The New Chapter

Many people get panicked when they find themselves unemployed, but not me.  I recently quit a job that paid me really well so I could concentrate on my online business.  I really want to make a go of this opportunity.  I have laid the preliminary ground work to this adventure and now, I have to move full steam ahead.

Am I scared?  Yes.  Am I uncertain about the future?  Yes.  Am I willing to plow ahead?  Yes.

I could have been the author of the book in the picture because I feel happier and calmer now than I have in a long time--the result of ditching the job that demanded too much of my time, energy and resources.

This new chapter is just beginning, but I will keep you posted with my thoughts and feelings and ideas.  I will try to chronicle what works and what doesn't when starting an online store.  

Three Weeks?

I can't believe it has been about 3 weeks since my last post.  Things are progressing, albeit slowly.  I have a new house to move into... that will happen this weekend.  AND it has a craft room all for ME!

We have moved to the new location where I work and I am getting settled in, there.

I have been working on my Barbie dress in my spare moments.  I will post some more pictures of her very pretty dress very soon.

For now, the business plan is sort of stagnant and so is my marketing plan.  These will resume when I am settled in my new house and actually have time to think about it. I have taken my own advice and I am not trying to do everything at once.  I felt like I was spinning my wheels and they were totally out of control.

I daily remind myself to take a deep breath, slow down, then reflect.  Crochet is still my favorite relaxation routine.

Happy Crocheting!

Karen

I have a home

The next part of my  marketing plan has been accomplished:  I bought a domain.  I now reside at www.ChesapeakeBayCrochet.com. Right now, the only thing there is a notification that the website is under construction.

$$$ TIP:  Be sure to include the cost of the domain and the hosting in your expenses.  If you purchase any software, such as a shopping cart application, be sure to include that cost, too.

I also ordered business cards and business card labels from Vistaprint that look remarkably like the picture on the right.  The image is a photo I took of Chesapeake Bay with the Chesapeake Baby Bridge Tunnel in the distance.  This is at the eastern-most edge of the bay and I took the photo from a point on the Eastern Shore.

The labels look just like the business card.  

The key to a successful start-up, is to do something to further your business every day.  Make sure you take a step forward every day.  In addition to designing and ordering business and buying the domain, I crocheted a bath set for my "Spa Collection."  It consists of a bath puff, a wash cloth and two face scrubbies.  I intend to package them in a white box that is about 6"x6"x6" and tied up with blue twine.  All I need to get is some tissue paper to wrap the items in and some pretty little hostess soaps, maybe in the shape of a sea shell... or I may even go shell collecting so I can place a few sea shells in the box. 

The idea is to make it cute and sell-able!

Organization

Keeping your online craft store organized is very important.  A craft store can get disorganized very quickly if forethought and planning does not come into play.

The easiest method for organizing your store is to decide what you are planning to sell and then organize those items into categories.  No special equipment is required--just a piece of paper or an Excel Spreadsheet.

My store will include:

• Face scrubbies
• Bath puff
• Wash Clothes
• Ruffled Scarves
• Crocheted Scarves
• Doll clothes
• Burgundy purse (already made)
• Turquoise purse (already made)
• Blue purse with vintage handles (already made)
• Variegated Pink/Brow/White purse (already made)
• Vintage Potholder--appliqued (already made)
• Vintage Potholder--blue flower (already made)
• Victorian Potholder
• Victorian dish clothes

The categories for these items will be:

Spa Collection to include:
     Face Scrubbie
     Wash cloth
     Bath puff
Wearable Art
    Ruffled Scarf
    Crochet Scarf
Barbie Clothes
    1880s Ball Gown
Handbags and totes
     Purses
Kitchen Collection
     Pot holders
     Dish cloths

While it is not possible to organize by groups or categories on eBay, Etsy does allow for this feature.  If  using eBay, each item can be listed under one of eBay's categories at the time the item is posted and each item can be posted in a different category.  If the item is listed in more than one category, there is an extra charge.  The idea is to keep the overhead costs as low as possible.  Spending extra money to list the item in multiple categories or to "bold" the listing is normally not necessary. 

Etsy allows items to be listed under different shop sections, which makes it easier for people to search the items listed.  There is a charge each month:: $0.20 for a basic listing.  

$$$ Tip:  Make certain to keep track of all charges and fees.  These fees are tax deductible. 

By categorizing each item, this enables customers to find what they are looking for more quickly.  If someone is looking for potholders, they don't want to sift through picture after picture of purses. 

Day 1: Starting my Craft Business

The key to starting any business is doing research.  This applies to a craft business.

I have begun to make a series of lists.  A list of things I need to list, if you will. 

• What do I want to sell?
• Who will buy the products?
• Do I want to specialize?
• How much does each item cost?
• How much is shipping?
• How much time to I have to spend on this project?
• What inventory do I have on hand?
• What do I need to buy?
• Where will I sell the items?
• How will I promote myself?
• What are my goals?

I am a consummate list maker, so this part is easy for me. Gathering all of this information is necessary for  creating a business plan.  Every successful business owner has created a business plan at some point.

Today, I simply have a ton of information rolling around in my brain and very little on paper.  What I do have is this:

What do I want to sell?  Hand-made crocheted items and original patterns, mostly with a vintage or Victorian look.  The reason for this is because I love lace and lacy items.  I love crochet thread items.  I love trims on pillow cases, napkins, curtains, doilies, doll dresses, lacy cuffs, lacy collars, lacy gloves... well, you get the idea.

The first piece of advice I can give anyone who wants to follow in my slow and plodding footsteps is to KEEP VERY CAREFUL RECORDS OF EVERYTHING.  This information will be important to your business plan and also to the IRS at tax time. 

Also, subscribe to any newsletters that pertain to your craft.  For instance, I have just recently subscribed to Creative Income from FaveCrafts.com .  Not only should you subscribe to the newsletters, make sure you read them as they may contain something that will give you that jolt of encouragement you need right at that moment.