All posts tagged small business marketing

4 Tips to Ensure Customers Join and Stay on Your Email List

by G.B. Oliver

One of the biggest revenue streams for any online business is repeat customers. Once someone has bought from you, if they are happy, it would seem obvious that they would likely buy from you again. Getting them to subscribe to your email list is a great way to keep customers coming back, but it can also turn people off in fear they are going to be inundated daily with messages from you.

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Email Sign-up at OldNavy.com

So, here are some tips to get customers to subscribe:

  • Explain Exactly What They Are Getting. It’s as simple as stating, “We frequently offer one-day sales up to 40% off. If you would like to be notified, please add your email to this list. We promise, no more than one email a week.”
  • Give Them Options. Better to have them a little, than not at all. For example, “If you would like to be notified when we are having a sale of 30% or more off, please subscribe to our 30%+ list. If you wish to be notified of all sales, please subscribe to our All Sales list.” OneKingsLane.com actually allows you to choose which days of the week and times of the day (AM or PM) that you wish to be notified of any sales. People like having options and being the one in control.
  • Allow Emails to be Product-Specific. Maybe you sell a variety of products and they are only interested in certain ones. So, offer customers the ability to select certain items that they would like to be notified if they go on sale. This is similar to the service Hukkster.com, which allows you to track your favorite products on any shopping site and be notified when that specific product goes on sale.
  • Maintain Email Etiquette. You can also offer a feature that Fab.com does, whereby Fab will stop sending you emails if they detect that they are going unopened. It is a new form of email etiquette as they are assuming you are away and they do not want to fill up your inbox unnecessarily.

If you are not selling on your own site, but a major marketplace, you can still have customers sign-up for Email Alerts through your Gmail Contacts Group.

FINAL WORD: If you want repeat customer business from your email marketing campaign, you have to be more flexible and scale it to what different customers want and need. People have become leery of email, so give them options and they will be more likely to subscribe. (By the way, did you know you can be alerted by email when I have a new blog post by just clicking on the Follow icon  in the  right side bar).

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© 2013 G.B. Oliver. All rights reserved.

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by Attention Getting Marketing on April 15, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Home, Marketing 101
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Posted by Attention Getting Marketing on April 15, 2013

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Product Photography I Love – March Edition

by G.B. Oliver

I love great photography. It really does help sell a product. Here are some favorites I found, and I will explain (in case it’s not obvious) what works that makes this a photo that sells.

Beauty Products

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Why It Works: I love this product shot by Crabtree & Evelyn for many reasons. One, I think by including the oranges in the shot, it really does convey that you will find them in the product. Two, I love how they positioned the bottles on this white washed table, making it feel like a very natural, fresh product. Finally, grouping all four products together really does help upsell, making you want the whole set.

 

Vintage Products

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Why It Works: The vintage shop, Dreamy  Whites, does an amazing job of shooting their vintage finds with magazine quality photos. The soft lighting makes the vintage product feel like it will fit into any type of home today. Showing the product in use is always a good idea. If you just saw a photo of this basket on its own, empty, would you be as inclined to want it?

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Pet Products

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Why It Works: This is a great product shot from a company called Kurgo selling on HSN. You can never go wrong showing a cute dog, and this one is a great model. Again, showing the product in action helps me visualize it in my own car and with my own sized dog. And they make it look just too adorable to pass up.

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Paper Products

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Why It Works: Invitation company, Luscious Verde, shows various aspects of the design in one photo, really highlighting nice details you might have otherwise missed. Doing a collage is a great way to ensure the customer see all the features and benefits.

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FINAL WORD: Photos really can sell a product if you use them to highlight use, need unique features. Plus, with today’s image-hungry online environment, top quality photos are more likely to be “pinned” and “liked” helping your products to go viral.

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“Best buy ever!” . . “Cannot recommend this enough!” . .  ”You will not be disappointed!” . . “Incredible!” –  If you want my VERY BEST marketing tactics and advice, I save that exclusively for my Ebooks, Small Business Marketing Ideas That Work!, available at my Etsy shop.

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by Attention Getting Marketing on March 27, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Home, Marketing I Love
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Posted by Attention Getting Marketing on March 27, 2013

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6 Major Online Retailers Now Selling Indie, Handmade & Vintage Products

by G.B. Oliver

As many people know, the online marketplace Etsy, started a wholesale business in order to get its vendors’ products into more store fronts in addition to their huge online presence. West Elm started this venture with Etsy in 2011, and leading U.S. retailer Nordstrom has now signed on. More than likely this push by major retailers to add “handmade” and artisan items to their stores is due to the resurgence of interest in these types of products.

So it is time your online store explored the opportunities of wholesale?

Major Retailers Offering Products from Independent Artists & Designers:

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This major retailer carries a variety of artisan products in its online store, such as art prints from Society6. Society6 is an international artist community and sells artwork from thousands of artists around the world, from prints to t-shirts to iPhone cases. In their beauty section, they carry false eyelashes from Etsy shop, ShimmerTwins.

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ShopRuche is a well known online clothing retailer specializing in vintage-style clothes and other goods. They have a section in their online store entitled, “Indie”. Here you will find greeting cards from Etsy shops Completely Gail and Gingiber.

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This online retailer offers such unique products that they are a natural fit for indie and handmade goods. In their online shop they have a category called, “Made In Kind” where they sell the designs of various indie fashion designers. Independent artisans, furniture makers and photographers can have their work displayed (and sold) in a gallery type section on Anthropologie called, “Featured Artists”.

But it is not just the handmade market that online retailers on jumping on either. Online marketplaces are also known for their vintage goods.

Major Online Retailers Selling Vintage Finds:

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This popular online retailer of clothing and housewares has added a “members only” section entitled Vintage, where they sell retro clothing and decor finds they have acquired from various flea markets and vendors, which works well with their own brand.

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The Boho clothing retailer has also seen the value in vintage, offering a vintage section with everything from college clothing to leather jackets to concert t-shirts to jewelry and housewares (it should be noted that Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie and Free People are owned by the same company).

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This large UK retailer combines the best of the above. In addition to carrying their own clothing brand and other popular brands, they offer a marketplace where indie designers and vintage vendors can sell. You can list/sell individual items or open up a boutique.

FINAL WORD: So, as you can see, the wholesale market is opening up for independent artists, artisans, designers and the like. If running an online shop isn’t your thing and you really just want to create, wholesale may be a better opportunity for you to explore.

Have You Heard About My New Marketing Ebooks?

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If you are selling your own creations, my marketing secrets will help you find success online! Please see my ebooks, Small Business Marketing Ideas That Work!, plus find other helpful marketing tools in my Etsy shop.

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© 2013 G.B. Oliver. All rights reserved.

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by Attention Getting Marketing on March 21, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Home, Online Selling Sites
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Posted by Attention Getting Marketing on March 21, 2013

http://attention-getting.com/2013/03/21/major-online-retailers-adding-indie-handmade-and-vintage-products/

Google Trends – Product Search Phrases On The Rise

by G.B. Oliver

★ THIS BLOG POST  MADE NY TIMES SMALL BUSINESS, BEST OF THE WEEK 

I love looking at Google Trends and seeing which search phrases are popular, but also which ones are on the rise. The great thing about Google Trends is you can customize it by country and by time period (i.e. last 7 days), so it is a great tool to keep on top of the marketplace. So I entered some product categories to see what the top rising search phrases were, for the last 3 months, worldwide.

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For the jewelry vendors out there, and I know there are lots, these are the top rising search phrases:

  • Cheap Body Jewelry
  • Hematite Jewelry
  • Amethyst Jewelry (amethyst is the February birthstone)
  • Bridesmaid Jewelry

For wedding products vendors, typing in wedding was too generic, so here are the top rising search phrases, worldwide, in the last 3 months for “Wedding Invitations”:

  • Fun Wedding Invitations
  • Coral Wedding Invitations
  • Country Wedding Invitations
  • Homemade Wedding Invitations

For vendors of baby products, again, typing in baby was too generic. So I tried “Baby Clothes”, and these were the top risers:

  • Baby Summer Clothes
  • Neutral Baby Clothes
  • Crochet Baby Clothes
  • Handmade Baby Clothes
  • Unisex Baby Clothes

For vendors of art, I typed in the phrase “Wall Art” and this is what resulted:

  • Kitchen Art
  • African Wall Art
  • Bathroom Wall Art
  • Beach Wall Art
  • Kitchen Wall Art (Kitchen seems to be in big demand)

For vintage sellers, these were the breakout rising searches for “Vintage”:

  • Vintage Valentines
  • Modern Vintage Boutique
  • Vintage Swimwear
  • Vintage Prom Dresses
  • Vintage Bridesmaid Dresses
  • Vintage Style Dresses

For sellers of home products, it is a little tougher to narrow things down. So I entered “Decorative” and these were the results:

  • Decorative curtain rods
  • Decorative baskets
  • Decorative bird cages
  • Decorative wall hooks
  • Decorative ceiling tiles

FINAL WORD: When you look at searches in lesser time frames, like the last 3 months, it helps you to see popular cyclical searches, such as Valentine’s, and also how far in advance people start searching for different events or seasons. For example, people are already searching for summer items. Use Google Trends to help you find where that next opportunity lies for your online business.

★ If You Like My Blog, You’ll LOVE My New Ebooks (because I save my BEST ideas for in there!) 

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by Attention Getting Marketing on March 19, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Google Tips, Home, Trends
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Posted by Attention Getting Marketing on March 19, 2013

http://attention-getting.com/2013/03/19/google-trends-search-phrases-on-the-rise/

Online Stores I Love – Harabu House

by G.B. Oliver

One of the things I try to do with my blog is frequently point out Marketing I Love and Products I Love, but today I am actually going to talk about an Online Store I Love. The store is called Harabu House and if you are looking for ideas to what makes an online store work, you definitely should check them out.

Screen shot 2013-04-29 at 10.41.45 AMHarabu House was launched in 2010 and is an exclusive online eco-boutique for contemporary and stylish global finds. Their mission is to find sustainable products that provide economic, social and environmental benefits to the artisans who create them, and they carry products from all over the globe.

What Harabu House is Doing Right:

  • Great Products – They carry truly unique, beautiful products for the home (as well as some jewelry and fashion accessories). From hand painted tea cups to teak measuring spoons, everything seems to have a mix of the exotic and the contemporary at the same time. Screen shot 2013-04-29 at 10.44.17 AM
  • Easy to Navigate – I personally do not like busy home/landing pages and Harabu’s is sleek and simple. They have a slide show running of various products with a caption such as “Find Me Under Dinnerware“, making it easy for the visitor to find the products on display. All the categories are neatly displayed at the top and the particulars such as contact info, FAQs, newsletter, and social media icons are tightly compacted in a barred off section at the bottom. I also love how that important upper right hand corner notifies customers of their free shipping offer on domestic orders over $75 with a hot pink elephant icon drawing the eye right to it.

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  • Gift Guide – Another icon on the home page is their gift guide. But once you click on it, you are actually then given more options to narrow it down further, such as a gift guide for housewarming, baby shower, for him, for her. Another attempt to make the shopping experience easier for the customer.
  • Product Descriptions – The product descriptions are so well written, with compact narratives that tell you everything you need to know and create a need to buy. They are typically followed by a small write-up about the artist. I love the Tell a Friend feature, allowing you to instantly email the product to a friend, the Add to Wish List icon, and the Request More Information icon – three great Call to Actions to keep buyers engaged.
  • Category Highlight – A nice touch this online store has, is that when you are in a particular product category, the icon behind it colorizes, reminding you where you are. Screen shot 2013-04-29 at 10.47.55 AM
  • Photographs – The photographs are definitely top notch. Well-lit, various angles, magazine-quality set-ups, typically showing the product in use. I also like that for certain products, they include a photo of any magazine editorial that product has appeared in, which helps credibility with customers because it acts as an endorsement.
  • Shopping Cart Total – A cool feature about their shopping cart icon in the upper right hand corner, is that it will not only display the number of items (which is pretty common with most online sellers) but it actually displays how much you have spent so far. Love that!

FINAL WORD: So, if you want a good example of what a sleek, attractive online home products shop should look like, check out Harabu House.

Download My New Marketing Ebooks Today!

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Get my exclusive marketing ideas that will help drive your online business in my ebooks, Small Business Marketing Ideas That Work!, (for Jewelry/Fashion, Home, Wedding and Kids & Baby Products) and other helpful marketing tools in my Etsy shop.

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© 2013 G.B. Oliver. All rights reserved.

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by Attention Getting Marketing on March 18, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Home, Marketing I Love
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Posted by Attention Getting Marketing on March 18, 2013

http://attention-getting.com/2013/03/18/online-stores-i-love-harabu-house/

My Latest Pinterest Marketing Tip

by G.B. Oliver

I am not sure if your business is using the popular image gallery, Pinterest, but since it is free, you may want to consider it.

How it works, in a nutshell, is if one of your products gets pinned to either one of the main category boards (strictly by chance) or gets repinned by one of the popular pinners (some have over 5 million followers), then it can mean a lot of exposure and traffic to your shop, as well as continual exposure and traffic for months based on repins (when people see your product and repin it to one of their boards). Now, unfortunately that traffic doesn’t always translate into sales, but better some traffic than no traffic.

Now, I noticed an interesting trend on Pinterest that I thought I would share.  7 of the top 16 pins currently on Pinterest (and by top I mean the highest number of repins) were inspirational quotes. That is almost 50%. The others were food or fashion.

So here is my tip on how I think you can use this trend of inspirational quotes to help your business get noticed on Pinterest.

First of all, if you do wall art such as this, then you should have no problem getting your products pinned. Just make sure that you have a product photo that goes in tight on the saying so it is readable. Then, add a watermark of your url or shop name so people can trace it back. Sometimes when people pin your items from some of the mobile apps, the original source gets lost.

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But what if you sell something else, like kids’ products? Well, here is where you can get a little creative. Simply find a cool or funny or inspirational saying that relates to your product and photograph your item against it or add the text to the product photo. For example, if I was selling baby booties, I would take a shot of the booties and to the side of the booties I would photoshop in the words, “I never knew how much love my heart could hold until someone called me Mom”.

FINAL WORD: You can do this for any type of product. If you sell food have a quote about food. If you sell jewelry, have a romantic saying. If you sell fitness products, have a motivational saying. It is almost like doing an ad with a tag line. But this is what gets pinned and repinned and will give you exposure.

Start Selling More Today with My New Marketing Ebooks!

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You don’t think I put my best secrets here on the blog, do you? Find more marketing and social media ideas and tricks that will help drive your online business in my ebooks, Small Business Marketing Ideas That Work!, as well as other helpful marketing tools in my Etsy shop. Editions for Jewelry/Fashion, Wedding, Home and Kids & Baby Products. 

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by Attention Getting Marketing on March 15, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Home, Social Media Marketing
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Posted by Attention Getting Marketing on March 15, 2013

http://attention-getting.com/2013/03/15/my-latest-tip-for-getting-exposure-on-pinterest/

Be Careful About Sharing Your “Success” Tips – Your Competition is Listening

by G.B. Oliver

I was on one a popular online store’s forums the other day where sellers talk to each other and share information. Here, I frequently see sellers who make grand declarations such as they’ve made 500 sales in a month and here is how they did it. And I scratch my head and think to myself, BIG MISTAKE!

I realize that a lot of these online marketplaces like to foster a sense of community, but, at the end of the day this is still business and many of these sellers are your direct competition. Why on earth would you want to tell them your success secrets?

That is the problem when your ego takes over from your business sense. You have a bit of success and you want to tell everyone. But now realize, you are telling everyone, including your competition, and that’s not good.

It is NEVER a good idea to share your secrets with competitors. I dare anyone to find me a business book that says to do that. Would Coca-Cola email Pepsi and say, “Here is everything we did last year that worked. Good luck”. You would be sabotaging your own business. You don’t have any control over who reads your posts or your blog or tweets, so why put information out there that can hurt you? You want customers to notice you, but quite frankly, when it comes to your competition, you want to fly under their radar.

I have marketing professionals follow me all the time on Twitter. They don’t need my services, obviously. They are keeping tabs on me, which is what the competition does. If I do something they think works, let’s be honest, they will probably “borrow” it.

This is just good seasoned business advice. Remember the saying, Loose Lips Sink Ships. If you have an amazing secret that you stumbled upon that is causing your sales to skyrocket – KEEP IT TO YOURSELF (but tell me, of course).

Now, luckily for you I share my marketing secrets that will help your online business, in my ebooks, Small Business Marketing Ideas That Work!, plus find other helpful marketing tools in my Etsy shop.

PLEASE Tweet, Post to Facebook, Stumple, PIN & more this post using the SHARE button below. Thanks!

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© 2013 G.B. Oliver. All rights reserved.

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by Attention Getting Marketing on March 6, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Home, Marketing 101
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Posted by Attention Getting Marketing on March 6, 2013

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Are Your Keywords Covering All Aspects of the English Language?

by G.B. Oliver

When you are adding tags and keywords to your website, shop, product listings, and so forth, are you considering all variations of the English language?

As you are aware, the English language has slight differences whether you live in the U.S., Canada, the UK, Australia and other English speaking countries. You could be missing out on these areas being potential customers (if you do ship product to these countries) simply because you did include their more commonly used phrases and spellings.

In the UK these are baby rompers or bodysuits, not baby onesies.

In the UK these are baby rompers or bodysuits, not baby onesies.

For example, if you are selling baby onesies, no one in the UK or Australia will be searching for that phrase. Instead they will be searching bodysuit, playsuit, sleepsuit or romper. So, if you want to sell to this international market as well, it couldn’t hurt to add these keywords to your tags.

If you sell pants, no one in the UK and Australia that will looking searching on that word either, (unless they are looking for underwear) but rather, they would be searching the word, trousers.

Words that are different in the U.S. and UK:

  • Overalls are dungarees
  • Toiletry bag is wash bag
  • Swimwear is beachwear
  • Sweater is jumper
  • Backpack is day pack
  • Pillows are cushions
  • Message boards are notice boards
  • Cupcake liners are cupcake cases
  • Cookies are biscuits
  • Underwear is knickers (women’s)
  • Ring bearer is pageboy
  • Stroller is pram or pushchair
  • Crib mobile is cot mobile
  • Diapers are nappies
  • Birdhouse is bird box
  • Sleepwear is nightwear
  • Subway is metro

Not to mention slight spelling differences:

  • Personalized is personalised
  • Jewelry is jewellery
  • Wedding favors are wedding favours
  • Organizer is organiser
  • Color is colour
  • Center is centre
  • Pajamas is pyjamas
  • Gray is grey
  • Mustache is moustache

So simply by adding a few extra keywords that cater to other English markets, this will help expose your products to even more customers.

Want more advice on keywords that will attract your target market? You’ll find that, and hundreds of other innovative ideas, in my marketing guides, Small Business Marketing Ideas That Work! as well as other helpful marketing tools in my Etsy shop.

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★PLEASE Tweet, Post to Facebook, Stumple, PIN & more this post using the SHARE button below. Thanks!

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© 2013 G.B. Oliver. All rights reserved.

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by Attention Getting Marketing on February 26, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Home, Google Tips
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Posted by Attention Getting Marketing on February 26, 2013

http://attention-getting.com/2013/02/26/are-your-keywords-covering-all-aspects-of-the-english-language/

Will a Blog Help Your Business?

by G.B. Oliver

I get this question a lot, “will a blog help my business?” And my answer is always the same, “it depends”. Let me explain.

Facts About Blogging

1. It is Time Consuming – you have to write at least one 400 word blog post Monday through Friday. Do you have something to say every day? Plus, you now have to promote the blog, in addition to your online business.

2. It is Free – there are a few upfront costs, like paying for your domain name or a layout, but otherwise it is free.

3. It Can Be a Source of Additional Revenue – if you take advertisers, but you have to build up a sizeable audience before that is an option.

4. It Can Help Establish You as an Expert in Your Field – which is helpful if you are selling your knowledge.

5. It Can Help Sell Your Products – if you do it right. And you can get ideas on how to do it right from these online stores below.

Blogs from Popular Online Stores

To help give you some examples of how a blog can help your online store, here are a couple of ones I like, and how I think their blog helps up-sell their products.

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Layla Grayce sells everything from home decor to baby items to women’s fashion. Their blog is amazing because they have interesting, very visual blog posts that showcase their products but in a helpful way. For example, regular features include showing a product in their shop that matches something worn by a celebrity; inspiration boards that pull together various items in their shop for creating a certain look in your home; clippings of their products when they have appeared in popular magazine editorial. In other words, their products are the focus of every post, but they are doing it in a way that creates a need and helps establish use. Plus, the blog is pure eye candy, which will always keep people coming back.

westelm-94_600

West Elm has a blog called Front & Main. They offer lots of design advice with their Ideas & Inspiration section where they give you tips on colors, patterns and how to decorate with objects, all the time including their own products. Their We Love Handmade section profiles Etsy sellers that they carry in their online store and catalogs. In Your Open House they show before and after decorating photos and have guest posts offering insight from some of their designers. And in their Born in Brooklyn section, they include a link to every blog post, online article, inspiration board or Pinterest board that mentions one of their products, giving their press even more press.

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Wedding Paper Divas  is one of the most popular wedding invitation companies around. On their blog you will find photos from real weddings, wedding inspiration boards built around one of their designs, as well as tips for brides on how to add custom touches to all the paper products they offer. They even frequently have guest wedding experts that they let their customers ask questions to.

Want more suggestions and advice on how to use your blog to attract more customers? You’ll find that, and hundreds of other helpful ideas, in my marketing guides, Small Business Marketing Ideas That Work!

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© 2013 G.B. Oliver. All rights reserved.

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by Attention Getting Marketing on February 25, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Home, Social Media Marketing
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Posted by Attention Getting Marketing on February 25, 2013

http://attention-getting.com/2013/02/25/will-a-blog-help-your-business/

Products I Love – February 2013

by G.B. Oliver

I love smart and innovative product design for many reasons. One, it is inspiring. Two, it always gets publicity. Three, social media followers love spreading the word. Four, it sells!

I went over to one of my favorite shopping blogs, Outblush, and found some of their recent picks that I think are brilliant.

Deep Tea Driver Infuser

Deep Tea Diver by Kikkerland from Modcloth

Deep Tea Diver by Kikkerland from Modcloth

How great is this $15 tea infuser from the online store, Modcloth? Even the name is smart. I love this because it is just so clever. How could you not want to buy this, whether you drink tea or not? Now, granted, you have to use it with a glass mug or it kind of defeats the purpose, but you have to admit it is just makes sense.

Recipe Writing Rubber Stamps

Recipe Writing Rubber Stamps from Paper Cookie

Recipe Writing Rubber Stamps from Paper Cookie

I love these stamps (4 for $24.95) from the Paper Cookie. This is a practical product that appeals to the person who still wants to write out their recipes the old-fashioned way, but made a little easier by the stamps. The stamp market is a big business, and it is nice to see a company finding a new, creative use for them.

Constellation Lamp

Constellation Lamp from Urban Outfitters

Constellation Lamp from Urban Outfitters

What kid is not going to love this lamp ($49) from Urban Outfitters in their room at night? Plus, it’s educational. Educational + fun always sells!

Teacup with Wood Saucer

Teacup with Wood Saucer from Scandinavian Brands Online

Teacup with Wood Saucer from Scandinavian Brands Online

Smart product design is when you solve a problem for the user. That is why this teacup with wood saucer ($28) from Scandinavian Brands Online works. It solves two problems – needing a saucer for your tea when you are drinking it and keeping it hot when you are not. Plus, it looks good.

You Got Your New Dog Kit

Got Your New Dog Kit from Uncommon Goods

Got Your New Dog Kit from Uncommon Goods

This New Dog Kit ($25) from Uncommon Goods is smart for so many reasons. The obvious is that it makes the perfect gift, and gift sets are big business and dog gifts are big business. But if you sell a variety of pet products, why not package them all together as a great way to up-sell your other products. This kit includes practical items like doo-doo bags (their words, not mine), a training clicker, dog treats and a quick start instruction card for the new owner, which to me acts like a very effective business card so the gift receiver knows exactly where to get more.

Be like these online sellers and take your business to the next level! I offer a variety of helpful marketing tools in my Etsy shop, the best advice to market your small business!

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by Attention Getting Marketing on February 22, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Home, Marketing I Love
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Posted by Attention Getting Marketing on February 22, 2013

http://attention-getting.com/2013/02/22/products-i-love-february-edition/

How Trends at NY Fashion Week Can Inspire Your Products

by G.B. Oliver

It’s good to remember that fashion influences products in all areas – children’s products, home products, decor, art, wedding products, you name it. New York Fashion Week just wrapped up and here are some trends to note that may carry over into your market. A lot of these trends were inline with a previous blog post I wrote, Product Trends for 2013.

Teal, fur, 60s patterns at the Anna Sui show (photo from The Cut)

Teal, fur, 60s patterns at the Anna Sui show (photo from The Cut)

Trends from New York Fashion Week Fall 2013:

∞ Materials – Fur (including colored fur), leather, beaded fabrics, brocades, embroidery, shiny materials, quilted materials

∞ Patterns – Menswear patterns such as houndstooth, checks, pinstripes, large thin plaids, herringbone as well as camouflage, florals, cheetah prints and weaved materials

∞ Eras – Mod 60s and Glam 70s with retro patterns and gold metallics

∞ Countries – A lot of the oversized fur hats, coats and mittens gave a nod to Russia, possibly because they are hosting the 2014 Winter Olympics

∞ Colors – Burgandy/wine, army green, purple, camel, teal and black

∞ Jewelry & Accessories – Huge, oversized flowers on necklaces and bracelets; large cluster necklaces, chain chokers, large colorful pendants on very long chains, color blocked purses (black and a bright color), clutches (a lot of purses that looked like iPad covers), handle bags,  large gold belt buckles, fisherman caps, beanies and fur hats. Did I mention large?

How to Apply These Trends to Your Products: 

  • Maybe we’ll see faux fur throw pillows in teal or in a weaved pattern of leather and metallic gold.
  • Wedding invitations might be moving away from chevrons and ombres to bright plaids and florals.
  • Possibly we’ll see lots of colorful, oversized faux fur mittens for kids.

Take a Couple of Trends and Mix Them Together:

  • Try clutch purses in cheetah prints with beaded accents.
  • Maybe quilted camouflage iPhone covers.
  • Choker necklaces with large plaid flowers.

While you may not be interested in applying trends to your products, to have just one trendy product is good for getting editorial and publicity, which will then bring people over to your shop.

If you are still not sure how to apply trends, then check out this article at CasaSugar that shows how today’s fashion trends can carry over to home products.

My marketing guides will tell you everything you need to do to successfully sell online, including how to create products the current marketplace wants. The early reviews have been great! Click here for more information.

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© 2013 G.B. Oliver. All rights reserved.

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by Attention Getting Marketing on February 18, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Home, Trends
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Posted by Attention Getting Marketing on February 18, 2013

http://attention-getting.com/2013/02/18/how-trends-at-ny-fashion-week-can-inspire-your-products/

Why The Wrong Advice Can Really Hurt Your Business

by G.B. Oliver

I have seen too many cases of small businesses seeking the advice of non-marketing professionals about their shop and products. While I understand your frustration at not selling, you have to be really careful of the advice that may result.

hands_silhouettes

Everyone has an opinion, and usually the best of intentions. However, without a clear understanding of your products and target market, people’s opinions can steer you down completely the wrong path.

I have seen it many times, advice given that makes me cringe. And while you are off taking their advice, your competition is doing things the correct way and eating up your share of the market.

You should NOT base your marketing or product decisions on random people’s opinions, unless they are your target market or a marketing professional.

Only Your Target Market’s Opinion Matters

Here is what I mean. If I am selling cutesy necklaces aimed at the teen market, am I going to ask a group of men in their 50s what I am doing wrong? When you go and ask people who are not your target market – friends, family members, people in forums – I am afraid that is pretty much the same situation.

That is why companies do focus groups. They interview candidates to first ensure that they are their target market (the age, gender and income, to name a few, of the people who the product is aimed at) and then ask their opinion on a variety of topics. Would you buy this? Why not? Is the price too high, too low? What influences you when buying jewelry? What magazines do you read? What blogs do you visit? and so on.

Professional Marketing Advice Will Give You the Advantage

Now, not everyone has the opportunity to do this, so that is where a marketing professional comes in, because they can do the research, they are out there in the marketplace on a daily basis, they do know why people buy, what they buy, the influencers and the appropriate media, just to name a few.

It is very difficult to market your own products because you are too close too them and, therefore, not always objective. That is why a professional opinion can prove invaluable, seeing things you may never have thought about.

You also have to be willing to take advice that may hurt or that you may not agree with. You don’t want people to just tell you what you want to hear. You won’t benefit from that. At the end of the day, if you are truly serious about your business and want to make sales that will allow you to quit your day job, professional marketing advice will get your shop on the right path.

I OFFER a variety of affordable marketing services from consulting to guides that will help you go from selling a little to selling a lot. You can get more information at my shop here. Also check out the variety of articles I have written here on my blog, that will help give you a better understanding of what marketing can do for your business.

Marketing_Ideas_Etsy_Jewelry

IF YOU LIKED THIS POST, please be sure to “like” it below and follow my RSS feed to know when new articles are posted.

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© 2013 G.B. Oliver. All rights reserved.

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by Attention Getting Marketing on January 23, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Home, Marketing 101
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Posted by Attention Getting Marketing on January 23, 2013

http://attention-getting.com/2013/01/23/why-the-wrong-advice-can-really-hurt-your-business/

Use Local Press To Get Quick Sales

by G.B. Oliver

Do you know that your local newspaper reporter, the one who covers fashion, jewelry, home decor, weddings, food (not to mention the small business reporter) whatever it is that you sell, is DESPERATE for a story right now?

This was actually one of the best pieces of advice I received at the start of my marketing career. Reporters are always looking for stories so give them one and you’ll be their best friend.

Chicago-Tribune-Newspaper-350x220

Pitch them a story (not a product) and you could find yourself on the front page of that section of your local newspaper.

Do not discount the power of local media. Local media loves to support local businesses, and local customers love to buy from local businesses. Plus, publicity costs you nothing and could mean wide exposure, which typically results in sales.

How to Approach a Local Reporter

Email is probably the best way to approach a reporter with a story pitch. You can find their names and emails online at the newspaper’s website. You can also email the editor of the section, i.e. Food Editor, and they will assign it to a reporter.

If they have their editorial calendar online, even better, because they you can see upcoming articles and pitch accordingly.

Now if you live in a small town, you can approach your local town paper as well as the newspaper of the nearest largest city.

Stories to Pitch

A couple of weeks ago I wrote a blog post about How to Pitch to Editors, so you may want to check it out as a fresher, but here were some stories from my local newspaper this past weekend:

  • Local Women Find Success with their Gluten and Dairy-free Snacks
  • Our Top Picks for Cozy Winter Knits Under $100
  • The Off-White Wedding Gown Trend for 2013

Remember, the more specific the story pitch, the better. Don’t just give them a general, “If you are writing a story about Pet Products…” that won’t work. You want something more like, “If you are writing a story about Fashionable Dog Accessories for 2013…”

If you have success doing this, please let me know as I would love to include your success story in a future blog post.

IF YOU LIKE MY BLOG, you’ll LOVE my ebooks, because I save all my very best advice & secrets for in there –  Small Business Marketing Ideas That Work! available here.

My Marketing Ebooks

My Marketing Ebooks

IF YOU LIKED THIS POST, please be sure to “like” it below and follow my RSS feed to know when new articles are posted.

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© 2013 G.B. Oliver. All rights reserved.

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by Attention Getting Marketing on January 21, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Getting Publicity, Home
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Posted by Attention Getting Marketing on January 21, 2013

http://attention-getting.com/2013/01/21/use-local-press-to-get-quick-sales/

Why Including Your Business Card Is NEVER a Bad Idea

by G.B. Oliver

★ THIS BLOG POST  WAS FEATURED ON NY TIMES SMALL BUSINESS BEST OF THE WEEK WRAP-UP

The other day someone asked me if including a business card in the package they were sending to a customer was in poor taste. Seriously? This is a person who just bought from you, why would that be in poor taste? Leaving business cards in church pews, now that is tacky. But giving a business card to a customer, that is a necessity, and if you even question that I am worried about your marketing savvy.

il_570xN.375870221_4n11

Business Card by Mallory Hope Design on Etsy

Business Cards Help You Get Repeat Business

When I look at the bulletin board in my kitchen, there are many business cards attached to it. The electrician who just fixed my washing machine, my car mechanic, the barbershop where my son gets his hair cut, even my next door neighbors gave me a business card with all the phone numbers I can reach them at. They are there because all these companies will be getting business from me again. You want your business card to go on the bulletin board, and it can’t if you don’t give one out.

When You Can’t Put a Label on Your Product

Why do you think there are labels in clothing? Because people forget where they buy things. The label reminds you of where you bought that sweater you really love. Unfortunately, not all products, such as jewelry for example, can have a label. So your business card acts as your label so your buyer doesn’t forget you.

Business Cards Help You Get New Business

Not only should you give out a business card, but you should give more than one. If you really like a product or shop, wouldn’t you want to tell others? If someone sees the piece a customer bought from you, wouldn’t it be great if they could give the person your card? There is absolutely nothing wrong with it, it is just good business.

I’ll give you an example. I was at someone’s house for a party and she served the most amazing cupcakes, absolutely the best I had ever had. Beside the cupcake display were these bright pink business cards of the person who made the cupcakes. I took one. I didn’t think it was tacky, I was appreciative that I know where I can get them. This business card is now also on my bulletin board.

Now, if you want Marketing Advice on:

  • what to put on your business card to make it more effective
  • design ideas that will get it noticed
  • creative (but not tacky) places you can leave it to get more business…

… ALL OF THOSE TIPS are in my PDFs, Small Business Marketing Ideas That Work!  – because I can’t give away everything here :) and I have editions for shops selling Wedding products, Jewelry & Fashion Accessories, Home Decor and Kids & Baby Products.

★ THIS BLOG POST I WROTE WAS FEATURED ON NY TIMES SMALL BUSINESS BLOG IN THEIR BEST OF THE WEEK WRAP-UP.

Marketing_Ideas_Etsy_Baby

IF YOU LIKED THIS POST, please be sure to “like” it below and follow my RSS feed to know when new articles are posted.

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© 2013 G.B. Oliver. All rights reserved.

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by Attention Getting Marketing on January 15, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Home, Marketing 101
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Posted by Attention Getting Marketing on January 15, 2013

http://attention-getting.com/2013/01/15/why-including-your-business-card-is-never-a-bad-idea/

Can One Word Get People to Buy?

by G.B. Oliver

A few posts ago I spoke about creating a headline that gets attention. So, I was looking at the ad below and thought it was a very effective one word headline. Basically, taking a problem and offering a solution, but in just one word. The before side says, “Chaos“, which many of us experience in our hectic lives. The other side offers, “Order“, which we are all looking for. It is very effective for communicating the purpose and value of the product and the need it is solving. If you can solve people’s problems, they will buy.

228768856041621393_D7SHCVln_c

Can you do the same with your products? One word campaigns are effective because people are busy and one word is not a lot to read and get the point across.

Let’s say you sell jewelry for example. Maybe you have a photo of a woman shot from the neck down and she is wearing a plain dress. Beside you have another photo of the same woman, same dress, but this time she also is wearing an ornate necklace. So the one side says, “Plain” and the other side says, “Wow“. Would that convince a visitor of the value of your product?

What if you are selling baby onesies with a cute saying on them. You could have a photo of a baby on the left wearing a plain white onesie. On the right you could have another photo of same baby wearing a onesie with “Precious Cargo” written on it. The left side has a headline of “Practical” and the right has a headline of “Practical and Fun!”. Will this convince the buyer that you are getting more for your money with this onesie?

Think of value words for your products, i.e. problems they solve, and try using those in headlines to see if they quickly get across to your visitors why they should buy your product. Maybe “Ordinary” vs “Unique” or  ”Messy” vs “Organized” or “Good” vs “Better“.

You don’t even have to make a comparison. You could just offer two or three words that gets the value across, such as “Make a Statement“, “Get Noticed“, “Add Some Wow“, “Spoil Her Now”.  It gets the visitor thinking. 

★ Make More Sales! Did that work on you? By using the tactics outlined in my NEW marketing ebooks, you will get all the “how-to” advice, quick answers, and many of my secrets that you need to succeed online (because I don’t give away everything here!).

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by Attention Getting Marketing on December 12, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Home, Marketing 101
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Posted by Attention Getting Marketing on December 12, 2012

http://attention-getting.com/2012/12/12/can-one-word-make-a-sale/

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