If you are brand new to the world of crafting as a way to make an income, then you may begin to feel a bit discouraged the first time you experience poor sales at a show, or find yourself wishing you were back on a nine-to-five schedule, working for a company that offers a 401k and health insurance. These doubts and discouraged feelings are normal, especially when you have not yet made a name for yourself. Here are some helpful tips for overcoming doubts that might otherwise undermine your efforts at success completely.

Tip #1: Offer a Great Product and Believe in What You Are Selling

Great products sell themselves, so long as they are marketed correctly. As a crafter, almost all, if not 100 percent, of that marketing is up to you. No one else is going to merchandise your crafts for you, and nobody else is going to put forth the same passion you know that you are capable of emitting. If you don’t believe in what you are selling, and if you don’t think it’s a great product, then don’t sell it. End of story.

Tip #2: See Things from the Customer’s Perspective

Remember the old adage: “The customer is always right!” and you will be halfway to success. Seeing things from the customer’s perspective allows you to realize whether items you have for sale are fairly priced or not. It helps you to ensure you are dealing honestly and fairly with people. Finally, it enables you to step outside of your own ego, and look at yourself and what you are offering from the outside in. Are you doing all you can to make customers feel welcomed and valued? Does your booth look and smell fantastic? If not, make appropriate changes.

Tip #3: Love What You Do and Bet on Yourself

If nobody ever stepped out of the box, took chances, or went out on a limb, life would be plain and boring, and we would probably still be walking around, hoping against hope that someone would invent the wheel. If you continue to do what you’ve always done, you are going to get what you have always gotten, and that is a fact. If you put yourself out there, take a chance on yourself, be proud of your new business, and love what you do, people will notice and think, “Hey, they’re on to something!” Soon enough, you’ll notice that you are much more successful than you may have ever thought you could be.

Tip #4: Dream Big, but Do Your Homework

There is absolutely nothing wrong with dreaming big dreams and creating grand plans for the future. Life is just too short not to dream! At the same time, be smart about the choices you make. Learn all you can about your art and keep learning more about business, too. Invest in your new career wisely, but remember to put your heart into it!

Last, but not least, don’t pay attention to the naysayers. They will always be there, no matter what. Be nice, but ignore the negativity. Keep moving forward, and soon you’ll notice that all your efforts are paying off.