Many people dream of making their favorite hobby a business, but in reality it turns out to be not so easy. In the field of hand-made, only a few earn serious money, because, in addition to the pleasure of work, you need to take into account many more factors and market needs.
In order for your occupation to bring not only pleasure, but also real money, you need an analytical approach, like any other business. It’s naive to think that you’ll be sewing dolls all day long and there’s a line up of people who want to buy them.
1. Product and demand
You can sew very beautiful hares or bears, but can you sell them all? First of all, look at your product critically: are there many people willing to overpay for uniqueness? Isn't it easier for people to buy a similar toy in a regular store or order on a Chinese website?
Therefore, you need to study the market, understand what trends, what people are willing to give money for. It is important to find something that "hooks" people at the moment: cartoon characters, TV series, music, sports, animals, dog breeds. For example, foxes were very fashionable at one time, but now the "fox boom" has passed.
Pay attention to the quality of the product. If it looks like a school craft from a labor lesson, then hardly anyone will want to buy it, even if the thing is made “with love” and a lot of time has been spent on it.
As for handmade jewelry, quality and originality are important here; you can go to foreign sites for ideas. Or the second approach is to make very cheap jewelry, easy to make, and sell a lot of them. So that every girl can easily afford to buy several pairs.
2. Look for interesting ideas
Step into the shoes of the buyer, hardly anyone will buy handmade toys for themselves. As a rule, they are taken as a gift. An example of an idea is to sew different animals in the costumes of doctors, as well as to sew to order in certain clothes. Sew dolls from a photograph.
3. Promote your product regularly
Manage social media accounts on your own, or hire a specialist. Regularity is very important. Write a blog, post on all kinds of craft sites. You need to understand that it is difficult to get by with only free tools, you will also have to invest days in advertising.
4. Form the right pricing policy
It is clear that any manual labor takes a lot of time, but are people willing to pay the set price? Perhaps, to get off the ground, you need to arrange a sale. Or work with less expensive materials, or provide a choice by price range.
4. Work not only for the Russian market
Let's face it, handmade goods are bought badly in Russia. And not because people do not value it, but simply because of the low standard of living of most people. If the goods are easily transported, then you can post them on foreign and international sites.
5. Sell workshops and craft supplies
Think about related products. For example, many masters record master classes and sell them. Selling craft supplies is also a great idea. For example, if you make jewelry, why not sell accessories. Do not be afraid to "grow" competitors, a good master will always have orders.
