When it comes to running a successful paper craft business, Jannet Furman, the owner of Krafty Dekor, is one of the best! With hundreds of thousands of followers and over 10,000 sales on Etsy, she knows what it takes, and we are so lucky to have these top tips for starting a paper craft business from her.
Jannet has some great advice for running a paper craft business. If you've ever thought of making your crafts a business, then pull up a chair for some great tips.
Running a Paper Craft Business Tip #1: Don't Compare Yourself
When you think of a successful craft business you have to think of so many things that come together to make a business work. To start out I would say that the main thing you have to keep in mind is, all those successful businesses start out the same way, from the bottom.
So my first advice would be to not compare yourself to someone who has gone through many ups and downs to be where they are at. Same as you, that small business owner started not knowing how to even cut cardstock paper with a cutting machine.
So don't feel overwhelmed with all you see and think you have to master to get there, small steps lead to progress, aim for that, and as you learn more and more you'll start to see how far from the starting line you have come and the progress will show in your work technique and finished products.
Running a Paper Craft Business Tip #2: Do Your Research And Start Small
My second advice will be to learn about your niche. Look on Etsy, Pinterest, to see what's selling, what is popular. Doing what you love will keep you motivated but matching that with what's on demand is smart business.
Research quality materials and products that will make your work life easier. But to be clear, you don't need all the fancy tools and equipment to start off with. As your business starts to grow and you get more work, you can slowly start investing in more things. Like a second cutting machine, or buying that embossing tool that will add that beautiful texture to your paper. Even adding beautiful specialty paper, which could be more pricey at the beginning, but will definitely make a difference in your products and will stand out from the rest.
Running a Paper Craft Business Tip #3: Master One Craft At A Time
My third advice is invest time in learning all about your craft. Focus on mastering one at a time, and get really good at it before you start exploring other crafts. For example, I started off doing paper flowers and I was really good at it, but then I decided to go into paper party decor. I became really good at doing just cake toppers first, before moving into all the fancy favor boxes and things I do nowadays.
Begin with a limited amount of products and themes. Focus on doing a few things very well instead of doing a lot at once.
Running a Paper Craft Business Tip #4: Listen To Feedback
My fourth piece of advice is, once you have started your business and start having sales, use your client feedback to improve your products, and do changes to your process. For example, simplify designs to make the process quicker, see what works best for you and business. Test what sells best and offer more options of that; see what your customers ask for and use that to make new products that will sell.
Running a Paper Craft Business Tip #5: Price It Right
My fifth advice is to price for profit, not just sales! Don’t underprice your products just to get sales. Make sure you include the cost of materials, your time, fees, packaging, taxes, etc.
If possible, learn how to use a pricing formula or calculator to make sure every sale actually grows your business. As your brand grows so can your prices, the quality and uniqueness of it will justify the price.
Running a Paper Craft Business Tip #6: Share on Social Media
My final advice for you is to always show up! I understand social media isn't everyone's cup of tea, but let's be honest, creating an online presence will tremendously help the traffic to your business.
Show people your process, the behind the scenes of your business, take great photos of you work and just be consistent. Show up every other day and eventually it will just become part of your business routine.
I hope you enjoyed these tips and found some help for starting a paper craft business or even help with running a current one!
-Jannet Furman
Check out this blog post for how to make a fun cake topper!
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