Secrets of Success for Mums Who Make
Mums who make – we’ve got good news. Demand is increasing for handmade products and crafts – and not everyone has the skills or patience of Ms Kirsty Allsopp! With websites like Etsy reporting record sales, there’s never been a better time to fly the flag for handmade. So if you’re serious about growing your craft business this year, here are five secrets of success for Mums who make.
1. Plan Ahead
Do you think high street brands like Marks & Spencer or John Lewis decide which products and promotions to run at the last minute? Of course not! Having a yearly plan is the best way to ensure you make the most of seasonal opportunities, meaning more sales for you and happier customers too. Listen out for trend projections and plan time around one-off events, as well as the obvious ones like Valentines and Christmas.
2. Price it Right
Hands-up who worries about getting their pricing right? Knowing what to charge for your products is one of the biggest issues that keeps craft sellers up at night! But it’s not only over-charging that puts customers off – under-valuing your work can be just as bad. A clear pricing strategy is essential if you’re aiming for long-term growth, so spend time working out your positioning and get clear on your costs.
3. Know your Customer
Can you describe your target customer? In nitty-gritty detail? Sorry, but “women who buy jewellery” isn’t good enough! If you want your handmade business to be success, it’s essential to know exactly who you’re communicating with. So spend some time thinking about your customers. What do they need, and what do they want? What do they read, and where do they shop? Once you start to get inside your customers’ heads, marketing will become 100 times easier and a lot more effective.
4. Get your Shop up to Scratch
Website woes are one of the biggest reasons customers abandon ship. So next time you’re shopping online, think about what turns you off. Missing information, broken links, out-of-stock items… They’re all big no-nos, but pretty easy to fix. Spend some time reviewing your descriptions and photgraphs too – are they displaying your products to their full potential?
5. Reach Out
When was the last time you reached out and actively promoted your handmade business? It’s easy to blame external factors like competition for slow sales, but sometimes it’s a lack of self confidence that’s holding us back. So make a pact that 2012 will be the year you stop being shy, and start acting like the talented, creative lady that’s hiding inside! Start by getting the support of a network of peers in place, and set yourself some challenging but achievable goals for the year.
Claire Hughes is a marketing specialist with over ten year’s experience in online retail. She offers free tips and advice to creative women at Make, Do & Sell (www.makedoandsell.com), and is co-creator of the Handmade Horizons marketing e-course which launches next week!
