Jun
8
Lady Divine
I recently opened a business where I sell handcrafted jewelry created out of semi-precious stones and metals. I am operating off of a shoe-string budget and have now depleted all my funds. I’d hoped that putting out flyers and word of mouth would have helped as well as having a free barbecue, but it has done nothing. I also sell a few handbags, belts and unique novelty items.
I recently opened a business where I sell handcrafted jewelry created out of semi-precious stones and metals. I am operating off of a shoe-string budget and have now depleted all my funds. I’d hoped that putting out flyers and word of mouth would have helped as well as having a free barbecue, but it has done nothing. I also sell a few handbags, belts and unique novelty items.
Can anyone offer any advice as to what I can do to bring in more customers. Serious responses please.
Comments
8 Responses to “How do I improve traffic to my business?”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Put your merchandise online, craigslist, set up shop at farmers markets, summer festivals, etc. Put merchandise in boutiques, nail salaons, tanning salons, etc. A few local bars, bistros and wine/martini bars would be a good place to have some merchandise too.
Contact the Small Business Administration. They provide free service for a small business.
I know that a lot of kids where that kind of stuff so if you spred some flyers around your local school then before you know it you’ll have 20 15 year old girls trying to buy as much stuff as they can
If there is a flea market in your area, get a booth.
Go to your local restaurants, hospital gift store, flower shops or any other small business and ask if you can display some of your goods for sell and leave your business cards for reference. Offer the owner’s a consignment fee.
Good Luck To You
Selling jewelry of any kind is hard because there are so many different kinds of jewelry available and each person who buys jewelry has very specific individual tastes.
Trying to sell a product to someone who isn’t interested in buying it is futile and will eventually break any business. The key for you is to figure out who buys your product and sell to them.
Who exactly is your targeted customer? Are you trying to sell expensive handcrafted jewelry to the teens and 20s crowd who have money but don’t spend it? Are you selling inexpensive jewelry in a location where people fork out the big bucks for jewelry? Is your business located where your most likely buyer will see it?
For example:
I attend arts and craft shows, Farmer’s Markets, Flea Markets, Antique Shows, etc. often.
At one farmer’s market I attend a very skilled woodworker attempts to sell his thousand dollar and up tables to people who are there, expecting to buy $20-$50 in produce. He is probably selling his product to the wrong market while trying to save money. In effect he is throwing away money targeting the wrong people at the wrong time.
Sell your merchandise where your most likely buyer will see it. Sell it to them at the right price and at the right time for them.
The problem comes in that you can’t tell what the right time for a buyer will be. In order to reach them at the right time you need to keep in contact with your customers.
Whether your business is brick and mortar, online, or home based you can do more to keep in contact with your customers. First remember that your best customer is the one who just purchased from you.
So:
Offer a complimentary product at a small discount while ringing up the sale. By offering something that matches the product, in the same style or color you increase the chance that the customer will make a larger purchase.
Get a name, address, phone, and email. Then send product care information, coupons for discounts, special offers, updates on where to find your products. Always ask the customers permission to add them to your mailing list.
Give great customer service with a smile. People remember and tell other people.
The key to a profitable business as I see it is to overcome 1 small obstacle between you and your customer, and then another, and another. Eventually reaching your goal.
Shasta McLaughlin
There are many ways to do it online, both paid or free methods. Some of the examples include actively participate in various related forums and blogs, and etc…
See:
This website will tell you more about different web marketing tips and tools.
how do you do ,
This is Kevin , we are a shoe wholesale , we could supply you shoes with a competitive price , you could have a look at our
photo website , there are parts of our products.
Hopefully we could do business for a long long time
so please get touch with us
YAHOO ID:
awaiting your mail