It’s never been a better time to sell handmade products! Thanks to sites like Meylah, you can create an online store and sell your products all over the world.  But, you still have to get those customers to find your online store...so how do you do it?

Marketing can be expensive and is often a gamble until you figure out which tactics work for you. Before spending your hard earned money on marketing, try this mix of 10 very affordable and easy ways to attract new customers:

1. Create a Newsletter

Keep your shop in the minds of your customers by landing in their inbox. Don’t just sell - share news, special offers and tips to make your content valuable. Free sites like MailChimp can help you get the most out of your newsletter.

2. Get Involved

Join the online creative community by commenting on other artisans' blogs. Choose artisans making products that will appeal to your customers so that once you’ve built rapport you can share each others' content and even trade products to use as props in product photos.

3. Use Your Network

Your friends and family are great resources. Ask them to help by sharing your online store through their social media accounts.

4. Say Thank You

Encourage new customer to become regulars by adding a coupon or special discount to every new order you ship.

5. Reward Referrals

When someone sends a new customer your way reward them with a coupon or special discount. Publicize your referral program on your store and blog. You’ll be surprised how much this little incentive encourages people to share.

6. Print Business Cards

Add a few business cards into each order for your customers to share with friends, and always carry a few in your bag or wallet. You never know when you’ll meet a potential customer.

7. Wear Your Product

If your product is clothing, jewelry or any other wearable art – wear it! The compliments you receive will boost your confidence and offer an excellent opportunity to share your brand (and your business card).

8. Get Listed

There are lots of directories dedicated to promoting handmade products. Search on Google for “Handmade Products Directory” or something similar then click through each site to find those best suited to your products.

9. Host a Giveaway

Everyone loves the opportunity to win so host a giveaway. Collect email addresses from all entrants so you can reach them again after the contest with your newsletter.

10. Share Your Expertise

Busy bloggers are always looking for guest posts, so offer them free content in the form a crafty tutorial or case study. Send a clear, concise email outlining what you have to offer and be specific about why you think it will appeal to their readers.

I hope these tips help you build your customer base, and I’d love to hear about other creative ways you’ve found to market to new customers.

Andreea Ayers works with creative entrepreneurs to help them get media attention for their products and to increase sales by getting their products in stores. For advice, insight and lots of free resources, check out her site LaunchGrowJoy.com

What is total choice? Total choice is not something you have to earn or go looking for...just as you are right now you have total choice in your life and business. Being aware of this remarkable thing means having that awareness for options that can create the business of your dreams.

Living with total choice means knowing you are responsible for the great things you brought to your life and for the circumstances that just seem to “happen to you.” Granted, there are scenarios in our life we simply don’t plan, BUT you have the choice to either react without believing you have options, or respond with choice. When we react we truly believe we are the bystanders in what is happening around us, taking any possible control for what comes next away from us. Here is the best part—you have options, always! There is no, “can’t”, simply you chose to or chose not to.

How does this impact my business? There are so many wonderful ways having awareness around total choice can impact your work. You have choice around your worth or lack of worth, you have choice around time or lack of time, and you have choice around success or your lack of success. It’s not really a matter of “trying harder” rather a matter of giving yourself credit for what you do and do not have yet. Powerful, right?

Practice the following exercise...you might choose to think about your business or you might choose to think about your life in general. Grab a piece of paper and answer the following questions:

• Are you satisfied with the way you currently spend your time?
• Are you doing what you’ve chosen to do?
• How much time do you spend on obligations imposed by others?
• How much alignment is there between what you want and what you do?
• What is the single most important thing you can do to bring your activities in line with your vision?
• What you do next is up to you, after all you are at total choice, remember?

Here’s to having and loving choice!

As a Certified Life Coach Andrea is a qualified active listener. It is her role to hear the things that are not so obvious, clarify their meaning, and support you through your endeavor. Meet Andrea at Aleda Fitness.

Main image courtesy of Scarygami