Do you have a hobby that you are really passionate about? Do others know of this hobby and often ask you when are you going to make a living out of it? Do you too have similar thoughts of turning into an entrepreneur by taking your hobby to the next level? There is no better time than now!
Hobbies involving crafting and creating handmade products are always popular. Also, handmade products have their own unique charm and a touch of personalisation that cannot be replaced by anything that is manufactured on the assembly line. Whether it is the warmth of a quilted blanket or the creativity of a quilling craft wall frame or the uniqueness of a terrarium with mini gnomes or the chicness of a beaded clutch, none of it can be traded off for a factory produced product. In fact, the market for handmade products is growing by leaps and bounds, the proof of which is the recent introduction of Etsy in India.
So if you are deciding to turn your craft of making handmade products into a small business you are on the right track. The next step is to ensure that your products are ready for the retail market. The goal of converting your hobby into a business is to create your own personal brand that embodies thoughtfully crafted visual assets that are an expression of yourself and that create a niche space for itself in the market.
A few pointers will help prepare you to don the cap of an entrepreneur with ease and be prepared to face the world of entrepreneurship with confidence.
Tips To Make You And Your Handmade Products Market Ready
- Register And Establish Your Business
The first step while turning your hobby into a business is to think of a name for the business and register the business. You can decide on the type of business entity by weighing in the pros and cons of each type and the decision also depends on whether you are going to run the business solo or with a partner. The process of registration of the business goes a long way in creating the right professional impression of your enterprise in front of the customers.
- Create An Online Presence
One of the vital tasks to do in today’s digital age post registering the business is to have an online presence of the business. This means that you must create a website which provides an access to the customers situated anywhere in the world to your creativity and your products. Within the website ensure that the customers can see all the products and can even purchase them. For this, you can easily tie up with one of the many online payment portals thus making your products reach a wider audience. While displaying the products online, remember to put up flawless photos of your products in order to display your craft and creativity in the best possible way.
Apart from having a website, it is important to create a presence on various online social media platforms as they are a great resource to help advertise and sell your products. An account on various platforms is a must in today’s times of digital marketing and online advertising.
- Branding And Packaging Of Products
To create a professional impression it is important to focus on the packaging of the products. To begin with, all the items must have a barcode for ease of invoicing and to keep track of the order and the product details. This can be easily accomplished by applying for barcode registration and further, it can help the business to supply the products easily to e-commerce platforms. Barcode registration also makes the business eligible for trading with modern day trade retailers. Other benefits of going for barcoding of the products include-
- It helps capture data in a completely automatic manner
- The information captured is 100% accurate
- It reduces the chances of human errors, thus providing a reliable method to read encoded information
- It supports real time and accurate management of stock
- It ensures the accurate dispatch of orders as per customer orders
- In the case of retail billing, it helps speed the billing process while retaining accuracy
Additionally, while packing the products, ensure that the items be packed in a proper secure package that can be shipped safely anywhere without damaging the product. The packaging must also carry your brand name and information about your products and the business in general. Attractive and ergonomic packaging and branding always have a deep, positive impact on the customers and they can easily connect with you and the products.
Apart from these essentials tips ensure that the business has the necessary permits and licences and that you take care of the accounts and file and pay the taxes on time because these compliances form an integral part of a business.
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