Friday, July 24, 2009

Online business tips from Okinokiyo : #4 - Ideas and Inspiration

I have lots of business ideas in my head which one of them I plan to TRY at least by this year.
Anyway, all my business ideas are craft related or like hobby related which is stress-free.

No, it can be stressed also if I dont know how to manage it.

Im going to share how to get ideas in doing business in crafting or in hobby line.

What I will always do is :
Surf the craft sites, craft stores and creative or unique shops
There are lots craft sites that can be found in the net. All you need to do is just google it. Be specific what you are looking for else you could not find what you want.I will search based on what I want to see. I will use keywords like "Handmade dresses for girls" or "Patched dresses for toddler" or "Free sewing pattern for girls dresses". Then the result will go directly to what you are looking for.

Craft stores - As here in Malaysia, I think, almost shops can give me ideas on what to do or how to improve things in what Im doing. Be aligned with the shops or stores with what you are doing if you want to get ideas. It does not mean you copycat things, its just that it can give you ideas.

Example: Im doing a dress to sell, then I went to clothing shops to see what they have and what they dont have. I will try to do something they dont have, so that, customers will have the option to buy something that cant be found normally at the local shops.

Another example is : You want to do color combination dress but you are so scared, the outcome looks ugly or not matched. Then suddenly you see a sample of it in the shop and it looks nice, then you can work on yours.

Browse craft magazines in local stores
I love bookstores so much. If I go to any malls, I will first do a scan in my head if they got a bookstore. I dont mind if the bookstore is small or big anything will do. Its also OK if the book store is just a small magazine stalls where they sell newspapers or magazines as long as I can find any ideas there.

Ideas does not come only from craft magazines. Other magazines also will do. So, just browse any magazines, who knows, inside there got lots of ideas for you to do your next business.

What I need or What I want
The other thing is, I always think like this "I wish there is a....for my birthday. If they sell this thing, I think I will be the first one who will buy it." Or something like this "They should sell item like .... Its good for you when ..."

That can be an idea for you. If they dont have it, why dont you DO it. CREATE it. Does not matter if it might look silly to other people, as long as you love it, there must be other people who love it as well. You will never know.

These are what I always do to get ideas, get inspired.

What do you do to get ideas and inspired? Share it here, come on! Sharing is caring rite?

4 comments:

NaZa said...

walaupun aku ni not a business minded person tp mmg suka la google2 mende2 ni seme... xcreative cam ko.. tp klu nak beli kain, leh tumpang ko sekali ke? hihihih

yaya said...

Mai, meh email kat aku no hp ko. yayayes7@yahoo.com

alamaya said...

how me get an idea..same like u.i do google for craft site, craft shop. also when i go to mall i will do window shopping to see the design for girls cloth. i use that way to sew kyra's flower girl gown. it was helpful. and also buy craft magazine.what else.....imagination also can help us...:) thats what i do...thanks for sharing mai.....

Idayu said...

thanks for sharing mai..:)