Arts and crafts have seen a dramatic resurgence recently — in fact, the crafting industry is expected to grow nearly 10% every year for the next few years. This type of growth is almost unheard of for most industries.
Whether people are looking to step away from screens or to pick up a side hustle, more and more are signing up for classes to hone their crafting skills. You’ve already turned your love of fabric and quilting into a business. Now’s the perfect time to expand on your passions and create a successful craft class.
“The stores that are succeeding now are focusing more on classes for customers and education on marketing for themselves. (Quartz)
Since customers today want a personalized experience, we’ve got some tips to help you create a class that speaks directly to their needs. And with the right point of sale (POS) system, you can get the insights you need to see what’s working, what isn’t, and how to keep your customers in the loop.
In this blog, we’ll share ways to create a hugely successful craft class, plus how a POS system built specifically for craft businesses can help you at every stage.
Let’s get started.
1. Use Social Media to Your Advantage
You can’t just tell people you’re great — you have to show them. Social media is the perfect way to do this, especially when it comes to promoting your craft classes.
Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook aren’t just for selfies and food photos — they’re also the best places to show off your work, your students, and the fun atmosphere of your classes. Crafting influencers are popping up everywhere, especially on TikTok, and people are loving short, snappy videos that grab attention.
Take advantage of this by posting photos and videos of your class in action. Whether it’s a beginner quilting class or a DIY sewing workshop, nothing sells your class better than real people enjoying themselves while crafting. A quick TikTok showing off a project or an Instagram story of someone finishing their first project gets potential customers excited about what you have to offer.
What’s even better is the way social media promotes engagement. When a class attendee posts a picture, leaves a comment, or shares something they made after learning from you, it helps build confidence and excitement about your classes. It’s a powerful form of word-of-mouth marketing that shows others what they’re missing out on. Plus, you’re not just telling your audience you’re great — you’re showing them.
And if you’re using a POS system that integrates with your website or social media, it makes the process even easier. Automate the sharing of customer success stories, class updates, and event promotions. This way, you focus more on your classes while also staying active on social media — without the extra time spent on manual posts. Social media helps keep your audience engaged and gets the word out about your awesome craft classes.
Related Read: Effective Marketing Strategies for Quilt Stores: 7 Ideas
2. Make Signing Up for Your Craft Class Simple
If signing up for your class feels like a hassle, chances are, potential students won’t follow through. People want to have fun — not jump through hoops just to reserve their spot. If they have to call you or visit your store to sign up, that extra effort might be enough to make them lose interest. You’re running a creative, enjoyable craft class, not scheduling a doctor’s appointment. The easier the sign-up process, the better.
By having a POS system integrated with your website, customers can browse your class schedule, select their preferred session, and pay for their spot — all from their phone, tablet, or computer. Not only does this save you time and energy, but it eliminates the chance of mistakes that come with manual sign-ups, too.
When customers can easily see your class calendar, they can also check how far out you’re booked, which adds a sense of urgency and excitement. If a class is filling up quickly, they want to grab their spot before it’s gone. And with a POS system, you can automatically notify students if there’s a cancellation or an opening due to a drop in enrollment. This keeps them in the loop without you lifting a finger.
Plus, a good POS system automatically adds students to your mailing list, letting you send them reminders, updates on future classes, and promotions for new events. With everything running smoothly in the background, you have more time to focus on making your classes awesome.
Related Read: Quilt Class Management 101 for Retail Stores
3. Plan Your Promotions Around Your Customers
Promotions work best when they’re personal and strategic. With a POS system, you can track customers who take your classes, and send them exclusive offers or early-bird specials for future sessions. You can even sign them up for a loyalty program, so they keep coming back for more. Want to test out a new quilting or craft subscription box? Try offering it first to those who attended your classes already — it feels like a special, members-only perk just for them.
A POS system also helps you create and automatically schedule marketing campaigns, like email blasts. This way, you’re reaching the right people at the right time, without having to do it all manually. And with inventory tracking, you know exactly how many materials you need, so you’re always prepared — even if one class unexpectedly blows up in popularity.
4. Help Beginners Feel Confident
Making your participants feel confident is key to a successful craft class. Especially for beginners, it’s important to give clear guidance and reassure them that mistakes are part of the learning process. With the right support, everyone can succeed.
Your POS system can help by gathering information during sign-up about whether someone is a beginner or more advanced. For example, if Susan is a novice quilter, sending her an email about the latest, most expensive commercial sewing machines completely misses the mark and alienates her. She came to learn, not to be overwhelmed by expert-level tools.
By tracking skill levels, you plan your schedule accordingly and avoid mixing beginners with advanced crafters in the same class. This ensures a more focused experience, where the instructor can create a clear crafting exercise suited to the group. Plus, with personalized recommendations and loyalty rewards, your students feel more supported as they progress in their crafting journey.
Related Read: How To Teach a Craft Class at Your Fabric Store: 6 Tips
5. Make Shopping Easy for Your Students
Shopping for supplies should feel like part of the fun, not a chore. After class, many students want to purchase the materials they used or explore new tools for their next project. Your POS system makes this easy by tracking inventory and automatically suggesting products based on what they worked with in class.
Since you most likely use supplies from your sales floor during classes, inventory control via a POS system guarantees you have enough fabric, quilting patterns, and needles for both. If a student wants to buy more of a fabric they used, you can quickly upsell them. And if the item isn’t in stock, the POS system allows you to order it and have it shipped directly to them, or to the store for pickup during their next class.
By using your POS system to manage inventory and sales, you ensure your students have everything they need and make it simple for them to keep their crafting momentum going.
6. Price Your Classes Accordingly
Setting the right price for your craft classes is key to attracting students and making sure you’re compensated fairly. Many class providers bundle multiple sessions or offer packages that range from hundreds to thousands of dollars.
But if you’re new to teaching, offering a pay-as-you-go option is a more approachable choice for potential students. Not everyone is ready to commit to a large package, so giving them the flexibility to pay per class can increase sign-ups.
As you gain more experience and confidence as a teacher, you can adjust your pricing accordingly. Your students value your expertise more over time, and as your classes fill up, you can gradually raise your rates.
A POS system helps you manage this pricing flexibility by allowing you to easily track individual class payments, packages, and customer history. You can also set up automatic billing for recurring classes, which ensures that payments are processed smoothly. Your POS system provides reports that help you gauge how your pricing strategy is working. This allows you to adjust as needed, while keeping your students happy.
7. Keep Your Customers Happy With the Little Things
It’s the small details that create big impressions. Whether it’s offering a snack during class, creating a welcoming atmosphere, or giving your students some personalized attention, these touches elevate their experience and encourage repeat business. Crafting is about more than just making something — it’s about the overall experience. Happy students not only come back, but they spread the word, which helps your business grow.
Your POS system helps you keep track of these personal touches and makes it easier to deliver them. For example, if you see you have fabric scraps or other materials that aren’t moving on your sales floor, you can offer them to class attendees. Maybe it’s a bundle of fabric scraps from a past quilting class or a deal on a few leftover tools — anything that catches their interest without costing you much.
If a potential student visited your class calendar or opened your email newsletter but didn’t sign up, your POS system gives you the data to follow up. You can send them an exclusive offer or a bundle of products that you need to move out of inventory — creating a sense of urgency and exclusivity. By showing them you appreciate their interest and offering something of value, you not only help clear your shelves, but you build a stronger relationship with your customers.
Bonus Tip: Never Underestimate the Power of Customer Service
Providing excellent customer service doesn’t end once the class is over — it’s an ongoing effort that keeps students coming back. Always make sure to engage with your attendees, listen to their feedback, and make them feel valued. Your POS system helps you collect feedback by automatically prompting students to leave reviews after the class.
Take the time to read these reviews, and note what worked well and what can be improved. This insight helps you refine your classes and make adjustments to deliver an even better experience next time. And remember: It’s important to respond to reviews, whether positive or negative. Showing that you value their feedback and are willing to make improvements goes a long way in building loyalty.
But don’t leave customer service at the door — while your POS helps manage logistics and feedback, it’s still up to you to be personable, engaging, and make students feel welcome in your space. A friendly smile, attention to their needs, and positive energy guarantees your customers keep coming back — and brings their friends along, too.
Ready To Make Your Craft Classes Even More Successful?
Running a successful craft class is all about making the process easy and enjoyable for your students. A solid POS system such as Like Sew helps you do just that from one simple software solution.
With Like Sew and its craft-specific features, you can easily create and promote your classes, manage student sign-ups, and keep track of materials you need. Plus, its inventory management tools help you stay stocked up on fabric, sewing tools, and anything else your students want. When needed, you can even quickly reorder supplies.
On top of all this, Like Sew helps you build strong relationships with your students. You can track their history, offer loyalty rewards, and send them personalized offers to keep them coming back for more.
Ready to add “craft class master” to your résumé and grow your business? Schedule a demo today.
