Creative Income

The blog dedicated to all things crafty business!

  • Home
  • About
  • Giveaways
    • Win a Ticket to Snap!
  • Newsletter
  • Free eBook
  • Join our Facebook Group

Five Tips to Stay Busy During the Slow Times

September 8, 2016 by Rebecca George Leave a Comment

Every crafty business owner experiences months when sales are slower. Personally, the quiet time for my company is the late spring and summer, and then sales pick up drastically in the fall and winter. It will depend on what kind of products you create- if you specialize in graduation gifts or wedding items your hectic season might be when others are less busy. No matter when this is for your business, there are a few ways you can fill your time and keep from getting discouraged. Let’s look at a few of these tips!

busy

1. Make More Product

You will never regret having made more inventory once the busy season arrives. When I’m in the midst of packing orders, holiday craft shows, and balancing personal commitments it seems nearly impossible to have the time to create items. So I suggest focusing on creating your most popular items that you know will sell. I like to look back on my order records and then compare my current inventory to decide what to make more of during the slower months.

2. Improve Your Online Shop

There is always something to work on within my Etsy shop. No matter which platform you choose to sell on, I recommend you use the off season to review and edit your item listings and other store pages. I’ll go through and double check for spelling errors, make sure I have all the correct product measurements, review my shop policies, etc. It’s easy to make a little mistake when creating listings and such, so save yourself any headaches and carefully review them when you have time.

3. Retake Photos

Everyone has those product photos that they don’t love but haven’t gotten around to re-taking. The best time to fix them is before you get really busy- this way they will look amazing when they are getting the most views! Go through all of your photos and check for any pics that aren’t in correct focus, that have an angle that doesn’t quite work, or even those that have a (gasp!) hair or piece of dirt that you didn’t notice before.

4. Prepare Your Materials and Supplies

When I have down time in my business I like to prepare supplies for the next time I create more inventory. For example, I’ll connect jumprings to earring hooks, measure out and assemble chains, and put together my hang tags so they’re all ready when I need them. This way I can work quickly and not have to search for the various components when sales pick back up.

5. Organize Your Space

A clean, well organized studio or workspace can help you feel less stressed and increase productivity. During the slower months it’s a great idea to do a thorough cleanup. This way you’ll know where everything is when you get slammed with orders. Added bonus- you’ll usually find supplies you forgot about, which is always exciting!

What other ways do you stay occupied during the off season?

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Follow me
Rebecca George
Designer at Purple and Lime, Inc.
A Cincinnati native, Rebecca studied Art History & Geology at the University of Michigan. From there, she earned a degree in Fashion Design and Marketing from the American Intercontinental University in London, England. Highlights of her career include having several pieces from her graduation collection featured in the international fashion magazine i-D (UK, Feb. 2007) and working on men’s leather pouches for the movie Elizabeth: The Golden Age (which won an Oscar for Best Costume). Her brand "Purple and Lime" is a line of super-fun womenswear, jewelry, and accessories based in Chicago. She has been successfully selling her line on Etsy and in shops for four years, and enjoys teaching others about online handmade selling!
Follow me
Latest posts by Rebecca George (see all)
  • 7 Essential Tips for Accepting Credit Cards at Craft Shows - September 30, 2020
  • How to Create a Press Release for Your Handmade Business - September 23, 2020
  • 6 Ways to Get into a New Craft Scene After You Move - September 16, 2020

Share and Enjoy !

0Shares
0 0

Filed Under: Craft Business Bloggers Tagged With: craft business advice, Rebecca George

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Email Email Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube RSS

Subscribe to the Creative Income Newsletter.

Getting Started

5 Easy Steps to a Successful Handmade Business

Start a Handmade Business: Free CreativeLive Class You Don’t Want to Miss!

Categories

Craft Fair Tips

16 DIY Craft Booth Ideas

Does your craft booth need some Tender Loving Care - TLC? Whether you’re looking to completely revamp your space or to add a few new additions here a … [Read More...]

Archives

Blogging

10 Tips for Creating a Successful Craft Blog

Craft Fairs

16 DIY Craft Booth Ideas

General Advice

7 Essential Tips for Accepting Credit Cards at Craft Shows

Getting Started

Starting a Business? Don’t Make These Rookie Mistakes

Organizing

5 Ways to Maximize Space in Your Craft Room

Sales Tips

Real Life Sales: Getting Your Crafts Into a Shop

Prime Publishing Craft Group
Copyright © 2021 · Creative Income - A Prime Publishing LLC property. All rights reserved.

About Us Advertise Contact Us FAQs Privacy Policy Do Not Sell My Personal Information Subscribe Terms of Service Unsubscribe

Copyright © 2021 · Tidy Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in