This is PART TWO of my “I Want To Sell Handmade Products… But I Don’t Know What To Make!” series. If you haven’t read part one yet, click here to be taken there.
Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a small commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you.
You’ve got your broad product idea(s), now what?
So you’ve got your broad product idea. Mine was “book jewelry” but maybe yours is dog furniture, natural décor, theatre-inspired merch, or party supplies.
It’s time to narrow down and make your product more specific. You’ll want to grab another piece of paper, and this time I want you to break that broad topic down into smaller ideas. For example, if you were to narrow in on dog furniture, you might start writing down types of furniture like beds, canopy beds, bunk beds, step stools, chairs, crates, and tables. You might think about other defining factors like furniture made for small dogs, as opposed to medium or large dogs. What are some options for materials? Wood, recycled/reclaimed wood, foam, fleece, felt, plastic, etc. Think about styles—rustic, royal/luxury, nature, industrial, modern, whimsical, etc. What other features might it have? Built-in storage? Wheels? Should it be lightweight? Store easily? Is it meant to stay in the same place, or is it meant for travel?
As you brainstorm, what products are coming to mind? Make a list of these products by combining some of the qualities that you wrote down. Maybe you want to make a luxurious canopy bed for small, pampered dogs. Or maybe you’re more into the rustic vibe and are inspired to make a dog bed for medium-sized dogs with reclaimed wood.
Take a highlighter to the ones that you might most enjoy creating and selling. Are you seeing any patterns or trends?
Determining your product’s feasibility.
Now that you have a few product possibilities, it’s time to think about the practicality. I like to leave the practicality aspect until later in the planning process because I find it stifles creativity. Once you’re invested in an idea, you’re more likely to figure out how to make it work. If you think about the how too early in the process, you’re more likely to dismiss great ideas before you get a chance to really consider them.
What skills do you need to make this product?
Look at your possible products and make a list of the skills you’d need to make them. If you’re thinking about a dog bed, for example, do you know how to cut and assemble wood? Do you know how to sew so you can make the cushions? How can you learn these skills? Is there a class you can take? Do you have a friend or family member who can teach you? Are there videos you can watch online?
What equipment do you need to make this product?
Carrying on with the dog bed idea, think about what equipment you might need and how you’ll get your hands on it. Do you need a saw? A hammer? A sewing machine? Will you need to buy this equipment or can you borrow it?
What will it cost to make this product?
Now think critically about what it will cost to make this product. Actually go to the effort of pricing it out. While you could likely make your product cheaper if you were producing many, try to figure out the cost of producing just one. Initially, you’ll probably just be producing one at a time. Don’t forget to keep in mind the cost of equipment and other overhead costs.
How long will it take to make this product?
Now, how long will the product take you to physically produce? This is important because it factors into what you’ll charge, as well as how many products you can actually produce to sell. If possible, this would be a great time to try to produce one of the products you have in mind. But, if that’s not feasible for you at this time, talk to people who make similar products to get an idea of the time commitment. Keep in mind that people who have been making similar things for a long time will be faster than you when you start out.
Let’s Talk Marketing.
You can have the most amazing product in the world, but if you don’t know how you’re going to sell it, you’re already at a disadvantage. What I have noticed is that a lot of makers fail to consider how they’ll market their products during the design process. Yet this is the best place to consider it—you can make changes to your design as you go to make it more appealing to the consumer, instead of trying to figure out later what features and benefits to draw attention to!
Who is this product for?
The first thing is to think critically about who this product is for. Is it for pet owners? Which pet owners? People with small dogs? Big dogs? What is their aesthetic, what is important to them, and what features do they want in a product? You can find out a lot by looking for products similar to yours that seem to be selling well. What do they include? Do your product plans include these features? Can they?
What makes your amazing product unique? What is its “hook”?
Now think about what makes your product unique. What is your “hook”? The fact that it’s handmade is not enough. Does your dog bed use reclaimed wood? Do your dolls utilize repurposed fabric? Are your lamps made with thrift store finds? Does your sewing use only your own patterns? Does the wool in your knitted wall hangings come from your own sheep?
What is it about your product that makes it so unique that the shopper cannot possibly find something comparable elsewhere? This is your marketing hook, and if you can incorporate it into your product from the beginning, that gives you a huge advantage over the person selling next to you at a market, or competing with you on Etsy.
Think about the product(s) you want to make and set a timer for 5-10 minutes. Brainstorm what makes your product unique based on the plans you already have. If you can’t think of anything in this time frame, do it again. If you still can’t think of anything, switch gears. Set a timer for 10 minutes and brainstorm things you can add to your plan that would make it more unique.
Where are people going to find your product?
Now, think about where your ideal shoppers are going to find your products. Will you sell at local markets? What about in local stores, perhaps on consignment?
Will you sell online? On Etsy? Your own website? Social media? All of the above? We’ll discuss selling options more in part three, but for now, it’s good to have an idea of what you think you might want to do.
The product that you’re making might influence this, and don’t forget to take that into account. If you’re making a really heavy product, will it be a nightmare to ship? Will this limit how/where you sell?
What’s Next?
That’s it for part two! Before you move on to the next part, make sure you have your product idea and your marketing hook. We’ll narrow things down even more in the next step!
I can’t wait to hear about what you’re going to make!
