Podcast: Play in new window | Download

How do you translate passion into sales? Today I’m answering a question from an Instagram friend!

On Instagram, I asked for your questions and IMDCreates asks, “I am scared to ask but here goes I am a crocheter and I am proud of what I do but it doesn't seem to translate into sales how can I change this for my business?”

Sales don’t just happen, sales are a result of clear communication.

Sales happen because the person who wants what you sell, clearly understands (because you communicated it) what is special about your work and how it will serve her needs.

Remember, there are a bunch of needs: need for self-expression, need for belonging.

How do you clearly communicate?

First, understand that this is a lifelong process. You are going to get better and better at each of these steps with time, the main thing is to start working at it now, and keep paying attention as you go.

This takes time and thought the first time you do it, which is why I’ve put this in classes, so you can dedicate a few weeks to figuring this out.

1. Identify who is the person your work is for. Where/how does she use it? What stage of her life is she in? What is she wanting to do? (Express herself? Feel great? Be funny?)
2. Talk only to her – in your Instagram posts, in your shop descriptions, in whatever you do.
3. Get clear about how your work serves her need. In my book Market Yourself there are a lot of worksheets to help you figure out – what makes your work special, how to communicate that, and how to speak in the language of your customer. You want to be sure that you’re talking about what she cares about (ex. she doesn’t care about what stitch you use, she wants to know why you made that decision, what that stitch does for her.)
4. Keep her coming back. Email list. Keep communicating

Now, I mentioned that this is a lot of steps and that it takes time. I walk you through all this, along with how to translate it into email lists and Instagram, in the class Elevate your Business, which will now come with your Starship membership – you’ll be guided through:

• Identifying your goal
• Making a plan
• Tracking your numbers and profitability
• Figuring out your marketing and how to use the tools effectively

The Starship will open next month, you can be the first to hear about it, at taraswgier.com/starshipbiz.

In the meantime, you can work through some of these questions in my book, Market Yourself, and since I saw you had a Etsy shop, Ida, check out my video on three things to fix in your Etsy shop.

If you want more about marketing, here are some of the past episodes I've done about marketing your business:

• Stop creating marketing distractions
• How to stop feeling weird talking about your work
• A plan for sharing your work
• Insanely specific marketing advice
• The difference between being salesy and being effective
• 5 reasons people aren't buying your thing
• What are Right People, revisited
• Embrace your Right People (and the money will follow)