Where and how to sell handicrafts

Handicraft has always cost more than a mass-produced product. But many talented people who create real works of art simply do not know how to turn a hobby into a real way of earning money.

COLADY will tell you about all the secrets of the hand made business. Find out where and how to sell handicrafts.

Also Read: Best Home Business Ideas For Women.

The content of the article:

Three hand-made whales

• Finished product quality (skill multiplied by talent).
• Quality of materials (you cannot save on them).
• Exclusivity (so that no one else has anything like it, and it will take your breath away from the beauty and originality of the product).

Where to sell hand-made products?

Every person wants to surround himself with unique, exclusive and beautiful things. Jewelry, home furnishings, clothing and hand-made accessories will always be in demand. It remains to find a “showcase” and your niche in this market.

So where can you sell hand made products?

• The simplest option is posting your handmade work on websites intended for their sale (for example, hand-made.ru). As a rule, the placement is carried out free of charge. In some cases, when placing products in an amount exceeding the established one (5-10 pieces), you will have to make small monthly payments.
• Posting information on women’s forums in the buy / sell sections. It is enough to register and offer future buyers something that they cannot refuse.
• Social networks. Blogs, groups, communities. We send out invitations, make friends with future customers, communicate according to interests. Be sure to post colorful and high-quality photographs of our handmade masterpieces. Connoisseurs of unique things will not resist.
• We create our own online store. It will cost, depending on the complexity, $ 200-5000. Do not forget about paying for hosting / domain and monthly injections into the promotion of the resource (from 5000 rubles).
• We rent a real retail outlet (in the shopping center, on the market). We sell ourselves or hire a seller. We design the point so that no one could pass by indifferently. And we enjoy the sales. Do not forget about IP registration, taxes, cash register and the amount of products sufficient for placement at the outlet.
• We sell our exclusive products through real souvenir shops under a cooperation agreement (products are given for sale, or the store buys them out immediately).

Perfect option – use all options… But you need to understand that if customers line up, then even the round-the-clock creation of your products will not help in meeting demand – it is physically impossible to create exclusive handmade items in a conveyor belt using only your hands, and even without loss of quality.

Decide on a payment system

This applies to the sale of goods over the Internet. How will buyers transfer money for your products?

The main options are:

• Postal transfer.
• Using a bank card.
• PayPal.
• WebMoney.
• Yandex money.

From the way in which the buyer can pay, directly your buying audience depends… If you rely only on friends, then money can be passed from hand to hand. If you want to sell your products in Russia (and even more so around the world) – it is advisable to use all methods at once…

If the terms of payment in the online store assume only postal order and, for example, “Yandex money”, then buyers who have electronic money only on WebMoney, just leave the page…

Hand-made delivery – how to deliver products to customers?

The main subtleties of hand-made delivery:

• Delivery of the product may be included in its price., in a package of services, or generally be free. Only you decide.
• Not every situation will make a reasonable decision to pay for shipping. by the buyer… For example, if a hand-made postcard costs 100 rubles, then taking another 400 rubles for delivery is at least illogical. On the other hand, if the buyer really liked the item, then paying for delivery will not put him off.
• Inquire with your post office – how much will the delivery cost in Russia and to other countries, what are the restrictions in weight, etc. Non-standard packaging and weight exceeding certain norms can cause a significant increase in the amount for the parcel.
• Sometimes shipping the item is more expensive than the item itself… Therefore, you should think over this issue in advance, adjusting the size of the products to the mail standards, or even changing your hand-made strategy altogether.
• It is worth remembering that each country has its own restrictions on the transfer of certain goods… For example, you cannot send liquid to the States by airmail, in our country the sending of art objects was prohibited, and in Eastern countries, a completely harmless thing can be equated with pornography.

Packaging and tags – hand-made packaging correctly

1. Packaging is the face of the product. The more original and beautiful the packaging is, the more pleasant the customer will be, the more chances that the product will be bought.
2. It is unprofitable to buy separately bags and boxes in stores – it will hit the wallet hard, and it will be not just unprofitable, but negative. The way out: do the packaging yourself (fortunately, there are a lot of creative design options on the Internet) or buy packaging in bulk via the Internet.
3. Don’t forget about extra packaging. Before you put the package with the product in the shipping box, wrap it in a bag (or better in air-bubble wrap) – this way you will save your masterpiece from accidental wetting or breakage. These costs should also be taken into account in advance.
4. Be careful with your packaging. If a customer receives from you an exclusive hand-painted mug wrapped in old newspapers, it will not benefit your business reputation. Look for beautiful packaging options and do your job with love.
5. A separate point is the tags on the products… They can be made in different ways: printed on a printer, sewn from fabric and embroider names with a cross, create unique tags from plastic and paint them with special paints, etc. Look for your exclusive tag design – let it become the “chip” that immediately “peck at” Buyers.

How to take a hand-made photo for sale

High-quality and correct photographs are half the battle. And no matter how it may seem that this item is sheer nonsense, it is of great importance when selling a product.

The correct photograph creates the first impression and interests the buyer, and also speaks of the professionalism of the seller, and not that the products were exhibited by an amateur housewife.

• Choose your background carefully… No pictures a la “knitted socks spread on the bedroom floor.” The background should be suitable and should not distract from the product itself. Ideally, white is the best background.
• Buy a tripod – photographs must be clear.
• Use the macro mode of the camera. All details, down to the beads / seams / threads, must be clearly visible – paint shine, texture, fabric structure, etc.

How to advertise hand made

How to draw attention to your products?

1. Maximum Ads / Ads on all suitable resources, websites, message boards, forums, blogs and social networks… The more ads the better. Think over the text well. He must be competent, professional and compelling to click on the link. “I knit socks to order” – will not work!
2. Order advertising brochures with descriptions and photographs of their products, your contacts (website, VK group, phone number, etc.). Be sure to make business cards and hand them out whenever you can.
3. Flyers can also be ordered, which can be handed out by the metro, for example, your teenage neighbor, who wants to “cheat”.
4. Think about nice bonuses for your customers… These can be mini-souvenirs, gifts, surprises.
5. Do not forget about word of mouth – friends, neighbors, colleagues and relatives.
6. Describe your services in detail, terms of production, terms and regions of delivery. The more detailed the description of the service, the more chances that the buyer will not leave you for competitors.
7. Consider the possibility of discounts and promotions. For example, when ordering more than 5 items (or over a certain amount) – a 10 percent discount. Discount for regular customers. On holidays – promotions, discounts.
8. Conduct master classes… This is one of the most effective advertising methods.
9. Participate in hand-made fairs.