Marketing Tips for Crafters

When I was 6, my friends and I would go on a little door-to-door soliciting tour, trying to sell to our neighbors pictures we had drawn. Our goal was to make enough money to buy ice cream at the end of the day. Today, I’m still selling my creations, but my earning goals are a little loftier than just making enough to buy ice cream; and unfortunately, a band of friends selling our wares door-to-door isn’t as charming today as it was when I was six. I need to do a lot more than that to successfully market my handmade goodies.

A lot of us want to earn money, creating things that we love. Often, you have the skills to make these items, but not the know-how to get your name out there. You are a business-person, after all, trying to make money - so it’s important that you soak up every opportunity, do your research and market appropriately. I have come up with a little acronym of great marketing tips that spell the word ABSORB. Let’s take a look at how successful artists use these marketing points in their own businesses.

“A” is for ADVERTISE

Who are you creating for? What types of people are drawn to the things that you offer? Wherever they go, make sure you are there. Advertise in the craft magazines that they read, or buy ad space in the blogs that they frequent. Get your name out there! Blog advertising can run anywhere from $5 to $400 per month, depending on the number of followers, and target readership. I recommend purchasing ad space at key buying times to get more bang for your buck. Gift-giving events like Christmas, Valentine’s Day or Father’s Day are perfect, because people are looking for ideas and will be more likely to check out what you have to offer.

“B” is for BLOGGING AND SOCIAL NETWORKING

Yes, this is a case of “everybody’s doing it”, and in this case – it would definitely work for you to join the crowd. I discussed this with Jenny Nguyen, owner of the cutting-edge handmade bag store Jenny N Design, and she recommends blogging specifically because it “helps people realize that there's a real person behind all the products that are made, and that it's not some large company – just one person who designs, sews, and packages and ships each item.” She also has a Facebook Fan Page and a Twitter account, both of which she says are great avenues to drive traffic to her store.

“S” is for SUBMIT

There are a lot of websites out there that showcase different handmade items throughout the web that are submitted by sellers (eg. Craftgawker.com, and Notcot.org). Phenomenal artist and mother of two, Cathy Nichols (owner of the lovely Paintings by Cathy Nichols), submits her work to virtual marketplaces like Poppytalk Handmade. She has had the privilege of being one of the featured sellers for their coveted “Something Special” section. Another successful artist and illustrator is Jessica Gonacha-Swift, who is the talent behind the fabulous Etsy store Jess Gonacha. She says that she tries to “regularly submit things to blogs, be it my 2010 calendars, a new product, or whatever I would like to get some more exposure on.”

“O” is for OCCUPY

If there’s a space – fill it! Whether it is an online art forum, or a craft show at a local school, participating in public events gives people a chance to see who you are. Danni Hong, the owner of the successful Etsy store Oh Hello Friend participates often at local craft fairs. She recommends getting involved because “it's helpful to get your company name out there locally.”

Online forums are also a great place to connect with other crafters like yourself. There you can learn from others who are already doing what you want to do, and form relationships that will often lead to referrals. If they have a customer who wants something that they can’t make, many times they will think about their fellow forum friends!

Home-based Selling Parties are also a great idea. What better way to connect with potential customers than reaching friends and friends-of-friends? People are more likely to be interested in your products if they know someone who enjoys them, and opening up your home for them to come see what you create is a great way for them to have a peek into your life.

“R” is for REWARD

A great way to reward existing customers, and attract new ones is to offer free gifts. Donate prizes to a blog giveaway. Bloggers will often host giveaways that highlight a store, and the chance to win a free item attracts readers to see what the store has to offer. Thimble.ca is a great resource to pinpoint craft blogs that you can approach about hosting a giveaway on their blog.

Another Reward idea would be Danni Hong’s regular practice of including free stickers or postcards with the orders she ships out. Alternatively, you could offer discounts to repeat customers on their next purchase. It’s little things like this that make people want to come back to you again.

“B” is for BRAND

Creating a brand and keeping it consistent throughout all your marketing efforts is an important way to project professionalism. From your business cards to your labels – when everything is uniform, your brand will make an impact. Hand out your business cards, and include your brand whenever you can.

I hope that ABSORB gives you some food for thought when planning your marketing attack, and that it will lead to much more than ice cream!

Dionne Christiansen is a graphic designer based in Houston, TX.  She is the face behind the Etsy store City of Dionne and writes at her blog Notes From Dionne.