TOP TIP TUESDAY - Are you getting enough? Sales that is, and what to do about it.

It’s now easier than ever to reach the outside world….
. so why do so many small businesses struggle with marketing their business and reaching their potential customers?

As most of you know, Steve and I get very little time off. Steve has a regular job 4 days a week and is self-employed for 2 more. Although I am in the studio Tuesday to Saturday, Mondays are usually reserved for catching up on housework and the garden.

Not every Sunday is free, but when it is we like to go out, find something arty or crafty to see and this also mostly involves visiting a small tearoom or café.

We love connecting with other crafters, finding out what they do, how they started and generally connecting with other like minded folk. We’ve both had to learn the hard way on setting up and more importantly sustaining a small, independent, crafting business.

It’s not been easy. We’ve made mistakes. I’ve read more books on marketing than I can shake a stick at. The main reason for wanting to set up Handmade Yorkshire was to help, advise and encourage others, who want to turn their passion into a full time or part time business and pass on the hacks and knowledge we have gained along the way.

We chat, connect and get to know many crafters, most of which love doing what they do but are clueless when it comes to marketing, social media, website building and other nasty things that get in the way.

A question we often ask, especially at craft fairs is:

 “Where can I buy your stuff?”

To which the answer is usually one of the following:

“You can email me”

“I’m at a craft fair next months at (somewhere I will have forgotten by the time I get home)”

“I only sell at craft fairs”

On prying further and asking again….

“Yes but WHERE can I buy your stuff”

we are usually met with a blank stare.

“Have you a website? Facebook page? Instagram? Twitter? Pinterest? Blog? Etsy? Ebay?”

Then comes the dreaded answer

 “No I’m not on any of those yet”.

Seriously! If not WHY NOT?

Apart from Etsy and a website the above are all FREE!

Yes FREE! And you are missing the opportunity of engaging with customers, building repeat customers and most importantly SELLING YOUR STUFF!.

THE 5 BIGGEST EXCUSES PEOPLE GIVE FOR NOT DOING THE ABOVE.

1     “I haven’t time”

2     “I’m crap with technology”

3     “It’s not a real business… it’s just a hobby”

4     “I wouldn’t know where to start”

5     “I don’t think that it will help me”

Yeah and the list goes on.

Let’s take the excuses one at a time shall we?

“I haven’t time”

This is probably the lamest excuse ever. I know lots of busy mums, who hold a family together, work around them, have a multitude of other commitments but also run a successful business.

Try turning off that T.V. when there is nothing worth watching.

Schedule in a time slot where you will market your work.

Treat the above as a task, just as you would a project or commission.

Make it part of your daily routine.

“I’m crap with technology

  Well, hello and welcome to my world.

You might feel like you are crap at technology, but everyone has to start somewhere. If you never start, you’ll never learn! Simples.

“It’s not a real business… it’s just a hobby”

Well… you might not think of it as a business but I’m afraid that if you are making money from your hobby… it’s a business!

If it’s just a hobby, then why are you selling it?

To pay for more stock? Yes, that’s a business!

“I wouldn’t know where to start”

Well, ok I sort of get this. For years I paid other people to design websites for me. I spent a fortune not getting what I really wanted. When the businesses folded they left me with no code to get into my website, no passwords and no clue as to how to recover all the information I had on there. MEGA FAIL!

I cut my teeth with a Blogger Blog and really started blogging for fun. It was about me and my creative life along with my personal life. Everything mashed together in a kind of what you see is what you get fashion. 

I made friends, creative friends, spiritual friends, cat loving friends and small business owner friends. It was a great way to chat to others, learn how to write about myself and my life and it became part of my morning routine. The blog had nothing to do with my business, however I did post pictures and write blog posts about my work or what I was working on at the time.

I learnt how to add photos, link to others websites or articles and inspire and motivate others. I used it as a kind of on-line diary. I started it for me… however it got a huge following and interaction and it was probably my best teacher. I had no training, No direction and absolutely no idea. What I didn’t know about I used the help files, the forums and youtube. One step at a time. That was way back in 2006 and to be honest, I’ve never looked back.

The moral of the story? Pick 1 platform… yes just 1. Start at the beginning, learn as you go. Use help files, forums and groups to feel your way through and I promise you in no time, if you stick to it, it will become second nature.

“I can’t see how any of this will help me”

Well, I have news for you! 

The vast majority of the worlds population is now on the internet.

How do you expect people to find you if you are hiding away in your workroom and only coming out for breath when you attend craft fairs?

What happens when the craft fair is over and you decide that next month you will be at a show somewhere else?

What is someone was visiting the craft fair on their holidays, bought something from you and want to buy more.

What if someone loves your stuff but somehow this month they haven’t the spare cash?

What if what they saw they really liked, but it was a little over their budget and would definitely come back for it next week or month.

What if someone liked your stuff so much and just knew that her friend would also love it?

The simple and hard truth here is… if you have no internet presence then that super customer will go elsewhere.

You are simply throwing sales away.

You are really missing a trick.

And the saddest thing of all here is… it's mostly FREE! It costs nothing or very little to set these up.

With the world wide web, people can buy anything they want, from whoever they want and whenever they want.

If you are not there, it certainly won’t be you!

So: What is stopping you?

What are your sticking points?

What are you struggling with?

What do you need help with?

And How can we help you?

Leave a comment in the comments section below, contact us on facebook or simply pm us with your questions and we’ll answer them both here and in a future blog post.

Remember: We are only too happy to help! 

Warm wishes and happy crafting,
Sue x

Top Tip Tuesday - Getting the most out of your craft fair or market

Your very first Craft Fair or Market can be a daunting task, so here's a blog post for the newbies.
A little how to. to get the most from your craft fair or market. 

Turn Up In Good Time:

There's nothing worse than turning up late, especially if it's your first or one of your first craft fairs or markets. Turning up early and having time to have that first cuppa once you've set up your stall will set you up for the day and help you relax into the experience. 

Make an eye-catching display

Colour and branding is really important here. If you sell Vintage Furniture and dress your stall in Gothic colours and your business cards and promo materials are different again it can confuse your customer.

Stay on brand! If you sell Vintage make sure EVERYTHING you do and the way you display thing is also VINTAGE. Everything from your logo to your packaging should reflect your products and brand as a cohesive whole. Avoid this at  your peril. HOT PINK next to Black and White is one example of colour playing an important part in catching your customers eye.

Consider bunting, a large sign or banner. 

And as a footnote here: Make sure your table cover is STRAIGHT and lines up with the floor. (Sorry… it’s my pet hate).

If you can, Demonstrate

Demonstrating or working on your craft while at a fair or market works on many levels.

It shows your item is hand crafted by YOU.

It engages people with conversation. 

People love to watch something being made.

People love to buy things from people who make. 

If you take commissions - Tell them!

A simple card on your stall will show people that you are open to making something bespoke and to their requirements. The same goes if you are willing to sell to trade. 

A card saying TRADE ENQUIRIES WELCOME or COMMISSIONS UNDERTAKEN is all that is needed. 

Price clearly & Price to Sell

Your item may have taken you forever to make and as far as you are concerned you’d like £1,000 for it. All very well if you are selling through a gallery, but at craft fairs and markets people don’t generally carry around that kind of cash. While it’s not unusual to sell items for £40-£50, you are far  more likely to sell things at £10-£25 .

 However it's always best to have some of your higher end products on your stall too. 

Alternatively if your product is generally higher than average, have some less expensive things on your table too. The more varied the price range the more likely you have of selling. 

While we’re on this topic make sure that you price things clearly. Avoid pricing things on the bottom.Think about it…. If you go into a shop and nothing is priced would you feel comfortable asking ‘How much’or would you assume it's too expensive.

People will not pick things up from your stall and nor should they have to, it’s not bargain basement, your hand crafted goods are precious. Price large and clear and avoid loosing that sale because someone is too shy or embarrassed or thinks it’s too expensive to ask that all important question “How Much?”.

Promotional materials

It’s always handy to have some form of promotional material with you. Pop a business card into EVERY sales bag, hand out leaflets showing your work and where you can be found. Add personalised labels to your product so that when the customer gets home and a friend asks
“Oh wow! Where did you buy that?” you can be found easily.

I’ve bought many things at craft fairs and I’m astounded when people say they haven’t got a card.

Think of these scenarios.

“So what if I want to buy some of your other work in the future?”

“I’m on Etsy but I haven’t got anything with my business name on right now, do you want me to scribble it on a bit of paper?”

“You can always email me”

"I don’t have a website or anything… I’ll probably be back here sometime in September”

Any of the above IS NOT AN ANSWER! 

People may not buy from you on the day, but if you give away promotional material you’ve every chance they WILL buy from you in the future.

Be cheerful & attentive. Engage in conversation

I know, sometimes it’s hard if you have had a pretty rough day but there’s nothing worse than going to a stall and seeing someone sat on a chair, head down, playing on their phone. Some stall holders don’t even notice you there never mind acknowledge you.

A simple hello with a big cheek to cheek smile will go a long way and could make someone’s day!

Offer something FREE

Yes…. You heard that right!

There’s a reason supermarkets employ people to stand at the front of a store and give away samples of a product. Even if it’s just a bowl of sweets, nothing will draw people to you quicker than something free.

Offer a FREE prize draw for one of your items.

This is a great way of collecting peoples Names, Addresses and Emails, so you can contact them in the future and keep them up to date with your latest offerings.

Packaging Is Key

Many people will buy your product as a gift. Packaging your item and presenting it as a ready-to-go gift will appeal to someone far more than something loose lying on a table. If they are considering something as a gift  then it saves them the time and trouble of finding something to put it in once taken away.

If your customer is short on time, you could very well miss a sale.

Packaging will also increase the perceived value of your item and is also another opportunity to brand your work.

Don’t forget the little extras:

Pens

Paper,

Change,

Bags and Packaging,

Business Cards,

 Leaflets,

Table Covers,

Lighting,

Warm Clothing if it's a cold day

Cool clothing if it's a warm day.

Warm clothing if it's a hot day

and cool clothing if it's a cold day.

I know... I bet you are thinking I've completely lost the plot.....

but I have been known to have to rush away and buy cooler clothing on what started as a cold morning, only for the sun to come out and have me nearly passing out with the heat.

I suggest layers that you can add or remove whenever necessary. 

And last buy not least.  .

Something to eat

Something to drink

Above all else, have fun, make connections, show off your work, network with other crafters, share ideas and knowledge and build relationships. 

What advice can you offer others about getting the most from Craft Fairs and Markets?

What works for you?

Did you find this useful? Please share using the share buttons on the post.

We love hearing from you so please leave a comment below.

Warm wishes and happy crafting,
Sue x

Top Tip Tuesday - Keeping your customers coming back for more! The importance of collecting your customers details.

There’s no feeling like it…. Your first sale! And ever other sale after that!

Making stuff is the easy part, getting someone to actually buy it is a whole new ball game.

I’m assuming people are buying your hand made goods because they like them and have bought into you as the maker and shaker.

You can have the best products in the world, but if someone doesn’t like you, they won’t buy it.

Now this is not going to be a post on ‘How to win friends and influence people’. No, it’s about how you keep the customers you have and how to keep them coming back.

You’ve probably noticed that most shops and stores now offer a Loyalty Scheme these days. 1p in every £1 hardly seems worth the effort of carrying around that irritating piece of plastic that seems to be the last card you take out when you need to find it.

That card is not about thanking you for being a loyal customer…. 1p in the £1 is hardly a reward…. No, it’s about collecting your information!

Stores will give you this piece of plastic in return for something….

Your name,

Your address,

Your email address

What they get from you:

A traceable record of your spending habits

(Ever wondered why Tescos knows what products to send you coupons for and why yours differs to your friends?)

A way to send you a newsletter promoting their products many of which you don’t need or want…. Until that vital email comes through! 
Then somehow you need to act quickly! And before you know it < CLICK > SOLD!

Sending you that ‘Irresistible offer’ – You know… the one that you simply can’t refuse.

They’ll send you invitations to wine and cheese evenings  and their sales preview nights as one of their ‘preferred customers’.

They’ll also have your details to sell on to marketing firms and other businesses!

This is not exactly conning you… although you may feel like it once the veil is lifted from your eyes…. But it is a very clever way of keeping YOU as a customer and getting you to return and spend money with them, rather than going elsewhere.

How can knowing all this help you and your small business?

I’m not suggesting everyone rushes out and splashes out on loyalty cards, although this may be a topic for later, but I am going to suggest you at least gather Names, Addresses and emails to build a list of your clients, so that you can at least in the future contact them when you have special offers or new products to offer them.

How do you do this?

If people buy off your website this is easy as all the information you need will come in with your order.

However, what about craft fairs and markets?

A simple notebook or a printed sheet will help you gather your customer’s details.

A simple email now and again or better still a personal postcard will be all that is needed to keep you top of there minds.

We are so heavily bombarded in our email boxes these days a hand written small message on a postcard can mean a lot!

Customers become friends and friends buy and recommend you…. It’s that simple.

A word of warning

DO NOT SPAM PEOPLE!

And by that I mean, don’t just sell, sell, sell.

The point of collecting customers information is about building a relationship and a following which in turn will build up T.K.L.

Trust and get the customer to know and like you.

Why bother?

If someone has bought from you and it is admired or appreciated, then there’s a very high chance that, the person will buy again.

Keeping a customer is cheaper and far less time consuming than finding a new customer every time.

It makes your customer and yourself feel valued – Win Win!

You can offer your customer products that you know they will like and give them first refusal.

Every time you contact them, you’ll be back in their minds and most probably first on their list when they need something special.

Market research. You can always contact them and ask their valuable opinion about your product or service and how you may improve. People LOVE to help

You can keep them informed of any craft fairs or markets you are visiting and tell them that you’d love to see them again.

Play nicely!

If you want to loose customers probably the best way to do this is to insist they part with their details willy nilly. Avoid this tactic at all costs!

Don’t think for one minute people will hand over this info without there being something in it for them. It’s human nature!

Large store offer incentives for you to have one of their store cards, perhaps extra points or a discount on that purchase.

I know that in your small business, where you’ve cut your prices to the core offering a discount may leave a nasty taste in your mouth.

So let’s look at an alternative:

How about offering entry into a free prize draw to win

(insert a small incentive that won’t make you bankrupt).

In my own business I offer entry into a Wedding Postbox Draw. The draws take place on 21^st March, 21^st June, 21^st September & 21^st of December. Entry is free and on the draw forms I ask for

The couples names – So I can email them personally using their first names

Their address – To give me a clue as to their location

Their wedding venue – So I can judge their overall budget and target the marketing to suit their pockets.

The date of their wedding – It’s pointless offering them wedding stationery after the event has long since been and gone.

Their email address – as a point of contact

Their wedding colours and theme – Again for target marketing.

Perhaps you could do something like this in your business? Even if it’s just 1 prize draw a year?

If you sell or make baby items, then the above idea would easily transfer.

You could offer a discount coupon for them to use on their next purchase either at your next craft fair or market or off your website.

With larger more expensive purchases the incentive can be much higher (of course).

What ways do you use to collect customers information?

What incentives do you offer?

What other ways can you think of to make this work for both you AND the client?

Please leave a comment below or come and join us in our FREE Hand Made Yorkshire Collective Page we’d love to hear from you.

Bright blessings & Happy Crafting,

Sue x

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Top Tip Tuesday Facebook and Social Media

Make sure your PERSONAL Facebook Profile is filled out correctly.

In your "ABOUT" section don't forget to add your workplace as your Facebook Business page.
And add links to ALL your Social Media.

Add your Website
Add your Pinterest Link
Add Instagram
Add Twitter

and anywhere else your work can be found.
REMEMBER: If you have an Etsy or Folksy shop add that too!

Bonus Tip: Post a link to your business page onto your Personal Page often, to get more page likes and potential customers.