HOW TO SURVIVE YOUR BUSINESS (With So Much Competitors)?

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When I started my crochet business, I never thought of competing with other crocheters. My initial thought was just to create things out of crochet, as I was really passionate about it and liked creating wearables (since crochet swimwear was my first area of expertise).

Perhaps the reason I didn't mind the competition at the time was that I didn't know anyone in our community who could crochet and sell her handmade products.

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After I started participating in crochet groups, I discovered that most Filipino crocheters were rarely present in one city and were scattered in different parts of the country.

So at that time, my focus was on my own crochet products, the orders I received from my customers, and their feedback after receiving their orders.

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However, I recall that at the time, many had expressed their interest in learning crochet, and I was so eager to teach them. I taught many but very few who learned the basics (chain, single, and double crochet), and I remember only one who tried to make a crochet pillow cover but had stopped due to a lack of patience.

Time had passed, and I noticed that the crochet groups I had joined had their members increase in number.

In 2021, I taught some teenagers here at my place. Most of them were inspired to learn after they saw my finished products and learned that I earn money out of them. So I patiently teach each one of them. Though there were some who gave up easily, I was happy that there were a few who remained and patiently followed my every instruction.

As time went by, they harnessed their skills and were able to make some crochet items. I told them to post quality pictures of their products on their social media to let their relatives and friends know that they crochet. Slowly, they got some orders from their relatives, friends, and classmates.

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Last year, I decided to focus my crocheting journey on making flower bouquets. I taught them how to do it, even the wrapping process. I also gave some ideas on how to price their flowers and how to present them when taking pictures.

Currently, five of them are accepting orders and selling some crochet items to their classmates and schoolmates. They even made more sales on Valentine's Day last year. I am glad that they were able to make money from crocheting and help their parents with their profits.

Now, Valentine's Day is fast approaching, and we noticed that here in our city, many were already engaging in crocheting flowers, mostly teenagers. A lot of them had already sold some of their works online at a lower price. So the girls that I had taught were worried that their sales would not be good this time, as many competitors were showing up.

Well, they too are considered my competitors, 😅 but helping them outweighs my worries. Besides, competition is normal when you have a business.

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There is always value in competition. It pushes me to give my best shot. It keeps me more creative and helps me think outside the box. Like, how would my flower bouquet look different from the rest? And how would I make customers choose my design?

Competition teaches me to never get complacent and to always be updated on the trend if I don't want my opponent to get ahead of me.

There are three types or stages of competitors that I have:

1. The Beginners, or the Start-up Stage:
   Most of them are students who have recently learned to crochet a flower. They only made a tulip or a rose, then wrapped them individually. They priced their products at a very affordable price, as they think that the more affordable their products are, the more buyers they can get. Working hard is the key to getting a bigger profit.

2. Intermediate, or the Growth Stage:
   This group had diversified their product range to include a variety of flowers, explored different kinds of flower arrangements and wrappers, and added some accessories to level up the appearance of their products. This group knows how to value their craft by pricing it properly. They had participated in craft fairs and displayed their products in some establishments. (I consider myself to belong to this group.😊)

3. Advance, or the Established Stage:
   I only knew one person at this stage. She had increased her production capacity by outsourcing to meet the growing demand. She had also implemented collaborations, sponsored content, and targeted advertising. She had also set her goals for every special event.

So how am I going to survive with this competition?

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My actions for all kinds of competitors are:

• Ensure that my flower bouquets are of high quality. Quality products will lead to a more satisfied customers. I also make sure that my crochet flower bouquets meets or exceeds customer expectations.

• Explore and experiment more with different kinds of flowers, arrangements, and wrapping techniques so the old customers will have more options.

• Provide excellent customer service like responding promptly to customer inquiries, being polite, friendly and professional during conversations, and listen attentively to their concerns and even their complaints.

• Set clear expectations on product details such as colors and sizes. Being honest to the customers will minimize future problems.

• Provide updates to customers especially for those customized big orders. They love to hear any updates and will give them assurance that you are working their orders.

• Always present products in an appealing packaging. I usually put a thank you sticker, my business card and I sometimes add some small token of appreciation like crochet earrings or keychains when packing big orders.

• Have an easy and convenient mode of payment for down payments.

_{I put a fairy light inside the box with a clear plastic on the front to avoid the dust.}

_{My new collections of flower bouquet as preparations for Valentine's Day.}

Remember, happy and satisfied customers are more likely to become repeat customers and recommend our products to others. Building a positive relationship with our customer base is essential for long-term success in the crochet business.