I am a know nothing marketeer. I have no degree in marketing or business. However, like most of us, I have been bombarded with advertising for my whole life. It is hard to not form some opinions about the best and worst way to sell something. Pay attention to ads made by the experts. You may learn how to avoid making marketing mistakes. On the other hand, there are lots of suggestions on the internet to study.
We are our Own Marketeers with Social Media.
Social media has leveled the playing field for getting the word out about our products. In many cases,we are now all our own marketeers. With social media we often create our own posts or ads. First of all, remember to include the 5 Ws- who, what, where, when, why. I am surprised to see that often one of the 5 Ws is left out.Of course, include a photo or a video of your product or of you making your product.
With social media we can connect with people all over the world. That is a good thing. The downside is people forget the reach of social media. A post for an event may fail to include all pertinent information about the location. They may use initials for the venue that others don’t know outside of the local area. Numerous times I would love to attend an event only to search and find out that the location is very far away. Posting is still fine even if a person is outside of the area just take the time to use a full title of the venue, location, and time.
Product Information
The information about your product may be obvious to you because you created it or do it al the time. However, it may not be obvious to someone else. Pretend that you are talking to someone who knows nothing about what you do. Tell them in simple language what you make and how you make it. Figuring out what a visitor to your studio might not know takes practice. Listening to what visitors say and ask will help over time. While a picture may be worth a thousand words, words and explanations are still important to include. Avoid the marketing mistake of not explaining your product.
Reminder Posts
Another thing this know nothing marketeer has noticed is the last minute timing of a reminder post. The time someone publishes a post, it is not the same time that one reads the post. It may be a day or two later. I see reminder posts that say “Happening Tomorrow!” Which tomorrow? What is the date? Maybe the date has even passed by the time the person is reading the post. Is it just me or are you also frustrated when all of the information is not included? Avoid the marketing mistake by writing a clear,complete post. It is easy to be rushed on social media and post something right away. I remind myself to slow down and make sure all of the important info is there. Above all,I am grateful for the edit buttons as well.
Explain What your Product is
Another no brainer- Describe what your new product is. What is it used for? How is it used? If it is a food product, what are the ingredients?
Food trucks are currently all the rage. Each unique food truck tries to stand out. That is what a local South American food truck recently tried to do. They advertised that their item was not a taco. Okay, but the ad never says what the item is. Not everyone will know what it is. I saw the ad for weeks on Instagram. I kept waiting for them to say at some point what their food item was. However,they never answered the question. Be clear about what you are marketing. Marketing can be expensive. However, with social media each of us can become our own marketeer. Avoid this marketing mistake by being clear about what you are marketing.
No doubt the plan was to entice people to ask,What is the food item if it is not a taco?” But most people have no time or interest to do that. I am still waiting for the answer.These ads were produced by people who are supposed to know what they are doing. In addition, these ads are not cheap. I would expect more from my money.These are just my know nothing observations.
Make it Clear what You are Selling.
I make art quilts. Not everyone knows what an art quilt is.First of all,the public may think of a bed quilt that their grandmother made. That is a great starting point for the conversation. Yet, remember to explain what an art quilt is. Art quilts are a new art form of wall art made with fabric and often using quilting techniques.However, artist have a wide variety of techniques and styles to choose from. Be clear about what you are making and marketing.
Cross Country Travel
When traveling across the country,I noticed fairly large stores that only have their name on their store front. Maybe the locals know what they sell but people from out of the area are clueless. Is the product food or clothing or something else? From the street,strangers don’t know what they sell or sometimes can’t even see what they sell. We pulled up to several large storefronts looking for a grocery store. Yet, they turned out to be a sporting goods stores. Be clear to avoid marketing mistakes about what you are selling.
A Poor Radio Ad
Advertisising is expensive. Make sure you are getting something for your money. I heard a radio ad that only used the name of the product. I didn’t know what this product was. The ad repeated numerous times, not 10% not 20% but 50 % discount. A great discount but on what? What is the product?
What does it do? Be clear about what you are marketing. New customers need to know what the product is and what it does. Isn’t that what an ad is for. Learn from the mistakes of others.
Choosing a Name
I chose the name for my online shop totally by accident. No forethought whatsoever went into the naming of my business. When the opportunity arose, I just choose my name, Ann Baldwin May Art Quilts. It turned out to be a good choice. Luckily, my name begins the alphabet. I have noticed that this helps when artists are listed in alphabetical order. Sometimes unintended consequences work out well.
In some cases using one’s own names for their business may be a good decision. I have several artist friends who worked hard to choose a unique name for their business or website. This name is special to them. However,it is difficult for me to remember that special name when I want to reach out to them or share their info. Sometimes simple is best at times in my opinion. That said, using one’s personal name for a business may not always be the best choice.
Social Media has turned many of us into marketeers. Marketing for an artist can be scary. Explaining one’s process and product is part of what makes an artist successful. Most importantly, include the important information when posting on social media. Remember the wide reach of the internet when posting. Proofread and check that all of the important information is included. These are just a few ways to avoid making marketing mistakes. I need to remember these suggestions as much as the next person. Most importantly, I love the edit button.
This article may also be of interest.
https://annbaldwinmayartquilts.com/2022/08/how-to-talk-to-the-public-about-your-art/
https://annbaldwinmayartquilts.com/2023/04/how-to-be-a-brave-artist/
https://annbaldwinmayartquilts.com/2020/06/shop-etsy-find-joy/
