Plan? What plan? Business Plan!

Do you recognise this?

You started crafting. Your handcrafted products were piling up so you decide to sell online. You jump up and down when you make your first online sale. You advertise and you use all possible ways to market your items on the web. You join craft communities and forums. Members advice you about how to make better pictures, how to get more sales and the list goes on. You set up a Facebook Fan Page and gather hundreds of fans. You sign up for Twitter and now have thousands of followers. Great.
And then there is a moment that you think you should find other ways to sell your goods. Join more online handmade communities? Craft Fairs? Approaching retailers?
You google for tips on how to go about things. You maybe buy yourself  'how to sell your handcrafted items' guidebooks and ask fellow artisans to share their experience.

I started making jewellery as a hobby and I came across these issues. What to do next?

Time for a weekend away with one of my best friends.
My friend and I studied together. She decided two years ago to start up her own business.  In the country she lives, she is obliged by law to have a business plan before starting a business and advised me to write mine.

A business plan is not something we crafters initially think of when we decide to sell our handmade products. Nor once we are already selling our goods and thinking of broadening our horizon.

Business plans are usually written to attract investors, to describe your customers, competitors and strengths. Other good reasons to write your business plan:

• A business plan is a great way to direct yourself: where you are now, where you would like to be and how you want to get there.

• A business plan is personal. I also use mine as a plan for years ahead (long term planning). That way it is easier to set yearly, monthly and weekly targets. Here is another post I wrote about planning your daily / weekly activities.
  
• A business plan helps to boost your energy and to help reminding you of your initial goals, especially when sales are going slow.
  

There are plenty of free examples available on the web. You just need to personalise a plan. It might help you too.