Tag: new business

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JUKI Small Business Seminar: 5 Mistakes to Avoid in Your Small Business

by sewinwithjukiLeave a Comment on JUKI Small Business Seminar: 5 Mistakes to Avoid in Your Small Business

Mistakes have a bad reputation in society, and we always try to avoid them, but mistakes can be seen as a lesson. Most people are afraid of opening their own business because they don’t want to make mistakes. However, those who own a business know that mistakes happen, and what you do after that matters. 

Business mistakes don’t stop your company from succeeding, but what they can do is help you figure out where you went wrong and help you create a better plan for the next time. Of course, you can’t avoid mistakes, but you can turn them into a learning experience and build a better company from them. 

The good thing is that we can prepare for some mistakes and hopefully prevent them from happening! So today, we will go through some of the top mistakes new business owners make and how to avoid doing it yourself. 

5 Common Mistakes New Businesses Make

Mistakes happen, and that’s okay! The key to avoiding them is having prevention plans in place. Here are the common mistakes we’re going to cover today and how you can avoid them:

  1. Don’t Forget Your Business Plan
  2. Know Your Finances
  3. Don’t Spread Yourself too Thin
  4. Know Your Target Audience 
  5. Don’t Forget Your Marketing Plan

Business Plan

Before you begin your business, one of the first things you should create is your business plan. This plan alone can help you succeed and stand out from competitors. What a plan can do for you is help you build momentum by creating a clear and researched idea that you can now put into play. 

Many people who want to start their own business tend to bite the bullet and do so without constructing a plan. Unfortunately, when you don’t know your niche, finances, business model, and logistics, you’re setting yourself up for future problems. These mistakes will cost you money, time, and effort. 

To avoid these mistakes, you need to create your business plan first and identify any unknown aspects before starting. For example, how are you going to ship your products? Where are you going to buy inventory from? How will you get your product out there?

Whenever you create or do something in your business, read back on your business plan to ensure your logistics, finances, and marketing can handle it. By creating your plan and having something to reference when making changes, you can fully comprehend what is happening in your company and improve.

Know Your Finances

When you don’t know your financial health, your company could be in trouble. 

When you start your business based on a hobby, we often skip the part where we get our ducks for finances. However, ask any business owner, and they’ll tell you that knowing your finances is one of the most important things to stay on top of. 

The good thing about business math is it’s pretty simple seeing how profitable your business can be:

Profit = Demand x (Revenue – Expenses)

The thing is, these expenses are everywhere and can pile up quickly if you don’t stay on top of them. Here are some of the costs you can accumulate in your business:

  1. Operating 
  2. Marketing
  3. Product
  4. Shipping
  5. Team

Here’s an example of the profit formula in play:

Assume 10,000 people are searching for handbags online per month. If half of this audience finds your e-shop, that is 5,000 potential buyers. 

Now let’s convert these viewers at an average of between 1% and 2%; that’s 50-100 sales. So if your average order value is $100 and you have a net profit margin of 30%, your profit will be anything between $1,500 and $3,000 per month. 

While these are rough estimates, if you’ve done the math on your product or service, you know what to expect once sales begin. Avoid common financial mistakes by keeping track of your potential profits and cash flow using the above formula.

Need help creating your business finance budget? Check out our article here on how to make your budget and calculate profit today. 

Don’t Spread Yourself Too Thin

While it can be exciting to open up your shop, one of the common mistakes many make is selling too many products. We know that when one item doesn’t sell well, our first response could be to add new and exciting products, but this isn’t always the best solution.

Remember to focus on your brand, not the products, when it comes to deciding what merchandise you’re going to sell in your shop. For example, if your brand focuses on a niche for handbags, you shouldn’t post products that aren’t related, like pet accessories or gadgets. Knowing your brand and audience is how you’ll obtain sales. 

A better example of adding a product is if you create handbags, you can add new products like wallets. It keeps within your niche and stays true to your brand. Spreading yourself thin with by-products can often be due to not knowing your brand or audience well, so it’s best to plan out what products you’d want to create first, then make and add them.

Know Your Target Audience 

When you’re planning your business, take into account who your target audience is. The best research for this will lead you in the right direction for what products to create and where you can reach your audience. It’s easier to create a product for an established niche than to create a place for a product. 

When it comes to researching your niche, keep in mind to review their numbers and analytics and how to interact with them. Keeping up with your niche can assist you in making sales, updating or creating new products, and building that connection between your business and the consumer. 

Remember, even niches have niches, and finding your ideal customer can take time and research. 

Have trouble finding your niche? Check out our article here for some tips to start today.

Don’t Forget Your Marketing Plan

You could have the best product in the world, but without proper marketing, no one will know about it. So if you’re setting up your online shop, that should mean you have a business plan ready. Within this should be your target audience. Creating your marketing plan should be easy once you know who your customers are! 

Keep in mind that if you don’t know who your customers are or where to find them, you will have a difficult time creating a marketing plan. 

Try and focus on a well-rounded marketing plan that hits all corners of your niche. Of course, some channels will have more traffic than others, which is okay! However, whatever channels you decide to market on, make sure that they receive the focus needed to get your brand and product out there. Whether organic (non-paid) or non-organic (paid advertising), ensure your plan is in place before opening your shop.

Have trouble creating a marketing plan? Check out our article here on how to write your marketing plan today. 

Mistakes Happen, Be Prepared! 

Don’t let mistakes be taboo for you and your company. No one can predict when things will go sideways, but we can be prepared and ready to bring it right back on track. Keep in mind these tasks below when it’s time to start your small business:

  1. Make sure to create a business plan
  2. Keep up with finances and have a budget ready. 
  3. Focus on what products are essential, and stay away from stretching yourself too thin. 
  4. Know who your niche is and how to reach them
  5. Create your marketing plan before setting up a shop

These tasks may take some hard work, but you’ll be happier with the success rate of your company and the comfort of having something to follow along with or fall back on when those mistakes happen.

Are you ready to start planning your business? Join us here to learn more about how JUKI can help you become your own boss today!

Business Plus, JUKI Posts

Starting Your Sewing or Quilting Blog

by sewinwithjukiLeave a Comment on Starting Your Sewing or Quilting Blog

Have you wanted to start your own blog? In today’s post, we’ll teach you steps you can follow for creating your own blog today. Businesses, creators, influencers, and more can all benefit from having a blog. With this channel being a great way to back up your expertise, share your story, and inspire others, having a blog is the perfect addition to any business. Follow along as we go over what a blog is, where you can start yours, and tips for designing and writing your post.

What is a blog?

A blog can be many things. For some, a blog is a journal documenting their journey. For others, it’s a great way to promote their business plans and products. Focused on a specific topic, a blog is more personal than a news outlet and pushes toward creators having a deeper connection with their audiences. Whether we’re sharing our passions, teaching others, hoping to make money, or a combination of all of them, blogging can be a fun and rewarding venture.

Anyone can start a blog! Readers enjoy blogs because of the different personal perspectives they gain. With an informal and conversational style at the forefront, you can write about various topics without needing to be an expert, just a new view. In addition, readers want to know about your experience with techniques, projects, products, and more.

Now that you know what a blog is let’s start planning yours!

Blogging is also a commitment. You can choose the regularity for your posting; some will do it weekly, some monthly, depending on your preference and audience. The aim should be consistent and create content that people want to see. Bloggers rarely see results when they first begin, but those who stick to the idea find themselves in a new community.

Step 1: Naming Your Blog

Your blog name is a small preview of what readers can expect to find on your page. First, think about what you want to call your blog. Yourname.com? Yourbussinessname.com? Maybe you want to title the blog something creative and different and use a wordplay name like “That’s Sew Susy.” Get fun and creative when creating a name so it can stand out! Once you’ve written down a few ideas, the next step is confirming the domain name is free.

You can check with multiple ways to confirm if the blog idea is free. Depending on what platform you use to create the blog, they’ll have a check system that will inform you whether or not the idea is available. Some tips to keep in mind if your idea is being used, try different extensions (like .org or .net), or add small fluff words like “my,” “a,” or “best” (SewSusy.com vs. ThatsSewSusy.com).

Remember, most blog sites will offer a free domain with their site on front; (wordpress.thatssewsusy.com.) If you’d like to have a domain with only the blog name, this will cost a monthly or yearly fee; depending on the platform’s options.

Step 2: Finding Your Niche and Topic

Let’s go through those blog ideas now! While there are a wide array of blogs out there, there are always readers looking for new perspectives. So when it comes to choosing the topic for your blog, pick a topic that allows you to consistently create content without burning out the idea. The more breathing space you allow yourself, the more content you’ll be able to create posts that readers are interested in.

For example, if we’re creating a quilting blog, we don’t focus on only sharing patterns. Instead, by covering cover quilting as a whole and including pieces like projects, behind-the-scenes, how-to’s, personal messages, and more, readers get personal while learning new ways to approach their interests.

Keep in mind that blogs can often lead to opportunities for monetization. Whether through advertisements or connecting the blog to an e-shop, you want the message to align with your future goals. Just like creating videos for YouTube, or content for social media, look for what solutions and perspectives your blog can offer that differ from others out there.

Step 3: Hosting Your Blog

Once you’ve settled on the blog’s name and general topic, it’s time to research host sites. To fully create a blog online, you’ll need a hosting program and blogging program; luckily, these two programs usually come in a package deal.

The host is the website that readers will access. All your blogs will be stored and organized according to tags and design. On the other hand, the blog software is where you’ll write up and design the content for readers.

Below are 3 recommendations for hosting and building your blog. Each offers package deals that allow you to host and create your blog in one location.

WordPress.com: Designed to let you build your blog quickly, WordPress allows users to upload and manage media, text, blog posts, and eCommerce products online. Completely free and open to anyone who wishes to download the program, WordPress is both popular and influential.

Completely hosted by Automattic, bloggers only need to choose a free or paid plan and the domain. All other aspects of hosting are handled by Automattic and WordPress directly. Easy to use and set up, WordPress offers creators a variety of template designs that can be edited to fit their theme and topic. You can also include plug-ins for an eCommerce store, blogs, social media channels, and more.

There are multiple payment plan options, ranging from freelance bloggers to businesses requiring more storage and freedom in design and coding. Powerful, WordPress is known for being one of the top blog sites for creators.

Wix.com: Wix offers accessible design features and free or paid subscriptions for your site. In addition, you can easily add in media content like videos, photos, and PDFs, as well as a variety of applications that can interwork into the blog. In this case, you can easily add applications for e-shops, reservations, and so much more.

Like WordPress, Wix offers blog creators an opportunity to host and build their blog on one site. In addition, their site will offer full technical support, even on free accounts, and has a beautiful SEO system to help you get your blog up on search platforms.

Squarespace.com: Stylish and easy to edit, Squarespace is comparable to WordPress for its power and popularity. Offering over 140 template designs for your blog, Squarespace focuses on keeping a clean design for their sites, adapting the screen size for tablet and phone users on its own. Like the two programs stated above, users can host and create their blogs on one site.

The only cons of working with Wix is that larger websites exceeding 50 individual pages experience slow loading or difficulty. You’ll need to look for alternatives like WordPress for a more prominent website host.

Squarespace offers bloggers the opportunity to create teams with multi-author functionalities, engage readers with their comment features, and allows you to easily organize and schedule your blog posts. Thanks to their Squarespace application for bloggers, you can also blog on the go! With a larger page limit than Wix, hosting up to 400 pages while containing excellent resolution and speed, Squarespace can be a great alternative to WordPress for your website needs.

The cons of working with Squarespace are that you can’t create a large assortment of menu items, as this will slow to load down, and all save when editing automatically publishes onto the website in real-time.

Once you’ve decided on your host and blog site, you can begin designing! Look for designs that relate to your topic and theme while offering easy navigation for readers and a clean look. All programs we’ve recommended above come with built-in templates that can be edited and improved according to your needs.

Step 4: Writing a Blog and Publishing

Let’s begin with setting the site up and creating the content readers should view when they first find your blog. Some basics to set up on your blog are the about page, contact page, and any other page readers should browse with your focus.

Other items you can add to the site include a photo of yourself, a logo, images, a comment section, your social media channels, and other applications to which you’d like readers to have direct links. Your blog represents yourself and the topic you’ve chosen, so make sure to have fun designing and personalizing the site!

Moving on to the blogs themselves, focus on being informative and engaging! Our top recommendation for bloggers is to create a supply of idea topics and plan ahead to ensure you’re always on track for posting. Remember, consistency is what builds your blog following. Using a calendar or spreadsheet is perfect for keeping those ideas organized and will help the creative process go smoother.

When you write your blog, there are key aspects you should focus on like post titles, engaging and lengthy information, original content, and editing. No matter what topic you focus on, having an intriguing article title will bring a reader’s attention. Likewise, having engaging and informative information in your article while keeping it personal and including your perspectives will keep readers coming back.

Need ideas for your blog post? View below for posts you can include in your schedule.

  • Curated content: Focusing on your niche, these blog posts gather valuable pieces of information that readers are interested in learning about.
  • Topical content: stay in touch with current events and topics in your niche! Readers will enjoy seeing your perspective on current happenings in your community.
  • Visual content: Incorporate photos, videos, sound clips, and more to engage readers beyond reading.
  • Feature pieces: Interview popular creators and businesses in your niche! Networking and spotlighting others in your community is a great way to meet new friends and bring new readers to your site that are in the interviewee’s community. 
  • Evergreen content: answer your blog posts’ questions and educate readers on your niche topics.
  • Interactive content: Countdowns, quizzes, word finds, giveaways, and so much more will encourage audiences to interact with your site and blog. In doing so, they’ll help your SEO and give you a better insight into who your readers are.

Step 5: Getting Your Blog Out There

Now that your blog is running let’s get some readers! The first step is creating a plan to promote your blog. Then, follow along as we go over strategies you can implement to start getting your blog out there.

  • Word of Mouth: Contact your friends, family members, and colleagues to tell them about your new blog! By asking them to visit, read and follow, you’ll begin getting your site out there and raising awareness. Encourage them to share your blog posts, and don’t forget to thank them!
  • Social Media: Whether you use your personal page, or create a business solely for the blog, getting your blog link onto top social sites like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest is the place to start. Post relevant photos, videos, and announcements for your blog on these sites to bring attention to your brand and writing. Asking friends and family members to share your profile and links will multiply your reach and help you gain that following you’re looking for.

Another significant aspect of social media is networking and using their search systems to your advantage! Reach out to other members of your niche, and use notions like hashtags and profile tags, to raise your posts on the algorithms.

  • Interacting with other creators: One way to create a name for yourself in a community is by interacting with other creators’ content. Leave comments, like their posts, re-share and more to begin building those connections within the community.

When you build these connections, you have a higher chance of broadening your audience and the opportunity to speak with others in your niche. In addition, this is an opportunity to create bonds leading to future collaborations and new projects.

  • Interacting with your readers: Let them know you care and interact with them! Whether liking their posts, replying to comments, or discussing your blog topics, readers like to know the author cares about their community.
  • Post regularly and keep in contact: Consistency is vital when building your blog. So create that calendar we mentioned and follow a routine for posting. This will keep readers engaged and waiting for a new post each time. Also, don’t forget to create an email list! This way, you can keep in direct contact with your readers and keep them updated when new posts or news about your brand are happening.

Step 6: Enjoy Your Blog!

Whether you created this blog for your small business, or your hobbies and passions, remember to enjoy the creative process! While building your audience at first can be difficult, remember these projects take time. So post regularly, engage with your community, plan ahead, and you’ll begin seeing your audience and opportunities grow.

Focus on creating content you’re proud of; remember, this project can be a stepping stone to new opportunities!

Business Plus, JUKI Posts

JUKI Small Business Seminar: Alternatives Marketing Ideas

by sewinwithjuki1 Comment on JUKI Small Business Seminar: Alternatives Marketing Ideas

Marketing and promotion can build or break your business. The good thing is that there are countless ways to promote your business! From paid advertising to alternative tactics, you can increase your business and product awareness in different ways to get your brand out there.

While many might recommend looking into paid advertisements on your favorite sites like Facebook, Instagram, or Youtube, you shouldn’t place all your marketing eggs in one basket. Creating different marketing channels is the key to success when it comes to getting your business out there.

Follow along as we stray away from those paid advertisements and offer other options for your brand and how to implement them in your marketing plan today.  

Guest Post on Relevant blogs

Opening a new website can be challenging to get traffic to without advertising. One of the ways you can link back to your site and drive up traffic is guest posting on blogs relevant to your niche and product. It can take time to see progress on this end, but it can boost your audience size.

You would also be applying backlinks in these posts that go back to your website, assisting you in raising your SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and increasing your chances of being discovered on search engines.

Connect with bloggers in your industry to create a guest blog post with a relevant post to your business and theirs. Creating relevant content for your business will drive readers to your site and eventually become new leads and sales for you.

Request Product Reviews 

Product reviews are one of the best ways to push sales in your business. Many shoppers will check shop and product ratings on eCommerce sites like Etsy before checking out the items in their cart. Customers check reviews because we trust word-of-mouth recommendations from friends and family.

Reach out to bloggers or influencers in your niche and industry and offer to ship them a free sample of your product in exchange for an honest review. If you have a great product, they’ll love it and rave while encouraging others to purchase from your shop.

You can also have an automated message that requests product reviews after delivery, encouraging shoppers to post on your website or shop page.

Research Affiliate Marketing 

Have you ever tried affiliate marketing? Think of it as product reviews but one step farther.

By creating an affiliate program, you’re incentivizing other people to drive traffic to your business by offering a commission on every sale, similar to referral programs.

Finding and choosing an affiliate might not be easy at first if you’re still establishing your business, so we recommend researching outreach campaigns and creating one to recruit your first affiliate members. Keep in mind to choose those who have an engaged audience and are also in your niche or industry group.

Look for Press Coverage

You don’t need a PR team to get PR coverage! If your brand has created something exciting or a product that you think people would love to know about, take the PR work into your own hands and start contacting bloggers and news outlets in your area or industry.

Getting placed in news outlets can bring you forward to a whole different audience off the internet and social media. For example, look into promoting your business in a newspaper. Journalists are always looking for a new and exciting story.

Focus on your industry and what outlets and sites you can contact. Stay away from contacting outlets that aren’t in your niche. For example, don’t contact a tech blogger about your fashion products.

Opening a new business is exciting, and your community and others would love to know about it! So whether you’re creating a new product, opening up a shop, or even a few months in, keep this in mind when you think it’s time to upgrade your marketing game.

Learn about Social Media tactics

There are many tactics you can bring into your marketing plan for your company. From the content you’re posting to the comments you’re writing, all this can be used to your advantage when it’s time to market your business. When creating your marketing schedule, let’s go over some marketing tactics you should keep in mind.

Consistent posting

One of the things so many will lack when opening their marketing pages is the scheduling of their posting. Keep in mind the phrase “out of sight, out of mind” when you’re creating your marketing schedule.

It’s recommended to post often, and this doesn’t have to be the same form of content. Create pieces like photos, videos, reels, TikTok’s, blogs, and more. Audiences will react differently to posting schedules, so take the time to study your audience and figure out the best times and days to post to get that traffic you want to see.

Know Your Hashtags

Knowing your hashtags and what’s trending in your industry will get you in the right spots when people start discussing your niche. Hashtags have become one of the easiest ways to organize social media platforms, allowing us to find relevant posts to our interest with just one sign, the ‘#.’

Study similar posts from others in your niche and industry and see what garners the most attention. Also, keep in mind what kind of posts are being created with these hashtags. By following along with trending hashtags, you can have a higher chance of your post landing in front of the right audience and increasing your sales or traffic.

It’s recommended to have 15 to 30 well-curated hashtags per post to reach your max audience. We recommend using applications like ‘Hashtag Expert’ if you can’t decide what hashtags to place on your post.

Market Locally 

With the recent changes in our society, small and local businesses are coming back into their communities. More people prefer to support those in their community when it comes to shopping, and if you’re a small business, you should be taking advantage of this opportunity!

Here are a couple of ways you can promote yourself locally and get your name out there:

Google – My Business 

An easy-to-use program, you can get your business out there on Google’s search and maps. A free way to promote yourself on the search engine, this offers you a chance to market your business on Google with a simple description of your shop and who you are.

With Google’s popularity, many will go here first when learning about your company to see if it’s legitimate. Take the time to create your profile, add products or location photos if you’re able to, and include relevant links. Using Google’s business is a great way to introduce your business and can lead to more trust from the customer.

Research Your Local Events

Does your community host events? Research what Artisan markets, craft shows, trade shows, and festivals are happening around you that you could attend to showcase your shop and market your business.

While online e-shops and sales have seen a rise in popularity, in-person events are coming back, and it’s a good idea not to overlook them. As people step out of their homes, they want to attend these community events and see what’s new. Use this as an opportunity to make real connections with buyers in your niche, and enjoy the chance to meet with them one-on-one.

Keep in mind what you can do for others as well! Being skilled at creating something can be a teachable moment. Take into consideration what classes and workshops you can offer to your community to raise awareness for your brand, build credibility and create new leads and sales.

Market

Whether you choose to go organic or non-organic, and whatever channels you choose, don’t forget the importance of marketing for your business’s success. We know that paying for advertising can take a toll on a business’s budget, which is why alternative marketing is a great idea! Look into what you can accomplish with low to no cost through these marketing tactics and more.

Start with one tactic and keep going as you find comfort in what you can handle and what channels work best for your industry and niche. We hope this helps you plan your marketing budget and find new ways to bring attention to your business. What would you recommend for someone looking to get attention to their business?

Business Plus, JUKI Posts

JUKI Small Business Seminar: Top 5 Locations to Sell Online

by sewinwithjuki1 Comment on JUKI Small Business Seminar: Top 5 Locations to Sell Online

With the growth of online shopping over the years, especially the recent boom in 2020, you may be asking yourself if it’s time to open an e-commerce shop on an online marketplace.

There are over 100 online marketplaces in today’s age to place your product or service. Whether it’s a general marketplace like Amazon or a niche market space like Etsy for artisan pieces, the options are abundant. Some sites limit what services and products can be sold, while others allow for any piece of product, from a book to furniture.

There are benefits to selling online, like a large consumer base, more chance for sales, and getting your brand out there, but we’ll also cover those fees that come with owning an e-commerce shop.
Follow along as we go over the benefits of selling online, what online marketplaces to consider and how this journey can help your company make new sales and customers.

Going Online
Opening an online shop is easier than you think, and it can be rewarding and profitable when you take the proper steps to set it up. However, keep in mind that you will need to market your online store differently than a physical shop since you will need to bring in customers, and it can take time to build traffic.

Make sure when you’re opening an eCommerce shop to have a marketing plan in place to follow along. Without proper marketing, an eCommerce shop will have difficulty bringing in that traffic and sales you expect to make.

Follow along below as we go over our top 5 picks for eCommerce shops.

eBay
One of the original eCommerce sites, eBay is a go-to for many online sellers. Since 1995 eBay has been the spot to sell all kinds of merchandise, perfect for those who create handcrafted pieces to those who sell vintage found items.

Like most eCommerce websites, eBay charges a non-refundable listing fee for each product and another insertion fee if you list the same items in two different categories. It also charges a final value fee (usually between 10%–12%), calculated as a percentage of the total amount of the sale, including any shipping and handling charges.

eBay is one the best for online sales due to its popularity, site traffic, and easy use, helping you easily reach customers everywhere.

Etsy
One of the best-selling platforms for artisan and handcrafted items, Etsy is a perfect spot for those creating personalized or handcrafted pieces for sale. With over 60 million buyers in 2020, its popularity continues to rise, Etsy showcases an extensive platform for any seller.

Etsy charges a $0.20 listing fee for each item you sell on Esty. Your listings expire every four months, so if your item doesn’t sell and you renew the listing, you’ll be charged an additional $0.20. In addition, when you make a sale, you’ll be charged a transaction fee of 5% of the displayed price, plus the amount you charge for shipping. Keep in mind these fees when opening your eCommerce shop so that you can prioritize what products you want to showcase.

Etsy is an excellent option for those new to the eCommerce world and wants to try selling online with assistance before moving on to creating their site and shop.

Amazon Handmade
With Amazon’s popularity, it’s no surprise why this is in our top five. Amazon sells over 400 products a minute, a leading eCommerce site, providing sellers like you a top-notch platform to sell your products on. With an active and built-in audience constantly surfing for new products, it’s no wonder Amazon is a top business choice for many.

With a foundation of trust and consistency that Amazon has built as a brand, your products have a good chance of being purchased through their site. Amazon offers top service and holds quality and speed as an ultimate goal. With the option for next-day delivery a standard go-to for many and usually lower rates than in-store purchases, Amazon’s audience loves to shop there.

Let’s review their fees. Amazon’s cost to sell on their platform depends on your plan, product category, fulfillment strategy, and other variables. For $39.99 per month, their minimum plan, for a Professional seller plan, you can sell more than 40 units per month, advertise your products, qualify for top placement on product detail pages, and use advanced selling tools like APIs and reporting.

Facebook Marketplace
For more community or local sales, look into sites like Facebook Marketplace. With the ability to now integrate your eCommerce site or continue face-to-face sales, the Marketplace is perfect for all products and services in your community or online.

If you choose to list on Marketplace, no fee is necessary. However, Marketplace has specific requirements and guidelines. You can learn more about the Marketplace here: https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/learn-more/business

Bonanza
Based in Seattle, Washington, Bonanza is a new and growing eCommerce space. With the ability to sell just about anything on the site, over 5.1 monthly visitors check out the page, looking for their perfect product.
More focused on artisan and handcrafted pieces than branded items, the site is a middle ground between Amazon and Etsy shops. You also can set a price on a product or allow negotiation offers.

Focusing on fees, Bonanza has a different approach to other sites. While listings are at no charge, Bonanza will take a margin of the final sale price. You also can integrate your website shop, like a Shopify account, into a bonanza for more sale opportunities.

Where Will You Sell?
No matter the product or service, there is an online eCommerce site out there for your needs. When it comes to choosing a platform, make sure you find one that is easy for you to understand and use, that can help you achieve your sale goals, and will assist you in getting your brand out there.

What eCommerce sites would you recommend to those wanting to start their online market? Let us know down below!

JUKI Posts

JUKI Small Business Seminar: Marketing Strategies for the Small Business Owner

by sewinwithjukiLeave a Comment on JUKI Small Business Seminar: Marketing Strategies for the Small Business Owner

When you’re a small business owner, marketing can be challenging to do on your own. Many have trouble finding and reaching the right audience, and from there, getting that audience to visit in person or an eCommerce shop. If you’re having difficulty deciding how to market your product or services, follow along as we give options on the top strategies business swear by and how to use these strategies for your business. Having the right strategy can help you drive traffic to your store and increase shop sales.

These strategies are easy and quick to implement, making it easier to begin today and test what options work best for you and your business. So don’t get stuck on marketing, and find fun ways to get the work done right.

Strategies to Implement Today

Let’s review five strategies you can implement into your marketing plan today.

Email Marketing

Email marketing refers to those email promotions, newsletters, and advertisements you receive in your inbox from brands that you’ve subscribed to or shopped from before. You can use this as a way to inform customers of new products, promote sales, educate them on products or services you offer, and so much more.

Since this is a communication form owned exclusively by you, you can choose what’s implemented and how you will design and send these email marketing campaigns. These programs’ costs can range from $20 to hundreds depending on your needs. Below are some programs you can look into that are perfect for email marketing.

Email Marketing Programs:

  1. Constant Contact
  2. SendinBlue
  3. MailChimp
  4. ActiveCampaign
  5. GetResponse

Keep in mind that many of these services offer automated email marketing campaigns, making life easier for you and saving you time. Below are some examples of how you can use automated email campaigns.

  1. Emails upon Purchase: These can be sent after checkout and help send shipping information, customer service information, and anything else you feel is essential for the customer’s purchase.
  2. Promo Emails: Use these campaigns to promote new products, back in stock announcements for popular items, and sale promos your shop might be having like cyber Monday.
  3. Relationship Building: Use this platform as a way to share business newsletters. Share videos to introduce yourself, products, or services. Promote your blog or team members. Think of this as a road between you and the customer.

Finding Your Influencer/Affiliate partner

One of the best ways to market your service or product is finding those influences or affiliated businesses with a trusted customer base that resonates with your brand.

Influencers involve partnering with creators who align with your brand message and promote your product or services on their pages. They can bring high user engagement to your social network pages and website and create a relationship between you and your niche base. If you’re going to work with an influencer for your brand, the top-selling social media sites are Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, Tiktok, and Twitter.

Affiliate marketing, on the other hand, is a business-to-business transaction. Usually, the affiliate you work with will help you generate those leads and sales you’re hoping for. These are often paid companies that find fun ways to promote your brand for you. They can share it on their blogs, podcasts, social media platforms, websites, and more.

Google Ads

This marketing strategy is a little more pricey than the ones we’ve mentioned, but let’s talk about how they work and their cost.

Misunderstood and labeled as tricky to use, Google ads can be one of the best ways to reach your customer base. The search engine can run your ads to those looking for products similar to yours by using keywords. For example, if someone searches “personalized t-shirt”, you can promote your products under this, bringing in new customers.

There are different ads you can run. One type is a text that commonly pops up after searching for a product or service. These are labeled as Ads and show up in a blue or green link URL. Another is google shopping and product advertising with images. You can place products in their shop with carousel images, prices, and reviews. These are also labeled with a small tag that says Ad for customers to be aware of.

When it comes to cost, you can go as low as $5 and higher. You only pay when your ads are clicked, and you have the ability to target your ads to the right customer base. By choosing preferences on location, search history, and more, your product has a higher chance of going to the right customer base.

SMS – Text Message Marketing

One of the new and fastest ways to reach your customer base, SMS marketing offers a new and innovative way to share sales, purchase updates, and so much more. With over 90% of SMS marketing messages opened, compared to emails that average 20%-30% opening rate, SMS is a great way to connect with your audience.

Like an email marketing system, you control what content your campaigns have. You can create promotions for sales, membership exclusives, campaigns, and more. These can also be scheduled and sent out at any time. A thoughtful and purposeful campaign can do well on an SMS campaign and bring in those sales you’re looking for. Look below for recommendations on your SMS programs.

SMS Marketing Programs:

  1. Clickatell
  2. ClickSend
  3. BurstSMS
  4. Trumpia
  5. SlickText

Get on Social Media

One of the best things you can do for your brand is exposed your business to social media sites. You can promote and sell your products and services by using social networks. You have the option to pay for your post to be boosted (non-organic advertisement) or to not pay at all and use tricks like hashtags and geolocations to bring attention to your socials (organic advertisement.)

Many social media sites are out now, and each one has its own audience and trend. To choose the right channel where you should market, pay attention to who is in your niche and how you plan to advertise to them. Choosing the right channel can also depend on the merchandise you’re selling and your goals.

Your goal when using social media as a tool for marketing usually falls along with the following:

  • Building a relationship with the customer base
  • Bringing in new leads
  • Showcasing your brand
  • Increasing sales

The best way to complete this effectively is by creating content, scheduling your posts, and automating what you can. Remember to take this a step further and communicate with your followers. Respond to comments, like posts that tag or reference you, repost relative stories, and keep up with customer-related questions. Building a relationship through these services is one of the best ways to create new and returning customers.

The Next Step

If you’ve been researching new ways to market your business, take one of these techniques and try it out! Trial and error can be the best way to see what works for your customer base and you when it comes to marketing. By taking the initiative to try new marketing tactics, you can follow the results and see what options are best for your sales and overall branding.

Some strategies will work better for others than you, and this is okay! Marketing is about finding your audience and reaching out to them on their channels—test techniques and channels to see where you can get the best response from shoppers.

Whatever technique you choose, don’t forget to change it up every while and explore new channels. Marketing starts with you and deciding what best ways will get your name out there.

Do you have tips for those marketing their small business? Let them know and leave a comment below!