How to Turn your Hobby into a Successful Business
From a young age we are encouraged to be creative, scribbling away with crayons and having mishaps with paint on the carpet… But some of us continue this love affair with all things creative and one day decide to turn it into a business. Whether it’s a side hustle or you’re a talented artist wanting to make this your full-time job, we have some tips to help you sell your products and see the profits rolling in with a bit of patience and hard work.
I spoke to my high school teacher turned watercolour artist, Mike Norman, to discover his pearls of wisdom to provide a lucrative return on your creative efforts.
MAKE GOOD STUFF THAT YOU’RE PROUD OF!
“Everything boils down to this; without good work you can’t expect to create a good business.”
With growing online marketplaces for cheap alternatives to most items, the appreciation for hand-crafted, lovingly made items is dwindling if viewed through a purely economic lens. However, if you can make unique products that highlight your flair and capture the audience that loves the personal touch of a carefully crafted product, you’re on to a winner. Be proud of your work, because it reflects who you are!
KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE
“When you understand your own work and what you have to offer, it’s time to start finding the people to buy it.”
Creatives are infamously passionate about the style that makes them tick, but does it float everyone’s boat? It is essential to do the research, fully understand what you are making and the target audience to ensure your brilliant new business doesn’t die as quickly as it started. No matter how passionate you are, if people don’t get it, it won’t sell.
Mike says it is essential to discover as much as possible about who may want to purchase your creations, be that locally, nationally or internationally. Staying in touch with developments in the creative world is key and never has it been easier with social media – “but remember, this is not the real world!”.
ASSESS THE COMPETITION
Again, the internet is a great place to uncover who your potential competitors may be and what methods they are using to sell their products – do they have a brand website, Etsy page or do customers simply place orders through Facebook? Research the prices that similar creations are being sold for – can you compete with these and still make a profit?
MAKE A PLAN AND BUDGET
“If you’re serious about having your own creative business, perhaps it’s time to create some sort of plan.”
Key questions to ask yourself are:
What do you expect to earn over the coming months?
How will you manage during months when you have no income?
How much work will you need to sell in order to meet your outgoings?
How much will you need to create in order to sell that amount?
No business is ever plain sailing, especially in its infancy. Don’t expect to be an overnight success, but also don’t despair early on and think you’re destined to fail if things don’t quite go to plan. As long as your business venture isn’t going to put you into financial jeopardy, a successful plan should keep you afloat during difficult times.
SHOWCASING AND SELLING YOUR WORK
“Before sales you will need people who like your stuff. Not everyone that likes will buy.”
So, you have a mass of stock in your spare room or shed – how do you showcase it to the world? Think of the image that you want to portray for your business to help you to decide where to advertise your work.
Mike states that to sell, you have two options:
Use commercial spaces such as local shops and galleries, who will charge commission.
Have means for customers to contact you directly to see your work, be that a studio, art fairs, a website – all of these incur their own costs.
However, from Mike’s experience…
“All creators have forked out good money for an exhibition, stand or table at a craft or art fair to be complimented by people all day but sell nothing. People tend to come into 4 categories:
Likers - people who love your creations and never buy. Don’t dismiss these people. They might not buy, but they will extol its virtues to other potential customers - free publicity!
Fans in the creative community - these are the people who could help grow your business (buyers, curators, gallery owners, shop keepers, fellow creators, etc).
Customers of the future - may begin as likers but will, when possible, invest in your creations in the future, either weeks, months or even years down the line. Don’t dismiss these, I’ve had customers return 2 years after meeting them at art fairs.
Real life customers - people we love! The people that fall in love with your creation right away and want to invest in it.”
By knowing which type of customer you’re getting, you can modify your business plan to find new ways to showcase your work and attract new interest, or hook in people who may have previously seen your work but not invested. Be bold and a little bit cheeky, you have nothing to lose by engaging in conversation with a potential customer.
PROMOTE, PROMOTE, PROMOTE!
“Use any social media platform possible, create the image you want. Don’t add your drunken Friday night outings or whine that no one wants to buy your work!”
In other words, keep it professional and craft an image you’re proud of. Create a brand, a logo. Produce business cards to hand out - make them eye catching. Constantly update your website and social media platforms to keep your audience engaged and grow your followers.
Attend craft, art, country, vintage and Christmas fairs, locally and nationally, to engage with a wider audience and gain inspiration from other exhibitors too. What are they doing that could work for you? Approach local shops in tourist towns to see if they can stock any of your products for a commission. And if you have the funds, why not try to stage an exhibition or open a studio to really raise your business to the next level?
“Always create the best you can and remember, if you’re not enjoying creating it, people won’t enjoy owning it!”
To discover more of Mike’s fantastic work and support a local business, visit his website Mike Norman Watercolours.
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Written by Charlotte Bird
