Will Your Crochet Products Sell? The Critical Step to Testing
Crochet-to-Cash Roadmap: STEP 2 of 6 - Test & Perfect Your Products
Avoid wasting time and yarn! Here are your 3 essential actions to prove your crochet products will sell before you launch.
The Problem with Passion (And How to Fix It)
In STEP 1, you committed to your craft, embraced a confident mindset, and dove into creative exploration to find your unique "Crochet Goldmine."
You likely have a notebook full of beautiful ideas and a hook ready to bring them all to life.
Now, pause the making. Why?
The biggest mistake new creative entrepreneurs make is spending months creating a large inventory of items they hope people will buy. This leads to burnout, piles of unsold inventory, and the disheartening feeling that your work isn't valued.
STEP 2 is your insurance policy against that burnout. We are moving from creative exploration to smart testing.
You have 3 core actions to complete in this phase to validate the demand for your best item and ensure you're making the right product for the right price.
Action 1: Define Your MVP
The 'Ready to Test' List
You don't need a full online shop to start selling; you just need a handful of carefully selected items to test. This is your Minimum Viable Product (MVP). It’s the smallest collection of items you need to prove your concept.
Your First Action Item: Select Your Top 3 MVP Candidates Look back at the creative exploration you did in Step 1. Select the 3 products that best meet the following criteria:
High Personal Joy: You genuinely love making it and could make it efficiently.
Unique Factor: It solves a problem or offers a unique spin on a common item (e.g., a dishcloth, but with a unique eco-friendly yarn and loop).
Photo-Ready: It photographs well and is easily explained.
MY BIGGEST TIP: Your goal here is simple: Stop creating everything. Focus your energy on producing just 5-10 flawless units of your Top 3 MVP Candidates.
Action 2: Chase the 'Test-Sale' Goal
The ultimate form of validation is a stranger opening their wallet for your work. You are no longer just asking friends for compliments; you are seeking proof of market value. This is the core mindset shift for this step.
Your Second Action Item: Achieve One Validating Sale Your goal for STEP 2 is to make one sale to a stranger that covers the cost of your materials and your time. Why a sale to a stranger?
Proof of Value: A stranger paying your listed price is proof that your item has commercial value outside of your personal network.
Confidence Builder: Achieving this goal is the final act of moving your mindset from a "hopeful hobbyist" to a "validated business owner."
Where to make this sale
Use low-effort, low-cost avenues for this test, such as local craft groups, a simple post on a Buy/Sell group, or even a single listing on your current social media channel (or if you have permission a group that you are currently a member of). The platform or method doesn't matter; the transaction does.
Not exactly sure how to do this?
You might like this post that gives you an example step-by-step➡️
Action 3: The Ultimate Test
Get Physical with a Craft Market
You've made your MVP candidates and maybe even secured that first online sale, or at least might have received some insightful feedback and comments. Now, for the most potent form of validation: face-to-face interaction.
You might not feel comfortable at a market yet, but trust me, taking your products to a physical craft market or pop-up event - IS THE ABSOLUTE BEST WAY TO TRULY TEST THE MARKET - and gather essential feedback. Nothing beats potential customers being able to see, pick up, and touch your products while you interact with them. You'll gain invaluable insight by reading their non-verbal cues and hearing their unprompted thoughts—feedback you simply can't get online.
A successful test doesn't just result in sales; it results in data, and importantly moves you closer to your ultimate goal and success. Taking ACTION is a vital step forward!
Your Third Action Item: Gather the Three Critical Data Points After your test sale or market day, use these three questions to assess if the product is ready to scale:
Demand: Where did the customer find you? Did they ask about other sizes/colors? Goal: Confirm there is demand beyond a single transaction.
Cost: Did the final selling price comfortably cover the true Cost of Goods Sold (COGS), including the materials, your time, and the platform/market fees? Goal: Ensure you are profitable, not just busy.
Quality/Experience: Did you receive any feedback on the quality, weight, or presentation of the item? Goal: Polish your process and fix any friction points now.
If you answered Yes to all three questions, you have a Validated Product ready for the next phase. If not, go back to Action 1, iterate the product based on the feedback, and test again.
It’s important to recognise at this time that it’s not about selling ALL your products. It’s perfectly normal to not actually sell any products at your 1st craft market.
The purpose of the craft market is to TEST your first collection of products. Being a success overnight is rare. Measure your success by taking action. Remember your goal is to collect data so you can make informed decisions.
Market Day Ready?
Never sold your items at a craft market before?
Don't worry, I've got you covered.
I created the ‘Your All-in-One Craft Market Toolkit’ to walk you through absolutely everything you need to look like a professional at your 1st market (and make the day enjoyable instead of stressful!).
I can't emphasize this step enough—it's vital to your success and will save you time and effort. If you're a craft fair expert, of course, it's not essential to grab the guide, but you must make sure that you gather the data you need to ensure every chance of sales and profit as you move forwards.
Grab Your All-in-One Craft Market Toolkit! Stop guessing and start preparing.
Get ‘Your All-in-One Craft Market Toolkit’ today and walk into your first craft market knowing exactly what to do—ready to make those exciting sales with total confidence.
What's Included:
The Planning Phase: Everything from choosing the right venue to ensuring you're legally ready to sell.
Irresistible Display: How to set up your stall, create magnetic product displays, and design professional signage.
Sales Confidence: Practical advice on payment methods, confidently engaging with your first customers, and maximizing your market day.
The Complete Toolkit: Includes the full 5-part digital guide (PDFs), a 4-minute customer connection video, and printable worksheets.
Stop guessing! Get the 147-page system to confidently Test, Price, Display, and Profit from your first market. Includes 4 E-books, the Workbook, and Bonus Video for immediate action.
Remember, putting your carefully crafted products out into the world can be nerve-wracking. While the encouragement from friends and family is wonderful, it doesn't provide the objective, sales-driven data you need to build a that side-hustle and a profitable business.
It's only by achieving that first validating sale to a stranger that you gain truly valuable feedback on your product's design, quality, and price. This immediate, strategic testing is the key to your forward momentum. By moving quickly through this step, you avoid the trap of spending months creating a large inventory of items you simply love but that the market won't buy, allowing you to make informed, profitable decisions every step of the way.
Key Takeaways
STEP 2 is Complete!
You have moved from making everything to strategically testing your core idea.
MVP is Your Focus
Stop wasting time on a huge product line; focus your energy on the 3 products you will test and perfect.
The Power of One
That first, validating sale to a stranger is your golden ticket—it proves your business is viable.
Market Ready Testing (It’s Vital!)
Taking your products to your 1st craft market will provide valuable data and real customer feedback that will guide your next steps. It’s a VITAL step on your journey to success!
Take Action!
Taking action is the most important step, remember it’s not about making sales at this stage, it’s about collecting data.
Let’s Recap
You've successfully completed the first two crucial steps of the Roadmap.
You found your spark and confident mindset, honed your skills and ran the 3-part Goldmine Check in STEP 1 (The Foundation).
Now in STEP 2 (The Validation), you've taken those ideas and developed your Minimum Viable Products (MVPs), maybe you’ve put a social media post and sold your first item (don’t panic if you haven’t.
The Important step is you have a collection of products ready to face the market. Whether you use the Market Ready Mini-Guide to confidently prepare for your first craft market (highly recommended!) or you're an experienced seller gathering data through other methods, the next vital task is market validation.
Pause Here: Do Your 1st Craft Market (Market Validation).
Pause here and focus on planning your market appearance.
Take some time to fully plan out this testing phase, book your market date, then go for it.
The immediate, hands-on feedback you gain is priceless. Only once you have the proof—that first sale and that essential data—should you move forward.
Good luck, and remember to gather that essential feedback on Market Day from real customers!
You've Completed STEP 2! What’s Next?
Blog Number 3: Building Your Business Essentials
Your next move is starting to build your professional structure. You need a Brand that commands high prices and the Legal Foundation that protects your creative work.
In STEP 3 of the Roadmap, we will transition into the business essentials, including how to define your brand identity and the basic legal checks you must complete to run your business with confidence.
Discover More
For more ideas, inspiration, and free resources on turning your passion into profit
Check Out This Category of Resources:
Hobby to Hustle: Finding Your First Product has loads of relevant and helpful information, resources and guides. It’s designed for crafters getting started on their side-hustle (business) journey.
Click the image below👇
Need Inspiration?
You can also find a stream of daily ideas and motivation on our Inspiration for Crafters Pinterest Board—your creative idea or ideas just might be waiting there!
Click the image below👇and be sure to follow the Crochet Inspiration Board!
Explore Our Full Creative Business Roadmap
Unsure of your next step? Our interactive roadmap provides a clear path through every stage of building a successful creative business, linking you to the exact resources you need. See The Creative Business Roadmap.
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A Sign-off from Me
Thank you for being here, and I can't wait to help you build your own crochet business!
Warmly, Nicole! 🌱
Building online businesses for passionate makers.
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