Local Selling Outlets

By now, you should have decided what to sell, picked out a business name, and priced your handmade items. Now, the fun part begins! Let's go out and actually sell your items! Today, we will take a look at selling locally (excluding stores as these are covered in other articles.)

Many boutique designers choose to sell their items in local children's boutiques, consignment stores, and craft shows. These are great places to start and can be discovered by using internet search engines or looking in your phone book. BUT, there are also numerous other outlets in your area that may want to carry or purchase your products. Here we have compiled a short list of ideas:

1) Contact area sports teams, organizations, and studios. Children's sports teams and dance studios are often looking for matching items for all members of their team. It is worth mentioning that if you are able to handle larger orders then you might consider contacting the head of the organization. For example, if it is a large organization, such as a Pop Warner Cheerleading league, the head organizer may be able to help get the word out to all of the teams. This also can save you valuable time since you would only need to contact one person rather than several coaches.

2) Consider holding a fundraiser for a local organization, charity, or school. Many organizations are open to new ideas to help them raise money. For example, a good friend of mine has worked out contracts with both her local YMCA and child's school. She brings her own display and products, sets them up in the lobby during busy times, and donates a percentage of her sales to the organization in exchange for being able to use their space for free. Other places that may consider a similar arrangement are: adoption agencies, libraries, gyms, daycare facilities, after school programs, churches, hair salons, or photography studios.

3) Another type of fundraiser that can be arranged is to have groups sell your products to raise money for an event or trip. In this case, you sell your items to the group and they are responsible for selling them and keeping the profits that they have made.

4) Organize a craft exhibition at your house. You can do this with a group as small as 6-10 people, and this becomes especially fun if you have lots of crafty friends! Small shows can be held in your home, a church, or other rented space. Print up fliers, run newspaper advertisements, and post signs. Small, intimate shows that are well advertised often do quite well around major holidays. (Note: If holding an event at your home, be sure to check for any zoning laws that may prohibit gatherings such as these.)

5) Hold parties at your friend's houses to sell your items. We are all familiar with home-based party businesses, but Boutique Designers can hold these too! Find an interested friend, family member, or neighbor, print out invitations for them to send to their friends, and take your items to their house to sell. It helps to offer to bring appetizers, arrange incentives for the host, and ensure that you will be responsible for all setup and cleanup. A fun twist on this is offering an instructional lesson to the people that attend. For example, if you make hair bows why not take some basic hair bow supplies and have the attendees each create a small item to take home. If you offer custom orders, be sure to also take custom order forms for attendees to place orders, as home shows often bring in many custom orders.

I have provided a list to help you start finding local selling outlets, but remember you can sell an item nearly anywhere if you approach the situation correctly and have the determination!

Copyright, 2007, Inch By Inch Designs

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