Growing handmade product business - Local / Ecom

[Mark396]

Long story short:

I spent the last few months diving deep into a niche being a part of the audience and customer base. I go to meet ups (meetup.com) 3x a week. Talking, meeting, getting feedback and being the customer is invaluable. I'm known within the community before I started making any products. I've brought units to meetups to contribute to the purpose and have left with them sold. The goal is to become the niche authority locally and online.

These are handmade. This isn't something a factory can produce, nor would the market accept a factory item. There's a lot of workmanship (barriers of entry). I'm currently making it myself with somebody who is interested in helping long term. Will have multiple people be able to make it in the future.

I set up at an upscale flea market at a friend's booth catering a similar audience. A lot of people were drawn to them. They'd pick it up, feel it and put it down from the texture. Easy workmanship fix.

People buy either for aesthetics or their function. I'm finding a big part of this will be educating people how it works. Everybody has a need for this... If their paradigm allows it.

Currently selling in 2 local offices and a center for my niche. People are incredible with connections and resources when you are a part of the community. I don't sell, simply educate. In September, I'm scheduled to educate and present the products at a meetup/center.

Next step: Online presence and more variations focusing on higher value/price points.

 

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