Then Father's Day came and went.
Then I stopped selling anything in my shop.
Ouch.
The truth about this summer so far is that instead of having the extra time to work on orders, I have too much extra time with no work to be done. And to be honest, this has been rough. Really rough. The good news is that I have all the time in the world to experiment with new designs, so I'm trying to look on the bright side and keep my head up. I know that I can't be the only one that has experienced this sort of thing before. I mean, demand for certain items come and go with the seasons, but I just have never experienced a lull this bad before. I don't want to sit around twiddling my thumbs-- I want to do something about it.
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| via NiftySwank |
So, I'm curious to know from any of you that are handmade business owners-- what do you do to stay positive when you're stuck in a rut like this? What are some ways to help boost business during low points in the year?
Keep creating! Its the perfect time to come up with new designs, which will hopefully bring sales back to you. Or, start prepping for the next season or holiday now.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the encouragement, Cassandra! It means a lot! I'm trying to keep my head up and just keep on designing. It has to pay off at some point, right? :)
DeleteI agree with Cassandra, just keep working, this time is usually slow but you can prepare for the Holiday season, use your time so that later on you just have to worry about listing things!
ReplyDeleteAll the best:)
gosh, I wish I was a handmade business owner. I'm not talented enough. no really, I'm not. but that's ok because I think I would always be in this "rut" that you talk about. but I can say that I've been in a rut with my blog ... and I think it just takes time. time heals all wounds, right? hang in there!
ReplyDeleteIt's summer so....are there any craft fairs or farmer's markets or concert events that you can sell stuff in person at? I think most people travel in the summer, so online shopping naturally lulls, but maybe that leaves you an opportunity to sell to tourists in your community, as well as get inspired on new designs. :)
ReplyDeleteGood luck!
i always thought of it as a good reason to make creative things you WANT to create. Or things for yourself, instead of always wondering if somebody else is going to like it. But ya, I kinda think nothing sells in the summer except beach toys and beer. hope you're enjoying it otherwise!
ReplyDeleteI use random slow periods to make new designs! I also make sure I take a little time for myself because when I get busy again I won't be able to do that.
ReplyDeleteAs for boosting sales, I usually do a little bit of work within Etsy. Renewing items usually gets some views/hearts, and if that doesn't work then I switch up my tags. I've found that using fresh keywords gets new people looking at my stuff, and it usually leads to sales. Good luck! :-)
Just reading this post now! Hope my post this week encouraged you a bit. We all go through lulls. ;]
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