Do you want to start a craft business at your home or on small scale? If so, read this article to learn how to start crafts making business successfully with almost no investment.
Crafts making is a creative business. It is a hobby for many individuals, especially housewives and moms. If you are one with similar creativity in making craft items, you can easily turn that hobby into a successful business venture. You just need some proper planning and dedication to succeed in this business. Find below a stepwise guide on starting a craft-making business from scratch.
Here are the 10 Steps to Start a Small Craft Business
1. Finding the Right Niche
Selecting the right niche is the most critical decision you need to make while starting crafts making business. Beginners generally make the mistake of starting with many products. It is always better to choose a single product at first. You can add on more products after you have successfully established the first product.
In choosing your first product, the decision must be based on your own expertise. Your confidence in creating a specific product will be the key to the decision-making process. You can read our article on profitable craft business ideas if you are looking for ideas to get inspired.
2. Research the Market
Before you finalize the product you are going to sell your customers, you must check whether there is a demand for that product in the market or not. Do some market research with the local market to understand the feasibility of making the craft product you have conceived.
3. Create a Craft Business Plan
If you are seriously interested to make good money in crafts making business, you must have an effectively planned business plan. Take some time off and write your own crafts making a business plan. You can take help from a local professional business plan writer or online business plan building software.
Some of the topics your craft business plan must address are the following:
- What are the products you will be selling?
- What is the market potential for those products?
- How much will the cost of production be?
- Where will you sell those crafts?
- What will be the pricing of the craft items?
- Where will you purchase supplies and the cost?
Try to write in detail covering these aspects in your business plan so that it can work as a roadmap for future success.
4. Name Your Craft Business
Though not taken seriously by most beginners, the name of the business carries huge importance. A customer knows your product or your company through the name of the company. Choosing the right name which your potential customers can relate to your business is immensely critical.
Read: Catchy Craft Business Names
In addition to this, you must check whether a similar domain name is available or not. It would be a disaster if you can’t find a domain name as per your business name when you decide to create your website. You can check our detailed article on how to name a business.
5. Register Your Craft Business
If you want to run a headache-free business, it is better to register your business. Different countries have different terms and formats for registering a business. Check with local authorities to understand the options you have in forming a company. For individuals living in the United States, forming an LLC brings you certain added benefits like protecting your personal assets.
6. Licenses & Permits for Craft Business
To run a legal craft-making business, you need to have the required licenses and permits. Every state and country has different license regulations. Visit the nearest licensing authorities or check their online website to learn what licenses you need to run this business.
If you are from the United States, the SBA is a great resource to learn more about legal requirements. In addition, the local chamber of commerce is always there to help.
7. Bookkeeping
If you want to keep your crafts business financially organized, you must have a properly planned bookkeeping method. If you are experienced in bookkeeping it is fine. In that case, having reliable accounting software will be enough. But if you are not confident, hire a professional who can do the work best.
8. Set up Purchasing Policy
In making craft items, you will be in need to purchase several items. Contact your nearest manufacturer and wholesalers of those items and set up purchasing terms. You can also search online to find the most appropriate suppliers for the products you are looking for. Nowadays it is extremely easy to find out. Just search Google for the items you are looking for. You will find the addresses of tons of such suppliers.
9. Create Workspace
If you are a starter and starting from home or garage space, you must ensure a properly designed workspace to make crafts items. You must differentiate your personal life and your work life. You must have an undisturbed working space to work peacefully. Additionally, arrange some space for stocking inventories.
10. Promote Your Crafts Making Business
The key to being successful in the crafts-making business is your ability to network. You must create a website with good-quality photographs uploaded there.
- You can start the promotion of your crafts-making business by displaying your products in gift stores and crafts fairs.
- You can also propose potential corporate clients for their company’s customized gifts requirement.
- Also, have contact with local interior designer professionals.
- Emphasizing excellent services to the customers such as standardized products and timely order fulfillment is important.
- You can establish your own crafts retail store.
- Set up a website with product images to establish an online presence for your business.
- You can sell your product from an online marketplace like eBay, Amazon, etc.
- Another effective way of advertising your business is via chat rooms, social networking sites, blogs, etc. Also, you can go for a business membership with a craft association to get the current news, trends, and happenings.
There are many other low-cost ways of promoting your crafts-making business. Check this article to learn more.
Finally, it is your hard work and dedication that will decide the scale of success. If you are passionate about making crafts, surely it will be a huge advantage to becoming a successful craft business owner.
About the Author: 99businessideas.com led by Rupak Chakrabarty is committed to helping beginners, entrepreneurs, and small business owners in starting, managing, and growing their business. Our aim is to educate the entrepreneur on the various stages of entrepreneurship.