shescrafty…

By sending simple emails, you can earn repeat business from customers that value good service. To save time, it’s okay to save a ‘fill in the blanks’ template for the following emails. Just don’t leave a Your Name Here space. AWKWARD!

The first email to send after a sale should be an acknowledgement that order or high bid has been received and a polite thank you for their business.

If the buyer has already paid, it’s nice to include the date you intend to ship their items. Once the item has shipped, let them know it’s on the way, which shipper was used, and if you have it, include a tracking link. Give them an idea of how long it will be until they have your products in their hot little hands!

You can never say Thank You too many times, so why not take this opportunity to thank them again?

After the item has arrived, most people will leave positive feedback or email. If you haven’t heard from them, it’s a good idea to make sure that the item did indeed arrive, and that the customer is happy with it.

By checking to make sure their purchase has arrived, you let your customers know that you really want them to be satisfied with the whole process.

Nothing ruins a gorgeous hand knit top like yarn ends that weren‘t tucked away. They draw the eye like toilet paper stuck on a shoe, marring an otherwise perfect first impression.

Making sure the yarn ends are hidden is really boring, which is why so many beginners skip it or do a halfway job. It’s also one reason why yarn and thread ends are often cut way too short. Sure, that means it’ll take less time to finish, but the chances of your month’s labor unraveling in the washer just shot through the roof. That will really make the buyer think of you kindly. Not.

Even if you don’t think finishing stuff is fun (it‘s my least favorite part), it’s still worth it to take the time before you put your things up for sale. There’s always that one customer who turns out to be an expert, or runs a craft magazine, frou-frou specialty shop, etc.

Look over every finished item as if it’s going to be on the cover of a magazine, magnified and in living color for the whole crafting community to drool over. Is it ready for its close-up?

The only time I have ever heard the word ‘homemade’ come across as a compliment was in reference to food.

Lots of people are throwing out those plastic shower scrubbies. If they aren’t replaced once a month or so, they can be a breeding ground for bacteria. Why not replace them with a natural cotton scrubber, aka the soap saver?

Here are a few more things that sellers may not realize are cutting into their vending booth profits!

Suspicious Seller

It’s a good idea to keep an eye on your goods. It’s not such a great plan to follow customers around like a store detective. Let people pick items up and they’re more likely to bond with, and buy, that piece. If that’s not going to work for your crafts, be pleasant when you ask people not to handle your things, and explain why.

Too Intricate Display

We’ve all seen breathtaking booth displays. Be careful not to set things up in such a complex way that customers are scared to mess up your display by handling items. Sellers that continually have to fuss over the layout of their table may be sending out ‘hands off’ vibes.

I dunno

We can’t always be in the booth. When you have helpers, tell them enough about the items to answer basic questions. If there isn’t time for this, make sure that there are business cards, flyers, or some form of contact information available. Give your help a timetable for your return so they can let customers know when to stop back by.

Did I miss some sale killers? Add ‘em!

There are some things that sellers do that stop a customer cold. Increase your business by avoiding these sale killers!

I’ve talked with some vendors –usually new ones– that feel awkward about doing this. It feels strange to ask for money before you have a finished item to turn over, but it’s the best way to keep from getting burned.Getting stuck with a custom ordered item can be a hassle for the seller. What if the item is a special size, odd color combination, monogrammed, or otherwise hard to sell with the rest of your work? If you’ve had to buy materials specifically for this order and the customer changes their mind, are you out of luck?

Someone has to take the reins, so it better be you, the seller.Don’t be bashful about setting your price and the payment terms. If you seem wishy-washy about this, some customers assume that you want to haggle, or that they can call the shots.

Many artists and crafters hate to take on custom orders. Some refuse to consider doing them at all.

Why turn away potential business? Likely, they’ve been burned before.

There is a lot of money to be made by doing custom work. It’s also a good way to attract customers that really appreciate your work. Sadly, it can also attract flakes and bargain hunting scammers.

I plan to write some blog posts dealing with common custom order problems and how to avoid them. If there’s a particular aspect of custom orders you want to discuss here, lemme know. Or, if you have a custom order horror story or a shining success to share, please do!

One of the good things about mass produced merchandise is that it comes with care instructions.Do your handcrafted items include this important information?