Determining What Will Sell

Niche III


Now that you've discovered your niche, it's time to learn how to spot retail trends. Best described as the marketplace, whether the product will sell. We would all love to get in on the ground floor but often times that doesn't happen. So let's at least try to gain some ground by the third floor. There are several ways to do this.

First to understand retail in it's broad sense, selling products to the public. These products are our handmade items to be sold either directly to the public (retail) or to sell to retailers (wholesale).

First to determine the trends, we must look at what is selling in the marketplace. Next we shouldn’t allow our like or dislike of a trend prohibit us from joining in. For example, I don’t like the mixture of pink and chocolate but I’ve had clients who do. Give your clients what they want.

In spotting trends, you need to know if your target market is local or national. If you're selling on the internet you can reach a large audience, use it to your advantage. What one wears in the middle of the US is gonna be different from the West Coast and that coast is going to be different from the East. Use your TV time to spot trends, such as movies, sitcoms even daytime drama. I loved watching Dallas in the 80’s, I could never tell you what was going on but I could tell you what someone was wearing, about a table or lamp in the background. You get the idea.

Below is a list you might find useful:

The Crafts Report
http://www.craftsreport.com

You can learn more about your business in their Industry Information Statistics area. Find craft organizations both local and nationally.

American Craft
http://www.americancraft.com
Information for crafters about buying trends and business principles.

Craftmaster News
http://www.craftermasternews.com

Information for craft show opportunities.

Festival Network Online
http://www.festivalnet.com/events.html?fn00077

Site for craft fair listings both in the US and Canada

Color Marketing Group
http://www.colormarketing.org

Created to forecast color trends one to three years in advance.

Feel free to post any helpful links you might have, that we may create a successful business together.

Free

FREE...this four letter word we all like to hear or see, something for nothing. Free, gives you an adrenaline rush. Watching TV, you hear Free, you reach for the pen and paper. Free always somehow gets your attention. It still gets mine.

This is what I've learned about Free Nothing is Free. It cost us something. It cost us shipping and or handling if not both, but remember, the product is Free. Well if it's Free why do I have to pay for shipping or handling.

When you receive the item, you have to go to your mail box or the post office to get it. That cost you time and money, gas if you drive. Maybe you don't, so you walk, walking is good for you, if the weather permits, or bus fare if you travel that way.

I can't think of a thing that is FREE. It cost something, you have to exert some form of energy to get whatever the promise of Free entails, so I'm going to share today some Free things with you.

Got a website you want to submit, try Freewebsubmission, now let me warn you, your email box will be bombarded with confirmation mail, takes time and time is money and time you probably could devote to something else, but it's FREE.

Then there is this new site that promises to give MySpace, Facebook and other's a run for their money in the near future, but you have to sign-up, Me2everyone, you get a 1000 shares FREE for signing up and getting in on the ground floor.

Last but not least, here's a networking site that can give you groups and contacts galore. Iseecolor, at this moment they are boasting 137538 members and growing, you'll find me there, 'Hooks and needles' that's me. They have business groups, MLM groups, knitting and crocheting groups, zodiac clubs, on and on and Free advertising. Look out that word FREE again, your email box will runneth over.

This basically explains why my house is still unpacking itself. I look at it and it looks back. Well, like Scarlett, tomorrow is another day and I'll think about it then, for today FREE has been driving me crazy.

Until next time choose your FREE, for time is precious and once gone you can't get it back.

Sherryl