Okay, so you've come up with the most amazing Thing since sliced bread. It's better than sliced bread, even. You thoughtfully priced out your Thing, worked really hard on making it perfect, and now you are literally up to your armpits in Things because any minute people will be breaking down the door to get your Thing. So where is everyone?
Promoting is one of the most important and most overlooked aspects of running a successful business. No one will know about your awesome Thing if you don't tell them about it. Repeatedly. I spend almost as much time promoting as creating. I spend hours looking for new places to expose people to my product. There is no secret recipe for promotion success. We all have to figure out what works best for our own business style and target customer base. But taking calculated risks and trying new things is key.
Free Exposure
Get a page on Myspace, add your etsy mini, and start searching for your target customer base, then friend them. Also a good way to update them on new product sales etc.
You can start a Fanpage for your business without having to open a new account. People can become fans and then your Fanpage shows up on their profile too.
Describe your items on Base and they will appear in Google Search if searchers type in matching results.
Free advertising, but don't put a direct link to your e-commerce site or it will be removed.
Build a mini-page about your product and connect it with others.
Put photos of your product on Flickr and join photosharing grups. Don't put a link to your e-commerce site anywhere except in your profile.
Blogging
A juried site which is great for finding wholesale contacts.
A fashion site that allows you to publicly display your favorite fashion picks. Throw a few of your own creations in for good measure!
Paid Exposure
Ad Space on Websites, Online Newsletters and Catalogs which are read by your target Customer Base
Online Selling Sites
Set up shop in more than one place to gain more exposure.
Some popular handmade selling venues include:
Promoting Locally
Look into selling via wholesale or consignment in local shops. Make sure you understand the contract and come to a fair agreement on your terms.
Participate in festivals and community events.
Having home parties works for some people.
Donate to Silent Auctions
Network with other small business owners in your area. Are there ways in which you can cross-promote?
I know there are thousands of other great ideas for promoting your business! Free free to add them in the comments.
8 comments:
Great article, with some great ideas! Thanks
Thanks for your summary of all of these marketing opportunities!
great tips!
Thanks for the great tips!
Thanks for sharing these tips! :)
except stylehive people keep asking me to pick the hottest bikinis all the time - unsettling!
good tips here - i'm pleased that I can tick most of them - nice to know i'm on the right track!
Really need to promote more. Do you know of any places that are good for photographers? Most of the normal venues seem to cater to crafters, sewers, jewelers and the like. Thanks for sharing your list of ideas with us.
Another great website to get your artwork out there is Artfortune. It also gives you great information on other artist and galleries!
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