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When Pricing Products Too Low Can Actually Prevent the Sale

Pricing Products Too LowDid you realize that pricing products too low can actually prevent the sale?

Over and over again, the most common question I get asked is how to price a product, or should be lower their prices because no one is buying. But it is not that simple.

Pricing Mistake Made By This Small Business Owner

The other day I was reading how a small business owner was wondering if the price of her handmade dog leashes seemed reasonable. She was selling them for $7 and said that it takes  her one hour to make one leash. Right there, that sentence should have been enough to tell her “NO!”.  As I have stated many times on my blog, you have to factor in your hourly wage if you are producing your products, otherwise you are making no money.

If the dog leash takes her 1 hour to make, then she is essentially paying herself $7 an hour less material costs, less PayPal fees, less the fees of her online marketplace, less other business expenses. I’m guessing, but I would think that leaves her making around $4.50 an hour. This is not even minimum wage. So, in other words, her pricing is way off the mark.

She is under the assumption that her product has to be cheap in order to sell, but that is not why people buy.

If you ask someone why they bought a dog leash, they will typically answer:

  • It was durable
  • It was long lasting
  • It was the right length
  • It could be easily retracted

In fact, Google search shows people are looking for a “dog leash  that”:

  • Stops pulling
  • Doesn’t tangle
  • Floats
  • Won’t break
  • Can’t be chewed through

By pricing the leash so cheaply, she is actually hurting the prospect of sales because potential customers probably looked at the price and thought a $7 leash would not last long. If she simply changed the price to $20, which is in line with most competitive products anyway, and instead touted the problem solving benefits of the leash, she would not only sell more, but she would actually make money. What a concept!

FINAL WORD: People don’t buy things because they are cheap, they buy things because they solve a problem. You have to price your products to make a profit, otherwise why be in business?

About Me

Do you need your Brand Story written or an SEO-Optimized Blog Post or a Personalized Business Consultation? As a 20+ year marketing professional and small business consultant, all of my services are super affordable.small business seo

I have consulted for thousands of small businesses since 2012, and my advice has been featured in the NY Times, Success Magazine, Yahoo Business, American Express, Big Commerce, Business2Community to name a few – so this is professional advice you can trust!

My Publicity Pitch service has also gotten my clients featured in Real Simple Magazine, Apartment Therapy, House Beautiful, Vanity Fair, Houzz, Martha Stewart, Glamour Magazine, LONNY, DesignMilk, Emmaline Bride,– just to name a few.

More Pricing Articles

 

 

 

© 2013 Gail Oliver. All rights reserved. Pricing Products Too Low

When Too Many Sales Hurt Your Small Business (It Happened To This Seller)

too many salesThe dream of a lot of entrepreneurs is to set up an online shop and then hope for thousands of orders to come their way. But is that really want you want and what you can handle? Sometimes a surge in sales can actually kill your business.HH

This is a good reminder, that if you are a one or two person shop making your own products or providing your own services, obviously there is only so much demand you can handle.

How Too Many Sales Hurt This Business

You don’t want what happened to a young, inexperienced seller who started  selling her hand painted sneakers on one of the online marketplaces. Her sneakers got mentioned on a popular blog, and she quickly got more business than she could handle. At first it was wonderful having all that money coming in. But she couldn’t fill the orders quickly enough and they started piling up. She didn’t even have time to correspond with customers who were asking where their order was.

The result – extremely unhappy customers that killed her credibility with negative public feedback, plus she had to refund customers money she had already spent. She was not prepared for quick success and did not have a plan in place to manage it.

What To Do in This Situation?

If I had been her, as soon as I couldn’t make one day’s orders, I would have put the shop on vacation mode or I would have indicated very clearly, “Due to popular demand, orders will now take 6 weeks instead of the regular 2 weeks. Thank you for your understanding”.

I would have enlisted a trusted friend or family member to answer customer emails and inquiries while I focused on making the shoes.

I also would have hired a student just to take care of the packaging and shipping. It may cut into your profits but you have to fill orders in the time you said you would, especially if you have already been paid.

I would also scale back any marketing that was bringing in the surge of sales.

So What Is Your Success Plan?

What if more orders come in than you can handle, do you have a contingency plan in place?

  • Have you figured out how many sales a day you can realistically fill?
  • Have you allotted time for other business practices besides producing the products, such as accounting, marketing, customer service, etc.?
  • Can you afford to hire and train someone to produce products or is it only a skill that you have?
  • Do you have someone you trust who can handle the simple business tasks, such as dealing with customers, while you focus on filling orders?
  • At what point would you have to stop taking orders?

These are all important questions you have to be able to answer before you achieve the success you desire.

Always have a plan in place for success, just in case. The goal is to grow your business at a pace you can handle. So while you may desire more sales,  it is better that they come gradually instead of all at once.

More Sales Articles

Discover my marketing products and services in my Shopify store.

too many sales

© 2013 Gail Oliver. All rights reserved. Too many sales. 

Expensive Packaging Costs Can Kill Your Profit Margins

 

expensive packaging costsI was doing a consultation on a very nice online jewelry shop, and the seller was making the same mistake a lot of other small online sellers seem to do. Every item is sent to the customer in a beautiful gift box. And for free. So I have to ask – why?

Why You Don’t Want to Do This
  • First of all, what if it is not a gift? The box is then a wasted cost and definitely not an incentive to buy.
  • What if it is a gift and the buyer doesn’t like the gift box you’re offering? They are just going to toss it anyway, so again, a wasted cost.
  • How much is it costing you to offer these gift boxes that the majority of its buyers don’t care about, eating into probably already slim profits?
  • How is this gift box affecting shipping charges, which without it could then be lowered, and low shipping charges are more of an incentive to buy.
  • What if the buyer orders 5 items? Are you going to send 5 gift boxes? That becomes a pretty large shipment.

In the last year I have ordered clothing and jewelry from many mid to high-end online stores, and guess what? Each time my items came individually packaged in plastic bags. It didn’t bother me. If it means my shipping charges are lower due to less weight and bulk, so be it. I don’t need any more boxes.

When Clever Packaging Can Work

The other day I bought a pair of earrings at a popular retail fashion chain. The salesperson handed me the earrings, small as they were, in a mid-sized reusable cushioned bag with fabric handles that could be used for a lunch bag or small tote.  It seemed excessive considering how small the earrings were, but it was neon green with their logo taking up both sides, so it would basically act as free advertising for them anywhere I took it. Now, this is smart packaging. And the cost of the bag is essentially an advertising cost, not a packaging cost.

Gift Wrapping

Now, by all means, offer gift wrapping or gift boxes as a value added service that you charge for, $2 or $3 to recoup your costs, or just offer it for free during the holiday season.  Plus, it is dependent on price. If you are selling a $600 necklace, then yes you should probably put it in a box. But for low to moderate priced jewelry, it’s not an issue.

Look Environmentally Concerned

And let your customers know that you don’t use fancy packaging (just protective packaging to avoid damage) because you want to save them these unnecessary costs and it’s better for the environment (well, not plastic). This way there are no surprises, they know how it will be arriving, and they will appreciate what you are trying to do as a small business person.

FINAL WORD: Small businesses need to maximize profit margins in order to offer competitive prices and still make money. Therefore, do away with any unnecessary costs that are not going to impact the buying decision.

About Me

Do you need your Brand Story written or an SEO-Optimized Blog Post or a Personalized Business Consultation? As a 20+ year marketing professional and small business consultant, all of my services are super affordable.expensive packaging costs

I have consulted for thousands of small businesses since 2012, and my advice has been featured in the NY Times, Success Magazine, Yahoo Business, American Express, Big Commerce, Business2Community to name a few – so this is professional advice you can trust!

My Publicity Pitch service has also gotten my clients featured in Real Simple Magazine, Apartment Therapy, House Beautiful, Vanity Fair, Houzz, Martha Stewart, Glamour Magazine, LONNY, DesignMilk, Emmaline Bride,– just to name a few.

More Articles

 

 

 

© 2013 Gail Oliver. All rights reserved. Expensive Packaging Costs

Selling Art on Etsy

selling art on etsySelling art on Etsy is not an easy feat, due to the fact that there is so much competition. However, my, 12-Month Marketing Plan for Art Shops will give you some very helpful tips to make your Etsy art shop a standout, get more traffic and make more sales.

Below are just a few of the hundreds of tactics in the 12-Month Plan:

Selling Art Idea #1

Take advantage of National #InspireYourHeartwithArt Day on January 31st that trends big on social media. It is a great PR opportunity to get attention from both home decor blogs and even your local media.

Selling Art Idea #2

If you have already set up a free profile on Houzz.com, use it to follow interior decorators and designers that may want your art for their clients. You can mention your Etsy shop in your profile. Never focus just on selling to end users. Selling to decorators means repeat customers and typically larger orders.

Selling Art Idea #3

Also on Houzz, comment regularly on articles that have to do with art, as well as answer questions in the forums about art, as these are opportunities for other readers to see your Etsy shop name.

Selling Art Idea #4

Don’t just pin your art to Pinterest, pin a collage that looks like a gallery art wall of your art, to help upsell more pieces. Also pin ways to display art.

Selling Art Idea #5

Businesses also need art (not just home owners) so run ads on Facebook that target dentist offices, doctors offices,  restaurant owners and the like, with a link to your Etsy shop.

Selling Art Idea #6

Wear your art on a tshirt (that also has your Etsy shop name and url on it) and give the shirts to family and friends to wear at every major public event like concerts, charity walks, and festivals.

Selling Art Idea #7

Ask a local builder if you can hang some pieces in their model home in exchange for leaving business cards for your shop below the piece. i.e. Art courtesy of XYZ Shop on Etsy. selling art on etsy

Need MORE IDEAS on selling art on Etsy?

All of the above ideas are from my 12-Month Marketing Plan for Art Shops. Download at my Etsy shop


Are you an Etsy Seller
? I do Etsy shop critiques as well. Please visit my Etsy store here.

More Art and Etsy Posts

© 2017 Gail Oliver. All rights reserved. Selling art on Etsy

Categories You Should Be Adding to Your Online Store This Time of Year

store categories to add in the fallWhen Google searches your online store, they search your online store categories, so it doesn’t hurt to update them from time to time, especially when it comes to seasonal shopping habits.

For example, the online home goods store, Wayfair, has added two prominent shop categories, right at the top of the page, “College Living” and “Back to School“.  Under these headings, Wayfair also has various sub headings (based on popular search phrases) such as:

  • Dorm Design on a Budget
  • 14 Dorm Design Ideas
  • Dorm Essentials
  • College Checklist

Google reads these headings and sub headings and, as a result, it will drastically move Wayfair up in Google searches for anyone looking for college dorm room decor.

Google-search-tips

Other notable top online retailers have already added fall-related shop sections:

  • Williams-Sonoma has added a “Halloween Preview” shop section.
  • H&M has added a “Fall Looks shop section.
  • Nordstrom has added “Back to School and “Summer to Fall Booties“.
  • Grandin Road has added “Halloween Haven“.
  • Office Depot has added its “Back to School Headquarters as well as its “Mobile Accessories Marketplace” (as many college kids are upgrading their laptops, phones, etc. before they head back).
  • Pier 1 has added “Fall & Autumn Decor” and a sneak peak at their “Halloween 2013 Collection“.
  • Ann Taylor has added “Pre-Fall Forecast“.
  • Bed, Bath & Beyond has added “College Shopping / Back to College.
  • J.Crew has added the section “Looks We Love for Back to School“.
  • Best Buy has added “College Student Deals.

FINAL WORD: Shop sections, categories, departments and headings are very important in Google search. Make sure you are adding ones relevant to seasonal shopping habits (in this case, Back to School, Fall Fashion, Autumn Decorating, Halloween Decor, College Shopping, etc.) to help drive more traffic to your online shop. It also helps your shop to get found by blog and magazine editors who are looking to write about products on these topics as well.

About Me

Do you need your Brand Story written or an SEO-Optimized Blog Post or a Personalized Business Consultation? As a 20+ year marketing professional and small business consultant, all of my services are super affordable.categories to add to your store in the fall

I have consulted for thousands of small businesses since 2012, and my advice has been featured in the NY Times, Success Magazine, Yahoo Business, American Express, Big Commerce, Business2Community to name a few – so this is professional advice you can trust!

My Publicity Pitch service has also gotten my clients featured in Real Simple Magazine, Apartment Therapy, House Beautiful, Vanity Fair, Houzz, Martha Stewart, Glamour Magazine, LONNY, DesignMilk, Emmaline Bride,– just to name a few.

More Articles

 

 

 

© 2013 Gail Oliver. All rights reserved. Online Store Categories 

3 Easy Ways to Be a Walking Billboard for Your Small Business

walking billboard for your small businessAre you maximizing the exposure of your business, starting with your everyday life?

Once you walk out the door, you can become a walking billboard for your small business in many ways. Here are 3 good examples to try:

Your Cell Phone, Laptop & Ebook Reader Cases

More than likely you have a cell phone and you have a case for it, but did you realize that you have valuable advertising space right on the cell phone case itself? There are hundreds of companies that will create a custom cell phone case for you that could incorporate your company logo, maybe a tag line, a website address, you name it. So, the next time you are sitting at a Starbucks, make sure your cell phone is on the table, case side up so it gets noticed. You can also do this with a iPad case, a laptop bag or backpack and walk everywhere with your company name facing out for everyone to see. If you have employees, create custom covers for them as well.iphones-for-your-business

Your Clothing

Maybe you can’t afford to be an exhibitor at a consumer show (such as a bridal show, a home show, a parenting show, etc.) However, you can afford to attend the event and spend the day walking around the show in a t-shirt that clearly advertises your business on both the front and back. Make sure to have business cards on you in case people ask. Wear the t-shirt for any big traffic event, such as walking through a busy marketplace, running a marathon, attending a televised sporting event – the point is you want to always be advertising. And it doesn’t just have to be a t-shirt, it can be a jacket with your logo (and url) on the back, a baseball cap, your baby’s onesie (why not?).

Your Vehicles

Most people are familiar with this one. You can put your logo on your vehicle, but you can also paint your entire vehicle as an ad for your business. The key is making sure the vehicle gets seen. Leaving it parked in your garage is not going to help you. You want to hit the highway in rush hour where people will likely be stopped behind you in traffic. You want to park in front of a busy mall or outdoor event. You also want to think about other vehicles. You can put your logo on your motorcycle, bicycle, trailer home, or boat.advertise-car

FINAL WORD: Look at what you take with you when you go out the door, from your phone to your purse to your clothing to your car, and think about whether it can be an advertising medium for you.

Need Marketing Help You Can Afford?

GB OliverI have helped hundreds of small businesses market themselves for success. Just fill in the form below for more information, or email me at attentiongetting@gmail.com to discuss or see my Marketing Services page. Or check out my Shopify Store  for Small Business Marketing Products.

 

© 2013 Gail Oliver. All rights reserved. Walking Billboard for Your Small Business.

How to Pitch Your Products to the Media

how to pitch your products to the mediaWant to know how to pitch your products to the media.

I constantly have customers asking me this. As I have stated many times, you have to pitch a story, not a product. Writers are looking for stories, so you have to give them one or at least put an idea in their head.

Here are some recent story ideas that might help you see the types of editorial writers are looking for, and whether  you can tailor the pitch to something you sell.

Keep in mind, if you are pitching to blogs they are currently working on articles for August, but magazines in print are working on November/December issues, so story ideas should be relevant to the time of year the piece will come out.

Recent Blog Headlines for Jewelry/Fashion
  • Summer Tops Under $50
  • Trend Alert: Turquoise Jewelry
  • Lightweight Bags for Summer
  • Cake Jewelry: The Best Adorable Deliciousness Etsy Has to Offer
Recent Blog Headlines for Kids/Babies
  • Diaper Bag Essentials for Moms on the Move
  • Picks for a Healthy Baby Nursery
  • Kids Party Idea: Yellow Sunshine
  • Fourth of July Style for Kids
Recent Blog Headlines for Vintage
  • Creating an Herb Garden Using Vintage Tins
  • Vintage Posters That Make You Want to Travel
  • Tips for Buying Vintage Jewelry
  • Using Vintage Finds in Your Wedding
Recent Blog Headlines for Home Decor
  • Buying Wall Art: The Best Typography Prints for Your Home
  • 10 Ways to Love Neon in Your Home
  • Decorating Solution for the Stylish Renter
  • These Adorable Art Prints are Sealed with a Kiss
Recent Blog Headlines for Weddings
  • 10 Jaw Dropping Wedding Gowns Under $500
  • Add a Bit of British to Your Big Day
  • Wedding Inspiration and Ideas from Romantic Movies
  • Terrific Travel Theme Wedding Ideas
Recent Blog Headlines for Pets
  • How to Include a Pet at a Wedding
  • July Must-Haves for Your Pet
  • The Best Low-Fat, Organic Treats for Your Dog
  • Sweet Cat Collars from Etsy
Recent Blog Headlines for Beauty
  • 10 Products That Will Cool You Down from Head to Toe
  • Suite Up for Comic-Con with Cartoon Inspired Nail Art
  • Makeup Tools that Won’t Break the Bank
  • 10 Nail Polish Colors That Will Remind You of Sand and Sea

FINAL WORD: Grab inspiration for story pitches from current blog headlines. The more interesting the headline, the better chance you’ll have that they will go for it. Email the writer the story idea, and how your product would fit into the story, and you’re in!

Need Help Pitching Your Products to the Media?

I’ve written pitches that have gotten my customers featured in Real Simple Magazine, Apartment Therapy, House Beautiful, Vanity Fair, Houzz.com, Glamour Magazine, LONNY, DesignMilk, Emmaline Bride, Martha Stewart, just to name a few. I can write story pitches for you as well as recommend the most popular media to get in front of your target market. Just email me at attentiongetting@gmail.com to discuss or see my Marketing Services page.

More Publicity Articles
© 2013 Gail Oliver. All rights reserved.How to Pitch Your Products to the Media

Putting an Instagram or Social Media Feed on Your Website

Instagram Feed Website Ideas.

A lot of businesses will put their social media icons on their website, but usually at the bottom of the page, or they are quite small or not in a clearly visible spot. Remember, being on social media is not going to help you unless you get people to follow you, who will then share your posts/pins/tweets with their followers, creating a ripple effect.

Major online retailers are taking their social media efforts a step further, beyond using small icons to get you to click over to their social media pages. Instead, many are actually promoting their social media pages right on their shop homepage with a preview, in order to lure customers over. Here are some good examples:

Tumblr Preview on Club Monaco

instagram feed website

The clothing retailer, Club Monaco, has added a snippet of their Tumblr page, uniquely called Culture Club, to the bottom of each of their section pages. You can click on the individual images (to reblog, like, etc.) or you can go directly over to their Tumblr page and start following it. In fact, Club Monaco has dedicated a shop section to all their social media (under the same Culture Club title) where you can see their Tumblr page, some pins from their Pinterest boards, some posts from their Facebook page, and some tweets from their Tweeter feed. Much more effective than icons.

Pinterest Preview on Mark & Graham

instagram feed website

The online store, Mark & Graham, specializes in personalized and engraved products. On their home page and on their blog, they are promoting their Pinterest boards, but selecting one board to profile, relevant to the current season, like this one on popsicles. Clicking on this visual preview takes you to their Pinterest boards.

Instagram Preview on Bottica

instagram feed website

Jewelry and fashion accessories retailer, Bottica, profiles Instagram photos from their customers right on their homepage. They encourage customers to take a unique photo of one of their products, and then they select the best ones to profile on the site and on their Instagram page. Customers can even upload photos directly on the homepage. Each Instagram photo also has the product listing directly hyperlinked so you can easily purchase.

FINAL WORD: Social media icons are pretty common place on websites now, but the real innovators are taking it a step further by promoting their social media pages with previews or other more detailed, interactive graphics. If you really want to develop a following on social media and broaden your reach, maybe you should do the same.

Need Some Creative Marketing Ideas?

I specialize in helping small businesses selling online, and, as such, I offer extremely affordable consulting services that will make a huge difference for your business. Whether you offer products and/or services, my consultations will help you identify how to get in front of your target market, bring in more sales, and expand your reach. Just email me at attentiongetting@gmail.com to discuss or see my Marketing Services page.

More Instagram Articles

© 2013 Gail Oliver. All rights reserved. Instagram Feed Website.

Pitch Your Products to be in Holiday Gift Guides NOW

holiday gift guide pitchesIt’s that time of year for holiday gift guide pitches.

Major magazines typically work about four months in advance. So in other words, right now they are planning their November issues, and a big part of any November issue is a holiday gift guide. So if you want your products to be included, you need to be pitching them to editors now (in late July).

When you pitch your products to be included in a gift guide, there are few things you need to include in your pitch:

  • Specify who the potential recipients could be, such as husband, wife, daughter, boss, teacher, etc.
  • Specify the price, as a lot of gift guides are categorized as such i.e. Gifts $25 and under, Gifts $25 to $50, etc.
  • Specify the type of person who would like it. For example, the Fashionista, the Fitness Buff, the Geek, the New Mom, etc.Holiday Gift Guide Pitches
  • Specify if the gift gives back (part of the proceeds go to charity, shop supports third world vendors, etc.)

Holiday issues are typically the most widely read issues of the year. So you can also pitch your products to be included in other aspects of the magazine’s holiday editorial. Consider these suggestions:

  • Decorating – Do you have products that work for holiday decor? Pitch those for decorating articles.
  • Entertaining – All those holiday parties require food, serve ware and table decor. Pitches those products for holiday entertaining articles.
  • Travel – The holidays are high travel times and magazines are always writing about products that make it easier. Pitches those for holiday travel articles.
  • Fashion – Maybe your products add to the perfect outfit to wear to a holiday party, Christmas day or New Year’s Eve. Pitch those for holiday fashion articles.
  • Cards – Holiday cards, as well as invitations to parties, house warmings, etc., are obviously in big demand. Pitch those for Holiday cards and invitation articles.
  • Photos – Everyone wants that family photo for the holiday card, so it’s a great time to promote any product that will enhance the photo i.e. special outfit for new baby, Santa hat for dog, Happy Holidays sign, etc. Pitch those for holiday photo articles.

Holiday sales are usually the biggest of the year for most businesses, so don’t wait until the last minute to plan for it, or you may be too late. There are over 80 holiday gift guide media contacts in my 2022 Etsy Holiday Planner digital download below. 

More Holiday Marketing Articles:Holiday Gift Guide Pitches

Check out my Etsy shop for marketing plans, planners and other downloads.

© 2013 Gail Oliver. All rights reserved. Holiday Gift Guide Pitches.

Product Photography Tips Examples – Upsell Your Products with Vignette-Style Photos

Want some awesome product photography tips with examples?

When you group a variety of items together in a manner that works and compliments each other, it is called a vignette. Photos in which products are incorporated into vignettes can be highly effective for selling your products in many ways.

  • Helps people visualize how to use your product
  • Helps show the perspective of size
  • Helps upsell your other products if they are shown in the photo

Take this product photo from the online store, Wisteria.

Product Photography Tips Examples

Why It Works: This photo is for the blue textual wall art sign on the left. What I like about it, is that it gives you an idea of how to use the wall art, plus you get a good idea of the actual size (it maybe not as big as you initially thought), and it helps upsell the other Wisteria products in the photo, such as the oars, the fish, the mirror, even the table, because it all looks so great together.

You can do this kind of photo for virtually any type of product, from wedding products and vintage items to pet products, kids and baby products and beauty products, but it is really effective for decor items and fashion and accessories.

 

product photography tips examplesEven if you just sell one type of product, display them together, as in this photo from One Kings Lane.

 

Why It Works: If you sell candles, why just promote one candle? I mean why sell one when you can sell five? Therefore, have a photo that shows how a mix of your candles of various sizes, textures and colors would look together. It may be enough to convince a buyer to buy all of the candles because they want to duplicate the look.

product photography tips examplesIf you sell a variety of products, why not show them bundled together as part of a gift basket like this one from One Kings Lane.

Why It Works: You don’t necessarily have to offer the gift basket, but it does make the buyer think about maybe including your product in one, or how buying several of your products would make a great gift.

I love how this hand holding a variety of nail polish colors also features the colors on the nails themselves.

Why It Works: The photo is definitely a lot more bright and colorful, therefore eye-catching, plus you immediately see how to use all of the colors together, as well as on their own.

 

cool product photos

FINAL WORD: Photos can always sell products, especially with the current popularity of visual social media sites such as Pinterest and Tumblr. Just try to find creative ways to photograph and display your products that will encourage customers to buy more. 

Be sure to visit my Shopify store to see my Products and Services for sale.

Be sure to also read New Ideas for Product Photography.

© 2013 Gail Oliver. All rights reserved. Product Photography Tips Examples

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