7.08.2009

New Store? Try Multi-Shop Advertisements!

We all remember when we first opened our on-line store. We feverishly created new merchandise, posted the items, then waited for the buyers to come. But when the buyers were slow in coming we realized that we needed to advertise our business.

So we did our homework, found the best advertising we could, and then realized that the best advertising wasn't in our budget. With only a little money in our pockets for advertising we quickly realized that getting a nice size, high traffic ad was going to be a little harder than we thought.

For some business owners, finding out that you don't have the extra money to compete with effective ads can be discouraging. But it doesn't have to be. Have you ever considered talking with some other store owners to see if they would be willing to do a multi-shop advertisement with you? A multi-shop ad lisiting is a creative way for small business owners to compete and land highly visible ads in this big advertising world without breaking the bank!

To start this process, browse the ArtFire and Etsy stores. Make a list of 3 or 4 stores who offer products different than what you offer. Then, talk with the store owners and find out about their business and if they would be willing to do some shared advertising. You will probably find that most store owners are open to this type of business venture and will gladly listen to your ideas. Getting a nice, large size ad on sites with lots of traffic (without breaking the bank) can prove to be beneficial in advertising your business.

Once you have decided on doing a multi-shop ad, remember to keep the development of the ad simple and easy to read. Every store involved must be clearly represented and given an equal chance of being seen. Ads that are cluttered or hard to read could discourage readers, making your ad uneffective.

Multi-shop ads are becoming a highly effective and easy way for handmade businesses to reach new customers. Network and find some new business owner friends and start your advertising adventures together. Supporting each other and succeeding together will be a fun adventure on the road of being a handmade business owner.

Until next time..Blessings! ~ Dawn

3 comments:

  1. I guess I havnt thought of this way of advertising
    I have been so busy with the "its all in the bag" project that advertising for my own shop has kind of fallen behind!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I found a really great site to advertise on. It's just starting but is promoting like crazy.
    http://handmadehighway.blogpsot.com

    ReplyDelete