Brainstorm On Selling My Crafts:
In a sort of neat outline I attempt to figure out how to profit from my recent craftiness. Pictures of my recent creations are forthcoming, probably this weekend.
Here are two major questions and some of my answers:
1) What should I make?
A) I could do custom work, allowing my clients to choose colors, item to be decoupaged, amount of re-purposed materials, and amount and type of additional ornamentation.
i) Advantages
a) Everything I made would be a guaranteed sale
ii) Disadvantages
a) I have a hard time making stuff to a deadline
B) I could make whatever the muse inspires me to make.
i) Advantages
a) It's easy to make whatever I feel like.
ii) Disadvantages
b) Stuff may or may not sell
2) How should I sell what I make?
A) Posts on my current LJ
i) Advantages
a) No need to set up any other accounts
b) Easy to remember where to post things
ii) Disadvantages
a) Hard to advertise to strangers
b) My friends might get annoyed with the posts
B) Posts on a dedicated LJ
i) Advantages
a) Uses a system I'm already familiar with
b) Won't spam my own LJ/flist
ii) Disadvantages
a) Hard to advertise to strangers
b) Keeping track of multiple LJ accounts is a pain.
C) An Etsy shop
i) Advantages
a) Easy to advertise to strangers
ii) Disadvantages
a) Have to set up a whole new account in an unfamiliar setting
b) I might have a hard time making enough stuff to stock a shop.
Solution:
(1) Create a shared shop with other creative people from among my friends.
D) Ebay
i) Advantages
a) Lots of potential customers
ii) Disadvantages
a) Prices sometimes stay lower than is ideal
Anyone have any suggestions or comments?
ETA: I always forget that I lose my text formatting when LJ actually posts.
ETA 2: Pictures of things I've made using decoupage. The Decoupage Gallery
Here are two major questions and some of my answers:
1) What should I make?
A) I could do custom work, allowing my clients to choose colors, item to be decoupaged, amount of re-purposed materials, and amount and type of additional ornamentation.
i) Advantages
a) Everything I made would be a guaranteed sale
ii) Disadvantages
a) I have a hard time making stuff to a deadline
B) I could make whatever the muse inspires me to make.
i) Advantages
a) It's easy to make whatever I feel like.
ii) Disadvantages
b) Stuff may or may not sell
2) How should I sell what I make?
A) Posts on my current LJ
i) Advantages
a) No need to set up any other accounts
b) Easy to remember where to post things
ii) Disadvantages
a) Hard to advertise to strangers
b) My friends might get annoyed with the posts
B) Posts on a dedicated LJ
i) Advantages
a) Uses a system I'm already familiar with
b) Won't spam my own LJ/flist
ii) Disadvantages
a) Hard to advertise to strangers
b) Keeping track of multiple LJ accounts is a pain.
C) An Etsy shop
i) Advantages
a) Easy to advertise to strangers
ii) Disadvantages
a) Have to set up a whole new account in an unfamiliar setting
b) I might have a hard time making enough stuff to stock a shop.
Solution:
(1) Create a shared shop with other creative people from among my friends.
D) Ebay
i) Advantages
a) Lots of potential customers
ii) Disadvantages
a) Prices sometimes stay lower than is ideal
Anyone have any suggestions or comments?
ETA: I always forget that I lose my text formatting when LJ actually posts.
ETA 2: Pictures of things I've made using decoupage. The Decoupage Gallery