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Craft business marketing: What I’ve learned so far

It can be tough to figure out how to do marketing by and for yourself. When you’ve just set up your craft business, you’re most likely to be focused on designing and making. You know you need to get your products out there, but how do you do it? What’s the best approach? How much time should you spend doing it?

I don’t think I’m any kind of expert. I’m definitely still learning, and lots of things I’ve learned I’ve yet to put into practice – BUT! – I have attended a few webinars and made lots of notes. So, here are a few things I’ve picked up along the way.

  • You may have heard people talking about SMART goals. What’s a SMART goal? Not making stupid goals is a given, right? SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound. Basically, think about your goals carefully, plan them well and give yourself a time frame. Make an overall goal and break it down to make it manageable.

 

  • Looks are important! Think about your brand image. Make it consistent across all platforms. Think about the feel of your business and what kind of customers you’re trying to attract. People will connect if they see something that looks ‘them’. One tip I picked up is to create private boards on Pinterest where you can build a picture of your ideal client. You’ll probably need more than one! Here’s a shot of one of mine, for my hand-bound notebooks. I tried to think what kind of person would buy them, what they’d be into, the type of clothes they’d wear and how their house might look.

 

  • One webinar I attended said to spend 40% of your time on marketing. Sounds like a lot, right? But if you set aside just 1 hour a day, you’re on the right track.

 

  • Social media platforms are all different – don’t use them in the same way! Using Twitter/Instagram etc. are easy, free and effective ways of getting yourself out there. But you have to look at how and if they will work for you. Think about what they’re used for and how you yourself would use them. Twitter? Fast moving, good for networking. Instagram? Visual, creative and personal. Pinterest? Use it like a search engine!

I hope this has been useful! I think networking with other like-minded people and people who are in the same position is important, so feel free to get in touch – I’m on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook & Pinterest 🙂

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