At last, we come to part 3!
Promoting, marketing, networking.
It's probably one of the most time consuming things about having a business...promoting, marketing, and networking! But it must be done! I cannot give you exact do's and don't s on this, as obviously, different things work best for different people...but I can give you suggestions and advice.
Thank you to all the people I have chatted with and conversed with, they had some great advice!
One of the things that nearly every Etsy shop owner I have talked to tells me, is to relist your items. It does cost 20 cents to relist, but it can be worth it to keep yourself at the top of the search engines. Many times people do not look past the first couple of pages. When you are no longer showing up in the first couple of pages, consider relisting...it may be well worth it. Personally, I would say that this technique is best used when you don't have new items to list.
You may find it beneficial to spend a few bucks here and there to promote your work. Facebook, myspace and google adwords has payed ads, and you can find coupons for facebook ads as well. They also allow you to set your own budget, how much you can spend a day, and how much you are willing to pay per click.
Get $25 in free ads on facebook with coupon code 053K-H148-T1PE-98NC (Note, this is for a new ads account, and expires 31/3/2009).
Networking can be very beneficial as well. Networking allows you to socialize with other artists, which is very beneficial because you get ideas and advice from one another, and artists often purchase from each other.
Set up profiles with facebook, myspace, and twitter. Invite people as friends, and follow other twitterers. Don't be rude about it, and don't bombard people with ads, but let them know you are there.
Find network sites and socialize with like minded artists with a similar craft as yours. You will be able to get great advice from these people who are more experienced than you.
A great network for crafters is mycraft.com. It's like a myspace for crafters!
One site I recommend for beading artists is www.bead-space.com. They are free to set up with, and you get activity points which you can use to purchase beads with. They also have free auctions so you can sell your crafts.
Some places you can find me are
Me on facebook!
Me on Myspace!
Me on Twitter!
Me on Beadspace!
Me on Mycraft!
Get involved in these networking sites, and feel free to ad me as your friend!
That wraps up this article. I certainly hope this helps you out in your businesses!
Cheers!
3 comments:
Really enjoyed reading your blogs and wanted to say thanks for the etsy tips. It's also fun to check out other etsy shops that others find interesting.
I've recently begun sharing etsy shops on my blog, also. Very fun!
Thanks again....
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6686309
http://madcreekdesigns.blogspot.com/
Great tips. i do many of the same promotional techniques.
http://lenoxknits.blogspot.com/
I found your advice really useful as I’m running an online store. One thing I’d like to add is to keep your old customers motivated. Since they bought your products before, they’re likely to do so again. I use business sms services to send short messages to customers now and then, informing them about new products or offering some discount.
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