Home Made

Like many folks around the world, you may be looking for a way to make a little extra money. One of the most popular and rewarding ways to do this is by selling your own homemade or handcrafted products. Here’s a few simple steps to getting started:

1. Choose and develop your own line of unique homemade products that will appeal to consumers. Peruse the Buy Direct Directory for the wide range of possibilities, from baked goods to specialty foods, from bath salts and soaps to barbecue sauce and fruit syrups and pickles. Your unique angle may be a special recipe, organic ingredients, a unique color scheme, or an unusual or topical shape.

2. Develop your “pitch” — an advertising slogan or description that highlights the special features and benefits of your products. For an example, The Soap Factory in Bedford, Massachusetts offers “Old Fashioned Castile Soap” using “traditional recipes and low energy techniques” that bring “the best of the soap makers’ craft to you at economical prices.”

3. Display and sell direct to the consumer. If you lease a Booth space at Farmer’s Market Online, your products will be seen by hundreds of shoppers in a matter of days. All you need is a good product photo, your pitch, and your pricing. Farmer’s Market Online will construct your Booth — a dedicated web page — from information you provide. You can even set up PayPal payment links, allowing shoppers to purchase with credit or debit cards, and have the earnings deposited directly in your checking account. Best of all, you don’t need to produce large volumes of your product in advance, as you would in preparation for a craft fair or selling through retail stores. With many products, you can produce “on demand” as orders arrive.

4. Respond quickly and maintain quality. Repeat customers are the key to your success. Treat every inquiry and every order as if it were from your best friend.