You will hear five different craft workers giving advice to people who want to start a home-

based business to sell the things they make. For questions 19-23, choose from the list (A - F)
what advice each speaker gives. Use the letters only once. There is one extra letter which you
do not need to use.

19 Speaker 1
A  expand your business by advertising _____
locally
B  continue to learn in order to perfect 20 Speaker
your product 2 _____
C employ family and friends to market
21 Speaker
your product
3 _____
D  spend time organising your
workspace properly  22 Speaker
E   increase business by selling online 4 _____
F   produce a clear marketing plan for
your business 23 Speaker
5 _____

Speaker 1 Most people who are interested in starting craft businesses enjoy making or doing
something, whether it's making dolls, candles, or even cooking. But it's not as easy as it might
seem. Some think a good website and a few ads in the papers are all they need for their
business to take off and provide a regular income, but there's much more to it than that. I
make silver jewellery, and you'll find my style has changed over time, because I've kept doing
research into the latest techniques. There's nothing worse than thinking you know it all.
However much you advertise, your business will slow down.
Speaker 2 There's such a demand for handmade goods, because people are looking for the
personal touch. One day I had the idea of covering some jars and bottles with cloth, then
putting a thin coat of plaster on, and painting designs on the surface. I sold them so quickly
that I decided to start a business. There were bottles all over my house, in different stages of
development, and I wished I'd given more thought to setting up an area where I'd do the
work. I lost time and money because I ended up getting in such a mess. So beginners, take
notice! I also sell online now, but most of my sales are from word-of-mouth
recommendations.
Speaker 3 Doing something you like to do and getting paid for it is great, and it doesn't have
to be scary. By the time you actually start selling things, though, it's essential to have a rough
bookkeeping system in place and to have worked out the profits you expect and deducted
your expenditure and possible losses. I started my own craft business two years ago - making
baskets, filling them with things like fruit and nuts, and decorating them with silk flowers. I
wrapped them as gifts and sold them to friends at first, but now I have lots of orders. I'm
even thinking of employing a couple of people.
Speaker 4 When you're ready to launch your business, it pays to think carefully about how
your prospective customers will hear about you. There's little point in taking out ads in the
national papers at this stage, but it may well pay to invest in a colourful brochure and
posters, which can be left in shops in the area. That's how I started my business, which is
designing and making greeting cards. Mind you, friends and acquaintances gave me
contradictory advice, and I ended up paying someone to design a website for me when I
wasn't ready for it. Anyway, my business is thriving and now takes up five rooms in my
house!
Speaker 5 I started making lampshades, and it just went from hobby to career. My home no
longer offers enough space, so I may rent some extra rooms from a friend. It was good to
start small, though, I wouldn't have been able to cope with lots of work then. I really knew
nothing about marketing, and if you're like me, don't worry; if your products sell, it'll sort
itself out. I owe part of my success to my brother who designed an amazing website for me,
which attracted lots of buyers. It does mean you need to organise a way to post things
securely, but it's all worthwhile doing.