make your item in your home and sell them online or at craft shows. You do not need a retail space. You do not need to hire employee initially. Working at home gives you a flexible schedule and you are your own boss. This is ideal if you have young children and do not want to send them off to daycare 10-11 hours a day.

Craft business requires very little upfront investment. Since you are already practicing the craft, you may have most the equipment needed to make your items. If you going to be working from home, there are virtually no startup cost except for the cost of setting up the business and cost of initial supplies to make products.

Craft business may be done part-time or full time. You may always start part-time and move to a full-time status as your business grows. It may also be done on a seasonal basis. I know many crafters, who sell only during the holiday season i.e. between October and December. Crafts make excellent gifts for family and friends. Craft business is flexible and can fit your schedule.

Craft business is almost recession proof, especially if you make low-end items i.e. under $100 that make excellent gifts. Even during down times, people celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays. They have weddings and parties. Your inexpensive craft items can be given as a unique personalized gift.

Craft business is personally rewarding. You are creating craft items with your skill and creativity. When the customers appreciate your products, it is cultivates a great sense of pride within you. Your craft can bring smiles on people’s faces and you have unlimited job satisfaction.

However, remember that craft business is not a get-rich-quick scheme. It will require an investment of time and effort on your side. You would not only be making craft items but also running a small business. This is hard work but is ultimately rewarding with a potential for huge growth.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/business-articles/why-start-a-craft-business-821419.html

About the Author:

Anna Gooz, Craft and Small Business Consultant and publisher of Craft Business Package available at Craftsells.com

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Why Start a Craft Business

21 Survival Tips for Your Craft Business

by: James Dillehay

1) Organize yourself: Write your creative ideas down on paper when they first occur to you.

If you delay, you will probably forget. Make frequent notes. Create files for ideas, receipts, customer addresses, and supplier information. Stay informed about crafts business news: Publications for home businesses can help you gain insights into your crafts business. Here are some of the online craft magazines:

2) Craft Marketer News – Get the free email newsletter that brings you articles and tips for craft selling, pricing, funding and more: subscribe to Craft Marketer Newsletter by email. You will receive a confirmation message in a few minutes with a copy of a recent issue. Newsletters go out around twice a month.

3) Arts Crafts Show Business – Magazine and website for the craft artisan who sells. Includes show listings, articles, links and more: http://www.artscraftsshowbusiness.com/

4) The Crafts Report – Online version of print magazine discussing all aspects of crafts business.

5) SAC News Monthly – Articles on craft business and promotions and reviews of craft shows: http://www.sacnewsmonthly.com/

6) Sunshine Artist – Online version of print magazine discussing art and crafts business. Also links to craft show locators. http://www.sunshineartist.com/

7) Take classes: The more you know, the more you can do. Increase your technical skills and gain competitive advantages in the marketplace. Craft shops and schools usually offer courses in craft and art techniques. This is a good way to pick up tips for faster production methods.

8- Work at home: Make products at home. Since you are already paying utilities, rent, or house payments, you won’t increase your expenses and you can still spend time with your family.

9) Use what you got: Before spending money for equipment and supplies, honestly assess whether you need them. Be creative with materials that have gone unused for awhile. Once, I took some ghastly colored yarns, indisputably useless, and over-dyed them with great results.

10) Cut costs by sharing expenses: I share studio space with three other crafts persons, saving on rent and utilities. As a group, we also help generate enthusiasm for each others work and business. We sometimes make large materials orders together to receive bigger discounts. Sometimes we share booth space at craft shows. More ways to cut costs of doing a business in The Basic Guide to Pricing Your Craftwork.

11) Prepare for hot sales times: Be ready for the good selling seasons, like the months before Christmas, with plenty of inventory. Once the season is past, its several months before sales pick up. Use a production quota to insure you have the goods. Order your materials far enough ahead of the production time so that you arent ruined by out-of-stock problems with suppliers. Budget so that youll have the money to buy what is needed.

12) Get phone service in your own name: The phone company will charge you a higher rate for a business phone than for service in your name.

13) Save on travel expenses: Lower your travel costs by doing shows in cities where you have friends and relatives. If you do many shows, chances are you will make good friends with other craftspeople. When your show schedules coincide, why not share motel costs?

 14) Do your own building and maintenance: Cut down auto expenses. Learn how to do easy repairs on your car like changing your oil and tune-ups. Build, or find a friend to help you construct your display booths, inventory shelves or tables for your studio.

15) Make mistakes pay: If your project doesnt turn out for some reason, write it down and think of other ways to use what youve made. Can a piece be taken apart and rebuilt?

16) Get payments for orders in advance: Whenever a customer wants something special made, ask for payment in advance. When a new store account places an order, require them to prepay or accept the shipment C.O.D.

17) Contract the drudgery: If detail and finishing work drive you crazy, hire someone to do it for you. You can pay them by the hour or by the piece; this gives you more time to design and sell.

18) Think BIG: Save time and increase profits by “ganging up” your production. For example, work from several piles of assembled raw materials. This cuts down production time per piece, increasing profits.

 19) Avoid undercutting your wholesale store accounts: If you do a craft show in the same town where you have a store account, be sure to charge the same retail price that they are asking for similar products.

20) Use contracts in all business arrangements: When working with galleries, designers, or large exhibitions, draw up agreements clearly defining liability, how pieces will be shipped, who pays for the shipping, and who’s liable if something goes wrong. Require purchase orders from stores. Clarifying these things in advance can save you hundreds, perhaps thousands of dollars in the event of confusion or unexpected misfortune. Source of business and legal forms for crafts.

21) Keep your eyes open for new opportunities: If you come across a store that sells handcrafted items, but not your craft, approach them about carrying your work. Adding a new product line will increase sales for both of you.

 22) Use suppliers that offer credit terms of 30 days to pay for purchases: Many suppliers will extend you a month if you can come up with a couple of references. Approach the major suppliers as a retail supplier if you want to receive wholesale discounts. If you set up a retail business to other crafts persons, you can buy supplies for about 50% of the average retail price. If you teach classes, resell these supplies to students at the full price.

23) Hire the physically disadvantaged: The government has a grant program for businesses that offer training that leads to employment for individuals with handicaps. Contact: Office of Program Operations, Rehabilitation Services Administration, Dept. of Education, Washington, DC 20202.

24) Save money on your long distance phone bill. Through a network cooperative plan, Ive cut my long distance phone costs by 50% and more. Interstate rates through this program anytime of the day are only 5.9 cents per minute billed in six second increments. I get the same 5.9 cent rate for a toll free number I provide my customers to order through. Since ATT, MCI and Sprint bill you in 1-minute increments, you are paying for time you aren’t using. This program is a must for cutting phone costs. See http://www.tollfreenumbers.bigstep.com/.

25) Networking with a group who shares your interests opens doors to new opportunities. Many resources exist to help increase contacts, expand marketing efforts, provide information about funding, insurance, and legal advice.

This article is copyrighted and excerpted from the book The Basic Guide to Selling Arts & Crafts by James Dillehay.

Leave me a comment if you enjoyed this article. I think I’ll get the book! These tips are great.

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21 survival tips for your Craft business

Do you have a craft business already? If you are looking for a new ideas to start your craft business or a product to expand your existing product line, you’ve come to the right place.

Here is a fabulous list of 75 Ideas for Selling Handmade Products.

1. handmade accessories
2. handmade arts
3. handmade baby blankets
4. handmade bags
5. handmade bath
6. handmade beads
7. handmade beauty
8. handmade bits
9. handmade boxes
10. handmade bracelet
11. handmade bracelets
12. handmade bricks
13. handmade broom
14. handmade buttons
15. handmade by labels
16. handmade by tags
17. handmade calendar
18. handmade cards
19. handmade cars
20. handmade chain
21. handmade charms
22. handmade children
23. handmade Christmas
24. handmade crafts
25. handmade decorations
26. handmade decorative
27. handmade designs
28. handmade diamond
29. handmade eagle
30. handmade earrings
31. handmade Easter
32. handmade electronics
33. handmade expressions
34. handmade family
35. handmade flowers
36. handmade food
37. handmade frame
38. handmade games
39. handmade gardens
40. handmade gifts
41. handmade goats milk soap
42. handmade gold
43. handmade goods
44. handmade greeting cards
45. handmade handbags
46. handmade holiday
47. handmade home
48. handmade house
49. handmade jewelry
50. handmade labels
51. handmade leather
52. handmade lotion
53. handmade magazine
54. handmade metal jewelry
55. handmade mobile
56. handmade music
57. handmade necklaces
58. handmade paper
59. handmade pendants
60. handmade pins
61. handmade purses
62. handmade rings
63. handmade scrapbook
64. handmade silver
65. handmade silver jewellery
66. handmade soap
67. handmade sterling silver
68. handmade stuff
69. handmade tags
70. handmade things
71. handmade ties
72. handmade tools
73. handmade usa
74. handmade vintage
75. handmade wedding

If that list didn’t inspire some ideas I don’t know what will. The neat thing is you could take each idea and brainstorm more to come up with even more exciting ideas.

Print this list and take it with you to the craft store ailes. See what comes to mind as you match up supplies and materials with these 75 ideas for selling handmade products. The variations on themes could be nearly endless.

Enjoy this post? Leave a comment and subscribe to my email list to get the next ideas in your inbox.

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Selling Handmade – 75 Ideas for Selling Handmade Products