Handcrafted furniture is an art that is easily turned into a business. We’ll show you how to start selling your work and make a profit from your passion.
Are you ready to make a true profit from your passion?
It can be difficult finding ways to sell art pieces of any kind to clients, especially if this is your first time launching a personal business.
Handcrafted furniture can be particularly difficult to sell. While furniture will always be in demand, it can feel intimidating trying to compete with generic furniture supply stores.
It’s also key to find customers willing to pay the price for your artisanal goods. Given the labor and material costs involved in crafting furniture by hand, it’s essential to not undersell your products.
In this post, we’ll look closely at tips you can keep in mind for selling your handcrafted furniture.
With our advice, you may well be on your way to in no time!
1. Establish A Portfolio
It’s difficult to sell any good to customers if you don’t have a significant inventory to offer. An extensive array of handcrafted furniture pieces is more likely to impress potential customers than a few select items, no matter how stunning they are.
Take some time to establish a solid portfolio of handcrafted work before you reach out to potential customers. When it comes to handcrafted furniture, emphasize variety as much as possible.
For example, a furniture maker in line for business success may have a portfolio showcasing a mix of handcrafted chairs, tables, dressers, and bed frames.
If you specialize in only one type of furniture, create a portfolio that accurately demonstrates your range of skill in crafting this specific piece. A professional chair maker, for example, should build a collection of chairs of varying sizes, materials, purposes, and styles.
The size of a reputable portfolio will depend on the level of competition in the furniture industry in your geographic location. However, we recommend having at least fifty handcrafted furniture pieces at the ready prior to launching any marketing efforts.
2. Craft An Inventory
It can be easy to keep track of handcrafted furniture, especially if you maintain a relatively small shop space. However, the business of selling furniture depends on a well-managed inventory.
Devise a means to document and keep track of your inventory effectively. This may involve setting up a simple Excel spreadsheet.
If you have a more extensive inventory, consider using inventory management software. It’s possible to find free software compatible with Macs and PCs.
This software can streamline your inventory management and aid in basic accounting needs. It can also eliminate your need for paper document management.
When documenting your inventory, establish a simple naming system. Simply identifying a handcrafted furniture piece as “Chair 1,” for example, may not be as effective as naming a piece “Burgundy Royale Classic Armchair.”
3. Find Ways to Streamline Construction
Once you start maintaining a steady stream of handcrafted furniture sales, you may find it difficult to keep up with orders and construction. Before you start marketing your work, identify solutions to construction processes.
Namely, look for ways that you can make your construction more efficient. This is important if you intend to be the sole owner and operator of your business, without the aid of employees.
This may mean investing in machinery or tools designed to streamline manufacture. Or it could mean prioritizing a certain type of piece over another.
Having an idea of what construction will entail once your business is up and running can help ease your transition from hobbyist to business owner. It can also mean happier clients and a solid inventory.
4. Photograph Your Inventory
When selling art of any kind, a powerful visual is essential. Once you’ve built your portfolio and identified solutions for inventory management, take some time to photograph your handcrafted furniture pieces.
This may mean simply taking pictures with your phone. However, while affordable, such images may not be professional or adequate.
Consider hiring a freelance photographer to take quality images of your inventory. Make sure that you have several images of each piece to demonstrate size, angles, and detail work.
As you photograph your inventory, write down descriptors for each piece. Key descriptors should include dimensions, material and finishes used, and weight.
5. Develop a Website
A lot of consumers purchase art pieces and furniture online. In fact, over 4 billion people regularly access the internet to seek information and learn about local businesses.
The key to spreading the word about your handcrafted furniture business is building a compelling website. Your website functions much like an online business card, giving the world a glimpse of your work.
Your website is also an excellent platform for showcasing your portfolio. Visitors are more likely to make a purchase decision if they can have a comprehensive understanding of your work.
You don’t have to have a background in coding or computer science to set up a fully-functioning, professional website. Check out hosting platforms like Wix or Squarespace to affordably and easily set up your online portfolio.
Your website should also include contact information, information about commissions and pricing, and a brief page detailing your expertise and history in the handcrafted furniture industry.
Visit the American Country Home Store for a good example of effective furniture piece listings.
6. Acquire Business Cards and Other Materials
As a handcrafted furniture maker, you’ll likely depend on local clientele as you get your business going. As such, it’s important to have marketing materials at the ready to aid in your initial networking.
Invest in some high-quality business cards that you can hand out to potential customers.
You may also wish to compile a brochure detailing inventory items and special services. Some furniture makers find success in posting flyers at local businesses, including public libraries.
All of your paper advertising materials should include clear imagery, up-to-date contact information, and, most importantly, your business title!
Keep these materials in your vehicle and shop so that you never miss a chance to market.
7. Establish a Local Presence
Build your local presence as a furniture maker by attending local events, such as farmers’ markets or artisanal gatherings.
Hosting an artists’ booth at a special event can go a long way toward developing your local reputation as a furniture maker. You may also wish to partner with other local artisans by collaborating at events and more.
If you’re ready to go digital, boost your local presence by claiming a Google My Business listing.
This is most viable for furniture makers who have officially registered their business as an LLC and can genuinely claim a shop location.
You may also wish to set up a profile on other local directories such as Yelp, Angie’s List, or Yellow Pages.
A business Facebook profile can be sufficient if you do not have an official registered location for your handcrafted furniture business. It’s easy to set one up.
What’s more, Facebook enables customers to leave public reviews. The more reviews you gather, the greater your odds are at building a powerful online reputation.
Learn more about the legal side of here. We’ve got all the forms you need for doing so!
8. Investigate Art Markets
If your aim is to reach the largest market possible, you may want to investigate online art markets. Platforms like Etsy give independent artists from all over the world a chance to showcase and sell their goods.
An Etsy profile can at the very least promote your online visibility. It can help attract out-of-state or international customers, especially if you are willing to ship your pieces.
Etsy customers are also able to leave reviews for your pieces, which can be a powerful means of leveraging your online reputation.
What’s more, art market platforms generally do not take a high commission from any sales made on their sites. Listings are typically free.
9. Don’t Sacrifice Quality for Quantity
As you go about establishing your handcrafted furniture business, it can be easy to neglect the quality of your products. This is particularly true if you are a one-man or one-woman shop!
However, it’s essential to prioritize quality over quantity. Set the standard for the type of quality you wish to deliver to your customers and maintain this throughout the transition.
If you find that it is difficult to stay on top of orders and maintain quality at the same time, you may want to consider hiring employees.
10. Use the Proper Documentation
When you do sell a furniture piece, it’s important to document this transaction for future reference and accounting purposes. An easy way to do this is to develop your own documentation system.
Keep , such as invoices and bill of sale agreements, at the ready. You can keep digital and hard-copy forms of these documents if you wish.
If you intend to ship your pieces to certain customers, don’t forget about and order receipts.
Store all of these forms in a single folder on your computer so that you can easily access them when inventorying or calculating financial reports.
How to Sell Handcrafted Furniture
It can be difficult navigating the business side of things as an artist of any kind. However, if you are keen to sell your furniture pieces, you do have solutions!
Begin by establishing a solid portfolio and effectively documenting your inventory. Advertise your work by investing in quality imagery, a compelling website, and other marketing materials.
Find ways to streamline your building process but don’t neglect quality in an attempt to grow your inventory.
All in all, the key to selling furniture successfully lies in organization. At Your Business is devoted to making all of your business tasks easier.
Have questions about starting a business or finding the right documentation for your needs? today.
