10 Easiest Ways to Advertise your Arts/Crafts Business

1) CREATE A WEBSITE This will act as a Portfolio and lists all the items you created and want to sell. Make it detailed and list the pricing information for those interested in purchasing. You can even add a shopping cart and get fancy with features you'd like to present to your audience like an "about" page for example. Add shipping information, and a section for those who would like to buy in bulk like wholesalers or buyers. If you do not know the first thing about how to create a website, there are a lot of ways you could get someone to make one for you or find online companies that give a package for your site including hosting, domain name and so forth.

Here are some links to website creators: http://www.web.com/ http://www.very-visible.com/our-pricing.html

Or check out our 1 page website deal which is quick, cheap, referenced through our network, and gets advertised to buyers across the globe: http://www.marmarsgifts.com/websiteassistance.asp

PRO: Will always be referenced. Easy place to find your art/crafts. Easy place for others to shop for your art/crafts and you to make money. CON: Time taken to make one, mechanism for advertising required unless it's included in the package.

2) MAKE A CATALOG Create your own using software or get assistance from the US Postal Service. You can then have this catalog get mailed all over your area. The USPS website has a lot of good information and helpful tools with prices on how you can get this started. Visit them here: http://www.usps.com
Tip! B2B and B2C marketing tool: Business owners are always looking for ways to market their businesses. That's one of the reasons that books such as 'Guerrilla Marketing' are so popular.

PRO: Will get to people's hands. Forced way to get customers CON: Can become costly.

3) CREATE BUSINESS CARDS You may not know it, but this is the one tool that has stayed with people for very long periods of time. Ever look in your wallet credit card section? Notice your business cards you've picked up and kept with you. Well, the very same way you can stick to people with this approach. Pass these or stick these around anywhere you see fit. Parties, Shows, Friends, Family, School, Bulletins, Shows/Exhibits, and Stores. You can make them yourself by using Microsoft Word and picking up a set of blank sheets to print at your local office supply store; eg. Staples, Office Max, Office Depot.

PRO: Fast, Cheap to get customers CON: Creating them takes a little time

4) CREATE YOUR OWN EBAY STORE Do you have a few items? Want to try it out and see who's interested? eBay is the largest and most traffic driven site people go to find stuff. I mean, you can find anything in there. If you don't have the time to create a website or find other ways to advertise and are willing to pay a percentage for each of your items that does sell, then eBay is a place to start. Then when you find people buying and business starts looking good, you can open an eBay store or direct them to your website. http://www.ebay.com
Tip! Base your business on how you can add value to your customers. You'd be surprised how your business it will grow by suiting the needs of your 'ideal' client AND looking after them each and every time.

PRO: Can list items and bring lots of traffic to your site CON: % Deducted on each sale you make

5) FIND A LOCAL CONSIGNMENT SHOP TO SELL YOUR ITEMS You will need to make a photo album with your products or take some samples to see if they will sell them for you. Most will do this if they do not already have something similar in stock. You need to find out how their rates work so you can make some kind of decent profit. Be cautious as some may take more than you are willing to get paid for.

PRO: Sure way people will see or feel your products CON: Percentage taken for each sale

6) PUT YOUR STUFF IN ARTS/CRAFTS SHOWS Register and put up a booth with your items on display for everyone to see. It's almost like your own mini store. And, everyone who comes to visit is looking for arts/crafts.
Tip! Make sure your business look is congruent. Have a business name that explains what you do so you're customers are buying or dealing from you rather than trying to figure out what you do.

PRO: Lot of interested people and definite sales CON: Fee to be in show

7) ADVERTISE TO ONLINE ARTS/CRAFT SHOWS Most people who know how to use a computer these days like to shop online. If they don't buy anything, they will look. And there is so much to choose from. They can be more successful if they find a place that is specific to what they are looking for. For example, if one is looking for household gifts, they will search for home gifts or something of the sort. So if you advertise in Arts/Crafts Shows Online, then you are giving those interested in arts/crafts a way to find you. You can place an ad in free sites and ones that have a fee. Be aware of the free ones since they can sell your email to other vendors. Paid advertising provides more services and incentives to keep you as a customer. We offer membership for $2.99 a month in which you place your ad for buyers across the globe, international, in state and local, to bulletins, blogs, zines, wholesalers, shops, search engines and webrings. In addition to other services, free advice, and royalty free. http://www.marmarsgifts.com You can also try: http://www.craftsfaironline.com and http://artsandcraftsfair.com/
Tip! Develop a plan of where you wish for you AND your business to be this time next year. You will need to think about such things as a basic marketing plan to so you know what marketing you need to do to achieve that outcome.

PRO: Allows others to advertise for you while you just keep doing what you love without paying % for each item you sell CON: Choosing plan to fit your needs.

8) CALL STORE BUYERS Often times buyers for stores are looking for new things they are not sure how to find. Taking the initial step for them may save them time and they can appreciate your contact. This is a type of solicitation, so not all buyers may be willing to listen, but with a little patience, you may find success from this approach. And Big success with that!

PRO: If your items are wanted - they will be bought in bulk - and if they sell you could make it big! CON: patience & solicitation
Tip! Sexy business woman: If this works for your site, great! Many men use the internet to search for pictures of women. Variations of this could include 'nude business girls' or 'naked business women.

9) MAKE A BANNER ONLINE Banners are annoying, but they do a great job to grab your attention. Not only that, but they are "visual" information. The human eye first sees, then interprets or analyzes. Therefore, it is a method of saying "Hey! Look at me!" You can make this yourself or have someone or a tool make it for you. It can be advertised for a price or free based on how you take the approach. If you choose to pay for it to be advertised, then beware of the fees, never select pay per click...since these are not sure ways you will make a sale, just a way others can get money from you. The best way is to trade with others wanting the same, like a banner exchange. Search for "banner exchange" and you'll be amazed at what you will find.
Tip! Write a tip booklet that is related to your business. Make a deal with an offline store where they giveaway your tip booklet to their shoppers with each purchase.

PRO: Catches attention of viewers & brings them to your site CON: Need to make one & decide whether to pay or use exchange method

10) MAKE YOUR CAR YOUR FRIEND If you drive, most likely you will stop and in front of you will be another car and its rear end. You've got nothing better to do for the next 2 minutes then stare at that bumper in front of you or check out the rear display. Well, then so does the next guy who is behind you and so forth. Why not make it worth the effort and advertise your arts/crafts with a personalized bumper sticker or magnet on your car leading them to your website or an email? Give them a few words to think about and something they'll remember, and be sure they'll pay your site a visit! You can find places that will make these for you usually at a sign shop or bumper sticker store.
Tip! Entrepreneurship skill: So many people want to start their own business and are researching anything to do with entrepreneurship.

PRO: Brings traffic - people will see your advertising with no choice if they are near your car CON: Make sure it's short and sweet and easy to read at a distance.

Artist, Engineer, and Entrepreneur, Marmar has worked with sellers and buyers in the Arts / Crafts industry and opened her own business to help Artists and Crafters "get noticed". http://www.marmarsgifts.com