Richard AgamaMaking a handmade piece of art can always feel satisfying. However, embracing your hobby and making it into a career is a dream for many people. Luckily, if you have a craft you love and flourish in, here are a few tips for running an at-home craft business. Before you know it, you’ll have customers that love and appreciate your work!
Obtain the Necessary Licenses and Forms
One of the most time-consuming parts of establishing your craft business is filling out the necessary paperwork. You need to find the required licenses, permits, and insurance so you can legally run a business in your home.
Depending on where you live, license types vary. There’s a chance you’ll need business licenses for state, federal, and local levels. If you feel unsure where to start, explore the SBA—Small Business Administration—for resources to get you started.
Have an Optimal POS
Whether you sell directly on social media or through an e-commerce website, you must have a proper POS system to rely on. It isn’t just about marketing and mailing off your products; you need to track your sales, have stocked inventory, and have an established customer service resource.
However, it’s also important to know common issues with POS systems and how to fix them. For example, you can’t enter descriptions or quantities into the appropriate fields in your POS software. Make sure you thoroughly research different POS systems for your at-home business and what to do if you run into issues.
Follow a Niche Interest
One of the smartest tips for running an at-home craft business is finding a niche group of people to sell to. Of course, it doesn’t have to be the most obscure interest in the world, but rather catering towards a group in demand of limited resources.
This means you can have dedicated, thankful customers that will keep coming back to you. For example, you can create polymer clay berry hairpins for those who love handmade hair accessories. It’s a great way to show a small audience that you hear them and want to provide for them.
Have a Distinct Business Name
Finding the perfect business name should establish your business and make you stand out against the competition. Your business name can come from your last name, a combination of nouns, or something unique. While your business name should stand out and remain eye-catching, it shouldn’t come across as jarring.
The last thing you want is to turn away a potential customer from how your business name sounds. Ask friends or family for their opinion and see how they feel about going to a business with a specific word you chose.
When you finally pursue your dream of opening a craft business, you’ll be able to let your creativity flow free. Whether you take commissions or have a specific catalog, you’ll quickly find customers that love your work.
