How to create a cohesive product line

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This workshop is for anyone who makes and sells a handmade or physical product, including jewelry designers, artists, paper designers, bath & body product makers  and more!

What You'll Discover

The #1 mistake people make with Etsy & social media that causes shops to FLOP

 The secret to making it with your handmade shop so it's no longer just a hobby

How to make sales in your handmade shop with ease so you can finally get to 6-figures

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  1. Debra says:

    This is very helpful information it seems like the more I create and design the more I know what I want to do and how I want it to look and to all look more cohesive.

    • Mei Pak says:

      Hey Debra!
      Definitely, it always helps that you understand your work and have an idea/plan/vision for how you’d like it all to tie in together eventually.

  2. Robyn says:

    Great blog! I just noticed this link to my bracelet. Thank you! I’m really honored you chose it for an article that really means something to me! I truly strive for a cohesive shop. In the last couple of years, i’ve really noticed a huge, huge difference in my sales since I’ve worked on becoming more cohesive. I once worked with an expensive PR firm back when I was just making all sorts of random jewelry. They were very reputable and tried their best. But it was not easy for them to find proper magazines for my line at the time. This taught me a lot and now I have my shop much more “pitchable”. It’s been huge for me. Thanks so much for including my bracelet with this article! Looking forward to more posts from you and I’m glad to have found your blog! :)

    • Just visit your shop. Love your work. The cohesiveness of your shop is amazing from the theme all the way to your product line. I see why your sales are through the roof. Awesome. I’ve got a lot of work to do. Lol

  3. Rachel says:

    Hi Mei.. I just know that you also have family in Malaysia.. I very surprise and feel like you are amazing person.. I want to become your fan.. And this article is so helpful and I also want to say thank you very much to you to create such a good place for those who just started their handmade business just like me.. Thank you very much!!! :)

  4. Atinuke says:

    Hi, thanks for this. I’m just starting out and need t sort out a cohesive line :)

  5. Mica says:

    Hello Mei, thanks for all the advice you give. They help me a lot because I have not yet begun to create my products, I’m still in the design process.
    How do you do to have a balance between what you like and what your customers likes, I find that my clients and I have different tastes.

  6. kleckerlabor says:

    thx for this very helpful information , your blog is now listed in my handmade business directory because i think it is very usefull

  7. This makes me think.
    I have many very different items in my shop, the only similarity is that they are all made out of fiber (fabric/yarn). I was already planning to start focusing on using the more exquisite crochet and knitted wool items for the online sales, and use the cheaper acrylic items for craft market sales. Should I take those items of Etsy and of my website?
    My main fabric items are bags and purses, with a focus on denim, but they are not all denim. Is that too diverse?
    And now I started creating more creative, decorative items, like wall hangings of mixed media. This because it is a great creative outlet and lets me play with different techniques. So I should probably keep those separate, and sell them in a different store under a different name?

    This is quite a challenge, and it is only step 2.

    • Mei says:

      Pien, taking a quick look, I agree that your shop does not look very cohesive. It gives me the impression that you’re creating things you love and putting them up all for sale. You’ll need to start putting your ideal customer front and center of your design process and collection creation. I feel “bags and purses” is a great starting point – and then you can branch that out into different materials. But to include baby products with shawls and headbands seem like totally different customers.

  8. TianCeramics says:

    Grant help in clearing the process of creating a cohesive product line and ranges. I am currently in the process of narrowing down the current products of my crazy creativity into series and groups based on my market experience and sell record. It is a slow but steady process. This article is my light towel in the mist on my way.

    Thank you Mei!

  9. Clara says:

    Hello Mei!
    I have been thinking about this article. I sell crochet acessories but I have purses, hats, bookmarks, headbans, scrunchies.. (well.. the truth is that I have one of each…) I don’t know if it’s best to concentrate in only one thing like hair complements or book accessories (as the 75% of what I have sold are bookmarks) or its ok to have all these products together. The thing is that I can see a person liking all that but I can’t see any person thinking “oh yes! that shop that had THAT” because I have different things.. you know what I mean? I would love to know your opinion.

    Thank you so much,

    Clara

  10. Mireille says:

    Hi Mei,

    I just completed Step 2 of the Challenge. I took a good hard look at my shop on Etsy and you’re right – it just looked like a collection of stuff I had made, a hodge podge of sorts, most of it one-of-a-kind pieces. The reasons I did this are two-fold: 1) Give potential customers more choice 2) I’ve been told by several veteran shop owners on Etsy to strive for 100 items or more in order to get picked up in Etsy’s algorithms and get placed higher on search results.

    That being said, I followed your advice and now have 7 items. Items that are not one-of-a-kind, that I enjoy making and for which I know I will always be able to obtain the raw materials to make. Your feedback is appreciated – http://www.ducrae.etsy.com

    Regards,
    Mireille

  11. kylie says:

    wonderful advise. thankyou soooo much xoxo

  12. Angel says:

    I found this post very helpful. This article opened my eyes to some things I need to really focus on and get more organized about. It also pointed out somethings I was already thinking about and really just confirmed it for me.

  13. Hi Mei!
    I’m on Step 2 of the Challenge.
    I took a look at my shop and you’re right, althow I make collections I have some items from old colections, that simply (evenwith discount) don’t sell – I’m taking them off and will take off (for now) some I didn’t manage to take picture with my camera and took with my cell, and are nasty. It looks very bad and not cohesive.
    Many times I think if making different collections like I do, does make my brand less cohesive :/
    What your thoughts?
    So I’ll get my store “empty” to reload. http://www.suspirobyaf.com
    Thank you <3

    • Mei says:

      Hey Andreia!

      You can certainly make different “collections”, but there should be at least one common thread that ties every collection together. It could be your style of work, like maybe you like more organic style and less geometric shapes. Maybe you do a lot of floral work, so that theme should exist in all your different collections. At least when you’re starting out :) When you establish yourself, it’s a lot easier to just go crazy with creating anything and still sell your work because you already have an existing audience!

  14. Great article and gives me things to think about! How narrow do i have to go? I create crochet animals that are also rattles. So i sell finished product as well as a few patterns. My true passion are the goats i create, but honestly they don’t sell because i feel they are too narrow which is why i branched into the other animals/rattles. So should i eliminate the goats or is it still narrow enough for both?

  15. Megan Rayner says:

    Hi Mei.
    I am in the process of designing a collection made from wooden beads. For my shop would you suggest grouping by piece design with a list of available colours, or group by the colours listing the piece designs?
    Thanks
    Meg

  16. Priscilla says:

    Hello Mei. Thanks so much for your mails and this article in particular.
    I recently started brainstorming ideas on how to create a cohesive product line before seeing this and I can say confidently that it’s made the next step much clearer than it was. Thanks so much.

  17. Kara says:

    Some good points here!

  18. Jamie says:

    Dear Mei,

    Wow! I am on Day 3 and already learning so much. I love to create all types of things, but I have narrowed it down to 3: 1. handmade bleach art leggings, 2. illustration and 3. facepainting/bodypainting. I decided that I can bring them all together under my name Jamie Janett Graden Art, and display all of the art in one beautiful art piece. For example: A photoshoot of a models wearing my leggings, who also has facepaint/bodypaint, with my illustrations in the background. over the years I was always trying to keep them separate, and I just seemed and felt all over the place. Now I feel I have goals and direction. It’s not about posting random things to try and show people the cool stuff I make, now it’s part of a unified goal… the big picture

  19. Charmaine says:

    Hello, Mei!
    This post is exactly what I need right now! I’ve followed your blog for awhile now and after hearing your presentation at Midwest Craft Con in Columbus, I signed up for the Sale a Day Challenge. My problem is that I love to make all kinds of things and can’t seem to focus on being cohesive. I started a Shopify store in December with a plan to have a more narrow focus, but by the end of January, I had already started to go off track. I am going to do what you suggest and get back to basics, so I hope to have my shop cleaned up and ready for spring by the end of February..
    Thanks for the much needed inspiration!
    Charmaine

  20. Honni says:

    Hi Mei,
    I am on Day 2 of your 30 day sale a day challenge and have some good ideas for creating product lines. A mental hurdle I have at the moment though is that my shop is split into two. I have a casual jewellery/accessories section and also a wedding jewellery section! Therefore I have two target markets. I have product line ideas for both shop sections but wondering if I should really just be concentrating on one target market for now??

  21. Hi Mei, I design quilt patterns. Should I just design baby quilts, bed size quilts or all of the above. I have about 24 designs that are all over the place including, aprons, bags, key chain etc…. Your suggestions sounds great. I’m not sure what I should do.
    Thank you,

  22. Natalie says:

    Thisis very helpful. Thank you so much for your help!

    By the way, i fall in love with Tiny Hands Jewelry ???? Very cute!

  23. Vicky says:

    Great content ! I’m going through my shop and revamping it. Getting rid of the products that don’t sell and making it more of
    a collection. Thanks for all your help and advice!

  24. Cristina P. says:

    Great and helpful advice. Thank you so much for sharing! <3

  25. Natalee says:

    Hi Mei,
    I have a host of products and am looking forward to creating a more cohesive line. I have some questions regarding creating a product line. Should I create product lines based on
    1. Grouping products types together ( Eg Neem Soap Bar, Neem Oil, Neem Scrub) _ ie. All products made with coffee together, All products made with Neem together etc. OR
    2. Grouping Based on Benefit ( Example: Repairing/ Moisturizing/ Complexion Clearing)

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