The Turn £100,00 into £10,000 by the end of 2010 all dribble unofficial Thread

evenstarcrafty

oh sorry etsy store is called evenstarcrafts

jo70mo

USP is quite important but even more so is marketing yourself of which usp is just one part.
being found easily on an internet search. Having a great website with fab photos. Getting known locally and through word of mouth. running competitions, gettimg writ ups and mentions on blogs etc all help.
It is ok having a USP but if no-one knows about you its not going to help.
So yes its important for you to be clear about who you are and what you are doing and be individual but also remember people may already have ideas of what they want so maybe don't go to far off the beaten track or have a flagship individual line and some of the more regular stuff too.
not meaning to be dismissive of the USP at all but just saying don't let it be really stressful for you.
Jo x

Hales

SADIE wrote: »

Hales still the same commitments for me this week, I listed a few but more to go.

List more items on Ebay
Repair some items to put on Ebay
Clean up after my Ebay frenzy

thanks sadie, i've added you on!

HopeAndDriftWood

evenstarcrafty wrote: »

oh sorry etsy store is called evenstarcrafts

Hi
In the least possible critical way, I think your problem might be the huge amount of people that sell the same things that you do. Could you make them specific to you somehow, or sell them offline?

I know papercrafts usually sell much better locally, especially because there are so many people making the same things. Are there any craft fairs near you, or primary schools you could take them too?

2cats1kid

Had a concerned PM (thanks Munchki! ) after my short-lived post that I deleted. It is about my big decision - I have Aspie tendencies and decisions/change probably worry me more than most people.

Anyway here is my dilemma. I run a mobile business working out of village halls, church halls, community centres etc. and each day is a different venue. One venue is giving me severe cause for concern re. its financial security/long term future, despite assurances from the owners. If it goes under I lose about 20% of my revenue until I can move venues, but it may not come to that.

Anyway as I've been concerned I have looked around and there is only one other venue in the vicinity which is suitable and it's about 6 miles away (so some people will be thrilled as it's closer, others will have an extra 12 mile round trip).

Current venue
Unsure re financial viability?
Separate room to use as waiting room (important)
Own car park (very important)
Filthy dirty! (and it's a childrens activity, so this is a big issue)
Have arrived to find broken windows etc. before
No ventilation - hideously stuffy in summer
Close for staff to get to
Pretty good access
Did I mention it's filthy?

Possible venue
Council run so should be secure
Recently renovated - clean and fresh
Only street parking (big big downer)
No separate waiting area except tiny room upstairs (don't want people tramping up and down stairs all the time, plus would in theory have to pay extra for this tiny room)
More scope for increasing the business here as because of location can add 1 maybe 2 hours more work
Available immediately
Cheaper! (Like about half the price)
Further to travel for 2 out of 3 staff
Not sure about ventilation, but can't be any worse!
Pretty rubbish access (for business, ok for customers)

The current venue have assured me they will be refurbishing soon, however they have been promising me this for 6 or 7 years now, so I'm not holding my breath.

I had decided (and told staff today) that we would move from September (as we work around school years, more or less), but now I'm stressing that someone will book the day I want between now and September, so I'm thinking I may need to do it from Easter. This is giving me grief, as decisions and change are bad enough, without a short timescale LOL.

I think in my heart I know I need to do it - can someone say reassuring things pls?

ETA - soz, major essay LOL

evenstarcrafty

SaucySecrets wrote: »

Hi
In the least possible critical way, I think your problem might be the huge amount of people that sell the same things that you do. Could you make them specific to you somehow, or sell them offline?

I know papercrafts usually sell much better locally, especially because there are so many people making the same things. Are there any craft fairs near you, or primary schools you could take them too?

I try to make my things a bit different and they sold well locally
i suppose I need to tout them and make more of an effort to sell them
i would love a web site but wouldnt know where to start

HopeAndDriftWood

GO FOR IT!! What are you waiting for?! Seriously, go do it. You can stress about the hassles of a move here, and we will help however we can. The pro/cons lists show it needs to be done, the old venue has no benefits, and could even affect your business if its dirty.

GO FOR IT!

HopeAndDriftWood

evenstarcrafty wrote: »

I try to make my things a bit different and they sold well locally
i suppose I need to tout them and make more of an effort to sell them
i would love a web site but wouldnt know where to start

If you go to webs.com, you can create a free website. Then get some business cards (such as vistaprint) printed with your new website addy on, and deliver them to every shop and business in your area.

If they sell well in your area, focus on that for now, and online will come. Get people nearby to spread the word!

(Did that sound really bossy? Sorry!)

Hales

SaucySecrets wrote: »

If you go to webs.com, you can create a free website. Then get some business cards (such as vistaprint) printed with your new website addy on, and deliver them to every shop and business in your area.

If they sell well in your area, focus on that for now, and online will come. Get people nearby to spread the word!

(Did that sound really bossy? Sorry!)

Don't worry we love your bossiness!!! :rotfl::T

scrooge2008

There's a nice deal on the grabbit board for Samsung B3310, which is worth checking out. I've just bought 2! which i've sold to Tesco for recycling.