Boutique - Turning Your Hobbies Into Profit
Do you have hobbies you love doing? Would you like to make money selling your product? Do you feel intimidated to put yourself on the line? Do you wonder if anyone would buy your product? Are you unsure how much you should charge for each item? These are questions that many entrepreneurs starting their own business ask themselves.
Each of you has something you do well. Discover what it is you can do, then market your abilities. The best part is you'll be making money while simultaneously improving your skills. Thereby, making you even more money in the future!
Turning your hobbies into income is not easy but the adventure can be exciting and rewarding. The first thing you should do is make a business plan. You need to start your journey knowing that it will take a lot of time and work. You will not become rich overnight. Many times people going into a boutique for the first time are lacking sleep-their emotions up one minute and down the next. They are putting themselves on the line. If the boutique does not produce as well as they would have liked, they give up. They need to understand that boutiques can be a strange business. What sells well at one show may not do as well at the next, or vice versa. Consistency and dedication are critical to one's success.
The following are three important keys that will help you succeed as a first time vendor at a boutique:
1. Soliciting feedback: When developing your product, ask family and friends for their opinion. Most of the time, they will be your best support. Not only will they be honest with you and tell you what you need to change-they will also share what they think is good. If you have a family member or friend that is excessively critical or judgmental, they are probably not the best one to ask for advice. A great support system can be a wonderful thing when starting your own business.
2. Deciding how to price your items: This is always a hard decision. A good rule of thumb is to ask yourself how much you spent making the product? After you have figured that amount, double it. For example, if you have made a floral basket and spent $15.00 in supplies, charge $30.00 for the item. One of the biggest mistakes new vendors make is over pricing the product. Ask yourself, "would I pay that amount for that item?" If the answer is "no", then you have priced it too high.
3. Deciding on a product to sell: Do research on your product. This will help you decide on colors, style and technique. Look around at businesses in your area-they do a lot of research on styles and colors. Go to craft stores and look at their displays. This could give you additional ideas.
Starting a small business based around one of your hobbies can generate income. It is not difficult to earn several thousands of dollars or more each year, doing something you love in your free time. The key is not to let the hobby-as-business overwhelm you. Keep it fun. Do not let it become a chore. Creating your own retail business can be satisfying.
Start out with a smaller show to keep costs down. As you become more confident in your product and your display, work your way up to larger shows. The most important thing is to enjoy what you are doing.
Each of you has something you do well. Discover what it is you can do, then market your abilities. The best part is you'll be making money while simultaneously improving your skills. Thereby, making you even more money in the future!
Turning your hobbies into income is not easy but the adventure can be exciting and rewarding. The first thing you should do is make a business plan. You need to start your journey knowing that it will take a lot of time and work. You will not become rich overnight. Many times people going into a boutique for the first time are lacking sleep-their emotions up one minute and down the next. They are putting themselves on the line. If the boutique does not produce as well as they would have liked, they give up. They need to understand that boutiques can be a strange business. What sells well at one show may not do as well at the next, or vice versa. Consistency and dedication are critical to one's success.
The following are three important keys that will help you succeed as a first time vendor at a boutique:
1. Soliciting feedback: When developing your product, ask family and friends for their opinion. Most of the time, they will be your best support. Not only will they be honest with you and tell you what you need to change-they will also share what they think is good. If you have a family member or friend that is excessively critical or judgmental, they are probably not the best one to ask for advice. A great support system can be a wonderful thing when starting your own business.
2. Deciding how to price your items: This is always a hard decision. A good rule of thumb is to ask yourself how much you spent making the product? After you have figured that amount, double it. For example, if you have made a floral basket and spent $15.00 in supplies, charge $30.00 for the item. One of the biggest mistakes new vendors make is over pricing the product. Ask yourself, "would I pay that amount for that item?" If the answer is "no", then you have priced it too high.
3. Deciding on a product to sell: Do research on your product. This will help you decide on colors, style and technique. Look around at businesses in your area-they do a lot of research on styles and colors. Go to craft stores and look at their displays. This could give you additional ideas.
Starting a small business based around one of your hobbies can generate income. It is not difficult to earn several thousands of dollars or more each year, doing something you love in your free time. The key is not to let the hobby-as-business overwhelm you. Keep it fun. Do not let it become a chore. Creating your own retail business can be satisfying.
Start out with a smaller show to keep costs down. As you become more confident in your product and your display, work your way up to larger shows. The most important thing is to enjoy what you are doing.