Create and Sell Handmade Products? You might find it difficult to get your products seen by your customers, whether you sell on your site or sites such as Etsy and ArtFire.
Social media, trade fairs, craft shows, email marketing, and so on. How can you decide where to spend your time to maximize the return? I believe in doing more of what works and not re-inventing it. So, if you find a way to sell your handmade products that is successful, stick with it.
We asked successful entrepreneurs who sold handmade items, whether on or off Etsy, to share their best advice with us.
Sell handmade products online
Consistency can be difficult to achieve when handcrafting products. Before marketing a product, it’s crucial to iron out any potential problems, including the packaging and shipping. Packaging should protect your product and be durable for retail shelves. Ellen Cagnassola from Sweet Soaps.
Variety is the best offer
Offer a wide range of options and get your product in front of as many people as you can. For example, I create custom portrait paintings for weddings, newborns, memorial services, pets, families, and business/organization founders (and more!) There are many different types of portraits. Arlissa of Special Event Painter has been a great help.
Sell locally
Offer a monetary incentive to a group of people who are passionate about your product. Have them sell it at local events related to your product or target market. Thanks to Lisa Riedel from Corky Kouture Collections LLC
SEO Focus
My website and word-of-mouth are my marketing tools. The search engine optimization process is time-consuming, but it’s necessary. You get more indexed the more photos you upload. Kevin Ellis from Tack Tux, LLC.
Enjoy great photography
Take lots of pictures that are honest and good. The photos set expectations for what the customer will receive in the mail. Set the expectation, and then live up to it. A video is more valuable than a thousand pictures. Jeremy Pellani from Adirondack Stone Works
Be passionate
Believe that you are the only one with a product like this (hopefully, you are! Then, you can start promoting it. My original artwork, digitally printed onto silk scarves, fits the criteria. I try to reach out to the public through social networks, blogs, or newspapers. Never give up, no matter what you do!
Focus on local
Locally produced and sourced consumer goods are becoming more popular. This should be used to your advantage. Start by using local media, like neighborhood newspapers and online news sites. Share your story, your passion, and your vision for your brand and product.
Collect email
Be sure to give the buyer information about how to purchase more or refer a friend. Ask for their email or Facebook friending so that you can keep them informed about new products.
Solve the problem
When you sell handmade, be passionate about the problems you want to solve for customers. It will increase the credibility of your service or product and engage a customer on a more personal level. Showing your passion about your solution can turn a potential client into a paying one. I want to help businesses and individuals increase their productivity so they can be successful in their businesses. Your job is to communicate this passion or goal to your customers in the most effective way. Thanks to Al Chen from KeyCuts
Know your customer
Know what you’re selling, who your client is, and how you can help them. It should be done with the highest standard. Your mark is on it, and you need to honor that. Passionate about what you offer to the market. Keep your focus on the mission. When things get difficult, they will. Rest, but do not quit. Thanks to Marsha Bartenetti and Rachael Sudul from Just in Case, Inc.
Do PR
Before we launched RAINRAPS, we realized that we would need a PR professional to help market our product. Although we had limited funds, we agreed that this expense was one we could afford. We were fortunate to find someone as passionate about our product as we are and worked just as hard to spread the word.
Focus on product descriptions
When selling handmade, include a long product description (at minimum 200 words) with all the correct product keywords. Our customers are more confident in the product when it is described in detail (which, in our case, is a document for business). It creates an impression of quality. The keywords help with SEO and ensure that the paper appears in internal site searches. This leads to increased sales. Thanks to David Tang from Flevy
Be diligent
Starting a business is difficult. I will never give up my dream of having a successful home-based business and being able to contribute towards the family budget that pays for my medical care. You will succeed if you have the willpower and determination! Thanks to Marsha Jaramillo of Markets of Sunshine
Show off your product to others
Bring your product out to the public and let them feel it. They will be able to distinguish it from mass-produced products. Show off your product in person. It’s the best way to showcase it. – Thank you to Michael Galea & Catherine O’Sullivan from Wee Rock Toy Co.
Packaging is important
Packaging is important. We used to put our boxes in a USPS flat-rate envelope after asking customers to pay $2.99 each for a whole food bar. This saved us a dollar. This overstuffed envelope was the first thing that a customer saw. It wasn’t an enjoyable experience. I wish we spent more money on packaging and shipping at the beginning of our company. Jonathan Miller from Element Bars is to be thanked for his help.