cards for hire

[Barbarar20]

Okay, my question is how do you market your cards? Do you just wait for people who have received them to contact you, or do you have websites, sell to local stores, or advertise in some way?

[dogzruleca]

I too am very curious about card sizes vs. cost for retail.
Until reading other threads regarding sales of cards and what sizes, designs, etc customers want, I used to think A2 was the normal size and bigger sizes like 5x7 or 6x6 were monstrous. I'm not sure how to word this so it comes out right, but I used to be proud of my little A2 sized efforts and that they were so much more thoughtful than bought cards. Now I feel like I have to compete with Hallmark and be big too or I get this guilty feeling like I am ashamed of my efforts and they aren't worthy to give to anyone other than family. Over the years the "identity" of handmade has been bouncing around between being more special because of the ability and love involved (better because it was made not bought) and second-rate like hand me downs (looked down on because you only made it instead of buying something). Do I make any sense in my recent crafting identity crisis to others who are obviously comfortable in theirs?:confused:
I want to give to non-family and possibly sell cards at a local gift shop, but I have to figure out size vs. price so I can get over my "issues". The bigger the card, the bigger the price, obviously, but what size are the average "mass produced" (100+) cards? Thanks to those who have already answered with their sizes, but I hope to hear more direction as I feel size to be a key issue in selling them.

[Phillis]

My experience with some buyers is that they don't want to pay more for what they can buy at their local drug store. The $4 per card or 3 for $10 is a great idea. I've tried higher pricing and they compliment but don't purchase.

[kitkat55]

This has been an interesting thread for me, because I've been experimenting myself with card sizes. I made well over 100 cards last fall for my first craft fair and, although I got LOTS of compliments, I didn't sell but about 1/3 of them as individual cards ($3/each or 4/$10). I did, however, sell dozens of notecard sets (4 cards/embellished envies for $10 for non-personalized cards; $15 for monogrammed sets).

I saw a thread a few months ago regarding buyers' perceptions of prices vs. size and decided to try the larger size (A7, I think - 5 x 7). I found a great weight paper in bulk (huge size...I think it's 14 x 20). I can get two cards per sheet, which is more cost effective, but means I have a lot of cutting to do. Anyway, I've worked all summer building up my A7 inventory and had my first craft fair last week. Sold way more of the A7 cards this year! I also priced the Hallmark cards in my area and found very few selling for more than $3 - even at the Hallmark store! Really disappointed, but can't change that, so I sold my A7's fo $3, the A2's for $2.50 and smaller ones for $2. I also work for a state university in CA, and we're on unpaid furloughs here this year :(, so since the craft fair was on campus, I felt the lower prices would be necessary to bring in business. I guess that theory worked, as I was busy all day (earned about $350 after my table fee), wherein my fellow crafters sold hardly anything.

Just my observations....may be different for you. ;)

Good luck!

P.S. I'm doing another craft fair at an affluent retirement community on Saturday and I plan to up the prices to $4 for the A7, $3 for the A2. We'll see.

[dogzruleca]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kitkat55

This has been an interesting thread for me, because I've been experimenting myself with card sizes. I made well over 100 cards last fall for my first craft fair and, although I got LOTS of compliments, I didn't sell but about 1/3 of them as individual cards ($3/each or 4/$10). I did, however, sell dozens of notecard sets (4 cards/embellished envies for $10 for non-personalized cards; $15 for monogrammed sets).

I saw a thread a few months ago regarding buyers' perceptions of prices vs. size and decided to try the larger size (A7, I think - 5 x 7). I found a great weight paper in bulk (huge size...I think it's 14 x 20). I can get two cards per sheet, which is more cost effective, but means I have a lot of cutting to do. Anyway, I've worked all summer building up my A7 inventory and had my first craft fair last week. Sold way more of the A7 cards this year! I also priced the Hallmark cards in my area and found very few selling for more than $3 - even at the Hallmark store! Really disappointed, but can't change that, so I sold my A7's fo $3, the A2's for $2.50 and smaller ones for $2. I also work for a state university in CA, and we're on unpaid furloughs here this year :(, so since the craft fair was on campus, I felt the lower prices would be necessary to bring in business. I guess that theory worked, as I was busy all day (earned about $350 after my table fee), wherein my fellow crafters sold hardly anything.

Just my observations....may be different for you. ;)

Good luck!

P.S. I'm doing another craft fair at an affluent retirement community on Saturday and I plan to up the prices to $4 for the A7, $3 for the A2. We'll see.

Very interesting. Can you update us after the Saturday sale?

[susie718]

How do you folks market your cards to businesses? I sell through a local store, but I haven't tried marketing to businesses for larger orders. I sell my cards for anywhere from $2.95 to $5.25 depending on the amount of work involved.

[kitkat55]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dogzruleca

Very interesting. Can you update us after the Saturday sale?

Sure...I'll be glad to!

[lsdowney29]

I also think that the price of the card depends on where you live. I live in a rural area in northern Wisconsin and we only charge $1.25/card or 6 cards for $5. We aren't out there to make this our only job though so we just recoup what we have in the cards and a little for our efforts.

I know that if we charged over $3 for a card we wouldn't be selling any. That's just our "neck of the woods" - very conservative.

[Mingo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by susie718

How do you folks market your cards to businesses? I sell through a local store, but I haven't tried marketing to businesses for larger orders. I sell my cards for anywhere from $2.95 to $5.25 depending on the amount of work involved.

I have a book of card samples that I take to local businesses. They can have a look at the cards, and then make their decisions from there. I don't put pricing in the book though. I have it on a separate sheet of paper that I can leave with the business. It allows me to change the pricing as needed, and I can also give volume discounts when applicable. I charge more on a per card basis for smaller orders. Once you get into bigger orders, you can lower the price per card as your assembly line will help your productivity. When stamping the big card order I got to the point where I could stamp 1000 images in 3 hours. It's monotonous, but that's when I got caught up on everything that I had recorded on my PVR.

[susie718]

Thanks for the idea about the sample book! What types of businesses did you approach?
Thanks again.

[Mingo]

Many of the businesses that I've talked to are strictly service industries. Contractors, body shops, salons, accountants, that kind of thing. The big order of cards that I just finished is actually for all of the employees of that company. Real estate agents, interior designers are also good candidates for sales. These are the type of people that want to thank their clients for another good year.

You may also be able to find some clients in the above list that would be interested in thank you cards as well. If you can sell one type of cards to them, maybe they'd be interested in a second!!!

[susie718]

Thanks; that gives me great ideas! I appreciate the specific suggestions. :-)

[kmrrdh]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mingo

Many of the businesses that I've talked to are strictly service industries. Contractors, body shops, salons, accountants, that kind of thing. The big order of cards that I just finished is actually for all of the employees of that company. Real estate agents, interior designers are also good candidates for sales. These are the type of people that want to thank their clients for another good year.

You may also be able to find some clients in the above list that would be interested in thank you cards as well. If you can sell one type of cards to them, maybe they'd be interested in a second!!!

Wendy, Do you offer to personalize them with their business name as a signature on those orders or do they have to sign each one individually before mailing? If so how do you do this? Do you computer print their business signature?

[dougnat]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mingo

Many of the businesses that I've talked to are strictly service industries. Contractors, body shops, salons, accountants, that kind of thing. The big order of cards that I just finished is actually for all of the employees of that company. Real estate agents, interior designers are also good candidates for sales. These are the type of people that want to thank their clients for another good year.

You may also be able to find some clients in the above list that would be interested in thank you cards as well. If you can sell one type of cards to them, maybe they'd be interested in a second!!!

Thank you for this, I'm totally going to try this... I am in a situation (medical bills for my son) where I really need to make some money without getting a job out of the home and maybe this is something I can do. great idea!

[Mingo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kmrrdh

Wendy, Do you offer to personalize them with their business name as a signature on those orders or do they have to sign each one individually before mailing? If so how do you do this? Do you computer print their business signature?

The ones that I've done have not been personalized with a signature. However, I'm printing them using either Word or Pages, so if they are able to give you a file that you can insert into the document, you would be able to print the signatures.

[risalenee]

I have been doing the "craft show" circuit and I have been doing pretty good. I get my pre-made, white, 5" x 6.5" packaged cards with envelope at Michael's and I have been selling them for $2.00 and $3.00. Depending on how much work I put into them. I have been told that they are cheaper and better looking than Hallmark.

Lisa

[emma]

Wow - what great information! Friends and family love my homemade cards and are always telling me I should sell them. Well, I could use some extra money so I'm thinking of starting small and having a basket of cards for sale at maybe my husbands office and hairdressers, etc.

Thanks so much for sharing all your ideas and advice!!