Jump to content

EvyStar

Registered Users Plus
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    48

  • Joined

  • Last visited

 Content Type 

Posts posted by EvyStar

    How to appropriately spread out the cost of rent/booth fee and other expenses at the

    in Business Tips

    Posted

    Whilst researching pricing for profit via the Etsy Blog posts I discovered Megan Augman (http://designinganmba.com) and Tara Gentile (http://www.taragentile.com) - The Art of Earning & Pricing For Profit.  

     

    i highly recommend checking out both their websites.  The information is invaluable.  I feel that all my yearning questions have been answered just by reading nearly all of Megan Augman's blog posts.   The information she provides resonates with where I am in this of my crafting ambitions.

     

    Also, check out the Recommended Reading blog post by Megan.  

     

    xx

    Accounting/Stock Software

    in Business Tips

    Posted

    Recently discovered this software which is suitable for Macs and PCs.  I going to purchase it in two weeks time.  Happy to provide feedback once I have started using it!  

     

    http://www.craftmakerpro.com

     

    YOUR PRICING & INVENTORY JUST GOT A WHOLE LOT EASIER

    Are you tired of "guestimating" the pricing for your handcrafts? Not sure what you have in stock at any one time? Whether you make jewelry, pottery, needlework, scrapbooking, glassblowing or even plastic frogs Craft Maker Pro is designed for you. It's super easy to use and works for any country and any currency. Craft Maker Pro is 100% guaranteed to help you save time and money in your craft business. See how easily you can make your craft business run and download your copy today.

    What kind of displays do you use?

    in Business Tips

    Posted

    Just checked out specwood. What a fantastic arrange of displays.  Hopefully they ship to Australia.  I have been using wooden boxes which my friend made for me and then I painted with Brazil wall nut stain.  I have created a layered window type display.  Still work in progress but it's does the job for now.  I would however like to incorporate some sort of stand for the side of my trestle table.  Just need to make sure everything will fit on my car.

     

    I don't have time to upload the pics onto the server but if you click on my FB page link below and go to photos you will see in the pics earlier some with the wooden boxes.  There are several pics in their original state (pine) until I painted them with the stain.  They look much better stained.  

     

     

    https://www.facebook.com/DragonflyStarDesigns?fref=ts

     

    Thanks for the specwood link Vicky! 

    • Like 2

    Candles Losing Fragrance Throw - Help!

    in General Candle Making Discussions

    Posted

    I would also consider changing your testing model. Friends and family want you to be successful and sometimes that can manifest in sparing your feelings. That is kind but can ruin testing. Get testers who are customers, or if you were in the U.S. I would suggest asking people from this group. My testers are youtube reviewers, other candle makers, customers and heavy users in my category. They get very specific testing instructions and a spreadsheet to document results/data.

    Hi Karen

     

     

    What deal do you have with your customers who test your candles for you?  Do they pay slightly cheaper price or do they get to test for free?  

     

    Thanks again!

    Kind regards,

    Evy

    Candles Losing Fragrance Throw - Help!

    in General Candle Making Discussions

    Posted

    I have had a customer complain that two of the candle jars (Metro Jars 330mls) lose their fragrance throw once the candles have burnt roughly half way down the jar.  She advised initially - when first lit - for the first two hours - they candles were ok.  However after lighting them the second time, she has complained that she can no longer smell them.   She has placed them in several different sized rooms.  Still nothing.

     

    I use either Natures Wax or GW464 and CDN wicks.  I don't use any dyes in my candles.

     

    Please help!  

     

    Any suggestions.  I've not had other customers complain, but i'm concerned she might be the first one to actually say something.

     

    I have a selection of friends who are testers for me.  None of them have mentioned anything of such.  I am going to touch base with them again to make sure. But thought I would post this question in case anyone has ideas or suggestions as to what may be going wrong.

     

     

    Number of Scents You Carry

    in General Candle Making Discussions

    Posted

    I only ever have 11 fragrances for customers to choose from at my market  stalls.  I couldn't even begin to imagine having more.  I do mix it up a bit  and have removed or stop selling particular ones which don't sell quickly.  However - on my stall I only ever have 11 fragrances for people to choose from.  Don't' customers get confused if you offer them too many choices to choose from?  Just my thoughts.  Perhaps I'm doing it wrong.

    Creating Labels

    in Business Tips

    Posted

    Does anyone use labels from Worldlabel.com?  I was  about to switch from Avery to using their labels, however now considering using online labels. They seem to have much wider variety of labels.

    Creating Labels

    in Business Tips

    Posted

    I use  print master 11. That thing is old but still works v great for labels. I normally get my labels at online labels but every now and then I will pick sum up at Office depot.

    Hello Vicky! 

     

    Is this the program that you use?  http://www.printmaster.com  The current version is V6!?  If this is not the one you use, can you please email me the link to yours? 

    Creating Labels

    in Business Tips

    Posted

    I currently use a graphic designer who is based in Italy. She is a friend and a great designer.  However, it does add to my costs.  Even though she charges me mates rates.  My market stall (labelling/branding, props) is very vintage inspired.  I would like the freedom to offer customers (and shop owners) a variety of label designs and personalised ones also.  

     

    For my decorative pillar candles - I purchase digital downloads from Etsy and (with designers permission) use their digital images as part of my craft.  

     

    Any other suggestions - websites etc…to check out with regards to payable/or free graphics/borders/images etc…? 

    Creating Labels

    in Business Tips

    Posted

    This is my favorite task! I love the creative aspect of designing labels, signs, business cards, pamphlets, brochures, etc. You name it, I love it. But I hate using so much expensive ink! Yikes.

    I bought a large graphics program years ago, Print Shop 22, and it was the best investment I have made with regard to business related impact and results.

    My method is to find a label(s) that I like then go home and duplicate it with my logo. It is a never ending process because I am always coming up with something new. I also private label for my customers. What shop owner doesn't want everything with their name on it? Self-promotion is a beautiful thing for business owners!

    Hi there

     

    Any idea where I might be able to find Print Shop 22?  Is it a software program or actual physical printer? 

     

    Kind regards,

    Evy

    Creating Labels

    in Business Tips

    Posted

    OMG! This post has been a wealth of valuable information for me.  Thank-you.  I have never heard of any of the programs all of you have posted here.  Nor have I heard of online labels.  I have been using Avery labels and they expensive and average in quality.  The labels often peel from the sides of my glass jars once the candle is lit.  Plus living here in the tropics the labels don't always stick properly.  I have resorted to placing the labels on the lids for now.

     

    So, if I may add another question to the mix.  Do you charge your time - when you design your labels to the cost of each product? 

    • Like 1

    Social Media

    in Business Tips

    Posted · Edited by EvyStar

    I too battle with the whole social media side of things.  I have a FB, Instagram and Pinterest page.  And have just recently opened up an Etsy shop as I have been invited to be part of the first ever monthly Etsy Territorians (NT Australia) pop-up market.  I have only ever sold 1 item via FB and it would be interesting to see, once I build and take professional pics of my products for my Etsy shop how many sales come through that.  My main issue is my location.  I live in remote part of Australia and so why would someone pay extortion amounts for freight in paying for my goods when they have so many other wonderful candle brands to choose from in the bigger cities.  I do the markets every week, sometimes 2-3 markets per weekend.  And I have started  selling in a few shops.  The population in Darwin is however small - 100,000 people.  

     

    It's interesting to see various replies here.  I find it fascinating why it works for some and not for others.  

     

    I have immersed myself of late reading and listening to marketing / online social media blogs and podcasts.   More so out of curiosity for now.   I know deep down I would much rather be spending my valuable time outside of my job creating than doing social media,  I feel that that in this day and age social media/online presence is  necessary, to some extent.  

    Essential Oils vs Fragrance Oils - Candles

    in Essential Oil Discussions

    Posted

    Lot's of food for thought here.  Personally, after realising how many rose petals it would take to make a standard size candle, as mentioned above, I think I will pass on the EO option for now, and bring customers attention to it.  I have also realised that customers actually do believe the likes of the bigger brands who sell candles with scents like - Lime, Basil, Mandarin, Coconut Lime, Bulgarian Rose, Lemongrass - the more floral / citrus ones - use essential oils. Which, from my further investigation and research, I now know is not true.   It's interesting to see how one can assume something, just from a name on label.  Doing the markets on a weekly basis, is a great learning experience for me. Having regular face to face contact with customers has proven to be invaluable for me at this early stage of my new side business. 

    Thoughts regarding distributing cost of Freight

    in Business Side of Things

    Posted

    I used to have a spreadsheet that I would plug all of my prices I paid on the invoice. I had formulas that would calculate the cost of EVERYTHING I paid for (whether from that supplier or not - because I wouldn't necessarily make a candle using only supplies from 1 supplier) It would calculate everything - jars, wicks, dyes, additives, wax, scent, shipping - EVERYTHING and tell me what the cost of that one particular candle cost me to make, and then I would do my mark-ups for wholesale, retail, friends discounts, etc. Once I sold a jar, I would plug that into the spreadsheet as well, and it would tell me my exact input/output.

    Now I have SM3 and it does all that for me, so I retired my spreadsheets.

    If I can find it in one of my old folders on my other computer, I will figure out a way to put it in a share-able format and post it. :)

    So do you think it's worth me buy a second hand windows pc or laptop and purchase SM3? From what I have read and heard it seems to be the one stop program for candlemakers. Is that all you use now? Or do you still use spreadsheets for other things too? Any further info on how you use SM3 would be greatly appreciated.

    Thanks!

    Evy

    Advice regarding using Windows interface for Mac in order to purchase and use Soapmak

    in Business Side of Things

    Posted

    Hi!

    I am looking to buy the following software: - SoapMaker from http://www.soapmaker.ca, however the program is only compatible for MS Windows.

    Does anyone have any experience using the following Window to Mac interface software programs?

    I also just bought and downloaded a PDF editor and have only now just realised that it's only compatible for Windows too! Silly me! Ugh!

    - Bootcamp

    - VMWare Fusion

    - Parallels

    I am hoping someone can help. I'm desperate. I really need to edit some of my fragrance labels and add new fragrance cards for the markets next week. They are in PDF format my graphic designer friend is on leave. I can't afford Adobe Professional and thought I was onto a winner with this PDF editor which cost $50.00AUD. However, have now just discovered as mentioned above that it's for Window only.

×
×
  • Create New...