Common Home Party Worries

If you're anything like I was, you'd probably quite like to do a home party, but are worried it will be a flop.

Do any of these worries sound familiar to you?

I'm too shy!

It doesn't matter. Unless you are a complete hermit with no friends, you can still easily do home parties, as you can structure them to suit your personality.

I'm useless at public speaking, but am fine chatting to people one at a time, so I arrange my parties accordingly. Take a look at the section on Home Party Styles to find out about different ways of doing your home parties.

What if no one comes?There are lots of things you can do to make sure there are enough guests, whether you are hosting your own party or have found someone else to do it for you (read here for some good tips on inviting guests).

But even if only a few do turn up, it's not the end of the world - you'll probably still sell enough to make it worth your while. The good news is that, unlike at a craft fair, you haven't got a table fee to cover, so it's really only your time that you're taking a risk with.

What if no one buys anything?

This is highly unlikely - as long as your crafts are good quality and not completely unreasonably priced, there will be buyers. It is worth considering whether your particular craft is appropriate for home parties though.

In general smaller, more portable crafts are better suited to home parties - items like handcrafted furniture will be more difficult.

For great advice on pricing, lots of tips to increase sales and information about best selling crafts, read the sections on Getting Started and Doing a Craft Home Party.

What if I don't have enough stock?

The flip side of the previous worry. When I started out I also worried that I'd run out of stock mid-party (it's never happened, sadly) or that I didn't have enough variety.

I have found that the more stock I have, the more I sell, but as long as you have enough to fill a table you can always take orders for more. In fact, if you like you don't have to sell any of your items at the party, but can just use them as samples from which guests can place their orders.

An additional idea is to find another crafter and do a joint party with both your products. I even know of someone who supplements their own crafts with items they buy in from elsewhere, and she does well with it. I’m sure you’ll find your own way around this problem too!

I don't have time to do lots of parties!

You don't have to - the great thing about having your own home party business is that you can do as many or as few parties as you like.

Some crafters just have one party at Christmas to take advantage of all those crazed gift buyers and make themselves some extra money. Others set up a couple of parties a week. Most fit somewhere in between these two extremes - but ultimately it's up to you.

I'll never get enough bookings to make a decent income!

As a 'decent income' means something different to everyone, this is a tough one to answer. But if you are serious about building yourself a home party business, take the time to read the rest of this website. There are loads of tips on how to get the ball rolling, as well as how to get more bookings.

Decide how much you'd like to earn per month, then have a home party to get an idea of how much you'll make at each party - divide the first figure by the second to get an idea of how many parties you'll have to have each month to earn your 'decent income'.

So why not give craft home parties a go - you won’t know until you try. Read these stories from ordinary crafters who have done home parties. for some more encouragement and take a look at the rest of this website to get as much information as possible, then let me know when you’ve got your own home party story to share!