Your online soap shop is doing okay business, but there’s always room for improvement. There might be some hang-ups that can be fixed in order to save you more time and increase business. What are some things that can be looked into?
Check your order processing system and develop a streamlined system from when you get the order to when you ship it out. Check your inventory and see what items are selling to determine what recipes work and which ones you should pass on making next time. You might even be in a position to hire some help to ease the workload and look at your business with a fresh set of eyes. All of these things can help eliminate hassle in your craft business while helping it grow. For more tips like these, click here:: 10 Tips to Help Established Handmade Sellers Save Time and Improve Business
The busiest season in retail has begun and this is the perfect opportunity to market your soaps, your handmade clothing, art, and other crafts for the holiday rush. Making small changes to your usual selling strategy might help fill Santa’s sack with a little bit extra money than usual.
First, remember that your customers might not be buying for themselves, so imagine who your customers might be buying for. Check your inventory and maybe re-write the product description to include people who would like this product as a gift (example: “cute blanket for your friend’s new baby”). Next, cross-promote and collaborate with other online shops. Sending an email to your customer list with recommendations for another shop as your collaborator does with his or hers will hopefully gain more customers for the both of you. It might not hurt to offer free shipping either, especially for large orders. Following some or all of these tips might help give you an even happier holiday season. For a full article on this topic, click here:: 3 Business Boosting Tips for the Upcoming Holidays
The typical jobs are 9 A.M. to 5 P.M. on weekdays, but as a creative entrepreneur those might not be the times or the number of hours where you’ll be at your best. Too many times we forget that a) making your craft project, soap, or jewelry requires you being in a good space and b) you are in charge of yourself. Knowing how your process works can not only make sure your products are the highest quality, but also allows fresh ideas to flow for more items in the future.
So how do you know what conditions allow you to make your best work? Well, a good first step is to monitor your mood and energy during various conditions throughout the day. Are you a morning person or a night owl? Are you more productive when you are isolated and quiet or when there is hustle and noise around you? Do you need to take frequent breaks or get into a “zone” where you feel that any interruption kills your momentum? Address these questions and you’ll find out the best schedule for yourself and become a better creator because of it. For more a more detailed article on this subject, click here:: Discover How You Work Best
You have stocked up on your personally made soaps, jewelry, clothing, or other crafts and are ready to display them for the masses. This may seem daunting and can sometimes create anxiety for crafters, especially for the first time. However, there are some tips out there that can help give you a great, profitable experience as a vendor.
Put your creativity to good use; put up a display and a storefront in your vendor space. It’ll catch the eye more than just a splayed out table. Be approachable and smile at people who stop by at the booth. It might seem weird and uncomfortable at first, but if you approach with positivity, it’s likely other people will be positive back to you. Lastly, you might want to give in-booth demonstrations or work on a current project as you are selling your wares. This gives potential customers an idea and an appreciation of how these crafts are made. These tips should give you a good start for the next craft fair or expo. Read a full article on this topic here:: Little Known Ways to Sell More at Market
The theory told in school that good students that get good grades will become successful adults. As you probably know by now, that’s not always the case. In fact, many of the good habits you’ve learned in school have prevented you from forming better habits for your craft or soap business.
At school, we’re told that solid preparation is key: study for the exam, write notes for your oral presentation, etc. However, in life one must be ready to improvise in case plans change. There is no teacher around to automatically see you doing good work in real life, so you not only have to make good work but make an effort to make it visible to others. While you were told to just listen to your teacher, in life there are times when you need to challenge authority so your ideas have impact. Breaking the timid habits of school can add quality skills to your business repertoire. For a full article on this topic, click here:: 3 Habits You Learned in School that Could Be Hurting Your Biz
In any industry, whether it is in crafts, soap making, or otherwise, you develop marketing techniques based upon what you’ve seen and has been taught to you by your peers. While those may be great general rules of thumb, it can also limit your scope. It is hard to see other possibilities if you keep yourself inside your industry’s bubble. So what’s the solution? Talk to people who aren’t like you and aren’t in the crafts industry.
On the surface something like car sales, restaurants, or other businesses might not have anything to do with how to sell your wares. However, the differences in personality and approach might give you addition tools and sales strategy that might not have been considered. Like anything, take and try what could work, and leave the rest behind. For a full article on this topic, click here:: Seek Advice From People Who Aren’t Like You
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