Many of us artists or crafters want to be successful. We think to ourselves… ‘Wouldn’t it be great if I opened an online store and if my artwork/craftwork sold as soon as I made it?’
It’s that very thought that often gets us into the online selling scene. We think that there is a large market for artwork/craftwork online. We think there are hundreds or thousands of ways to make money online with our art/craft work. We have HIGH HIGH hopes for our work.
But what happens when we work our fingers to the bone, making our art and crafts and posting picture after picture, listing after listing of our work and two years later still have NO SALES? Not one! It makes us think of the time we have put into trying, and we have to decide if we can afford to continue our dream or if we want to give it up and live with our 9-5’s and nothing more. If we decide to keep trying then great things can happen.
Maybe we then think… ‘As a seller I need to promote my work. With so much competition on the internet, I need some SEO help. I should use the selling promotions that the website I am selling from offers and sign up for the “pay per click”.’
After hundreds of dollars of “pay-per-click” promoting and SEO help from other sources, I can say that it doesn’t do very much if customers don’t actually make a purchase. Sure you can have plenty of clicks on my “promoted” items, but it doesn’t help if it doesn’t result in a sale. Some will argue that analytics from the clicks can help us understand who is interested in our items but not all sites offer analytics and signing up for analytics through another site can be time consuming.
This can be a detriment to those who dream of successfully making and selling their art/craft work. But there are alternatives to “pay-per-click” listing promoting and I suggest using these alternatives first.
1.) Use social media to advertise to your friends, family and social circle first. Let them know to use your craft/art selling platform to make purchases whether it be Etsy, Ebay, or even Amazon. Every sale will up your selling profile on your respective platform. It has been proven that customers purchase more from sellers that already have previous sales.
2.) Make a YouTube video about your art/craftwork explaining how it is made and where. I think a good idea is to show off your workspace so customers get an idea of the time and effort you put into not only your items but also your workspace. I know I have spent thousands of dollars over the years in supplies, equipment and incidentals for my workspace and uncountable hours of cleaning, rearranging and stocking it and it shows.
3.) If all else fails try “in person” selling or advertising. How? Sell your art/craft work at a country fair, craft fair, art festival, flea market, or to local small businesses. Make sure that you have business cards which include your name or the name of your website, and your contact information. Have your cards readily available on your table at the fair, or festival or pass along your card to local businesses. Finding events is not difficult. I would start by joining an online event promoter such as Festivalnet.com or Zapplication.org !!!
Selling Arts and Crafts 