Disclosure: some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

As we get closer to the crazy, I mean, exciting holiday season, I am trying to set myself up for success. I feel that being organized can truly make or break your business, any time of year. And I want to see you BLOOM this holiday season!

So let’s organize your business for holiday success this year!

Declutter Your Space

Maybe you let your workspace go over the summer, or maybe you’ve been a busy little elf making lots of product in anticipation of the holiday rush.

 I wish it were this easy!

Before that rush actually begins, take some time to declutter your workspace. 

Put the tools and materials you use most often in a place where they’re easily accessible. Everything else needs it’s own home! Put papers in files where they belong, and come up...

Disclosure: some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

We all know that once October hits, you will blink and the holidays are here. October also signals the start of the holiday sales season.

As a craft business owner, this is the time when you should be focused on doing everything you can in anticipation of the rush. The more you can prepare in advance, the easier your busy season will be!

Let’s take a look at your holiday production schedule and what you can do to create a process that will help you keep up with your orders.

Check Your Supplies to Cover the Holiday Sales Increase

Have you ever been in the zone, cranking out orders and then suddenly realize you’re out of an important supply? You frantically contact your supplier, but because it’s the rush season, they don’t have it in stock. Your stomach drops because...

Disclosure: some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Product photography is probably one of the most important tasks that a maker can master if they want to sell their creations online. And when it comes to taking photos of your handmade products for the holidays, you also need to convey the idea that your product will make the perfect gift for someone in their life.

Since your customers cannot see and touch your items in person, your photos must be their eyes and hands! Not an easy job. 

If you haven’t taken photos of your products in a while, or if you’re just getting started, this is the perfect time to take some new pics with the holidays in mind.

I’ve gathered the top tips for taking photos of your handmade products especially for the holidays, but many of these tips can be used year round.

Get your...

Disclosure: some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

 We can still feel the warmth of the summer sun on our faces, but now is the time to start planning our holiday marketing strategy!

You’ll soon be deep in the handmade trenches, working hard on your creations like the good elf you are. Now is the time to plan your marketing and try to schedule as much of it as possible.

By doing it now, you’ll have peace of mind that your marketing is in place, which will also (hopefully) increase your sales during this very important period.

I've got some tips and advice for getting your marketing strategy in place for the holidays. My hope is that by taking action now, you'll have a smoother and more successful selling season.

Let’s get planning!

Think About Where You’d Like to Advertise

For many small business...

Disclosure: some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

As a handmade seller, you may find that your cost for materials is cutting into your profit margin. When we first start a craft business, we are usually making just a few items. But as your business grows, you may find the need to purchase your supplies and materials at higher quantities. This is when you’ll need to look into purchasing wholesale.

By sourcing your materials and purchasing wholesale, you can lower the total cost of your products, which means you’ll make more money on every sale! 

But buying wholesale takes some research. There are a lot of scams and low quality sellers out there. Knowing where to look and what to look out for will help you navigate this world.

Let’s get shopping!

First Things First - Get a Tax ID

Most states will require you...

Disclosure: some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

We are gearing up for the Your Blooming Business Challenge, which starts on July 23rd!

To get you ready to rock your social media, I have some quick tips for finding hashtags for your Instagram business posts.

Hashtags on Instagram still play a role in getting eyeballs on your posts. But you can’t throw any hashtags on your post and hope they work.

Take some time to research and find the most relevant hashtags for that particular post, and you’ll see the best engagement.

Niche Hashtags Equal More Eyes On Your Posts

Rather than using super popular hashtags, such as #beautiful, which has over 750 million uses, look for smaller, niche hashtags. These smaller tags will give you a greater chance of being seen on the hashtag’s page. 

Just for...

Disclosure: some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Need a little help focusing on social media for your business? I’ve got the perfect thing for you.

On July 23rd I’ll be running the Your Blooming Business Challenge! It’s 7 days of tasks that will help you get laser-focused on social media for your handmade business. You’ll get clear on how your current posts are doing, which posts work the best (and which ones don’t), and how you can increase your followers and engagement.

As you wait to start the challenge, it’s a good idea to review some of the tips I’ve given in the past so you can hit the ground running. Here’s a round up of my posts on social media - have fun prepping for the challenge and keep an eye out for the challenge sign up!

Here's a list of the recommended blog posts, and then...

Disclosure: some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

You know that social media is a “must have” for most businesses these days. It’s the most accessible way to get in front of your potential customers. 

But do you know if you’re attracting the right people? How can you ensure you are posting content that your ideal customer is interested in? 

A social media audit is the answer! Reviewing your strategy, growth and content can show you what’s working well and what needs improvement. Don’t be scared - the word “audit” may strike fear in your heart but I promise this is a painless exercise!

 Don't worry, this audit is less scary than Thriller!

Here’s a quick overview of how to conduct a social media audit for your handmade business.

1. Take note of all your social...

Disclosure: some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

One of the biggest advantages to having a social media presence is the ability to know who is seeing your posts, where they’re located, what time they’re online and most importantly - which of your posts they interact with the most. You have all this information at your fingertips with Instagram analytics!

Today we’re going to walk through how to understand Instagram Insights (which is their name for analytics). We’ll talk about what information you can find, and what is important to know. There are some analytics that don’t really matter, even though they seem important - we’ll discuss those as well.

Going through this information can seem overwhelming but once you understand what you’re looking at, you’ll see it’s actually easy to get a nice...

Disclosure: some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

If you haven’t noticed, selling online is *kind of* my jam here at Bloom.

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE selling at in-person craft markets and fairs. The reality is, though, they are a lot of work, and at this point in history they are no longer as reliable for sales as they once were.

One of my favorite ways to infuse the excitement of an in-person market with the ease of online selling is to have what I like to call an ‘online sale event’, or an online show. 

Essentially, you are running a sale (not necessarily a discount sale) where you are letting people know that there is something great going on over at your website, and you are inviting them to come and shop. 

Like this, but virtually!

There are several different ways you can go about creating an online sale event...