Who Is Your Target Market?

Marketing can be as simple as you make it or as complex as you want to make it. I am trying to put things a little simpler but in doing so I think I have over looked an important step here and I am going to back track some here.

Taking the time to find your target market is a really important step to make sure you are using your marketing resources to their fullest potential. Your target market simply put are the people who are most likely to buy your product.

When trying to determine your target market it is important especially for small business with a low start up fund to narrow down their market as much as possible as your business grows than you can broaden your target market. Time to get out your pen paper remember the more specific and narrow you get the better your marketing efforts will be, and not all of these questions will apply to you, and if you have more things you can do it.

Here goes:
1. Gender male or female? You may have both but use the higher percentage here
2. Age? What is the age group of the people most likely to buy from you try to stay within a 20 year limit here.
3.Geographical location
4. What types of position if the workforce do they hold?
5. Salaries what is the approximate salary of your customer base?
6. Lifestyles ie are they people who would be likely to use a computer? Are they fast paced type people, do they have children and if so what does that say about their lifestyle etc as much as you can think of here as this may end up giving you some ideas about where you should market to these people.

These should get you started tomorrow I will discuss some market research questions to ask yourself.

Busy Busy Busy!

I promise you there will be more marketing advice soon I have just been super busy trying to stock my shop but I haven't forgotten at all I hope you are implementing some of my advice so far and that you are finding the information helpful.

Alongside of trying to stock my shop I am going to be introducing a new line! Hair Jewels I have started to list a few and have many more to come I hope you love the newest addition! I have had so much fun making these!

I am also planning a big surprise for July a great contest with an amazing prize so stay tuned for more details on that I promise that you will not want to miss it!

A Few Xtra Tips For Viral Marketing

This is going to be a short post today just a few things I want to add to yesterdays post on viral marketing....
* you can get a free newsletter subscriber for your site through ://bravenet.com
* you can submit articles here or snatch some articles http://www.articlesnatch.com/
* And someone mentioned You Tube this can also be a great source of viral marketing especially if you have some funny or important stuff in your video give people a reason to watch it and to want to show all their friends!
Again I would love any feedback maybe you have tried some of these or maybe you have some more suggestions I would love to see them!

More On Marketing Viral Marketing

OK so I am assuming you have read my first marketing post and you have made a simple marketing plan (or maybe you really got into it and made an in depth one) If you haven't already scroll down and take a few to complete it then come back.

So what is viral marketing? It sounds a bit icky and like you might need some antibiotics after or a vaccination at some point....
Viral marketing simply put is whatever means you use to get people to spread your advertising message for you and using their contacts.
Hot mail is one of the most popular examples and for good reason there viral marketing was one of the best
They offered a free email address
When customers that received said email address sent an email at the bottom of their email it said sign up for your free email @....
So they literally used their customers mailing lists to grow themselves

So right now your probably thinking great for hot mail but how does that apply to me?

*A good way to get started is link exchange encourage people to exchange links with you so that you are putting yourself in their loop of contacts and vise versa

* Write articles for websites to use for free on their site. Everyone knows something that other people want to know make it informative and include links to your site. The more useful your content the better this will work.

* Newsletters If you don't have one its a good idea to start one and when you are having some type of special, contest etc send the newsletter out and always remind people to forward the newsletter on at the end sometimes people just need a reminder.

* FREE this word is one of the most viral words in the dictionary people love something FREE! Have a contest or giveaway (don't forget to email your contacts and tell them to pass it on!) Give away samples of your product whenever possible. If it's not feasible to give away product or service in your business then give FREE information that people want to know.

* Include a tag line and your URL for your signature on all out going emails and on forums that allow signatures. Try sending a funny joke that people will want to pass on with your signature on the bottom.

* Start an affiliate or referral program (this is a pretty in depth subject that I will get into more at a later date)

* Send a press release to local newspapers or send them articles of interest and include your contact info website etc.

These are just some ideas to get you started hopefully they will keep you busy until my next marketing post a ton more great ideas coming keep checking back . I would love to hear more ideas on viral marketing or which one's you try leave me a comment .

While writing this I realized I am in some need of links exchanges if interested let me know

The little Princess!

I know I know I am teasing... I give you the post about marketing with promises of more (and there will be) and you come here and have to look at the most adorable two year old! This is my baby but she is fast growing up... I really wanted to show off this picture I'm not sure what it is and I am no photographer that's for sure but I really like it a lot. I promise next week I will have another excellent marketing post for you so keep checking for it!

Marketing Made Easier

Marketing can be a very complex thing especially for a small business owner such as myself really I just want to make jewelry but if I want my business to succeed I have to step out of my safe bead bin. Part of that is marketing and I love sharing what I learn!

So what is marketing anyway?

basically in a nutshell marketing is EVERYTHING you do to get your product or service in the in the hands of the people who want your products. Marketing is your branding, pricing, packaging, placement, advertisement and everything you do to get your product to your customer. Sounds complicated but can be broken down to make more sense of things A good way to do this is to have a marketing plan, you can get really in depth templates for marketing plans but because I like to keep things as simple as possible I am going to layout a simple plan for you so grab a pen and paper and start answering these easy questions:

1. What is your product/service? Pretty self explanatory write a description of what product/service you offer.

2. Pricing? What is your pricing on your product are you offering expensive luxury items or rock bottom bargains. Take a look at your highest priced items and your lowest to figure a rough price point.

3. Distribution? How will you get your products to your customers. Will you sell online in stores, through affiliate programs, through catalogs, home parties etc try to go into detail like what type of stores etc.

5. Target Market? Who is your target market try to be as specific as possible for example Male between the age of 18-40 athletic, middle class+ income

6. Competition? Be realistic here I am talking direct competition I wouldn't say I was in direct competition with a famous jewelry designer when I am not even in that league

9. Strengths and Weaknesses? List your strengths over your competition as well as your weaknesses.

10. Goals? One of my favorites goals are sooo important! What are your goals from your marketing strategies? Try to make these specific and something that you will be able to measure if you are reaching your goals.

11. Budget? What is your yearly budget for your marketing tactics?

12. Tactics? What are some of the marketing tactics you plan to implement ( I will be talking more about tactics in upcoming posts)

Remember as with any plan what you write is not set in stone and can be changed as you see fit. I recommend that you look back on your marketing plan at least every 6months but some people will every few months or every year. In upcoming post I will be talking more about marketing and different marketing tactics I am by no means an expert but hopefully this information will help some.

Who Doesn't Love A Yart Sale!!

As the warm weather starts to nudge it's way in yard sale season kicks off and I do love a good yard sale what could be better.... well how about if it was handcrafted items, and you didn't have to worry about the weather, you could shop all the sales easily and in your p.j's ! When some fellow etsians started talking about a sale like this I was all in! All you have to do is put the word YART in your searches and tons of discounted quality products in all categories will be at your feet well on your screen for viewing and buying pleasure! Here are some examples of items you may see from some fab sellers!

This pin is stunning from duffydesigns

Such a cute baby hat and bootie set from capecodconsignments

Funky necklace by creativeclaydesigns

And of course yours truly Wyred On Wire wouldn't miss out on this. These are just a few of the items that will be available during this sale! The sale last from June 11th-June 20th not everyone is going to be participating all the days so make sure you check in on the sale frequently all you have to do is go to http://etsy.com and put YART in your search! I must go and get my shop ready for tomorrow morning!

Bring on The Sun!

There has been no sun here for too long... just clouds, rain and overcast. I needed a little cheery sun in my life so I headed over to etsy here are some of my favs for you to enjoy!


I love love love this fab purse from loveamarie

This lady makes the weirdest and the cutest bugs I've ever seen weirdbuglady

An amazing and cheery artist I love this painting from jenlo262

Well there is a few of my favorites if I showed them all I would be on the until next week! If you still want to see more go check these amazing etsy sellers out there shops are sure to impress you!

Day Of Doom...

I love these bowls by bianco might make the soup go down better

Cabbage Soup Diet!

Well the day is here...Today I am starting a diet I'm not usually one to hop on all the diet bandwagons ( I did atkins though) but here I am jumping aboard. So many people have told me this diet is great and works etc etc so I'm diving in. Well actually I'm cooking soup I'm sure most of you have heard of the cabbage soup diet right, just in case you haven't you make this soup from cabbage, carrots, onions, tomatoes etc (there are many different variations) and you are all allowed to eat as much of this soup as you want and each day you are allowed a restricted food groups to go along with your soup....

for example day 1 as many fruits except bananas as you want along with as much of the soup as you want.

I could eat those banana's by berarlymakingit they look yummy!

The diet is only for 7 days so I think I will live.... Just not as happily but if I lose a little weight it will all be worth it!

Gettin Down To Goals

Goals are important for everything in life, business, personal, family, work long term goals, short term goals they are all important. Setting goals will help keep you on track of where you want to be and how to get there. I suggest having a book specifically for goals in your book write down where you want to be in 5 years or maybe even just next year, write down what you have to do to get you there in the next 6months or 3months. Keep working towards those goals and keep checking back with your book and revising as you need to. I also make daily list (I am a list lover you can find them everywhere here) I incorporate what I need to finish for the day for example here is today's list

laundry

blog

make 10 pieces of jewelry

clean living room

spend some time in the etsy forums

work on my wholesale list

clean and organize desk

I write these list everyday because it helps keep me focused every time I can check something off of the list I feel as though I accomplished something and it gives me drive to finish something else. These list can be as indepth or as short as you like or need what ever works for you they also help to keep your day organized and a little less hectic...well sometimes it's not 100% guaranteed especially if like me you have a couple of little monsters running around no amount of list can 100% prepare you then.

Wholesale

I am looking for more boutiques and gift shops to offer my Jewelry to at wholesale. If you are a retailer and are interested in some handcrafted artisan jewelry I am willing and would love to work out an agreement If your interested please email me at agwbabycakes20@yahoo.ca or convo me through my etsy shop http://wyredonwire.etsy.com/ . If you are a customer of mine or a fan of my jewelry and you would like to see wyredonwire in your local area please contact me as well and i will see what I can do or better yet tell your local shops!