This is quite an involved topic and you could essentially make a dissertation out of the topic. So I'm going to stick with the basics, and divide up the topics in a series.... also this will be from a mom and pop shop perspective and I will be dividing this up into topics or areas of marketing within the online market. Freelancers and small online marketers make up 1/3 of the economy these days so don't underestimate what you can do.
THE WEBSITE: Many small businesses have a basic 101 website at this point and have invested some time and perhaps money in having it done. I do alot of research for a variety of purposes and have been struck by the "if only they'd" factor. Someone will spend a great deal of time writing an article about a "how to ..." aspect of their business but will miss the opportunity presented to them by doing so to sell their product. "If only they'd.... added buy now buttons" ...
Recently I was on the hunt for a pencil box. One of those little wooden pencil boxes with the dividers and slid-on lid. In the process I decided to try another idea ie a knitting and crochet wrap as an alternative. I found this little tapestry wrap which would have been a perfect storage device for my very expensive drawing materials but... after I found it there was no reference on the site for buying or where to buy the item.
It occurred to me how frustrating it can be for potential clients to be hunting down and find that perfect "pencil box" for a purpose they have in mind, finding it only to hit a brick wall in trying to buy it. So the first item tip in upgrading your out-of-date website it to link it up to paypal services and have an ability to buy those little items which you write about online. Setting up a business account and having this simple little ability has changed my marketing. At the very least have a Contact Us on each page.
Let's move on to that actual updating process of your website. If you are still creating html pages one by one you are 15 years behind the curve. Every small business, whether they are a frame shop, bookstore, or jewlery seller needs to have the ability to update the inventory online with pictures and paypal buttons on a few hours work basis. This can only be done with a database site. Whether you run your own server, or find a host company to rent from the essential key to good time management good use of the digital tools, saving money in manhours of staff is the database. It isn't glamorous, but it is the key to getting yourself in the present and to beable to serve your customers quickly efficiently and timely which is where the money is at. Each industry has its own timeline. Some are more competitive than others, but in this day and age if you are going to sell online in the future you need to be up to date and have a database oriented site. There are numerous services available. Search for asp websites if you want to build your own. Website services if you want to have some build it for you or go directly to server space renters they will do most of the set up for you and you rent a space and create your own in house. I rent a server but if you want to do shared hosting where alot of the work is done for you I recommend Crystal Tech I also have used Netnation
In this day and age the Internet it a perfect platform for seek-and-find. It should be the easiest thing in the world for the small little mom and pop shop to set up a website and let the world find his or her product by actually having links to the products that they are selling with their rave reviews and articles. A friend of mine has a framing business, a perfect business for selling his product online, many framers do, but this particular framer won't put the database together with pictures and little direct sales buttons in order to basic sales. Another mystery bookshop here in DC went out of business when a much smaller little antique bookshop in England is selling rare books well to everyone in the world because he has put his database together and put those magic little buttons together with PayPal on his website.
Now you may note that I have not mentioned green in relationship with a website? Digital marketing is in-fact much greener than paper marketing.... it can cut down on the need and expense of marketing through catalogues but there are still many clients who are not buying and who don't want to buy online. So make your website as simple as you can for the skill level of your clients. Creating anything on the web is far greener than creating it in brick and mortar world, it gives you many opportunities to try out markets explore different concepts and test markets without creating additional waste, but it also should push markets to your brick and mortar shop and it works hand in hand with your existing newsletter mailings or catalogue mailings. Those customers who want to receive the online discounts will sign up for your email notices.
10 steps in handling online sales
I would like to preface this by saying that I don't have all the answers; nevertheless I remember my French teacher saying "Profit de mon experience" so I'm sharing some of what has worked for me.
Online sales of artwork are possible and it is important to treat your website portfolio just as if it were a gallery store front on main street. With so many venues in art closing and opening over the years an artist really needs to have the ability to sell things themselves as well. Show opportunities come and go, galleries come and go but if you are an artist who wants to still be working in the arts 30 years down the road it is important to develop an ability to sell work. Itdoesn't preclude dips in your market just opens up the possibilities for another line of sales.
I've made lots of errors with my trial and error method of learning and sufferred accordingly for my ignorance. This experience of doing things wrong then correcting myself is starting to apply in a positive direction in online sales.
- 1st things first: you must have artwork to sell and good quality accurate photos of the the work in your portfolio online. Separate out into different portfolios, giclees from originals, plein air from studio, seascapes from florals. Think in terms of hanging your show on your website so that it hangs well together. You wouldn't just throw it up on your wall so why just throw it up on your website.
- 2 - once you have your website designed spruced up and looking good, be sure to post up your resume, about the artist, newsletter about events you are participating in etc.. These help get people to know you.
- 3 - make sure that people know about your website, have it on your business cards, advertisement for current shows and if your work is hanging somewhere have plenty of free materials for people to pick up with your website prominently displayed, this is actually the most successful combination. Create opportunties for exhibitions and advertise your website.
- 4 - Open a business paypal acct and verify it.
- 5 - the best way to handle letting people know that your work is for sale and actually selling it, it not to have paypal buttons all over your site, that changes the aesthetics of your website and your work. Instead create a link for them to "inquire about a piece or request an invoice". This is THE best method after several years of experimenting it is my most successful method of handling sales. Also post an email contact on every page so that people can just click to ask you a question as it comes to mind.
- 6 - CHECK YOUR EMAIL contacts that handle paypal sales and online inquires EVERY DAY.
- 7 - once you have an email or a phone call respond to it immediately. Obtain their email address if they haven't emailed you, and send them an email invoice through paypal. Tell them you are doing so in a separate email. Make the subject line your title of the piece and your name. If you are tardy in responding apologize for keeping them waiting.
- 8 - Explain when sending the invoice that they can either use the invoice to pay on line through paypal or credit card or that they can send you a check.
- 9 - Once you have your order and it has cleared, prepare and send out promptly.
- 10 - Write a thankyou note for their business.
I hope this proves useful.
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