Advice From an Amber Grant Winner: Be a Marketing First Business

May 20th 2024

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Can you share industry-specific resources and/or professional organizations that you’ve found helpful?

The Craft Industry Alliance has been very helpful and encouraging. It is a trade organization that focuses on businesses in the handmade and craft industries, including makers, suppliers, designers, and teachers. It is quite rewarding to network with other business owners who understand the particular issues of this type of business.

The Inner Circle of the Social Sales Girls has helped me learn how to market my business in a way that is sustainable and affordable. They provide support, coaching, classes, and encouragement to small product based businesses to understand social media marketing, paid ads, SEO and sales funnels.

What was the most important lesson you’ve learned in your business?

The most important lesson I have learned is to be a marketing first business. In 2023, I felt burned out and frustrated by trying to figure out how to market my products. I was tired of trying to keep up with social media algorithms, build an email list and get my SEO correct on Etsy. I basically kind of gave up and did not market like I needed to, which affected my visibility and sales.

In January 2024, I decided that I needed to get over myself and put marketing on the forefront, instead of ignoring it. I started looking at marketing as just sharing the thing I love to do.

I have learned to put marketing tasks and strategies first, instead of whenever I get to it. I created a marketing schedule that works for me and learned how a sales funnel works. I now create social media posts in batches in the Meta Business Manager, instead of on the Facebook/Instagram app feeds. This eliminates excess scrolling, distractions, and comparisons.

I write emails in batches from a template and schedule them in advance. I am learning how to use paid ads and other strategies to increase my social media reach and email list. I focus on one platform primarily (Facebook since that is where my customers are), instead of trying to be everywhere.

And I have embraced the motto “Done is better than perfect”.

As a result of these actions, I feel less stressed, and marketing has actually become more enjoyable and profitable.