Member Article

How to make your hobby pay in 2018

Paula Gorry, Demonstrator Development Manager, Stampin Up! UK

The beginning of a new year is typically a time for people to take up a new challenge or to focus on a hobby that they’ve always promised to devote more time to. But, as many people’s resolutions fall by the wayside, why not push your hobby to make some extra money too?

The ‘artisan economy’ has seen huge growth in recent years, as more and more people switch on to the possibility of earning through making, baking and crafting. In many cases, successful businesses have developed on the back of a passion or hobby, and direct selling has emerged as a route to earning extra income.

In fact, according to the Direct Selling Association (DSA), there are now over 400,000 direct sellers in the UK, with the industry bringing in sales in excess of £2 billion each year.

Research has shown that pursuing hobbies makes us happier and gives a sense of greater well-being. With over 11,000 crafting businesses in the UK, there has never been a better time to try your hand at something creative. Here are some key things to consider when thinking about taking the next step and turning your hobby into some extra income.

Let work fit around you

Start-up businesses usually require owners to commit a huge number of hours to get the company off the ground. But one of the best things about turning your hobby into a business is that, a lot of the time, it simply won’t feel like work. Being your own boss also means you get to set your own working hours, which is particularly ideal for those balancing work with childcare. Many of our demonstrators run their businesses alongside other jobs, study or full-time parenthood. The key is letting the business fit around you, whether that means getting crafty at the weekend, in the evening or when the kids are at school.

Get out and meet people

Holding or attending events are a great way of meeting new potential customers and promoting your business. People value the personal touch and are more likely to engage with your business if they’ve met you.

There are so many options for getting out there and meeting people, from local networking events to parties which give you the chance to demonstrate your products in a hands-on setting. Our Stampin’ Up! demonstrators, for example, organise parties, hold classes, and run events and clubs in order to get people excited about crafting.

With the pace of modern life people are increasingly looking for ways to unwind and de-stress. Our demonstrators are hooking into this theme with great success, building events around the mindfulness and relaxation benefits of crafting.

This hands-on approach can really sow the seed of creativity amongst people who’ve never even attempted crafting before, and that moment when the passion ignites can be really rewarding for teacher and pupil alike!

Harness the Power of Social Media

Any fledging crafting business needs to find ways to advertise its products to as wide an audience as possible and social media is the ideal tool for doing so. They key to effective social media use is to think visually as photos gain more engagement than posts with just text and are more effective at demonstrating your crafting talents. YouTube, Instagram and Pinterest, for example, are a great, predominantly visual, way to showcase your products. The content you post can also play an important role in driving engagement with your brand. Consumers are less likely to engage with brands whose social media posts are purely geared towards selling products, so consider following the trend-setting example of Innocent Drinks and think about how you can add value to your followers’ timelines by using creative lifestyle content, informative content or even humour. Engaging with your followers on a more human level will make them more likely to engage with your brand.

Have a support network

Starting your own business can be daunting, but there’s no need to go it alone. Talk to those who have been there and done it, and take their advice on board. Having the support of an established team is key to the success of many of our demonstrators.

If you have an interest or particular skill, why not investigate ways of making it pay?

[1] http://www.dsa.org.uk/ [2] Smallbusiness.co.uk, “Direct selling: what you need to know,” http://smallbusiness.co.uk/direct-selling-need-know-2538661/ 19th May 2017 [3]The Guardian, ‘Hobbies make us happier- so avoid mockery and enjoy’ http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/jan/11/hobbies-happier-gardening-bird-watching-stroking-cat?CMP=fb_gu 11th January, 2016

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Crafting News .