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Maggie Whitley

joy in motherhood, homemaking, faith & simple living

You are here: Home / blog & handmade advice / 31 days / {Handmade Business in 31 Days — Day 27, Holiday Tips.}

{Handmade Business in 31 Days — Day 27, Holiday Tips.}

October 27, 2012 · 8 Comments
Filed Under: 31 days, blog & handmade advice

Day 27// Just hear those sleigh bells ringing and jing ting tingaling too… Yep, the holiday season will be starting in just a few weeks and soon we’ll all be in high gear preparing our handmade shops for Christmas. Last year Gussy Sews was still making everything as it sold {made to order}, but in January of this year we revamped the entire shop. Not only did it change our production style, but it’s made such a difference in reaching our goals — like with ensuring a higher profitability as well as our sanity. It’s so much better to be prepared, yes? — especially during the holidays!

This next week I want to encourage you to spend some time thinking about the business goals you are going to set for the Holiday season. Things like, how can your really enjoy this bustling season as a business owner? Can can you do to be more prepared? What new, darling, Limited Edition product {!!!} will you include in your shop?

Let’s talk in greater detail about this.

paper ball garland via how about orange

Whether it’s your first holiday season as a business lady or your fifth, it’s always fun to change things up a bit. And who knows, maybe this seasonal change will inspire you to make it a long-term change! Before October ends I want to encourage you to take the time to brainstorm about December.

FIVE WAYS TO HAVE A LOVELY HOLIDAY SEASON:

1. Consider a pre-made production workflow, allowing all {or nearly all} items to be ready-to-ship. Spend the next few weeks planning + making your holiday stock, then when Black Friday or Cyber Monday near you’ll be more prepared to ship each order quickly as it’ll have been pre-made. Another way to look at this type of production workflow is breaking up the process: make the items now, focus on shipping them later. You could also prepare by making a few dozen items to list after the Black Friday/Cyber Monday sale so your shop feels freshened up — complete with a full stock of new goodies.
2. Dress up your packaging embellishments or consider a gift packaging order add-on. I love the ideas of using holiday themed stamped brown paper bags as wrapping paper, extra details like these fun ribbons from Olive Manna, or mini glassine bags + homemade confetti dots to sprinkle inside. Adorable!

ribbons via Olive Manna

3. Run a Cyber Monday sale, which starts super early + includes a steep discount code. Then lessen the discount as the hours pass {make sure you know how steep you can afford to go based on the cost of materials, labor, profit % goals + overhead estimation}. Everyone loves a good sale, be sure to send a reminder to your newsletter list.

4. Plan out your holiday shipping schedule ~ what’s the latest date you can ship your handmade pretties so they arrive in time? Be sure to include this in your shop policies page, on your shopping cart page + on your “congratulations! your order has been placed!” page. Do you ship via USPS? Here’s their 2012 Holiday Shipping deadline guide.
5. Offer Limited Edition holiday products, like a spunky tie for the little misters or a giant hair bow for the little ladies. What about limited edition decor for the home: miniature trees or sparkly stars, paper garland, wreaths, or a brand new Merry Christmas card to print/mail to your loves? Do you make jewelry? What if you designed a few glam-inspired pieces for holiday parties or a glittery headband to wear on New Years Eve? Peppermint, Gingerbread or Sugar Cooky are all wonderful holiday-inspired scents for your soy-based candle shop.

hair bow via the first lime

It’s important to think of the weeks leading up to December 25th  as an opportunity to try new things within your handmade business — as well as treat your customers with a little extra love, not just as insanely busy times. Make the most out of this short, cozy, grateful season by implementing some of the above tips, and don’t be afraid to reflect on years past and what you should/could do differently. Change within your handmade shop can be a good thing, even if it is short-term :)

Homework// Pick one area of your business you want to freshen up this holiday season + make an action plan: what will the new processes look like?, what extra costs will this incur?, how can you spread the word to your customers?, when is your BIG launch date?, just to name a few.

Leave a tip below of what you have done in the past {or heard about} that made the holiday season extra special for your biz.

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8 Comments
Filed Under: 31 days, blog & handmade advice

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Comments

  1. Lisa H. says

    October 27, 2012 at 10:20 am

    Once again, such great business tips! You’ve definitely motivated me this morning!
    My tip: Offer ‘sets’ of items. I’ve found in the past that buyers sometimes like to buy 2 or 3 matching items to create a little gift package. So, some of my products that I normally sell separately, I package together as a set. I also discount the price just a little to encourage them to buy the set, rather than buy separately.

    Reply
    • Katy (lil' alice) says

      October 28, 2012 at 5:25 am

      @Lisa H., Lisa, I did the gift set items last year at a show & it was a huge it as well. It was a few bucks off & people like that! I will be doing the show again in December & I will be doing gift sets again.

      Best of luck with your shop during the holiday season. I’m going to click your link & see what it is that your make!

      Reply
      • Katy (lil' alice) says

        October 28, 2012 at 5:31 am

        @Katy (lil’ alice), Oh hey Lisa, I started following you on FB a few weeks ago, so I when I hopped over, I “knew” you! I clicked over to you from another comment on here.

        Reply
        • Lisa H. says

          October 28, 2012 at 4:42 pm

          @Katy (lil’ alice), Hi Katy! Thanks for ‘Liking’ my page. I was just over on your page. We make some similar items. Your little aprons are adorable! Really nice work! I hope you have a very successful holiday season as well.

          Reply
  2. Erin @ Isaboo Designs says

    October 27, 2012 at 12:07 pm

    Yay! This is something I am actually ahead of the game on! I just finished my christmas bow ties collection and got lots ready to ship and I am working ahead on other items as well. I have been re-working my packaging a bit. People really seem to like DIY kits this year too :)

    Reply
  3. Jenna says

    October 27, 2012 at 8:51 pm

    I’ve been struggling lately on whether I want to pre-make my items or continue made to order items. I would love to introduce new products but I always feel a little bogged down with rushing to complete orders, now I think pre-made might just be the way to go for me! I am constantly coming back to this series, I learn a little more each time I read your blog. LOVE it!!!

    Reply
  4. Katy (lil' alice) says

    October 28, 2012 at 5:29 am

    Again, fabulous! I have been stocking the virtual shelves this season! I do set a deadline for all Christmas orders! Usually 2nd week of December. I will usually get a few orders after the deadline but for the most part, I slow down & I settle into the Christmas season stress free. I believe I am hosting 4 Christmas parties in December.

    Pssst…… I’m skipping the Thanksgiving table this season & my man and I are going to Vegas for our 15 year anniversary! Our anniversary is actually Thanksgiving day this year!

    Have a beautiful Sunday!

    Reply

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  1. {Handmade Business in 31 Days: series recap} says:
    July 22, 2013 at 1:55 am

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ABOUT MAGGIE WHITLEY DESIGNS:
Maggie Whitley weaves her writings around joy in motherhood, homemaking, faith, and simple living. She homeschools her children, enjoys a quiet room while reading, and roars with laughter over the challenges & delights of motherhood. Maggie and her husband, along with their four young children, live in metro-Detroit. She has been writing online since 2008.
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JOY in motherhood & homemaking 🧺🌿💓✨

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Reflecting on this today 💓🕊 When I reflect o Reflecting on this today 💓🕊 When I reflect on the moments I’ve felt my mind spinning, my emotions swirly, it’s almost always when I’m not feasting on the word of God. Not that reading scripture is the cure for anxiety —no! Rather, it’s hard to worry when we’re worshipping.
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#mothersofinstagram #tea #winterreading #hygge
I fought every internal comment I could think of a I fought every internal comment I could think of and took my kiddos for a looooong walk today before dinner. ❄️✨ There’s just so much work required to raise children! I’m feeling like a tired lady. But sunshine & fresh air are good companions to keep around. 

We came home and I made “the best dinner ever”. Max specifically announced, “it’s so great you’re launching new meals to the world”. LOL— kids! 🤣👏🏻💓
How about a little Wednesday night introduction? 😘Social media sure has changed over the years and we don’t always SEE who we’re following or remember WHY we’re following certain accounts. 

So, hello! As you can gather, my name is Maggie ;) 

I started writing online (almost 13 years ago) to share the handmade products I was sewing. My shop was called Gussy Sews. ✂️👛I love the community that has grown from sewing & sharing online.

Let’s FFW to today: Zack and I live in Michigan and have four young children (2 boys & 2 girls). I slowly left the handmade industry and walked right into homemaking, homeschooling, and encouraging women through writing. 💕📝

Motherhood has been very hard on me. (And not just because of how close in age our four children are.) It’s been hard for me because I fought for years to accept that *it’s supposed to be hard*. 

I mean, how do you effectively teach another person to know and love the Lord? Bc that’s how I think of motherhood: a calling to nurture others by studying the One who nurtures me. So I gotta make the first move: study the Bible and seek Him first. As my friend Autumn reminded me, vulnerability births transformation. 

(I’ve had to be really vulnerable!)

So, yes motherhood has fully transformed me. But even more so, Christ has fully transformed me. My list of “all that He’s done for me” is off to a beautifully long start.

Something else I want you to know about me: I stalled for years before acknowledging I have anxiety and depression. It’s hard to talk about this because of course this isn’t forever “my hardship”, but rather because acknowledging this means to heal I have to work through some really difficult things. ✨

But my friend Jesus walks alongside me. He’s already done a mighty work in my heart, including helping me process my anger in healthier ways. I’ve also adopted a heart for sisterhood, mothering, and Titus 2 mentorship.

Sometimes our greatest losses are our greatest gains? That’s what I’m clinging to!

How about you? Tell me something about yourself so I can get to know you on a deeper heart level. 🖤🖤
How do you play in the winter? // We had a really How do you play in the winter? // We had a really great time visiting family in northern Michigan. On my blog I share a few ways we played outside, plus I describe a memorable childhood game ❄️☃️. Did you play it as a kiddo?
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Breakfast with Buzz! If only you could see his ful Breakfast with Buzz! If only you could see his full costume and laser blaster and of course the Buzz action figure he flys around 🌟💚💙💨someone has discovered a superhero crush! #joyinmotherhood #slowmornings #surprisedbymotherhood // Landon @ 2.5yo
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It was the perfect opportunity to rearrange the fu It was the perfect opportunity to rearrange the furniture as we took the tree down Tuesday midday. Def one of my fav things to do.🎄👋🏻 We made it through our first week back to school since mid-December! It was rough to begin but ended with high fives. ⭐️✏️This morning I zoomed with a mama friend and I’m impressed with the many topics we covered. Sisterhood is sooooo necessary! ☕️👩🏽‍🤝‍👩🏼

Just a few cheery memories from my week! How about you?
Book reading! One of my best “Maggie” activiti Book reading! One of my best “Maggie” activities. I finished my last book moments before 2020 ended, which brought my started list to a close. Small joys add up to big joys ;)

What are you reading this year? Currently?

How many books are you planning to read? What’s your goal?

I’ll share what’s on my list for 2021 soon as I received some nice titles at Christmas. 📖✨🤍
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