WAHM > Stay at Home Mom Work Ideas > Traditional Product > Craft Supply Business from Home

Start a Craft Supplies Business

What you will be doing.  Crafters need supplies in order to construct their masterpieces.  Schools need supplies to teach art classes to their students.  The same goes for colleges.  Parents need crafting kits to entertain excited children at birthday parties.   

You can supply the needs of all of these individuals with one business—craft supply.  By contacting these individuals through flyers, mailings, and online advertising, a client base will slowly but surely form.  With the help of a wholesale warehouse, you can complete your home inventory at a discount. 

Creating an online presence will give you other ways to expand your business.  Articles written by you and others about how to craft and other tidbits will keep the viewers coming back.  A shopping cart on your website will keep your inventory and overhead low while increasing profits.   

How to start.  Any type of vendor needs a license.  The local Chamber of Commerce office can help with the exact requirements for running a business from home.  A license also allows products to be purchased at the wholesale price instead of retail. 

Any business needs a base of operations.  You can use a home office or a garage.  Shelving, a computer, printer, fax, phone, and filing system will be needed at the beginning.  Organization is the key to filling orders quickly and staying ahead.   

Starting costs.  If you already own a computer and printer, you can deduct that cost from the starting amount.  Whatever inventory you decide to start with needs to be properly labeled and catalogued in a computer program.  Software is available to track your inventory as you fill orders. 

Advertising will cost the most money.  There is a wealth of places to contact with a craft supply business.  Plan to spend at least $500 on your advertising campaign.  Developing a catalogue is a great selling point for businesses and schools.  Offer a discount on the first order to get their business. 

Skills needed.  A good rapport with people and selling skills will get you far.  People like a confident salesperson that is not pushy, but willing to do what it takes to get their business.  This will come into play more so when you are dealing with individuals that buy products.  Taking care of customer concerns as they arise will earn you a reputation as an honest and fair businessperson.

Marketing.  Using a phonebook, create your own mailing list of businesses in the area.  Send out professional mailings that mention your products and prices.  Include a business card that can be placed in a rolodex in case the letter is lost.   

Place flyers in mailboxes at daycare centers, on bulletin boards in places where parents frequent with their kids, and at grocery stores.  Craft kits work well at birthday parties.  Design your own and sell them on eBay to gauge the demand and from whom.   

Craft supplies are a needed item.  The business is easy to start and can be run online exclusively if you desire.  But, to gain the bigger accounts you will need to do some serious marketing.

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