Hello crochet family! It is time to check in with Nathan and Marissa, your favorite crochet couple, and find out what is going on with the lovable, crochetable, Plushie gang. Last weekend we had a great turnout for Scare City in St. Pete, Florida. Boo Boo the Ghost was the star of the show, but he had a basket full of support from all his Plushie pals for the event.
I hope you are enjoying the 6-week Mini Master Class, Casual to Cash in 6 weeks, so far. I've covered the importance of enjoying what you do because your success depends on it, and crocheting enough inventory to handle a busy festival or show. In part two of this series, I compared eight online marketplaces that cater to handmade sellers in order to give you insight into how an online marketplace can be ideal for the small business. Last week, I talked about the differences between seven handmade marketplaces that are great options for setting up your online business. I went over the pros and cons of each marketplace to give you insight into the cost of listing your products online and the advantages each marketplace offers. Keep in mind that the short list I researched for you is only tipping the surface of the sea of online marketplace sites that cater to the handmade crochet business. Finding the right home for your crochet business is an important step to success, however, that is just the beginning.
After deciding where you will sell your handmade crochet items, the real work begins. Now you have to list your items in the marketplace and this means creating product listings that are unique and stand out from the crowd., You want to entice your customers to buy your product. In a massive marketplace like Etsy, it is not enough to just be seen. Your products have to be desired and the best way to accomplish this is by perfecting your product listing and being creative with everything from the images you use for your products to the description that tells their story. If your listing looks exactly like everyone else's, why would anyone want to browse the same boring information that is seen over and over? You want to give customers a reason to visit your product listing. I am going to give you a step-by-step guide to creating beautiful product listings for your handmade crochet crafts that will convert into sales.
Because you are artistic by nature, I am confident in your ability to create a functional aesthetic product listing that will convert into sales with a little guidance and determination. Creating a product listing is an art, much like any other, but there is also a proven method to it that will ensure your products get the best chance of being sold. The first step of many, to creating the perfect listing, is taking professional quality photographs of your products. It's important to get a shot from all angles and let potential customers see exactly what they are purchasing. Be sure you have proper lighting and be creative with props to create unique images for your listings.
When your images are ready to post, it's time to define your audience. Think of this like television commercials. Let me explain. When you're watching a made for Lifetime Movie, all the commercials are geared toward women and their needs. You're likely to see commercials advertising feminine products or women's clothing. On the contrary, when your six-year-old turns on cartoons on Saturday mornings, you are likely to see commercials advertising sugary cereal or theme parks. That's because they have defined their audience and are using advertisements that will appeal directly to that audience. It's likely the child's mother is close by and may even hear or see the commercial when it airs. But she is not the intended target. If you define your audience correctly, describing your product will be easy. If you are selling a baby blanket, your audience is likely expectant mothers and consumers looking for a baby shower gift. So it wouldn't be smart to describe your blanket as a colorful throw for the couch, even though it might work as such. Your target audience is searching for a baby blanket, so give them what they are searching for.
It is also wise to create a template that can be used in each of your listings that contain the same type of item. Not only does this save time, it can also become familiar to repeat customers and help define your brand. By adding creative bullets or emojis throughout your listing you can stand out and become recognizable to your customers. You also want to know your product inside and out and a great way to go about this is to sit down and list every attribute of your handmade crochet item that you can think of. Your list should include things like size, color, who it was made for, who it would make a good gift for, and what occasion is it best suited for. Decide how this product can improve someone's life even if the improvement is as simple as making them happier, or solving a problem like what to give someone as a gift.
I have outlined for you the steps of product listing so that the steps are easy to understand and give you an example of exactly what to include in your product listing. For the purposes of this outline, I am going to use a baby blanket as the product I am listing.
(Handmade Crochet Baby Girl Blanket, Pink and White, Baby Shower Gift)
The title should speak directly to your target audience. In this case, I am talking to new mothers and the family and friends of an expectant mother.
- 2-4 sentences describing your product.
(Brand new hand crocheted baby blanket in colors white and pink for your precious baby girl. This item is made with 100% acrylic yarn, is hypoallergenic for sensitive baby skin, and is durable enough to be machine washed and laid flat to dry. It measures 42” wide x 56 “ long, giving your baby plenty of snuggle room.
- Now you want to have a bullet list in your template highlighting the desirable features of your product.Here you can refer back to the attribute list you made.
-100% acrylic yarn
-Hypoallergenic
-42" w x56” l
-Perfect gift for any new mother.
- Here is where you will talk about special promotions
or how beautifully packaged your item is. Mention shipping upgrades or free shipping options.
(Free shipping on orders over $35.
Every item in our shop comes beautifully packaged and ready to give to your loved one.)
- End your listing with a clear directive of shipping time, returns, and exchanges.
(Your item will be shipped using UPS and will arrive at your door in 3-5 business days. For custom handmade items, we do not accept returns or exchanges unless it is a mistake made in production.)
Following this outline will give you a simple well-defined product listing that gives your handmade crochet items the best chance to be seen and sold.
And the final step in listing your products is pricing them appropriately. When you price your items, remember the labor involved, the materials, and price your products accordingly. When people are searching for something handmade, they do not expect assembly line prices. You want to keep your prices competitive without pricing yourself out of the market.
So remember, in order to create product listings that convert into sales, start with professional looking images, a well-defined template that speaks to your target audience and price your items competitively. These tips will save you the guesswork when you are ready to list your items in your chosen marketplace. By using this guide, you can create beautiful product listings that speak to your audience and launch a successful handmade crochet business.
Check out our website, littleluvinstitches.net and our Etsy shop LittleLuvinStitches to see what our small business has to offer. We love what we do and want you to enjoy the art of crochet as much as we do. If you have never crocheted before, Plushie Luv In a Box is a mystery plushie box that comes with its own video tutorial and live support to get you started on your own crochet journey. Given the time to develop your crochet skills, your first lesson could be the start that led you to become the owner of your own crochet business one day!
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