Elizabeth Jewelry

Crafty Home Business Ideas

If you are blessed with crafting talents, you are in luck. Selling crafts, either online or at craft fairs, is a wonderful way to bring in extra cash.

Online Sales

Selling crafts online is much easier than most people think. As long as you have an inventory of completed items that are easy to ship, you can start selling your items online without much difficulty. An easy way to get started is by creating an online craft store through www.Etsy.com.

Etsy is an online craft site that is very easy for sellers to use. Signing up for the site and setting up your store is free. The site charges a small listing fee and a 3.5% fee on each item sold.

While Etsy is an easy way to get started, you should eventually purchase your own domain (website address) and set up your own website or blog. A very affordable e-commerce solution is Shop Kit Plus (www.shopkitplus.com).

Craft Fairs

Local craft fairs are another wonderful way to sell your crafts. Many areas have several of these, especially around the holiday season. Here you can set up a booth or table and the shoppers will come to you.

There is usually a fee for space or a table, but these are generally minimal. Check with the local chamber of commerce, churches or civic organizations to find out if there are events scheduled locally at which you can purchase a table.

Other Local Ideas

Another way to sell your items locally is take a cue from the direct sales industry and have a home party! Invite your friends and family over, and encourage them to bring a guest.

On the day of the party, create a nice display of your items. Let your guests touch and feel your items. If you do not have enough supply on hand, simply take orders for your items and deliver the item when itís completed. Make a cateloge of some of your favorite best sellers. Encourage your guests to have their own home party for your items by giving a special discount to your future hostesses.

If you are a crafty person, who enjoys crafting as a hobby, you can turn your favorite pastime into a moneymaking venture. Many people do not have these talents and will be more than happy to pay for your handmade items.

It is actually easier than you think to get your handmade products into stores. Elizabeth Jewelry is in dozens of Northwest stores, all obtained without a BA! Next week I will post everything I know about how to get your wonderful handmade products into stores! Take care and stay cool in this heat!

BLOGGING!

Become A Blog Designer

Did you know that many people are now using blogging platforms, such as Wordpress, to create both blogs and websites? Even large companies such as Ford Motor Company use Wordpress as the base for their website.

There are many reasons that businesses, both large and small are turning to Wordpress. For starters, it is open source, which means that it is free! It is easy to customize and can serve many different purposes. A person may use it to create a simple online journal or it can be modified into an e-commerce store that sells hundreds or thousands of products.

If you are familiar with Wordpress and know how to customize a theme, you should consider becoming a blog designer. Unlike a web designer, you wonít need to know anything too specialized or difficult.

You will need to know how to upload a theme and customize it by changing the colors, and add a customized header. If you are not skilled in graphic design, you could outsource the creation of the header.

As a blog designer, you could choose to work locally. Many of your local business owners may not be very familiar with websites, blogs, and the differences between them. They may not have even heard of Wordpress before.

They may not realize that it is a very affordable option for their website. Traditional website design can cost quite a bit of money. By educating local business owners on the benefits of Wordpress, you may find yourself with a full client load very soon.

Of course, you can also work online and design blogs for people you meet virtually. Most people with an online business are very comfortable working with people theyíve never met face to face.

As a blog designer, you can also add on blog coaching services, where you teach your clients how to navigate their new Wordpress blog. Writing a post may seem like a simple activity to you, but it may be daunting to someone whoís never used Wordpress.

There are other blog platforms you could choose to work with, such as Blogger and Moveable Type. The possibilities of a blog design business are endless!

JULY GOALS

Ok, July Goals for my Business:

Finish all 230 item sample line (23 to go)

Photograph all items for cateloge by Professional

Write up wholesale and retail price lists

Have Cateloge layout made by Professional

Print 100 cateloges (28 pages each)

Make 100 cateloges on C/D's

Search out national stores to mail C/D's to.

Send out Print Cateloges to existing Wholesale accounts

Upload all 230 Items on Etsy.

Must be done by end of July for Christmas orders!!!