Are you taking advantage of these handmade business trends?

By: Charlene Dunbar

Wish there was a way to know the business outlook for the next 12 months or 5 years? We rounded up seven small business trends that handmade entrepreneurs need to take advantage of in the coming year.

#1 – Alternative payment options will continue to be important

Consider installment payment options for your online store or touchless pay options like ApplePay for in-person selling if you haven’t already.

#2 – Remote work will persist

You may need to adjust your product offerings, “reason to buy” or expand to services (virtual candle-making class anyone?) because the more-time-at-home trend is here to stay.

#3 – Spend on social media will increase

As customers spend more time online, how will you get their attention in a crowded online space? According to Business News Daily, social media ad spend will increase by 15% in 2021, growing the total spend on ads to $105 billion.

#4 – Use of mobile marketing

Is your online store optimized for mobile? Sending text messages or geo-targeting potential clients using Google ads can help keep your handmade brand top of mind for customers who are ready to shop.

#5 – User reviews will continue to matter

User reviews provide “social proof” that gives buyers confidence to buy from you online, sight unseen. Are you putting user reviews/testimonials to work in your online store?

#6 – Empathy is the gold standard

Customers want to buy from people who can relate to all the challenging things we’re experiencing IRL. Displaying empathy in your communication can help build trust with customers.

#7 More consumers will prioritize shopping small

According to Fundbox, 59% of consumers would rather buy from a small business vs. a large corporation. Don’t be shy about sharing your small business journey; customers are rooting for you and want to support your handmade business.

Which business trend resonates with you the most? I need to hop on the mobile marketing train and plan to get an app that can help with that. Drop us a note below and thanking for reading!

Sources:

SBA.gov/Top Business Trends for 2021

Business News Daily/12 Small Business Trends and Predictions for 2021

Wix.com/8 Small Business Trends to know for 2021

Fundbox.com/5 Small Business Trends for 2021

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7 Reasons to give your Instagram business page a second look

By: Charlene Dunbar

You probably already have an IG business page and are a pro at posting product images, interacting with customers and scoping out competitors. Here are 7 reasons to take a second look at your IG business page and invest time and energy to get it to the next level of driving sales for your small business.

# 1 – Your customers are already hanging out on IG…and they’re ready to make a purchase.

According to AdEspresso, 1 out of 3 of Instagram’s 1 billion users have purchased an item they first saw on IG. Users also spend an average of 53 minutes/day on the platform. When it comes to marketing, it’s wise to go where the people are.

#2 – Easy to build community and establish trust with your customers

People buy from people they know, like and trust. I can count at least 5 bloggers I’ve bought stuff from not because I needed it, but because they were my friends in my head. Engaging with your audience on IG can draw your tribe in, lead to referrals and help customers to trust you.

#3 – Able to attract customers who are seeking a solution to a problem

When users search for a topic or product they’re interested in, hashtags help your content to end up in their feed even if they don’t follow you. That makes it easy to build followers organically, who can eventually become paying customers.

#4 – Get clues about what customers want

IG has been helpful as a feedback channel for my clothing brand. I’ve gauged interest on new styles and selected color offerings based on IG story poll responses and engagement level to posts. Are you using your IG feed to gather insights on customer preferences and interests?

#5 – Make it easy for customers to contact you

Customers have often DM’d me on IG and then immediately made a purchase after I answered their question. Top of page contact info on IG removes the pain of having to dig through an online store for info, which makes it easier for customers to make a purchase decision.

#6 – Make a great first impression on customers and collaborators

Major brand collaboration opportunities have come to me through my Instagram feed. Beside that, then we’re evaluating vendors to accept for our in-person markets, the first place we look is their IG feed. That feed gives a snapshot of the brand and what we see (or don’t see) there can be a deciding factor in moving to the next step.

#7 – IG is a powerful storytelling tool

If marketing is all about telling stories that your audience identifies with, then IG is a storyteller’s playground. Are you leveraging your feed, stories, IG Live and IGTV to show your audience what your brand stands for and how it fits into their life?

Having an intentional presence on Instagram is a smart way to let customers discover your brand and make repeat purchases from you. How would you rate your IG business page? Are you getting the maximum effect from it, or could it be improved to grow your business? Are you tired of guessing what you need to do next to strengthen your page? Sign up now for our “Up My ‘Gram Game” IG effectiveness audit. We understand the challenge and importance of taking your IG page to the next level and want to help with that.