Ask an Expert – April 2019 – Making Craft-Making More Accessible

Donna Jodhan, a woman with short dark hair and glasses, sits at a table with a laptop in front of her.

Hello everyone!

Each month I will be responding to a question chosen from a pool of some of the most commonly asked ones that I have been asked over the years and continue to be asked.

Before you say no or turn thumbs down on these suggestions; consider these thoughts.

You can definitely increase your revenue and reduce both your internal and external costs and here’s how.

Take it from me! I have been an accessibility awareness consultant and advisor since 1998 and I continue to help companies to increase their revenues, reduce their costs, and reach hidden consumer markets!

This month, I’d like to answer the following question:

Making Craft-Making More Accessible

If you own a crafts store or shop and one of the services that you offer are lessons in the various types of crafts that you sell; then this is for you.

For example: You own a knitting shop, you own an arts shop, you own a shop that sells stuff to do such crafts as crocheting, embroidering, and anything in this type of arena, then you could consider giving lessons to your customers.

Here are some tips to get you started:

  • You could go one step further and offer lessons to customers with special needs.
  • You can advertise your services far and wide including by word of mouth, to organizations for and of persons with special needs.
  • You could even set up evenings where you invite persons with special needs to visit your shop and have a free lesson.
  • On such evenings, you can also organize an informal session and offer light refreshments to set the tone.
  • Make sure that your shop can accommodate wheelchairs, walkers, and that there is enough room for free and easy passage of them.
  • In the case of those who are blind and vision impaired, make sure that your staff is well trained to accommodate their needs.
  • This would include such things as guiding techniques and how to work with their needles and other implements.

This should be a good starting point for you.


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