Work, Work, Work

The last week I was under a pile of work for Scrapbookerry’s first Market Night on Facebook.

I was nervous about it, but really excited and was hoping it would be a great way to get new people seeing my products, and a way to get some new customers and new sales.

I spent all of yesterday loading photos into an album, and worked most of my Sunday on the event.

I was really nervous, but was determined to have everything organised before the time of the event.

The time of the event came and it was shared on Facebook, on Twitter and it wasn’t just shared by me. Lots of my friends and family shared it and it was viewed by lots and lots of people.

And I waited and waited.

And waited and waited.

A couple of people liked some of the pictures.

I had a few more shares of the event.

And I waited.

It got to the end of the event and that was it.

No sales, no comments, nothing.

It was completely and utterly dead.

Not one sale throughout the whole of the Market Night.

I went to bed deflated, and ready to totally give up. Sales have been quiet for a while, and I was really hoping the Market Night would boost them up and when they didn’t I was ready to throw in the towel.

I didn’t as I did know it was hasty, and I also had a good friend talking rationally too me and telling me it was too hasty. So I closed everything down and went to bed.

I woke up this morning, and I posted, I looked at the business, but still wasn’t sure what to do with it.

Over the day I have had a few points made as feedback from the market night, it has been bizarre feedback nothing has been negative in fact the opposite but that hasn’t really helped me with what to do.

I have been told that everything was so lovely, they couldn’t decide what to buy. Which in itself is an amazing comment, but I am not sure how I can actually help that!

I have also been told that people can’t really see what a scrapbook is via the internet. That pictures really don’t do the scrapbooks any justice, and people aren’t really sure firstly what they are and secondly what to do with them. To be fair this is a really valid point, and something that I have thought about in the past, but apart from actually stocking my scrapbooks in an actual shop I am not really sure what to do about this. People can’t feel or play with the scrapbooks online, that I know so I am not sure how to show them off to their best ability via the internet.

I have also been told that scrapbooks aren’t a spontaneous buy, they are a premier item, that people take a long time to think about, and decide on the best type of scrapbook for them and how to use one before they actually buy it. This is something I do actually agree with, so maybe a market night wasn’t the best plan if that is the case.

So there are a few things I need to think about.

After such a failure of a market night, I have a few decisions to make.

I love my business, my job, I love hearing about people loving their scrapbooks and keepsakes, and I love knowing that I have made them something that will keep their photos safe for years to come, and is acid free and wont back them degenerate really fast.

But am I flogging a dead horse as they say?

I honestly don’t think I am, I think there is a place for my little business, but I am not marketing it right and I am missing a trick! But that is where the difficulty lays, trying to find the right marketing and the missing trick.

I can’t afford a shop a physical shop, so that idea is out of the question.

Looking for space in a shop that sells shelf space is a massive possibility, I need to do some research and find the best places and the best deals. And actually speak to some owners and make some samples to show these shops.

I currently only have my website Scrapbookerry, that I sell on, I use social media, such as Facebook and have a Facebook page, and link to things on my page and my website on other social media sites such as Twitter, and Tsu. But I think I could do more. I have never really grasped G+ but am beginning to wonder whether it is a good place for crafters to promote their business and their products. Currently I have only ever really relied on word of mouth and friends to promote my business but I think I need to do more now, I have a press release on the website and I think it is now time to start using it and getting some articles about the business out there, and looking at magazines as well.

It has been suggested to start doing you tube clips about my scrapbooks. Little video tutorials about why you make them, and how to use them. It is something I have thought about in the past, I will be honest, but something I have always been a little scared to actually take the leap and do. But I think it may be the only way possible to get over the issue that people don’t always understand how a scrapbook can be used.

It has also been suggested that I could do with selling in a place rather than just the website. There are a lot craft selling ‘shops’ on the internet, and I think it may be a good idea to start researching this and finding one that is a good market place for scrapbooks and keepsakes. I have tried these a few times before in the past and to be honest have not done that well on them, but I am willing to try this again. As I do believe that I possibly haven’t found the market place that is the right place for my items. But it is something that really needs to be researched and looked into.

Basically I need to improve the selling, and the marketing of my little business, because basically if I don’t it is looking to be ending in a sad state of affairs.

So if any one has any bright ideas or great methods that work then please do shout, tweet, Facebook, comment, or tag me in them as I am a little stumped I will be honest.