Hi,

My name is Jacque Barns, over five years ago I gave up my career as an account manager to sell my handmade greetings cards full time, it took me two years to go from zero sales to selling thousands of handmade cards per month through over seven hundred and fifty retail outlets.

Artist in Business is now closed, however most of my original writings about selling your handmade cards can be found here How to Sell your Handmade Cards

A billion pound business
The gift and greeting card industry is a billion pound market (£1.2 Billion of card sales in the UK alone), whatever it is you make, be it cards, pottery, framed pictures etc. there is a massive world wide market for it, look around at your own town or village, how many gift shops, card shops or art shops have you noticed, not to mention many other shops that now also sell gifts and cards (Petrol stations, The post office, Newsagents) we're talking big business with shop owners crying out for something new and exciting that will give them more sales, more profits and more customers, that something could be yours!

Greetings card retailers are waiting to buy your product!
Imagine thousands of people all over the country, sitting, waiting to buy your product, BUT THEY CAN'T BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW ABOUT IT. When you join An artist in business you'll discover how to find these people and how to get your product in front of them, imagine how many sales you could get from just three of these people a week.

Retailers don't have time to source new products
If you've attended a craft fair, market or boot sale selling your products, chances are that a shop owner has already checked out your goods, they may have even asked you about trade prices and terms, this is how some retailers find new products, but most retailers haven't time to source products they have to open and run their shop! They rely on people like you and me coming to see them.

You'll discover how to:

Approach Buyers and get your greeting cards in front of them.

What to say and what to do when meeting Buyers.

Get and make appointments with Buyers.

I'll also tell you how to find someone else to sell your products for you!
Perhaps you don't have time to sell your own products or simply don't like the idea, I'll tell you how to find someone that wants to sell it for you, they're also crying out for new products (they depend on them to get appointments), Imagine having your product shown to several buyers each and every day of the week, how many sales do you think they could get for you?

You'll learn how to:

Find a good greetings card sales agent.

When to pay them.

How much to pay them

What if I don't want to sell to shops!
If you sell at Craft fairs, local markets, Party plan or even a Boot sale, with my information you'll find out how you can increase profits selling your cards at such venues.

Find out:

How to choose the best place to sell

Simple tricks to increase sales

How to recognise buying signals

You'll also find out what not to do

Business mugging, happens all the time, late payers, non payers, the cheque's in the post, etc.
I'll tell you how to avoid the traps and pitfalls, how to spot the people that are ready to take advantage of you, and your products, and how to protect yourself.

Making your greetings cards sell

You see, I've found out the hard way, though trial and practice how to create a profitable craft business, by becoming a member of An artist in business you don't have to do it the hard way, the web site is packed with the information you need to turn your crafting into a profitable business in a fraction of the time that it took me.

So you're in business
Creating a title, business banking, Stationary, Introducing yourself, Looking the part, Power.

Dealing with Suppliers
Getting trade prices, setting up accounts, Getting credit, buying power, Buying clubs, References.

Pricing your work
How to work out prices, what the market dictates, why you should avoid underpricing, believing in your prices.

A craft workers tale
Learn what mistakes to avoid, How not to get ripped off by customers, promoters and buyers.

Using Agents to sell your products
Finding agents, using agents to sell your product, when and how to pay, How they work, Drawbacks of agents, double pitch covert sales.

Sale or return option/Concessions
How it works, What percentage to pay, How to protect yourself.

Other ways to sell
How to sell at Markets, Boot fairs, Craft fairs, party plan.

Retailer buying times
Seasons when retailers/vendors buy in products.

Getting paid
How to get paid on time, How to chase for payments, methods used, What not to do.

You've got an order
How to invoice, when to expect payment

How to find retail customers
Where to look, How to get appointments, Making appointments, What to say and do, How to get a sale, What to look out for.

Browbeating & Dangling the Carrot
How not to get ripped off, Making agreements.

Trade fairs
Are they worth doing, how to attend a fair, what you'll need and the costs involved.

How to get Free promotion
Getting free promotion in major press magazines, How to format and send press releases

Resources
Useful resources for the gift trade

Tax, Self employment and VAT
All three are explained in plain English, How they affect you and your business, useful links to free tax calculation software, plus how to get a free video about starting your business.

And much more...
Retailers, what can you expect, what they'll expect, how to present your work, etc. Handling rejection, avoiding copying, the only person you need ever ask to find out if your product is any good, SOR is it really any good?

Artist in Business is now closed, however most of my original writings about selling your handmade cards can be found here Sell your Handmade Cards