School of Creative Business - Creative Entrepreneurship

3 Survival Techniques to Market You, Your Services and Products

Today's Art & Craft Business Advice:

3 Survival Techniques to Market You, Your Services and Products.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwLGBtn1M7g

   

6 Ways To Sway Customers to Buy Your Product

Selling arts and crafts online is very important to our lively hood, so we must make ever effort to sell what we make . In this post I’ll explain 6 ways to sway customers that your products are worth pulling out their credit cards.

 

1. Don’t assume they know – if are customer has to think twice about how to buy your products, then most likely they won’t buy. Your customer shouldn’t have any doubts in their minds about how to order your product. Make sure your buy button is clear and identifiable. Include a buy now button at the top, middle and bottom of your page. And also ask your potential customers only to do the minimum required to make the sale. If you need additional information, ask for that at the end of the sale.

2. Toot Your Own Horn – People don’t like missing out of something big. If 20 people have brought your product and loved it, then tell the entire world.  Post testimonials on your website and social media sites. Give your customers a number and they will give you the number from their credit cards.

3. Boy’s Scout Honor – Buying any product requires some sort of leap of faith on the part of the customer. You’re asking them to spend their money on something that they can only see online. You can reduce the stress, by offering some type of guarantee or return policy.  The least amount of stress, the more sales you will have.

4. Emergency Alert- Some of us are just lazy, or are easily distracted by our daily lives, so as a creative business owner you will need to create an emergency alert to ensure your customers stay focus on completing the entire purchase process. You could threaten to increase the price after several days have passed or better yet, you could say price will increase in the next 2 hours.

5. Once Upon a Time- Whether you are a fine artist, a fashion designer or a writer, customer will value being able to connect with you. Tell them your story. Share with them what has made you start your own business, or what has inspired you to paint.

6. We Care – I hope you figured this out before creating your product. Know your customers problems and provide a solutions. Your product should be the solution to their problem. But you still need to convey what problem your product solves for the customer, and make sure this message in written on your sales page. Friends and family will buy almost anything you create, but mass market will only buy products that solve their problems.

 Selling one or two items is easy, but when you need to sell hundreds of items, then it can get a bit more challenging. I really hope these 6 tips help you get going with selling your arts and crafts online.

How to Sell Tips

At the onset of life, an infant can feel this sense of acceptance from a mother who touches and caresses him in a loving way. As he grows older, his sense of acceptance and importance now comes from other family members, friends, teachers, peers, bosses, officemates, spouse, children, etc. Every person needs to be accepted. It puts meaning to a person’s existence. Those who buy from us want to feel the same way. One of the basic needs of humans is to feel accepted. Knowing this is the secret to establishing and maintaining great customer relationships with various types of people.

 A number of books, articles and seminars have taken the role of educating people like you and me on the different ways of associating with customers and building lasting relationships with them. There are several how to sell tips  that you can do when building relationships you’re your customers.

 

Make Them Feel Accepted.

According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, one of human’s basic needs is to feel a sense of belonging to a group. Customers must feel a sense of belonging in either small groups like a circle of friends, or big groups like clubs or associations.

 One way to achieve this is to create an elite group of customers- U.S. Airlines has a frequent flyer club, The Gap has family & friends day. If you have a Facebook page or a group of family & friends who have been with you since your business started, then this group can serve as your elite group. Host a party just for them, offer them special discounts, or give them first opportunity to purchase a new product.

 

Listen

One way to convey acceptance of people’s ideas is by simply listening. Listening communicates the message that their thoughts are valued and their inputs are significant. It answers the very basic need to belong and provides a sense of importance.

 Offer your customers an opportunity to share their opinion. Create a survey and ask them to fill it out. If you blog, at the end of your post ask your customers to leave a comment. Ask your customers to take photos of them wearing your product- then share those photos on your site.

 

 Acceptance must be done unconditionally.

A business owner should not expect anything in return. There should be no “no strings attached” or no commitments to fulfill. To expect something in return defeats the purpose of making customers like you or what your business has to offer.  In fact, this may only cause resentment, for it would appear that you are manipulating people by forcing them into a situation they may not like in the future.

 What does happen is … Unconditional acceptance of other people’s thoughts, ideas, and concerns can yield favorable outcomes. Acceptance elicits cooperation and this leads to working towards a common goal. Acceptance yields positive and fruitful results.

 So don’t worry about asking for a referral or a testimony at first. Allow time to build trust. Once trust is established, your customer will naturally respond to request of referrals and testimonies.

 

Remember

You must be willing to accept customer’s ideas, thoughts, and inputs. Your creative business will harvest not only good results, but also the admiration and appreciation of customers, as well.

 

See Ya ,

 

Taking Average and Making it Fabulous!

_______________________________________________________________

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The Square Way to Capture a Sell

Have you sold items at a craft fair and wasn't able to make change for a 20 dollar bill? Or you just forgot about having cash (I did this at my first craft fair)?

But I bet you had your cell phone. I never leave home without mine. Now the guys at SquareUp.com have created a device - The Square Card Reader to solve the absent mind, like myself.

Listen creative folks - You can start accepting cash and card payments with the Square. No contracts, monthly fees, or hidden costs. Youcan effortlessly manage the money you take with ease with your iPhone. This is aamazing - a must have tool for the creative business owner. Get this - all of your receipts can be organized neatly electronically.  To read more about the Square - click here.

Watch the Video below to see the Square in action!

 

If you think this is a good idea- like I do, leave a comment. 

*Note: I'm not making a dime on endorsing this product. I just wanted to share with you a very cool tool that could be used in your creative business.

 

See Ya ,

 

Taking Average and Making it Fabulous!

_______________________________________________________________

 Did you like this article, then you are going to love my free Creative Business Ideas Newsletter. Sign up here.   Pass along this article to other creative people by clicking below on Tweet This or Facebook Like buttons.

How to Get Your Email Subscribers Begging for More

 

Hello Everyone. We have reached part 4 of email marketing for the creative entrepreneur. In this article - How to Get Your Email Subscribers Begging for More - I've shared with you a few things I've done to increase my open rates with my newsletter.

1- Just as an experiment, I subscribed to ten different  e-mail list.

2-  I tried to find out which email marketing strategies grabbed me.

3- Some email marketing campaigns would be very simple, some would very outlandish while there are some that would just lie in between.

4- The differences could easily be noticed. Some got it and other didn't.  Those who got it where the email newsletters that I couldn't wait to receive -Problogger, and The Launch Coach 

5- Each email was full of new information and a few of them actually got me to by something. I totally forgot it was only a experiment.  

Here is What I Learned...

Many companies present their promotional materials in a wide variety of concepts. Each has their own distinctive style and designs, but more than the outline and the presentation, the content and the articles are what keeps the attention of your potential customer.  Creativity is the key here. And as creative entrepreneurs we are full of creativity.

• Keep your promotional materials light, creative and original. Many people are stressed out as it is. Getting a stuffy business proposal rather than a light hearted e-mail may just agitate them more.  While you do want your customers to take you and your products and services seriously, you also want to show them that you know how to have fun.

 

• Splash some color in your emails as well as provide some photos and articles that can be related to you but show good news or good light hearted images as well. Provide a newsletter or promotional materials that will keep them in a light mood. Make your materials eye catching and grabbing that they won't be able to take their eyes of them.

 

• Have good content, even if it means investing in an experienced and professional copy writer to write them for you. An effective copy writer should be able to build trust between you and your customers. They should be able to establish your credibility in what they write. It must be informative but not too stuffy. Let go of the professional jargon  “talk“to your customers as if they are your closet friends.

 

•  A good content should be able to outline the benefits of your product and services and why they need what you are offering. But do not look to be overeager and too persuasive. It should be able to entertain as well as lead them to buying from you.

 

• Your promotional materials should be clear. Don’t leave people guessing. You should lead them to you and not vice versa. Explain to them what they need to do in a manner that won’t be confusing. Try to anticipate also what your target client needs. Do your research and information gathering, many sites will be able to help you with that.

 

• Provide clear and crisp images of what you are offering. If the people know what you have for them, they are more likely to beg for more. For example, if you are selling jewelry, provide them photos but only enough to encourage them to go to your site for more.

 

Well guys, that's it. I hope this helps you with your email marketing. The research done for these post have really helped me take my email marketing campaign to another level. I wish all you the best. Please share your stories with email marketing and if you have any questions, send them my way.

 

See you ,

 

Taking Average and Making it Fabulous!

P.S.  Did you like this article, then you are going to love my free Creative Business Ideas Newsletter. Sign up here.

4-Part Email Marketing Series for Creative Entrepreneurs

Happy Labor Day Creative Entrepreneurs!

This is considered a day to rest from all work related duties. I  strongly believe that we have to get our rest even in the most busy times. So,I decided after today I will start a 4 part series on Email Marketing for the Creative Entrepreneur.

 Why Now?

 I finally realize that to truly be successful at marketing your services and products- creative entrepreneurs like me and you need a good customer mailing list. I've read countless articles from experts  and read many success stories of people creating a small fortune with mailing lists.

In fact, you may have a good customer list now, but you aren't making much money from your list.  So what could have gone wrong? Why have others succeeded where you have failed? The most common mistake is that you dived right in without considering your customer's buying habits. You've chosen a product or service that  you think could be quite popular and would earn you money. This just not the case. Just because you wrote people from the list doesn’t mean they are going to buy instantly.

Here's What I'm Going To Do...

In this 4 part series on Email Marketing for the Creative Enterpreneur I will  show those of you  who have started a mailing list and failed -how you can rejuvenate your failed venture. And for those who had no ideal that you needed a mailing list- I'll provide you with quick and easy ways to build a profitable mailing list.

For now...

Get your rest! The 4- Part Email Marketing Series for Creative Entrepreneurs will start Tuesday. See you then.

 
Taking Average and Making it Faboulos!

P.S. By the way- to make sure you don't miss it, subscribe to my RSS feed by email. 

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5 Ways to Show Appreciation

Showing appreciation for your customers can set you apart from your competitors, increase loyalty, improve retention, inspire sales, and build relationships that last a lifetime. Researching out to your customers is also an opportunity to remind them that your business exists. Effective marketing relies on repeat exposure and showing appreciation is an affordable and effective way to keep your marketing wheels in motion.

The following are client – appreciation strategies that can help you cultivate customer retention.

1. Personal Thank You Notes or Greeting Card- Send an unexpected thank you note a customer following a purchase, or whenever a customer has done anything deserving some appreciation. Although sending an email may be quick and easy, you will make a lasting impression by sending a handwritten note in the mail. And as for greeting cards- there are dozens of major and minor holidays throughout the year and each provides a great reason to send a card. I'm a distributor for Send Out Cards and I use them to send out birthday and holiday cards to family and clients. Click here for a list of Holidays in America.
2. Invitations- Spending some time with your top clients for a special event can also cultivate a relationship that could last a lifetime. Create an event just for them- a special invite to new showing or to try out a new dessert. If your customers are geographically dispersed, you can hold a virtual event by inviting them to participate in complementary on-line seminars.
3. Small Gifts- If you budget allows- send flowers, books, a mug full of candy and other token items can make thoughtful gifts for customers. These can be sent on special occasions such as birthdays, holidays, or anniversaries, or can be sent for no reasons other than to show your gratitude. On myAlease Michelle Studio 2229 site- I ask readers who sign up for my newsletter to also include their birthday and address. On their birthday I send a signed and dated print to them with a personal note celebrating their special day.
4. Customer Appreciation Days- Designate one or more days each year to celebrate your customers. You could offer a customer only secret promotional sale, give away or provide a special bonus to those on your mailing list.
5. The Gift of Information- EBooks, reports, workbooks, videos, and other types of information products can make great gifts. For example, compile a list of useful tips that your customers will appreciate and either deliver it via-email in a PDF document or print it and give it out or mail it.

Its important to show appreciation to your customers. It keeps them coming back to see what you have to offer. Show some love and they will show you the same type of love by purchasing or referring other to what you have to offer.

Did you like this post? If so, then you will love my creative business ideas newsletter, which is totally free for subscribers. Subscribe here to receive the Creative Business Ideas Newsletter.

 

Free Ebook Reveals 51 Ways to Promote a Blog

Finally I got a chance to write an ebook on how to promote a blog. In this Ebook- you'll will learn the basic on how to drive traffic to your site, you'll master the essential steps taken by most successful bloggers and finally you'll find out what works for them will also work for you.

This Ebook includes 51 ways to promote a blog and I even include resources to help you achieve your blogging goals at an even higher level.

Here is the best news... Its Free!

Click Here: To Get Your Free Ebook "51 Ways to Promote a Blog"

How to Create Online Tutorials

Have you ever thought about creating online tutorials for others? Its seems like everyone is doing it. And I have even tried a little of it. I've been a little busy trying to pay catch up to really think about creatin how -to tutorials- but I'm thinking strongly on trying it again on my studio blog.

Anyway- the Meylah eBook Series for Creatives - arrived in my email box. It is really a great little ebook and could be an inspiration to others wanting to create tutorials.

Check out the ebook- and read the first page. Meylah is really interested in getting other creative people involve in the how-to business - you can even make a few extra bucks doing so.

Check out Meylah's Ebook Series: Creating Online Tutorials with Byte- Syze Learning. How to Screencast Your Own Web Video by Justine Smith is my favorite.

Creating Online Tutorials with Byte-Syze Learning

View more presentations from Meylah.

If you liked this article? Then you'll love my free creative business tips !

Talk with you soon

 

 

7 Habits of Effective Creative Entrepreneurs

Building and growing a success creative business is a whole lot easier when you have  a few helpful hints to jump start your efforts.

That's why I've put together 7 habits I've found effective creative entrepreneurs have used to build and grow their business.

1. This is first because, its the most important habit to have- get yourself you own Dot-Com domain name. This is common sense- most people just assume dot-com at the end of a business name. Get yours ASAP!

2. Share your story. Your story is the most important part of your overall message of your business. People want to know who they are doing business with. IKEA is a great an example of this. I've always loved IKEA, but not until I learned of IKEA commitment to the environment, did I take on a different respect for the company. I am pretty sure, I'm not the only one who feels this way. Write your company story (about me/us) page in a tone that's suitable to your personality (humorous, girl talk, family oriented, etc.)

3. Understand the power of Branding. Branding includes company name, tag line, design, product, content and how your present yourself in public and on social networks. People are watching- your brand sends a message and conveys who you are.

4. Get inside the minds of your customers. To get your brand into the minds of your customers go where they are- their favorite blogs, forums and social networks. John Jantsch author of Duct Tape Marketing  recommends reading People magazine. People has over 12 million readers- their target market are men and women ages 25-54. Read this magazine to get a feel of what the majority of Americans want to fight,find, lose, gain, have, give or embrace.

5. Spread the love. Having your customers see your brand once isn't enough. Get your brand out there as often as possible. Expose yourself to those around you.

6. Get some fans. Facebook has coined the FAN page range. I have to say it works. Get a fan page, and if you have one, connect with them as much as possible. Highlight a fan on your page and maybe share a story about them that may have a connection with your product or service.

7. Get input from fans on how what they like or dislike about your product. Make it easy for them to share ideas and thoughts.

 

Well that's it....  I hope they were helpful. These 7 habits of effective creative entrepreneurs has been extremely helpful for me.  If you liked this article? Then you'll love my free creative business tips !

Talk with you soon

 

 

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