KISS, one of my daughter's favorite words. She used it quite frequently before leaving for school three years ago. She used it so much I had to find out why. She explained to me when she told someone KISS, it meant 'Keep It Simple Stupid'. According to her that most of time we spend our time making everything more complicated than what it need be.
I was thinking about this the other day and I think I figured out why I'm always so tired, in trying to stock my shop, I'm not keeping it simple. I have so many varied interest that I can't decide which one I really want to dedicate myself to. I love to knit, sew and crochet, not to mention jewelry.
Being a creative person missed the point of keeping my shop simple. As online shop owners we should strive to keep our categories and product line straight forward so our customers know who we are. Making sure our potential customers understand exactly what we do. Get know for being the best in what it is we do. I work hard at being the best at whatever I do.
I look at my shop and see beautiful items but no cohesion. I think that now is the time to narrow my view to pick something and make it my focus. I've that my inspiration lately has been the newest member of my family, my granddaughter. Lately it has been shoes/booties but there is so much more to do. It's coming upon the fall of the year, yes I know summer just kicked in but there will be a need for fall/winter items before we know it. If we're into handmade, it's gonna take time to produce and this is a good time to start. School just ended and know is the time to start the new school year shopping. After thinking school think of the year's end holidays that are also upon us.
So this month I will start taking a long look at my shop and see what it is I can take away and what I should keep. Decide on the sizes I want to make and handle and definite color decisions. Sometimes less is more and more can always be added later. But sometimes a few simple items are the only things necessary for sales. To anyone who reads this and has visited my shop I apologize for the confusion. I promise by the end of the year I will be able to look at my shop and smile and not just look at a finished product, photograph it and place it in the shop.
Showing posts with label niche selling. Show all posts
Showing posts with label niche selling. Show all posts
Thursday, June 27, 2013
KISS
.
KISS, one of my daughter's favorite words. She used it quite frequently before leaving for school three years ago. She used it so much I had to find out why. She explained to me when she told someone KISS, it meant 'Keep It Simple Stupid'. According to her that most of time we spend our time making everything more complicated than what it need be.
I was thinking about this the other day and I think I figured out why I'm always so tired, in trying to stock my shop, I'm not keeping it simple. I have so many varied interest that I can't decide which one I really want to dedicate myself to. I love to knit, sew and crochet, not to mention jewelry.
Being a creative person missed the point of keeping my shop simple. As online shop owners we should strive to keep our categories and product line straight forward so our customers know who we are. Making sure our potential customers understand exactly what we do. Get know for being the best in what it is we do. I work hard at being the best at whatever I do.
I look at my shop and see beautiful items but no cohesion. I think that now is the time to narrow my view to pick something and make it my focus. I've that my inspiration lately has been the newest member of my family, my granddaughter. Lately it has been shoes/booties but there is so much more to do. It's coming upon the fall of the year, yes I know summer just kicked in but there will be a need for fall/winter items before we know it. If we're into handmade, it's gonna take time to produce and this is a good time to start. School just ended and know is the time to start the new school year shopping. After thinking school think of the year's end holidays that are also upon us.
So this month I will start taking a long look at my shop and see what it is I can take away and what I should keep. Decide on the sizes I want to make and handle and definite color decisions. Sometimes less is more and more can always be added later. But sometimes a few simple items are the only things necessary for sales. To anyone who reads this and has visited my shop I apologize for the confusion. I promise by the end of the year I will be able to look at my shop and smile and not just look at a finished product, photograph it and place it in the shop.
KISS, one of my daughter's favorite words. She used it quite frequently before leaving for school three years ago. She used it so much I had to find out why. She explained to me when she told someone KISS, it meant 'Keep It Simple Stupid'. According to her that most of time we spend our time making everything more complicated than what it need be.
I was thinking about this the other day and I think I figured out why I'm always so tired, in trying to stock my shop, I'm not keeping it simple. I have so many varied interest that I can't decide which one I really want to dedicate myself to. I love to knit, sew and crochet, not to mention jewelry.
Being a creative person missed the point of keeping my shop simple. As online shop owners we should strive to keep our categories and product line straight forward so our customers know who we are. Making sure our potential customers understand exactly what we do. Get know for being the best in what it is we do. I work hard at being the best at whatever I do.
I look at my shop and see beautiful items but no cohesion. I think that now is the time to narrow my view to pick something and make it my focus. I've that my inspiration lately has been the newest member of my family, my granddaughter. Lately it has been shoes/booties but there is so much more to do. It's coming upon the fall of the year, yes I know summer just kicked in but there will be a need for fall/winter items before we know it. If we're into handmade, it's gonna take time to produce and this is a good time to start. School just ended and know is the time to start the new school year shopping. After thinking school think of the year's end holidays that are also upon us.
So this month I will start taking a long look at my shop and see what it is I can take away and what I should keep. Decide on the sizes I want to make and handle and definite color decisions. Sometimes less is more and more can always be added later. But sometimes a few simple items are the only things necessary for sales. To anyone who reads this and has visited my shop I apologize for the confusion. I promise by the end of the year I will be able to look at my shop and smile and not just look at a finished product, photograph it and place it in the shop.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Determining What Will Sell
Niche III
Now that you've discovered your niche, it's time to learn how to spot retail trends. Best described as the marketplace, whether the product will sell. We would all love to get in on the ground floor but often times that doesn't happen. So let's at least try to gain some ground by the third floor. There are several ways to do this.
First to understand retail in it's broad sense, selling products to the public. These products are our handmade items to be sold either directly to the public (retail) or to sell to retailers (wholesale).
First to determine the trends, we must look at what is selling in the marketplace. Next we shouldn’t allow our like or dislike of a trend prohibit us from joining in. For example, I don’t like the mixture of pink and chocolate but I’ve had clients who do. Give your clients what they want.
In spotting trends, you need to know if your target market is local or national. If you're selling on the internet you can reach a large audience, use it to your advantage. What one wears in the middle of the US is gonna be different from the West Coast and that coast is going to be different from the East. Use your TV time to spot trends, such as movies, sitcoms even daytime drama. I loved watching Dallas in the 80’s, I could never tell you what was going on but I could tell you what someone was wearing, about a table or lamp in the background. You get the idea.
Below is a list you might find useful:
The Crafts Report
http://www.craftsreport.com
You can learn more about your business in their Industry Information Statistics area. Find craft organizations both local and nationally.
American Craft
http://www.americancraft.com
Information for crafters about buying trends and business principles.
Craftmaster News
http://www.craftermasternews.com
Information for craft show opportunities.
Festival Network Online
http://www.festivalnet.com/events.html?fn00077
Site for craft fair listings both in the US and Canada
Color Marketing Group
http://www.colormarketing.org
Created to forecast color trends one to three years in advance.
Feel free to post any helpful links you might have, that we may create a successful business together.
Now that you've discovered your niche, it's time to learn how to spot retail trends. Best described as the marketplace, whether the product will sell. We would all love to get in on the ground floor but often times that doesn't happen. So let's at least try to gain some ground by the third floor. There are several ways to do this.
First to understand retail in it's broad sense, selling products to the public. These products are our handmade items to be sold either directly to the public (retail) or to sell to retailers (wholesale).
First to determine the trends, we must look at what is selling in the marketplace. Next we shouldn’t allow our like or dislike of a trend prohibit us from joining in. For example, I don’t like the mixture of pink and chocolate but I’ve had clients who do. Give your clients what they want.
In spotting trends, you need to know if your target market is local or national. If you're selling on the internet you can reach a large audience, use it to your advantage. What one wears in the middle of the US is gonna be different from the West Coast and that coast is going to be different from the East. Use your TV time to spot trends, such as movies, sitcoms even daytime drama. I loved watching Dallas in the 80’s, I could never tell you what was going on but I could tell you what someone was wearing, about a table or lamp in the background. You get the idea.
Below is a list you might find useful:
The Crafts Report
http://www.craftsreport.com
You can learn more about your business in their Industry Information Statistics area. Find craft organizations both local and nationally.
American Craft
http://www.americancraft.com
Information for crafters about buying trends and business principles.
Craftmaster News
http://www.craftermasternews.com
Information for craft show opportunities.
Festival Network Online
http://www.festivalnet.com/events.html?fn00077
Site for craft fair listings both in the US and Canada
Color Marketing Group
http://www.colormarketing.org
Created to forecast color trends one to three years in advance.
Feel free to post any helpful links you might have, that we may create a successful business together.
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