If you are passionate about the arts and designs, know that there are a number of effective and proven ways to sell your crafts online. If you have grown tired of being an employee and would rather be your own boss, there is still room for creative people like you on the big Web.
You need not be tech-savvy to figure out how to make big bucks when you decide to focus on this job or do it on the side. Take note, though, that you are just one of the millions of online entrepreneurs out there. If you aren’t prepared to tackle the unique challenges of marketing your creative arts and designs online, your beautiful products may just sit there without being noticed.
The Challenge
If you are quite good, there will be a market ready to buy your creative products, but only if they can find you or see what you carry. No matter how exquisite and unique your crafts are, when you are just starting off, buyers have no way of locating your site. They need to know your name or brand, so they can type it in Google or other search engines. If you expect buyers to discover your website or online store organically, it could be a long, uncertain wait. If you intend this to be your bread and butter, you must cut corners.
How to Be Found
If you want your creative arts/products to be found and sold, you need a shorter, but sure process. Two of the popular ways to achieve this are:
- Connecting to popular ecommerce websites.
Selling your crafts on existing online marketplaces that already have a big following is practical due to it being inexpensive and having a wider reach. Depending on your craft, there is a right online marketplace or selling platform for you. For instance, digital designs and arts can be sold on “Creative Market” and creative T-shirts can be sold on the website “Threadless.” If you want to have your own store, head to the “Big Cartel.” It allows vendors to create and customize their own store, and it provides tools to monitor the store performance.
- Using the Social Media
The social media have changed the ways people of this generation interact, crossing the barrier distance. Facebook, Flickr, Google+, Twitter, etc. can provide you the avenue to meet your target market, talk and get to know them, and gather insights into what they need or how they see your products. It can also strategically generate new leads while developing existing relationships to make them stick, visit and buy, again and again.
The Next Big Thing
Having your own website to market your artistic products can be good, but that’s a long shot on being found by your target market. Building, developing and maintaining an online store also entails a huge investment. If you already have a product, using popular marketplaces and the social media can give them the right exposure so your business can thrive. When you have successfully built your customer base, you can elevate your brand in your own website/store. With its following, your brand will be found.