Virginia Lindsay - More Sewing to Sell: Practical Advice from Industry Experts; Take Your Handmade Business to the Next Level

Publisher: Amy Marson

Creative Director: Gailen Runge

Acquisitions Editor: Roxane Cerda

Managing Editor: Liz Aneloski

Editor: Lynn Koolish

Technical Editor: Julie Waldman

Cover/Book Designer: April Mostek

Production Coordinator: Tim Manibusan

Production Editor: Alice Mace Nakanishi

Illustrator: Valyrie Gillum

Photo Assistants: Mai Yong Vang and Michael Gardner

Cover photography by Lucy Glover of C&T Publishing, Inc.

Style photography by Lucy Glover and subjects photography by Mai Yong Vang of C&T Publishing, Inc., unless otherwise noted

Published by Stash Books, an imprint of C&T Publishing, Inc., P.O. Box 1456, Lafayette, CA 94549

Dedication

To Travis, for his patience, kindness, faith, and ability to see the best in everyone.

To Elsie, for her sense of style and wit.

To Anne, for her enthusiasm.

To Calvin, for his supportive nature.

To Marion, for bountiful hugs and kisses.

Acknowledgments

Thanks again to C&T Publishing for making this book possible; in particular, Roxane Cerda and Lynn Koolish. Many thanks to all the creative staff who made the book look gorgeous!

Thanks to my mom and dad for nurturing my creative spirit.

Thank you to Amy Frank, Anna Maria Horner, Lisa Jacobs, Kelly McCants, Kendra Oakden, Betsy Olmstead, Maryanne Petrus-Gilbert, and Amy Richardson-Golia. Your honest answers and shared information make this book a fabulous resource!

Thank you to Travis Lindsay for his advice about small business finances. It helps tremendously to have someone who tackles your business finances for you every year and then patiently explains why.

Thank you to all my friends and family who helped me with time management while writing this book!

INTRODUCTION

I have been so pleased with all the wonderful feedback from my first book, Sewing to SellThe Beginners Guide to Starting a Craft Business (by Stash Books; see Resources). (For simplicity, Ill be referring to it from now on as Sewing to Sell.) Comments such as This is going to help me so much! and I love the advice and projects to get my business started on the right foot! have really carved a place in my heart for helping sewing entrepreneurs make their business dreams a reality. Being able to visit this topic again to provide even more detailed information on the business side of sewing is a privilege.

When you are involved daily in the process of keeping your handmade business afloat, you often forget that you need to continue to focus, refine, and expand your business. I often find myself so bogged down in the details of everyday maintenancereturning emails, preparing fabrics, checking supplies, and running promotions, that I sometimes forget to look at the overall health of my creative business. Am I working efficiently? Do I seek out new opportunities for sales? Am I wasting time on tasks that are not earning me enough income?

As it turns out, while writing, researching and interviewing for this book, I realized that even though I am an experienced and successful creative entrepreneur, I could do better! I do know how to market, buy smart, and organize my finances. I do know how to seek out new customers, nurture repeat customers, and create eye-catching promotions. But I also came to understand that even people with years of experience need a boost, training, a constant learning of new things, and an evaluation of their business plan. I want my sewing business to be the best it can possibly be, just like you do.

So, lets take this journey together. I will share what I know, what I have learned through extensive research, and we will all learn from the wisdom of some extremely talented women who are killing it in the sewing businessall from their own ideas and hard work. But, do you know what? They have had a lot of help along the way and had to be brave and smart when things got tough. Even someone who seems to have it all under control is still working to make things better. Just as with all businesses, there is no fast formula for success in sewing for sales.

One particular quote that resonates with me is from an interview with Lisa Jacobs, my favorite marketing expert for creative people such as us. Lisa says:

The biggest mistake I see new creatives making is overestimating other online businesses and underestimating themselves. I feel like a lot of my success can be attributed to my If they can do it, I can do it attitude.

I love that! We can all do it! Stop comparing and own your success, no matter what level you feel you have achieved. Many people are still stuck in wishing they could start a sewing business, and youyes, youhave already accomplished one of the hardest parts: You have begun and are willing to keep working hard to make it better.

So, if we stand in our own way by making busy work instead of moving forward, we may throw up our hands in frustration saying:

Why wont they buy?

Where are my customers?

Why cant I figure out these numbers?

I feel like I am working so hard but never making enough money!

How can I keep doing this alone?

This book is going to answer those questions and many more that you never even thought to ask. And just as in Sewing to Sell, youll see sixteen copyright-free projects to sew and sell. I encourage you to take these projects and make them your own. They are good foundations that you can make special by applying your talents. They are organized to make it easy for you to implement your own style of sewing. Perhaps you love to coordinate fabrics but dont want to get into tiny details; try the Big Boxy Patchwork Bag and see how it inspires you. Or maybe you want to focus on spreading your love of handmade to the environmentally conscious by making the very handy Market Bag from organic fabrics. Everyone can find at least one project theyd like to make.

I am so excited to share this book with you. I hope that you learn from this information and that your sewing business dreams come true. And, you must know that I, and all the crafty, kind, and wise businesswomen featured in this book, are rooting for you to make your business a true success.

Thank you, and happy sewing!

Virginia Lindsay

SEARCHING OUT YOUR NICHE

What Is a Niche? How Do You Find Yours?

Simply put, a niche is a segment of a marketplace. A niche is where your special style and talents meet your audience and propel you into a successful small business. If only finding your niche was as easy as searching the internet for the definition, we would all be happily running our own small profitable businesses already.

As an individual, you know you cant compete with huge global companies making similar goods. Target and Pier 1 Imports are going to have the resources to make throw pillows cheaper and faster than you. Anthropologie is a huge chain of stores and can outsource global workers to hand macram the most beautiful scarf you can imagine. It can feel daunting, but the question you need to ask yourself is, What can I do that my competition cannot? The answer is how you begin to find your creative business niche. A niche market doesnt compete with a big factory and a niche business person doesnt sell to millions of people. But, a niche can support you (and maybe even a few employees) happily and profitably.

Now for the question, how do you find your niche? To be honest, its a journey and it takes work. Here are some helpful steps to help you craft your own niche and start your journey.