Want to help my sister but don't have a scooby as to how

[Dorian7]

Hi Guys,

Just found this site and it may be a Godsend, Not too sure if this where I should be posting though. But any help would be really appreciated.
Just a short history. My sister had a lovely job she was happy in until a couple of years ago. Then she got the dreaded news she had the Big C. This really hit her hard but she has been a brave little soldier all through this and now, with treatment, she has gone into remission. Thank the Lord.
However, this of course , meant she could not continue her work and now finds herself on the scrapheap
Her hobby though is crafting, She makes cards for special events. I am not talking Clinton Cards or those you would buy in a shop but really lovely looking cards for any occasion. She makes theses in her spare time from a room she has dedicated it to in her home., She also gives craft lessons to a group of ladies that love to make them. She is very good at what she does and the ladies are so grateful
However, with the cost of living rising as it is she is struggling to make ends meet by doing this. So what I am loooking for really is any advice whatsoever how she could promote her business. She has sold some cards to the US before now and had great feedback. She has tried Facebook and other media but only dabbled She was talking about how she could teach some women on Zoom maybe, for the ones that are far away or can.t travel a great distance to make it viable. Also spoke about getting a listing on Amazon etc,,,but both of us haven't a clue how to start that or who to contact.
She has a friend who is in the process of building a website for her with pictures of many of the cards she has made
I just need any advice about any way that she could reach the masses...or at least reach enough so that she may develop a viable business
She is a wonderful woman and is very giving, I am just looking to find a way to give her something back,
Any help would be so greatly appreciated
Sorry to have bored you by now and have a great day

Dorian

 

[MBE2017]

For crafting type sales, look at Etsy. Cards are a hugely competitive industry, but if she can find a style that works she could have a nice cottage industry.

 

[Heyes]

For crafting type sales, look at Etsy. Cards are a hugely competitive industry, but if she can find a style that works she could have a nice cottage industry.

There's also Folksy.

The point is to 'get on an appropriate platform' (Etsy/Folksy).

Instagram and Facebook will be of limited use - though likely worthwhile.

 

[Shopclicks]

Sorry to hear about your sister's situation.

One of the easiest ways to brand is to create a YouTube channel. Video the classes or create videos specifically for the channel. Use 15-30 second snippets from the videos to create social media posts on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest & TikTok. Given your sister's skill level, people interested in cards will lap it up.

Link the social channels to the website where people can book private or group Zoom classes, purchase cards or sign up for a regular newsletter. Post every day. People who like cards want to watch people making cards. Giving away a bit of knowledge goes a long way towards creating a following.

All your sister needs is a phone and a laptop.

 

[Dorian7]

Sorry to hear about your sister's situation.

One of the easiest ways to brand is to create a YouTube channel. Video the classes or create videos specifically for the channel. Use 15-30 second snippets from the videos to create social media posts on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest & TikTok. Given your sister's skill level, people interested in cards will lap it up.

Link the social channels to the website where people can book private or group Zoom classes, purchase cards or sign up for a regular newsletter. Post every day. People who like cards want to watch people making cards. Giving away a bit of knowledge goes a long way towards creating a following.

All your sister needs is a phone and a laptop.

Thanks to those who replied here. It really is most appreciated. My problem, and hers, is that we are not tech geeks. I would have no idea how to go about getting a YouTube channel. Do YouTube have a video or info how to do this do you know. Thanks

 

[MBE2017]

Thanks to those who replied here. It really is most appreciated. My problem, and hers, is that we are not tech geeks. I would have no idea how to go about getting a YouTube channel. Do YouTube have a video or info how to do this do you know. Thanks

Just search on YouTube, TikTok etc, plenty of free info. Basically all a channel is on either platform, your shop window to show what you want to the world. So you just create an account, free, and you can film short videos and upload for anyone to see.

Search around and you will get the idea, basically your sister could show how to make a card design, a tutorial for instance on a pop up card, with her Etsy shop details on it, many will watch, some will make the card, plenty will be happy to buy one ready made.

 

[Dorian7]

Just search on YouTube, TikTok etc, plenty of free info. Basically all a channel is on either platform, your shop window to show what you want to the world. So you just create an account, free, and you can film short videos and upload for anyone to see.

Search around and you will get the idea, basically your sister could show how to make a card design, a tutorial for instance on a pop up card, with her Etsy shop details on it, many will watch, some will make the card, plenty will be happy to buy one ready made.

Thanks so much. We will follow that up

 

[Shopclicks]

Do YouTube have a video or info how to do this do you know.

Go to YouTube and search 'How to post a video to TikTok', 'How to start a YouTube channel for beginners', 'How to post a video to Instagram'.

The videos you'll find are made by people doing exactly what your sister could be doing. There's a bit to learn if you're not familiar with social media. But all the information you need to get started is on YouTube and it's free.

 

[fisicx]

@Dorian7 - whilst crafting is a great hobby and ideal for making a bit of pin money it's not really scalable. Let assume she makes £2 profit per card. If she needs £1000/month to pay all the bills that's 500 cards per month. Or 17 cards per day which is 2 every hour working 7 days per week.

If she makes a lot more profit and can churn out cards every 10 minutes then it's possible. But unlikely. At least half her day will be taken up in marketing and a further chunk lost due to just doing the daily chores.

Sorry to be all doom and gloom but you and your sister need to do a business analysis to see if the finances stack up.

 

[WaveJumper]

@Dorian7 - whilst crafting is a great hobby and ideal for making a bit of pin money it's not really scalable. Let assume she makes £2 profit per card. If she needs £1000/month to pay all the bills that's 500 cards per month. Or 17 cards per day which is 2 every hour working 7 days per week.

If she makes a lot more profit and can churn out cards every 10 minutes then it's possible. But unlikely. At least half her day will be taken up in marketing and a further chunk lost due to just doing the daily chores.

Sorry to be all doom and gloom but you and your sister need to do a business analysis to see if the finances stack up.

And make the business plan a priority before you part with any money building a website

 

[Shopclicks]

@fisicx - While making cards one by one is non-scalable, teaching people how to make cards is extremely scalable.

 

[Shopclicks]

And make the business plan a priority before you part with any money building a website

A website is the absolute bare minimum to grow a business like this and it sounds like they have committed to this. If it's a free build, even better.

They need to start today. Video a lesson and get it on YouTube. Take that step that costs nothing.

 

[Heyes]

This'll seem like I'm being arrogant and arguing with others here, but I'm not...

Although the advice of 'make the business plan a priority before you part with any money building a website' and 'not really scalable' are well-intentioned and valid... I suggest they're relatively minor considerations.

She doesn't need a scalable business - just as many individuals who personally provide a service (plumber, copywriter, web designer, consultant, etcetera) don't.

She also doesn't need a website... certainly not to sell cards from - that's better done on the earlier-mentioned platforms (Etsy, Folksy, etcetera). If she includes video course tutorials, there's also several decent platforms for that too.

A very simple single-page site will almost certainly suffice - purely as an online reference/contact point... rather than expend much time/effort/money trying to get visits & sales. And it can be self-built using 'fill this blank with text' templates included free with some hosting.

Nor does she need a business plan - it won't be of much help. She doesn't have major costs to budget and recoup. Instead, she can 'make what she can, in the time she has, and see how well it sells'.

 

[fisicx]

Nor does she need a business plan - it won't be of much help. She doesn't have major costs to budget and recoup. Instead, she can 'make what she can, in the time she has, and see how well it sells'.

The enemy here is time. To make a living from custom cards you need to be able to churn out the cards. But that means you lose the very thing that makes them special.

I helped someone many years ago who made cards. They made a profit by setting up a range of pre-cut designs that she could assemble quickly in to cards. for example a set of pre-cut roses that could be quickly attached to a folder card (which she brought in bulk). Captions and messages we printed using a label maker. This meant she could get 200 wedding cards made in a day. This made the money so she could spend time doing the handmade custom cards.

As I said, @Dorian7 and her sister need to so the sums to work out how much to charge for a card in order to make a living.

 

[Shopclicks]

She doesn't need a scalable business - just as many individuals who personally provide a service (plumber, copywriter, web designer, consultant, etcetera) don't.

Scalable just means the 'ability' to grow. All service providers needed the ability to grow when starting out or they wouldn't be in business. The OP mentioned creating a viable business. That's going to be next to impossible making and selling cards individually. The OP's sister might be able to make a few cards a day. But those cards are made, not sold.

 

[fisicx]

@fisicx - While making cards one by one is non-scalable, teaching people how to make cards is extremely scalable.

But making money from that isn't easy. Just look at how many crafting videos there are on youtube.

 

[Shopclicks]

But making money from that isn't easy. Just look at how many crafting videos there are on youtube.

You can let everybody else get the attention or you can jump in and grab some for yourself. I think the money is to be made selling Zoom classes. If the OP's sister has a talent for this, then use that talent to grab attention.

 

[Mark T Jones]

I'll go plus 1 for a business plan - with some projections.

Whilst clarifying that the plan itself doesn't need to be voluminous or glossy, it simply needs to consolidate what the business is, how it will operate and whether/how it is scaleable. In other words it will put your current stream of thoughts and ideas into some sort of order

market research will give great insight to what media you should use

Projections bring a harsh dose of financial reality

 

[Shopclicks]

I'll go plus 1 for a business plan - with some projections.

Whilst clarifying that the plan itself doesn't need to be voluminous or glossy, it simply needs to consolidate what the business is, how it will operate and whether/how it is scaleable. In other words it will put your current stream of thoughts and ideas into some sort of order

market research will give great insight to what media you should use

Projections bring a harsh dose of financial reality

Anything other than actually doing something, in this case, is just a time waster. And putting off what needs to happen. Projections can come when they have sorted out what the business is.

 

[Mark T Jones]

Anything other than actually doing something, in this case, is just a time waster. And putting off what needs to happen. Projections can come when they have sorted out what the business is.

We'll agree to disagree

At the moment they have a mish-mash if ideas. This thread us actually adding mish to the mash.

They need some clarity as to what they actually intend to do and how it will work

 

[Shopclicks]

They need some clarity as to what they actually intend to do and how it will work

It would be helpful if the OP would provide numbers on how many cards his sister is capable of producing in a day and per month and a realistic sell price range.

 

[Heyes]

The enemy here is time. To make a living from custom cards you need to be able to churn out the cards. But that means you lose the very thing that makes them special.

I don't agree with churn.

They can be premium quality and priced accordingly.

 

[fisicx]

I don't agree with churn.

They can be premium quality and priced accordingly.

Yes they can. But they still need to do the finances to see if it’s viable. Which is why a simple business plan will add clarity.

 

[Heyes]

Scalable just means the 'ability' to grow. All service providers needed the ability to grow when starting out or they wouldn't be in business. The OP mentioned creating a viable business. That's going to be next to impossible making and selling cards individually. The OP's sister might be able to make a few cards a day. But those cards are made, not sold.

I don't agree.

There's a maximum amount of hours she can work, and that can be undertaken from the start - making stuff which'll sell later.

The greater constraining factor is sales rather than time. And the growth comes with increased sales rather than working more hours.

 

[fisicx]

You can let everybody else get the attention or you can jump in and grab some for yourself. I think the money is to be made selling Zoom classes. If the OP's sister has a talent for this, then use that talent to grab attention.

Have you ever tried this? Getting enough people signed up and paying is hard work. They have already said they aren’t technically minded so this may be beyond their capabilities.

 

[Chris Ashdown]

@Dorian7 - whilst crafting is a great hobby and ideal for making a bit of pin money it's not really scalable. Let assume she makes £2 profit per card. If she needs £1000/month to pay all the bills that's 500 cards per month. Or 17 cards per day which is 2 every hour working 7 days per week.

If she makes a lot more profit and can churn out cards every 10 minutes then it's possible. But unlikely. At least half her day will be taken up in marketing and a further chunk lost due to just doing the daily chores.

Sorry to be all doom and gloom but you and your sister need to do a business analysis to see if the finances stack up.

I brought a card for my wife at £17 a few months ago, which indicates a different market to a £2 card

 

[Mark T Jones]

Yes they can. But they still need to do the finances to see if it’s viable. Which is why a simple business plan will add clarity.

As someone who doesn't particularly get on with numbers or IT (It's true!), I see nothing quite as powerful as a spreadsheet to bring clarity & reality to a scenario.

It also helps to create better, more meaningful questions to gather information.

 

[Shopclicks]

I don't agree.

There's a maximum amount of hours she can work, and that can be undertaken from the start - making stuff which'll sell later.

The greater constraining factor is sales rather than time. And the growth comes with increased sales rather than working more hours.

Which is precisely why I am suggesting teaching people to make cards, rather than simply making and selling cards. The ROI on a one hour group Zoom class, is always going to be greater than making and selling the same card.

 

[Shopclicks]

She was talking about how she could teach some women on Zoom maybe, for the ones that are far away or can.t travel a great distance to make it viable.

Have you ever tried this? Getting enough people signed up and paying is hard work. They have already said they aren’t technically minded so this may be beyond their capabilities.

The sister has already suggested this.

Yes I know exactly what it takes through an existing client.

 

[Heyes]

I brought a card for my wife at £17 a few months ago, which indicates a different market to a £2 card

Good. Somebody else gets the point, too.

 

[fisicx]

Good. Somebody else gets the point, too.

I get the point. But we don’t know what price point @Dorian7 is targeting. Nor do we know have she is marketing the cards. Right now it’s all guesswork.

I agree there is a market for premium cards. But if it takes her 2 days to make one £17 card the business isn’t viable.

 

[Shopclicks]

Good. Somebody else gets the point, too.

I wonder how long it would take to hand-make a card that sells for £17. Then pay a platform to sell it. Then post it.

 

[MBE2017]

I thought I would return to the thread since there have been several posts. I have a daughter into crafting and I had considered buying her her a laser printer engraver, nothing to do with making money or costs, just for her enjoyment. I had to put this off for a while due to lack of space, but this is one area where your sister might be able to sell a quantity of goods that make money with little effort, however there is an initial outlay.

As for her current interests, I would recommend she makes a video tutorial series, say 20-30 mins per lesson, once she is comfortable on camera and able to produce half decent videos. Selling the courses would bring in extra income, at say £50-100 per course, nearly all profit.

As for the cards, I would recommend making several, placing on Etsy and only making to order, payment up front. She would have to look around and see what she could expect to charge, since many would compare against her competitors.

 

[Paul FilmMaker]

Sorry to hear about your sister's situation.

One of the easiest ways to brand is to create a YouTube channel. Video the classes or create videos specifically for the channel. Use 15-30 second snippets from the videos to create social media posts on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest & TikTok. Given your sister's skill level, people interested in cards will lap it up.

Link the social channels to the website where people can book private or group Zoom classes, purchase cards or sign up for a regular newsletter. Post every day. People who like cards want to watch people making cards. Giving away a bit of knowledge goes a long way towards creating a following.

All your sister needs is a phone and a laptop.

This with bells on. There is a massive demand for engaging craft vids. Crafties with great channels rack up enormous numbers and generate business. Takes a while as with everything but video and social is a tremendous idea.

 

[Dorian7]

I brought a card for my wife at £17 a few months ago, which indicates a different market to a £2 card

As I mentioned. This wouldn't be a Clinton Card type card. The ones she has sold to the US were priced between $20/30

 

[alan1302]

I get the point. But we don’t know what price point @Dorian7 is targeting. Nor do we know have she is marketing the cards. Right now it’s all guesswork.

I agree there is a market for premium cards. But if it takes her 2 days to make one £17 card the business isn’t viable.

Yet it they can make 1 an hour and sell 8 a day then they would be quite happy I expect.

 

[Dorian7]

Yet it they can make 1 an hour and sell 8 a day then they would be quite happy I expect.

My sister can make one quality card in about 90 mins. Yes, selling 8 per day would be great. She is not looking to make a mint. Just enough to help out with the cost of living

 

[alan1302]

My sister can make one quality card in about 90 mins. Yes, selling 8 per day would be great. She is not looking to make a mint. Just enough to help out with the cost of living

I'd djust try it - somewhere like Etsy - put some up for sale and see how things go. It does not cost a lot to dip a tow in the water and then see where it takes you.

 

[Shopclicks]

My sister can make one quality card in about 90 mins. Yes, selling 8 per day would be great. She is not looking to make a mint. Just enough to help out with the cost of living

The path of least resistance is usually pretty crowded.

 

[Shopclicks]

I'd djust try it - somewhere like Etsy - put some up for sale and see how things go. It does not cost a lot to dip a tow in the water and then see where it takes you.

Etsy UK - Search 'birthday cards' - 1,310,313 results.