Sunday, December 17, 2017

Online Marketplaces



I sent the above print of this beauty off last week to her new home in Florida to a kind gentleman that has purchased my illustrations in the past. It happens to be one of the six items that I have sold on the Etsy platform since 2015. Yes, that is right folks, a whopping six items!

One may ask, "How are you on Etsy for 2 years and only sell 6 items?" My answer would be super simple. While Etsy and other platforms like it make it super easy for you to sell your creations (they really do), you must do the work. Here is what I have found:


Quality Pictures Are A Must:

Simple enough, but this may be one of the most important steps in having an online marketplace. Consumers love to see your creations in an amazing light (literally and figuratively). Dark and blurry photographs are not only hard to see, but make it hard for the consumer to imagine how your creation will fit within their space, lifestyle, etc. Believe it or not, although consumers may have an idea of how your creations will fit within their space/lifestyle, there is always a possibility that your images could give them new ideas that make your creations stand out to them in a whole new way. 

Use Popular Buzz Words That Fit Your Creations:

Online marketplaces help consumers narrow down what they are looking for by tags, labels or keywords.  They are not only relevant to your creation, but lots of time are popular as well (ex. Black Gir Magic). Hashtags are all the rage these days and you should get to know those that fit your creations. It's small and simple but will give you a greater opportunity to be found by those that want to purchase your creations. 

Market, Market, Market:

This may seem like a "no-brainer", but online marketplaces do not do the work for you. I semi thought that I could get away with just posting beautiful pictures of my products and the site would do the rest. Of course, I was wrong, and marketing is a must!

There are many ways of marketing, with social media probably being one of the most popular. This is an avenue where a multitude of people can see your products quickly and be funneled back to your online marketplace of choice. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and the like are your best friends here. There are also some of the more sophisticated social media sites like LinkedIn that are great to market on as well. 


Consumers love to get to know who they are purchasing items from. It's like meeting a new friend and getting to know their new friend is made easier when they can get an idea of who their new friend is. Some consumers prefer to read about how their new comes up with ideas for their creations (blog). Some consumers prefer to hear about what their new friend has in the works (podcasts). And some consumers want it all! They want the full experience of their new friend. Here Youtube and vlogging (video blogging) goes a long way. Share as much or as little as you would like on these platforms about you, your creations or a combination of both, but the key is to share!


And let's not forget word of mouth. Talk about your creations as often as possible and have a business card on hand to give out to the interested and maybe not so interested. Once the not so interested see your creations they may become your greatest fans!


Use Available Tools In Your Online Marketplace:

From what I have seen, each online marketplace gives you tools on what you can do so your creations can be sold. Etsy provides a whole host of "how-to" tutorials for the novice to the advanced, and why wouldn't they. They understand that once your creations get sold, they will also be getting a piece of your profit. The model is pretty ingenious and works in favor of both parties!

Last but not least...


HAVE FUN:

Make the whole process a fun one! Have fun making your creations and have fun selling them, whether in an online marketplace or in person. Consumers love to see friendly faces, hear friendly voices and have friendly interactions with those that they purchase from. It makes for a smoother transaction and the likelihood of them wanting to buy from you again is great. I guarantee you will draw the type of energy you put out!

Corner of Gratitude:
Being open to learning new things and refreshing upon old things

Pearls of Wisdom:
"An artist's duty is rather to stay open-minded and in a state where he can receive information and inspiration. You always have to be ready for that little artistic Ephiphany."


~Nick Cave

Your Thoughts:
Which online marketplaces are you thinking of selling your creations on? If you are already using an online marketplace, what do you find to be their advantages and disadvantages?

Until next time...



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