10 Things Do to Have a Successful Online Craft Business
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I’ve been in the handmade business for a long time, and over the past few years, I’ve built up my business to the point where I am now earning MORE than I did in my last professional job. There are a lot of elements that go into running a successful online craft business. It may seem like an impossible dream a few years ago, but here I am, fortunate enough to be earning a living doing what I love, creating beautiful things.
Create something people
This is the first one. As I’ve previously discussed, the uncomfortable truth is that you must shift your perspective when you start creating things for the market rather than just for your own happiness and fulfillment. You should give this question careful thought before you start your online store and learn everything you can about selling your artwork.
Work on it every day
This is one of my all-time favorite business mantras: Keep in mind that it’s a marathon rather than a sprint. I keep this in mind whenever sales are slow or I’m not receiving as many likes, comments, or tweets as I would like. Do you intend to stay in this? Because you should quit right away if you’re doing this in an attempt to make a quick profit. Don’t try to make your current endeavor a full-time business if you’re not certain that you want to continue doing it in five years. You must have patience and dedication. Success WILL eventually find you if you are both of these qualities and you work to expand your business every day.
Friendly professional
Being open and friendly with your customers is, in my opinion, a crucial component of running a handmade business. They are purchasing from you because they want to purchase unique items directly from the maker, so don’t make it difficult for them to get to know you. However, keep in mind that your customers are not your friends, so while you should be friendly and lighthearted with them, you should always respond to their inquiries promptly and thoroughly.
Have photos
Your photographs have the power to make or break your online sales. When all is said and done, the photo is the first thing that catches the eye and typically accounts for the majority of the decision-making process. I even know folks who buy things based on their photos almost instantly without even reading the description.
What constitutes a nice picture? White light, either natural or filtered Consistent, simple, yet iconic backgrounds Nothing very “busy” that could take away from your product Crisp, clear images with flawless focus fascinating and captivating angles the first shot can be more alluring as long as you display the entire item, scaled down, in one of the supporting shots.
Make items
When selling OOAK products online, you can only go so far. I won’t go into detail because I recently wrote more about this here. To put it simply, the time it takes to gather pictures, write descriptions, title your work, and edit it will increase as your business grows. You won’t have time for each new product.
Mailing List
The most straightforward and efficient method of communicating with your clients is still via email. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: even if you post anything you want on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and blogs, people may still ignore or overlook it. Your consumer or potential customer has granted you permission to get in touch with them personally once they have taken the time to trust you with their email. The people who already enjoy what you do are your best chances of closing a deal! You already persuade people that your creations are fantastic, so you don’t need to do it again. Respect them, include something of value in your emails, and communicate with them frequently.
Price
One of the most prevalent issues in the handmade community is that most of us begin selling our work as a hobby, and because we don’t know how much to charge for it, we tend to undervalue it significantly. We also tend to underestimate the amount of skill that has gone into making it, which is difficult, confronting, and likely to push you beyond your comfort zone.
Get Own Blog
Since you are a professional, you should look professional. Since you are selling online, you should have a professional and welcoming online presence. This way, you can use mybusiness.com instead of mybusiness.etsy.com or madeit.com.au/my business on your business cards, email signature, and other places you list your website. This small change can have a big impact on how people perceive your company. As soon as you can, you should aim to have your own stand-alone, self-hosted website, ideally with a blog, but having your own domain is a great place to start. You should also be blogging because it’s the best way to tell a story about yourself and your work.
Learn
It’s a fascinating, exciting, exhausting, invigorating, and life-changing journey. If you set your mind to succeeding, are smart about what you do and how you do it, and get help when you need it, your chances of success are pretty darn high. I did it. You can, too. When you’re in business, you need to be constantly learning, trying new things, making mistakes, and taking leaps into the unknown.
