Craft Business – 8 things crafters do WRONG!
If are you in the craft industry, don’t make sales or experiencing sales decrease, you should read this to avoid making common mistakes!
If you are not a trading crafter, but dreaming of becoming one give it a read to save yourself a lot of time at the start!
1. Packaging. You wouldn’t believe how many handmade sellers fail at this. 4 out of 5 my recent buys came in either plain envelope or cardboard. Receiving/ordering handmade make is meant to be an unique experience, making the buyer to feel special. Keep the excitement to the end by adding an extra touch to your packaging too. And, no it doesn’t mean adding extra cost.. Be creative use craft leftovers, cut out a little heart from felt, fabric, paper whatever you work with, hand write a note ‘thank you’, maybe use an ink stamp! Tissue paper and ribbon can work magic!
2. Talk bad about their customers. This is a big NO-NO. No matter if it’s on Facebook or in real, just don’t do it. Be professional, deal privately with the actual person.
3. Under price. If you are under pricing it says you don’t believe your makes are good, how do you want convince others that what you make is exceptional and worth paying for?
4. Ask to pay PayPal fee or send money as friend. This is highly unprofessional. You can’t avoid paying PayPal fees, you are the business and its your responsibility. Calculate the extra fees in the original price, and never mention it to your customers.
5. Don’t reply, don’t engage. Running craft business (or any business really) means you operate and marketing online a lot, take your time to reply to messages and comments on your social media. It’s crucial as Facebook marketing is not too friendly if you don’t want to pay them. Having 2000 likes on FB page but on average only 50-100 see your posts? It has a lot to do with engagement! I’ll talk about it another post.
6. Copy others work. You may be inspired by other people talents, but you must find your own style, uniqueness otherwise you are just going to nowhere!
7. Share unrelated content. Your business page is for your business, seems simple ha? The amount of craft pages I visit that share videos, pictures etc of random Facebook stuff is unreal. You’ve got around 10 seconds to draw potential customer attention, if they have to spend it to scroll down your page to find photos of your makes you’ve probably lost them by now.
8. Take bad photos. Can’t stress how important that is! If you don’t have professional gear, aim for natural soft light, do never use flash and keep the background rather plain – nothing too busy.. Speaking of being busy, I wish you the best of luck, be mad busy in your craft venture, you are making world a prettier place! #handmadeLOVE
You may also like:
How to make SALES. Crafts My Top Tips.
START your own craft business. 14 potential craft businesses!
Thanks for reading
Kasia
God tips Kasia, the amount of rubbish on Facebook is unreal on people’s business pages turns me right off.
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Thank you Maura! x
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Hi Kasia,
I couldn’t agree more with everything you have said and every item on your list is crucial.
Sarah x
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Thank you so much Sarah! It means a lot☺️
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Nice post, even i don’t sell my craft maybe one day and remember your advice 🙂
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Thank you lovely❤️
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Great advice , like the point about unrelated items have been turned off based on that myself . Thank you
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Thank you darling❤️
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Thank you for the tips. I don’t sell my work but if I did, I would have a good base to start from.
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Thank you kindly Barbara❤️
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Very good tips! I don’t sell, just review and blog, but one day I might! And I’ll remember this, thank you x
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Thank you! It means a lot☺️
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Bardzo dobre rady Kasia ta o pakowaniu, robieniu zdjęć. Ja ciągle nad tym pracuje. Uwielbiam Twoje prace. Życzę powodzenia na Etsy☺.
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Thanks for these excellent tips. I’m thinking of starting up an online handicrafts enterprise, reproducing handicrafts that my mother used to make (I sold her crafts at Christmas fairs and they went like hotcakes). Regards from the mother of the girl who writes “2 Blogging Cats” (https://2bloggingcats.wordpress.com/ )
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Thank you so much!
Wishing you best of luck with the new venture! Have fun☺️x Kasia
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Excellent points and very helpful for us small starter businesses!
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Thank you☺️
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Pricing!!! A price too low –> Lack of confidence. A price too high –> Totally arrogant! A happy medium seems so hard to find!!! And then there’s photography… Thank for the tips. I’m not giving up!!!!
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Totally agree! Best of luck and do never give up!☺️
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xx
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Love this! Thank you!
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This had some really good tips!!!
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Delighted to hear it! Thank you☺️
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What a lovely blog, some great advice too! Thanks for liking my post as it led me here.
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Thank you so much for stopping by here☺️
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I tweeted you!
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That’s great advice. Thank you.
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Great tips!
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Great, thanks for these.
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Thanks for reading!❤️
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Reblogged this on ishidee and commented:
This is a terrific blog! Great suggestions.
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Thank you so much Delores!
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Great info!
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Thank you☺️
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Thank you Kasia fab tips xx
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Thanks lovely!
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This info is great you can apply to any business
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Thank so much!
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Thank you very much for the post! I’m going to launch my platform on etsy. Your experience is very useful.
Best regards,
Maria
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Thank you so much!
Best of luck Maria, enjoy the New venture❤️
X Kasia
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You’re welcome! Thank you for visiting my blog! I wish you good luck and a lot of inspiration.
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Great tips! I am so dreaming of selling my crafts just to have the fun experience of making something special for others to enjoy too!
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Thank you! Stop dreaming Hun, and start actually doing! I swear it’s worth it❤️
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Thanks, for the encouragement!
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So true about the photos! Is the first time the client will see your product, and fall in love with it, so you have to make a good presentation of it! Loved your analysis!
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I love making my crafty things. I honestly have no idea about blogging right now, very new to me. I hope to eventually sell my crafts and decorative unique things. Any advice from people with experience I will take into consideration on making a website and actually selling products. 🙂
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Go for it girl! Best of luck ☺️
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Thank you!
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Those are some good tips. Thanks!
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Auggg! These are so true! Pricing 😞 that’s such a hard one for me. Especially when I go into Target or Walmart and see something similar for a fraction of the price. I know that my product has such better quality, but it makes me think I should try to be competitive with them too. Any tips?
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Oh I know Hun! You just need to aim for the right customer, some people will choose Target but there are people out there who love and appreciate handmade, buying and owning handmade product is unique and luxurious experience. Never get disheartened by those who will choose Target, that is OK too. Believe in yourself and believe in your makes, people will follow you!
Wishing you the best of luck!
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New follower and new blogger here! Love this post and totally agree. Can’t wait to dig into your blog a bit more!
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These were super helpful tips. I’m trying to start my own business one day and I’m learning everything I can from the crafting, artist, entrepreneur community. Thank you!
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Great post! I agree with your list! 😊❤️
https://busybeeblogweb.wordpress.com
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Great tips! Thank you for sharing. Im just starting to sell some of my stuff an this helps alot.
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Thanks! It was helpful
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Awesome Pointers!! thank you
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Thanks for stopping by!
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Thank you so much, Kasia! Your help is inspiring to me!
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Thanks darling, best of luck to you❤
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