I’m the new kid on the block when it comes to selling online.
Pause.
“Wait a minute Mayi. The tittle of this post is “30 Sticky Tricks to Market your Online Shop", what can you possibly teach us about selling our work online if you are just starting?”
Now, before you hit the panic button + run away to the next blog or Monday shore, please let me explain. I’ve really been preparing my whole life for this moment (and yep this blog post too). With a few career diplomas in art + marketing under my belt to decorate my studio wall + other fancy stuff, I feel empowered to tell you my story.
everything leading up to this moment
I was 2 years old in 1984, the year my parents framed my very first crayon doodle, which still hangs in my mom + dad's bedroom in its shiny gold painted frame. At the age of 4, I took up my version of "mural painting", applied Mattel plaster and splattered tempera paint to wall surfaces. When I turned 7, apparently inspired by the otherworldly works of Salvador Dali, I drew on my little brother Coco the first of many permanent mustaches. To say the least, I've been a little too curious + hyperactive for my own good, always testing the limits of those around me with all the tutu dancing + drawing on the walls + singing in the shower + playing with my mom's make up + "borrowing" my grandma's sewing kit + baking cupcakes + all the other crazy things I love to do.
Twenty-five years later, on the eve of this very same year, I called it quits. Said, good-bye to my traditionally successful + highly lucrative job to take me seriously + fulfill my passion of being a creative entrepreneur full time.
You see, everything has been building up to this instant.
My stuff was already selling pretty well at local boutiques + art galleries, but “pretty-good” didn’t feel right. My heart dreams big + desires remarkable. I needed a revolution, so I turned to the web for help + I've never looked back.
Today, nine months after “quitting” I'm happy to report that I opened my very own eco-friendly online boutique. It’s still not the creative empire that I envision, but I’m getting there. A few of my third quarter milestones that keep me motivated include: 900 shop fans + 53 reported sales (+ counting) + 450 shop newsletter subscribers + 3 new wholesale accounts (+ some boiling up) + 8 Etsy front page appearance + 2 Etsy Finds features + 1 magazine publication + more than 25 blog features (including Splendora + Paper N’ Stitch) + 1 e-book collaboration (+ 2 more cooking in the oven) + the creation of this little blog called heartmade + launched my on-on-one consulting services online (which I only did in person before).
Now, I know, I'm still a crawling baby when it comes to selling online, but my recent accomplishments, as small as they may be, make me wanna scream from the top of my lungs: I CAN DO IT + IT’S POSSIBLE + YOU CAN TOO!
And so I want to share what I've learned in these past few months because I think it’s pretty awesome + useful + easy + profitable. No fancy pansy marketing reps necessary to uncode. No trust fund accounts. Just your burning passionate desires are needed.
Plus, while I may be new in the block, I’m no stranger to e-shopping, lol. As an avid online buyer of all thing beautifully handmade + trained marketing consultant (without the smarty pants attitude), I know more than a thing or two about marketing tricks that works + stick + can work + stick for you too. So, I’ve compiled a list of 30 ideas to market your online indie shop.
10 reasons why selling online work
Before I show you my sticky marketing tricks, let’s first pause for just a second to think about why selling online is so darn important. Selling online is revolutionary + cool because...
1. Good ideas + products can spread virally.
2. You can find your tribe + connect with your niche even if they are from a country far far away.
3. Embraces radical openness + community + love.
4. Anyone can be famous.
5. It allows entrepreneurs + leaders + innovators to make a living doing what they love.
6. It’s open for business 24 hours, every day of the week.
7. It’s easily shared.
8. Challenges innovation + causes talent to evolve + we get a real shot at becoming the best in the world at what we do best.
9. Accelerates growth.
10. Complete strangers can find you + write about you + promote your idea just because you inspired them in a special way.
open your shop
You can start your own online shop if you know a bit of html coding or you can pick an online market place like Etsy + Big Cartel. But before you launch your marketing campaign, make sure your shop is all ready for the world see. I recommend reading my Tips for Selling Online post to learn a few tricks.
30 sticky marketing tricks to promote your shop
Now we're ready. Here's my list of 30 ideas to market your online indie shop.
Instructions: this is by no means a set “to do list” of instructions, but rather a malleable “do as you please” manual. Follow the tips that make sense to you + you enjoy doing the most. Discard everything that doesn’t inspire you. Stay focused on a few promotions. Do not try to do everything I list, you’ll burn yourself out. Perfect your methods until you see success coming your way.
1. Join a team + tribe + community of related thinkers. They will become your biggest supporters + fans + motivators + helpers + you will become that for them too.
2. Put your shop link in all your signatures. And by “signature” I mean your name + URL on every e-mail + forum note + blog comment you ever write. Make it easy for your people to find your store + see your products.
3. Post useful free content that can help your community, like best lessons learned + a cool tip + a marketing trick + an encouraging quote. Expect nothing in return. Do it with love. You will be loved for your generosity.
4. Offer awesome customer service. Respond to your messages in a timely manner + ship promptly + include a thank you note in your packages + be friendly.
5. Create a Facebook fan page to post shop updates + juicy promotions + connect with your fans.
6. Make your own video about your product + store. We all know the power of video + it's viral effect, use it to your advantage. Don't forget to put your link at the beginning + end of the video. Add your video to YouTube + your blog + website + etc. Here’s an example of a video I love. Here's another great one.
7. Use appropriate titles + keywords + tags + descriptions when listing your items for awesomized search engine optimization + ranking.
8. Use a shop widget to showcase your products on your blog.
9. Add all those savvy social media buttons to your website + blog + shop to make it easy for people to share + spread your lovely creations to the galaxy.
10. Submit your shop to blogs. Appropriate submission etiquette advices not to send out a mass e-mail to every blog in the blogosphere. Only submit to blogs you love + follow + participate in. And just submit to one blog at a time. If your submission is declined you can move on to your next option. Blogs like fresh content. They'll respect for being respectful + classy.
11. Innovate. Make sure you are regularly updating + improving your shop to keep visitors excited + curious for more.
12. Record a podcast about your products + store + share it.
13. Create a newsletter for your store to remind your clients “Hey I’m still alive!”. Don't forget to put your newsletter opt-in form on your store + blog + websites + PayPal invoice, being very specific + upfront with your subscribers about what to expect. I personally recommend using MadMimi. It’s super easy to use + makes the most beautiful newsletters + has the best freaking customer service ever. Click here to see one of my boutique newsletter for reference.
14. Offer freebies + giveaways at high traffic niche sites. But be very peaky + strategic about the sites you give permission to host your giveaway + about what you are giving away. Get creative with your giveaway offerings. You want people to actually feel motivated to click + participate. Make it juicy + desirable!
15. Include a discount coupons or promo card with each order. It increase your chances for returnees + repeat sales. Plus it makes your clients happy. And we all know happy clients make happy businesses.
16. Sponsor a close to your heart high traffic site. I don’t recommend running a $10 ad campaign. You are better of spending that money on cupcakes. Instead spend a little more on something of real value. I’ve personally seen what a popular indie blogs can do for my business. Your Google Analytics will thank me later.
17. Upload your products photos to social sharing sites like flickr + pinterest + tag you images appropriately for easy search.
18. Try out an online curated exhibition or online market booth, on sites like Poppytalk + Paper N’ Stitch + Supermarket + Wedzu. These sites are often reviewed by A list magazines + blogs + publications that are always searching for unique finds. To participate you must submit your work for approval + pay a small fee to participate or commission from sales.
19. Join an affiliate program + get affiliates to sell your products for you.
20. Share your new creations via social sharing sites like facebook + twitter, be very careful about not closing the line between classy self-promotion + annoying bombardment. If you go over board you may seem desperate + nobody likes to buy from a seller who acts like a cheap sales rep right?
21. Design badges for your store in all different shapes + sizes + give out to friends + fellow sellers + teammates so they help spread the word about your shop. You can even work out some sort of badge exchanges with those colleagues who you admire most + connect with.
22. Submit your store + products to competitions + crafty contest.
23. Write a book or e-book related to your product. Click here to see an great example.
24. Create freebies + DIY projects different but related to the items you sell. For example design an all occasion printable gift cards like these or create a fun tutorial for your clients to enjoy, like this Pinwheel Tutorial.
25. Contribute to the top on the food chain. For me it would be writing a guest post for Etsy's Blog + an article for Real Simple + submitting a DIY project to Ready Made. If you could be a contributor anywhere, were would it be? Setting big goals helps you visualize the top of the mountain + convert your best intentions into reality.
26. Be a walking billboard for your brand. Wear your products out. After all, you are your biggest fan.
27. Give away useful + catchy promotional material with your shops URL. Don't do crappy + cheap, it will turn into garbage. Instead do inexpensive + fun like engraved pencils + balloons + calendars + door hangers + stickers + buttons + magnets.
28. Brand your shop everywhere you can. Add your logo to your tags + bags + business cards + postcards + brochures + shop banner + avatar + etc.
29. Try something unconventional like tattooing your shops URL somewhere visible in your body or shaving your shops URL to your hair. OK, this one doesn’t really count, lol.
30. Create scarcity + desire. Make more one “of a kind” or “few of a kind” items. Think about your collections in limited editions. Host private sales on your newsletter or by invitation only shopping parties. Why not contact a your favorite celebrity to gift them one of your best pieces? I know I have my eye on Suri Holmes. Don’t you think she would look adorable with one of my flower headband?
what's your experience?
I would like to open up the comments to your own ideas + stories. What has worked for you? What hasn’t? Please leave a comment + share your best marketing tricks. I’m very interested to learn more.
xo,
Mayi Carles
This post is part of the BRILLIANT MARKETING TRICKS. Other great tips have been posted by some fantastic bloggers + it will continue thru November 19. Click here to see the introductory post + full schedule.
