Creative Marketing

A new month and a change of season are both good reasons to evaluate your store, your products, and your marketing. Not that you can’t sell Christmas ornaments all year round, but you’ll have an easier time of it if you play into what’s trending this time of year.

Instagram is the social media channel for both artists and online sellers. So if you’re both of those, it’s even more important that you up your game. Instagram is a visual platform but there’s more to it than just posting beautiful photos of your work. Here are five apps that will help you up your Instagram game, which should, in turn, lead to more followers, more engagement and more sales of your work.

February is the month where everyone’s thoughts turn to love, hearts, and candy. Go shopping in almost any physical store and you'll see Valentine signage, gift ideas and red and pink galore. What will online shoppers see when they land on your store? Hopefully, it won't be Christmas messaging and candy canes. Even if you're not selling Valentine specific merchandise, you should be keeping up with the theme of the month. Why? If for no other reason, it lets customers know that you're open for business. Valentines Day signage or promos tells new customers that you recently updated your site and are more likely to be responsive to their orders or questions.

One way to increase traffic to your store and grow your brand is through social sharing. Your IndieMade dashboard has all the tools you need but some store owners aren’t taking full advantage of all those tools have to offer. If you already have social accounts, all you have to do is spend a little time tweaking your sharing buttons now and then load social friendly titles every time you list a new product. If you make sharing easy for your visitors and they’ll do your marketing for you and that’s time well spent.

Your customers look to you for fresh ideas and inspiration. Jewelry, home decor, even handmade soaps and greeting cards can help winter-weary customers slide into spring. Here are three quick ways to give your brand a seasonal boost: featuring products, updating keywords and lightening up your social. Read on for details. . . .

Handmade jewelry is one of the most popular categories here on IndieMade. From fun and funky, to statement pieces with rare gems, there really is something for everyone on our platform. That’s great for buyers, but sellers without a distinct brand can get lost in a sea of beads. Why should buyers choose your store over any other? It’s all about narrowing your brand and in turn your audience.

Facebook Groups have been around for a long time, but it’s only been in the past few years that they’ve really taken off. There are small groups for just about every club, team and community on the planet and larger groups that cover everything from Astronomy to the X-Files. As a handmade seller, there are three good reasons to join multiple Facebook groups: to learn, to network and to sell. That last one is the one that can get you into the most trouble, so let’s take them in the least volatile order.

Halloween is over and we’ve officially cut the ribbon on the start of the 2016 Holiday Shopping Season. Over the next few weeks, we’re going to be talking about things you can do to help your handmade business reach new heights starting with a primer on two of the hottest days for online sellers: Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday. This year, Small Business Saturday falls on November 26. That’s the day after Black Friday, which is so appropriate. After shoppers are done scouring the major chains for deals, they can turn their attention to the mom and pop shops in their area. If you have your own brick and mortar store or a booth in marketplace, this day was made for you. But there are also plenty of ways online only shops can take advantage of this highly publicized event.