For many artists, designers and solo entrepreneurs being your own boss is often as much a lifestyle choice as it is business. You may have a burning need to create, stretch your skills and take pride in the small details of your work. Many choose to run their own business in the hope that they can find the satisfaction that has eluded them in the 9 to 5 existence. They want to have a greater pride in what they do and more input, be more ecologically sound, or show a greater level of customer service. The problem is that for many of these businesses, this philosophy goes against the mainstream of where their customers choose to spend.
Desire is often about gratification not luxury
It isn’t that people don’t want to buy quality but they are not experts in every field. Affordable is often judged as good enough. While the quality of hand made products may be higher priced, their unique features are not always recognized – a smoothed edge, double stitching, a finer quality of wood, a limited edition product – and so not appreciated by many shoppers. Always try to emphasize the ‘unique quality’ of your goods.
Ease of purchase is also another major factor in this fast paced society – we want things now! Not that this can be blamed solely on money or laziness. Brand recognition will also have a strong influence. Many still pay over their budget for that branded trainer or shiny gadget. A better quality product can be overlooked because it is just not recognized or easily available where they shop.
- We are after convenience
- Instant gratification
- Brand recognition and price.
Here I hesitate to say that value for money, so often the reason we buy, may have little to do with true value.
We are often fooled by the draw of a bargain
There is a reason why the bigger brands make profits even in these difficult times. Their business is based solely around research and marketing, and understanding why people buy and taking full advantage. ‘Not so special’ discounts and misleading claims can mean fast sales. These strategies often fly against the philosophy of many independent retailers who take pride in using local produce and often choose originality and quality over instant fashion fixes.
How do smaller businesses and brands compete
While big brands can pay large amounts to agency to build buzz, smaller businesses have to, by necessity, work in-house. Social media has made it possible to replicate some of the techniques used by expensive marketing agencies. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn to name but a few offer free access to a large pool of potential contacts and customer. With these tools you can build your own network. There is a simple formula for this technique.
Contact + Craving + Credibility = Influence
If you are in contact with your potential advocates, they are interested in what you are saying, and once you have credibility then you can build influence. The most difficult of the three can be credibility. Credibility can be built over time as you network with people and build trust and proof of your expertise. This can seem manipulative but it does not have to be. Go out, be yourself and use the passion for what you do to inspire people. Explain what makes your product or service different. Emphasize workmanship, customer service, attention to detail. You will be surprised how many customers are unaware of the work that goes into what you do.
Show don’t just tell
Tangible demonstrations of what you can do or the product you are selling are more memorable, whether this is in the form of free samples or videos showing your product in action. Remember to make these short and snappy to keep people’s attention and gain the most impact.
Build a community using social media
By building up a presence in social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook, you can build a network of interested and like minded individuals. Hints about the best supplier, the new big thing or personal recommendations all happen regularly across social media. Don’t try to sell directly to this audience. Be yourself and interact with the community. Share ideas and insights and you will build up a reputation that may eventually turn into indirect sales.
In the end the aim is not to compete with the big brands. Philosophically, many of us would not want to do this. However, by taking the basic techniques they employ you can make your own products and services more profitable, allowing you to sustain the lifestyle that inspired you in the first place.
Need help with any aspect of Social Media or on-line marketing? Contact Leonie at Line and Form
