Lisa Tomlinson from Oakland, California writes:
“I have a greeting card, stationery and gift items company that features fine art reproductions of extraordinarily unique mixed-media collage originals created by my brother, Jon Tomlinson. I don’t have a bricks-and-mortar shop, but our office and warehouse operations are run out of a 4,000-square-foot facility.
“Our products are sold to retailers, museums and galleries for resale and on our website directly to consumers. Our target audience is women ages 18 to 75.
“I would like to get some advice and suggestions from your members on how to promote my business more effectively.”
Hi Lisa,
My first recommendation is an overhaul of your website. As a calling card for your greeting cards, it falls way short.
For starters, I don’t see any way for you to build a list of customers, prospective or otherwise. Take a look at Joan’s site. On every page, including this blog, she offers the “Publicity Hound’s Tips of the Week.” What do you offer? Why would I ever come back?
My co-op has fair trade, green cards…what do you have? If you don’t give it to me in the first 3 to 9 seconds, I’m gone…and I’m a typical visitor.
Check out “20 Website Details Every Artist Must Know” (You have to scroll to see it on the right side): http://www.artist-statement.com/ And good luck!
Hi Lisa,
Normally, as The Article Marketing Expert http://www.prleads.com/article.htm, I’d answer your question by rattling off 3 to 5 article topics you should be writing about right now. By writing and submitting articles to the top directories, websites and ezines you’d increase your online exposure and branding on the Net, improve search engine optimization (SEO) rankings and create a constant flow of traffic to your site all at the same time. Plus, in 6 months guaranteed,you can have a list of hungry prospects wanting to hear from you right now.
But, before you can do that, you need to improve your website design and copy. You need to compel me to take acion now! You need to create a special report, a newsletter or some way for me to give you my name and email address so you send me offers month after month. Email me at Eric@prleads.com, and I can help you setup a website that sells. Once we have that complete, then we can focus on your website marketing.
Any artist who needs help marketing help must sign up for Ariane Goodwin’s smARTist Telesummit. You’ll learn over the telephone, from the comfort of your home or office, how to turn an art hobby into a fulltime business.
A dozen art marketing experts, including me, will share our best tips this month on how to do everything from sell your art on Ebay to sell licensing rights to your work.
I’m presenting from 2 to 2:45 p.m. Eastern Time on Monday, Jan. 22. For complete information on how you can participate, go to http://tinyurl.com/ymcvu8 Spaces are already filling up fast.
Lisa:
It is my humble belief that you should engage a comprehensive marketing plan that includes some of the following tactics:
1. Narrowly define your target audience: You say 18-75. This is a pretty broad spread. I am willing to bet if you analyzed your BEST customers the spread is not so wide. Also, you are selling to retail outlets? This is an audience with specfic needs. What size outlet? What geographic locations? etc.
2. Sales Forecast: Make sure you have a good idea of what you need to earn month over month to cover your expenses and determine what you want above this. This analysis will help you hone in on a syndicated financial target and help you understand how many and when you need to sell cards.
3. Identify your network hubs: No, I am not crazy. Hubs are people who by virtue of their job, expertise, exposure, personlality, etc. influence large numbers of people (Oprah Winfrey for example is a mega hub). This could be someone who everybody in your market goes to for gift advice (a funeral director could be one, a hairdresser, a popular nurse or hospital administrator, etc.). Once you id your hubs (and you do have them), devise a strategy to get on their radar screen (send them free samples, press kits, take them to lunch, etc.). If they like you, so will their networks.
4. Engage in regular public relations activity (Joan can help you best here)
5. Find successful mentors: I know a couple who started a business selling African American themed wallpaper a couple of years ago (Cultural Hangups…www.culturalhangups.com. They are now top sellers in Wal-Mart and several other mega retailers. There are others, find them and build relationships.
6. Mobilize your evangelists: See my blog post on this at http://tinyurl.com/2ngar2
7. Social marketing tactics: Start a blog that talks about everything gift related (who to send cards to, the type of card, when to send them, how businesses can communicate using cards, and on…). Once you start the blog, begin posting to other blogs to drive traffic. Start interviewing industry experts whose discussion points will influcence your audience and drive them to your products.
8. Revisit your website: After rethinking your audience and how you should communicte with them consdier:
– Giving your press section higher priority
– Make the press section more robust (Joan can help)
– List some of the retailers you work with
– Add regular, educational content
– Post user stories on how your cards are received
– Remove a lot of the corporate stuff (mission, values, etc.). Retail buyers and direct customers don’t care…all they want to know is what you can do for them.
– Hire a copywriter with demonstrated expertise in driving sales. Start by knowing exactly what your customers want and write crisp copy that delivers only this…avoid flowerly language about artist biographies, etc…Don’t guess what your customers want, know it exactly.
Just some of my thoughts.