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Marketing your business?
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Downsizer Forum Index -> Small Business Questions, Ideas and Advice

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Stacey

Joined: 18 Jul 2005
Posts: 8380
Location: Kernow

Posted: Tue Jul 10, 07 5:05 pm Post subject:
I don't see the difference

Rob R

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York

Posted: Tue Jul 10, 07 5:10 pm Post subject:

sally_in_wales wrote:

Anyway, moving along, assume one has identified a good product and a good market, how to go about reaching them? What are the overall principles of effective marketing especially for small producers with limited funding?

Assuming that you have that, 80% of marketing is already in the bag. You're asking about advertising & retailing, suggestions will flood forth I am sure...

Stacey

Joined: 18 Jul 2005
Posts: 8380
Location: Kernow

Posted: Tue Jul 10, 07 5:19 pm Post subject:
Press releases and getting the press to do features on you.... keeping lists and databases of current customers and contacting them at specific times....gaining new customers for the database by having a contact list when you trade at shows etc....consider retailing through outlets instead of face to face I'll dig out my notes from the marketing course - it's time I reviewed them anyway

chez

Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 35935
Location: The Hive of the Uberbee, Quantock Hills, Somerset

Posted: Tue Jul 10, 07 5:25 pm Post subject:

sally_in_wales wrote:

assume one has identified a good product and a good market, how to go about reaching them? What are the overall principles of effective marketing especially for small producers with limited funding?

I think that word of mouth is the best advertising there is, but takes a while to spread. And have you come across 'guerilla marketing'? It's actually a book, but it's specifically aimed at small businesses. I don't actually feel comfortable with all of the tactics, but it does have a lot of ideas.

We did quite well out of a post-card marketing campaign that we sent out to people - something eyecatching on the front that made people want to keep the card and then some brief details and a link to the website on the back.

I think it depends on your market, too - are you marketing to the end customer? Or to a middle-person who will sell on your product? Different approaches ... .

I would also say, pick out targets with a rifle and go for them, rather than the shotgun approach. And agree with Stacey's database of contacts that you keep in touch with, too - that works well for us.

Bit rambley ... hope I'm making sense.

MarkS

Joined: 01 Aug 2006
Posts: 2626

Posted: Tue Jul 10, 07 5:41 pm Post subject:

Chez wrote:

I would also say, pick out targets with a rifle and go for them, rather than the shotgun approach.

Uh-Oh!

dangerous suggestion on here.

sneeuwklokje

Joined: 08 Mar 2006
Posts: 277

Posted: Tue Jul 10, 07 8:55 pm Post subject:

Speaking of shotguns....as you are in the market of clothing, would it be worth your while to research (or set up a stall) at the major county fayres that cater to the outdoor life? Farmers, horsey set, gamekeepers, beaters - who are you aiming at? People who work hard or people who just want to look the part?

Can you write to some people and offer free samples, and in return, they start to spread the word for you? Find out where your target group is likely to hang out and loiter with intent there. In other words: go meet the people. Perhaps you could check out the yellow pages for stores that do that sort of clothing and ask them if they would stock your hats; or, if you could put a card on the counter?

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Tue Jul 10, 07 9:49 pm Post subject:
I shall watch this thread with interest. I am truly rubbish at marketing, and can only hope to improve. I like the sound of Stacey's scheme with a mentor (and they all sound like very interesting people!)

Stacey

Joined: 18 Jul 2005
Posts: 8380
Location: Kernow

Posted: Wed Jul 11, 07 8:32 am Post subject:

Not particualrly marketing related but the thing that is becoming obvious for me at this stage of the game is that I don't have enough residual stock. As I'm getting more orders and more exposure (ooer missus) I realise that I need to have much more back up stock than I have at present. That was a problem because until some money started coming in I wasn't able to buy raw materials to actually make enough stock. I'd suggest whilst you have some money coming in from a different source that you make enough stuff to have a back up stock before you start (unless you have already in which case ignore all of that

)

hedgewitch

Joined: 26 Nov 2005
Posts: 5834
Location: Daft wench GHQ

Posted: Wed Jul 11, 07 8:46 am Post subject:

Sally, as an addition to your 'straight' marketing, you write well and have expert knowledge so could write articles that indirectly advertise your products too. Just as an example, write an article on how women have coped with family washing through the ages for a magazine and include a short summary of your business with URL and contact details.

This is probably a bad example, but you get the general idea.

jema
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 28251
Location: escaped from Swindon

Posted: Wed Jul 11, 07 9:21 am Post subject:

Stacey wrote:

)

To me that is part of the general if somewhat pious principle that you should not start a full time business without adequate funding, having your decisions driven not by the needs of the business, but by the problems of cash flow can be one issue too many to deal with.

Stacey

Joined: 18 Jul 2005
Posts: 8380
Location: Kernow

Posted: Wed Jul 11, 07 9:53 am Post subject:

jema wrote:

Stacey wrote:

)

In an ideal world, Jema - but unfortunately not all of us reside in one of those

I'm doing ok - more than ok - things have really taken off since doing wonderwool. It's not a major drawback, more a pain in the rear

I think it's hard sometimes for people to understand they way the majority of crafts/arts based buisnesses start out. They aren't like 'standard' businesses and many of them start out in ways that would have 'proper' business people tearing their hair out. One local woman who started making bags in the kitchen out of old velvet curtains while her son was at school is now making a massive profit. Her stuff is everywhere.

So, the really important thing is the finished product IMO not necessarily the way the buisness is run. Sally is organised and makes fab stuff - she'll be fine, I'll be fine - we're all fine!

jema
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 28251
Location: escaped from Swindon

Posted: Wed Jul 11, 07 10:05 am Post subject:
As I said it is a pious point, but one that if you are working in an existing job and planning on going full full in your crafts business, that you can consider in terms of how you time things.

Stacey

Joined: 18 Jul 2005
Posts: 8380
Location: Kernow

Posted: Wed Jul 11, 07 4:05 pm Post subject:

jema wrote:

As I said it is a pious point, but one that if you are working in an existing job and planning on going full full in your crafts business, that you can consider in terms of how you time things.

I agree.

How do you feel about that?

sneeuwklokje

Joined: 08 Mar 2006
Posts: 277

Posted: Wed Jul 11, 07 8:48 pm Post subject:

hedgewitch wrote:

Sally, as an addition to your 'straight' marketing, you write well and have expert knowledge so could write articles that indirectly advertise your products too. ...

That is a good idea.

alison
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 12918
Location: North Devon

Posted: Wed Jul 11, 07 8:52 pm Post subject:
For our business I often look up competitors on the internet, and check out what type of adverts they have, and how big a package they have invested in. I have found quite a few good sites like this, and so far they are paying off advertising with them.

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