We held our fourth Craft Savvy Market on November 16,2019 and this market proved that we cannot remain stagnant at any point on our journey as entrepreneurs. No matter the challenges, we must push through and persevere in order to grow. Below, we wrap up and share part 1 of our lessons learned. Check us out in Instagram and Facebook @craftsavvymarket to see more pictures and videos from the event.
Trust
Trust. I’ve always struggled with trust issues – relationships, projects, hopes and dreams. It really wasn’t until my thirties that I realized that my struggle was not a lack of trust in people but a struggle with fully trusting God. As we started planning for Market 4, my old struggles were back and doing a number on me.
With one team member pregnant, we were down to a team of three. I kept wondering how are we going to pull this off with only three people? How would we make this market better than the last? Who was going to do all this work? What was really going on? Somewhere between July and November, I realized that I didn’t need answers to my questions. I just needed more of HIM. And God came through.
At Craft Savvy Market 4, we increased the value of our market by adding the talents of Atlanta influencer Trina Small; we rolled out new merchandise – Craft Savvy Market Creative Creed magnets and added more vendors to the room. We even created a new craft wall. It wasn’t easy but we did it. We did more with less.
I just want to take a minute and put my God on blast for who He is – mighty and wonder-working. He’s worthy of all my trust. I am so grateful that I serve a God who blesses me in spite of me. I’m taking my testimony from Craft Savvy Market 4 into the next decade as we plan for Craft Savvy Market 5! Trust.
by Ciatta-Mae Stubblefield
CSM 4 LESSONS LEARNED
1.Market, Market, Market – This time around, I realized that money spent in marketing is money well spent! For market #4, we decided to increase our marketing dollars to help get the word out to more people and we saw a difference. It is also worth mentioning that marketing dollars must be spent in the right place – i.e. where or who you market to matters. Marketing must be targeted and specific. It must put you in front of YOUR kind of customers. In the past, we’ve tried different forms of marketing that did not always pay off. I believe that we are moving closer to formula that works best for us.
In addition to paid marketing, we must not underestimate the power in free marketing – i.e. telling your friends and family about what you are doing and asking them to share the good news. This year, I was especially blessed to have many of my family and friends make special efforts to come and see what Craft Savvy Market was all about.
2. Work the system and let the system work for you – This year, we tried a new system that made the day so much easier and peaceful. Don’t be afraid to try a new system that may work in another area of your life. I took something that I had used in a different area and tweaked it for Market #4 and we were pleased with the results. The more systems you have in place, the smoother the process is. A smooth process means less stress and more smiles. Consider implementing systems for social media, customer communications, product development, etc.
3.There is power in relationships – While every market may not result in millions of dollars worth of sales, there is always the potential to connect with people who can open doors for greater things down the line. One thing that Craft Savvy Market has helped me to work on is being open to talking to more people and connecting with them. Sometimes I like to stay in my shell, but being a business owner has pushed me to slowly get out of that. This year, I was afforded an amazing opportunity by someone who visited my booth at market number 3. That person did not buy anything at the time, but I still took the time to strike up a conversation. Imagine if I had not made a good impression when the individual stopped by.
Establishing relationships or even striking up conversations may not always result in a sale, but it has the potential to lead to so many open doors. So I challenge you to step outside of your comfort zone – smile with more customers who come up to your booth, strike up a conversation. Who knows were it will take you?
by J. Harris