Who should not go into the handmade business

What handmade artist doesn’t dream of earning money with the results of her work? The internet allows anyone to do this, even the most uncommunicative person. And it is not even necessary to have your site. Specialized trading platforms like Etsy give you everything you need to sell your handmade products successfully. And yet, there are categories of people who should refrain from engaging in handmade business. If you are not successful in sales, this may be about you.

So, you should not go into the handmade business if:

You don’t want to do business. You just want to create

The point is quite obvious. Either you accept the fact that in addition to creativity you will have to engage in sales, or you create for your own pleasure, not counting on a regular income. The more you enjoy the sales process itself, the better you’ll be at it. For example, I like to sell the results of my creativity as much as I want to create a new product.

And it’s not just about the money, I get pleasure from the fact that my promotional actions bring results. Try to get pleasure from communication with the customer, the process of photographing, packaging, coming up with new promotional ideas and your sales will become a business.

– Who should not go into the handmade business

You want quick results

Quick sales at the beginning of the journey rarely happen. And if you do, it’s the exception to the rule. It’s like winning the lottery on the first ticket you buy. Have you often won a prize the first time you bought it? It’s the same with sales. Only monotonous, regular work can produce results, not quickly, but almost guaranteed. I emphasize – regular work. Put up a novelty, share on social networks, ask your friends to like, and then wait for sales – this is not our option.

If you’re not a famous artist with a crowd of fans waiting for your new masterpiece, you will need more than a few moves a couple of times in six months.

You don’t believe in success, or you give up quickly

You may not know how to promote, you may not know how to sell, and you may not be familiar with computer “stuff. All of this can be learned. You must believe in yourself as a master to be worthy of your work and professionalism. Be sure that everything will work out if you are active and do everything possible to achieve the goal. If trying and quitting is your life tactic for doing business, then the handmade business is not for you.

You are not ready to invest financially

We have already understood that you must invest time and effort in the sales process. Now the tricky question is money. Starting your own business, be prepared to invest your hard-earned money.

For example: I will buy a few pieces of polymer clay and fittings in China for $100. I make jewelry and sell it on the site, and then the profits will go further in circulation.

Unfortunately, the first sales can take a long time. In the hands of materials sellers, you can spend a lot of your money before you start getting regular money from the sales of your products. Suppose you are unprepared to invest in developing your creativity (quality materials, training seminars) and promotion (advertising, business cards, packaging). In that case, you are likely to fail in business.

– Who should not go into the handmade business

You are not ready to grow

You are perfectly capable of doing something. It may even sell well. But stagnation in creativity will sooner or later lead to stagnation in sales.

Expanding your range, learning new techniques in your type of creativity, and researching trends and customer interest are necessary. If you want your needlework and continue bringing you income, you must continually self-improve. You can’t do the same thing endlessly and have constant success.

That’s all the thoughts I wanted to write on the subject. If you fit most of the above but still want to sell your creations, do it! There is always an exception to the rule. Why shouldn’t that exception be you?