How to Support Your Local Community by Producing Your Own Hand-Made Sustainable Goods to Sell
There are various ways of supporting your community and not just by supplying food items. Lowering the carbon footprint of the area by creating goods locally that other members of your community can both make use of and will find desirable is certainly a key component.
Table of Contents
#1 Think of a product
First, of course, you will have to think of a product that fits the bill. It will have to be like a current product that sells well. However, it will need to be made at home and yet not look like it, even though everyone is likely to be happy with a rustic, natural appearance.
Products that you can make at home
- Soap
- Candles
- Tote and shopping bags
- Jewelry for men, women, and teenagers
- Clothing including aprons
Are just a start, but there various other items that can be made. Of course, before you rush out and buy specialist equipment or the ingredients to start practicing, you need to make sure that there is a market for the product or products that you are choosing.
#2 Create your own brand
In order to make a name for yourself and your products, you should most certainly create your own brand. Branding has some huge benefits, and it will most certainly help your business grow, and your products get recognized faster.
Benefits of having a brand
- Inspires customer loyalty
- Provides the impression of quality
- Enhances credibility in your product and your business
#3 Get selling and stocking
Once you have made some products, it is time to get selling. Undoubtedly you are going to want to approach your nearest stores first to see if they will stock your items; at first, you may have to opt for a sale or return approach on your products.
That way, the store owner can return any stock to you that hasn’t sold in a certain amount of time. This means that they will not be wasting shelf space indefinitely on a product that doesn’t move. On the upside, you will be presented with a percentage of the sale price of the items that sell; if they sell well, the store owner is more likely to purchase a batch from you.
If you find that you want to go further afield or are rushed off your feet due to demand, you are going to require the services of a crate shipping business. Getting crate movers involved with collecting the products from you and delivering them straight to the stores will free up your time and looks far more professional than driving around and delivering the items yourself.
A few final thoughts
Whatever you decide to do, make sure that you, first of all, carry out your research. Finding out the sort of products that people do want to pay money for will certainly save you a lot of time, effort, and money in the long term. You will be walking into a niche with proven sales, which, if it takes off, could lead you into a money-making machine and have you employing the locals in order to meet demand.