RECHARGING YOUR BATTERIES-2
© Barbara Massie
Q. I see shows listed in craft publications for this spring. People buy for the winter holidays, but will it be profitable for me to do shows at this time? I do not want to spend money for a booth at shows where nobody buys!
A. Many crafters who are out there doing shows know that people do buy during the whole year. Crafters find that the public loves to buy products crafted for the Spring holidays such as Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day and Easter. Families with children always decorate for any holiday.
Why not use some time to go scouting and research shows? Be a customer, not a vendor. You can look for new trends and also see if people are buying. Make your decision after that as to whether or not you want to participate in Spring shows.
Perhaps your product is not geared to holiday decorating, but that doesn't matter. Spring makes many want to brighten up or redecorate their homes. Craft shows can provide many of the home decorating accessories needed for redecorating. If your items are packed away in boxes, you are not making a profit. Merchandise sells only when someone can see it to buy.
Q. My 1999 resolution is to start a business. I already sell the quilted items I make to friends, but have been "bitten by the bug" and want to do some craft shows. I need information on how to collect state sales tax and how to proceed to start selling as a business.
A. Find Business Start-up FAO from Coach Bob of the NorthEast Texas Small Business Development Center. Most states vary in their procedure for vendors seeking information and forms to get a sales tax identification number, but the process is painless.
Contact the Sales Tax Division of the Department of Revenue in your state. Look first in the Yellow Pages of the telephone directory under State Government; some states have satellite offices in the larger cities. If there isn't one near you, direct your questions to the state capitol office. Or look on the Web for information about your State and Local Taxes.
The Small Business Administration provides excellent material on starting a business. Larger cities have offices where you can call and visit. Look in the telephone directory under Federal Government Offices. Also ask if they have a SCORE unit - or you can find SCORE at their web site. This is the group of retired executives who will advise a person from the beginning of a business venture through to the time when only an occasional answer to a question is needed. The SBA has a wonderful web site. The site also has all the SBA publications listed and tells how to order them.
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