Jewelry Business Tip: Multiple Streams of Income Part 3, Craft Shows

I wrote a post about How to Be Successful Selling Handmade Jewelry about a year ago.  That post gave an overview of some tips.We've been talking about multiple streams of income!Part 1 is here.  (An overview of multiple income streams.)Part 2 is here.  (Selling online.)And today is Part 3.Part 3:  Craft ShowsI love craft shows and I love talking about craft shows.  I even have a Craft Show Tips eBook (just revised and re-released today!)Why craft shows are great:

• I always felt shy and lacked confidence in selling my products – until I started doing craft shows.
• I wasn’t exactly sure who my customers even were – until I started doing craft shows.
• My online sales picked up from doing craft shows.
• I got my products in more stores from doing craft shows.
• I got so many custom orders from a craft show that I eventually had to stop taking custom orders for a while to get caught up!
• I have met so many friends and mentors from doing craft shows.

It's kind of hard to believe now, but I used to be very shy (and I still often am.)  When you're in the public doing craft shows you really have no choice but to get over it, even if it is just for the craft show.  At first it's not easy, but it does get easier with time.Doing craft shows put me face to face with my customers.  I could see them, learn about them and talk to them.  I found out what people were looking at and what they purchased.  I learned more about my customers and then I could figure out where to find them and that's helpful for all areas of business.I started selling online before I started doing craft shows.  I really started doing craft shows to help my online sales.  And it worked.  I started meeting people at shows who became long time customers who purchased from me everywhere I sold, including online.  Not everyone would buy that day, but I made sure to give them a business card and ask them to join my newsletter so I could keep in touch.Craft shows helped me get several other of my income streams.  I met shop owners and eventually was selling in many different stores.  I would have never met the people who owned the store that I eventually had my own retail space in without doing a show.  I find out about more shows from doing shows as well.A large portion of my sales are custom orders and I got most of the original custom orders from doing craft shows.  Often these people have remained customers and continue to make custom orders.Some of my very closest friends I met doing craft shows.  Craft shows are amazing because you meet like-minded people there.  Not everyone understands what you go through to make your products, but these people do!Ready to try a craft show?  The key to being successful is to be prepared!  My Craft Show Tips eBook will help you be prepared.  Learn more about it and purchase it here.This is a brand new edition just released today!!Announcement:These Jewelry Business Tips will be continuing on Wednesday in combination with my Craft Show Tips posts.  You'll get weekly Jewelry Business Tips and a monthly Craft Show Tip.  Sign up for the new combined newsletter here.  (You can choose to get just Craft Show Tips, just Jewelry Business tips or both.)