Tips for Crafters/Artists

I got an email today from Louis of Event Lister and it had some great tips I wanted to pass on to you artists out there!!

Ideas for Artists and Crafters:
How Artists/Crafters Can Make More Money:

As an Artist or Crafter, you will only get out what you put in. These days you even have to put in more to get out the same as yesteryear. So, if you want to make MORE money in this field, you need to increase the amount of WORK you do AND the QUALITY of it, anything else is fantasy. Smarts and planning will help, but hands down you will need to find a way to make MUCH MORE PRODUCT for MUCH LESS MONEY AND TIME and have it be of HIGHER QUALITY than before.

You will not get rich with a few dozen items on your single table at a show close to home. You won't either with a thousand less costly but nicer items in 2 booths, acting like a salesperson, at what you researched to be the best show in the state on that day, but you're bound to fare better.

Keys to Success: Preparation, Research, Learning, Planning, and Execution.

Think BIG! - You will unlikely see much more, let alone many times, your current yearly profit unless you do more, better shows AND sell more at each AND make more profit on each item AND sell more items per sale.

Start By:
1. Review your suppliers and sources. If you are buying thousands of dollars of anything, make sure you are getting the best possible price, find out what is necessary to qualify for discounts. Shop around with new suppliers, prices are never stable and there are almost always deals to be found or made.
2. Find a way to produce more for less cost to you in less time. Then, stock, carry, and DISPLAY more inventory.
3. Book larger, better shows, and ask more for your quality products at them. The top customers are still to be had and still travel in packs!
4. Create a Customer Base - Start a customer/mailing list! Send them announcements of shows you are doing near them and include a few repeat-customer specials with each mailing.

There are MANY MORE tips but I don't want to copy it all here as it's REALLY long. Email me if you're interested and I can forward on the info to you!

Ciao!
Tarah