Small Business Tip: Making friends

"Sailing" woven friendship bracelet by JDStar

In a world of competition and rivalries, it's good to have people that support you. Connecting with other small business owners isn't just a good way to meet people, it's a great way to network your business and share customers.Tonight, I'm sharing a simple tip: make friends with your craft community.

Sure, the tip seems easy. Being involved in local craft or Etsy groups (like this one!) is a great way to meet people in your area with similar interests. Non-crafty friends don't always understand the excitement of getting into a good craft show or designing new business cards.. but crafty friends do! But, there are some things to note.

DO

• Connect with crafty friends on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. It's a great way to easily message and get to know people, but like any relationship.. don't be creepy.
• Cross-promote businesses! Offer your friend's fans or blog readers a discount on their purchase with discount codes or have them host a giveaway for one of your items. It could open up a whole new customer base.
• Support your fellow artists. Just because you aren't vending at a craft fair or being featured at a gallery doesn't mean you shouldn't attend or promote it through social media. Show them you're a fan-- that's what friends are for.
• Share resources as you feel comfortable. There's a difference between being friendly and giving away trade secrets.
• Build relationships with brick and mortar shops. Become a Facebook fan, follow them on Twitter, shop there, tell your friends about them. If you're consigning with a shop, show them some love! They're not the only one responsible for promoting your items. You need to get the word out.

DON'T

• Don't force it. You won't always connect with everyone. Just like with dating, you don't build a relationship on one similarity alone. Be yourself and you'll find like-minded crafters.
• Don't let them see you sweat. Rivalries are out there. Ever seen Storage Wars? Although they sure are fun to watch on TV, it's not a cute look in the handmade community. Believe in your business and don't dwell on the haters.. even if they try and send you nasty remarks to bring you down. 

Those are the main points to keep in mind when connecting with other crafters. Be social and find some fun people! Check out the Discussions in the OkEtsy group-- the perfect way to chat with the rest of the OkEtsy team!

Casey Maute is a contributor to the OkEtsy blog and lives in Stillwater, Oklahoma. She has worked under the name Lollywood from 2008-2010 and recently opened a new Etsy shop called OSO handmade. She loves craft shows, eating from food trucks, finding cool local shops, and working with PR and social media.

My Best Craft Show Advice

Casey Maute is a contributor to the OkEtsy blog and lives in Stillwater, Oklahoma. She has worked under the name Lollywood from 2008-2010 and recently opened a new Etsy shop called OSO handmade. She loves craft shows, eating from food trucks, finding cool local shops, and working with PR and social media.

The fall craft fair season is in full swing and most crafters are either living on caffeine as they prepare for the weekend's show, or cursing themselves for missing the deadline for yet another event.

I've been doing shows for 3 years now, and I've learned a lot through trial and error and the help of other crafters. I wanted to share one tip about shows that can save you a lot of money, time and effort.. I even made a little rhyme!

 Vend the shows you'd want to attend

 The 2011 Indie Emporium show in Tulsa,
taken by Briana Hefley Shepard of Bifftastica 

Vending at craft shows is a great way to promote your handmade business and gain customers, but you need to do some research before you send in your booth fee and spend countless nights preparing. My best advice would be to attend a show as a customer before attending as an artist. You may think you are missing out on a perfect opportunity by not applying, but like each artist-- each show is different. You'll want to take in everything and look at the show from all perspectives.. including:

• Is there an admission cost to shop at the show? If so, what incentives do they get for their ticket price?
• Who are the customers? Who is the show's target market? Do your items fit in with that market?
• Is the show 100% handmade, or do they allow resellers? 
• Is there a variety of artists? Over-saturation can cause shoppers to overlook your items, thinking, "I just saw that, I just bought that, I don't need to look at more of those."
• What is the crowd like? Ask vendors about foot-traffic and if they would do the show again. 
• Are there other activities at the show? Free music, food vendors, or children's activities can bring larger crowds, but just make sure that the main focus is buying awesome art, otherwise crowds may show up with little to no money for shopping.
• Who is putting on the show? Are they known in the craft community, is the show established, or will they disappear into the night with your booth fee and then cancel the show? Being a little bit cautious never hurt anyone.
• Do I have enough inventory to do a show yet? If you are just starting out and worry that you don't have enough product to even make your booth fee back, you may want to find a show that will let you share a booth with a friend. You can split the fee and will have someone there to talk to and won't have to worry about getting a stranger to watch your booth while you get food or use the restroom. Always check before applying that the show accepts booth sharing, since each one will have different guidelines.
• Finally, read the application and guidelines! Check for times you can set up, when your fees are due, is the show for crafters in a specific state, do you need a tax permit.. Most of your own questions will be answered in the guidelines!

 The 2011 Indie Emporium show in Tulsa, taken by Briana Hefley Shepard of Bifftastica

Researching for a show can seem like a lot of work, but if you can answer all those questions with positive responses... and the show has the environment you like and your customers would like.. then start prepping your application and get it submitted before the deadline! I've had great experiences with Oklahoma craft fairs, and am looking forward to vending at two this season! (The Deluxe Indie Craft Bazaar in Oklahoma City on December 10, 2011, and The Alliday Show in Tulsa on December 17, 2011)

Upcoming Tulsa Show Announcement

Hi, Danielle here! I just wanted to let everyone know about the upcoming Indie Emporium show in Tulsa. They are accepting applications for vendors now, so if you are interested you have until August 14^th to get your application in.

The show will be held at Living Arts of Tulsa, which is located at 307 East Brady, from September 30^th – October 1^st.

To see pictures of past events, you can visit http://www.flickr.com/photos/thecrowes/collections/72157623999018884/, and to learn more about the event, you can check out http://www.indieemporium.com/.

Craft show bonanza!

I'm excited to use our 100th blog post to discuss some truly exciting team news.

Tulsa's most rockin' craft show, Indie Emporium, has accepted a whole slew of Disciples of Etsy team members to its line-up. Check out the Vendor page over the next couple of weeks for the full list. Remember: Indie Emporium is October 9 and 10 in T-Town. Check out the web site for times, ticket information, and more.

On November 6 and 7, the BUST-approved Girlie Show will again showcase some of the finest independent female crafters in Oklahoma City. This year, an impressive crowd of team members will be representing, many for the first time. The 2009 vendor list is not yet available, but keeping checking back. You don't want to miss this great event!

Go ahead and dig out your pens (or your smart phones) and mark your calendars for both of these phenomenal shows. Holiday shopping has never been so much fun! Congrats again to all the team members who wowed the show directors with their unique, high-quality, handmade goods.

Applying to Craft Shows

Tomorrow in the Etsy Virtual Labs, there will be a special session on applying to craft shows. Etsy's own HelloCraft, the planning team behind Crafty Bastards, will be taking questions on submitting a winning application. If you have any questions, contact Crafty Bastards on Twitter. Then swing by the Virtual Labs on Thursday, June 25 at 4 p.m. (5 p.m. Eastern) to learn all about the process. This will be a great learning experience for newbies and team members with lots of experience. Check it out!