MARKETING YOUR PAPER CRAFTS

Hi Everyone

Here is the follow up to the 'Selling your Crafts' blog.

So you have some interest from your chosen choice of outlets. How can you build on that interest.

Getting Known

If you already do facebook , make sure you add pictures of your latest makes for family and friends to see, and add friends that are crafty or that you meet at craft fayres and shows.

Pinterest: If you don't already, consider starting a Pinterest account. Not only can you build boards of ideas for items to make,  you can add your makes to your boards and then other people see them. You can post to Pinterest from Etsy stores look out for the logo in your listing account.
 
Have you thought about doing demonstrations, a lot of local groups have speaker time and if you have friends who are in the WI, U3A or any other group that has speakers, offer to demonstrate your techniques. This can be quite frightening the first time so if you have a good confident friend, take them along for the first couple of demo's. Write out headlines/bullet points to assist with your talking and have all the demo set out in sections. If there are some parts that are long-winded like cutting out, have one you have done earlier in the true Blue Peter fashion. If it goes well and you enjoy it think about widening your area of clubs you visit and if they pay for the demo's you either have another income stream or you can do the demonstrations for a charity of your choice.

Check out the local school and community centre for summer and Christmas sales sometimes they allow outside people to book a table. You may have to put your name down as there are plenty of people interested in taking a table at sales . But stress the various items you make if you do more than cards. So if you take a table at a school have items that would be ideal for a teacher present etc.

If you have a number of sales you are attending during the year. Do your own mini flyer, it can be as simple as the list of dates venues and times with a pretty border and again what you make. Give them out at any opportunity  so people know where to find you

Point of Sale items

So you have successfully sold some items what can you do to keep those customers coming back and recommending you.
 
Have a compliment slip or business card that you put into the parcel, telling your customer what you do and where they can find you.
 
If the customer has purchased a couple of items from you, consider adding a free gift, I sometimes add a mini photo wallet as a free gift, it has cost me pennies while the recipient gets the feel good factor of having something for nothing.

 
Always make sure you wrap the item or box it prettily, imagine how you feel when you get a parcel and then add to that opening it up and seeing it beautifully presented in tissue paper and a ribbon or a complementary box (be aware of postage costs when boxing items). 

Put your card or compliment slip into a little display pocket. This not only shows your skills it adds a professional finish.  The one shown below can be made from an 8 x 8 piece of paper or a 6 x 6 if you have a small business card.
1. Simply fold 2 sides into the middle of the papers
2. open up again and fold all four corners to the first line and then fold back in again
3. Turn and fold the right end into the sleeve made at the other end, curve the paper to slide it in as far as possible and to the fold edge.
4. Run your bone folder along all the edges.

 

 

 If you are building up customers and feel it will help get repeat business consider offering a discount voucher. You can add them to the parcel or at the point of sale at a fayre.  Always make sure you have a business card or compliment slip to give out as well so they know how to purchase from you again.
If you design a new item or expand your makes, i.e picture frame, covered notebooks etc , display and sell them under a collective name. I have a  range called C & G at Happy Hippo, this range is a Card and Gift in one. This incorporates jewellery sold in a box card and tea lights in another card that has a box that take 4 tea-lights, and occasionally I make little concertina boxes that take speciality tea-bags or hot chocolate.

I hope these help you to increase your sales overall and adds to your joy of crafting. Please let me know if you have tried any of these ideas and if you have any selling techniques that work for you. I would love you to leave comments.
Dee 





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