Hobby or
Home Based Business?

© by Cheryl Coccaro; all rights reserved

If you have a home based business, you have many options for creating success or failure.

Selling at craft shows, on the Internet, or through your own website, you need to ask yourself... "How do I *see* my business? Is it as a hobby or a full-fledged business?"

Do you want to earn a regular income or just some part-time extra money?

Do you want to become known in your field, or are you happy just creating and enjoying your creations yourself?

Whether it be jewelry, candles, crafts, sewing, painting, rubber stamping, or one of many other craft venues, you need to ask yourself the above questions BEFORE you deem yourself a failure. Most likely you have NOT given it your best effort. Notice I said failure, not success. We always go to the negative when things go wrong, but through failure comes success!

Do you approach people and strike up a conversation and leave them with your business card?

Do you even have a business card?

If you do craft shows, do you have printed a list of shows where you are displaying your wares? A show is a great marketing opportunity to show others exactly what your home based business is about and a way to make some money. Start small and ease yourself into the bigger and more expensive shows.

To promote oneself is not bragging. It's saying, " Hey, I have a business and a product that might be of interest to you."

How much time do you devote to promoting your business?

You should be spending at least 2 days per week, every week on promoting your business. My time in my studio is precious and when I'm creating, I give it my full attention. When I am at my computer, I am promoting my business. I spend at least 2 hours every day in active promotion which includes updating my 6 sites and writing articles of interest.

Chatting on forum boards is not considered promoting your work, unless, of course, you are selling items that would be needed by the forum readers. You need to venture out into areas where you are not familiar. Visit other forums and see if you can help anyone with your unique knowledge and experiences.

Make your answers helpful and then include a signature at the end, if permitted, which links to your website. You will receive a lot of hits and notice an increase in revenue.

Create a newsletter so everyone who is interested can join. Send them an email when you list new items or have listed a new auction.

Gather email addresses of people who have bought from you before, and send them a link to your website when new items are listed. Soon you will have a mailing list in the hundreds.

Have about 1,000 color postcards made up with a color image of one of your best pieces, to represent your work. On the back of the card, print up dates of the shows you will be attending, your website address, and telephone number.

Distribute them everywhere. Leave stacks of them at the library, small gift shops, post office, and just consider this method one way of marketing yourself.

Stay in touch with your customers. Let them know what is going on. Create a news press release and send it to the editor of your newspaper.

People love to watch other people and see how they are progressing.

It's your career - so make it your best effort....

Unless it's your hobby. Then just have fun!

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