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Depending on what you are trying to sell, there are a variety of avenues that you can use. The trick is doing something that makes you happy, but also catering it to a niche that you find, and then attacking that niche.
I make clothing and jewelry - pretty straightforward, right? Not quite. I found that there were several niches that I was interested in filling, so my clothing is stuff like luxury robes that fit everyone (plus sized to 0), and the jewelry is mostly jewelry for hair (sticks mostly, with a lot of combs and barrettes). I happen to have a fascination for anything Eastern, so I started making Japanese and Chinese style robes out of Indian Saris. Additionally, I started making hairsticks because I love playing with beads and jewelry, but there are already about 10 billion great necklace designs out there.
Once I figured out that niche, I started researching where the greatest concentrations of people that might like my stuff were. In my case, the greatest concentrations of people who love eastern styles were at (of all things) Anime conventions. Buildings stuffed with girls that would buy stuff that was Asian in design - how could I go wrong?
Well I didn't. I have been breaking even at horrid conventions and making a decent profit at most of them for four years now.
With this success, I'm now researching other venues that "normal" crafters and artisians don't think of. Gifts made from Asian fabrics to be sold at Christmas shows such as the Nutcracker Fair or Dickens on the Strand. A tiny boutique style cart for the sticks at a local Renaissance Festival. Bigger conventions with more attendees.
The biggest thing you can do is figure out your niche and then market your work. The rest starts to fall in place once you know where you are going.
I'm kind of in the middle of nowhere...not a convention to be found and most "tourist" type places close up for the winter. My dream would be a store in the house, but until that happens I need...I don't know what. We do wooden things, Mom carves and paints too.
Zhinu: Ren faire's, ren faires, ren faires. If you can get someone at a ren faire to share space with you at first, then you are well on your way to making your leatherwork make a bit of profit for you. Additionally, do reasearch into stuff like zodiacs, or what bikers might wear. Then, perhaps a biker gathering might be a good place to get yourself out there.
Three Gardeners: You can have an inhouse store by putting together a shed and using that. However, since you are 'out there' look for people that go to other climes to work out a commission basis of some sort. For example: Do you have a friend in Florida or other warm state? If so, see if they are willing to do a little leg work for you, to find a store or two that might be interested in your wooden carvings.
Don't forget that you can also look into craft faires. There are usually a couple in any major metropolitan area, and even if there is a drive, it might be worth it to research and find a booth.
