When hobby crafters begin to sell, the biggest mistake they make is to make things they want to make,
rather than what people are most likely to buy. If you're serious about making money, you must consider
the marketplace and what your prospective customers are most likely to be interested in buying.
The following tips offer helpful perspective.
Check The Benefits.
Handcrafted products with a functional use will sell even better if they also (1) offer
a timesaving or organizational benefit; (2) make a dreary job more fun; (3) elicit feelings
of nostalgia; or (4) make one smile. Check your product line to see how many fit these guidelines.
Satisfy an Inner Personal Need.
Products that meet practical needs while also satisfying an inner personal need will sell
with regularity. In designing handmade garments, designer jewelry or related accessories,
try to come up with products that will make people feel good when they wear them. People
naturally want to feel more attractive and they enjoy wearing clothing and accessories that
make them stand out in a crowd. (This, of course, is a marketable benefit you should emphasize
in your advertising.)
Target the Collectors Market.
Collectors are less concerned with price than the average consumer and
tend to buy on impulse when something strikes a nostalgic chord or satisfies
a longing of the heart (both marketable benefits). If you do not already produce
items for collectors, brainstorm product ideas for such buyer categories as
animal lovers, sporting enthusiasts, musicians, circus fans, carousel buffs, people
who love dolls, teddy bears, miniatures, woodcarvings, etc.
Offer Baby Products.
If you don't already have products for babies, consider adding some.
Since crocheted or knitted items rarely can be sold for prices that justify
the time spent in creating them, think instead of (1) novelty items suitable
for baby showers; (2) items that could be personalized with a child's name;
and (3) higher-priced decorative items for a nursery or child's room.
Modify Existing Designs.
One way to quickly expand your product line is to offer basically the same products
and designs, but do them in different sizes or change the way they might be used.
For example, a design now used as a plaque for the wall might become the design
on the top of a box, or a line of rag dolls for children might be done in miniature as
adult collectibles.
Product Categories That Always Sell Well.
Here's a reminder checklist of categories of products seem to sell consistently in
both good and bad economic times. How many are you currently offering?
