If you have an art or a craft and you dream about starting your own home-based or small business, this is the course for you! You'll learn how to start your own arts and crafts business from a professional artist. You'll discover how to find your niche within your chosen craft and how to create your own unique business identity. You'll also see what makes marketing in the arts and crafts business different from marketing in most other enterprises, and you'll find a sales approach that meshes with your personality and preserves your creative integrity.

You'll get insider secrets too, learning how to find and get into the best craft shows, as well as design booths that really draw customers in. You'll also discover how to price your work effectively so you can set yourself up for success whether you're selling through craft shows, in galleries, online, or even in your own retail store.

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Syllabus:

All courses run for six weeks, with a two-week grace period at the end. Two lessons are released each week for the six-week duration of the course. You do not have to be present when the lesson is released, but you must complete each lesson within two weeks of its release.

A new section of each course starts on the second or third Wednesday of each month. If enrolling in a series of two or more courses, please be sure to space the start date for each course at least two months apart.

Week One

Wednesday - Lesson 01

We can't look into the future. Or can we? In this first lesson, you'll explore how to find your own niche within your chosen craft. Then you'll learn about resources for spotting future trends and making your business a success!

Friday - Lesson 02

You've heard the expression "It's all in a name." But how do you determine which business name tells the public what you're all about? In this lesson, you'll get some foolproof guidelines for choosing the name that's right for your business. You'll also learn how to secure your name and design a logo your customers will remember you by.

Week Two

Wednesday - Lesson 03

Claiming your own work space is thrilling and scary at the same time. Today you'll explore your options, from the home studio to the retail space. Most important of all, you'll learn the secret to choosing the right one for you.

Friday - Lesson 04

In this lesson, you'll learn how to design your new work space for increased productivity and safety. We'll talk about setting up workstations, choosing work surfaces, lighting, organizing and storing craft supplies, and going green. Then you'll learn how to buy your supplies in bulk to maximize your profit.

Week Three

Wednesday - Lesson 05

What makes marketing in the arts and crafts business different from marketing in most other enterprises? You'll know the secret when you finish this lesson. You'll also know how to create a marketing strategy to get the word out about your new business. How will you put this plan into action? With tried-and-true marketing tools you'll learn here too!

Friday - Lesson 06

Figuring out how to price your work can feel like a mystery that might even stump Sherlock Holmes! If you aim too high, your products won't sell, and if you aim too low, you'll be out of business before you know it. Today you'll discover a formula for arriving at the best price while leaving yourself enough wiggle room to be flexible. You'll also learn how to protect your work through copyrights and through insuring your business against loss or damage.

Week Four

Wednesday - Lesson 07

Thinking of you-the-salesperson can sometimes make you-the-artist feel like you've been dropped into the Twilight Zone! But everyone has an inner salesperson. In this lesson, you'll find out how to see sales in a new light—one that meshes with your personality and creative integrity.

Friday - Lesson 08

How do you get your craft products into the marketplace? Today you'll explore how to get your crafts into retail stores at wholesale prices, place your products on consignment, and approach galleries and develop long-term relationships with them.

Week Five

Wednesday - Lesson 09

Retail is competitive, and you have to know your stuff to succeed. Whether it's the ins-and-outs of how to sell retail through craft parties, or some of the principles of setting up your own retail store, it's in this lesson! You'll also learn how and where to sell retail to a worldwide market on the Internet.

Friday - Lesson 10

There are thousands of craft shows every year, so how can you find the best (most lucrative) craft shows to be in? In this lesson, you'll learn what the insiders know: how to find the best shows and what you'll need to get into them. You'll also see how to plan the details of travel and lodging and get an idea of what to bring along to ensure a smooth craft show experience.

Week Six

Wednesday - Lesson 11

Once you're in a craft show, you'll need to pull those craft lovers out of the aisles and into your booth! Today you'll discover how to design booths and displays that draw people in, and you'll learn how to keep them there with compelling demonstrations, solid craft fair sales, and smart marketing techniques.

Friday - Lesson 12

Teaching can be fulfilling both financially and emotionally, and it can also be a great marketing tool for the rest of your business! Today you'll learn how to find teaching opportunities, design your curriculum, and price and promote your class. By the end of this lesson, our final one, you'll have everything you need to approach your local craft supply store, art school, or continuing education department with a professional proposal for your class.

This course includes a knowledgeable and caring instructor who will guide you through your lessons, facilitate discussions, and answer your questions. The instructor for this course will be Teri King.

An award-winning artist, Teri King began her formal study of art at the Witte Museum in San Antonio, Texas when she was just 3 years old. She currently works in several different mediums, including ceramics, oil painting, and precious metal clay. Teri's ceramic and jewelry pieces are in private collections around the world, and she has received acclaim for her interior design work. She enjoys teaching up-and-coming artists, which she has done for the past three decades.

Requirements:

Internet access; e-mail; and the Microsoft Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox Web browser.

Student Reviews:

Reviews coming soon! Please check back next month.