This complaint is not unique to the craft industry. Many new entrepreneurs seem to have the idea that all they have to do is put up a website (or list their wares on Ebay or Esty)  and people will find them and buy their products. Then the surprise comes when they’ve spent money and time to launch the page and no one finds it.

Would you lease a retail space down a back alley accessible only by another back alley that no one uses unless directed by someone on the main street?  And set up a gallery there to show your best work? Of course you wouldn’t. But that’s what you’re doing if you put up a webpage and sit around waiting for sales to happen. No one can buy from you if they don’t even know you’re there.

So, how do you get the merchants on the main street to recommend you and direct your ideal customer back to your gallery? That’s how you have to think about getting the buyers to your site or page.

Ask yourself these questions:

• Who is my ideal customer and where are they hanging out?
• What shops (or sites or forums) do they already spend time in?
• How can I reach them and get them back to see my work?
• Is there a way to get the main street “shop-keepers” to direct my ideal customer to my shop (site or page)?

One of the most valuable lessons I learned in the advertising world 35 years ago is that whatever business you are in, you are really in the business of marketing your business. Unless you are already generating enough revenue to hire a marketing team, you don’t have the luxury of spending all day every day making your art. A good chunk of your time in the beginning has to be allocated to getting your work in front of the person who will pay you for it. And the most efficient way to do that is to identify and align yourself with those who already have the attention of your ideal customer.

So, how do you do that? Here are a few tips to get you started:

What kinds of items are complimentary to what you make? For example, if you sell handmade bridal jewelry what other types of businesses would your ideal customer be patronizing? Likely someone selling handcrafted invitations,  veils or headpieces, custom bridal shoes, caterers, photographers, wedding planners, make-up artists, florists, bands and DJs, etc. You might contact them and work out a mutually beneficial set up where you may do a guest post on their blog site with a link back to your site or an arrangement to feature each other’s products and services on your sites. Another free and easy way to get your name in front of those who will buy your product is to find these complimentary businesses on Twitter or Facebook and follow or “friend” them, build a relationship and then once you get to know each other, you can recommend the other’s businesses and link to their sites.

You can’t assume that your ideal client is an active internet user.  Using the same example, while most young brides use the internet, what about the MOB who does all the planning? She may not be online so you will have to come up with some off-line ways to promote your business.

Consider organizing local, complimentary businesses as above for a  trunk show and everyone can send invitations their own list. This means that you each have access to get your products or services in front of the combined clients of the vendors involved. This will benefit each of you and can be a fun, profitable event.

Be creative in the way you think about what business are complimentary to your own. And don’t overlook some that are not necessarily in the same industry. For example, still using the bridal jewelry example, a great resource would be the sales manager at venues such as hotel banquet rooms. Often the first thing a bride does is visit locations to hold the wedding so the sales and catering manager will have access to  brides and their families before they’ve even begun the planning process.

What kinds of businesses are complimentary to yours? Who can you align yourself with to help you get customers to know you are out there?

We all know that you can make the most gorgeous product but if it isn’t marketed correctly, it won’t sell. Likewise, it doesn’t matter how great your marketing is if you don’t have something people want to buy.  I know, this is common sense, but there is much more to having a marketable product than its’ being beautiful or functional.  I decided it was time to take a look at what these crafters are making.  Maybe there was a common product factor among those who were not making money with their craft.  Bingo! Those who were reporting slow or no sales mostly had lovely crafts but their products all had one thing in common.

They were handmade versions of what the importers are selling for a fraction of the price. And yes, I can absolutely empathize with these crafts people. In addition to material costs, they are spending hours beading,  hand knotting and sewing up a storm so they can’t possibly compete with what the importers are paying laborers in a third world country to knock out similar products. I also understand the American consumer well enough to know that they aren’t likely to pay several times more for something they perceive as the same item they can buy at the big box stores. Now, you and I know it’s NOT the same product, and I’ve spent years supporting and promoting hand made crafts.  I’ve also spent enough time in retail to know that even buyers of handmade are savvy consumers and are only willing to shell out more money for something green or handmade if they perceive the product as different enough to be worth the increase in price. So, what’s the solution? 

I’m not advocating your pricing your work like an import, which would be paying yourself about a nickel an hour, and I”m also not suggesting you have your work produced oversees.  (The latter is an option if you have a design that someone is willing to pay you to license but that is another topic.) 

I’m suggesting you take some time to shop around and do some homework. 

Clients are always surprised when they are starting a business selling handmade and I suggest they attend a mainstream wholesale trade show.  It is important to stay current with trends, but that isn’t the main reason  to attend a gift show. (no, it isn’t where you would purchase and it isn’t to get ideas or inspiration.)  What you’ll find is that even in the so-called handmade section of these gift shows, most of the items are imports. (There are separate venues for strictly handmade in America.) I suggest you walk one of the wholesale gift shows -there are many this summer. You do have a resale license, don’t you? )  Look for several things:

Most importantly, are there items that look similar to yours (to the untrained eye, of course)  priced such that retailers could at least keystone (double) and sell for significantly less than you price your work? 

Is someone knocking off your work? That’s an issue for your attorney-I am only telling you what you need to be aware of. 

Can you tweak your work so that discriminating buyers recognize the value of paying more than they would for the the import? 

Do you have your personally “story” , a photo of yourself and something about how your work is crafted on your hangtag? Can you sign your work-if it is jewelry, for example, this can be done with a custom silver  logo tag. These can be ordered through a charm company inexpensively. If you are a textile artist, embroider your signature. Do as much as possible to make it obvious that your work is hand crafted. If you sell online, your bio page should be very personal including your story and images of you doing the craft. If you show your work in shops or galleries,  be sure that the staff is well versed on who you are and your method. At craft fairs, trade shows or trunk shows, if there is space, either do demos or have photos or videos of yourself  making your craft.

As always, I just can’t stop giving you info. but that should get you started on making your craft stand out and increasing your sales.   More tips coming soon…