5 Ways To Sell Your Woodworking Projects
So, you’ve developed some woodworking skills and have now made a few projects. You’re at a level where you may even be comfortable taking on commissioned woodworking projects. The next question is “where do I sell my projects?”. I hope to answer that here by giving you 5 ways to sell your woodworking projects.
Online
In the tech-world we live in, selling projects and wooden goods online seems to make the most sense. Everything these days is driven by the internet, so why not get your slice of the pie?!
Facebook is not only a good showcasing platform for beauty shots of your finished projects, but can also be a great way to sell your goods. Pre-made goods can be sold through Facebook Marketplace. You can offer shipping if the item is small enough and shipping costs make sense. For large items, you can still sell through the Marketplace but list as local pickup only. I suggest using clear, high-quality photos of your product, which will allow you to market your product in the best way possible.
Your Website
These days it seems as though you aren’t legitimate unless you have a website. You can make a website for a very small financial investment, an investment that will easily pay for itself over time. Having a website to showcase and/or sell your goods is a great way to get eyes and attention on your product. Optimize your website to sell and list the smaller goods on your website with shipping available.
Etsy
While Etsy isn’t as great of a platform in my eyes as other may view it, I do think it is a good way to get started. The beauty of using a platform like Etsy is that the platform and “Etsy” name is already established. Visitors on Etsy’s website know that they are in the right place for wooden or any other type of handmade goods. I would caution, however, that when selling on Etsy to make sure your goods are priced for you to make money. Sometimes I have noticed that these marketplace sites are flooded with completion who are just trying to undercut everyone else.
Craft Shows
Trade shows and/or local craft shows are a great way to sell your goods and projects. This type of in-person selling usually draws the exact demographic of potential buyers to your projects. The folks that visit craft shows are usually in the woodworking niche and are more likely to purchase your goods. This selling method is a potential added bonus as it allows future customers to physically see, touch, and evaluate your work. Pictures are great but they aren’t always 100% accurate. This in-person selling method allows you to truly showcase your work, right in front of potential buyers.
Friends & Family
This one is pretty obvious. Your close family and best friends may be willing to purchase items from you for one of two reasons. The first is that they know you are trying to get your name out there and get established as a legitimate woodworker. They support you and are willing to send some work your way to help get you started. However, this is obviously not a sustainable business model. However, the second option is that your friends and family need some legit woodworking projects done for their friends or their personal space. Since they know you well and you the quality of work you perform, they may reach out to you for help in completing their custom project.
Commissions
Doing commissioned work may not be as prevalent when you’re just starting your woodworking business, but is definitely a way to make a high-level income. Commissioned work is when a customer reaches out to you with a specific set of requests and detailed criteria, in hopes that you can fulfill their needs in making a custom piece. This work can be advertised through your website, social media accounts, or by simply handing out your business card or brochure. These projects are usually very high paying since someone is wanting high custom work, handmade, with quality materials. If you’re looking for places on where to find woodworking materials, check out my discussion on that, click here.
Brick & Mortar Location
A brick and more store is the last on this list simply because it involves the most amount of money and time investment. This type of storefront will highly depend on store location, sales or foot traffic, and overhead costs to rent the space and pay for utilities. This may not be ideal in the short, or frankly, ever; but is an option if you’re in certain markets that yield revenue well with these types of businesses with physical locations.