What Do You Like To Do?

Almost everyone has a hobby.  Have you ever considered selling your crafts or artwork?  There are many ways to make your hobby profitable.  

I make candles and other products aimed at making my home smell good.  I started out making them for myself because it was fun.  Then I started giving them to family and friends as gifts.  Then I decided to take it a step further by turning it into a business.  I started at a flea market.  It was a very slow start, and I learned a lot in year that I was there.  Then I did one festival, and it was amazing, and a lot more fun, so that is my current niche.  I'm working on setting up shop in my garage, and doing other small scale advertising things in order to build up more awareness of my product and find more customers.  

I highly recommend the festivals.  The major start up expense is buying a canopy tent.  After that, the hardest part is the setup and take down.  If you aren't ready to buy a tent yet, craft shows that are inside are a good option.  You'll just need a couple tables, and some nice signs and displays.  One of the most important things to remember is that how you display your products is almost as important as the items themselves. Show them in a way that adds value.  Handmade jewelry looks better in jewelry boxes than it does just laid on a table.  Even better if you can get a glass case.

If your hobby is more informational rather than producing an item to sell, consider starting a blog.  My blog is going to be more aimed at people who sell a product, but I will also eventually include some resources for information or service based hobbies.

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

What to sell

Whatever your hobby is, you probably have some really detailed projects that take you a long time to complete, along with some small items that you can put together quickly. When preparing for a craft show or festival, keep in mind that most people won't want to pay what your highly detailed items are worth. So be sure to have a large selection of cute low end items. If you knit, you might want to sell your blankets for $50 or something. They take a long time and a lot of work to complete. But you could probably make some cute belts pretty quickly to sell for $10. And maybe some magnets for $3. Having several pricing points allows for all types of customers to find something they like.
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