Promo Items – Promote Wisely

If you have a local craft fair coming up, consider purchasing promotional items.  Having a re-usable product to give away at craft fairs or other local artist shows may help with that valuable impression all Etsy sellers are trying to create.

To help you pick items that will get the most bang for your advertising buck, our HandmadeMarketing.org team has some tips:

1. Get In Their Homes. One way to help make an impression is to use promo materials that are useful to the potential buyer.  Everyday items will get you the most return on your work.  For example, if you are creating business cards for your next craft fair, consider making the business card double as a six-inch ruler.  By making promotional items useful, you will see your cost per impression goes down, while also seeing a huge jump on your return on investment.  In other words, more people will see your promo item (a ruler) and remember you.  On the other hand, if you are using a regular business card as our promo item, your chances of being remembered go down significantly.
2. Remember Your Buyers.  Our HandmadeMarketing.org team thinks encouraging repeat customers is a must if you want to succeed on Etsy.com.  If your shop is at a craft fair, consider creating on-going purchase coupons.  For example, if you see handbags on Etsy.com, consider offering 20% off the first purchase and 10% off each additional purchase.  Look at your profit margin and see what you can spare.  It may only be $2.00 off they buyer’s first purchase and $1.00 off the second.  Whatever you can spare, think about customer loyalty when recruiting new potential buyers.  Plus, think of the message you are sending when you offer these kind of “thank yous” to people who haven’t even made a purchase yet!
3. Don’t Go Cheap.  Although you may have seen a decrease in your Etsy sales, don’t settle for lots of cheap promotional items.  A lot of cheap items do not have the same impact as a few dozen great items!  Consider being picky regarding giving out promo items.  If someone isn’t interested in your craft, don’t give them an item.

HandmadeMarketing.org reader Debra from Etsy shop EndOfTheDayCrafting had a great idea for a promo item that was useful. “I purchased inexpensive ink pens printed with my Etsy shop name and web address,” Debra told us.  “I include one in most of my orders and a small extra gift. When eating out I always sign the check with my pen and leave it behind!“  Great idea – keep promo items useful and versitle for your shop’s marketing scheme.

Not sure where to start?  If you are looking for promo items on Etsy.com, visit HandmadeMarketing.org reader Melissa at MonsterPromos.  Support a fellow Etsian and grab some great items for your next show!