25 Marketing tips to get your products moving!

I posted this in the forums and it got a lot of hits. Keep in mind, that these are what worked for ME, they may not work for you. Tailor fit what works for you. This was made assuming one has something that a customer wants to buy, of course.

1.Start a blog…stop debating it…just start one

2.I’m not the biggest fan of Project wonderful…but that is your call. DennisAnderson did say you have to really reseatch it before you do it...and he has done very well with it. So i am going to do my research for a bit, then give it another go.

3.Team up and collaborate with someone else…who cares if they say “No!” when you ask…at least you asked. I have had plenty of “no’s” but I also had some pretty good people say “yes”

4.Revamp your shop. If you are selling and products are not moving…take this time to redue your pictures, get a new banner, get some policies

5.Post cards. Let me explain: I just had someone design a post card template for me that had 6 product pictures on it and it matched my banner. I paid 34.99 for 500 via overnight prints. This has really gotten both of my shops going. I don’t send these to people…b/c that would be spam. I send these boutiques and I send them to people who ask for them to include in a goody bag at a craft fair

6.Beware of giving to many products for free. I did this once for my pendant shop and gave away 100 free pendants…I didn’t get one single sale from that. Sometime these work…just don’t do them for everyone or you’ll be draining your products and money

7.Beware of people asking you to send them your products to be featured on a blog…I have done this as well…until I was approached by a very very very popular website that wanted to do a feature on my products…and guess what? All they wanted was picture for me to email them. I had 20 sales and 3 wholesale order from that...and I scored a consignment deal.

8.Try not to leave your business card in a bathroom. #1 it’s disgusting…and #2 you are not going to get business from having your card on the back end of a toilet

9. Do wear your wearable products. Seriously…you are your biggest marketing investment. I have worn things I have made and I always get little comments. Make t-shirt with your shop on it.

10.Sometime you have to invest to get a good return. I recently just spent a decent chunk of change to get some professional pictures of my pictures for my other shop. Once those come in my shop will look great…more appealing. Appeal is after all what brings people in to buy.

11.Saturday mornings are big days. At least they have always been for both of my shops. On Saturdays you can find me in the forums and renewing items…I usually have lots of sales on Saturdays

12.I heard some on etsy say they add a little paper in their packages they send out and tell customers that if they post a link of their shop on their blog they can get a free pendant! That’s great b/c it drives traffic to your store!

13.Twitter. I fought this one nail and tooth the whole way…then I broke down and did it. Let me tell you it was worked wonders! On the days I twitter I get sales. Lots of people use twitter to let ppl know about sales and new products. Check me out: http://twitter.com/lchristian try not to spam people with it, but really interact with them.

14.Do stay in the forums and get to know your community on the etsy forums. They will guide you and help you and give you ideas…use everything to your own judgment though

15.Try and get a consignment deal from yours locally. I have 5 consignments from my pendant shop. They are all out of state. They have turned out good, but I would rather them be local. Make sure you are prepared: set up an interview date, have your mock products and show them with and without packaging…post card (comes in handy!) and business card. Make a sales pitch and close the deal!

16.http://stumbleupon.com I do enjoy this….it can get expensive fast! They do however let you set your own price. I love this and feel it is 100 billion times more effective than project wonderful. You can also see how many people have seen your shop and who liked it and who didn’t

17.Maximize on holidays or by doing a “line” …like a spring line…it keeps your shop fresh b/c it allows you to come up with new products.

18.Facebook. You can use your personal if you don’t want to make one exclusive to your shop.

19.The most subtle way to market is at the end of your emails have your footer be your shop name, website and slogan. I always click on it when someone emails me with that on the bottom

20.Run a promo. This can be whatever you choose. Maybe you to a black Friday or black Monday online on in your shop the day after Turkey Day. Maybe you do a month of free shipping. Maybe you do a buy one get one free….maybe it’s a percentage coupon. But make sure you change it up. You don’t have to have one running every month.

21.Make sure you are marketing to your target market…if you don’t know your target market…you may want to slow your roll and figure that out asap….you cannot be all things to all people.

22.Put a window decal of your shop on your car

23.Elevator pitches are good. I had to practice those like mad in my marketing classes in college

24.Make sure you fuel positive word of mouth about your company

25.Plan an open house. Give yourself a few months to make this really work. Get some good invites..do a save the date if you need to. Wherever you are doing it be your home or some place else….make sure the area is “set up” in all respects to the décor down to the food and displays. Have ready available items to show. Make 2 catalogs via overnightprints to have out for people to look at. Have your business cards and maybe run a raffle or do a goody bag of samples…I know etsy sellers would contribute to the goodybag to help promote business. Make sure you advertise like there is no tomorrow about your open house…you will learn that that you can develop some serious word of mouth that way!