Crafting in Buck Rogers Time
Take from the past, to work in the present, to create for the future.
Today’s “17 Step Commute” Dashboard…
Temp: Starting out in the low 50s. High of 66 today with SUNSHINE! 😎
Humidity: 2 on the “Soup” scale. (1=light broth, 5=thick chowder)
Today’s Playlist: Jimmy Buffett shuffle
Conditions: After the weekend rains, everything is green and the cats are getting their ZOOM on after being holed up in the house..
Estimated Travel Time: 15 seconds
Food: Bacon & Egg sammy, with a few fresh strawberries to cleanse the palette.
Coffee Level: 1/2 Tank
The future ain’t what it used to be…
Working for yourself and selling from home in this age of constant technological advances can tangle the mind. It seems as if every time we get a grasp on the device, website or venue we sell on, it changes, sometimes for the better, but often it is just change for change's sake. It can be frustrating.
If you had told me in 1985 that I could earn a living making chopsticks and keychains and selling them around the world from home, I would have just asked for some of whatever you were smoking. In just 30 years, the web has transformed the way we all shop and communicate.
At the rate technology is expanding, I cannot imagine what another 30 years will bring us. AI (artificial intelligence) has now entered our realms, and try as we may to buck it, it is pervading just about all the websites, venues, and social platforms we use.
As I have stated in previous blogs, I am NOT a computer guru. I am a simple woodworker trying to make a peaceful living at something I enjoy. It would be quite advantageous to have a 12 year-old on standby to explain things to my 60 year-old self, but alas… I am left to my own devices (pun intended).
Before taking the plunge into the ether (2008), I did a good amount of online surfing to try to get a grip on who was doing what, how, where, pricing and trending woods.
While you do your research, make and keep a list of the search terms (keywords) and phrases that you use, pertaining to your work. You will use them later on, tagging the listings on your venue(s). While you are looking, make note of their sales (if possible), shipping policies and costs, as this is a prime factor in determining your prices.
Everything Old is New Again
In our case, by 1989 we had saturated the market around our home and in order to continue doing our thing, we would have had to get back on the road and resume doing mall shows and fairs around the country. The popularity of hand-made crafts was beginning to wane. Shop spaces and percentages of our gross income (as well as liability insurance) in theme parks were skyrocketing. We were by then happily enjoying being home. So we dabbled in antiques for a few years, I worked in sign shops, and Julie became a cast member at Disney World.
Fast-forwarding to 2008… With the growth of the world wide web, it was now possible to get our craft in front of millions, right from our home. Since I already had a skill and product that I had developed and was proven out in the 80s, it was natural for me to start it back up again. Even after almost two decades, my 2008 digits remembered the 1988 moves and how to avoid the sharp bits. Everyone still loves to see their names. So, I started DustyNewt while still toiling away at a local paper mill.
Anachronisms Rekindled
Fashions, fads and tastes come and go and come back again. Handcrafts go through popularity cycles that ebb and flow with time. Your skills may have been in great demand in the 70s and 80s, but have since died out. It may now be time to resurrect them.
If you are in search of a product, try looking back to what was the rage 30 or 40 years ago. It is likely that it can be brought back, using present-day technology and materials. Your audience, who remembers it from when they were broke kids, now have “disposable income”. They see your new version and have to have it. Hippy, Punk and Rock & Roll items are hot right now in both the handmade and collectible categories.
I predict that hats will make a big comeback in the near future, but without the feathers that decimated so many species of birds in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Any future haberdashers & milliners out there?
Keep in mind that there is so much competition in categories like jewelry and clothing that you will need to be truly unique (and lucky) to get any traffic.
Quality materials, craftsmanship and presentation are keys to producing items that you are proud to display and sell, but the distinctive “hook” can be evasive. Your new slant can be subtle and elegant or so mind-bogglingly eccentric that a new “niche” is forged. It is for you to find.
It is not easy being unique. Stipulating that there is nothing new under the sun, you will want your products to be exclusive to you. There is no sense in going through all of the trouble and expense of setting up a business just to do what someone else is already doing the same way. You might enjoy short term success, but unless you add an exclusive approach, it will eventually fade as you are not offering anything that isn’t available somewhere else. Your goal must be to attract an audience looking for what you have to offer, but desiring your unique twist on it.
Be aware that you are not likely to become rich creating and selling your products. You may earn less than working a 9 to 5, but self-satisfaction, stress reduction and family time are worthwhile goals, in my opinion.
Locating Your People
Finding your audience becomes the grail of today’s online merchandising. I am of the belief that everyone has their own preconceived concept of how the internet works.
I have practiced a hit or miss approach for getting my products in front of an audience. Those that worked I continued with, those that didn’t (or cost too much time and/or money) got shredded.
Watch some videos and read some blogs about SEO (Search Engine Optimization) to find a marketing “action plan” that works for you. There are many theories and opinions, formed by people way more knowledgeable on the subject than me, but beware of people that say they can do it for you (for an upfront fee).
Knowing how and where to place your “Keywords” will help everyone that is looking to find you and your work, whether they use Google, Yahoo or DuckDuckGo. Keep plugging away until you find your way. Persistence and belief in your work will win over the masses, or at least enough of them to keep you afloat in business.
Social Media
People love to see things being built. I found it helpful to create a Facebook “Page” for my DustyNewt business right from the jump. Post pics often of your process and progress and invite your friends and family to see what you are up to and encourage them to “Share”. It also introduces yourself and work to the world. You can then join and share to groups as your “Page” and “Like” other Pages that are related to your product, thus getting free exposure.
After seeing what you are capable of, people will let you know what they like and make suggestions or requests. I first started carving my name chopsticks in 2014 at the behest of a customer. I saw the potential, as sushi and noodle shops were gaining popularity. Chopsticks have become wildly successful and are my primary product right now, with even clients in the far east.
Suggestions made by would-be clients may seem unreasonable at first, but refrain from saying “No” until you have had time to ponder the merits of their requests. Tell them you will consider their “ask” and let them know. I usually give a new idea 24 hours to ruminate around my brainpan before giving a definitive yay or nay. But I always reply. Prompt contact with customers is crucial in online business.
Doing for Yourself
There is a trend toward drop-shipping your designs from a specialized manufacturer. Many of these outfits have pretty shady quality issues and shipping practices, so do your research before inviting them into your business. It is always best to make as much of what you sell as possible to keep control over quality, costs and to ensure prompt delivery.
Back to the Future
While we may look to trends and fads from the past, it is imperative that we design with an eye to the future. Work smart and use the tools that we have available to us in the present. Don’t be afraid of your devices. Just do it.
Peace in Wood ~ Scott
Every order is carved individually by hand, in the order that they are received. Some weeks are busier than others. I usually carve and ship within 3 to 5 business days.
If you are enjoying what you see… I like it hot and black. 😉
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