Top tips for starting a craft business
When @richelle.j.brown asked me this question via Instagram stories - it hit home. I’m definitely no expert! But here’s my story on how it all started and my tips to start your own crafting business!
My crafting business totally started organically. I actually didn’t think it was a “business” until 6 months or so in 😂 I started crafting when I was pregnant with my second and suffering from hypermesis gravidarum (intense morning sickness) and needed something to keep my mind of the nausea. You can hear how I started here.
But I learnt a lot along the way, so here I am to share everything.
1. Start it organically
Start posting what you’re making on your socials and showing what goes on behind the scenes. This is important - show your process, and what you need to go through to end up with a finished product.
A lot of people make the mistake of only showing the finished product and telling everyone to “buy now” or “order now” - this is real old school marketing. No longer do people want to be forced in to a sale, they want a connection to something or someone, and will buy from whoever they have this connection with.
If your struggling for ideas on what content to create, start with my video ideas here.
2. Build your collection organically
Build a collection by showing everything you are making. Everything! Including those that are orders and those that are gifts.
Share what you are learning along the way- What do you like, or not like? Don’t like a particular type of transfer tape? Or a particular brand of bottle/cup/bag/shirt? Why? Share it!
Why share everything? I started making Christmas presents for everyone that turned in to orders months down the track.
Once people have seen that you’re consistently making stuff - they will start messaging you for requests. I wish I got a $1 every time I got a message starting with “Hey Deb, I saw this, can you make it?” 😅 Make the requests and add all these items to your collection! Pretty soon you’ll have a lot of photos and videos to show off your skills and talent.
3. Take good photos and videos of everything you make!
See here for my post on taking great photos on a time limit and limited resources!
4. FB marketplace
Once you’ve built a collection and got good photo, start listing on FB marketplace. Be ready for a lot of messages- some spam and a lot aren’t serious, but that’s okay. Keep doing it.
List a few of the items that have been popular. Take customers through your options- what colours you can offer, what products you have etc. If you start getting common questions, start making graphics. For example, I made this font graphic with my family members names (including my dogs 😂) and customers found it heaps easier to say “I like the Jayden font”.
Always take payment before making the order. The amount of times I’ve heard crafters put in the hours to make one item, and people just not turning up- it makes me sad.
I always say “okay, all sound great. I can have this ready for you on <x agreed date>. As this item is personalised and made for you, we’ll need payment to confirm the order. Does bank transfer or PayPal work for you?”
And usually they say yes, sure. Then send them your bank details.
Now - this part is important! Once they’ve paid, ask for the customers socials. This is so you can tag them in a story making and packing their item. My customers absolutely love watching their items being made. Not only does it show your craftsmanship, but it shows the amount of effort you put in to the order. And it will also mean they are now along on your journey!
5. Website
Once you’ve built enough of a collection, you can look at starting an Etsy or website. I started with Etsy first and a few months later started my website. Websites take a long time to set up but once it’s set up it really helps with the “back and forth” that you usually get on places like FB marketplace.
So there you have it, my top tips for starting a crafting business.
Bottom line is, keep building a community around what you are making by showing BTS, and you can’t go wrong!
For more marketing and business ideas like this, sign up here, or listen to my podcast.
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