Author: christine

A Cutting for Business reader recently stumped me on a question: “What is the difference between a ring spun cotton shirt and a regular cotton shirt?” Honestly, I have some ring spun tee shirts and I know that they are softer than regular cotton shirts – but why?

Regular Cotton versus Ring Spun Cotton

The cotton fibers used in both regular cotton and ring spun cotton are the same; however the process to make the two types of shirts are different:

Regular cotton: When creating regular cotton shirts, the strands of cotton fiber are twisted together to make yarn. The cotton yarn is then woven together to make cotton fabric. From the fabric, shirts are created.

Similarly, ring-spun cotton yarn is made by constantly twisting and thinning the cotton strands to make yarn. The higher number of times that the strands are twisted will determine how soft the cotton yarn becomes. (This similar to thread count in sheets: the higher the thread count – the better the quality.) Ring spun shirts generally look slightly fuzzier than regular cotton.

Which one is better in your Silhouette Cameo or Cricut Business?

It’s a personal choice. Both types of shirts will accept heat transfers, vinyl, and rhinestones. From the explanation above you can guess that ring spun cotton shirts are more expensive than regular cotton shirts. However, ring spun cotton shirts are more durable and softer than their regular cotton counterparts. If you offer ring spun cotton shirts, be sure to highlight this in your listing by noting that ring spun cotton is higher quality and softer.

Wondering the best place to buy tee shirts? Head over to this post.

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Previously, I’ve talked about basic copywriting tactics to use in your Silhouette or Cricut small business. Today, let’s look at some calls to action. A call to action is the words you use to get your customer to do something. The something could be click a button, buy a product, like your Facebook page, share something with a friend, or anything else. Calls to action are great within your product descriptions, social media, emails, and more.

With the holidays creeping closer, good calls to action can help you make more sales. (And, who doesn’t want more sales?)

25+ Calls to Action to Use in Your Craft Business

Share this post with a friend.
Like this picture if you can relate.
Limited number available, order today.
While supplies last, order now.
Message me now to start your custom order.
Email me to learn more.
Order today and get free shipping.
Sign up for our mailing list and get a coupon in your inbox.
Double tap if you agree. (Great for Instagram!)
Click here for a sneak peek of a new product.
Tag a friend that would love (name of your product).
Order now to get your free gift.
Learn more about (your product).
Discover how to (do something). (Great for how to videos!)
Watch this video to learn more.
Follow (name of company/us) on (social media network).
Browse the entire collection.
Click here to receive a quote.
Share why you love (product name).
Upload a photo of your new (product name).
Preorder to make sure you get one.
Hurry, sale ends at midnight.
Get one before I run out.
Shop with us now.

When you are creating your own calls to action, be sure to use verbs. If you need a refresher, verbs are action words like join, click, order, stop, or start.

Before you go, consider using negative calls to action, too. Words such as worried, sick, or confused work well. Here’s a few examples:

Worried that your package won’t arrive on time? Upgrade to overnight shipping.
Sick of searching for the perfect birthday gift? Click here.
Confused about the choosing the perfect colors? Email me now.

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Words are powerful. We’ve all seen this through famous speeches, literary works, and quotes. Words can also be powerful in our product descriptions and social media marketing. Today, let’s look at copywriting – specifically in our product descriptions.

Not sure what copywriting means? It’s just a fancy term for the words that you use to describe your products to your customers or get your message across in marketing. Good copywriting can go a long way, so let’s look at a few tips:

Tips for Copywriting in Your Craft Business

• Find a voice and use it. Small and micro businesses (those run by one or two people) are special. Many customers seek out small businesses – so talk like a small business. Use first person language like, “I created this product” or “I chose this design”. You aren’t a large corporation, so don’t try to make yourself sound like one.
• Tell a story. Since your customer can’t see your item, put it in their virtual hands. You can do this by highlighting the texture, colors, smell, and usefulness of your product.
• Be to the point. Customers are busy and won’t take the time to read overly wordy descriptions. When customers don’t read descriptions, problems arise. You can help customers read things by being to the point. I also find that using lists or bullet points helps customers get the main points.
• Steer clear of empty words. Words like “best”, “finest”, “prettiest”, and more. Couldn’t every seller say their product was the “best”? Empty words don’t help your listing, so skip them.
• Use a diamond pattern of information. When creating your listings, put the most important information at the top. Put supporting information and details in the middle, and repeat your important information at the end.
• Qualify your information. This means that you tell your customer the why behind your listing. There is an older psychology study that highlights the importance of qualifying information to people and using the word “because”. Take 5 minutes and read it here. The shortened version is that people respond better to phrases when you use the word “because”. Try it out in your descriptions. A few examples: “This framed vinyl quote will look great on your wall because the neutral colors blend with any decor.” Or: “Be sure to buy today because the sale ends tomorrow.”
• Rhyming works. Think of some large brands or companies. Do they have rhyming jingles? They probably do because rhyming helps your brain remember things. Try it out in your social media.

Have a few free hours today? Why not take a few minutes to look over your product descriptions and see where you can improve them? Need more tips? Here’s 11 questions your product description must answer.

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Are you planning on a craft show in the future, but thinking of making all the products daunting? Don’t worry, I’ve got an idea for you.

Today, I’m going to share how to easily build up stock in your craft business. The best thing about this method is that it works whether you are prepping for a craft show or just wanting to build up ready to ship inventory.

I’ve had several Cutting for Business readers ask me about rhinestones, more specifically – are rhinestones a profitable addition to my Silhouette or Cricut business? I’ll be honest with you, I am not much of a “bling” person. However, I know someone who is! Welcome Lisa Potts from The Rhinestone World. I’ll turn it over to her:

One of the most common statements I hear from people is, “I have always wanted to do rhinestones, but I am too intimidated!” In your Silhouette business, rhinestones are an easy item to start using with high profits. Due to the demand of bling shirts with weddings, dance moms, and sport moms; a Silhouette business can quickly increase their profits by simply adding rhinestones to their existing offerings.

What do you need to get started?

If you already own a Silhouette, then the biggest investment is already purchased! With just a few more items, you’ll be ready to start cranking out some awesome bling!

Rhinestones

This is the most obvious item needed, of course. Be advised, there is a difference in rhinestone quality. Your products carry your business’ reputation, so make sure you are purchasing the best quality stones for your customers so you can proudly stand behind your work. Apparel rhinestones are called “hot-fix” rhinestones. These have a heat activated glue on the back and are best applied with a heat press. They can be pressed to most fabrics and Bling N-E-Thing decal material. Rhinestones are not recommended to be pressed to 100% nylon, ribbed garments, satin, or denim due to the likelihood of the stones falling off over time. TRW uses and recommends Korean low lead rhinestones for customers and businesses as they are the best quality for an affordable price. While rhinestones can be applied with a home iron, a heat press is the best option because you can regulate the pressure and temperature.

Rhinestone Sizes and Types

Rhinestones come in a variety of sizes, measured in “ss” units. The larger the number, the bigger the stone. SS10 rhinestones are the most common stones with the widest variety of colors.

• SS6: 2mm
• SS10: 3mm
• SS16: 4 mm
• SS20: 5 mm

Rhinestones can come in other sizes, but SS6, SS10, SS16, and SS20 are the most commonly found and easiest to work with. In addition to the basic colors, you can also purchase Korean low lead stones in Arora Borealis or “AB” colors. These stones have an iridescent coat on the stone that reflects light more and creates a more “sparkling” appearance.

Machine cut rhinestones contain more facets than our Korean low lead stones, which results in a higher quality and a brighter shine. These are most commonly used for accent pieces in designs due to their higher cost.

Template Material

Let’s be honest here, you’re thinking that these rhinestones are going to be hand placed, right? That’s the beauty of template material. Cut out a template with holes, brush the stones in, and you’ve got a rhinestone transfer ready in minutes! A common complaint about template material is that not all the stones go in and you will have to flip over the stones. We recommend Sticky Flock template material. A brush is needed to make your template. A simple paint brush from the hardware store will be perfect for the job. Brush your stones in, and it will be nearly perfect, requiring minimal adjustments. The best part? The template material is reusable! Cut it one time and you can use it over 50 times!

Just like adhesive vinyl, transfer tape is used to move your design onto the item you are putting it on. Acrylic Hot-Fix Tape is needed to move rhinestones and is made to withstand the heat of your application. Like Sticky Flock, Hot-Fix Tape can be reused a few times.

The Cost and Profits

The highest up front cost you would have for rhinestones is the Sticky Flock template material, which is normally around 7-8 dollars a foot. The good part is that because the material is reusable, your cost will be made up in just a few shirts. The average material cost in a shirt could range from 5-9 dollars, but can sell for over $30. Customizations, like an added name or number, can easily raise your retail price with an even lower material cost. Cutting an alphabet in advance (called pre-cuts) can allow you to piece together names for any customization, further increasing the profits you can make from your material.

The following images are one example of a shirt cost and what it can retail for:

A special thanks to Lisa (from The Rhinestone World) for stopping in and showing us how profitable (and easy!) rhinestones can be to add to your existing product line up. Be sure to thank her by pinning the image below on Pinterest or sharing with a friend on Facebook (just hover or tap the image below):