How to Market a Craft Business

In order to have a successful craft business you have to get the word out, and promotion should be the first step in building your craft business. If you already have your craft business up and running, it's still not too late to market your craft business, so let's explore a few ways to market your craft business to the right consumers: consumers with an interest in what you're selling.

Instructions

1. Determine your target audience, the people whom you believe will be interested in purchasing your craft products. For example, let's say you sell crocheted products and jewelry made from beads. With that said, you want to sell to consumers and businesses interested in crocheted products and beaded jewelry. Why? Because it would be a waste of your time and money to market a craft business to consumers and businesses with no interest in what you're selling.Since you sell crocheted products and beaded jewelry, you could market your craft business to the following consumers and businesses: gift shops, women, new moms (for crocheted booties, bonnets and baby blankets), jewelry distributors and jewelry shops.

2. Compile a list of things to lure consumers and businesses to purchase your craft products. Use the list of things in your sale ads and other promotional materials such as brochures and flyers. Some special offers and freebies you can add to your list include:1. A buy one get one free special, or a buy two and get the second for half price special.2. Offer distributors a discount of 50% or more off the regular price.3. Offer a sale of X% off the regular price for X days.4. Buy two of a certain product and get a third product free.5.If your craft business has a website or you offer a mail order catalog, offer potential customers free shipping.

3. Place sales ads in newspapers, magazines, newsletters and e-zines related to the craft products you're selling. For example, crocheted products could be advertised in magazines for new parents, and beaded jewelry products could be advertised in jewelry-related magazines, newsletters and e-zines.

4. Visit consignment shops and talk with the owners about stocking your crafts in their shop.

5. Create and distribute a monthly newsletter that includes special offers, discounts, news about your craft business and new product announcements. Only send the newsletter to those who request it.

6. Later, after you begin to see a profit, create and publish a catalog that includes pictures, prices and information about your craft products to send by postal mail to your newsletter subscribers, current customers, retail shops and distributors.

7. Place flyers on car windshields; take these flyers with you everywhere you go. You can ask if you can hang them in the windows of stores or tack them on the store's bulletin board.

8. Leave your business card in restrooms, rest areas, with tips you leave in restaurants and inside the envelopes with the monthly bills that you pay.

9. Take along business cards, brochures and catalogs to leave with consignment and gift shops.All of the techniques mentioned above to market a craft business will require constant promotion to see success, so stick with it and don't give up.

Tips & Warnings

• Make note of which marketing techniques don't work out well for you and mark them off your list. As for the techniques that do produce results, make them your top priority.

• Don't offer everything on the list you compiled in step two at once. Instead, refer back to the list when you need to run a special or give a special for repeat customers, to draw in new customers, for an apology, as a holiday promotion or as a gift.