If you like tailoring garments to fit your figure perfectly or designing and making your own clothes, have you thought about turning this skill into a business? Many women around the world have successfully made money from transforming their pastimes into profitable ventures. Whether you want to turn your sewing skills into a full-time job, or you just need a little extra income, here is a step-by-step guide to making this happen.
Step 1: Improve your skills
Now that you are going to be selling your creations, you need to make sure your skills are top-notch. You may already be a sewing pro. But if you think there is some room for improvement, check out some books, online tutorials and community classes that can help you to fine tune your talents.
Step 2: Get quality tools and materials
Now that your skills are up to scratch you need a set of quality tools and materials to match. Before you invest your money in any equipment, make sure you check out reviews online to see what other customers are saying about them. Sites like www.grandmalikestosew.com have a number of reliable reviews of computerized sewing machines that you may wish to check out. When buying materials, remember to request samples before buying in bulk.
Image from Wendy Firmin
Step 3: Research your target market
Establish who your market is and start researching what they want. Fashion magazines, blogs and websites will be able to help you find out what’s hot right now and forecasted trends. It’s always a good idea to market to people of your own age as this way you’ll have a good understanding of what they want. And you can also ask your friends for input too (free market research, yay!).
Step 4: Market your products
It’s time to start getting your creations out into the world. Set up a social media page dedicated to your business. You may even want to consider giving your business a name and logo. Another great marketing tool is to wear your creations and to ask your friends to wear them too.
Step 5: Set up an eCommerce website
If you are planning on selling your products online, you’ll need to join an eCommerce site or create your own. Etsy is a great place to start. It’s very simple to set up an account and then you can start selling your stuff straight away. (You will need to pay a transaction fee to the site for selling items – around 3.5% – so do factor this in your finances).
Step 6: Dedicated website
If your business starts doing well, you may wish to move it to a dedicated website. You can create websites for free, but if you are serious about your business you will probably prefer to have a professional site set up.
In six steps you can turn your hobby into a money-making business. And these steps can be easily adapted to a whole host of hobbies.
If you have turned your hobby into a business, we would love to hear your story and advice.
Good luck!
