Marketing Weapons -- A Marketing calendar
Many Crafters get frustrated with unpredictable sales. One week your sales skyrocket
and the next week you just seem to set around.
What causes this ebb and flow of new clients and capitol and how can you stabilize
it? It is easier than you think and begins with planning a marketing calendar.
As you plan your marketing calendar, ask yourself what is the source of
incentive is in your marketing approach.
For some the incentive to sell only comes when their dwindling bank account motives them.
They go into community and start selling their wares. When this happens, they
immediately put a lot of energy into getting new orders.
The pay off is great. The business will have orders and you are busy again, but here
comes the catch. If you haven’t planned properly for the increased growth you
will end up putting all of your energy into making new pieces and have no time
left for marketing. Within a few weeks, you will be back where you started again
scrambling for new orders and the roller coaster ride starts over.
1. Create a yearly calendar. –
Many Crafters operate from month-to-month when it comes to marketing. If
you do and you ask yourself, “Where will my sales will be next year?” you
probably would not know. How much more successful would your business be if you
planned for the year? You can expect steady and consistent growth by doing
just this one step.
2. Create a best month calendar. –
Take the best one month of your past year and look at what
you where doing to increase sales. If you have been operating in a crisis mode
then you have probably been over loading some of your months too many marketing
events. Remember what you are looking for is a steady continuous flow of sales!
Do not market like a lunatic one-month and then not do any at all the next.
3. Decide how many sales you want to attract each month. –
Keep this number in mind as you
create your calendar. If you know your demonstrations, home parties or email
newsletters usually generate five new sales each then plan appropriately for
your growth.
4. Plan for growth. –
After you create and start using your plan, your sales will start to
grow. You want to avoid the roller coaster ride you need to identify before hand
when you will need to expand your inventory or alter your system to accommodate
your growth. Plan your calendar, plan for growth and deliver quality crafts to
everyone you encounter.
5. Enjoy the freedom and peace of mind that your marketing calendar can bring. –
It is very
freeing to have this kind of plan on paper, to be able to anticipate your growth
and needs, and not live from sale to sale.
6. Plan your marketing calendar today. –
Find the three-to-four hours of time it takes and you will
be a better crafter because you will no longer be dependent upon your new
clients. You will have plenty of new sales and know your financial life is
stable.
If your sales are seasonal, say you only sell in the summer, or at Christmas. Use the
Marketing Calendar to plan when and where you will place your ads. Most
Newsletters have some sort of editorial calendar that tells you when the
advertisements are due.
Unique and timely sales opportunities that can be planned for.
- If you have, a local ballet group that does the Nutcracker be sure to find out
when it is, and be sure that you have the appropriate charms in stock.
Can you get the list on dancers or their parents and offer appropriate jewelry?
- When is the local schools homecoming, prom, graduation etc? Do they have programs
that you can sponsor?
- Are there any groups that perform plays in your area? Do they need any jewelry
props? Maybe you can trade for a blurb in the program. Alternatively, offer
period pieces to the patrons.
- Do not forget to stock up for any shows that you do, you may want to email or
mail to any clients to let them know you will be there.
- Do you do any event specific jewelry? Super Bowl Team Colors, 4th of
July patriotic themes, Breast Cancer Awareness Weeks, etc.
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