5 Fun Questions to Improve your Craft Business
I love a little bit of homework when it comes to my business and I also think it’s important to always be looking at it with critical eyes. These are 5 questions that are fun to answer and incredibly important when it comes to creating a successful business. If answered with thought and implemented, you can make some…
Printable Craft Show Checklist
Craft shows are a lot of work to prepare for and chances are you’ll be up late with finishing details the night before and up early the morning of. Here’s a list to help you get organized when you’re overworked and tired 😉 DOWNLOAD & PRINT OFF YOUR CRAFT FAIR CHECKLIST HERE Items on the…
Tips for Selling at Vintage Markets
Vintage markets are so fun to wander around and discover not only antiques but also handmade goods with a rustic feel, upcycled and re-purposed goods. Great finds for your home and great for the environment! There are some seriously amazing vintage markets out there and we got to chat with 4 in B.C and Alberta…
How to Turn Social Media Likes into Sales
Social media stats have sucked us into thinking that thousands of followers and hundreds of likes equals success. So small businesses spend their days bouncing from one social media account to another, following, liking, commenting and sharing in hopes that the favor is returned. They follow people they have no interest in, only to unfollow them when…
10 Tips for Buying a Vendor Tent for Outdoor Markets
Nothing beats standing outside in the sunshine, talking about your passion and selling your handmade goods at an outdoor market. But you don’t want to suffer at the hand of weather extremes so if you’re a vendor looking to participate in outdoor markets, you’ll need an outdoor vendor tent. They’ll shelter you from the sweltering…
How Building your Craft Business is Like Dating
We know that you need to find the right customers for your business. But so many businesses don’t make it clear who they are or who their products are for out of fear they’ll be excluding people. If there are two people at a party you’re interested in, one is drawn to people who are quiet and reserved while…
How to Host a Successful Craft Show
If you’re planning to host a craft show, this article is a must-read. It shares do’s and don’ts from vendors and all the little things they appreciate from a craft show host. You’ll also find links at the end of this article for elements craft show shoppers appreciate and ones they complain about. To have a successful…
How Much Promotion Craft Show Organizers Expect from Vendors
When you’re preparing for a craft show, doing your part to promote it should be factored in. But just how much promotion are you responsible for, as the vendor? I got the chance to speak to some amazing event organizers who really know how to market a show and bring in a good crowd. Although…
Printable Market Announcement Flyer
As you use your checklist to prepare for a craft show, you’ll want to spend some time promoting the event to your fans and followers. It not only helps create a successful event, but it also helps ensure that even if the organizer missed the mark, you’ll have shoppers show up to see you and…
How to Promote a Craft Show
Although event organizers shouldn’t only be relying on you to promote a craft show, it’s important for you, the vendor, to do your part to help promote markets you’re participating in. It should be part of your craft show prep work. >> Free Craft Show Checklist (& Preparation Steps) The more people working together to…
Organizers Share their Craft Show Do’s & Don’ts
When it comes to selling handmade, you need multiple ways to get your name out there and sell your goods. Craft shows are one piece of that puzzle. They allow you to test your products, meet local customers and make a lot of sales in a short period or time. There are so many great…
Printable Order Tracking Sheet
I’ll admit, when it came to running my handmade business, organization was not my strong point. I loved the creating aspect and just wanted to jump ahead and get started. When you look at the big picture of tracking expenses, orders, inventory and sales, it can be overwhelming. If you break each section down and…
5 Steps to Organizing Orders for your Handmade Business
When you start a handmade business, you go through a bit of a juggling act trying to figure out all the details of operating it and how you’re going to gain new customers while keeping existing ones happy. First impressions are everything and you don’t want to get a bad rap for being disorganized, loosing…
What to Consider Before Starting a Business with a Friend
Starting a business with a friend sounds so exciting, and it definitely can be, but you need to be sure it’s going to be the right fit before you commit to anything. It’s so easy to get swept up in the idea of starting a new venture together that you can overlook the personality traits…
12 Tips to Help Introverts Sell at Craft Shows
Craft shows can be really intimidating for introverts; not only are you putting your work out there for people to critique, you have to put yourself out there, spending the entire day around crowds of people, chatting with strangers. I know from experience how intimidating it can be; do I say hi? They didn’t hear…
How To Sell To Introverts at a Craft Show
This may seem like a bit of an odd topic to write on but I can tell you; being an introvert, who’s married to an extrovert, my thinking and rationale is quite different from his. Not all introverts are the same and they’re often confused as being shy. Introversion does tend to go hand in…
5 Reasons You Didn’t Get Accepted to a Craft Show
Craft shows are a great way to sell some products (here’s a list of ones that tend to sell better). The majority of craft shows are juried; this ensures there are a good mix of vendors for shoppers to buy from. This also means that there are a good number of applications that are turned down….
5 Mistakes to Avoid at a Craft Show
Whether you’re getting ready for a large trade show and have an entire booth to fill, or you’ve booked a table at a community craft show, these 5 mistakes are always important to avoid. I’ve made every mistake on this list and when I corrected them, I saw an improvement in: The type of shopper…
How To Photograph Your Handmade Goods
Photographs of your handmade goods are almost as important as the handmade goods themselves. When you’re selling online they act as your salesperson and give the shopper an idea of what your business is all about. You wouldn’t hire a salesman who came to work in wrinkled clothes, couldn’t give any details about the product…
How To Make a Backdrop for Your Handmade Goods
When you’re selling your handmade items online, your photographs are almost as important as the item itself. Photos are your first impression, your salesperson and your description all in one. Blurry, poorly lit photos that don’t show off the details of your work won’t do you any favors when it comes to capturing shopper’s attention…