How to market products?

ALittleWolf

theoretica said:

Cute for children... Some of the many questions knowing the thing would help answer and should affect marketing:

Are they the sort of things parents would buy or more presents from relatives and friends? 

For children old enough to have known tastes/like the thing or not or for babies who get what their adults like?

Is the price point that of a considered purchase thought about or more an impulse buy for amusement? 

Will each child only need one or might you be seeking repeat purchases? 

Do they only differ from other people's in appearance or do they have any functional differences from other items?

How thematic are they?  Could you say your theme in a few words (eg wolves and wildlife, bold geometric, funny but not rude...) or are your offerings more diverse and less a clear brand?

Both

Old enough to have likes.

I suppose that varies greatly. For someone on low income it would be thought about, but someone with a very good salary would not think twice about it.

Repeat purchases are possible. In this case it would likely be a slightly different design they purchase next time unless what they bought is ruined or they want a backup. Most people would not want two of the same poster or t-shirt.

Differ only in appearance.

Cute. You would probably go with cartoon or colourful as it is for kids.

ALittleWolf

theoretica said:

Also - have you looked at several of the other sellers on that site (especially, if you can identify them, successful individual designers, not the ones that seem like bigger companies) and tracked down as much of their marketing as you can? 

Yes, but their situations are very different to mine. They started selling at the right time, had money, had the help of friends. They now have a following and ranks to stay successful. Most actually have done and currently do very little marketing wise.

Middlestitch

ALittleWolf said:

Tealblue said:

ALittleWolf said:

Marcon said:

What are you selling? This constant prevarication for no reason (nobody here is going to seize on it as a great idea, given what you've already said, so you needn't fear an increase in competition) is utterly frustrating when people are genuinely trying to help.

As I said, t-shirts are pretty close and work fine for giving advice on.

Worrying about competition would be ridiculous. Thousands do the same, some with great success. I've already stated how many market products so if you can do all that with a good product you have a great chance of success. My problem is that I cannot do that. My main reason for that not stating is to remain anonymous.

Which do you want more: anonymity on this site, or success? You don't have to give your name, but giving a simple, generic description of what you are trying to sell would enable people to give more informed responses without giving away your identity, if that's what is bothering you. It's impossible to try and offer constructive ideas to help with your particular product without knowing, in broad terms, what it is. It is very unusual to read that you can't sell it other than on one particular site in competition with other people. That may be right, but without knowing what is under discussion, it's impossible to offer ideas, albeit some will be completely wide of the mark - others might just help in one way or another.

The product type is sold on many sites. No other site offers exactly what this site does in terms of the full service they provide. I could technically sell elsewhere or on multiple sites, but it would not benefit me to do so.

But selling (or more accurately not selling) on your current website doesn't seem to benefit you either. In the absence of information about the product, it could be anything from children's laxatives to bobble hats, which is why you aren't going to get much value from anyone reading this thread who might otherwise have quite a lot of expertise to share.

You have said the following about this mystery product:

I create a file, write a (short) description and write a few key words. I send this to the site. Within reason, I set the price, but the site take a certain amount to cover their costs. If, for example, their cost is £5 I have to price my item above £5. It is the cheapest for that specific, unique product, but for that product type it is not.

The site control the following:
Site and listing layout
Product details
Terms and conditions of sale
Product materials
Manufacturing process
Manufacturing costs
Shipping costs 
Shipping packaging 
Shipping
Customer service
Anything else I have missed in regards to selling.

This site is my only option to sell and have my product made. The quality is very good.

By your own admission you are competing with sellers who have more resources, more capital, more success and in short more professionalism on their side.

By contrast, you have no idea how to market your product and don't seem to have a mindset which is flexible enough to consider alternatives. You can't think of any way to make it stand out and have no control over all the aspects you've listed above. You seem to have little control over any aspect of the product, which limits any value you might otherwise add and also severely hampers effective marketing. Whatever anyone here suggests is countered with a negative.

Perhaps you should try something else? Just because this venture hasn't succeeded doesn't mean something else is doomed to failure, but you do seem to have started this particular project with no real thought about how you would make it flourish. There are plenty of books and online courses/articles on starting a business, marketing a product, coping with change and all the other things you need to consider, so before you invest more time in what seems to be a hiding to nothing, now might be a good time to see what has happened as a learning opportunity and move on?

Good luck!

Flint19

ALittleWolf said:

Hello.

I have some products listed on a site with many other similar items (from other people). I have sold a few, but really need to do some marketing. I am hoping that someone can give me ideas on how to do that.

I have no money to spend on marketing, nor any way of gaining money to do so.

I have no friends or family who can help me market them.

I have a limited amount of keywords I can use. The site includes the majority of information on the product page so there is not much I can write in a description regarding SEO/keywords.

I thought about blogging and including links to the products, but I have nothing to blog about. I keep coming back to the idea and trying to think of possible posts, but I have never managed to think of anything. Also, I then have the issue of having no way to market the blog.

I can’t do a mailing list as I have no one to mail, no way of collecting emails and nothing much to mail about anyway apart from the occasional listing of a new product or a product that’s on sale for a limited time.

I have tried getting a following on social media, but (as with the blogging) I have very little to post about. If I follow someone it is rare they follow me back and those that do often message me about their products and services that they want me to look at, they are not actually interested in my products. I do get some views on what I post, but not a lot because it is not reaching many people.

I considered taking photos, but there is not really anything to take photos of. A couple of boring ones of the product and that is it. There is nothing interesting relating to them that I can photograph. They are products that many people love, they are just not something that anyone would care about regarding photos of them.

I don’t know how to change things and properly market my products. Everything I read seems to involve already having a mailing list (or blogging to gain one) or lots of family and friends who can buy the products and share posts to a wider audience. I don’t have that.

Is there another way to market these products?

Thanks.

Sounds like you could be flogging a dead horse. If there's nothing to distinguish you from other sellers, why would anyone buy from you? It's a serious question, not a veiled criticism.

If you want general advice on marketing, there are plenty of books, sites online etc. If you hope for specific advice which might actually help you, you need to tell us what the product is. Just take your name out of it if remaining anonymous on this site is more important than getting useful input.

Otherwise, as suggested above, perhaps it's time to try something else?

ALittleWolf

Middlestitch said:

By your own admission you are competing with sellers who have more resources, more capital, more success and in short more professionalism on their side.

By contrast, you have no idea how to market your product and don't seem to have a mindset which is flexible enough to consider alternatives. You can't think of any way to make it stand out and have no control over all the aspects you've listed above. You seem to have little control over any aspect of the product, which limits any value you might otherwise add and also severely hampers effective marketing. Whatever anyone here suggests is countered with a negative.

Perhaps you should try something else? Just because this venture hasn't succeeded doesn't mean something else is doomed to failure, but you do seem to have started this particular project with no real thought about how you would make it flourish. There are plenty of books and online courses/articles on starting a business, marketing a product, coping with change and all the other things you need to consider, so before you invest more time in what seems to be a hiding to nothing, now might be a good time to see what has happened as a learning opportunity and move on?

Good luck!

Everyone doing the same as me started with no sales and has no control over the same aspects. They had a job and therefore money to spare on marketing. 

As someone who buys the product type myself, I go by what looks good to me. Others may agree with me on what looks good, others may (very much) disagree. You cannot say 'I will do this to make it stand out' because people will be looking for different things and it would still be subjective as to whether what you have done is liked.

As for something else, I would do something else, but it is not that simple.

theoretica

ALittleWolf said:

theoretica said:

Also - have you looked at several of the other sellers on that site (especially, if you can identify them, successful individual designers, not the ones that seem like bigger companies) and tracked down as much of their marketing as you can? 

Yes, but their situations are very different to mine. They started selling at the right time, had money, had the help of friends. They now have a following and ranks to stay successful. Most actually have done and currently do very little marketing wise.

Don't fall into the negative trap of attributing other people's success to external factors - a few may have been lucky or started from positions of privilege, but many made their own luck through well placed effort, including making and keeping the right sort of friends.  Also don't underestimate the work it takes to keep a following.

How enthusiastic about your designs are kids?

Colourful?  Is there anything for children that isn't?  Cartoons? There are masses of social media accounts that post a cartoon or drawing a week or twice a week and make a few available on merchandise. 

ALittleWolf

theoretica said:

Colourful?  Is there anything for children that isn't?  Cartoons? There are masses of social media accounts that post a cartoon or drawing a week or twice a week and make a few available on merchandise. 

"Could you say your theme in a few words (eg wolves and wildlife, bold geometric, funny but not rude...) or are your offerings more diverse and less a clear brand?"

I am not sure what other words you expect? The examples listed here seem quite generic and that is what I based my answer on. They would be the first things you noticed and it makes it obvious it is for kids. If you have colourful, cartoon wildlife what sets that apart from the rest?

theoretica

ALittleWolf said:

theoretica said:

Colourful?  Is there anything for children that isn't?  Cartoons? There are masses of social media accounts that post a cartoon or drawing a week or twice a week and make a few available on merchandise. 

"Could you say your theme in a few words (eg wolves and wildlife, bold geometric, funny but not rude...) or are your offerings more diverse and less a clear brand?"

I am not sure what other words you expect? The examples listed here seem quite generic and that is what I based my answer on. They would be the first things you noticed and it makes it obvious it is for kids. If you have colourful, cartoon wildlife what sets that apart from the rest?

Aha - for me it would be 'wildlife' - the colourful and cartoony would be taken for granted if it has been well done for kids and not what people search for.  And if it is wildlife there are loads of marketing opportunities - write about wolves, show photos (be careful of other's copyright) and your wolf product. Repeat with other animals... write about budding nature lovers, ducks on the local pond... Once we are allowed out join any local litter picking, park tidying or wildlife groups and if your product also comes adult size wear it/use it.

ALittleWolf

theoretica said:

ALittleWolf said:

theoretica said:

Colourful?  Is there anything for children that isn't?  Cartoons? There are masses of social media accounts that post a cartoon or drawing a week or twice a week and make a few available on merchandise. 

"Could you say your theme in a few words (eg wolves and wildlife, bold geometric, funny but not rude...) or are your offerings more diverse and less a clear brand?"

I am not sure what other words you expect? The examples listed here seem quite generic and that is what I based my answer on. They would be the first things you noticed and it makes it obvious it is for kids. If you have colourful, cartoon wildlife what sets that apart from the rest?

Aha - for me it would be 'wildlife' - the colourful and cartoony would be taken for granted if it has been well done for kids and not what people search for.  And if it is wildlife there are loads of marketing opportunities - write about wolves, show photos (be careful of other's copyright) and your wolf product. Repeat with other animals... write about budding nature lovers, ducks on the local pond... Once we are allowed out join any local litter picking, park tidying or wildlife groups and if your product also comes adult size wear it/use it.

Thanks! I will have a look for groups. I follow some local community boards and do not recall seeing any, but I will look into it more.

I am not sure if I have enough to blog about, but at the very least I may have just had an idea of some content I can write and post on social media. A piece on an element of a design. It has nothing to do with the product or design itself, but I think I can create a connection. I had a very similar idea a long time ago, but you have just made me think about it slightly differently.