CHOOSING A BUSINESS NAME

Now you have decided you really want to become a fiber fesitival vender you need a business name.  You may already have one in mind, if so yea for you.  Sometimes tho it is a real challenge to figure out a business name.  Don't pick out a name that is too cutesy or so far out that people can't pronounce it.  Remember this is a BUSINESS.  Look at that brochure of the fiber event you went to and check out the names of venders listed.  What names do you like-ie: Susan's Fiber Shop, Marlenes Felting Madness are 2 examples of business names with the owners first name in the business name-Marr Haven Wool Farm has the name of the farm as the business name-Hooked on Felt tells the area of fiber interest this business concentrates on.   After you have choosen a name google it -you want a name that 6 other people don't have!!  This is especially important if you think you want to have a web site now or in the future and use the business name as the website name.  If someone else has that domain name you would need to choose another.  If you are going to have a blog, web page, sell online on etsy or another craft storefront it helps to have them all the name of your business.  People don't want to remember 4 different names for one person.                           This post I'll preview so it won't be discomfobulated (that's a word, right?) like the last one became.

BECOMING A FIBER FESTIVAL VENDER

Before the business plan and tax license let's start with the basics.  Do you know what a fiber festival is?  Or have you just read about them in Spin Off or on the net or been to a 5-10 vender event at a local farm?     YOUR HOMEWORK                                                                                                                           Go to a fiber festival ,with at least 50 venders if possible.                                                                        Look at booth design/displays                                                                                                                 Look at quality of products for sale-how does your product compare?                                                      Look at the quantity of product in booths and variety of items for sale.  Are you thinking of selling a number of items or just one -ie: handcrafted hand spindles vs yarn, roving, batts                                                  Look at pricing of similiar products                                                                                                         What makes your product equal to or better than what you see being sold ?                                                Do you have a product not being offered and is there a market for it?                                                     Take pictures, if allowed, and the  venders don't mind.  Take notes, trust me you won't remember everything you think you will remember.  Collect business cards and show brochure.  Check out web sites of venders you especially like.                                                                                                                                  Do you have or can you make/purchase enough product to sell at an event.  Be realastic.                         Do you have an idea of which events you would like to sell at or do you need a list of events to consider?   More in the next post.  Let me know if you have any questions or specific info you want.