Top tips
Value your customers
“Try to value your customers," advises Fiona Morris. "Word of mouth has gone a long, long way for me. Value the quality of product, but also value your customers. And that way you’ll get more customers coming back.”
Seek out positive advice
“Surround yourself with people that have positive attitudes and will give you constructive advice,” Amanda Ryan suggests. “I find the worst aspect of a craft business is the negative comments people can make. Some people don't understand how much time and resources can go into a hand crafted product. They think it should be the same price as a mass marketed item!”
Join online craft forums
“There's a huge amount of support that’s on there from genuinely very kind people,” Fiona advises. “They are in the same boat as you."
Price carefully
“Don't forget to cost for your time," warns Joanne Dewberry. "Or you'll find you've worked all hours and have made no money. Buy in bulk and steer clear of shops such as HobbyCraft where you will pay high street prices and thus have no room for profit!”
Phone your local tax office
"I know a lot of people are scared of the tax office. But it’s really a wonderful resource,” Fiona says. “They genuinely want to help you. They send you out quite a lot of things just so you don’t get lost with you tax and your National Insurance...."
Useful contacts:
Crafteroo Craft Forum
http://crafteroo.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=1917.0
UK Handmade
http://ukhandmade.co.uk/magazine/
Etsy
http://www.etsy.com/
Misi
http://www.misi.co.uk/
Folksy
www.folksy.com
CraftJuice
www.craftjuice.com
Mumsclub.co.uk
Mumsnet.com
Craft Business online magazine
http://craftbusiness.com/site/
Create.net
www.create.net
Hobbycraft
http://www.hobbycraft.co.uk/Home.aspx
Stitch London
http://www.stitchldn.com/
Burda Style
http://www.burdastyle.com/blog/how-to-find-a-local-sewing-group