How to Start a Craft Business

 

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Congratulations on considering opening your own craft business! This course offers an introduction to business and guidelines that will help you create a successful and sustainable crafting business. In this course, you'll learn what to expect, how to create a business name that people will remember and determine what type of crafts you want to sell.

Targeting your market is essential for the success of any business, and we'll give you the basics on how to determine who will buy your crafts, how much to charge for them, and how to market your business to reach the widest audience range. You'll also learn some important marketing skills that will help you run your business. We'll discuss different ways to sell your crafts, including online venues and craft shows.

Creating a sustainable business means keeping your overhead low. Lessons in this course will offer tips on wholesale and retail purchasing of supplies, developing attractive packaging, and how to determine how much to charge for your crafts, as well as a number of pricing strategies that will help you set prices that generate profits.

No business, and that goes for home-based craft business, can succeed without customers. Good customer service is essential.  We'll explain some of the do's and don'ts when dealing with customers, as well as how to deal with difficult customers.

Finely, we'll discuss (briefly!) your financial obligations regarding income taxes and the importance of keeping good records. Balancing your craft business with family responsibilities will be discussed, as will reaching the masses to help you develop the best ways to reach audiences both locally, domestically and abroad.

This course will provide you with enough information to feel confident when starting your own business, and provide pointers that will help to ensure that your business endeavor is successful.

Anyone who's interested in learning about how to set up an arts and craft business is welcome to enroll in this class. You won't need a background in any particular area but you should have a high school reading level. No books are required.

 

Lesson 1: Developing Your Own Home-Based Craft Business

Lesson 2: Starting Your Home Craft Business

Lesson 3: Targeting Your Market

Lesson 4: What About Marketing Basics?

Lesson 5: Selling Your Crafts

Lesson 6: Saving on Supplies

Lesson 7: Costs and Sales

Lesson 8: Customer Service

Lesson 9: Financial Obligations

Lesson 10: Reaching The Masses

Lesson 11: Time Management

Lesson 12: Getting Paid

Lesson 13: Ten Tips for Home-Based Business Success

By successfully completing this course, students will be able to: