10 Tips For Starting A Successful Handmade Goods Business
It’s no secret that the handmade goods industry has exploded in recent years. Etsy, the international marketplace, now features 1 million sellers with more than 50 million active buyers. Though the handmade trend has been around since the early 1990s, it’s only recently reached critical mass – and there’s no sign of slowing down anytime soon. So if you’re thinking about starting your own handmade goods business, here are 10 tips to help you get started!
1) Pick items you love
In order to be a successful seller, you need to love what you’re selling. Sure, there are exceptions for niche businesses (like those designed to capitalize on sudden trends), but in general, if you aren’t personally interested in an item, there’s no way you can convince other people that they should buy it. So pick products that excite and inspire you! If you don’t have any ideas yet, start by picking your favorite hobbies or interests. If you enjoy making art or scrapbooking, consider creating custom-designed cards or invitations; if you like cooking, try creating personalized cookbooks with recipes from friends and family; if you enjoy sewing or knitting, consider starting a home business making blankets or clothing. There are plenty of ways to turn your hobbies into moneymakers—you just have to find one that fits your style and personality!
2) Know your strengths
Creating a successful business starts with knowing your strengths and weaknesses. If you’re starting a clothing line, you have a great eye for design but don’t know how to sew? Find an expert seamstress or pay someone else to do it for you. Once you figure out what your strengths are, plan accordingly. It will save you time and money in the long run. You can always find ways to improve upon your weaknesses later on, but at least get off on the right foot by making sure that you’re focusing on things that come naturally to you.
Because every successful handmade goods business is unique: Even if you start out selling clothes like other Etsy sellers, there is no set formula for success. What works for one seller may not work as well for another—and that’s okay!
3) Build your brand on social media
It’s a common mistake for new handmade goods business owners to rely too heavily on social media. While it can be helpful to build up your brand presence and get customers excited about what you’re selling, social media shouldn’t be used as a crutch or a replacement for traditional marketing—at least not at first. The last thing you want is for your brand to seem like an overnight success when, in reality, it took years of hard work and determination to get there.
4) Be ready to adapt
One of our favorite quotes is by Virginia Woolf, who said: …if you don’t find a way to make money at what you love, you will never make money doing anything else. Whether or not that statement rings true for you, one thing is certain: it’s very difficult to run a business if your heart isn’t in it. Make sure that whatever venture you pursue, whether it be handmade goods or something else entirely, is something you can get excited about and enjoy doing. If passion doesn’t drive your work, then it won’t be long before you feel stuck and unmotivated—and running a successful business requires plenty of motivation!
5) Keep it simple
Simplicity is key when launching a handmade goods business. People want to feel comfortable shopping with you, and one of the best ways to do that is to have an attractive website with easy-to-follow instructions on how to purchase your products. You don’t need fancy photos or complicated terms; instead, focus on simplicity and clarity when marketing your products. Make sure your website is clean and easy to navigate—and make sure you offer clear shipping rates and policies as well. If someone can’t easily find what they’re looking for, they probably won’t be back!
6) Consider using e-commerce platforms like Etsy or Shopify
To get started with e-commerce, there are platforms like Etsy or Shopify. These are great because they give you a way to sell your product without having to buy an expensive website—and with no technical experience. The downside is that you don’t keep as much of your profit—and without a lot of traffic, it can be hard to move inventory. Still, if you have some cash and want to try selling online, these are easy options worth exploring. Write an e-book: Creating an e-book is super simple and has minimal upfront costs (for example, check out Blurb for more information). Then use marketing strategies like social media and email marketing to drive sales. You might also choose to create videos about how to use your products (check out Vimeo for more information). Ebooks tend not to do as well on Amazon unless you really know what you’re doing, but many other sites will happily host them.
7) Research your target audience
Once you know who your target audience is, go ahead and study them. Find out what they like, what they’re buying, how they act. Learn everything you can about your potential customers so that you can cater to their wants and needs in every step of your handmade goods business.
8) Have a clear vision
Before you begin your handmade goods business, you should have a vision for what it will look like. Before writing your plan, make sure that everything is clear in your mind: from how many hours you expect to work every week to how much money you want to make. Will it be an online shop? How about physical stores?
9) Get hands-on experience in the industry first before launching your own products
Not only will working for a small business help you figure out what products or services are popular and which ones aren’t, but it’ll also give you an idea of what producing, packaging, marketing and selling those products is like. This insight can be invaluable if you’re considering launching your own business in that industry. And don’t forget to talk to some experts (like management consultants) who work on projects with businesses in that industry.
10) Have fun!
It’s great to take your business seriously, but it’s also important to remember that, at its core, it’s supposed to be fun. If you aren’t having fun or enjoying what you do, it shows in your product and can impact your bottom line.