If you are a creative person then making and selling greeting cards is a great way to start a business. It also makes a useful part-time business that can be run from home and started with a limited amount of capital, and can be done by the young or semi-retired. It can also be an excellent way for artists and crafts people to increase their income by selling cards alongside their main product. The skills needed vary greatly depending on what type of cards you want to produce. They can involve all the creative skills from design to photography, from painting to lettering, from enamelling to metalwork. This book takes you step-by-step through the process of starting and running your business with lots of useful practical advice to help you, including: - Deciding what type of cards to produce - Finding your market - Dealing with printers - Copyright and licensing - Pricing and profit Contents: 1. What type of card business? 2. Handmade cards 3. Printed cards 4. Designing cards 5. Art & photographic cards 6. Starting a business 7. Writing a business plan 8. Money matters 9. Pricing and paperwork 10. Marketing 11. Presentation, packaging and display 12. Getting publicity 13. Selling to retailers 14. Craft fairs and markets 15. Selling at trade fairs 16. Alternative ways of selling 17. Selling skills 18. Networking 19. The environment 20. Copyright and licensing Technical terms Fact file.
