Now depending on what type of craft item(s) you plan on selling, you need to decide where you will sell.
(1) Are you going to sell your crafts at flea markets? There are some nice indoor flea markets where you can rent a booth on a monthly basis. Some people do quite well and others don't. I tried renting a booth for 3 months and it was a complete disaster for me because my prices were too high. Remember most people shop at flea markets expecting to find a bargain and although my items were appealing to the customers, the price was more than what they expected. I couldn't lower my prices because then I wouldn't profit from my craft. You have to account for your raw materials, booth rental, your skill, and your time. If you feel like your product would do well at an establishment like this, by all means, give it a try. You might have a completely different experience than mine. Keep in mind that you want to make money and not lose money so don't underprice your crafts.
(2) Are you going to sell online? Ebay is a wonderful place to research your craft. Search for something similar to what you are making and see how other people are doing. Ebay is full of successful crafters who are doing quite well for themselves. Check it out and see what you think. You can get an idea for pricing and decide how profitable it would be for you. Research ebay and if you decide to give it a try, go for it. ebay has a setup that will walk you right through the selling process as long as you understand how ebay works. That's why you need to do a little bit of research first
(3) Are you going to sell at craft shows? Crafts shows are an excellent place to start. I have two children and no babysitter so craft show selling is not a good venue for me. I've had to improvise a lot. It makes success more difficult if you can't get out there and network (meet people) who have the potential to help your business grow. If you decide on craft shows, start out locally in your city or town to get a feel for selling your product. When your ready to move on, look for statewide shows. After attending a couple of the local shows, you could have leads to several other shows that the other sellers attend. Watch the news and newspapers for local events.
Well, that's all for today. There are other places to sell but that will come later. Right now you're just starting out so keep it simple.
(1) Are you going to sell your crafts at flea markets? There are some nice indoor flea markets where you can rent a booth on a monthly basis. Some people do quite well and others don't. I tried renting a booth for 3 months and it was a complete disaster for me because my prices were too high. Remember most people shop at flea markets expecting to find a bargain and although my items were appealing to the customers, the price was more than what they expected. I couldn't lower my prices because then I wouldn't profit from my craft. You have to account for your raw materials, booth rental, your skill, and your time. If you feel like your product would do well at an establishment like this, by all means, give it a try. You might have a completely different experience than mine. Keep in mind that you want to make money and not lose money so don't underprice your crafts.
(2) Are you going to sell online? Ebay is a wonderful place to research your craft. Search for something similar to what you are making and see how other people are doing. Ebay is full of successful crafters who are doing quite well for themselves. Check it out and see what you think. You can get an idea for pricing and decide how profitable it would be for you. Research ebay and if you decide to give it a try, go for it. ebay has a setup that will walk you right through the selling process as long as you understand how ebay works. That's why you need to do a little bit of research first
(3) Are you going to sell at craft shows? Crafts shows are an excellent place to start. I have two children and no babysitter so craft show selling is not a good venue for me. I've had to improvise a lot. It makes success more difficult if you can't get out there and network (meet people) who have the potential to help your business grow. If you decide on craft shows, start out locally in your city or town to get a feel for selling your product. When your ready to move on, look for statewide shows. After attending a couple of the local shows, you could have leads to several other shows that the other sellers attend. Watch the news and newspapers for local events.
Well, that's all for today. There are other places to sell but that will come later. Right now you're just starting out so keep it simple.
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