Creative Leisure News

Technology issues that affect your business

Online and On Message: Marketing Through Social Media

Building interest in your store without expensive advertising.

by Heather Gooch (January 19, 2009)

Indie crafters come in an assortment of ages, affluence, regions and goals, but a large number of them share a common thread: technical savvy. This is evidenced by the membership and traffic on web sites such as Etsy.com, indiepublic.com, and Craftster.org, to name just three. Their numbers are boosted by sellers and buyers who are tired of the cookie-cutter home decor, fashion, and gifts so prevalent in today's society. Instead, they take the Handmade Pledge at BuyHandmade.org; they admire someone's project online (or in person), and are more apt to say "That inspires me to do this" instead of "I could copy that."

In one form or another, independent crafters have long been a mainstay of the craft industry. But never before have there been so many avenues to reach this demographic. Traditional routes such as print advertisements are giving way to social networking like tweets, texts and sites such as Ravelry and Facebook.

How do you get a piece of the viral marketing pie? The good news is that many of the social networking marketing venues are both user-friendly and low- to no-cost. The not-so-good news is that there's a lot out there, and it can be overwhelming.

There are several so-called "Web 2.0" initiatives that can bring a return on investment for your marketing dollars. These programs range from online Yellow Page listings to how-to demonstrations on YouTube. Below are some of the most effective ways to interact with your customers online.

Blogging.

Share with customers what's going on in your store when they're not there, and you may find they want to visit more frequently to be part of the fun. A web log, or blog, is also a great place to talk about what you saw at the show, or what project is personally capturing your fancy. Invite your customers to visit and post (sweeten the deal by posting a printable coupon!), and get discussions going on what motivates them, what they'd like to learn more about, their stash wish list, etc. Knowing your customer base more deeply can only better your business. Some blogging platforms that can help walk you through the process include WordPress, Blogger, and LiveJournal. Plus, social networks such as Ravelry, Facebook, and MySpace give you space to either blog directly or pull in your blog from another site.

Social Networking.

The sites mentioned above can be more than just a way to find old high school friends. They can be used to network with people who share your passion for the industry � colleagues, potential customers, new designers, or people halfway around the world whose work simply inspires. Join a group � or start your own. All you need is an email account and a little bit of time set aside to create and update your profile. You can then share updates, photos, and videos with your online network.

(Note: Heather is Vice President of Gooch & Gooch LLC, an editorial services and marketing company specializing in business-to-business media, including the professional needlearts and craft industries. To learn more about the company's wide range of services, click on Service Provider Archives and visit www.goochandgooch.com and www.positiveyarn.com.

xxx