Where and how, the story of card sales!

[Dingle]

Here we go!

I don't sell that many, and most of mine are to friends and family. Apart from that I have done a couple of craft stalls at one of my local Pre-school fun days. I also take my cards along to my local Downs Syndrome Association meetings( dd has DS) I give 10% commision to the group so it makes sense to sell them there.

As a follow on from the DSA meets, I keep on saying about trying to build up enough stock to hold a party, but haven't managed it so far! I know a few of the other MNs do this, and others are a lot more established and confident and have outlets elsewhere.

I do put labels on the back of my cards and that has started to have an effect on orders too, one card sent in November led to another 2 being ordered in December,another 2 in March and I have just finished another 2.

I add my labels to the backs of the cards and have found this leads to more orders. Im holding a card party soon...though when I am not sure because that means I'll have to clean the house!!!

School fairs are a good place to sell...I contact the local schools PTA's and ask if I can have a stall at any fairs....have got a big fair on 10th June at a private school....just before Fathers Day...so timing was good!!

Toddler groups and OAP's coffee mornings have worked too.

My sister sells my cards for me in her Dental Practice and she sells quite a few each month...amazing really that whilst people are waiting in the surgery waiting room they will have a peep at my cards and most buy a couple at a time.

Mr Postie at the local village store has agreed to sell my cards too!!!!

My golfing cards Fathers Day cards....I thought I might take some to the local golf club and see if they are interested in having some in the Pro Shop to sell....people go there to buy pressies, so why not cards???

I have designed a few surfy cards and Im going to try some of the local surf shops and see if they are interested.

Why are you all asleep and not here to tell me to GO AWAY?????

Craft fairs (mostly in schools) and two annual Christmas sales for friends and family, one at my house and one at my sister's.

Do you have to pay for the table at the fairs or do you give the school a percentage of sales? And if you sell via a local shop do you pay the shop owner per card you sell or have some other arrangement? What's a reasonable amount for them to ask?

For the craft table at fetes...it depends on the school. Some you pay a set amount at the beginning when you book, my local school charges about £7. Others, like my little local pre-school, charge a percentage. On the few occasions I have had a stall there, I have sold over £50, which is good IMO as they only have about 25 children there. When I do a stall I do try to have other goodies there, such as hand knitted bags, little painted boxes, frames, magnets..etc

Okay, thanks!

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How much do you charge in general per card or does it vary depending on the card ?

Do any of you put verses in ? I was thinking of putting a insert in using inkjet paper (nothing too wordy)

Sorry for all the questions !
But I bow to your vast knowledge & experience !!

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A few questions- . Please don't laugh at the daftness!

How do you approach shops to sell your cards? Do they need to be 'unwrapped' so the shopkeeper can look at them?

When you say you sell a card for £x, how much of that is the material cost and how much time has gone into the card?

Because I sell direct to the customer, what I tend to do is make up my cards, sometimes with no wording at all, put in poly bags and leave unsealed. That way they are protected, can be passed around, but you can still take them out to look at detail, quality.etc. If someone then wants a card personailised, I just slip it out of the poly bagy, make up the wording and put it back in the bag to go to the customer.

I am feeling very chuffed as I took my cards into work yesterday & have orders for 3 - and I only showed them to 5 people !! I decided to ask for £1.50 each.
At every meeting I attend, when it comes to the "Any Other Business" bit I'll have to say "Yes - does anyone want to buy a card?!" & pull out my portfolio

Whizzz - glad to see your swap pressie to being put to good use!!

Yes - it gave me so much enthusiasm ! It was a great pressie - thanks

great, well done Whizzz.A great confidence booster I imagine!

My mum had an order from one of the ladies she travel up to dialsys with. She gave it to her yesterday and asked for £2, what I charge for an A5 card.
Popped in to see my mum today and the lady had given me £5!! and was insistent that she didn't want any change!! I was chuffed to bits, this has only happened once before and then I felt rather uncomfortable face to face!

I sell my cards in work I charge £1.50 for DL cards £2.00 & £2.50 for the C5 & £3.00 if they want them in a box. People in work think thats cheap.

Dingle - Just a quick hijack to say "Many thanks" for the 9 cards that arrived today! They are absolutely lovely! I am so pleased with them and think that they are excellent value. So much nicer than shop bought cards, which are often the same price or more. The hockey card was shown to several mums at school today and they were so impressed! I very quickly said "No" when they asked if I made it and I made sure that you got all the credit! Thanks again.