Top tips for making to sell
Thinking of turning your hobby into a side-hustle or career? Well craft can be a very lucrative way to pay your bills, once you know the basics and what crafts to sell, you’ll be on your way to dominating those craft markets and crushing the Etsy algorithm in no time!
1
The idea
This is arguably the hardest part, getting creative and ideally sticking to one or two ideas to avoid overwhelm can be tricky, especially if you collect a lot of crafts and inspiration. No matter if you’re looking to sell subscription boxes or personalise merchandise with your Cricut, it’s worth choosing something you’re already in the know about and confident you’ll be able to thrive at.
2
Do your research
Craft is a popular pass time for a lot of people so having your own unique spin on your product of choice is key. Take some time to research your soon to be competitors and make sure you’re offering customers something that has your signature. Dabbling in soap making? Perhaps you can have a range of scents inspired by your favourite cocktails. Creating home décor? What up and coming interior trends can you add some handmade magic too?
3
Create your brand
Now it’s time to give your creation a name and a visual identity, but don’t spend too long agonising over this - after all your amazing handmade products should be the star of the show. Remember to try and keep it clear and tell your potential customers what they can expect from the business, this will help to make it easy to identify you and of course ultimately, make sales.
4
Get crafting
No matter if you’re making to order or creating your products to sell at markets, you’re going to need some stock to get you going. It’s worth having a ‘to make list’ that you can work from to keep you on track as well as making sure if you sell out, you can quickly restock.
5
Choose your selling spot
Etsy, Folsky, Shopify, pop up shops, stockists – there are so many options when it comes to selling your craft items. It’s worth thinking about who your target customer is to ensure you’re showing up in the right place. For example, if you’re looking at marketing your goods to an older audience, they may be less likely to shop online, but you can find that dream customer at local, in person markets. Don't forget you can get discounts for both Folksy and Pedddle with a Hobbycraft Plus subscription and they have tonnes of advice for new brands starting out selling.
6
Market your brand
Now you’ve got your business, your stock and you’re ready to sell, it’s time to find your customers. Marketing your small business can be tough, but our biggest piece of advice is to ensure you’re talking to your customer on the right platform – similar to choosing where you sell, be clear on where you market your customer and don’t take on too much, the key is to have fun in your small business. Get started on your marketing tool kit with a session or two of our small business seminars, if you’re new to marketing we recommend our introduction class or our social media overview.
7
Sell, sell, sell
Got some orders coming through following all your hard work? Huge congratulations! Keep the customer experience positive by fulfilling orders in a timely manner and be sure to share the process with your followers, packing orders and sharing on social media can be great for marketing after all – win, win!
