Photo from the Young Entrepreneur
If you don't mind a couple of questions, I have read many of your newsletters and can't remember if this was addressed, but I just opened a "store" on artfire. I was wondering if there is a free way to advertise my site and to drive people to my site.
I did a search and there was a lot there, but I don't want to get pulled into a scam or a site that will use my e-mail to send me a lot of junk mail. I do this as a hobby in my retirement and don't have a large budget.
I do plan to use business cards and distribute flyers, perhaps see if I can have a drawing at a local specialty store....but that only gets me advertised locally. I have also asked all my friends to forward the artfire address to their friends, and have some friends on Facebook who have my link on their wall. I've been up for only a week, so I have been networking already.
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Robyn Hawk is answering this question for Anita
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Anita - thanks for bringing up this topic -
I have been meaning to write a post covering the Jewelry Marketing info I learned at the Tucson Gem Show...and you have given me the push I needed. So - some quick and easy things you can do:
1. Signature Line - You already have covered - this should be set to auto fill on EVERY email you send...you never know!
2. Web Presence - I happen to be partial to ArtFire - they have all the perks of an Etsy shop (they are a marketing machine) but right now you can still see the individual trees in this forest!
3. Tags or Keywords - this is one of the most important quick fixes - what do you think that someone looking for your jewelry would plug into a search engine to find you?
Be as specific as you can - it doesn't have to be a single word sometime a phrase is better "lavender crystal cube bracelet" or use the actual Swarovski color "Tanzanite crystal cube bracelet". The later would be especially good for someone how just discovered how expensive Tanzanite is and sees your piece as a great option!
This is a balancing act however as the search engines will penalize you for jamming lots of unnecessary key words into your site.
4. Blogging - I know, this can seem intimidating but a blog with your ArtFire shop Widget or a Slide presentation that directs people to your selling site can help in lots of ways. Look at this as your way to "stand in front" of your customer...tell the "story" of your piece - talk about the ancient beliefs about a certain color - tell about new techniques you are learning - show photos of things that inspire you (local weather, colors in a sunset, etc.) and the occasional baby and fur baby photo always makes the human connection stronger.
These posts need a photo and only have to be a paragraph or two - short and sweet! ...don't forget your Tags on your blog! The more often you update your blogs - the fresher the content - the higher your ranking in the search engines.
5. Social Media - there are lots of sites to post opinions, thoughts, etc. - don't limit yourself to jewelry sites - jewelers don't buy a lot of jewelry! FaceBook, MySpace, EONS, topics range from mommy sites to book sites...this is where a good intro and your signature line are important.
6. Press Releases - there are several local newspapers in every town - submit your own press release! It is Fashion Week - send out a release that talks about how your pieces work into the looks that are on the runway.
No paper is too small - and the smaller ones may need a Fashion/Image Editor! So - now that you are completely overwhelmed Anita - LOL
Just tackle one thing at a time and you will see a difference in the number of hits in your shop!
Freelance PR & Marketing
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Added by Szarka February 27th 2010
Facebook and twitter have become a huge force in social networking, even more so since this article was first published. I think it is important if you are going to have web presence to have an account in each of those venues.
With facebook you not only want personal page but also a fan page where you can freely tout your business and have an audience that actually wants to hear it. Your personal page is the place to interact and form relationships with people. One of the things that it is important to remember is that people want to buy from you because they know you and they like you. Well at least they are interested in you as a person. If you enter these social networking arenas and all you do is post over and over what you have for sale soon no one will be listening to your posts at all.
It is like going to a party. If you enter the room with your business card in hand and start talking business to everyone you meet soon you will be alone in the kitchen eating the appitizers over the sink. If you go in, meet people, joke, play laugh then they will remember you and who you are.
From there you do not want to then hand them a business card you want to offer them information, interest, cool things to do, see, watch. Invite them to your blog is like inviting a new friend to your house. As soon as they walk in the door don't hit them with a sales pitch or people will not come over anymore. Make your blog interesting, some place guests will want to return over and over again. Then when Aunt Matilda is having an anniversary or Gertrude is graduating they will think "oh, hey, I know a lady that's make cool jewelry I need go pick something out". Then they can easily find the link to your store on your bog, hopefully, and painlessly go through the process of picking something up.
The other thing that many do not realize is the importance of incoming links to getting noticed online. Link exchanges are the worst way to do that. Google barely even counts them. The best way to at first get started is to open up pages with your websites name or business name at the myriad of sites available where you can social network in your niche. Just do a search on jewelry making forums, create a page in everyone you can find with a link to your store and walla you have incoming links.
Better yet have people link to you because what you offer is interesting. People will link to your blog articles etc if what you write is something they want to share. Those links are like gold.
Lastly be sure your website is something google likes with your keywords. Read the page as if you were a robot and you could not see pictures. Can a robot figure out what you re selling? If not rework the words on your pages. "Coral Beauties" tells the robots nothing. "Hand Made Wire Wrapped Artisan Sterling and Mediterranean Coral Bead Necklaces, Bracelets, Earrings at retail and wholesale prices" does.
Hope this helps.
Szarka
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