Key Strategies for Expanding Your Crafts Business
If you love crafts, you may have tried to turn your hobby into a profitable business, and the chances are that you’ve succeeded! But when it comes to taking a business off the ground, there’s more to know than just creating a few pieces and putting them up for sale!
As you turn your idea from vision to reality, it is important to give structure to your operations and lay the foundations of a successful, long-lasting business. In this guide, we’ll look at a few aspects that you should not overlook when looking to expand your craft business. Let’s dive in!
Securing Additional Space for Growth
If you have launched a bootstrapped business, the chances are that you have started selling your creations from your home office, garage, or even from your living room! After all, if you create with macrame, clay, or metal, there’s no better way to let the creative flow run free than in a place where you feel comfortable and at peace.
However, as sales stream in, it is important to level up your operations to ensure that you can meet demand without affecting the quality of your work. Think about designating a space where you can store your materials, tools, and even the creations that are ready to be shipped as soon as they are ordered.
For this, you’ll need a larger, well-organised space where you can move freely and stay safe as you work. If office spaces or physician stores come with high rent prices, you may consider leveraging storage rooms instead. These are great to keep your creations and materials safe and readily available as you need!
Building Brand Identity
Next up, let’s talk about the importance of creating a brand identity. It is important for customers, especially returning ones, to develop trust and a personal relationship with your brand. And, having a well-defined brand identity can help!
A brand identity is created by determining your brand voice, colour schemes, logo, values, and mission. These are then communicated through your marketing and branding materials—from your website’s home page to your packaging and digital products.
This strategy is important to boost brand recognition and develop an identity that your customers know they can trust!
Developing a Team You Can Rely on
While you may have started this project alone, running a business isn’t a one-person band! You’ll need trusted experts to support you! You may start by looking at hiring creatives and artists who can help you with non-core aspects of developing your creations.
However, don’t forget that your business can also benefit from the assistance of a specialised accountant, IT expert, marketing team, and customer service specialists! These can look after the different functions and aspects of your business as you focus on your creations!
Expanding Your Online Presence
If you are looking to grow your sales and increase your business’s reach, you will need to focus on developing a reliable online presence. And, not just through a single channel! A few of the different strategies that you should implement as part of a comprehensive growth plan include:
Leverage the reach of marketplaces like Amazon, eBay, and Etsy by creating a digital storefront.
Manage reviews and feedback to develop more personal relationships with your customers.
Make sure to have a business website that is fast, intuitive, and accessible. Don’t overlook the importance of mobile-friendliness!
Consider partnering with other creatives, joining initiatives, and taking part in industry events to gain exposure in the sector.
Secure social media handles for your brand name, so that you can begin building a digital community.
Develop your Google Business profile, and use local SEO to help local clients find your business.
Diversifying Your Product Line
Creating a signature piece, especially if it is unique in the market or it goes viral, can be a fantastic growth strategy. However, once people get to know you and your products, they may expect a growing range of choices to suit different needs and preferences. To ensure that you are responding to your customers’ demands, you may consider developing ideas and testing them in the market.
Alternatively, if you’d like to make a well-informed bet for a very specific type of product, you should consider investing in your knowledge and skills to perfect your creations, add new features, and improve the quality and value delivered to your customers.
Enhancing Customer Relationships
Last but not least, remember that your customers are the lifeblood of your business. Be sure to begin developing relationships of trust and respect with each of your customers, and don’t compromise on customer service quality as your business grows! Here, customer service specialists can truly make a world of a difference!
