A checklist of 10 things you’ll need to start selling your crafts online.

1. Get yourself a separate bank account - it doesn’t have to be a business account, it should just be separate account (with cheque book and debit card) that you use for depositing money from your sales and where you draw money from for your craft business. If you keep this account separate from your personal bank accounts you will be able to clearly keep a track of what you are earning from your business, and it will make doing the accounts sooooooooooooo much easier.
2. Look into what status you will be as a self employed person for accounts and tax purposes - it may not matter so much at the early stages or even if you plan to just run a low-key craft business, but if things are beginning to take off or you are looking for this to be your sole source of income than you need to look into things like tax on earnings etc. Various tax laws obviously differ from country to country. Make yourself aware of what expected of you by asking at your local Inland Revenue, IRS or whatever group of folks deal with that sort of thing. It’s best to do it now rather than get yourself into trouble later down the line! Of course if you’re a bit of an ostrich (like me) you can ask your accountant or accountant friend to sort this out for you.
3. Identify who will do your accounts - and start doing them from the beginning. For my business I have enlisted the services of a friendly accountant because I’m a mathematics MORON.
4. Keep every single one of your receipts for everything that you spend on your craft business - even if that receipt is just for a £0.50 D ring. It all adds up and it all counts because it will save you money in the long run. Keep your receipts in a box or file for your accounts.
5. Packaging & stationary - spend a little time in thinking about how you are going package and present your craft products. Do you want to add in little treats like pins or sweets etc. Are you going to use coloured tissue paper, ribbon, bubble wrap, padded envelopes, what size boxes might you need, what size envelope or boxes might you need for larger or small orders? You’ll also need stationary like packing tape, envelopes, stamps, paper etc.
6. What are you going to call your company? - When you have settled upon a name you might want to consider seeing if the internet domain names are available to purchase (indeed your choice of company name may well be determined by this). Domain names are so much cheaper if they haven’t yet been bought by someone else. If you want to buy a domain name that already exists the owner has be willing to sell that name to you and sometimes they charge crazy amounts of money for the name! If you purchase the domain name now you then have the freedom to set up your own website at a later stage. For my business I knew from the beginning that I was going to trade from my own website so my choice of business name was greatly influenced by what domain names were available. As soon as I came up with the U-Handbag name I purchased both .com and .co.uk domains.
7. Get yourself a digital camera to take shots of your products - you may also want photo editing software (like photoshop) to enhance your shots as well, but if you take clear, well lit shots with your camera I wouldn’t worry too much about photo editing at the very beginning of your business.
8. Branding - are you going to have business cards, labels, headed paper, compliments slips?
9. Separate email - consider getting yourself a separate email address for everything concerned with your craft business - it’s easy enough to get yourself a free email account and having a separate email account will make life easier.
10. Regular access to a computer and printer - I know this may sound really obvious, but last year my printer died and that really messed things up for me because I couldn’t print my order sheets and address labels so I had to hand write everything which was such a pain in the bum (I now have a back-up printer just in case). Also in the past I have had a rubbish internet connection and that gave me sleepness nights, going to an internet cafe to run my business was a nightmare, I have since changed providers.

I just came across this post written by Lisa Lam on her blog Craft Boom http://emomsathome.com/craft-boom/

She has a very nice website, filled with many ideas to help grow your craft business. Check it out for yourself.

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HOW TO: learn about business from martha, PART 2!

Below is Part 2 of the article written by Christy Petterson. These rules are vital when building a successful business.

Rule #6: Quality is everyday. Quality should be placed at the top or your list of priorities, and it should remain there. Quality is something you should strive for in every decision, every day.

For an entrepreneur to be successful they must be able to identify quality and understand what goes into producing quality. Understanding quality comes from comparing designs, materials and methods. With excellent quality comes satisfied and happy customers.

Rule #7: Build an a-team. Seek out and hire employees who are brimming with talent, energy, integrity, optimism, and generosity. Search for advisors and partners who complement your skills and understand your ideals.

The thought of someday having a team seems totally out of reach to me at this point, but I suppose it might happen one day. And even if it doesnt, I think this rule can be applied to collaborators as well as employees. Martha says, Good employees will energize you and your business. This reminds me of something I always say, Enthusiasm is infectious.

Rule #8: So the pie isnt perfect? Cut it into wedges. When faced with a business challenge, evaluate or assess the situation, gather the good things in sight, abandon the bad, clear your mind and move on. Focus on the positive. Stay in control, and never panic.

This chapter contained my favorite story of the book. During one of her catering gigs, Martha was preparing a dinner for Paul Newman (who would have been the love of my life had I been born a little sooner and had he not met…) and Joanne Woodward. Martha had just traveled to Morocco and suggested a Moroccan buffet for the dinner theme. Shortly before serving time she discovered that one of the main dishes–dinner pies–had burned in the places that were closest to the walls of the oven. There wasnt enough time to recreate the dish so she had to think quick on her feet and decided to slice the pieces and serve the unburned pieces on platters. Instead of freaking out–most peoples initial response–she took a moment to assess the situation. Grace under fire!

Rule #9: Take risks, not chances. In business, theres a difference between a risk and a chance. A well-calculated risk may very well end up as an investment in your business. A careless chance can cause it to crumble. And when an opportunity presents itself, never assume it will be your last.

Martha suggests following a well-informed instinct or a calculated hunch. You might be the only person who sees the merit in the opportunity and you have to be ready to take the risk despite others warning against it. She describes a chance as a long shot that depends largely on luck and warns against these. I like that she reassures us that no opportunity is ever your last opportunity. Sometimes it feels like you should try everything when youre just starting out, but you dont have to do it all!

Rule #10: Make it beautiful. Listen intently, learn new things every day, be willing to innovate, and become an authority your customers will trust. As an entrepreneur, you will find great joy and satisfaction in making your customers lives easier, more meaningful, and more beautiful.

Martha repeats the mantra Make it beautiful to herself several times a day and makes it her number one goal to improve the lives of her customers, colleagues, family and friends and in doing so her life is better as well. Sounds good to me!

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HOW TO: learn about business from martha

I found this great article written by Christy Petterson on www.getcrafty.com. We are not as familiar with Martha Stewart in Australia, however her advice is valuable. 

So I hear Martha Stewart’s Apprentice wasn’t such a hit. I didn’t watch it. Instead I decided to read her latest book “The Martha Rules: 10 ESSENTIALS FOR ACHIEVING SUCCESS AS YOU START, BUILD OR MANAGE A BUSINESS.” Martha, herself, gets mixed reviews. Some crafty girls like her and some don’t. I like her, I think she’s brought the art, skill and intellect of making a nice home into the forefront of our culture, which often dismisses homemaking as insignificant, easy and a waste of time. Turning these matters into a business makes it all the more impressive to me. So when my boss at my “real” job offered to loan me Martha’s book on essentials for running a business, I took her up on it. 

I know many of us are interested in turning our love of craft into a business and we also need guidance so I thought I’d share Martha’s rules with everyone here. Even if you don’t like her this advice is sound and I’m saving you from having to read her book. If you do like her, read this and then go read the book,her stories are real, funny and easy to relate to. She shares antidotes from her own experience as well as other successful entrepreneurs. This is part one of a two part look at Martha’s rules.

Rule #1: What’s passion got to do with it? Build your business success around something that you love, something that is inherently and endlessly interesting to you.

Those of us interested in creating a crafty business have already found this passion and would probably agree with Martha when she states, Doing work that you enjoy gives you energy. Martha started out knowing that she loved to cook and from this developed her catering business which led to a book on entertaining and so on and so on. When you love what you do, she says, it’s not work.

She advises finding a mentor who will be honest with you. Having a mentor who only gives you positive feedback will stunt your growth. It is helpful to have someone who can tell you when an idea needs further development or isn’t based in reality. 

Rule #2: Ask yourself, what’s the big idea? Focus your attention and creativity on basic things, things that people need and want. Then look for ways to enlarge, improve, and enhance your big idea.

Martha suggests that every business person take a walk in their customers shoes in order to come up with your big idea. Take time to brainstorm, compile lists of ideas, scrutinize and analyze your idea and assess it from many different perspectives including geography, affordability and expandability. 

Rule #3: Get a telescope, a wide-angle lens, and a microscope. Create a business plan that allows you to stay true to your big idea but helps you focus on the details. Then remain flexible enough to zoom in or out on the vital aspects of your enterprise as your business grows.

The telescope, wide-angle lens and microscope are all essential for business success. With the telescope you should keep in mind where you are going and what the future holds. With the wide-angle lens you should evaluate the broad picture of operating your business. And with the microscope you will look at the finest details of your business.

A word to the wise: you must write a business plan.

Rule #4: Teach so you can learn. By sharing your knowledge about your product or service with your customers, you create a deep connection that will help you learn how best to build and manage your business. 

Customers respond best to business people who create a good experience for the customer and make it clear that they truly want their customer to have a good experience. You need them to view you and your business as their primary resource, their refuge, their reliable provider of information, products, entertainment, or inspiration, says Martha.

Rule #5: All dressed up and ready to grow. Use smart, cost-effective promotional techniques that will arrest the eye, tug at the heart, and convey what is unique and special about your business or service.

Your product has to stand out and you have to make this happen through packaging, advertising, publicity or some combination of all three. Make sure you find a way to distinguish your product from its market competitors. I have found, says Martha, that the two most important elements in your promotional strategy should be creativity and common sense. A successful business absolutely needs both.

This is just a smattering of the helpful hints in the first half of this book. Helpful hints are like gold for the young and ambitious. I hope this will help everyone’s business savvy!

Christy Petterson lives in Atlanta where she writes, sews, works in PR, organizes crafty events, roadies for her drummer-of-a-husband, eats the yummy food he cooks her, drinks coffee, goes for walks and spends time with her friends and family. Her latest exciting news is that That’s Clever is coming to film her this month! And there are just a few weeks left to apply for the Indie Craft Experience…. www.ice-atlanta.com  

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Time Management For An Art Or Craft Business

Most art and craft businesses are begun part time while employed at another job. Figure out how many hours you would like to devote to your new business per week. A good beginning might be to commit to ten to twenty hours a week. If your other commitments are light or as your business becomes more successful, you may wish to commit to more time.

As with any work, scheduling regular time to use for your new business is a more professional approach, and more likely to lead to success. Scheduling regular time avoids many problems. You are less likely to neglect your business. It is also very important to respond to customers quickly, and this helps you to do so.

Pick regular hours if you can, as this eliminates doubt and mistakes. You might, for example, decide to work on your business Monday through Saturday from 7 to 9:30 p.m.

You might think that some weeks will be busy and on other weeks you will have little to do. But when you have enough of your product made or are low on commissions, this will be time you spend promoting your business, looking for customers, planning how to be more successful, and coming up with new designs. Most business require nurturing. Potential customers have to know you exist, and know what you have to offer them. This is as much a part of your business as making the products or offering services.

Determine your time commitment and schedule your work time now. Begin a list of tasks you will need to do for your business. This will help you know what to do with your scheduled time. Prioritize your tasks at the beginning of each week and do what is most important first.

This article was found at http://www.americanchronicle.com and written by C.D. Mohatta

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Create The Kind Of Life You Desire

You may have heard of The Secret, the Power of Intention, or The Law of Attraction. You can change your life, once you change your beliefs.
Many of us spend our whole lives trying to achieve our dreams. Unfortunately, those dreams remain unattainable. Can life be changed for the better? Absolutely!
The key is in knowing how to tap into your inherent potential. When you learn to use more of your brain’s natural capacity, you unleash mental resources that can be used to improve your life.
Are you living the kind of life you really want or have you just settled?
Consider this: in spite of greater knowledge, better technologies, and increased social awareness, for a many people, life is just not working.
While it is true that, on the whole, we are better educated then our forebears, many of us spend long hours in jobs we loath; we can send men to the moon, yet poverty and lack of adequate housing still plague mankind back on earth. Increased social awareness has not stemmed the tide of family violence nor the breakdown of marital relationships. What’s missing?
You cannot create the kind of life you desire at the Beta level of the mind. Beta is the conscious level, where you struggle and try to overcome obstacles, duplicating old patterns over and over again. Think of a hamster running around on a wheel: the little creature runs as fast as it can, yet it gets nowhere!
When you learn to access the Alpha (intuitive) level of the mind, you can eradicate harmful, limiting thoughts that may be impeding progress.
* You change your life when you change your beliefs.
* You make a fresh start when you turn to your inner guide, using higher intelligence to transform your life.
You may have heard of The Secret, the Power Of Intention or The Law of Attraction. Whatever you think most about or look for in life, will eventually find you. None of us would consciously sabotage our lives but many of us carry around emotional weights that color our perception of the present. These thoughts and beliefs form patterns and can come back to us in the circumstances in our lives.
If you want to attract different circumstances and experiences, you have to radiate different energy out.
Super successful people do their thinking at the Alpha level of the mind. Artists, scientists, composers, writers, business gurus, etc. tap into and employ an inner genius that radiates outward. They use their sub-conscious level of the mind . . . consciously.
Utilize More of Your Brain’s Capacity
Think of your brain as a computer: when you program at the Alpha (or right brain) level of the mind, you input information–and your brain records that information. Those thoughts transmit energy out into the universe, which then manifests in coincidences that propel you toward our goals.
You have intuitive powers that you can draw on every day of your life. You can develop your mental resources to create the kind of life you really desire, tapping into wonderful opportunities that exist for you. by Athlyn Green

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Starting Your Own Crafts Business!!!

It’s a common thing nowadays that most people are earning good money by starting their own home crafts business. Making your favourite crafts can be fun but you also need to have a good understanding of what products will sell and how one goes about selling them. If you are going to start a craft business, you need to know how to come up with ideas for which craft to focus on, how to maximize profits for your business, where and how to sell your products, and especially how to market your new business. One of the things that can kill a business faster than a natural disaster is not knowing the ins and outs of running a successful business.

Now obviously most of us think that you don’t need to develop a business plan for your new craft business. But, a business plan will help you work out the financial aspects of your business before you’ve invested any time or money on a losing proposition. And lets face it, general business books don’t go into enough detail about the specifics of starting, running, and marketing a successful craft business. At the end of the day without customers, your craft business will never take off. This guide called “How to Start Your Own Craft Business” will fast-track your success. Click Here!

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10 Secrets To Creating Success in Your Life!!!!!

1. Know what you want! What are you passionate about? What could you do 24/7 and not feel tired or upset? That’s what you should be doing.
2. Believe you can have it! Believing you can have something starts by believing in your self. Healthy self esteem is absolutely necessary to achieve whatever you want in life. Believe it is possible for you! Never let anyone’s opinion of you affect your reality.
3. Devise a plan to achieve whatever it is you are after. Be specific, Make sure it is balanced. Be willing to learn. Visualize your goals.
4. Set a deadline! A goal without a deadline is simply a wish.
5. Accept total responsibility for your life. Never blame anyone or anything for situations or events in your life.
6. Be happy to serve other people. Find ways to put a smile on their face. Always put a smile on yours.
7. Live in a state of constant confident expectation. “If you advance confidently in the direction of your dreams, and endeavor to live the life which you have imagined, you will meet with success unexpected in common hours.” (Henry David Thoreau).
8. Be Grateful! Count all your blessings. Focus on what you already have. Focus on what you want and not on what you don’t want.
9. Watch your thoughts! Watch your self talk! Watch the way you talk to yourself. Always affirm that you love, accept, believe, acknowledge, support and appreciate yourself.
10. Act!!! Always seek to WIN!

W- Willing attitude!
I -(Take) Initiative!
N -Never give up!
From Dr Kenneth Onu

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7 Tips for “Craft-tastic” earning potentials..

My Product “Washi Collection”

How many people have talents?

How many people get paid for those talents?

See, that is the difference. Talents are not the
problem, money for the talents is. Probably millions of us
around the world have that problem. Nevertheless I remember as
a young child I would see my mother cook, clean, sew, decorate,
and just about everything else. She could make clothes and take
some things we took for granted and make them look like her
own creation. Wow, my mother had it going on. I think now if my
mother would have had some of the opportunities we have today
she could have been what Martha Stewart is to the world of
Crafts today. Simply put a craft is just something made by hand
or an artistic product created that requires some degree of
tactic.

That would leave one to believe that crafts consist of a wide
range of things from writing to making grandmas pies. You know
the one with the family’s secret recipe that could make you
millions if you would sell the recipe. I will give you 3 easy
tips for craft-tastic success. It’s simple and easy.

Tip#1: Know what your craft is. Make sure it is perfected or
nearly perfect.

Tip#2: Don’t copy others. Be unique. If your product is similar
to someone else’s, add something that separates it from others.

Tip#3: Present your craft as if it’s in a class all by itself.

Tip#4: Know what your craft is worth. Find out by searching the
internet and other places. Check your local craft shops or flea
markets.

Tip#5: Don’t sell yourself short. At times people don’t buy
which makes you think, “I need to lower my prices”. Not a good
idea. Good crafts will always have buyers. That is why it’s
important to do your research so you are not selling too high or
too low.

Tip#6: There is a place online for just about every craft known
to man. I’ll give an example: online auctions and e-commerce
sites.

Tip#7: Get family and friends excited. They will tell others
about your craft especially if you offer them something for
free. Find out who you will advertise to. It could make or break
your earning potential.

This articles was written by B.Mitch

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Commericalize YOUR Art! Put Your Ideas into Profitable Opportunities!!!

“UNLIMITED EDITIONS”!!!!!

I was very proud to be selected for this exhibition!!!

This Exhibition, titled “Unlimited Editions” was held in October, last year.
The concept was “Commercializing your Artwork”.

This achievement was so important, because it created a MAJOR SHIFT in my psychology about my art practise.
As Artist & Crafter, Our opportunities are extremely diverse!

Please consider,
*You are not just limited to Gallery Walls*
(My “Tea Party Series” were created into Artist books)

Think outside the SQUARE!

HAPPY Crafting!!!

Angela

PS. Click Here!

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