In case you missed our The State of Making, I wanted to share a few insights I learned from our guests. This is the second time we've done The State of Making and I learn so much every time-- right along with you guys! OK, so here were my big insights.
BUYERS CRAVING COMFORT
During our Holiday Postmortem with Marci and Brandy, there was a lot of discussion on buyer behavior and what they were gravitating toward this past holiday season. Being that a lot of people were... not as holiday cheerful after the recent election, they sought a lot of comfort and meaning through the gifts they purchased.
What does this mean for you? Think about the mood your buyers are in. Take their emotional pulse. How can you connect with them? Make sure you are using appropriate tone in your communications.
CREATING PERSONAL TOUCHES
Our packaging experts Lilah and Mark gave us a lot to think about. A LOT! In particular we looked at ways to make your packaging more reflective of you and your handmade business. One great tip was from Lilah-- using your handwriting! It's incredibly unique and a great way to personalize your brand even if it's being printed on thousands of items.
FOCUS ON YOUR AUDIENCE
It seems like a "no duh", but I was really struck in our talk with Meighan about controversy and politics how easily we make our content about us and our thoughts, emotions, opinions and reactions, instead of first asking, "Is this something my audience cares about?"
If you feel like your audience isn't who you want, then make sure to intentionally think about how you move away from them
OBSERVE, EXPERIMENT, ADAPT
We had a chat with Stacia and Tara about different business models and there are no pat answers. Figuring out how to set up your business for profitability and sustainability is highly personal and will also take some experimenting. What we do know-- you can just take another business' setup and out of the box make it yours. You need to observe how your business works, experiment with new ways of doing things and adapt to what's working (and shed what's not). Easier said than done, right?
State of Making Available for Purchase
The State of Making 2017 might be over, but you can get the full set of replays along with an awesome download on packaging. Click the button below to find out more!
