Friday, April 30, 2010

EB Friday Hotlist: Tips for Online Selling

It's Friday so it's time for another edition of the Friday Hotlist.  This week we'll be talking about more tips that will help you grow your online business no matter where you sell:


Create-A-Pendant has a list of 50 sites that you might find useful in promoting your business.  Sites include familiar ones like Facebook and Twitter and less familiar ones like 100 Craft Links, YouCraft, and 43things.  They're not guaranteed to all bring traffic to your site, but it's a great list to check out if your current promotions aren't working for you and you're looking into trying something new.


If you've spent any time in the Virtual Labs or reading emails from Etsy you probably recognize Danielle.  At the beginning of the month her Etsy success email had a few great tips on how to promote your shop:

1. Use your connections - get help from family and friends.
2. Team up! - take advantage of the benefits of being in an Etsy team.
3. Make a statement - create something original and bold.
4. Be a guest blogger - share your expertise.

All of these can be great ways to get your name and your shop out there.



This lengthy Etsy forum thread was started back in July of 2009, but it's still an ever changing catalog of sites and tips for advertising your shop.  Some good tips:

1. Take your business cards with you to hand out to people when they compliment your product (which you should wear at all possible times if you make wearable art).
2. Network with other crafters through forums and chat rooms.  This has led me to most of the blog features I've gotten.

Well, as I'm preparing for a craft show this weekend that's it for this weeks EB Friday Hotlist.  Feel free to share any tips you've come across this week in the comments!

Until next time,
Elle

2 comments:

Al said...

thanks for the tips - here is another Take a small zip close baggie (snack sizes work well) or a paper bag made from recycled paper and include the following in it:
Your Business Card, a Piece of Candy such as hard candy or a lollipop (I use mint in mine), mini flyer of current host specials discount coupon (optional), a refrigerator magnet with your company information - you can make your business cards into 'fridge magnets.etc. Hand these out everywhere you go - to the bank tellers, retail cashiers, at your kids sport events, your doctor's office!

Elle said...

What a creative idea! Thank you so much for sharing it!