I’ve mentioned before that use is one of the best forms of marketing, but this is only half true. Wearing and using your products is a great way to get them seen by more people, but unless you are able to articulate information about your products (like where someone can purchase them) you won’t really reap the full benefits.
I was getting coffee the other day when the girl behind the counter complimented my new leather cozy/cuff. I’m never as composed in those situations as I’d like. I never know if I should say I made it, or that I designed it, or just say thanks and walk away. And I rarely have the confidence to say, “Thanks, I designed it, here’s my card.” I always feel like as soon as I say I designed something, it’s pushy to start handing out product literature or extolling the virtues of my product.
And I’m sure I’m not the only one who struggles with this.
But then I started thinking. What if, in situations like that, instead of wearing your designer or maker hat, you play the role of your own biggest fan? What if you just started talking about what it is, where you can get it, and why you love it, without ever mentioning that you’re the one who made it?
What if I had responded with this in the coffee shop: “Thanks, it’s called a cozy/cuff. You can wear it as a bracelet too. You can order them online. I use mine all the time and I absolutely love it!”
Have you ever tried this? Do ever avoid saying you are the designer in favor of passionately evangelizing your products?
Interested in learning more ideas for marketing your products? There’s still room in Monday’s Marketing Kick Start workshop.
I totally hear you – you are definitely not alone! Whenever I receive a compliment on a piece of jewelry I am wearing (and made), I never respond as my own fan! As proud as I am of my work and accomplishments, I find it incredibly difficult to ‘pimp’ myself like that! Thankfully, I’m usually with someone who chimes in to save the day. Sad, but true! Why is it so hard to praise our own work??
Wow, this is great and simple! I have a hard time with the “I made it” approach too. I’m so trying this!
If someone asks about one of my items I always say that I had a great time making it! This usually leads to more dialogue and questions about sewing and such. I never push the issue- I just respond to questions.
more than once. And early on he lays out his conclusions in swniepeg (and inept) language:Black girls and white girls just don’t mixBecause black girls are dumb and white girls are good chicksWhite girls are good, I like white girlsI like white girls all over the worldWhite girls are fine and they blow my mindAnd that’s why I’m here now, telling you this rhyme Cause black girls, I really don’t like.Even before the news conference had begun, Eminem had released a statement acknowledging that the words were his but calling them foolishness, the sound of a spurned boyfriend venting his anger, stupidity and frustration. So according to this article three hip-hop fans have discovered a very old recording of Eminem doing some ranting and raving about an ex-girlfriend during which he uses some unsavory language and racial epithets. What’s the big deal? In fact, I would like to know if there is a rap song that has been recorded that doesn’t use a racial epithet.Ok, ok, so Eminem is white. We all know that words like nigger are ok for black people to use but off limits for whites, but c’mon. Are they really trying to say that Eminem is racist? I think that’d be a hard accusation to make. I can’t see how a racist would succeed as Eminem has in a market dominated by blacks.Lets keep in mind that the source of this information, in this case a publication called The Source, was co-founded by one Mr. Benzino Scott. It is no secret that Mr. Scott has been engaged in a feud with Eminem for some time now. In fact, The Source featured a picture of Scott holding Eminem’s severed head. This doesn’t exactly make them a disinterested third party.To me, here are the important facts in the issue:Eminem had a bad experience in a relationship with a black woman. Being as how he is a very talented rapper he decided to use his talent to express his frustration. While doing that he got carried away with the name calling and probably said some things he didn’t really mean. I’m sure we’ve all said some things that we’d be embarrassed to see printed on the front page of the paper.Unfortunately, the recording of this tirade gets into the hands of Mr. Scott who has decided to use it to his advantage. What better way to discredit a white rapper then by accusing him of racism.Honestly, I’m not a fan of rap music. I find most of it to be shallow and tasteless. I am, however, an Eminem fan and I hate to see him get torn down over such a stupid issue.
Brilliant! Yes, you should definitely take credit for it. And practicing the words beforehand is key–so that you’re ready. Ask someone to role play with you.
People – especially friends and family – tend to give me funny looks when I tell them I made “it”… like what I do isn’t considered work. I do take pride in what I do, but the lack if support from those closest to you can become a bit of a hinderance.
But I do want to work on self-promotion, nonetheless – and this article is a great starting point 🙂
I have got to try this!
I’m shy by nature, and I have trouble with the “I made it!!” approach. Being your own fan sounds like a great happy medium. ^_^
WOW. So simple, obvious and perfect! I have HUGE issues with this. No idea why this never occurred to me. Thank you-genius!
Jason, Geez,guys!!_I can’t type,or spell well at any hour,but 4:30 AM,edt,doesn’t help!!A bitsh,is simply a bitch.Joel soluhd know,’cause he kisses them [Might be a new blog post for D.W.:Gay guys kissing straight{one assumes} bitches.]BTW:Is interlect Australian for something,or just a mis-spelling of a wishful thinking,i.e.:Australian intellect?!! A Modest Proposal was Jonathan Swift’s [Swift was Irish,a great writer,and a coprophiliac] devastating satire on how the British soluhd deal with the Irish.Bottom line?Eat them.Robert Hughes was[is?] an art critic & writer on art.He was,it beggars the imagination, a really perceptive art critic for Time magazine.He wrote a hilarious satirical poem on the art & real estate scene in 80 s New York anonymously,styling himself the antipodean shepherd .Hughes history on the brutal forced settlement of Australia [can’t remember the title] is devastating. Jason,Thanks for your efforts,but still don’t know what amp means,as it seems to always be written & amp .
I would like to reiterate EVERYTHING Jen just said! This is one of my biggest problems and what a simple solution.
I took one of my new iPad cases with me when I went to pick up my iPad a couple of weeks ago. The sales person that was helping me was so impressed she practically called every other employee over to see it! (the first thing they all did was smell it, isn’t that funny 🙂 I have to say that my confidence must have grown somehow lately because I handled all that attention really well much to my surprise.
I wasn’t afraid to tell them I made it, where they could buy it (one of the guys said, “You should sell that on Etsy” I got a chuckle out of that and said I do!) and most of all I wasn’t ashamed to tell them the price. I didn’t apologize that it is expensive, but talked about how well it’s made and other benefits.
I think with a little practice you can wear both hats, designer and biggest fan. It was a great experience doing this, and gave me even more confidence that I’m on the right track.
Love those new leather cuff/cozies by the way!
Wow, what a great way to self-promote…without self-promoting! Even shy people can do this because there is really no pressure.
BTW, I saw this article from SCORE today and thought I’d pass it on. It seems very applicable to artisans: http://www.score.org/article_improve_retail_sales.html
this is a great approach! I will definitely have to try this, as when I go the “I made/designed this” route, I blush and feel pushy. Although when I’m wearing another designers work, I happily will shell out info.
Yep, totally agree on this one — excellent advice!
Also just wanted to say I LOVE your cozy cuffs! Cool idea, beautifully designed and executed! Thx for the inspiration. 🙂
If someone compliments a piece of jewelry that I am wearing, I thank them and say that I made it. Usually, that leads to more conversation and then it feels right to say something like “I actually have another one for sale in my Etsy store” and that can create more conversation which leads to giving them my business card. I am always gauging interest and whether it feels appropriate and whether they seem interested before I mention my store or hand them my card. I have a rule that any jewelry I make for myself, I make another and list for sale in my shop. I kept getting compliments on my work, but it seemed too sales pitchy to skip the middle and go straight to handing them a card.
Why didn’t I think of this? I can’t wait to use this action, which I will definitely do. Thank you!
I completely know where you’re coming from. When I first started selling at shows, it was really hard to talk about my jewelry. But then I started talking about the designer (myself) in the third person, and it was so much easier and I felt less self-conscious. I always found it easier to gush about my friends’ things, so this was a way to gush about my things more freely.
This reminds me of last weekend. I was hanging out with my husband and some new acquaintances. One couple asked about our work and we told them my husband is an artist (he does all the illustrations for our ecomm business). When we asked them, the wife said “I design jewelry.” She then proceeded to tell us all about it, and gave both of us business cards and told us we should visit her website. Unfortunately, neither of us wears jewelry, except our wedding bands, so we felt a little unnecessarily sold to.
A few minutes later another guy we were hanging out with said “I love your tshirt!” (It was one designed by my husband.) I said thanks. Then he said “Where did you get that?! I want that!” So then we told him that it was designed by my husband and gave him the URL to our ecomm site.
So I guess the thing with us is, we don’t want to come off as pushy about what we do. If people ask we’ll tell them. If they press us for details, that’s fine. If they ask where we got a shirt we are wearing, we’ll give them our site address. What we won’t do is go on in detail about our work or push our products on people. I don’t think you can make people want to buy what you sell and trying to do so will probably just turn them off.
I actually have no problem telling people I made my jewelry when they compliment it and/or ask where I got it. I never just whip out a card and give it to them, but if the person wants to continue the conversation about my jewelry, I make sure I offer to give them my card before we’re done talking.
I think it’s really beneficial to make sure people know you made your product, because there is an appeal to having direct contact with the designer/creator of a product, rather than purchasing from some faceless corporation. It’s amazing how much more interested in my jewelry people become once they learn I’ve made it myself instead of buying it. What could have been a 10-second conversation suddenly turns into a 10-minute conversation, which sometimes turns into a sale!
Amy, I like your rule. I tend to do the exact opposite – make something with the intent of selling it, fall in love with it, make one for myself. 😉
Never!
I always say I made the book / took the photograph / made the collage myself. And I always have cards on hand! 😀
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I think this is a great idea! I would be much less self-conscious about this if I were doing it anonymously!
I think about this same thing all the time, and I’ve often marveled at how it’s much much easier for my mom to wear my jewelry and say “thanks, my daughter made it, she’s amazing” than it is for me to own up to it. I’ve thought about using a line like “thanks, it’s made by this amazing local artist…” but I’ve never tried it, so I’d be really curious to hear how it works out for someone who does try it.
first, seriously cool cuff
second, I think this is a brilliant idea. they don’t HAVE to know it’s me they just have to know where to get this thing I LOVE
thanks
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Wow, Megan I am playing catchup and going through your blog and I must admit you have some amazing points, great guests, excellent articles all around, but this right here is the “Golden Goose” if ever I have seen one.