If you’re looking to start a small business either as a supplementary income or for the hope it would be able to replace your occupation one day, you’ll no doubt have thrown yourself head first into research. The most common types of lifestyle business tend to involve the craft sector in some way, especially with the explosion of internet guides and how easy it is to set yourself up.
It’s easy to see why such a route is so popular, too. If you have a hobby that you love, it’s pretty much a dream to be able to turn that into something that can generate revenue. Whether you’re a cross-stitch queen, know how to knit the perfect mermaid blanket in an afternoon, or just discovered you’re handy with a paintbrush when crafting with your kids one afternoon – well, there’s no doubt that it’s preferable to being chained to a desk all the time. Even if it’s a nice desk!
Sadly, getting started on the road to making this happen is not as easy as it sounds. It’s not a case of firing up a website, investing in wholesale craft supplies, and selling online as you begin the road to your first million.
The truth is, what you need is feedback. Honest feedback, too – not just feedback that tells you that everything is wonderful and you’re the best crafter ever. That means your family are probably not cut out for the job. You need to know if the things you are making are desirable and something others would actually spend money on, from a purely business rather than ego point of view.
Major companies would, at this point, invest in research, development, and market gauging. You don’t have that option, but as a Mom, you likely know a lot of other parents – and it’s their feedback you need to seek.
Give Gifts To Get Feedback
The quickest way to get feedback is to gift items you have created. Not only does this save you a lot of money on gifts around the holidays, but it’s also a natural way to start a conversation about the kind of things that you can do.
You may think that people will just insist they love something even if they don’t – after all, it’d be impolite to turn around and reject a gift! However, it’s the conversation you need. All you have to do is drop into a conversation that you’ve thought about selling such items and see where it goes from there.
Ask Your Friends To Be Honest
With people you know better, you can ask for proper feedback. Ask them honestly if they would buy the items you create? If they would – great, what sort of price would they consider acceptable? If not, how can you make it better?
With good friends you can ask for this kind of brutal honesty. Make it clear that just being polite could be actively harmful, causing you to proceed down a road that isn’t going to have a happy ending. True friends will be honest and, with their valuable feedback, you can prepare to launch on the public at large.