Good advise

[mulefool]

I don't know if you have a physical storefront, but if you don't are there any local shops where you could sell your wares on consignment? Those bracelets could go in a womans clothing boutique or our local food co-op has a gift shop where they like to have local artisans work. Your cuffs and such would appeal to the cowboy mounted shooting crowd. Is there any of that thing going on around you? any local gun shops that might stock your holsters? you've probably already thought of these things, but I thought I'd mention them. One thing that is so frustrating is that when things are slow you have the TIME to work on building inventory, but not the MONEY! Chris

[jbird]

James thanks for the input I will look in to it

Josh

Chris I have tried some of those things and around here in Utah people are very choose about what and how much the spend. I have the time right now to beef up my stock but as you said no cash

Josh

[Frank]

Josh,

I feel your pain on this subject. I barely make it month to month with bills but for some reason it always comes through...usually at the last minute. I have a website as well and to begin with I had quite a few hits on it but a great many people are all talk and no show when it comes to ordering items.

I have sold a few items on eBay as well but nothing to really speak of. I did luck out with a guy in Texas. He inquired about one of my eBay auctions when it came to a holster. He went through my website after he learned of the seller fees. He bought a matched set of holsters and liked them enough to order a matching belt and a knife sheath too. It's people like that, that keep you going.

My suggestion would be to do a little traveling if any type of shows arise, such as bike shows, gun shows, horse shows, craft shows, etc. My Uncle is a biker and is having a large Birthday party to which he invited 10 different clubs from around the state. So we are looking at 200-300 guys and gals at this weekend long party. He invited me up there as the only leather vendor...thank God for him. Instead of making saddles like I intended, I made up prototypes of biker style belts, cuffs, watchbands, holsters, knife sheaths, and key holders. I will show them what they will get when they order from me and let them add their custom detail on paper for me and I will go home, make the items and send the custom orders out to the individuals a few weeks later. It's all about catching breaks and you have to look for them as well.

As my saddle making instructor said; "In the leather business sometimes you eat chicken and sometimes you eat feathers, but when you eat chicken, eat it for as long as you can."

Keep up the good work and when you have a chance, go through the papers for local and sometimes non-local shows where you can display your items for custom orders. It pays to look for work instead of hoping someone is looking for your work. Take care Bud.

Frank

[jbird]

Thanks Frank thats good advice for sure

Josh

Josh,

I feel your pain on this subject. I barely make it month to month with bills but for some reason it always comes through...usually at the last minute. I have a website as well and to begin with I had quite a few hits on it but a great many people are all talk and no show when it comes to ordering items.

I have sold a few items on eBay as well but nothing to really speak of. I did luck out with a guy in Texas. He inquired about one of my eBay auctions when it came to a holster. He went through my website after he learned of the seller fees. He bought a matched set of holsters and liked them enough to order a matching belt and a knife sheath too. It's people like that, that keep you going.

My suggestion would be to do a little traveling if any type of shows arise, such as bike shows, gun shows, horse shows, craft shows, etc. My Uncle is a biker and is having a large Birthday party to which he invited 10 different clubs from around the state. So we are looking at 200-300 guys and gals at this weekend long party. He invited me up there as the only leather vendor...thank God for him. Instead of making saddles like I intended, I made up prototypes of biker style belts, cuffs, watchbands, holsters, knife sheaths, and key holders. I will show them what they will get when they order from me and let them add their custom detail on paper for me and I will go home, make the items and send the custom orders out to the individuals a few weeks later. It's all about catching breaks and you have to look for them as well.

As my saddle making instructor said; "In the leather business sometimes you eat chicken and sometimes you eat feathers, but when you eat chicken, eat it for as long as you can."

Keep up the good work and when you have a chance, go through the papers for local and sometimes non-local shows where you can display your items for custom orders. It pays to look for work instead of hoping someone is looking for your work. Take care Bud.

Frank

[Bree]

Howdy all

What's new, well let me start here's my spot and not a good one I must say, I need advise on my leather biz it's suffering in the first I was selling stuff nicley and I was not that good as you all know. I am now selling zip I have tried eBay no luck just a bill, I have a etsy site no luck to speak of. I am totaly in need of selling my stuff because I can't afford it other wise I am low on supplys more then ever before and I am going a bit cross eyed over the hole thing. So what am I doing wrong I now the stuff is ok and is worth selling it's better than what I see around I was just at the gun show and I am telling you I am better than those that were there so what's wrong with my plan what am I doing wrong. I have got some great ideas from ray and I will following through on some of that but I am wondering if you Sages of the battle feild have any advice thanks

Josh

Josh...

You do nice work. There are some things that I would do to improve business. First, get the Glock holster off the site. It is designed for a Western style gun and is dangerous when used with a Glock. The trigger is fully exposed. The safety for the Glock is on the trigger. So the holster does NOT protect against an inadvertant snag and firing.

You don't want any products displayed which can cause a negative reaction. It spills over. Next... don't put all your eggs in one basket. Use several online channels as well as ordinary direct marketing channels at the same time. Weave them together so one supports and energizes the other.

Add customer testimonials talking about how good your products are and how great it is working with you. If you don't have any, get some fast. ASK for recommendations. If you don't ask, you won't get. So ask every customer to write you a recommendation.

Ask customers to REFER you to other people they know who might be interested in buying your goods. Get 3-5 referrals from every customer. Be aggressive in this. Be active in getting your customers to be your #1 marketing source. They will get many sales for you if you work them.

Don't wait for sales to come to you... go to the sale. You are waiting for sales to be "pushed" to you. You have to "pull" sales until your reputation and customer base generates "push". You have to SELL... not take orders.

Get your product photos fixed so that they are clear and properly lit. Concentrate on the features that people want and display them with excellent photography. Bad PIX don't sell well.

You certainly can do leatherworking well. You just need to touch up your marketing plan a bit, get a few details corrected, and start working the crowd so to speak. In the latter respect don't be afraid to be self-promoting! It works!

Good Luck!

[CitizenKate]

Next... don't put all your eggs in one basket. Use several online channels as well as ordinary direct marketing channels at the same time. Weave them together so one supports and energizes the other.

I second that. Don't rely on just Etsy, or just Ebay (ugh!). There are numerous places to list and sell your work from, not the least of which would be your own web site. I'll post a list of some others I have found later on.

Don't wait for sales to come to you... go to the sale.

One way to do that is to make good choices of what to sell in a particular market place. For example, on Etsy, you could do a search of tooled leather items, and make a mental note of what kinds of things are selling there. You don't necessarily want to sell exactly the same things, but you do want to make similar types of things that you know would appeal to the people actually doing the buying there, but unique and original to you.

If you are thinking about exhibiting at a craft show in your region, go to the show, walk around and observe what types of things are selling well there. Each show attracts its own market, and what sells well at one may not sell well at the next.

Kate

[Echo4V]

I second that. Don't rely on just Etsy, or just Ebay (ugh!). There are numerous places to list and sell your work from, not the least of which would be your own web site. I'll post a list of some others I have found later on.

One way to do that is to make good choices of what to sell in a particular market place. For example, on Etsy, you could do a search of tooled leather items, and make a mental note of what kinds of things are selling there. You don't necessarily want to sell exactly the same things, but you do want to make similar types of things that you know would appeal to the people actually doing the buying there, but unique and original to you.

If you are thinking about exhibiting at a craft show in your region, go to the show, walk around and observe what types of things are selling well there. Each show attracts its own market, and what sells well at one may not sell well at the next.

Kate

I was going to say almost the exact same thing...I know that you enjoy making certain types of items and you are really good at those items. The thing is those items only sell to certain types of people so maybe make a few items that will sell to a broader range of people. Just a suggestion, I would say do a few generic knife sheaths. Like a sheath for a buck 110, how many people do you know who have 110 that have lost the sheath for it.

Maybe make a knife sheath and cell phone case to match and sell them as a set.

Check forums that are sort of leather related to find ideas. I know on a knifemakers forum I saw a guy looking for some one to make him a sheath to hold a multi tool and a firesteel both.

I don't know if you've seen the sheaths that Talfuchre has been posting but he is making those for guys who make custom knives and want to offer their knives with sheaths. Now sheaths may or may not be his favorite thing to make but they are selling and providing him money to make the things he does want to make.

I guess I said all that to say sometimes you have to make the things that sell, so you can make the things you enjoy making.

Hope this helps

David

[jbird]

Thank you all very much this all very good advise and I am gratefull

Josh