Selling hand-made items in today's economy is much different than it was in the "good old days" 10 - 20 years ago! Gone are the days when you could ensure profitability by simply attending a craft show. In our current climate, buyers want things fast and cheap! Neither of these conditions come to mind when thinking of crafts.

But wait! All is not lost. When there is change, the survivors are the ones who learn to adapt. Believe it or not, there are qualities that small businesses in the hand-made industry have that can enable them to not only survive, but also to thrive in the present buying atmosphere.

Quality
Are your products of higher quality than the mass-produced, cheap imitations that line the shelves of the big retail stores? You bet! But simply creating a quality product does not guarantee that a consumer will notice. Tell your customers what is different about your work. Point out the superior workmanship whenever you can.

Ability to Change Quickly
An often overlooked attribute that small businesses have is the ability to change at lightning speed! Large, bloated businesses cannot match the small business person's speed or effectiveness to change. As the famous saying goes "Elephants can't Dance"

Don't be afraid to try new avenues for your business. If something is not working, try new paths. The point is that small businesses can run circles around big businesses because of their ability to change quickly. Take advantage of this ability!

Customer Service
No matter how hard they might try, huge businesses cannot guarantee that every employee will treat their customers as they should be treated. Small business owners have much more control over customer relationships.

Make it company policy to always greet customers with a smile (no matter how you feel). Answer all inquiries, whether by phone, mail or email, promptly and thoroughly. If someone has a legitimate complaint, do your best to resolve the issue.

Uniqueness
Your work can be as unique as you are. One of the greatest tools an artist/crafter has is the ability to produce unique work. While inexpensive, mass-produced items can be created at a very low cost, they are not unique. Create new designs often and let your customers know! Since many large companies simply get ideas for new products from the ideas of small business, we can stay one step ahead by always being innovative.

In other words, don't follow trends... set them!