Forest Knit Alpaca Neck Cowl with Cedar Buttons - ready to ship
AlpacaCreations says:
If you’re a stay-at-home mom like me, you probably laugh every time the “Quit Your Day Job” advice hits your inbox. Although I’m sure we’ve all had moments when we’ve wanted to, the simple fact is…we can’t quit our day jobs!
While I love the Etsy marketplace, the fact is 70% of my sales last year were local. Promoting your work on Etsy takes a lot of time – a commodity that is always in short supply when your main job is running a family!
What’s a busy mom to do? Promote while you work! What does that mean? Read on for examples…
1) BRING YOUR WORK WITH YOU EVERYWHERE. OK, I knit, so it’s portable. But, even if you paint, pot, bead, etc. find some aspect of your work to bring with you, even if it’s a sketch pad to draw out new ideas. I knit while waiting at the dentist, bank, car shop, airport – everywhere. Other people around me are invariably interested in what I’m doing. Which leads us to…
2) BE PREPARED TO TALK ABOUT YOUR WORK. While I was waiting for my car to be repaired last year, I had 3 car salesmen watching me knit. I started talking about knitting, and one of them shared a story about how he remembered his grandmother knitting when he was younger. Turns out he also loves supporting local handmade and took several business cards to pass out to friends. Once you start talking, you’ll find people will be more engaged with your work, which can also lead to sales.
3) BRING PHOTOS AND BUSINESS CARDS. I can’t stress this enough. We can’t carry a store full of products around with us, so I have a small photo book on hand to show people my work. At my last dental appointment, my photo book got passed around the entire office and I got 3 orders that day! Keep an ample supply of business cards on hand, too. That way people can check out your Etsy store and have your contact information.
Read more tips from AlpacaCreations in the Etsy forums HERE.
Giving important Etsy forum threads written by the Etsy community a second look, so Etsy sellers can Read, Learn, and Apply! Find more Etsy Tips Here!
5 comments:
My biggest mistake of all is forgetting to carry by business cards. So many missed opp's! Thanks for the reminder.
PS: I saw this link from @HandmadeNews on Twitter.
Just made business cards last week and stuck them in my purse. You're right, I've missed opportunities because I had nothing to hand someone.
I do wear items I create-sometimes that sparks a conversation. Wish I had those business cards then! Well, now I have them.
I touched on this a little bit the other day with my post that was featured on Handmadeology- http://www.handmadeology.com/business-card-review-whats-moo/
Being able to carry around (your creation) is priceless. Of course my boys have several TrashN2Tees shirts and that offers a wide open slate for indulging others curiosity. I have business cards in my wallet, in my Jeep, in my husbands truck, and I usually stick a few in my back pocket. You never know when there might be an open opportunity to promote.
Great post, you're right so right if only it was that easy to 'quit your day job'! I got two sales from wearing one of my flower pins
http://www.etsy.com/listing/74956975/delicate-organza-red-rose-in-bloom-with
You are your own best form of advertising!
Thanks so much fellow SAHM!! I need to make a photo book of my work!
Love this: If you’re a stay-at-home mom like me, you probably laugh every time the “Quit Your Day Job” advice hits your inbox. lol!!
~Stay blessed momma!
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