Marketing

 

Marketing my own stuff has always been the most difficult part of being a professional/production weaver.

Over the years I was in business I tried a number of different things, including professional photography and postcards - when people still actually used them.  (Yes, I AM that old!)

During a course on marketing, one of the presenters said to think of advertising as that which you paid for (i.e. professionally done post cards, ads in the media) and marketing as sharing information.

Once this was explained to me, it became easier for me to share my story of how my textiles came to be.  It wasn't so much a plea to buy my stuff, but to engage the listener into a conversation about my textiles.

And that felt more comfortable to me.

I'd grown up in a home that taught that it was rude to 'toot your own horn'.  People were just supposed to know that you were doing good stuff, you didn't tell them you were doing good stuff.  And if they didn't know, well that was just fine and dandy.  The point wasn't recognition but to do 'good'.

This morning someone asked if I sold my textiles.  When I said yes, they commented that it wasn't easy to find out where.

Which kind of took me aback.  Because I'm plenty up front here and elsewhere that I make stuff to sell.  But likewise, I'm not great about telling people how they can buy my stuff.

Since I'm now officially retired from the grinding slog of doing craft fairs, my things are not easily available - unless you were already following me here or on my other social media platforms.  Like the ko-fi account I set up earlier this year, right before the pandemic hit.

The past couple of months I have been posting a weekly towel to ko-fi, then sharing that link with my Twitter and Facebook accounts.  But I guess that isn't high profile enough, or I'm not doing a good enough job of letting people know that I AM trying to sell my stuff that way.

I will be posting this week's towel to ko-fi shortly.  And as usual I will share the link on Twitter and Facebook.  But this time I will also share the fact that people can purchase through ko-fi.  

During this time of pandemic and on-line buying, don't forget that craftspeople are having craft fairs cancelled and are trying to sell their work on-line.  Not everyone is good at marketing their own stuff.  

45 years, and I still find it difficult to invite people to consider buying my textiles.  Guess I'll never manage to do it easily now.  But in any event - if you follow me on Twitter or Facebook - the link will be posted soon.