Posted by camille – February 27, 2007 5:25 PM

I've noticed that several folks have asked about resources for selling their crafts. This is a broad question because the answer really depends on how big of a market you hope to target.

Let's start with creating a small business of manufacturing your crafts at home and selling locally. First, determine where you will sell your crafts. Check your yellow pages to determine if there is a craft mall or art gallery that specializes in regional crafts in your area. Contact area churches to find out about any upcoming bazaars. Keep an eye out for ads in local papers announcing upcoming craft fairs. Browse your local flea or farmer's market, if lots of other local crafters are there busily selling homemade candles, tote bags, windchimes, etc. -- then this is obviously a lucrative spot.

Barbara Brabec, a frequent guest on the Carol Duvall show and authority on crafts marketing, recommends that before starting a home-based craft business, you do six things:

1. Get the Support of Your Family. Any business run at home will be stressful at times, but much more so if you don't have support and encouragement from your spouse or other family members. Make sure everyone understands what you want to do and what they might have to do (or give up) to help you reach your goals.

2. Adjust Your Attitude. Even if your financial goals are small, it’s important to develop a professional attitude right from the start because your attitude will have everything to do with the amount of money you’ll earn.

3. Set Some Goals. Make a list of short- and long-term goals you’d like to achieve, and don’t be afraid to set a couple of personal goals you’re not sure you can reach. You may have to leave your comfort zone and stretch yourself to achieve a particular goal, but what you’ll learn in the process will be worth gold to you.

4. Find More Time. Start recording how you presently spend every hour of each day and do this for at least a month to get a complete picture of all your activities. Then study this information to find the extra hours you’ll need to run a business at home.

5. Set Up an Organized Work/Business Area. To minimize stress and save time, figure out how and where you’re going to do the work involved in your new endeavor. You will need space for business files and records, production work tables and sufficient storage space for your growing collection of raw materials, supplies and finished goods being prepared for sale.

6. Consider the Benefits. As many hobby crafters have learned, the benefits of starting a small crafts business at home can be tremendous, even if the venture itself turns out to be a financial flop. That’s because failure is a wonderful teacher that helps us learn what not to do the next time around. Many crafters who failed to make a good profit from their first crafts venture learned enough to succeed in their second.

Click here to read Barbara Brabec's full article Six Personal Things to Consider Before Starting a Crafts Business.

For more tips on getting started, check out Starting a Craft Business and Marketing Your Crafts on HGTV.com.