How to Sell Handmade on Facebook (without selling)
This week’s article is written by Jackie Muscat, who is a Facebook coach and kid’s mural artist. I’m so excited for her to share her expertise on a subject we could all use a little help in 😉 Learn more about Jackie and her free Facebook group at the end of this article. Let’s get to it!
Facebook announced just this week that there are now 2 billion people on this huge social media platform.
And on average, each of those 2 billion people are logging in 12 times a day and on average 10 minutes a time.
Wowzers. I don’t know about you but that’s a lot of screen time for Facebook!
But as a Facebook coach for makers and artists, I know that it’s a struggle to get your posts seen.
To get in that coveted news feed.
To find the balance between a page that promotes products but isn’t treated like an Etsy page where it’s just sales post after sales post.
It’s crowded, I hear you. Like trying to get a drink at the 5 person deep bar at happy hour.
But, what if I showed you how to get a drink at a bar just on the opposite side of the road which has a stool, magazine and a G&T waiting just for you.
So how do you do that?
How do you get seen in that news feed?
The trick is to make your page more about your ideal customer and less about you and your products.
Huh?
Sounds counterintuitive, right?
How do you “sell” without “selling”? If I don’t promote my products, will people buy?
Yes! Facebook is a social platform, so get social! Excite your fans, make them laugh, be aspirational and inspirational, hook them with your copy…..that’s how you get seen and how you get the holy grail of engagement.
Not just posting sales posts.
So here are 4 ways you can create posts that “sell” without “selling”
1. Use National Days
There are some wacky National Days out there. The most recent I saw was “National chocolate chip cookie day”. But you don’t make cookies, right? But what if you took a beautifully lighted, staged photograph of your product next to a delicious cookie and simply stated “Celebrating National chocolate chip cookie day today – make sure you do too!”
2. Show your process
Open up the doors to showcase your talent and expertise by showing your likers how you make your product or part of your product. I appreciate you may not want to give away the whole farm here but explain how you use certain materials or products to make your products unique. Record a timelapse of you painting part of a large canvas. Show us the design sketches that lead to the end product. Build your authority with your audience and become memorable as an expert in your field.
3. Talk about what you stand for
I listened to a podcast recently where a maker, who had a very successful “geek chic” t shirt business, was explaining how she feels so passionate about economical packaging for her business. She revealed that it took her 6 months to source the perfect sustainable boxes for her items and that it’s 4x the price of her cheaper plastic packaging so it eats into her profits – but she’s totally ok with that. When you go the extra mile with your business whether that be packaging or materials or personalization – show your audience that.
4. Build your “know, like and trust” factor with video
It’s psychologically proven that people buy from people they know like and trust. And do you know the quickest way to get people to like you online? Video. Yep! Showing them your face, your voice, your mannerisms, your personality and yes…your “umms” and “aaahs” and even as in my case, my occasional swear word. Jump on a Facbeook live to create a video version of your FAQs or your buying process or even your story. Watch your engagement soar.
For more help with your Facebook business page head on over to my fabulously helpful and fun facebook group at www.facbeook.com/groups/craftmysuccessgroup. Look forward to seeing you there.
ABOUT THE GUEST AUTHOR
Hi, I’m Jackie Muscat. Kid’s mural artist & Facebook coach, and I help the pull-your-hair-out-frustrated and deer-in-the-headlights-confused crafter get sales from Facebook. Just 10 weeks after launching my mural business around my family and day job, I had a 12 week waiting list and a realistic escape plan from the day job. How did I do this? All by harnessing the power of Facebook to get in front of my ideal customer consistently. Today I also help makers & artists, who run their businesses around kids and jobs, use the most powerful social media platform to provide a consistent stream of customers. Learn more about me at craftmysuccess.com and join my FREE Facebook community of over 4,000 makers at www.facebook.com/groups/craftmysuccessgroup
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Hey, I’m Erin 🙂 I write about small business and craft show techniques I’ve learned from being a small business owner for almost 2 decades, selling at dozens of craft shows, and earning a diploma in Visual Communication Design. I hope you find my advice helpful!
Great article! I admit…. Facebook frustrates me to no end.
Definitely going to check out Jackie’s fb group.
These are great ideas that can be applied even for musicians…
Really liked your article. Saying to throw in some humor really sparked my attention.