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Craft Business - make it a success
Hobby or Craft Business ?
You have to decide early on how to make a living from your craft.
Presuming you have a saleable product (and from some craft shows and fairs not everyone does !) then the first thing to do is figure out your finances (most crafters work on a shoestring so don't feel alone about that !)
At some point in the future you will have to deal with the dreaded income tax and either stsate taxes or VAT. That's why its really important right from the start to keep accounts (I know - yawn,yawn) but its more sensible than trying in two or three years time to get that suitcase from under the bed and try to figure it all out.
So it is VITAL to keep records not only of your sales but most importantly about your puchases - you will be able to claim against tax not only your basic materials and supplies,magazines,books,classes,workshops etc but also your car and allied expenses,your electricity and pretty much everything that you would normally associate with an office - except the office turns out to be your home.
That's enough about finance - what do you make that will sell ?
People in the art world have a knack of making or painting things first and then trying to find a market for them. That's the wrong way to do things.
To Succeed in business with your craft you have to find out what people are actually looking for.
There's a great way of doing this - its called eBay (huh ?) That's rigt eBay is going to be your BIG shop window to the world and eBay offers something called PULSE -which is what people are actually looking for ! This makes the whole craft business realy easy.
Log on to eBay and then look at the following url :
http://pulse.ebay.com/
(Gosh that was hard wasn't it ?) In the Category box at the left fill in Crafts
This is what the left hand windw showed me :
1. stampin up
2. scrapbooking
3. creative memories
4. fabric
5. beads
6. yarn
7. cricut
8. sizzix
9. close to my heart
10. cross stitch
and these are the current most request eBay items .
This information is SOLID GOLD - its buyers looking for things ... but it gets better ! Go back to the Catrgory box and a whole new list of eBay catgories drops down and if you press on these the most requested items again will pop into the left hand window. Don't forget these are real people looking for real craft items today !
Lets look at Candle & Soap Making
What are people looking for ?
1. candles
2. lot
3. silicone mold
4. soap
5. beeswax
6. soap molds
7. fragrance oil
8. soap cutter
9. wax
10. candle making
Nw you get a feel for what is popular in your specific field (This works for EVERY category on eBay)
So if your particular field is not being looked for then check out allied fields. Or make a decision to become a craft supplier to other crafters - and for that just go to EBays Wholesale section and split what you buy into smaller quantities to sell to other crafters.
Guide To Your Profitable Jewelry Booth.
Don't just lose money at a craft show !
Ever noticed that some people make real money at craft shows ? Why not join them and do the same !Secrets Of Selling Handcrafted Jewelry Like Crazy At Shows, Fairs, And Festivals.
This ebook is loaded with proven strategies, tips, and years of experience that you won't find anywhere else!
You can access "Ultimate Guide to Your Profitable Jewelry Booth" for about the same price you'd pay for a few strands of beads.
If all you do after reading this ebook is sell one or two extra pieces of jewelry, you will get your money's worth.
Jewelry Booth Secrets !
Craft Business Video
Beading And Jewelry Making.
Start Making Money Tomorrow !
Discover How You Can Start Making Money From Your Own Home Based Jewelry Business As Soon As Tomorrow.
Even If You're A Beginner!
More Jewelry Information Please !
Craft Business books from Amazon
Great ideas for starting and running your craft business properly.
Handmade for Profit!: Hundreds of Secrets to Success in Selling Arts and Crafts
The first step to building a profitable crafts enterprise at home," declares noted crafts-business expert Barbara Brabec, "is to think of it as a business, not a hobby ... whether your annual income goal is $500 or $50,000." Handmade for Profit explains clearly how to do just that, with coverage of 16 different retail markets, including fairs and shows, shops and galleries, and Internet and catalog sales. All of the other necessary basics are presented as well, from building confidence, developing your product line, and setting prices, to creating a printed professional image with brochures, business cards, labels, and more. Of particular interest is the final chapter, which details precisely how to turn your hobby into a successful business.
Amazon Price: $10.85 (as of 07/14/2009) 
The Crafts Business Answer Book & Resource Guide: Answers to Hundreds of Troublesome Questions About Starting, Marketing, and Managing a Homebased Business Efficiently, Legally, and Profitably
Now qualifying as a bona fide crafts business guru, Brabec begins her fifth opus by recollecting questions she herself posed as a novice homeworker. That type of reminiscence means that Brabec does indeed understand the just plain puzzlements of everyday self-employed business life--whether related to crafts or not. In alphabetical order, starting with the subject of accountants, topics are handled either straightforwardly or with a question or two. The information is truly a boon to even the experienced; the author, for instance, explains the occupation of enrolled agent, a tax professional licensed by the U.S. Treasury Department, who usually charges less than a CPA or accountant. One hundred percent serious? Not quite. Brabec gleefully reports useful "from the front" stories, and she doesn't hesitate to express some rather strong opinions.
Amazon Price: $10.85 (as of 07/14/2009)
Crafting As A Business
Author Wendy Rosen, the publisher of American Style magazine, sees Crafting As a Business as a "network of mentors." Packed with sidebars that feature invaluable tips from a variety of successful crafters, this guide offers dozens of terrific worksheets and checklists and a plethora of sound advice. The 70-plus pages of crafts resources at the end of the book list names and addresses of educational opportunities, suppliers, shows and fairs, and much more. Better designed than many of the text-heavy books on this subject, Crafting As a Business is perhaps the most thorough and easily digested guide on this wide-ranging topic.
Amazon Price: (as of 07/14/2009)
The Basic Guide to Pricing Your Craftwork: With Profitable Strategies for Recordkeeping, Cutting Material Costs, Time & Workplace Management, Plus Tax
One of the most often asked questions from craftpersons selling their work is "How much should I charge?" Whether you have been in business or just starting, this step-by-step guidebook will help you answer that question. You'll get:
Ways to raise the perceived value of your work and charge more
Basic formulas for pricing craftwork, retail or wholesale
How to use pricing strategies to increase sales
How to price one-of-a-kind pieces
How to know if you are really making a profit
How to keep records, with sample forms you can copy
How to get the most profit out of every hour
Legal ways to cut your tax bills and boost your net income
More ways to boost your cash income than you ever imagined
Amazon Price: $11.66 (as of 07/14/2009)
Sell Your Crafts on eBay
This jam-packed guide took a year of research to help artists and craftspeople like you. You'll get more than 200 tactics, tips and tricks to profit with your craft items from eBay's millions of buyers. Learn how to quickly analyze completed auctions for elements that will help sell your art and crafts items and recognize new opportunities for making money from home.
Amazon Price: $12.71 (as of 07/14/2009)
Craft How-To Books
A small selection of how-to books
Soapmaker's Companion: A Comprehensive Guide with Recipes, Techniques & Know-How (Natural Body Series - The Natural Way to Enhance Your Life)
From the author of the best-selling The Natural Soap Book comes this illustrated guide to making over 40 specialty soaps - from exquisite stained-glass, marbled, and layered soaps to soothing masseuse bars, hardworking laundry soap, and practical liquid soaps. Through clear, step-by-step instructions, master soapmaker Susan Miller Cavitch leads you through every step of the soapmaking process and teaches you how to craft exotic and practical soaps in your home; blend and use essential oils and natural colorants; design multi-colored, marbled, and imprinted soaps; understand the chemistry of soapmaking and create your own personal bars; plus, you'll get tips on how to get started selling soaps!
Amazon Price: $12.89 (as of 07/14/2009)
The New Book of Image Transfer: How to Add Any Image to Almost Anything with Fabulous Results
With the 40 fabulous projects in this eye-opening manual and the revolutionary new forms of transfer paper on the market, such as Lazertran, it's possible to reproduce any design on a wide variety of surfaces effortlessly. The basic technique couldn't be easier. Simply photocopy an image onto the paper, soak it for a minute, and the picture slides off as a transparent decal. Adhere it to nonporous surfaces such as metal, plastic, or fabric using the adhesive on the back of the film. Embellish a metal cocktail shaker and matching ice bucket with a retro 50's design, scatter coffee beans on an espresso cup, or put playful sheep on a child's pillow. It's creative fun, and an inspiring start to a great new craft.
Amazon Price: (as of 07/14/2009)
How to Cast Small Metal and Rubber Parts (2nd Edition)
This is the only source I have ever found for non-commercial molding of rubberlike compounds. While this 1986 edition does not address possible new developments in this area (Loctite now sells material which appears to be the same as the Devcon product highlighted in the book), it is the only information I have ever seen on creating rubber parts for the home hobbyist and restorer. The chapter on weights and volumes is valuable, as these materials are rather expensive. The metal casting section is similar to others on the market, and is primarily focused on sand casting of aluminum. This limited focus, skimming over most other methods and materials, limits it to a four star rating. If you want to mold rubber parts though, this is IT.
Amazon Price: $10.17 (as of 07/14/2009)
Creative Cash : How to Profit From Your Special Artistry, Creativity, Hand Skills, and Related Know-How
Creative Cash by Barbara Brabec is THE book to have if you are considering turning your crafting hobby into a business and/or profession.
The book is written for a wide and general audience, with basics on the craft business industry, sales/marketing/promotion, legal info, even computer systems/information! The chapters are written in such a way that if you don't need to read one (let's say that a particular chapter might not pertain to your situation) you can skip it and move on without missing a beat! Brabec writes in an easily comprehensible form, in digestable segments, and gives lots of clear cut examples and success stories.
This book works as a great starting point and reference tool. Highly recommended for adults of all ages, for both genders and long-time or newbie crafters/artisans!
Amazon Price: $17.05 (as of 07/14/2009)
Crafts and Craft Shows: How to Make Money
For many crafters, the proliferation of craft shows presents an opportunity to do enjoyable work while making money. However, the craft business is like any other small business, with all the pitfalls. Kadubec, who with his wife ran a successful business selling baskets at shows for several years, here gives us the benefit of his experience. In the chatty, anecdotal style usual in this type of guide, he emphasizes good business practice as it relates to dealing with customers, pricing, and presentation in the show booth. There is a lot of behind-the-scenes information about applying to shows and dealing with promoters.
Amazon Price: (as of 07/14/2009)
Craft Suplies on Ebay
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
Great Stuff on eBay
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand byCraft How-to Videos
Craft books on Ebay
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand byBe a Teacher !
Teach others your craft skills.
Run a workshop and charge each person $ 100 to $ 200 a day to attend (throw in a lunch if you're feeling sociable !)
Teach the basics of your craft but limit the numbers to 6 or 8 people to give them personal attention.
Ass on the costs of the basic materials (and lunch) and make sure everyone goes home with a piece of art/craft that they have made themselves (with a little help from you !) They will be happy,their friends will be jealous and you can always give attendees a small brochure with a list of your workshops for the future (better still give them 6 brochures each to give to friends while they are still realy enthusiastic )
You will clear 600 to 800 $ in a day - cash or check only please ! and have a great time teachng others.
This will happily fund new materials for your next enterprise. (Double the cost of materials before you add in the price to ensure you don't make a loss by things going up in price)
How to - Quilting
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