Blogs

Grow Your Handmade Business with Facebook Groups

Posted by Cynthia Boris

Facebook Groups
Facebook Groups have been around for a long time, but it’s only been in the past few years that they’ve really taken off. There are small groups for just about every club, team and community on the planet and larger groups that cover everything from Astronomy to the X-Files. As a handmade seller, there are three good reasons to join multiple Facebook groups: to learn, to network and to sell. That last one is the one that can get you into the most trouble, so let’s take them in the least volatile order.

Increase Your Online Store Sales When You Incorporate These 2017 Spring Trends

Posted by Cynthia Boris

Pantone Colors 2017
Spring is a time of change and renewal and it’s the perfect time to refresh the offerings in your online store. The best place to start is with the fashion and designs for 2017. Your customers have read about these trends on Elle, Vogue, and House Beautiful. They’ve send them on Instagram and Pinterest. They’ve actively looking to add these fresh touches to their home and wardrobe so why not give them what they’re asking for.

IndieMade Inspiration: Chrissie C of Music Jewellery Online

Posted by Cynthia Boris

Music Jewellery Online

Like many entrepreneurs, Chrissie's business evolved out of her own interest in finding something that simply wasn't available. Frustrated by the lack of options, she decided to solve the problem for herself, and for others, by opening up her own online store. With Chrissie around, it's music, music, music but she still found time to stop and type out the answers to our burning questions.

 

How Do You Measure Success : Growing Your Handmade Business in 2017

Posted by Cynthia Boris

Woman with Flowers
As soon as you make the decision to start selling your handmade goods online, it’s all about that first sale. It’s a huge thrill knowing someone wants what you made, and the money is nice, too. But sales are like potato chips – you can’t have just one, you need another and then another. And if you don’t get as many as you hoped in the time frame you imagined, it’s easy to get discouraged. In one week you go from feeling like a successful entrepreneur to feeling like a total failure. That’s one, tough roller coaster ride. Obviously, you want to sell what you make but to survive the long haul, you need to open yourself up to other measures of success.

Grow Your Handmade Business in 2017

Posted by Cynthia Boris

Dream Business
There’s something about a fresh, new year that inspires us all to step up and dream big. If you already have an Indiemade store, then you’ve already accomplished the “step up” part. Now, it’s time for the “dream big”. Whether you’re looking for your first individual sale or your first wholesale purchase order, we’re here to help. To get you on the right road, we’ve gathered together this list of links to previously published content that can help you achieve your goals big or small.

Yes Virginia, It Is Okay to Take a Break During the Holidays

Posted by Cynthia Boris

Relaxed
When you run a small business taking time off can be especially scary. If, on top of your Indiemade business, you also have a family to care for and / or another job , taking time off can be downright terrifying. We tell ourselves that the fear comes out of our work ethic or possibly the fear of losing our jobs (or customers) if we’re not constantly taking care of business. But deep down, what we’re really afraid of is not being needed or missed.

How to Sell Your Handmade Goods on Instagram (Social Media 101)

Posted by Cynthia Boris

Instagram is a great social media channel for promoting your work but it has one, big drawback – you can’t put live links in your posts. If someone sees your piece and wants to buy it, they have to navigate to your profile page, click to visit your store, then locate the specific piece they say on Instagram. With each click and page load, your chances of losing the customers grows and grows. So why not sell them while you have them, right on that very same Instagram post? The “how” is going to sound kind of hinky and off-putting, but 1,000’s of Instagrammers are using it every day to buy and sell clothing, shoes and books. Why shouldn’t they be using it to buy your handmade goods, too!

Giving Thanks for Handmade

Posted by Cynthia Boris

Vintage Thanksgiving
Today, we don’t seem to mind being a carbon copy – in fact, we seem to relish it. Carrying the same designer bag as a celebrity means you’re on trend. Having the same, brand new iPhone means you’re in the know and giving your kids the same toys as every other kid in their class makes you a good parent. It’s weird how we’ve come to covet sameness. Happily, this isn’t true for all of us. Some people enjoy being different. Some people covet the unusual and thrive on having a one-of-a-kind item that no one else has. These are the heritors of handmade. They’re people who truly appreciate the lost art of handwork be it jewelry or clothing or toys, bathsoaps, carved ducks or dog leashes. These people are willing to spend a little more in order to buy something with fingerprints.

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