Making Money Marketing Your Crafts

Written by Natalie Goyette

Thursday, 23 February 2006

Your marketing materials are a valuable and necessary part of your craft business. They create a consistent and professional image that causes an initial as well as lasting impression of both you and your craft creation. If you've ever heard the term "branding," you'll understand the need to create a look that is your business identity. You may need to hire a graphic designer to create a logo and typestyle for your business name. Once you have your look, use it everywhere—on your stationery, business cards, brochures, displays, hangtags and anything that has to do with your business. Most crafters know that their most critical marketing piece is their hangtag or price tag as sometimes, that's all your customer has to remember you or contact you again. A well-designed hangtag can add considerable value to your work. You can use it to describe your craft and its process, how to care for the item, any guarantee you offer and how to contact you. If your crafts do not lend themselves to a sizeable tag, create postcards or brochures to give to customers with all this pertinent information. You may even want to offer a postcard, brochure or well-designed, informative business card to everyone who stops at your booth, whether or not they purchase anything. If you have enough items for a catalog, make sure to have enough catalogs on hand at every show. Just because you don't sell to everyone who stops by, doesn't mean you can't make a future customer out of them. You do that with your marketing materials. Another common marketing tool is a monthly newsletter—either mailed through e-mail or snail mail—so if you've created one, have sample issues at your booth. In addition to a monthly or even quarterly newsletter, some professional craftspeople mail postcards to past clients with their upcoming show schedule. You can offer a 10% discount on the postcard if they bring it to the next show. That way you can see if the postcards were effective. Also have a guest book, sign up sheet or entry form (for a drawing) to capture names and e-mail (or snail mail) addresses from as many people as possible. Consider having a portfolio of your work at your booth if you don't have your full line with you. If you belong to a local craft organization, the benefits of sharing knowledge and maybe even the cost of hiring professional will ease your budget and learning curve as you embark upon the craft business full time. And now that you are indeed in business, you're ready to seek out the right shows… Natalie Goyette is the best selling author of Craft Show Success. Her e-book shows you how you can finally make money at craft shows. http://www.craftshowsuccess.com.

Last Updated ( Friday, 13 July 2007 )