Black Crafters Guild

African Diasporans creating, decorating, and artistically altering by hand

Getting exposure for Your e-Store on a Tiny Budget

A brick-and-mortar store is immediately noticable, but as many professional website marketers will may tell you, the concept "If you build it, they will come" does not apply to a webstore. If you want visitors, tell them that your website exists, give them a reason to visit, and, provide outstanding customer service so that they'll return as well as recommend you to others.

- Get a link to your webstore posted on other websites. The frequency of your website being linked to on the internet directly affects the ranking you'll have in some top search engines. Usually this has to be done through a link exchange (you must reciprocate). Perhaps paying a nominal monthly or annual fee to the website owner would enable you to avoid having to place their link on your website. Ideally, no outside links are in your webstore, because they take customers away from it.

- Learn about what will make your website search engine-friendly, then get your webstore listed in directories and search engines.
The Ten Commandments

"When designing business cards, I do both, the traditional and Flyer card. The Flyer card seems to intrigue the mid-30's and below crowd. The Flyer card is simply a 4 x 6 photo with your contact information, a stunning product image, and maybe a special offer. You take a picture of your product and edit in Photoshop, add text (you may want to do a jazzy font), save in jpg, send over to Costco or Walmart or simply save to a disk and go to the location yourself, get prints in matte so that fingerprints will not get on photos. Note, make sure
that you make the image 4 x 6 in Photoshop before sending over or saving to disk. Also, you can try a 200-300 resolution for added "pop". Tip provided by Itiel McVay http://blackcrafters.ning.com/profile/ItielMcVay

- Keep a stack of your business cards (make sure your webstore's address is on them, and keep it as short as possible) in a card holder on the cash register counters of complementary brick-and-mortar stores or other. Some of them may be willing to accept a nominal monthly fee.

- Have others pay for your advertising. Sell attractive bags, t-shirts, or other items with your webstore's address on them.

- Register your domain name as a business name, and use it as a business name for Yellow Pages ads. Instead of using your usual company name plus an extra line (and thus extra advertising cost), you can just use your domain name and still qualify for a Yellow Pages ad (this may not apply to those outside of Ontario).

- Put a sign or bumper sticker on your (and your relatives' , if they'll let you) cars. "I love thesite.com". Vista Print (click "car door magnets" under the marketing materials menu)

- If you accept Pay Pal, get your store listed in its directory. Pay Pal Directory

- Put your website address on all price tags. It doesn't have to be on the same side as the price, but it would be better if it is. Keep the address as short as possible.

- Put your website address on all your home craft party invitations. Home Craft Party Central

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Pamela Crawley's tip: Be willing to donate at piece of your artwork. Not only will you help out a good cause, but it will put your product in front of the public eye.
Yes! You must be willing to donate and put your work in goody bags for events. Narrow down how made items you want to give away for the year. Then keep your eyes and ears open for events that are for people in your target market. It is beneficial to join networking sites. It works!

Also, if possible, create a charity/philanthropy item, such as something for empowerment, cancer, sickle cell. Use that as your marketing item for those purposes.
Dang, that's good! What a practical and focussed approach. If you don't mind, please explain your charity item idea. Thx. :)

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