Having Your Own Business Doesn’t Have to be "Scary" or financially threatening. People of all ages are earning a good living creating and producing products both full time and part time from their homes. Doing something you like to do and getting paid for it is living the "American Dream". By the time a product is decided upon, production details are thought through and in place, a rough, bookkeeping system to keep reliable records of profits, losses, expenditures and deductions and a marketing plan that suits your personality and skills, you are in business. This year when I went to my doctor for an annual visit, his nurse, Jennie invited me to come to an open house at her home on the weekend. It was Christmas season and she had a part time business filling baskets with fruit, candy, nuts, coffee, tea etc., decorating the baskets with simple bows and silk flowers and shrink wrapping them for gifts. She had started out by making and selling a few baskets to friends. Her business began doubling, then tripling when recipients of the gifts and friends of friends began calling to place special orders. She expanded her market by decorating and shrink wrapping items that customers brought in to personalize their gift baskets. Word of mouth built her business into a demand by regular and new customers for several baskets for each of the holidays throughout the year. She was at a point where she needed to make a decision between quitting her full time job and developing her home based business or gradually easing into her own business by cutting back her hours at her full time job Jennies’ initial investment was modest. As her cash flow increased, her inventory of ribbons, decorations, baskets and contents increased. Her main asset was the "juice" she felt when she did something that was fun, got paid for it and made someone else happy all at the same time. When Jennie is ready to launch her business big time, there are several directions she can take, all at her own way and pace. She can expand her market by having business cards made, taking out ads in local papers, buying mailing lists to send out mailers, leaving brochures with local business people, supplying local stores with inventory, selling her product at craft fairs and selling directly to business's. She can build an online business by learning how to make money with affiliate programs, submitting her site to 100 search engines, and selling her products online. What if I Have More Business Than I Can Handle and I Get Overwhelmed?
I took them to a boutique/gallery in Manhattan that turned out to have a wholesale catalog business that extended throughout the country. He began ordering 80 of this style 110 of that one and so on. I hired out the plaster work to several friends while another artist and I painted the designs. There were "bottles" all over the house in different stages of development. I was working from 9 AM to 9 PM and I was overwhelmed. The thought came to put an ad in the paper and sell the business. The man who bought the business the day the ad appeared was recently retired and eager for something to do. I taught him how to make the four most popular styles, sold him my supplies, gave him my contacts and suppliers, and he gave me a healthy check and hauled away my business. Once you develop a successful business and don’t feel up to the pressure of expansion and growth you can still make money on your ideas and experience. Several years later I developed another home-based business which still provides me with a good income and I work at my own way and pace, enjoying every minute of it. What Are Some of the Advantages to Having a Home-based Craft Business?
What is the Best Way to Develop a Product?
Most people who are interested in starting an arts and crafts business enjoy making or doing things like: home decorating, cooking, gardening, sewing clothing, making dolls and toys, quilting, woodworking, floral arranging, working with stencils, decoupage, candle making, artwork and basket weaving. The list is long. The opportunities and possibilities are endless. All you need is a library card to check out a "how to" book on just about anything you might want to learn how to make for your product line. Another way to develop and perfect a product/product line is to visit your local fabric and arts and crafts stores. Fabrics an arts and crafts stores offer wonderful, on-going classes throughout the year using a variety of products and techniques. This is an excellent way to find out what you enjoy and what is less appealing to you. And, part of the training for having your own craft business could be learning as much as you can from these classes in order to teach them to others. Then, when your business becomes too big for you to handle on your own, you will have the skills you need to teach others how to duplicate your efforts. If you are interested in beginning a business of your own in the arts and crafts field, you may have a product you would like to market already, or you may find creating a product line to be the easy part. Organizing your space may take some time in the beginning, because it’s hard to know how much room you will need to create your product, develop your business and keep up with your paperwork. In the beginning I felt comfortable working in the kitchen. The kitchen was my domain. It was easy for me to cook and craft in a familiar environment. I used the counter tops, which were just the right height and the kitchen table. But, when my business began to expand and spread into the dining room and other parts of the house, working in the kitchen became inconvenient and confusing. I was losing time and money from lack of order. So, I took everything out of the guest bedroom and began to set up an organized, workable business area. The closet was large enough to put my computer, printer and paper related work. The sliding doors were easy to remove. I made a table out of a piece of wood from the lumber yard. I covered the wood with contact paper and set it on top of two filing cabinets. The table top just fit inside the closet. A clip on lamp attached to each side of the overhead shelf gave me perfect lighting and didn’t take up valuable shelf space. I used the overhead closet shelf for paper products, file trays, bookkeeping and accounting notebooks. There was ample room on my computer table for addresses,, phone numbers and office tools like pens, pencils, ruler, stapler, tape dispenser, scissors and post it notes. I thought about getting saw horses and using the sliding doors for tables, but decided to buy a big, folding table at an office supply store to use for a solid work table. I purchased plastic stacking boxes, free-standing shelves and storage baskets for my inventory of craft supplies. After running a phone line into my "play room" I began to settle in. It felt good to be organized and know just where everything was and it also felt good to be able to make a big mess, walk out and close the door behind me if I didn’t feel like cleaning up the floral debris that collected on the tables and floor when I made my craft projects. Sometimes the creative ideas and feelings are flowing and I work non-stop for hours. Other times, I need to take a break and visit with friends, sit in the garden, read for awhile, swim, take a nap or go for a walk. It feels good to be able to work in my own way and at my own pace. I love being able to put in a load of wash, water the plants or go to the gym and work out for awhile in-between projects. I wake up in the morning with a feeling of excitement, confidence, a sense of adventure and purpose. As your business expands your home may not offer the space you require. You may need more room for storage, business related projects, the flow of paperwork…not to mention needing more workspace. When the time comes to expand your workspace, consider converting another room, adding on to your home or putting up a separate facility to function as a warehouse. Before we lived in the house we currently occupy, we had an apartment connected to our home. When my business began generating enough income to warrant moving into the apartment, I expanded into the larger area. I created my projects in the living room, used one bedroom for storing my inventory and one bedroom for all my business related projects. The lighting was good and although the apartment was attached to the house, the space felt very separate from all the household duties and responsibilities. It was a great space to create. Another option is to rent or lease storage space at one of the mini- storage facilities available in most areas. This could be useful if you are building your inventory to prepare for the upcoming tourist season, Christmas or for arts and crafts fairs Try to allow for more room than you think you will need. As your business prospers and grows, your work space will begin bulging at the seams. That is fun too. Over the years we have moved several times. Each time we move and re-group, I get to re-design my workspace and become more organized, productive, efficient and successful. One of the advantages of having a home-based craft business is that you can start small. Your start-up costs can be low and any place that is convenient and comfortable for you to work in will do. And, if your space is used regularly and exclusively for your business purposes it qualifies for a tax deduction (more about that later). Packaging Your Product Customers enjoy something that is attractively packaged. Also, they feel confident that they are getting a product that is new and complete. It has all the parts and instructions. Toys are packaged in boxes with attractive color pictures designed to sell the product, many food items are packaged in containers that cost more than the product inside and paintings and photographs often sell better if they are framed and ready for hanging. Affix information concerning limited editions, special handling or cleaning to the back of the piece. For Xmas this year I bought a beautiful container in the shape of a heart. It was covered in puffy, red velvet and had a wonderful, little trim around the edge of the opening. The gift I put inside was far less expensive than the box. I wrapped it with a sheer, soft ribbon and hot glued a small, silk rose to the center of the bow. The packaging created the impression of the gift being complete and satisfying. Besides functioning as a sales aid, packaging protects the product until it is sold. Small gift cards help to sell items. They can be attached to dolls or stuffed animals with ribbons or rubber bands. Generic gift bags or boxes can be used all year round. (Tie a red ribbon with a small bell on the handle for Xmas.). If the products need to be seen, they can be packaged in transparent shrink-wrap or in zip-lock plastic bags that let customers see exactly what they are buying. Printed labels can be used to identify products and, at the same time, help sell them. Selling points and written instructions can be printed on the back of the label or included inside the package. Photocopy centers and clip-art books are good resources for creating printed pieces like labels, instructions, small gift cards, brochures and information about your business. Be sure to include your name, address and any other information that can encourage future sales. The absence of a printed price on the label gives you (as well as retailers who may be selling your product) flexibility in pricing.
If you have a mail order product the customer needs to see your product pictured in a brochure or some kind of advertisement in order to know in advance what to expect when the product arrives. The role of attractive packaging is not the primary focus in mail order businesses, but, it may influence repeat sales. Particular attention needs to be given to packing materials when you mail your products. Investigate standard size packing materials even before you design your product. It is less expensive and more convenient to use standard size boxes. Custom size boxes cost more and you end up having to purchase in bulk to save money. Also, consider how much packing material you will need for each box. If the box is too big you loose money on packing material and shipping. If the box is too small your product may arrive damaged due to not enough packing material. The Yellow Pages is a good resource for packaging materials. How Can I Market My Products? Many so-called "amateur" artists are not only as good as those who are making a living at it, but quite often their ideas come across as refreshingly new and interesting. The charm of home-crafted products can stand out like a lighthouse in a sea of foggy, same old stuff. Also, the possibility of advancing from hobby to career in your own way is a real "turn on". Even a small amount of acceptance starts your creative juices to flow. Many artists work for the fun of it, in the beginning, and after a few successes they have more money, knowledge and experience, so their business becomes economically based as well. Once you decide to develop a craft business be prepared for all kinds of possibilities for enriching your life. I have a friend who created a business photographing weddings by putting an ad in the yellow pages. She began getting calls and, very quickly, she built a full time, very successful business. At first, she photographed the wedding, the wedding party and took candid shots at the reception. She had prints made, put them in an album with a list of prices for each size and discounts for multiple orders. Eventually she customized her business so that people could purchase modest amounts of pictures in albums, elaborate albums with a greater variety of pictures included and a least expensive package. She gave the wedding couple the film from the shoot. In the beginning you may just want to get your work in front of the public. Enter your handicrafts in exhibit competitions for the experience and to see how you can improve your product. Any business or institution with a lobby, waiting room or reception area is also a potential client or place for a display. Those who are not interested in buying can be open to displaying a selection of handicrafts in exchange for their decorative value. Conduct a methodical, yet simple research to determine who your potential customers are and how many are out there. If you intend to sell your product through local and regional galleries and gift shops, you will want to know how many outlets there are in your area. Visit the kinds of shops, galleries and stores where your product could shine. Ask the owners to find out what their business policy is when working with local artisans. Bring samples of your product and ask for suggestions. Even though you are absorbing a mass of useful information, take a few notes to remind you of what you have taken in. This can be inspiring and lead to new ideas. Visit gift and souvenir shops, specialty shops, chain stores, craft malls, mail-order outlets, arts and crafts co-ops, wholesale and retail trade shows, festivals and bazaars. Watch the customers and notice what kinds of products, booths, displays, selling techniques and advertising works. Arts and crafts fairs and other exhibit show promoters have valuable information about what sells, how many people have attended previous shows and how the exhibitors fared. If you plan to sell your product through an established mail order source, ask for figures on catalog distribution and how many orders are generated through their system. If you choose to concentrate your energy on developing your product, you can have an agent represent you. Ask local craft professionals if they are represented or not. Ask what they think of their rep. Sales reps are paid 10 to 15% of the sales they make for you. Some also charge for show expenses. Find out how many shops and galleries you can expect to do business with and how many trade shows the agent will attend. How Can I Expand My Business? o Start an arts and crafts co-op. Invite other artists and craft professionals in your community to a meeting (or send a printed piece with your ideas) and discuss the prospects of forming a local artisans’ group. In Santa Cruz, where I lived before moving to Texas, many artists and crafts people got together and rented a shop on the main street to sell their work directly to the public. It is highly successful and one of the most favorite gift shops in the city. o Many artists just want to be involved in their creative process. They lack financial success because they don’t want to take the time to market their products. Become a sales rep for other arts and crafts professionals and continue selling your own products while earning commissions on the works of others. o If organizing is one of your skills, meet with city officials, managers of malls and others in charge of renting buildings and outdoor space and determine the profits in organizing arts and crafts exhibits. You can rent space to exhibitors, manage and advertise the events and sell your own products. (This works well with a partner.) o Add related items to your line. For instance, if you are selling decorated baskets, add ribbons, silk flowers, moss, glue guns and plain baskets so people can make their own original designs. Include a sheet of instructions. Also add items like soap, botanicals, teas, coffee, artificial fruit and natural cosmetics to put inside the decorated baskets. o Purchase targeted mailing lists and bulk-mail your promotional material showing your line to potential buyers. Combine your line with another artists line and share expenses. It will provide variety and broaden your market base. o Collaborate with a writer and make money by selling your craft ideas and designs through articles and books. Split the profits. o Publish a newsletter that has "how to do" craft projects, using new craft products, seasonal decorating and craft ideas. Include information about local craft and art shows. Sell subscriptions and ads to craft stores, galleries, hobbyists and professionals. The Bigger Picture by Nan Geller It deals with the bigger picture- learning how to tap into the source of your creativity, so you can express your own unique gifts, feel joy, attract abundance and share it with others. A friend told me this story from the American Indian tradition. It seems to suit the situation. Once God called all the animals together and told them He wanted to give the humans a secret gift. He said that he needed to hide it some place where they wouldn’t find it until the right time. The bear got all excited and said that he could take it to the top of the highest mountain and put it somewhere. God told him that although it was a good idea, the humans would find it eventually. Then the salmon said he would take it to the bottom of the ocean where humans never went, but God said no again, that the humans would find it there too. The mole cleared his throat, and all the animals turned to hear what he would say. The mole was blind and lived under the earth. The other animals didn’t really understand the mole. But even though his habits were strange, he always had something interesting to say. "Put the secret gift inside the humans. They will never think of looking for it there…at least not until they have looked everywhere else," he said. Everyone, including God, thought that was a very good idea. So, to this day, every human carries inside himself a secret gift, something that makes him special, unique and very valuable. No one else can do what you do, whatever it is, like you can do it. Having a business of your own begins with wanting to express yourself in your own way. It will never happen as long as you want to please or be taken care of by someone else. What about all those people who have started their own business and somehow never made it? They didn’t fully recognize that the fullness of their happiness rested in the seeds of self expression. Everyone has their own personal revelation of beauty, order, growth, well being and abundance, and to become aware of that is no small thing. People talk about having their own business and many think of how they can become rich before they think about how they can full express the essence of their being. Each of us has a special quality, a uniqueness, a different story, a contribution to make that is based upon the choices we have made. That gift may be wrapped in something like words a song, a picture or a craft. The package isn’t the message. Every time we offer the gift of our self expression it makes a difference. Not only does it affect family, friends and others, it adds to the liveliness, compassion and creativity of the Universe. Our world is alive with different qualities of energy. The full spectrum of creation, maintenance of creation and destruction of creation is the cycle of life that produces fresh, new ideas every moment. Our feelings are evidence and acknowledgement of what we know and who we are. To fully experience the cycle of life in all its magnificent phases liberates us and we are able to celebrate all the aspects of our existence.. Self expression is a celebration of the eternal nature of life. Special gifts bubble up and spill over for the rest of humanity to enjoy, feel uplifted and inspired. You cannot get it wrong; you can never fail, and like the business of life itself, you can never get it done.
|
| ||
| ||
| | |
| ||
| ||
| ||
|
Savings everywhere you look!
Save-on-crafts.com
is a premier site for catering, special event planners and wedding planners
for wedding and reception supplies.Including floralytes, fiberoptics, lights, stemware, decorations. Also find craft tools and supplies
including papercrafts, scrapbooking, work tables, adhesives, beading, floral supplies,
vases, and lots of party supplies. Appropriate descriptive keywords include: wedding supplies,
special events, table top, tulle, favors, event lighting, reception, weddings.
|