Marketing Your Crafts To Sell
If you plan to sell your crafts online, you will need to give some thought to how to market those crafts to sell. Many people think it is enough to market their websites and do nothing to market the actual craft product they are selling. They then wonder why it is that they get considerable traffic to their sites but those visits don't turn into sales. You don't have to fall into that trap. Below are four tips to help you market your crafts to sell.
Make your crafts unique. There are a lot of people out there that enjoy making crafts and the odds are that a large number of them are creating the same thing you ar,e and possibly selling it, too. If you want your crafts to sell, you need to design them to stand out from the crowd. Creating unique crafts will make them more desirable and increase their perceived value.
Take the time to evaluate your craft product. Is it well made? Would it be valuable to others? Is there anything special about it? Ask for honest opinions from others, and not just from family and friends who are much more likely to try to spare your feelings. Honest criticism, while painful, can make the difference between a so so craft and one that is excellent and marketable.
Find ways to make you product a bit more special than anything else out there. It might be as simple as adding some beads or buttons to a custom handbag or adding extra details to a birdhouse. It might be as complex as a complete redesign. This is your opportunity to make your craft outshine the competition. Give your customer something they can’t find anywhere else.
Take quality photographs of your crafts. This is an important part of marketing your crafts to sell that many people overlook. If you are selling your crafts online, your customers are relying almost exclusively on your photos to determine if they like the crafts you are selling. Poor quality photos will cost you sales. Professional photos would of course be ideal, but may be cost prohibitive for most people.
If you are photographing your crafts yourself, be sure to take several shots at different angles and lighting conditions. If your craft is some sort of apparel, photograph it being modeled. If it is something to be displayed, take photos of it on display. Try to take some shots that show its relative scale compared to some sort of familiar item. Only post photos that are complementary to your craft.
Even sites like Ebay or Etsy will let you post several shots of each craft item you are selling. Take advantage of this. Greater visibility equals greater sales. Remember, in the eyes of your customer, your craft is only as valuable as it looks. Make it look good!
Paint a picture with your descriptions. Your product description should not only describe your craft, but it should also tell your audience why they should buy it. Use adjectives that inspire imagination. Take a look at the following two examples.
♦ Set of 5 Votive Candles in the following fragrances: Vanilla, Hazelnut, Gardenia, Pumpkin and Peppermint.
♦ Designer Votive Collection: Delight your senses with this collection of five elegant votive candles in the following tantalizing fragrances: Relaxing Vanilla, Warm Hazelnut, Gentle Gardenia, Spicy Pumpkin and Refreshing Peppermint.
Which set of candles sound better to you? Hopefully you chose the second description which used adjectives that evoke emotion. Although it is a simple demonstration, you can see that taking time to create a description that helps your customer visualize, or in this case smell, what your craft product is like will improve your chances of making a sale.
Build credibility with your audience. This is an essential component of marketing your crafts that you cannot ignore if you hope to stay in business. There are any number of unscrupulous websites out there and your audience very aware of this fact. You need to build credibility so that you audience will feel comfortable purchasing your crafts.
One way to do this is to provide testimonials about your craft products. Prospective customers will be reassured when provided with testimonials from other customers that have purchased your crafts. You can place a customer feedback form on your site where customers can respond or send a follow up email asking for your customer to rate their experience. If you are new to selling your crafts, you can get testimonials from friends or relatives who have received your crafts as gifts.
Writing and submitting articles to places like Ezine.com is another way to build credibility. When people follow links in your articles to find your site, they have a greater sense of trust in your expertise and reliability. Don’t be afraid to post a picture of yourself with an “about me” article on your site. This will show your audience, that you are a real perso and allow them to develop a connection with you.
Obviously, a fair satisfaction and return policy is essential for your credibility. Quality craft products, prompt and reliable customer service and attention to detail will preserve the trust you establish with your customer and generate repeat sales. Time is another factor in establishing your credibility. Although there is nothing you can do speed this process along, as your audience sees that your craft website is here to stay, they will gradually turn into customers, as well.
