What's To Come

It's been a great first month of the start-up here at Sell Craft.

We've covered the basic 10 steps of starting to sell your craft online:

What's Your Idea of Craft

Plan and Purpose

Inventing Your Style

Playing The Name Game

Going Solo

Dotting Your I's and Crossing Your T's

Putting Up The Banner

Calling Your Customers

Open House/ Open Shop

Your First Sale

This month we've had two shop critiques. If you missed them, be sure to check out:

BeBe Babies and Friends

Toxic Daisy

 

But we've still got more great things to come. Starting in Febraury we'll be running several series including:

Where to Sell Your Crafts Online

Promoting Your Shop Online

Promoting Your Shop Offline

And of course February's Contest - Awards for the Best and Worst Shop Banners. (If you'd like to donate a prize we are currently seeking a shop to donate a free personalized banner design and other promotional shop items. Shops can contact me if you're interested in donating to this month's contest.) Thank you all in advance for participating.

Well, that's it. That's January all wrapped up and What's to come in Febraury. If I've forgotten something or you'd like to suggest a topic, let me know. As always, we'll continue with your Shop Critique Friday, and with Valentines around the corner, I just might feature some special valentines on Feb. 14th if you'd like to send some to share.

Shop Critique Friday - Toxic Daisy

Located in Greenville, South Carolina.

Toxic Daisy can be found online at both their etsy shop.

While shopping for a men's necklace for a gift this Christmas, I came across this shop. It had exactly what I was looking for with the gift recipient in mind.

1. This shop features different types of hemp jewelry at different rates of cost . ***** 5 stars for customer appeal.

2. Photos were simple, clear, and focused around the product. ***** 5 stars for best of show.

3. Shop owner contacted me to let me know when my order was received and would be shipped along with an extra gift.  ***4 stars for customer service (5*****'s if the gift included would have been a sample from the shop or promotional instead of commercial related.)

4. I was notified when the product had shipped. ****4 stars for shipping notice. (5 *****'s if we would have been given the USPS tracking number at time of notice).

5. As seen in this photo, the necklace was beautifully handcrafted. Necklace was placed in a protective bag  is ready for it's new owner. **** 4 stars for packaging. (5*****'s if it would have arrived in a box, necklace bag, or type of unique packaging relating to the item.

6. Necklace was shipped in a size appropriate box.  Sent First Class and within a week after purchase.  **** 4 stars for shipping. (see number 5 comments above).

7. Follow-up. After item was received, positive feedback was left for the shop owner. Ordinarily I would wait to see if there was any follow-up from the shop checking to see if the item was 1. received, 2. satisfactory, and 3. feedback left.  3***'s for follow-up

8. When of the first things I check out before purchasing from a shop for their profile. It tells us about the shop and the owner. I was quite comfortable with the etsy profile for this shop. *****5 stars.

9. The second thing I check before confirming a purchase is the shop's policy. Very straight forward and easy to read. **** 5 stars.

10. Lastly, I was a little disappointed that this particular shop didn't have a blog or site featuring works, or creative process. Personally, I like being able to read about a seller's process of creation, and since this shop owner mentions world travel and art in their profile, I was curious to read about the place they'd been and the art which inspires them. :( no stars for blog/website.

Overall, I would recommend Toxic Daisy to a friend. Am I most likely to return and purchase again? Probably not, only because what I purchased was a gift and the recipient was allergic to the hemp cord and can't wear the gift.

But just don't take my word for it,  what do you think? What do you like about this shop and it's website? What, if any, improvements would you suggest to the owner?

A special thanks to Deidree at Toxic Daisy for her shop and appearing in today's shop critique Friday.

Show Me The Money

In the 1996 film, Jerry Maguire, Tom Cruise plays the role of a sports agent. Cuba Gooding Jr, plays the role of a football player that is a veteran of his career. During the movie Maguire (Tom Cruise) goes out on his own and works his butt of to get this high school kid a place with a well known football team, while still trying to hold on to Gooding's character Tidwell.

At one point in the movie, Tidwll says to Maguire, "Show me the money."

Maquire has to prove himself worthily by getting Tidwell a new contract, meanwhile he finds that the high school kid has already signed with another agent and his efforts were for nothing. But, Tidwell remained a loyal client.

In the end, Maquire showed Tidwell the money.

That's exactly what your customers, readers, and clientele expect from you. Show them the money....show them your product is worth the price and their time.

Nora Roberts didn't become a best selling author because the only thing she could do was write. She became a best selling author because she proved to her readership that she was worth their time and their money. She gives them the stories they want that promise to be better and better with each new book she puts out there.

She's just one example. Artists, crafters, your work is just like a book. Maybe you're a writer and it really is a book, but no matter what you create you need to put your worth into the work. Let your passion and talent shine through that customers will keep coming back to see what else you've got.

Show them the money and they'll show you a whole new world of expanded clientele. Because when one person is in love with something, they recommend and share it with a friend.

Where Did They All Come From?

You've got this great product you've created. You've set up shop. Then all of a sudden, you're flooded with all these people who have come to browse your wares.

WHERE DID THEY ALL COME FROM?

Whenever you are creating a product, a brand, or just setting up shop, the first thing you need to consider is WHO are your customers and WHERE do they come from.

Sounds simple right?

Well, you make dolls and you're targeting 40 something males. I doubt you'll sell very many dolls. However, if you target young mothers, doll collectors, and little girls, you might find yourself in business.

You have keep in mind that every product is not going to appeal to every person.

Take your craft and ask yourself these questions:
What is that you're making?
Whose it for?
Who would most likely buy it?
Why would they want it?

Then take it one step further.

What makes your craft (product) different from the rest?
Essentially, here you're asking, "Why would someone buy this off me and not the shop next door?"

Feel free to post your answers in the comment section.
So... where did they all come from?  You tell me.

Shop Critique Friday - BeBe Babies and Friends

Located in Eugene, Oregan.

BeBe Babies and Friends can also be found online at both their etsy shop and their website.

While shopping for a "my first baby doll" for a beloved neice, we came across this shop. First of all, we were impressed.

1. This shop features different types of dolls at different price levels. ***** 5 stars for customer appeal.

2. Dolls photos were simple, clear, and focused around the product. ***** 5 stars for best of show.

3. It would be just our luck that the doll we wanted to purchase was sold before we could click the ADD TO CART button, so upon contacting the owner of this shop, we were able to order a doll. Not only were we able to custom order a doll, but the creator of this doll stuck in a special note to the receipient at our request. In addition the order was able to be made within a deadline.  **** 5 stars for customer service.

4. We were notified when the custom listing was ready and when our product had shipped. ****4 stars for shipping notice. (5 *****'s if we would have been given the usps tracking number at time of notice).

5. As seen in this photo, the doll was beautifully and appropriately packaged. You can see the "extra little note" tucked inside the packaging. Doll contains shop's tag and is ready for it's new owner. ***** 5 stars for packaging.

6. Doll was shipped in a size appropriate box and packaged in a USPS priority box. Postage marked on the box proved to be more than postage paid at time of purchase. This tells us that the shop owner is honest and willing to take a dent in shipping costs rather then over charge their customers.  **** 5 stars for shipping.

7. Follow-up. We actually notified the shop owner that item was received and left positive feedback at their etsy shop. Ordinarly we would wait to see if there was any follow-up from the shop checking to see if the item was 1. received, 2. satisfactory, and 3. feedback left.


8. When of the first things we check out before purchasing from a shop for their profile. It tells us about the shop and the owner. We were quite comfortable with the etsy profile for this shop. *****5 stars.

9. The second thing we check before confirming a purchase is the shop's policy. This we found a little confusing, as it states: *OOAK (one of a kind) baby dolls are not intended for children (as stated in their listings) and therefore are not covered under this policy if they are given to a child and then damaged.* So we contacted the shops owner asking if the doll we were considering for purchase as suitable for a nine month old child and washable. The response was, "These dolls are perfect for babies and can be washed on gentle cycle in a pillowcase. :)" See the confusion? Easily fixed with some rewording in the shop's policy. We give it **** 4 stars.

10. Lastly, we headed over to BeBe and Friends Website. It turns out there is also a bebe baby blog too.
For all intent and purposes, and with the incorporation of the new design templetes of blogs allowing users to have pages, the shop owner may find it valuable to move the website content over to blog pages and combine the two seperate sites into one. This would make it more customer and web-surfer friendly. ** 2 stars for website. Although the blog itself is well laid out by iteself we give it **** 4 stars without the addition of the website.

Overall, we love BeBe Babies and Friends. Will we come recommend this site to a friend? Absolutely. Are we most likely to return and purchase again? Absolutely.

But just don't take our word for it, tell us what you think. What do you like about this shop and it's website? What, if any, improvements would you suggest to the owner?

A special thanks to Casie at BeBe Babies and Friends for her wonderful shop and appearing in today's shop critique friday.

**Don't forget to leave your comments at a chance to win a free critique of your own shop or product!

Give Them What They Want

 Today's question is:

How do you determine what products your customers will want?

After an extensive search across the web I found these top suggestions of what sells best:

1. Bath and Beauty Products
2. Candles
3. Baby Items
4. Children's Clothes
5. Jewelry
6. Kitchen Items - such as pot holders, dish rags, and casserole cozies
7. Dolls and doll clothing

But I believe this person said it best:

"As an Esty seller, I find that even more importantly than selling whats popular is creating what you love and being creative. Products that sell best are by those who are passionate about what they are producing and provide great service."  ORANGE RHINO KIDS CLOTHING, a comment made at the following article  http://www.brighthub.com/office/home/articles/77232.aspx#ixzz16o7sqQKI

Bottom line is... if you're not doing what you love, then you're depriving yourself and your customers of the passion, love, and true talent you have laying somewhere beneath everything else you're doing.

If you want to really know what customers are buying, do your homework.

Visit http://www.ebay.com/ and do a search for "crafts", "Handmade", "handcrafted", "custom made", or "finished pieces". Mark your preferences to "completed listings" and you'll see what's been sold.

www.etsy.com/time_machine2/php is another good place to find out what customer wants. Click on the link that says "Just Sold".

and last but not least, http://www.qvc.com/ will also give you a good idea what people are buying.

When checking out these sites, look for three things:

1. Items actually sold

2. Number of bids (for eBay) or multiple sales (etsy)

3. Price (ignore buy it now on eBay - look at what they're being bid for - this will tell you what it's worth to those who bought it.

Maybe you already have a product you're selling, looking to add something new to your shop, or just starting out. What ever the case maybe, always check the current market. What customer's want today will change tomorrow, but there are a few things that remain consistent - faith, hope, and love for what  you do.

The number one thing your customers want is you. They don't buy your product alone, they like the idea of your brand, your service, that little extra thing you do that makes them feel like a preferred customer each and every time they make a purchase.

When you combine your product, customer service, and a little you (personality), then that's what your customer wants. Now, if they're the right customer for you is another post that we'll pick up with on Wednesday.

When is the last time you asked your customers what they thought was so special about your shop?

Why Customers Can't Get Enough

 Remember back to the days of Tickle Me Elmo and other favored toys during the holiday season, were supply and demand caused people to pay outrageous amounts for items no longer available in stores?

Why is it that customers do that?

You have just as great of chance of creating the next big hit as the cyber shop or crafter sitting at the table next to you. However, it's one of those deals where the old saying, "You have better luck at winning the lottery" comes to mind.

So why is it, that customer's can't get enough of one item then another?

book publishers, crafters, artists, and musicians have been asking this questions for years. Here's a little secret for you...I don't know the answer either.

But what I do know, is the same thing any statistician is going to say. It depends on a multitude of factors. When J.K. Rowling was writing Harry Potter, she never knew it would be such a big hit. It was actually rejected more than fifty times by publishers. "That will never sell."

What I also know, is that you never want to hone your craft around a trend. Don't write or create for what is hot now, write what you know, craft what you love, and sing what you like.

So then how are you supposed to figure out what customers want so you can make a buck?

Let's go back to those statisticians for a moment. Statistically speaking, customers want a good product. When they buy something handmade they're looking for something unique, seasonal, or of gift giving quality. When you go to the store you're looking for something specific.

It just happened in one particular year a bunch of people decided a red monster that laughed made a great gift for three thru 5-year-olds, which in turn hiked up the demand. Then there is that statistician again who will tell you that the variable between the time of year, current economic standing, and original price of the toy all had a factor in it's success.

I happen to know too, that from one mother to another, if my little girl wants something and tells her friend, then her friend is going to want it. See how that works? 

Everybody is out to keep up with the Jones, but nobody really knows who they are. In the business of selling your craft, you want your customers to love your product just as much as one child loved a Tickle-Me-Elmo doll to start a trend of your own.

When you supply your customers with a unique, well made, product that fits their needs, then they're bound to share their shopping experience and your name with their friends.

Win a Free Shop Critique

Friday's are a special day for us here, and we hope you'll join us.

As any good craftsman knows, to hone their talent, improve their craft, and increase they're marketability, it requires feed back not only from those who have shopped from them, but potential shoppers and colleagues, too.

Every Friday we will be offering a product or shop critique.

Here is how it works.

One shop or shop product will be featured in a Friday post. You will then have the opportunity to visit that shop's online store and then come back here to our blog and make comments and suggestions on what you like or what you think needs improved on that individual shop. If you would like to see an improvement, then make a suggestion in the post on how to improve that item or feature. Remember, this might be you we're critiquing one day, and any inappropriate comments shall be deleted from the post.

Those of you who choose to participate by making a comment on the day's post, will then have the chance to win a free critique the following week of you're own shop or product.

Please note, that in addition to shop reviews. If you wish to have a featured product reviewed along with your shop, you will be required to ship a sample product that can be evaluated and assessed to create the post. Products are non-returnable, but hey you can write them off as a marketing promotion. :)

Oh, and no products rated over T (teen).

Next Friday, we'll be starting off with a product and shop critique from an Esty store that sells baby dolls.

Stay tuned. Shop critique winner will be announced the following week, so make sure you're following this blog and don't forget to leave your comments for a chance to win.

How Often Do You Short Sell Yourself?

Throughout the years I've enjoyed participating and visiting many a craft fair. This last season, it didn't surprise me to find many wonderful and beautifully made items that were sold for little more than cost. The reasoning behind this wasn't because the item's shelf wear had gone too long. No, simply the crafter who had created the item had under estimated the product's worth.

Thus short selling not only their product, but themselves.

As a crafter and even a writer, it's sometimes hard to assess what our end products are really worth. Here's a little secret I learned long ago, and I'll share with you.  "It's only as worth as much as someone is willing to pay for it."

Yep, that's it.  Didn't help much did it?

In order to evaluate whether you are short selling yourself, you need to assess the following things:

What does it mean - short sell? To short sell yourself means that you are worth far more for your talent, skill, or as the person you are.

 Is there anything else out on the market like it? (If so, what does your competition look like - item and price wise)
What makes your product unique from all the rest?
Why would anyone want to buy this?

Starting in January to assess this about yourself and your craft is a great time. January is a slow period where the economy is taking a nap after the busy rush of the holiday season. It may seem like a slow time for you, but actually it's the best time.

It's the best time to re-evaluate your craft, take inventory of what you have to offer, and build your brand.

Why are those things so important?

Well, let's just put it this way. If you had the choice of buying a pair of jeans from your local Wal-Mart or buying a custom pair from say Old Navy. Which pair would you choose? The price of the jeans doesn't matter in this example. I think if you were to take a vote, Old Navy would win out over Wal-Mart.
Why?
Regardless to say that Wal-Mart may have had the cheaper pair of jeans, it's the fit that counts.

Just like your product and your customers.
No matter how much you short sell yourself to attract business, it's going to be the customers who "fit" with your brand than your price that comes shopping.
So today, ask yourself, "Am I short selling myself to make a buck? or do I need to re-evaluate my product and who my customers are?"

Making Your First Sale Online

They say you never forget your "first." It makes you all happy and giddy inside, while notching your confidence as a new business owner.

Maybe you never thought of it that way before - business owner - enterpuener.... But when you take your craft online and sell it, that's exactly the hat you've put on. It's right over the one that says "crafter", "artist", or "writer".

Let's face it, in order to make it in the online market, you not only have to be able to produce a product or service, you have to be able to sell too.

In today's globalized market, individuals are finding themselves in competition with larger standing companies.Yes, that means you. And with the wide spread opportunities of the Internet now available and expanding, more and more individuals are finding ways to market themselves and make a living online.

So why then is the first sale so crucial? so important? so thrilling?

Because you've put you're foot into the door. It's like having a cigar stuffed in your mouth after your best friend's wife has a baby. You get caught up in the euphoria of the moment.

But what happens when that feeling goes away and your cloud nine has evaporated? Do you allow yourself to float so high that when you fall you can't get back up?

Alot of times when you go into a small family owned business you may see the first dollar earned in a frame on the wall. However, what you'll also see is the shop's owner busy at work to earn that next dollar.

At some point we all need to take our heads out of the clouds. A successful business owner will tell you that a dollar earned is a dollar spent, and in order to keep the dollars coming you need to make the next sale.

Chances are you'll never forget your first sale, but if you treat every sale with the enthusiasm of the first, then you'll be sure to keep your craft and your business of selling online expanding from one sale to the next.

Here's to your first sale!

Open House/ Open Shop

It's an exciting day isn't it?

It's like standing inline for concert tickets of your favorite band or waiting outside Joann's on black Friday for the doors to open...

And the great thing about open houses online... you don't have to shift back and forth watching the customers walk past as you wait and hope for that first sale.

Go grab you're self a cup of coffee or head over to you're favorite hang out spot for an hour or two, you deserve it.

You don't want to seem to anxious. After all, nobody can see you  However, on the day you open shop/ open house to selling your craft online, you need to present in just a few ways.

A lot of time authors will go around to book stores to promote their new releases. Today, you'll find a lot of them also do a online blog tour. Yep, they arrange a serious of guest post on literary blogs where they know they can still reach readers. They hang out in their social networking sites and answer comments and posts just as if they were hosting a book signing.

During your open house, you can do that too.

Not only announce your grand opening in your shop announcement or blog, feature your products for the day. This is extremely helpful, especially on etsy and on your personal blog. Along with that shop announcement, invite those who stop by to your blog where you'll be giving away samples or hosting discussions. You may ask them to simply drop you a line through Facebook or Twitter and let you know what they think of the new shop.

Jump into some forums and introduce yourself. You'll find a lot of friendly crafters willing to say hello. Along the way you may find yourself joining a group or contributing to ideas and posts.

It's an Open House! Celebrate!

Invite me, I'll be more than happy to attend your online shop's open house.

How To Announce Your Shop Opening - Calling Your Customers

 If only selling your craft online was as simple as securing an email address, we'd all be billionaires. Okay, may not billionaires or even millionaires, but it would be a whole lot simpler if the customers came to us.

It's not like cutting the ribbon will instantly draw people to your site. First, they have to know that it's there, and second they need to know why they should bother clicking on your shop's domain.


So, you've got the banner up. Your product or service is in place, and you're ready to open shop. How do you announce to your customers you're ready for business?

1. Networking
2. Promotion
3. Outside the box

1. Networking
Don't let yourself be fooled by the misconception that by opening an online shop to sell your craft that customers will automatically find you, click on you, and buy from you simply because it's the Internet and there are numberless people surfing their pages at any given time of the day.

Like having a shop or both on the street, you need to let your customers know you're there and what you're offering. You can do this by giving the shout out through social networking sites. It's like the "word of mouth" on the virtual lines of communication.

Twitter, Facebook, Linkin are all great places to start. Just send out a post that your shop is now open for business. Then visit some blogs and sites that complement or create the same things you do. Leave comments, but remember you're not there to spam. You're there to show your face and have people recognize you and become interested in you.

Thirdly, when networking you need to send out press releases, even to your local newspaper. A lot of local papers are always looking for stories about real people over coming obstacles and you're story of your craft could just be what they'll looking for.

2. Promotion
Not to be confused with networking. Promotion is the things you do in order to create a stir about your product or service. Things like business cards, blog ads, ads in general, sales, interviews, and giveaways all help promote new customers and entice the old.

3. Out side the Box
Ever heard of the saying "thinking outside the box", well if you're selling your craft online it's okay to go outside the virtual world in order to announce your shop's opening. You can leave business cards or sample products at the table of a restaurant, freebie tables at conferences or swaps, donations to local organizations or even you're child's school. Look inside your interest groups such as if you're a member of a book club, mom's group, golf club, crafters swap, or sorority. When giving gifts to friends, family, and co-workers, make sure they are of you're creation. If they love it, they're sure to tell someone else. Just make sure you're brand (signature) is on the product.

Try them all, or try a few. Either way you decide to announce you're shop opening, you're online open house is sure to draw some attention.

Putting Up the Banner

So you've dotted all your I's and crossed your T's, now it's time to open up shop. There are three key ingredients that you'll need, maybe you already have them.

You've chosen your name, and by now I'm guessing you've signed on with an online crafting community like etsy.com. You may have even decided to open a shop on eBay or another online site, congratulations.

If you haven't yet, and you've done all the other steps of starting to sell your craft online, then this is the time to go for it.

The second ingredient is your product. You don't have to have a lot, remember quality is better than quantity. You can build up your shop as you go.

Now all you need is your shop banner, the third ingredient, and probably the most important. Yes, even more important than your product. Your shop banner is the sign above the door to your virtual store. It welcomes customers into browse. It's the first thing they see when they come into your shop. You're product may lure them there, you're banner will invite them to explore.

There are two ways to create a shop banner.
1. hire someone else to make it
2. make it yourself

There are a lot of talented digital designers out there who will, for a price, create a shop banner for you. You can actually find a few by searching etsy.com's shops or even just by googling for someone. Make sure if you're hiring someone that you take a look at their work, compare prices, and get feedback from past clients.

Creating a shop banner on your own isn't as hard as you may think. You can find instructions on Etsy's blog making a shop banner and also in their forums for making a shop banner by using Microsoft Power Point. Bottom line... you don't need a fancy program to make a creative and appropriate shop banner.

Take for instance your standard paint program on your computer. Take a favorite photo, cut it to the size of the banner and add some text. Put on your shop name and maybe what you sell - if it's not obvious by the name of your shop.

Simply done.

Now you try, or tell us how it's done.
Can't wait to see them.

Dotting Your I's and Crossing Your T's

If you're just starting to sell your craft online then there are a few forms you're going to want to fill out in order to get started.

Already got your shop set-up? No problem, it never hurts to go back and make sure you've dotted all your I's and crossed your T's.

Selling your craft online give you a broader customer base than just putting a sign up in front of your lawn, for sure. However, just like putting up the sign on a new store front, you've got to register and file papers like everyone else.

Whether your writing articles for a magazine in Austria or sending post cards to Japan, the IRS doesn't really care, just as long as you've filed the proper paperwork.

The IRS assumes that if an activity is carried on for profit and makes a profit 3 out of 5 years, that it is indeed a business vs a hobby.

So, basically. These are the forms you need to have filled out to keep yourself legit with the IRS.

Fictitious Name
This differs by state so the following link will lead you to business.gov where you can choose your state. You only need to do this if you're going to do business as a name other than your own. 411 - a bank won't let you open a business bank account without this registration to prove the name change.

EIN
An EIN is your business's identification number. As a sole proprietor you have the option of using your social security number, but with the high rate of identity thief, it's highly recommended that you get yourself an EIN for you business. Your EIN will establish who you are, type of business (single, partnership, or corp), and set you apart from other businesses. As a sole proprietor, having an EIN is not only more professional, but smart.

Sales  and Use Tax.
If you're selling a product that requires the collection of sales tax, you'll need to register for a sales tax number. Many craft fairs require this if you plan to take your craft to the streets. The quickest way to find this is to do a search for Your State Sales Tax. For example in Pennsylvania, you'd go to the PA DEPT OF REVENUE to apply for a sales and use tax licenses.

Self Employment Tax
Think of this as your social security. When you quit your day job and sell your craft online full time, you're no longer paying in social security and medicare taxes. This is where Self employment taxes come into play. Pay them and your safe for social security, don't pay them and when you're over 65 you'll wish you had. Simply put.

On a side note, looking into a retirement plan whether you sell your craft full time or work for a company is still a smart idea.

You may also want to stop by the IRS Small Business and Self Employment Site and read Publication 1518 and Publication 4591 for tax calendar and responsibilities.

Then you'll want to check with your state and city to make sure there are not any additional licenses and taxes that you need to handle. Even though you may not be selling directly out of your home or studio, you still want to tag all your bases. Your local chamber of commence should be able to give you the information you need.

It's easy to turn your passion and talents into a tangible craft to sell, but first protect yourself by making sure you've got all those I's dotted and T's crossed.

Going Solo

Have you ever gone out with a group of friends and gotten this really...really...really awesome idea to go do something? I'm sure you have, or maybe everyone was just sitting around having lunch together and looking for something to do out of boredom. Either way, when you presented your idea or suggestion to the group, nobody but you were interested.

It's like signing up with three friends for karaoke and then when it's time to step up on stage, you find yourself all alone.

Well, not exactly. But you get the idea, right?

That's usually how it is in the craft business.

In most cases, selling your craft involves a one person solo act or a duet partnership. Often you'll find partnerships between siblings, mother and child, spouses, or best friends. Having an extra hand in keeping up your online shop, selling, and craft creation is has both it's pros and cons. Yet, today, we're just going to approach the subject of going solo, since that is what most artists, writers, and crafters present themselves.

So what does going solo mean?

You're a one man/ woman show. What you sell is your craft and nobody elses. You alone are the boss of what you do. You handle what goes into your work and what you get out of it.

Financially speaking, going solo puts all the financial risk on you. At the end of the year, you simply file a SCH C for your business on your 1040 with the IRS.

As a sole proprietorship, the IRS treats you as an individual, they recognize your name, they send you tax notices, and they expect you to pay on time.

However, going solo doesn't mean that you don't have a support system in place. Perhaps it is your family, friends, or even hired professionals. The two basic things you must accept when going solo is that 1) you can't do everything yourself  and 2) Nobody's perfect.

You may need to relay on others to help you keep up the financial end of your business. This may require hiring a bookkeeper or having a spouse help you enter invoices and help package product to go out the next day. It could require having someone watch your children for a  few hours while you catch up on orders or work to meet a deadline. It could simply be supportive customers casting word of mouth advertising to get you started.

You're never alone, no matter what craft you choose to sell. It's okay to step up on the stage alone, just as long as you've got your friends standing near by to cheer you on.

Are you flying solo or soaring over the wings of your support system?

Playing the Name Game

You've got a lot of ideas running through your head. You love to create things, whether it is with words, textiles, or recycled products. You have a plan. You want to sell your craft online....but you can't decide on a name.

It is a lot of fun playing the name game, isn't it?

It's a lot like playing the "what if" game. There are many possibilities to choose from.

Here are some helpful hints to help you decide on just what to name your craft business.

For writers, this means using your real name or a pyseduem. It's not uncommon for a writer to have more than one name, especially if they write in several different genres. This way their fans follow the name of the genre they like best.

The same could be said for an artist. In the beginning years of putting their artwork on the market, it takes time to build a reputation. Many artists, like authors use their real name or pyseduem. They build a business of selling their craft based on their name.

Which is a whole lot less paperwork with the IRS if you use your real name, but we'll get into that in more detail later.

What you do need to know, however, that when playing the name game to sell your crafts online, you need to take in consideration both the IRS and SEO. Two totally different things, but equally important.

First we'll approach SEO, because let's face it. No matter what name comes out the winner in your name game it won't matter to the IRS as much as it will to the success of your customers being able to find you. That's what SEO is all about - KEYWORDS.

Keywords are these little things we drop into our names, our product descriptions, and what search engines look for every time someone types a word into their database.

For example, if I went on google and typed RED KNIT SCARF, it would bring up a listing of shops that have product searches and keywords matching my search.

So, if your craft is exclusively knitting, then you would want to put the "knit" or "knitting" into your shop name.

Now here is where the IRS comes into the game. Taking the example above, say you decide to call your shop "Knit Whit Creations" (look it up...who knows it may actually exist). You'd have to file for a DBA with the IRS. This would involve filing for a EIN number and a Fictitious Name (there are fees involved here).

Yet, if you decide to call your craft shop "Karen's Knit Creations" and your first name is Karen, then you wouldn't have to file for a Fictitious Name. According to the IRS, if you use your real name (the one you file your taxes under and most likely the one you're mother gave you at birth) then you don't have to file for Fictitious Name, just a DBA and EIN.  A little less paperwork and a few dollars more in your pocket toward start-up costs.

Hopefully, by now, you've got your name narrowed down to a few choices. Or maybe, you've selected the one...remember this name will stick with you forever. You're not going to change your name often due to paperwork, IRS, and if opening a shop through etsy.com, it's just not allowed.

Got your name? There is just one last thing. Ever hear of a back up plan? Make sure you've selected a second choice or back up name for your endeavor. Before you go to the IRS, register a domain name, or set up shop, you need to first check to see if your name is available.

Let's face it, we all know that there is more than one John Smith in the world, but there may only be one John Smith Milling Co. That's what you need to find out. With the billions, yes billions, of names out there in the world and the expansion of the Internet, you need to make sure your name hasn't already been used by someone else.

You can search places like godaddy.com to find out if your name has been already reserved in as a domain name.

When you're done playing the name game, or if you already have a name and want to share, we'd love to read it in the comments sections. Think of this as your opportunity for a little free promotion. We don't need ads or gimmicks - those will be deleted, but feel free to share your business name and website for your craft.

(anything spammy or non craft, art, or writing related will also be deleted)

Inventing Your Style

Invention and style are both words we are familiar with, however, when we put them together it can become a little confusing.

For instance, inventors are people who create new products for the use of society. So really an invention is the product of an inventor. Much like you the artist, crafter, or author, you're long hours of creative talents are spent on creating a unique and well crafted invention. That invention may be a story or novel, a piece of art, or designer knit sweater.

Of course, style has a complete different meaning. If you ask a writer about style, they would automatically assume you're talking about the prose of their words for creating a story. Yet, if you ask a fashion designer about their style, they would refer to the types of fabrics, prints, and overall design of several items of clothing assembled together to make a great outfit.

A dear friend of mine loves french country decor, that's her style, with a little hot pink and black pitched in for good taste.

So, how do you go about inventing your style?

It maybe easier than you think. You've been inventing your style from the very first time you began using your talents, even before you knew you wanted to sell your craft.

Just take a look at your craft. What do you create? How do you do it?

If you're craftsmen or an artist, look at your products.

What colors do you favor most in your creation?
What textiles do you use most often? (fabric, wood, metal, beads...etc..)
What do you create? (type of product, art, or writing genre)

Now look around yourself. What do you love? What type of decor is in your house? What is your favorite color? Yes, color has a lot to do with you personally and your style. Just read Blue Today Green Tomorrow to find out.

For instance you may just find something out about yourself you didn't know before. Don't be shy, tell us about your style.

Plan and Purpose

So you've been thinking about it for a long time now. You've got this idea in your head. It's been there for some time and you know you're good at it.

You've got this special talent, skill. craft that you're ready to put out there and share in the market. So now what?

Would a blind man go out for a walk without his guide dog or a cane? Then you too, should not go into business without a plan and purpose.

It's simple to come up with an idea. A plan helps you decide on how to implement that idea into reality. Just like any good Carpenter would refer to a set of blue prints, your business plan is a guide to opening shop and setting up your shop's success.

"Any enterprise is built by wise planning, becomes strong through common sense, and profits wonderfully by keeping abreast of the facts." Proverbs 24: 3-4

There is a lot of software and sites out there developed to helping you create a business plan. The SBA has this good advice about what a business plan is: "The business plan should tell a compelling story about your business, explaining who, what, when, where, how and why."

48 Days To The Work You Love author, Dan Miller offers this Business Planning Guide based on his book that is recommended by Dave Ramsey.

You may also find another great book by this same author, called No More Dreaded Mondays, to be a valuable resources in your business planning.

Planning to sell your crafts online becomes more than just a plan. It's also a purpose. You can go visit any top selling website and find that company's mission statement. A mission statement, boiled down, is the purpose of your business.

For example:

"exercise my creativity and innovative ideas by developing songs, books and

products, which change lives and society for the better. I will use my talents and abilities

consistently. I will not hide them simply because they will not always be immediately

recognized." From 48days.com

This one comes from PadandQuill on Etsy:

"Our mission is to deliver the most beautiful hand made bookbindery cases for touch enabled devices at a fair price."

Here at Sell Craft our purpose is to provide individuals with the tools to promote and successfully sell their craft online.

As an author, my purpose is to use my writing talent to inspire others in their relationships with one another and through their relationship with their heavenly father.

See what I mean about purpose?  So tell me...what's your purpose? I'd love for you to share in the comment section and look forward to reading your mission statement.

What's Your Idea of Craft?

Craft, defined by dictionary.com, is an art, trade, or occupation requiring special skill, esp. manual skill. It also means to make or manufacture with skill and careful attention to detail, such as a product.

For many of us CRAFT is more than just a definition. It's a talent. A woodworker may craft a special piece of furniture or an glass smith may heat and mold a beautiful vase. Both crafts of talented and passionate people.

Craft can also be the work of an artist with paints and other textiles to create beautiful images. Just like the craft of a talented writer whose words create a scene and take us to a place without physically stepping into it.

There are many types of crafts. What's yours?

Identifying your idea of craft, your talent is only the first step to selling your craft online. Tomorrow we'll take it one step further.

10 Steps to Start Selling Your Craft Online

Any accountant will tell you that the first of the year is a great time to start your new business. So if you're new year's resolution was to take your craft off the table and into the online world of virtual shops and social marketing, then you've come to the right place. 

Over the next ten days, we'll go step by step to selling your craft online.

Whether you're an artist, woodworker, jewelry maker, quilter, writer, or other type of crafter, you can take your hobby out of your bedroom or shed and into the online market. Perhaps you're already surfing the craft fairs and setting up tables - great.

For the past twelve years I've enjoyed being both a craft vendor and a freelance writer. Over the course of my career I've assisted in the start-up of many types of businesses. With a B.A. in accounting, I've have the privalige of helping many successful clients take their talents and turn them into full-time businesses.

In the next ten days we'll cover the following topics.

1. What's Your Idea of Craft?
2. Plan and Purpose
3. Inventoring Your Style
4. Playing the Name Game
5. Going Solo?
6. Dotting Your I's and crossing your T's
7. Calling Your Customers
8. Opening Up Shop
9. Putting up the Banner
10. Making Your First Sale

It is the intent of this blog to build community, support, and encourage crafters of every type, level, and stage of their business career. I hope you'll continue to join us on this journey of taking your craft beyond the table to the online market.