Category: Growing Your Business

Making and selling customized and personalized products in your craft business is a great way to make money.

However, there are just some products that it makes more sense to outsource. For example, if a customer came to you with an order for 5,000 tee shirts, you’d likely find a way to outsource it. For the amount of time that it would take a single person to do the order wouldn’t make it worth it for the maker or for the customer.

Similarly, can koozie orders usually aren’t worth making them yourself. Let’s look at reasons to outsource can koozie orders.

From oversized Jenga style games to handmade Scrabble lawn games, and wooden tic tac toe boards to lawn Yardzee games, there’s plenty of outdoor games that you can create and sell with your Silhouette or Cricut. And, the best time to promote them? Right now: The beginning of summer! Today, let’s take a look at three different ways you can make money selling handmade yard games.

3 Ways to Profit from Handmade Yard Games

1. Sell directly to customers. Just a second to state the obvious here: Make and sell to customers through local buy and sell groups, Etsy, your own website, or word of mouth.
2. Rent them out. Renting out giant yard games is another way to profit from them this summer. Many people won’t have a use for them outside of a special event like a wedding or a family reunion. Also, they might not have the space to store them. Head to this post for the ins and outs of renting products. (And trust me, it’s something I could consider myself an expert in!)
3. Sell to event rental businesses. Wholesaling is a great way to make money off of handmade yard games this summer. And who better to sell them to than your local event rental businesses? In this case, you’d sell your yard games directly to the event rental business. Unless they are extremely busy, they’d probably only need 3 to 5 units total. They’d then rent out the units to their customers throughout the year. Need more information on wholesaling? Head to this post.

Yard Game DIY Tutorials

Looking for a few tutorials to get started making your own yard games with your Silhouette or Cricut? There’s no need for me to write any, since there are plenty of good ones already online.

• DIY Yardzee
• DIY Outdoor Dominoes
• DIY Backyard Four in a Row
• DIY Giant Dice
• DIY Oversized Tic Tac Toe

If you decide that making and selling the games isn’t for you, you could also make and sell the digital plans to other crafters.

Tell me in the comments, what is your favorite tutorial for making giant outdoor games with your Silhouette or Cricut?

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Sometimes I write blog posts and I expect that they will be really popular. Unfortunately, this doesn’t always happen. Then, I always look to see what I could have done differently to make the post more impactful.

One such post that falls into this situation is a short series I did on passive income. I was hopeful that many Cutting for Business readers would use the information I provided and add passive income to their existing businesses. This didn’t happen. I moved on.

Fast forward several months and we started talking about passive income and affiliate programs in the Cutting for Business Insider’s Club. There was a ton of interest in the group – and a ton of questions. So, today and tomorrow, we are going to take a step back and look at Amazon Associates. Why? It is one of the easiest and most popular affiliate programs on the internet. Today, I’m going to show you how to join and share links. Tomorrow, I’m going to give you concrete examples of how to implement the program into your existing Silhouette or Cricut craft business.

What is Amazon Associates?

Amazon Associates is an affiliate program that allows users to make money by referring their favorite products on Amazon. Members share special links with a tracking code in them. When someone clicks on the link and purchases anything, the referrer gets a percentage of the sale. It is important to note that the purchase doesn’t have to be the product you recommended – you’ll get a percentage of any purchase made until the tracking cookie runs out.

How Do I Join Amazon Associates?

Click here to fill out an application for Amazon Associates. It is free to join.

How Do I Share My Referral Links?

After joining the Amazon Associates program and being approved, simply visit Amazon and search for the product you want to share. Across the top of the screen, you’ll see the Amazon Associate SiteStripe. Next to it, you’ll see three links: Text, Image, and Text + Image.

These are the links that you’ll copy and paste into your website, social media, or more. You can choose your favorite format. Obviously, text is a text only link. Image is a photo only. And, text and image will give you both. You’ll need to experiment and see which links convert best for your audience.

How Can I See Information About My Account?

You can see information about your account in your Amazon Associates Dashboard. Simply click the Amazon Associates SiteStripe to be taken to your account. (Mine is not shown for privacy purposes.) 

How Much Will I Make and How Will I Get Paid?

The percentages vary for each product on Amazon by category and range from 0% to 10%. Payments are sent monthly (near the end of the month but the day often varies) via ACH transfer to your bank.

That’s it! While I covered the absolute basics today to get you signed up and started, tomorrow I’m going to share concrete examples of how to use the program in your existing Silhouette or Cricut business.

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This week, I’m covering passive income. Yesterday, I went over affiliate programs and I mentioned Amazon Associates. I know that sometimes it can be hard to take information from a blog post online and turn it into action in your craft business. So today, I’m giving you concrete examples of how to use the affiliate program in your existing Silhouette or Cricut business. I focused on giving you examples for Facebook and Instagram only – as that is what most craft businesses use. However, you can use any social media network, or even create your own Pinterest pins with affiliate links.

16 Examples of How to Use Amazon Associates in Your Craft Business

If you sell: Custom Tumblers

1. (On Facebook) Just finished this one (photo of latest tumbler) and it’s mine to keep. Wondering my favorite thing to drink in it? Iced passion: https://amzn.to/2rvQJUV! #affiliate
2. (On Facebook) Heading to the beach this weekend? Pick up a couple of these to keep your custom tumblers sand free! https://amzn.to/2K3K1fR #aff

If you sell: Rustic Wood Signs

1. (On Facebook) Just picked up these rustic stools for my kitchen: https://amzn.to/2jLgP1U #aff
2. (On Instagram) Love my new gallery wall? (With picture of gallery wall.) My secret weapon is Command Hooks! Grab a pack through the link in my bio! #gallerywall #commandhooks #aff (Put link to https://amzn.to/2IuGjP9 in Instagram bio or use an Instagram story with the link.)

If you sell: Apparel

1. (On Facebook with staged picture of a shirt and shorts) Our newest design is now available at xyz.com! Pick up coordinating shorts at https://amzn.to/2FZzRdF (Affiliate)
2. (On Instagram wearing your shirt with the necklace) The perfect way to complement our custom tees? A chunky statement necklace! Pick up one at the link in my bio. #affiliate #chunkynecklace #customtee #yourhashtag (Add link to https://amzn.to/2wteqlT in Instagram bio.)

If you sell: Planner goods

1. (On Facebook) Everyone always asks my favorite pens to use in my planner. I use and love these: https://amzn.to/2rvg28V #affiliate
2. (On Facebook) Need a way to keep your planner closed? These handmade straps work perfectly: https://amzn.to/2KMbTpK (Aff. link)
3. (On Instagram) (Photo of pile of new washi tape.) #Washitape for days! #linkinbio #aff (Add link in Instagram bio or story: https://amzn.to/2rvwia0.)

If you sell: Digital cut files

1. (On Facebook) Using our cut files to make tee shirts? We recommend this heat transfer vinyl bundle: https://amzn.to/2IsfpHD #affiliate
2. (On Facebook) Need storage for your vinyl? Check out this rack: https://amzn.to/2rC2Qzh #aff
3. (On Facebook) Did you know I always test cut all my files before selling them? I just bought a Cricut Maker: https://amzn.to/2I7yVpD (Affiliate link.)

If you do: Hands on classes

1. (On Facebook) Class registration is now open on xyz.com for our Introduction to Silhouette Cameo 3! Use our machines, or bring your own: https://amzn.to/2KKU3DI (Affiliate link)
2. (On Facebook) Held a DIY class today and participants loved learning how to use Cricut’s new knife blade. Order one for yourself: https://amzn.to/2I3Ky4G #aff

If you sell: Anything

1. (On Facebook) Taking a break from creating today to wait for delivery of these: https://amzn.to/2I7jXzK #aff
2. (On Instagram) Want to know my secret to saving money on dryer sheets? I use these (photo of them). Pick up a set from the link in my bio. #ad #linkinbio (Include link to https://amzn.to/2jKgXyT in bio or story.)

Disclosures and Best Practices

As I mentioned yesterday, when advertising products using affiliate links, you are required by law to disclose that it is an affiliate link. On social media, it is as easy as stating ‘Affiliate Link’ or #affiliate. If you are posting on your website, you’ll need an affiliate disclosure policy. Learn more about FTC required disclosures at this link.

When you are posting affiliate links. Make sure you have purchased the product or used it. Your customers and audience will have questions about the products – and they will ask. If you haven’t ever used the product, it will show and you could lose credibility.

Now, get out there and make some passive income!

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Summer is here! Today, let’s tackle marketing themes and ideas for Summer in your craft business.

Let’s look at marketing your craft business in the months of June, July, and August.

An overwhelmed craft business owner reached out to me recently and told me that she needed help saying ‘no’ to fundraiser organizers who kept asking for donations for various events and charities. This is pretty common in the handmade world, as crafters and designers are often happy to donate items in exchange for the advertisement of their business.

But, what happens when you are constantly being asked about donation after donation? I mean, you can’t donate to every event and still run a profitable business. However, you don’t want to offend the organizer. And, donations are great for word of mouth advertising and tax deductions.

Two Ways to Say ‘No’ to Fundraisers in Your Craft Business

1. Set a budget at the beginning of the year or quarter to go towards donations. When your budget is exhausted, that’s it. When a organizer contacts you about donating to their cause you can either agree to the donation or share that you’ve exhausted your donation fund for the year and invite them to
   1. Example conversation: Fundraiser: “Hello, we are organizing a silent auction to benefit XYZ charity. We are hoping you will donate ABC product to help us raise money.” You: “Hello and thank you for reaching out to me. At this time, we have exhausted our donation budget for this quarter. Feel free to reach out to us at a later time or different event. Best of luck!”
2. Choose a charity to work with in your business. If you’d prefer to work directly with a charity, choose one (or a small handful) and don’t donate to other causes.
   1. Example conversation: Fundraiser: “Hi, we are collecting product donations for XYZ cause. We are contacting you to gauge your interest in donating a number of ABC product to be given out at our event.” You: “Thanks for contacting me. DEF Business works exclusively with a handpicked number of charities and would not be able to donate to your cause. We wish you the best of luck raising money.”

That’s it! Don’t ever feel pressured to have to donate to an event or charity. However, if you would like more information about working with fundraisers and charities, see this post and this post.

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There have been a number of Cutting for Business readers who have started small businesses making and selling products – and then decided that it really wasn’t ‘their thing’. (And that is totally ok!)

One reader reached out to me on Facebook and asked if I had any ideas of how she could stay involved in the handmade community (and make money) without selling handmade products. Of course I have ideas on how to make money in the craft community without selling products.

I gave her a whole list of things she could do, and today I’m sharing it with you.

Need to slow down orders in your craft business? Whether you are thinking towards summer or you stumble across this article later during the Christmas rush; there’s times in your craft business when it may be too busy to keep up. And that’s ok. If you are a one person shop owner, it is likely that you’ve got a lot on your plate.

No matter whether you just need a break or you’ve had something come up, let’s take a look at five ways to slow down orders in your craft business.

5 Ways to Slow Down Orders in Your Craft Business

1. Raise your prices. This is pretty much a nod to Economics 101 – it’s simple supply and demand. When the demand is high, you raise the prices. When the demand is low, you lower the prices. Put simply, if you are too busy with orders, raise your prices. This will cause some customers to wait until the price is lower before they order. And, you’ll be making more for doing the same amount of work. If you raise your prices and the orders don’t slow down, raise them again. (Psst! The pricing in your craft business should be changing regularly anyway.)
2. Lengthen your turnaround time. If you are having a hard time keeping up with the orders flowing in, lengthen the amount of time before the orders will ship. This not only gives you more time to work on the orders, but it will deter some customers from placing an order (especially those last minute types).
3. Stop doing custom work. While this won’t work in all situations, if you sell a mix of ready to ship and custom designed products, stop accepting new custom work. It’s no secret that custom work takes longer to complete than ready to ship products. If you are behind, stop taking on custom requests. And, custom work might not even be the best for your shop.
4. Remove your products from some marketplaces. If you sell products in multiple places (some on Facebook, some on Etsy, others through your website, and so on), sell out products in the smaller venues and only take orders from your most profitable marketplace. This ultimately gives your products less visibility and will slow down the amount of orders you have.
5. Place your shop on vacation mode/sell out your products. Debates fly on the internet about the adverse effects of placing your shop on vacation mode – whether it is on Etsy, Amazon, or somewhere else. Putting your shop on vacation mode is quick and easy to do and will definitely stop orders. Let me offer you a quick alternative: If you are able to keep up with the messages in your shop and you don’t have thousands of products, consider selling out your products instead of placing your shop on vacation mode. This will also stop orders from coming in.

These are all temporary solutions to slow down your orders. Don’t forget that once you’re able to handle the flow of orders again, reverse whatever steps you took to slow down orders.

And remember, if you are researching on how to slow down orders in your craft business – you must be doing something right!

If there’s one thing that crafters love… it is discounted prices. I have had a number of Cutting for Business readers ask how to set up their own blanks buy in groups – so today I’m tackling the topic.

First, what is a blanks buy in (also called a co-op) group? It’s a group of crafters that bands together to purchase large quantities of blank goods or craft supplies directly from a manufacturer. By placing an order together, buyers can negotiate lower prices. Essentially, the owner of the group becomes the ‘middle man’.

How to Start Your Own Craft Blanks Buy In Group

1. First, figure out how you will make money. There’s two different ways to make money: 1) Upcharging members for the blanks they purchase. For example, if you are purchasing tote bags from a manufacturer for $3 each, you could charge members $5 per bag. 2) Charging members a buy in fee. This fee is on each order placed and is generally $1 to $3. Beware: If you upcharge too much, members will know and will likely not use or recommend your group. Similarly, if your buy in fees are too much, members will shop elsewhere.
2. Decide whether or not you have the time and space to host a buy ins. You’ll need space to store the bulk order while you divide it up and space to store packaging materials. You’ll need the time to create and send out invoices and package each buyer’s order then ship it to them.
3. Locate products that you feel would be good sellers. Do some research and make a list.
4. Register your business. If you want to buy directly from manufacturers, you’ll need to have a registered business. Manufacturers generally won’t sell direct to the public. If you are looking for manufacturers overseas, Alibaba is a good place to start. Learn more about Alibaba in this blog post.
5. Form relationships with manufacturers. This is usually as easy as sending a message through a marketplace, an email, or calling them. After you locate manufacturers that you’d like to work with, ask for them to send a sample product for you to review. The manufacturer may send it free of charge or they may ask you to pay for it.
6. If you plan to order products from overseas (like China), get familiar with the customs duties involved with importing goods to the United States.
7. Now, it’s time to start your group. Most buy in groups use Facebook Groups to communicate with members, but you could also use a website. When creating your group, be sure to include information about the group, group rules, and how members can reach out for help.

Hosting Your First Buy In

1. After you’ve received samples and negotiated a price with the manufacturer, you will want to photograph the products in the buy in or get permission from the manufacturer to use their photos.
2. Then, create a spreadsheet that members can edit to place their order. Once you’ve got it ready, upload it to your group. Be sure to tell members about any minimum order quantity, colors available, and the buy in closing date.
3. Once the buy in has closed, send members an invoice for their order. Your invoice can either cover their product order and shipping from you to them, or you can invoice shipping costs once the products arrive.
4. After all members have paid, place the order with the manufacturer.
5. Be sure to keep members up to date with the expected arrival date of the products and the expected shipping date from you to them. Always share delays with all members.
6. Once the products arrive, divide them and ship them to each member.

Buy in groups can be profitable, but they aren’t a ‘get rich quick’ scheme. If you are truly interested in starting your own buy in group, I’d recommend you first join some existing groups to see what works and what doesn’t work.

Also, there are a number of  ‘Beware of buy in groups’ and ‘Bad buy in groups’ Facebook Groups. If you create a buy in group, I would become a member of these groups as well to monitor your group’s reputation.

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It’s a dream that so many makers share: Quitting the 9-5 full time job to craft full time. Or maybe right now you are weighing your options in an uncertain time with kids that may or may not be physically going back to school.

While working at home can be an amazing way to raise your family and free yourself from the stresses of corporate life; I don’t recommend that craft business owners immediately quit their full time gigs to solely pursue a work from home business.

Instead, you’ve got to be ready for the change – and prepare for it. Today, let’s look at the signs that you are ready to put in your notice and stop working full time to run your Silhouette or Cricut craft business.

6 Signs You Are Ready to Craft Full Time

1. Your craft business is well established and profitable. Too many, and I mean too many times, I get emails that say someone just purchased their machine and is thinking of quitting their job because they see the successes of others online. Unfortunately, the successes you see online of other makers are not your successes. It’s probably been a long road with failures and successes that have led other makers to quitting their jobs. I have no doubt that your time will come, but wait until your small business is making at least the same amount of income you receive in your day job before you think of quitting.
2. You have built up a nest egg of savings. The handmade market can be hot and cold. In busy times you’ll have so many orders that you have to cut them off; while in slow times, you have to search for customers who want to purchase. You’ll need a healthy savings account to compensate for the slow times in your business. Ideally, everyone should have 3 to 6 months of living expenses available in liquid cash at all times.
3. You are self motivated and can stay on task. Working from home presents itself with a lot of distractions. From the tv to pets or kids, if you aren’t focused your day can slip away and you may not even realize it. To help with the distractions and keep a home/work balance – a dedicated workspace is essential.
4. You’ve figured out a health insurance solution. One stumbling block for work at home people is figuring out health insurance – and being able to afford it. While you can look to the health insurance marketplace, private companies, or religious based organizations – you’ll need to get this detail worked out if your current job provides your health insurance. The first step? Look at your current pay stub and see how much you currently pay for health insurance. Then, start comparing the rates you pay to the current rates available.
5. You can deal with solidarity. While working in pajamas is a plus, working at home in a craft business can be lonely. If you thrive on interaction with others throughout your day; ask yourself if you will really be able to handle working alone day in and day out.
6. You’re prepared for people to not take you seriously. From someone who works at home: when you tell people you work from own in a craft business you may get negative or puzzled expressions. To this day, I have family and friends that constantly offer me tips on places that are hiring or ask me when I’m going to get a real job. If you don’t mind dealing with this, you might be ready to work from home.

If you’ve read the list and you aren’t there yet – don’t panic. Your time will come, just keep at it. If you are just starting out in your Silhouette or Cricut business. Here’s a great list of things to consider before you start your business.

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