We all want to know the Super Secret Formula to Marketing. Well guess what!?
… I wish I knew it, too!
Even though there are plenty of blog posts dedicated to this formula + that formula, what I have learned after reading countless articles + listening to dozens of youtube videos is that every Brand will find their own strategy that works for them.
Why? Because we’re all different with our own strengths, weaknesses + preferences.
Some of us are blessed with amazing prose; others can snap a dozen incredible magazine-worthy photos in 2 minutes while the rest of us are struggling to figure out where the Take Picture button is. And some of the masters are blessed with sell-out products as soon as they list them for sale!
While I may drool over these talents, that’s not to say the rest of us can’t learn from their natural instincts. Because I believe it is all about testing each formula that you come across + infusing it with your own inherent talents to find your perfect Marketing Strategy.
To get your juices flowing, here is what I’ve found has worked for my little corner of the internet.
For every lady (sorry guys; I’ve only had 1 husband sign up with his wife in the last 2 years that I’ve been teaching) that has taken a class with me, joined us for Yarn Night or has even talked to me about taking a class, I have offered her the opportunity to sign up for my Knit + Crochet Student email list.
When I sit down to write these email updates (class schedules, class tuition sales + class reminders), I specifically write to them.
As for Knittedhome’s newsletter, I know it needs more tweaking 😉 I’d love to hear from you, my readers, what you’d like to see in your inbox + how often.
The Golden Rule when it comes to email marketing: Don’t clutter up your VIP’s inbox (yes, they are your VIPs because they have given you special permission to email them!). Hold it sacred + only send worthwhile content that you’re super excited to share.
Word of Mouth
Yes, good old fashion word of mouth is probably one of the best ways to market your business. How do you get people to talk about you? Give them something that will impress them so much, they just have to share it with all their friends or they’ll just BURST!
Here are some examples that have prompted me to shout praises of my own when I have discovered a Brand that I truly connected with:
- Exceptional Quality in your product or service
- A long-frustrating problem has finally been solved by your product. Must. Tell. All. Friends!
- Above-and-Beyond customer service
- A mission or effort that I feel compelled to support – not necessarily feeding the hungry in Africa, but maybe a percentage of sales goes to support Mom’s House or another organization that resonates with me.
Interactions on Social Media
If you’re going to have a presence on any social media platform, the best thing you can do is engage not only with your audience, but also with your mentors + entities that you look up to. This will make them take notice of you + help create your own brand recognition with the Big Players.
My personal Icons whom I’d love to work with? Etsy, EtsyWholesale, West Elm, IKEA USA.
Mentors: KylaRoma, byRegina, Elle & Company
So far I can say I have jumped up + down when
The point of all this narcissism? People like to feel loved! Audience members want to feel a personal connection with you! How do you do that? By finding something to personally connect with them about! It may sound hard at first, but really, you both eat food, drink coffee/tea/lemonade/ice water, love your significant other/pet/home, hate your job/traffic jams, and sleep. There’s got to be something you can connect over, right? And the beauty is it only takes a few seconds but can really build up your audience.
I have been blown away by how quickly my Twitter + Instagram audience has grown just by me being curious enough to explore hashtags I’m already using in my own posts. I liberally share the love (heart-ing or favorite-ing –> many of my friends call this “like-bombing”) and it can quickly build a following.
I’m not saying just start liking everything you see to explicitly build your numbers; but if you are truly drawn to something you see or read, don’t be shy to let the author know. We are all sharing to be validated on some level, right?
What marketing strategies have you found actually work for you? Feel free to share links/ referral links in the comment sections. I love that we can all help each other out. =)
KNITTEDHOME 