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In recent times, selling digital planners is a rage. If you use a to-do list or a tracker on your Ipad or mobile. Then, you are familiar with using a digital planner.

In a typical scenario, planners are the physical ones. The ones that you get as prints at stationary business stores. 

Though you can print the digital ones and use them on a digital platform as well.

But you might wonder about —–>

Is Selling Digital Planners Profitable?

Of course, it makes a prudent business decision to start selling digital planners. 

If you work out the maths, you can understand the reason. The time and effort to create a planner is for once. After creating them once, you can start selling digital planners.

Let us assume that it took 100$ and 2 hours to create one. 

The expense goes into using design software or hiring a designer. 

The time includes creation either yourself or by an outsourced artist.  For obvious reasons, the time and amount spent will differ as per the design skills.

Even if it is expensive to make one, you can make up for the cost by increasing your sales volume.

Moreover, there is no need to keep an inventory, nor there are any packaging and shipping costs. Thus, there is no limit to selling as many digital planners as you may want.

Hence, it is a profitable business to sell digital planners. The more you sell, the more profits you make.

Now you might wonder —–>

What Are The Best-Selling Digital Planners?

There are several sellers selling Digital planners on their websites. It is difficult to track their sales.

But, looking at an Etsy search can throw some data. The “Digital planners” phrase will show the results of daily/monthly/weekly planners.

They could track and plan a lot of activities like:

• Finances
• Expenses
• Fitness
• Meals
• Birthdays
• Passwords
• Reading Lists
• Cleaning Schedules
• Movies
• Daily Medicines
• Water Intake
• ADHD Planner
• Manifestation Planner

These are a few of the best-selling digital planners. The list could include a lot more depending on the niche that you cater to.

You will get more ideas by listening to your audience. Any problem/challenge that they may have can initiate an idea for a new digital planner.

Best Places For Selling Digital Planners

The best place for selling digital planners would be a self-hosted website. Shopify or Gumroad could be a facilitator for the same.

But if you are a newbie. Then, you can try selling on Etsy or Amazon. Both are mammoth marketplaces that are good for testing. There are several alternatives to Etsy as well. But to make them work for you, you need solid marketing skills.

Etsy and Amazon have a big chunk of customers waiting to buy products. Hence, they are the top choices for anyone new to selling digital planners.

All options have their pros and cons. But if you want to keep your starting out expenses low. Then, Shopify is not your best bet. It works great when you have a steady stream of sales. Otherwise, you can start with minimal Etsy/Gumroad/Amazon costs.

This post may contain affiliate links. That means if you purchase any of the products mentioned in this article through routing via the links in this post. Then, I may end up receiving a certain monetary percentage from the sale. Though the one who purchases through the link does not end up paying anything extra apart from the mentioned MRP on the product. Full disclosures on the Affiliate Page.

How To Create A Planner To Sell

If you have never created a planner before, then, the thought of making one might frighten you. But do not let this intimidate you.

There are many design software like Adobe InDesign and Affinity Publisher to do the work.

They both have a learning curve and thus require some time. There are online courses on Udemy to get started. 

Also, you can start right away with design software like Canva. It is easy and suitable for someone without design knowledge. Canva also has premade templates to create planners. So, you do not need to start from complete scratch.

If you want to learn how to go about creating digital planners. Then, I can direct you to one of the best resources.

Consider this course a one-stop to all design tasks. It is a system to create and launch digital products with confidence. 

Best Tips For Selling Digital Planners

1. Marketplaces like Etsy, Amazon, and Gumroad are great to begin with. But they are third-party apps, hence, lack complete ownership. Therefore, try to get the email addresses of customers with intelligent lead magnets. That way you will always have direct contact with your customers.

2. Keep a focus on solving problems in your niche. If problem-solving remains your north star, then, you will do well. Else, pretty and non-functional planners will have a limited shelf life.

3. Try to bundle a lot of planners together. That way you can pass on discounts as well. This is a beautiful upsell technique for selling digital planners. The customers get to receive a lot of value and you get to make more money per average order.

4. Test the markets with free digital planners. That way you will get to know whether your audience likes to purchase your products. Do not think freebies will spoil your business. Rather, free downloads will help you create more products. The free planner could be a thinned-down version of an elaborate digital planner. 

5. Do not shy away from running ads to sell digital planners. If you have a substantial email list. Then, you can use it as a base to find more customers for your products. Even if you give away a lot of free planners. The list of customers who use the freebies can also bring in new customers. 

Conclusion

Planners are great to organize busy schedules. They exist in paper formats as well as in digital ones.

As the name suggests, digital ones find use in computers, mobiles, and apps.

GoodNotes is the most popular notes taking software used in Apple products. GoodNotes is synonymous with digital planners. Thus, designing and selling digital planners that are GoodNotes compatible is the key.

You can create digital planners with design software. They do take time to grasp. But you understand them best with practice. 

Else, Canva is one of the best apps to create digital planners in any form.

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Why Do You Need Artist Newsletter Examples

In case you have not heard it before, emails are the best marketing tools.

That is because mail is a direct contact between you and your audience.

Every marketing expert in the industry will vouch for the same. 

But the problem is what to send to your audience.

That is why I have compiled some of my best-performing newsletters. Below you will find them.

71 Artist Newsletter Examples That Work

1. Work In Progress

It is wonderful to share your current work with your visitors. That will give you an opportunity to let them know what occupies your time.

Your audience will find such content engaging. 

2. Inspirations

Every creative person has a lot to get inspired by. It is rare to not have an inspiration for a creative person.

Hence, it is worth sharing your current muse with your subscribers.

3. First Work

The first ones are always special. The first creation holds a memorable place in the heart.

I have shared the embroidery work that I made when I was a kid. You can also do the same.

4. Role Model

Having someone to follow helps in the journey. That is why role models exist.

If you have one. Then, share about them with your readers. It could be that your role model becomes your readers’ role model as well.

5. Travel Diaries

Travel is one of the best teachers. If you have been following my journey, then, you must be aware of my traveling lifestyle.

I live a nomadic lifestyle fueled by slow travel. That is why I got a lot to share in my newsletters.

6. Learnings From A New Course

I am a sucker for knowledge. Today I completed a course on Museum Studies.

If you are on my newsletter list. Then, you must have known about this course.

If you are not learning a new course. Then, right now is the best time to start one. The ups are that along with new learnings, you will get friends to discuss it.

7. Special Custom Requests

Creating special requests for special customers is a cherished feat. When you share it with your subscribers, they get to know that you are open to special requests.

8. Craft Exhibitions

I am yet to find a handmade business owner who does not attend craft exhibitions. 

You could be attending them to display your work. Or, you could even be visiting exhibitions for leisure.

No matter what the reason is, you can send a mail to your readers about the exhibitions you attend.

9. Memes On Craft

Memes are my absolute favorite. I love to share them with anyone who appreciates humor.

Running a handmade business is a stressful job. Sharing memes with your readers will bring cheer and laughter.

10. What Did Not Work

If you have been following my blog. Then, you would know that I am a huge fan of mistakes.

Mistakes teach me what did not work out. 

So, when I share those follies, others know what not to do.

So, do not treat mistakes as a taboo subject. Rather, share them wide to help others.

11. Artist Space Tour

Who would not like to see your workspace? In general, people are inquisitive. So, it will be a great idea to let your subscribers know where you work.

You can insert a pre-recorded video or even images would work too.

12. Suppliers Introduction

What would any business be without their suppliers. So, why not talk about them with your readers.

Chances are that they would be on your list too. This might encourage them to offer discounts to your readers as a form of gratitude.

This post may contain affiliate links. That means if you purchase any of the products mentioned in this article through routing via the links in this post. Then, I may end up receiving a certain monetary percentage from the sale. Though the one who purchases through the link does not end up paying anything extra apart from the mentioned MRP on the product. Full disclosures on the Affiliate Page.

13. Replicating Competitors

Competition is healthy for business. If it were not for the competitors, the entire category of business would die down.

I have nothing but gratitude for my competitors for keeping my business alive. 

I sell one of my competitors’ products as an affiliate. That way I fulfill my audience’s needs without going through the grind.

14. Catching On A Trend

Thanks to these trends, the entire world dances to the same tune. It could be that a few of your readers might not have heard about them.

So, why not share those trends (provided you know about them) in a newsletter.

15. Latest Goofups

The best ideas for art newsletters would be infotainment ones. Sharing videos/images of you goofing it up would make great content.

Many times I have messed up the proportions of oils in soap making. Or I have miscalculated the rows in crochet making. 

All these make humorous content for an artist newsletter.

16. Business Talk

As a successful artist, you can share your business knowledge. People love to know how creatives get their business.

Since I started this website to help artists thrive. Therefore, most of my emails to my readers are business success tips.

17. Discussing Tech In Art

None of us will be able to leverage our lives without technology. All of us have our favorites for apps, gadgets, and tools.

It will make a great email sharing your most used technology gizmos.

18. Awards And Recognition

I love to show off the praise I receive for my work with my subscribers. In the past newsletters, I have shared articles about me in newspapers.

The latest vanity mail I sent my readers was on a Hobby Scool Summit where I was one of the speakers.

It might be difficult to gather laurels when you are a beginner. But as you progress, the accolades will keep on adding. 

19. Latest Purchases

Do you run a photography business? Then, the latest camera lens purchases can find mentioned in the photography newsletters.

Likewise, you can do the same with any creative business.

20. Hero Product

I love to talk about my best-selling product with my readers. The obvious reason is that it sells the most. The other reason is that my readers love to hear updates about it.

So, do not shy away from talking about your most sold product. The love you will receive when you do so will surprise you.

21. Upcycled Ideas

This is my favorite because it creates tons of engagement. People love to know how they can use the stuff that they no longer need.

That not only helps in expanding utility. But also helps with the landfills.

Your artwork must be having lots of upcycling ideas worth sharing.

22. Recycled Ideas

Much like upcycled ideas, recycling is popular too. If you are in the handmade business of making candles.

Then, a probable option to recycle would be using the leftover wax.

Such recycling ideas make some of the best art newsletters.

23. Ask Me Anything

They are popular as AMAs on social media. You can replicate them in newsletters as well.

AMAs are great for to-and-fro interactions since they evoke curiosity.

Try to make it a bare-it-all AMA so that it breaks the ice for the readers.

24. Employee Interview

This will not make sense if you are the Do-It-All in your art enterprise. But even if you have a lone employee, you can share their interview with your readers.

This will help the readers know what is it like working with/for you. It will work even if you have a part-time employee working as a man Friday.

25. An Artist Interview

Interviews with other artists in your profession also make a great topic for emails.

You will find lots of talented/upcoming artists whose work you enjoy. So, sharing their interview will give your readers a perspective on the art.

26. Celebrity Tidbit

Have you ever noticed that famous people also have a creative streak? 

It could also be that some popular personalities share a passion for the art that you follow.

For instance, Brad Pitt loves to do pottery. So, if you are a ceramic artist, then, why not let your readers understand what Brad Pitt does with pottery.

It might prompt the loyal fans of that celebrity to follow pottery as well.

Likewise, you can hunt some famous faces who share interests in your chosen art form.

27. Pet Peeves About Customers

I can go on-and-on ranting about the customers who give me a hard time.

The most common one is asking for a refund after purchasing a digital product. It is when my terms and conditions mention that there are no refunds.

But that is how I get to talk about the disappointments of some not-so-good customers with my readers.

You can also share such irritating pet peeves about your customers with your readers. 

Do remember to not take their names in the newsletters since they might also be reading your emails.

28. New Product Development

This is one of my favorite artist newsletter examples for creatives in all fields.

Any new addition to your product line is worth promoting. Your list of subscribers would love to know what is brewing up.

29. Setting Up A Goal

Goals give you a chance to build a compass. Consider them as long-term new year resolutions.

When you share goals with your readers, it builds accountability. Thus, you are more inclined to reach your goals after including them in newsletters. 

30. Success Party 

People who choose to receive emails from you deserve to know all the good news.

Then, why not share all such good stuff and make them a part of the celebrations?

31. Discounts

You must have received discounts for my products if you subscribe to my emails.

Your readers should be the first people to know about your discounts.

32. Promotion Of A New Launch

Talking about your new products is different from its promotion. If you have a new segment in your business, it deserves a launch process.

I send a series of autoresponder sequences for a new launch. You can send teasers of the same in newsletters as well.

33. Redoing Someone Else’s Work

This can be one of the interesting artist newsletter examples. You can redo some other popular artist work in your style.

You can consider it as providing your flair to another artist’s work. This will let your readers know that you do not shy away from trying new territories. 

34. Venturing Into New Art Forms

Why get stuck in one style or genre forever. You may not expand your business in categories other than yours. But once in a while, you can try new or the latest art forms to stay in sync with new updates.

Telling people about the new art skills you acquired in the recent past is a great newsletter idea.

35. Discussing Beginner Artists In The Business

Everyone discusses famous and established artists. But do you wonder where were all the popular ones hiding in their formative years.

Then, why not become the one who has a keen eye for identifying young talent.

This will promote those beginner artists. Plus, you will garner respect from your tribe for giving back to your community.

36. Marketing Tips

If you subscribe to and read my content. Then, you would know that I discuss this topic the most.

There are several newsletters from my side on marketing tips for handmade businesses.

37. Content Tips

Much like marketing, content generation is the holy grail of promotion in the digital era.

Every handmade business owner has a unique style of content creation. You can share your best tips for content in the newsletter content.

38. Childhood Work

One of the topics for my newsletter was an embroidered artwork that I created as a kid. It was not great, but it was a masterpiece considering done by a 5-year-old.

I was in two minds before sharing it in the newsletter. But to my utter surprise, that email was a hit. Likewise, you can try sending some childhood memories related to art and craft.

39. Organizing Artist Space

If you are an artist, then, you must be aware of the clutter that keeps on building. Therefore, you can share some tips on how to organize and keep the chaos at bay.

For sure such a newsletter idea, you will find a great engagement rate.

40. Packaging Tips

Art products require specialized packaging. A lot of bubble wrap, packaging noodles, and paperboard goes into packaging.

The more intricate and delicate the artwork is, the more sturdy should be packaging.

Hence, as a seasoned artist, you can share your packaging tips with your readers.

41. Shipping Tips

Shipping follows packaging. So, the wisdom acquired while shipping your art is worth sharing with your readers.

Since many of your readers would be your customers, they would like to know how you deliver. Thus, shipping information would make one of the best artist newsletter examples. The best part is that it will work in every creative field like music and fashion.

42. Inspiring Song

Not so long ago I shared one of my favorite songs in my newsletter. To my surprise, it was a hit. 

So many people responded to that mail and told me how much they loved that song too. Also, many people shared their favorites with me. 

This kind of topic is one of the artist newsletter examples that prove the power of engaging content.

43. Related Books

Who does not benefit from a good book? So, if you have grasped wisdom from a certain book. Then, why not let your audience know about it?

I have done it so many times. So, I know it can work for you too.

44. Related Movies

Much like books, movies are also a source of education along with entertainment.

Movies based on creativity, resilience, and surviving despite hardships make a good watch.

So, spread the word about them with your readers.

45. Personal Tips On Health

Let us get practical, running a handmade business is sheer hard work. No one has it easy. You must be doing some kind of physical activity to stay healthy.

Sharing it with your list will benefit your audience.

Mine is swimming and cycling.

46. Personal Tips On Mental Health

Without mental health, physical health goes for a toss. So, any tips on remaining calm and balanced receive appreciation.

For me, it is gardening, and playing with my cats.

Whenever I have shared any newsletter on staying positive, it has garnered a good open rate.

47. Customer Interview

This is one of the best ways to develop a positive connection with your audience. People love to hear personal stories and experiences regarding the usage of products.

So, why not interview a customer and share it in a monthly email?

48. Waste Management Ideas

Any creative work leaves some or the other wastage. You must be having your ways to deal with it.

You can share those with your audience to teach them how to dispose off the waste.

49. Showcasing The Work Of Other Artists

As a creative artist, you must talk and discuss the creations of other artists. It would be shallow/insecure to not appreciate beauty emanating from another creative.

So, why not spread the word about all the good stuff you get to know? 

50. Lead Magnet Ideas

This one is my favorite. If you are reading this post, then, I am sure you must have come across a lead magnet.

Lead magnets lead to gathering subscribers that in turn receive newsletters. Thus, a good reason to tell your subscribers how can they collect subscribers. 

51. Giveaways

Who does not like a good giveaway? I love them because they give you a chance to receive a product that you love.

I am bad at offering giveaways. That is why I have not tried this one as one of the artist newsletter examples.

You can offer your work or even a tool/product that you use in the giveaway. This will give you an opportunity to market and get paid as an affiliate for the giveaway too.

52. Contests

Consider them much like Giveaways. Instead of a lucky draw in a Giveaway, here an actual contest decides the winner.

Of course, you can choose a random winner if there are many. Nevertheless, who comes out as a winner, the contests are a big hit in increasing engagement.

53. Causes That You Care For

All of us have special causes that are close to our hearts. I am sure you too must be having one.

Sharing about it in a newsletter helps you connect with others who share the same emotions as yours. 

Also, you might end up collecting a sizeable donation amount for the cause as well.

54. Resolutions

All of us have made at least 1 resolution at the start of a new year. So, there is no harm in letting your people know about it.

You might get motivated to work on that resolution since you mailed your list about it.

55. Discussing Wishlists

Resolutions are the tasks done to achieve the wishlists. So, if you talk about the resolutions, then, you can share the wishlists as well.

I love to share what is on my mind. You will find it hard to believe, but it has helped me achieve what I desire.

You might try and see if it works for you.

56. Freebies

Freebies are lead magnets without an intended purpose. 

Consider them as a means to keep your audience happy. I love to receive them, that is why create and share them. 

As the name suggests, they are free to download and use. But if they get popular, you can beef them up to create a lead magnet. They can also work out in a ladder format to create a paid digital product.

57. Job Opportunities 

If you receive my newsletters, then, you must have come across job opportunities.

I post a mail whenever there is a manpower requirement. I also include jobs from my friends and other businesses that I come across in my fraternity.

Job listings help businesses and talent connect. They also make good content as an artist newsletter examples.

58. Festival-Related Content

Festivals make a great conversation starter. There are so many festivities or the day of celebrations.

You can greet your newsletter subscribers on such occasions. A cherry on top would be sharing your personal celebrations related to such events.

59. Taking On A Goliath In Your Industry

Everyone loves to hear about a small guy going head-on with a giant. There are several ways to create email content around this topic.

You can discuss/review a product from the industry leader. Or you can talk about an unpopular opinion about the biggies in the industry.

If you shy away from being controversial. Then, you can talk about how a not-so-popular product of a Goliath can become big.

60. Tips On Getting The First Sale

The first sale is special because it is the most difficult one to crack. I recall how enthralling that experience was.

That is why my newsletters contain milestones of sales achieved. I love to talk about how I learned to sell and upsell.

If you are regular to my newsletters, you will soon receive the update of my 300th sale.

61. A Mini-Lesson 

This could be a course or a mini-course. The objective could be to educate your subscribers on a certain topic.

If could not create e-learning content. Then, worry not. You have the option to share someone else’s course.

The point is to drive your audience toward useful content.

62. Happy Birthday Content

I realized the importance of this one after my birthday passed. All happy birthdays are great for passing on some promotions.

I tend to forget my birthday, which is why I miss out on sending related emails.

But I will ensure that I offer some discount coupons next year.

63. Share The Best Advice 

Most of the advice I offer is one that I did not receive well. So, I make it a point to offer advice with cautionary caveats.

I have huge experience in going through bad times. So, that way I am fortunate. 

If you have been fortunate enough to have a cozy life. Then, you can share the advice that you received from others. 

64. Gratitude Sharing

There is a reason I maintain a gratitude journal. It helps me count my blessings and keeps me humble.

The more I appreciate what I receive, the more I get it. Hence, I share with my readers what I am grateful for.

There is a special magnificence about the virtue of gratitude. When you share it with someone, you get to know how fortunate you are.

You might start a chain of positivity by sharing your gratitude stories.

65. Factors Affecting Business

The pandemic is the biggest example of how external factors affect a business. So, talk about how your business bears the brunt of happenings worldwide.

The rising crude oil prices affect shipping costs. As a small business, you do hit a wall due to such changes. Therefore, you must discuss the same with your readers. This will help them understand your price changes as well.

66. Social Media Handles

The more, the merrier is true for engaging the audience. So, newsletter content updating people on your social media handles is a great idea.

That way your tribe will know where to find you in case they lose touch.

67. Exhibitions 

Craft fairs are a part and parcel of a handmade business. One, they bring in sales. Second, they market your creative business to a lot many people.

So, your newsletters must update everyone about your exhibition sojourns. This could include the ones you attend to display your creations. Plus, also the ones you take part as an audience.

68. Collaborations

Collaborations mean uniting with others to do cross-selling. I am skeptical about them till I did once.

Hobbyscool collaborated with me to deliver a webinar on a hobby summit. I spoke on the topic of turning a hobby into a money-making business.

Do not even ask me how well it worked to increase my subscriber rate. So, now I am all for collaborations. Thus, telling your subscribers about it will make the best use of collaborations.

69. Workshops

This one is a no-brainer. Your audience would love to know what kind of workshops you are conducting.

Plus, you get to presell your workshop. Thus, making it one of the best artist newsletter examples for business.

70. Earnings

Jennifer Maker is a popular role model for craft bloggers. She has made a fortune by making and sharing her crafts.

Her tall earnings have a lot to do with her huge popularity. Much like her you can share your earnings as well.  

71. Blast From The Past

I love to look back at past events to admire my journey. So, once I shared the archived image of my website when it started.

The engagement rates of that newsletter were great. My audience admired my journey and appreciated my diligent attempts.

Thus, sending visuals from your past stories works well.

Conclusion

Emails boast of some of the best engagement rates. Thus, an essential element for marketing a handmade business.

Though what to send in emails remains a bottleneck. If you too have been in such anxious situations, then, this article is for you.

It has more than 50 prompts for newsletters. The best part is that they work because they come from my personal experience.

They work in any creative profession as weekly, monthly, or quarterly newsletter examples.

Start using them and do let me know what artist newsletter examples you have to share.

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Starting a crochet business is a popular option among fiber arts businesses.

Crochet is a fun activity with utility. Plus, it can bring in money if operated as a business.

If you intend to start a successful home-based business. Then, you can read further.

What You Need To Know Before Starting A Crochet Business

It may seem easy to crochet and put up your products on the internet. But it takes much more than that to run a successful crochet business.

So, before taking the plunge, you should be aware of the following.

1. Create Handmade Crochet Items

This goes with a mention that you must know how to crochet to sell crochet items.

The only way around not crocheting yourself is by outsourcing or employing. If you know someone who is a pro with the art of crochet. Then, you can associate with them for a crochet business startup. 

Do not think that to run a crochet business you need to be a pro with complicated designs. You can even create chunky blankets with simple finger crochet.

You can succeed even with beginner crochet skills as long as you know who will buy from you. That brings us to the topic of —–>

2. Set Your Crochet Target Market

As someone who runs a business, I know the importance of positioning. This one is the most difficult analogy for a newbie to understand.

As an analogy, you must not provide everything to everyone. Rather, provide a particular market segment with irresistible offers. 

My crochet business niche was handmade jewelry and accessories. So, I never drifted to amigurumi or afghans.  

Likewise, decide on crochet niche ideas for your crochet business.

In summary, do not provide every item to everyone. Rather make a decision on what will you provide to a specific clientele.

3. Identify Your Business With A Name

Starting a crochet business requires a business name. You must devote time and thought to the process. 

Naming your handmade business after your name is an obvious option. That way your business identifies with your personality.

Try to stick to a small name that is unique and easy to pronounce. Also, ensure that there is no controversy or ill-meaning with that name anywhere in the World.

Else, it would become cumbersome as your business grows. So, give a deep thought to choosing crochet business names ideas.

4. Track Down Wholesale Suppliers 

No crochet business would fulfill without supplies. Therefore, you need basic threads and crochet hooks for starting a crochet business.

For this business, the demand for yarn and threads is high. Thus, finding a wholesale vendor is an absolute necessity. 

Try to have at least 2 different vendors for an uninterrupted supply chain. Having a pool of vendors ensures that your customers and the business do not suffer. 

You can look for local suppliers. Or get a bulk deal from an online vendor.

5. Come Up With Appropriate Pricing

After dabbling in so many businesses, I know how important pricing is. Wrong pricing can affect your clientele. The worst is that it may even force you to shut down.

Pricing does get overwhelming due to capital and operational expenses. But it gets a little easier if you multiply all your tangible costs with a fixed multiple. I stick to 3 as a number. From there you can always go a digit lower/higher as per your business needs.

Else, involving each and every cost in a product will be challenging.

6. Package Your Crochet Products

A crochet shipment should never reach the customer in a deplorable state. That is why sturdy packaging is mandatory.

Try to look for packaging materials that protect your crochet artwork. If possible, include sustainable packaging elements to reduce waste.

You can partner with professional delivery services for shipments. That will bring in appreciation and loyalty from your customers. In turn, it would translate to more business and an increment in average order value.

7. Identify The Best Places To Sell Crochet Items

No business can survive without selling. Thus, to start a crochet business, you should know crochet items that sell.

Amigurumi and chunky blankets are some of the best-selling ones. But you should go with your selected niche category.  

Once you start selling crochet, you will know the most profitable crochet items. 

Then, you can build up your display as your audience desires.

Craft shows are one of the best options to sell in person. Alongside, you should target selling online as well.

If you are a newbie, you can start with Etsy. Then, move on to creating your own e-commerce platform.

8. Comply With Laws and Regulations 

It may not seem necessary to even think about laws while running a hobby business. But if you are starting a crochet business with a professional mindset. Then, you have to give a thought to the laws.

Considering the lawsuits filed on Etsy in recent times. You must ensure that your products comply with safety standards.

9. Keep Marketing Forever

This one is true for any and every business. 

Marketing puts the word around, which then facilitates sales.

You can go ahead and start making reels on Instagram. But do consider some relevant hashtags to grab opportunities of crochet business.

Though, blogging is the best long-term marketing plan for the crochet business startup.

10. Work With A Simple Crochet Business Plan

A business plan is mandatory for a successful crochet business. It will help you manage and organize the repetitive chores.

Some of them are:

• Project Planning
• Stock Inventory Tracking
• Counting Rows While crocheting
• Organizing Patterns
• Project Return On Investments (ROI) Tracker
• Craft Events Database
• New Product Development Inspiration

You can keep tracking the above activities on your own. You also have the option to use the one that I sell as a planner.

No matter how you plan to optimize these activities, it is important to complete them.

11. Keep Learning And Improving

Without learning, growth takes a back seat. Therefore, while starting a crochet business, try to do the following:

• Keep a tab on trending crochet items.
• Gather information on competitors’ best-selling crochet products.
• Learn the tips/hacks/tricks for new crochet stitches.
• Figure out ways to reduce packaging and shipping costs.
• Look for ways to reach and grow your customer base.

In Conclusion

There are several crochet business ideas that you can consider as a handmade startup.

Crochet skills come in handy to create apparel, accessories, and toys. 

But you should know how to market and sell to make profits after creation.

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Did you ever fumble while selling handmade products?

Did your competition make you question if you should sell at higher prices? Or is the decline in sales making you feel the other way around? Do you struggle with pricing craft items?

If questions like these perplex you. Then, you must read further.

How To Price Handmade Items

Before you decide how to price crochet blankets, you must know what is the cost of making one.

Thus, you need to know —–>

How Is Handmade Pricing Calculated 

First things first. There is no set formula to price handmade items.

The market is super duper fragmented, so there is no one way to price.

So, as many handmade artists, as many price points.

Thus, to come up with a selling price knowing costing is vital.

For a handmade business, the following could be the costs:

1. Raw Materials and Supplies

These are the basic ingredients to create a product. So, for a souvenir business, you would need magnets, glue, and several other craft supplies. 

Even the digital printables business requires a laptop and paper for testing prints.

2. Time Spent 

This cost is the most difficult one to calculate. That is because there is no fixed value to calculate the worth of time. Moreover, the value of time spent is different for every individual.

Though one can factor in the minimum labor wages in a specific country to put a value on this one. But that value will be capricious.

3. Shipping Costs 

The growing fuel costs have a direct impact on this one. The more your handmade business grows, the more will be your shipping costs.

So, in the long run, it becomes a good problem to have.

4. Marketing Costs

No business can survive without marketing. However, social media does not require a cost to start. But going beyond organic will require the expenditure in ads.

If marketing is offline, the costs would vary as per the medium.

5. Legal Costs

Licenses cost a significant sum if you are selling cosmetics or food. Moreover, as per your local laws, there could be a license fee to run a handmade business.

Trademarks, patents, and taxes as per the revenue are some other legal expenses.

6. Employee Costs

This would be the same as the cost of time spent if you are the sole employee. But if you have people working for you, then, that is an additional expense.

7. Packaging Costs

Packaging handmade items is a significant cost considering global shipping options. Robust packaging requires materials that ensure safety and durability.

Moreover, customers expect handmade brands with sustainable packaging materials. This adds to the expenses of a handmade business.

8. Craft Fair Fees

Before Etsy, craft fairs and farmers’ markets were the only hope for handmade sellers. 

Even though Etsy is synonymous with handmade transactions. Still, the lure of craft fairs is rampant for creatives. 

The fairs charge a cost for display. Thus, adding to the expenses for a handmade entrepreneur.

9. Display Material Costs

Participation in craft fairs requires varied display materials. The list could range from stands, shelves, and racks to labels and lighting. Thus, another set of expenses. 

10. Online Platform Costs

This one is obvious. Etsy is the market leader that charges 20 cents per listing. There are subsequent charges for sales, advertising, and payment gateways.

Selling through a self-hosted website also has a cost. The alternate option to reduce costs is to sell on Gumroad instead of Etsy.

11. Website Costs

Over the years, sellers have experienced lower sales with Etsy. Though even worse is Etsy shutting down shops. 

So, having a website along with Etsy provides a buffer. But this buffer does involve an additional cost.

12. Email Costs

Years of experience have taught me that email beats every other form of marketing. Sending an email to a customer builds a direct line of contact minus distractions.

An effective email strategy is more important than having a website or social media. 

Some email marketing providers operate on a freemium model. But the professional ones that deliver do cost some serious bucks.

13. Learning Costs

Learning can never stop for any business. For a handmade one, it is imperative as creatives require a plethoric amount of skills to thrive.

14. Software/Tools Cost

There are many tools and software to run a handmade business. To enlist the basics, Quickbooks, design software, SEO tools, and cameras are some of the few.

15. Machinery Costs

It may seem like an oxymoron to include machines in a handmade business. But the fact is that some handmade businesses do involve essential mechanical equipment. 

Sewing machines, Cricut, or Printers are the common ones. Then, for the ceramic business, pottery wheels and kilns are the machinery.

The topic of handmade vs machine-made is a point of debate. But it is inevitable to purchase/lease machines in a few handmade businesses. Hence, an additional cost.

16. Office Rent/Lease

My handmade business started in my bedroom. That is common to most small businesses.

But as the commercial entity grows, there is a need for a dedicated space.

So, an added cost of a bought/leased/rented space.

17. Utility Costs

Electricity, water, and gas have a major contribution to utility costs. Depending upon the nature of the business, other costs could add up.

For a soap business, waste disposal is an added utility cost.

18. Vendor Services Cost

Vendors are the backbone of a steady business. They provide the materials needed for the smooth functioning of a business. 

Hence, their services add up to the cost of running a successful handmade business.

What Is The Craft Pricing Formula

As you can see, there are numerous costs to operate a handmade business. Thus, pricing becomes a challenging task.

Moreover, the costs differ for every entity depending upon the nature of the business.

That is why it is impossible to devise a standard pricing formula.

Over the years, I have tried different pricing models. The one that I now stick to is a simple one. It is three times the price of your costs. It is that simple.

As a formula, it is as below:

Selling Price = 3 x (all the tangible costs)

Tangible costs mean the countable ones and have a price tag on them. Hence, it will exclude the time spent. Also, it does not have one-time charges like the legal costs.

It may seem inefficient as it does not involve complicated calculations. But if you put it to use, you will realize that it covers all the costs. Plus, it does bring in profits as well.

Talking about profits takes us to —–>

How Much Profit Margin Is Good For Handmade Products

Profits are subjective to your appetite for ambition. But talking about my experience, any figure beyond 10% is healthy.

So, if your profit margin percentage keeps increasing. Then, for sure your pricing is doing fine.

Conclusion

Pricing is always a challenge even after putting years into a handmade business. That could be the reason why there are several discussions on how to price handmade items. But none comes as a close fit as an absolute answer.

That is why this post attempts to lower the overwhelm regarding this topic. This is not the ultimate guide on how to price handmade items. But it does give a base to pricing craft items as a beginner in a handmade business. 

Let me know if it solved your purpose. Or share your pricing formula for handmade products.

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Did you try art NFTs in your attempt to figure out how to monetize digital art? 

But did the whole experience leave you confused? Then, there are simpler ways apart from selling digital art as NFT.

It works when you are not confident about how to make money as an artist online.

Find out about them by reading below.

23 Ways To Know How To Monetize Digital Art

1. Sell Digital Art Prints

If you create physical art. Then, you can create their digital version to sell as well.

The best part is that this technique works on almost all art forms.

2. Sell Physical Art + Upsell

You need to understand the art of upselling to perform this task. It involves selling the physical art form + 1. Adding a few more dollars to the physical art and clubbing a digital version can do wonders.

3. Print-On-Demand 

Print-On-Demand involves converting digital art to a physical form. There are several companies like Redbubble and Zazzle that you can use.

You can create mockups of your art on everyday objects of utility. Then, people buy those products which then get shipped by the POD companies.

With the POD option, there are innumerable options to sell digital art. Think in terms of bottles, mobile sleeves, backpacks, t-shirts, tote bags, etc.

4. Collaborate With Brands/Companies 

As a creative maker, you can work for companies. Various organizations need artists to visualize their product designs. Awesomemaps employs artists to create products designed with maps as a theme. You can work with organizations like these to monetize digital art creations.

5. Offer Services On Freelancing Websites

Most artists know how to monetize digital art by freelancing. You can offer your services to other artists and organizations. Or you can offer it on freelancing websites like Fiverr and Upwork.

Getting a foothold on freelancing websites takes effort. You should emphasize building strong connections with clients. That way you will establish a stable foundation. 

6. Start Your Website  

This piece of advice can never go wrong. Irrespective of the niche of your art, a website is a must.

A self-hosted website facilitates monetizing by working as a platform for opportunities. Display ads and selling art as an affiliate are some of the monetization methods. Though there is always the option to sell your original artwork on the website. 

7. Start A Youtube Channel

Displaying your art through videos on YouTube is a great way to garner an audience. The more you post, the more you get to connect. 

In all likelihood, your audience will engage with your videos and end up buying your artwork. Furthermore, the monetization opportunities from YouTube will add to your bottom line.

8. Sell Stickers

The demand for stickers never ebbs. They are popular with planners, organizers, and journals. The best part is that they sell well in digital form as well.

If you have a flair for illustrations and shapes. Then, try selling digital stickers or stickers. One can download stickers and print them. 

Stickers are a wonderful addition to a stationery business. I also sell them in my digital shop.

9. Sell Coloring Books

Coloring is popular for all age groups. So, you can create them for kids as well as adults. I buy coloring book pages in a digital pdf format to download and use. 

Several artists sell digital coloring books on Etsy.

10. Offer Illustrations As A Service

Even if you know nothing about how to monetize digital art, you can draw for others.

Many columnists and writers require drawings and illustrations for their content.

As an artist, you can offer your services to them.

11. Offer Printable Designing Services 

I got no education in design. Hence, I struggle in creating printables. But still, I manage to sell printables in my digital shop. 

If I knew some graphic designers, I would have taken their services. 

Like me, there must be many digital entrepreneurs requiring printable designing services. So, as an artist, you can offer digital printable designing services.

12. Write A Book 

Art is a skill that only a few can possess. Hence, you can introduce your design process to others through a book.

It could be a self-help book that can teach art and design. Artists like Austin Kleon have done the same with success.

Amazon Kindle is a great platform to sell self-published books. Others are Kobo, Lullu, and Smashwords are some probable alternatives.

13. Sell Design Courses  

If you cannot write a book to teach art. Then, creating videos to teach is another option.

Platforms like Skillshare and Udemy are popular for learning almost any topic.

You can also use course platforms like Teachable and Thinkific.

14. Tattoo 

The tattoo is popular as a tangible art done on bodies. But you can sell it in a digital form by creating temporary tattoo designs.

On can download and print temporary tattoos on sticky paper.  They are a great digital product to create and sell.

15. Designing E-Invites

Digital invitations are a norm in this fast-paced technology era. Celebrations like marriage, birthdays, and official events require digital invitations. 

You can design unique invitation letters or poster content for events. 

16. Stock Photography 

It goes without saying that digital pictures are a huge business. Almost every business buys stock imagery.

Hence, the photography business of selling photos online is a great idea. Considering the competition in this business, sticking to a niche will help.

17. Workshops

I am sure you know how to monetize digital art by conducting workshops.  

Till you gain experience in selling art online, you can take online art workshops. Workshops happen online as well as offline.

18. Comics

Creating comic books and cartoon strips is a great way to put your illustrator skills to use. 

The comics could be both digital and physical. You could weave a story around an interesting character for comic strips.

Artist Nathan W Pyle can be a role model for digital comic artists. His webcomic series Strange Planet is a global rage.  

19. Cartoon Clips

Much like comics, cartoons, and animated clips have an audience. You can cater to them by providing entertaining cartoon series. 

Simon’s Cat is a great way to learn how to monetize digital art. The series has expanded to a digital shop with branded merchandise.

20. Design Consultancy

Offering creative knowledge to organizations is one of the ways to make money. You can offer your design expertise through Zoom calls. 

Apps like Acuity can help you with online appointments.

21. Crowdfunding

Indiegogo, GoFundMe, and Kickstarter help innovations find money and support.

You can use them as per the art project that you are working on.

Solutions offering utility and a universal appeal do well on these crowdfunding platforms.

22. Design Contests

Design Contest is a website that helps connect designers with anyone having a need for a design.

As the name suggests, artists compete in a contest to bag the project. There is tremendous scope to get work through this platform. 

There are other options like 99Designs and DesignCrowd.

23. Printables

I saved the best one for the last. This is the monetization method that works best for me. 

Printables sell as Amazon digital products. Or you can sell them on your website. You can even sell them as digital downloads on Etsy. 

Most of the printables are in PDF format. Hence, they work as downloads that one can print and use forever. 

Conclusion

If you keep asking yourself how do I sell my digital art? Then, this is the article you should keep coming back to.

It enlists some of the most places where to sell digital products.

You can try as many as you can to figure out how to monetize digital art.

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Handmade sellers keep looking for Etsy alternatives. It does not matter how satisfied you are with Etsy as a platform. It does matter to know what you can do better for your business.

As a creative entrepreneur, do you keep asking yourself – Do I need an e-commerce website? Then, you need to check out the following:

Etsy Vs Own Website: 9 Key Differences

1. Trust And Validation From The Community

It is one of the most pertinent differences between Etsy and any other platform. The large user base of Etsy brings auto-validation to the platform. 

The mammoth site has about 7.3 million sellers and 93.9 million buyers.

On the other hand, there is no concrete data on how many artists have self-owned websites. Thus, bringing a trust deficit in starting a stand-alone website.

2. Ease Of Starting

If technology is a challenge, then for sure, Etsy is an obvious choice vs a website. 

The idea of starting a website overwhelms artists. But as a matter of fact, it is not that difficult to do so.  

The argument is similar to convincing an artist to begin selling on Etsy. The way selling on Etsy has become natural to artists. So, can become starting a website to sell art.

3. Marketplace Advantage And Disadvantages

Then comes the pros and cons of the marketplace economy. 

It is probable to make a sale on Etsy the moment you list. It is possible because of the marketplace advantage of Etsy. The platform already has buyers eyeing products. Hence, you can make a sale within a few days or even hours of listing. 

But the marketplace comes as a double edge sword. Over-saturated niches struggle for sales due to fierce competition. Sales in a crowded niche would require SEO skills and paid advertising.

For your own website, sales would depend on your marketing capabilities. So, the better you are at SEO and email marketing, the more the potential for sales.

4. Huge And Confusing Fees

Etsy confuses me all the time with its prices. It consists of 5 components:

Listing Fees

Transaction Fees

Payment Processing Fees

Advertising Fees

Shipping Label Fees

The first three fees are mandatory, while the last two are optional. 

The listing fee of $0.20 cents is regardless of whether or not the item sells.  

Transaction fees are 6.5% of the selling price. 

Payment processing fees differ for countries. But it is a minimum of 3% plus some fixed amount.

As you can see, selling on Etsy gets expensive over time. So, if you sell for $1000, you lose about $100.

Setting up your website to sell crafts is not the cheapest way to sell online. The costs include:

• Domain charges
• Hosting fees
• Email marketing expenditures
• SEO Apps 
• Payment Processor Charges

It gets difficult to put prices on these as it depends on the company/plans you buy. But if you start with Shopify, the basic fee is $29 per month. In addition, there is 2.9% + $0.30 cents per transaction.

So, if you sell for $1000, you lose only about $30-50. That is because the monthly cost would average out on all your sold inventory.

I do not want to start on the gift-wrapping expenses that Etsy charges. The reputation of the platform is for handmade items. Hence, it is a given that most requests are for handmade gifts that require devout wrapping.

But if you offer wrapping and shipping as paid service. Then, it adds to the charges that you pay to Etsy. It becomes a problem when buyers filter out sellers who charge for shipping. That adds to the extra expenses of making a sale.

But that will not be the case with your shop. You pay Shopify on the final selling price. This weeds out a lot of confusion in the minds of the buyers. They either choose or do not choose gift wrapping.  

5. Too Much Competition

If you are reading this, then, I am sure you suffer from dwindling sales on Etsy.

I get it because a platform ends up getting fierce competition.

The few possible ways to survive heavy competition are:

• Lowering Prices
• Advertising More

But both these tactics eat away your margins. Thus, bringing you back to square one.

With your website, it is possible to find customers who stick with you. The brand recall value is high when you operate as an individual store. That is one way to weed off competition from me-too brands on Etsy.

6. No Control Over Data And Consumer Information

This is the biggest difference between Etsy vs own website. As a seller on Etsy, you got little to no control over finding what fuels your shop.

Your e-store has analytics to know what search terms got you visitors. Or which location brings you the maximum customers.

On Etsy, it is difficult to get consumer data. The biggest hurdle is in getting the emails of customers. It hinders email marketing strategy that is a must to scale the business.

You can try putting QR codes on your Etsy cover picture. Or try to offer newsletter subscriptions by bartering a discount code in orders. But these tactics have a poor success rate. It might also attract a ban from Etsy if they update the rules in the future.  

7. Slow, But Solid Growth

The same efforts on Etsy and an e-commerce store will bring different outcomes.

Years of a successful stint on Etsy do not guarantee further success. There are several instances where Etsy shut the shops of sellers. Sometimes the reasons were not even disclosed to the sellers by the platform.

Such situations make you realize that owning a store is your biggest asset. It may take a few years to scale. But the growth will be solid with an unshakeable foundation.

8. Rules At The Whim Of Etsy

Etsy’s rules and policies have undergone several changes over the years. The most prominent ones are regarding shipping. 

Etsy states that they focus on sellers offering free shipping on products worth over $35. It is one of the recent changes that can hamper the margins of sellers.

Though some changes work in their favor. One of those is regarding the no-return policy on digital sales.

Thus, the mammoth platform works both in the favor of sellers and buyers. But in the end, these are policies that you as a seller has got no control over. As a seller, you got to learn to live with the Etsy pros and cons.

With your self-hosted store, you design the rules. So, you set the return, shipping, or sales policies. The freedom to operate the business your way sets marked differences.

9. The Url Says It All. No Recall Value With Etsy

This one is my favorite argument for all Etsy fanatics. Try asking any Etsy shopper to ask where did they make their latest purchase from? Without even skipping a breath, they will reply “Etsy” with excitement.

That is the foundation difference between Etsy vs own website. Your website-cum-store brings in branding and recall value which Etsy can never provide.

So, if you want to build a mind share in your customers. Then, think about moving from Etsy to own site.

Conclusion

Do you keep a track of your sales on Etsy? Does your profit make you question is selling on Etsy worth it? 

If such doubts keep recurring. Then, you must look out for options that let you put eggs in different baskets. Selling on Shopify is one of those alternatives. It is unlike free selling platforms. But spending on it is an investment that brings fruit with consistent efforts. 

Do let me know if you know of other differences between Etsy vs own website. I will add it to this list and give you the credits.

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