Deciding What Crafts to Sell
Deciding What Crafts to Sell
When you start a craft business there are several different things you need to think about before you actually get started. Sure anyone can go get into the business to start selling their crafts. But, before you do, just make sure that you have all your ducks in a row when starting a business.
The First Thing You Should Do
The first thing, is what will you sell?
Think crafty right?
You make this, or you make that. For me, when I first started my craft business I started making jewelry.
Initially, I started making jewelry when my hand was broken in a car accident. Making jewelry was a type of at home therapy my doctor recommended I do to heal my hand.
Once I got good at it, people wanted to see what I was making. And the next question they would ask after that was, can you make me one?
Or can I buy that from you? I will pay you.
Related Post: Craft Hobby Turned BusinessÂ
So I created handmade jewelry with beads. This lead to stamping jewelry with metal stamps and hammers creating personalized jewelry.
Personalized jewelry then led to offering other personalized gifts.
First, it was monogramming and embroidery, which then led into vinyl and thread. And still today, I now have not only a jewelry business but a personalization and craft business.
I create all the personalized things. In fact, it is what I most like to do. Create the visions of others.
Finding a Niche
When you’re determining when you’re going to start your business, you need to decide exactly what you’re going to sell first, and where this type of product is going to take you.
Will you add-on additional products? Will you create spin-off products from that product?
In my case, it just kind of happened naturally this way because my customers were those types of customers who wanted a personalized item. This can happen to you, especially if what you are selling is unique or one-of-a-kind items.
But if what you’re selling is being made over and over again, you may not have that problem, and you may only have one type of product.
Or you may have three set product styles within one niche.
This isn’t necessarily a problem or something that is bad, it just means you may be more of an exact niche in one type of product craft business than another.
In fact, in some ways, this may be better. If you only create one thing, you may become the one person who makes that one thing best!
Make sure you consider your first product and your niche when first starting a craft business. Exactly what it is you’re going to sell and where this type of product will take you as your business grows.
Who is Your Customer
The second thing you need to look at is who is your market? Who is your customer? You need to know exactly what type of customer you have and who you’re going to sell your crafts to.
I run a personalized shop, selling personalized items and gifts for people to buy for themselves or to give to others.
If you sell wreaths, you’re not necessarily going to be selling one to a man who works out in a farm or selling it to people who live in the city who has modern decor in their home.
When I think of wreaths, I think of selling them to more traditional style individuals or of people who love farmhouse decor.
Determining who you’re going to sell to will come into play with what kind of product you have.
You need to know who is going to buy the product you’re making, and ultimately that is your market. You will need to find where those people hang out so that you can market to them the things you know they will want to buy.
This is true when it comes to blogging, in fact, Elite Blog Academy teaches exactly how to find your “avatar” or target audience. EBA is only offered one time a year, but if you are interested, you can get on the list here.
Discovering Your Crafts to Sell
At the end of the day, you need to determine exactly three things when it comes to choosing what it is you will make and sell. And if you answer Yes to all of the questions below, you are likely to be more successful in selling it.
- Do you love to make this item? Over and Over?
- Are you good at making this item? Like really good?
- Can you easily get affordable materials to recreate this item?
If you are pretty good at making something, and you enjoy making these crafts, and you can get materials or supplies pretty easily without banking the bank, then this is the kinds of crafts you should start to sell.
When starting out in a craft business you need to have these three things in order. Other problems or glitches might arise in the opening of your shop, and these do not need to be any of them.
Don’t sell something you don’t like making just because you are good at it.
Don’t sell something you suck at making just because you do like “trying” to make it.
Don’t sell something that is hard to find supplies for, or is outrageously priced.
Discover Crafts to Sell
If you have no idea what you are good at, or even where to begin, then probably now is not the time to start a craft business.
That doesn’t mean you can’t start one sooner than later.
Just take time to discover what you love. Look at what other crafters are making, and see if you can create your own design or spin on a craft concept.
If you need a little extra help, I offer a Guide to Getting Started with Crafting, plus a FREE Craft Project Planner you can use to help organize your crafting.
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Even if you are not crafty at all, you can learn to be. Especially if you are looking to start a side hustle from home to make extra money.
Selling crafts can be a great way to make additional income. And yes, you can learn a craft to make and sell.
Related Post: A Side Hustle Anyone Can Do From Home
All in all decided what crafts to sell is not difficult, you just need to do a little soul searching and discover your strenths and what you love.
Happy Crafting!
Comments & Reviews
Chris Giordano says
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Layne says
Hi Chris,
Please email at [email protected]
Thanks