Everyone who is running a business hopes and prays for their business to do well. For many handmade business owners being featured would be a milestone of achieving the status of doing well. From being featured, this has been the effect on my business.
Last year in the run up to Christmas I was contacted through my Etsy shop by a national magazine who were interested in featuring one of my cushions. I get inundated with messages from strangers who swear they can improve my business if I work with them or individuals looking for charitable donations. So at first I was a bit dismissive of the message. You can see this item on listed on Etsy https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/281083802/hand-knitted-wool-tree-cushion-woodland?ref=shop_home_active_9&frs=1
These messages to improve my reach or engagement are indicators that my site or products are being found in the wider world. Also that I maybe just need to hone my targeting skills to get them in front of the right people.
Step 1 – Validate
First and foremost you will need to confirm the validity of the proposal. At this point I put my detective hat on and tried to determine what details I could find to be true. Starting with the magazine I searched to see what I could find out about the publication. A quick online search provided information on the magazine like publication frequency, previous articles and staff. This reassured me that the publication at least existed.
I then went on to try and confirm the individual’s connection to the publication. Again just by doing an online search using the person’s name and the magazine I looked to see if the results could shed any light. This search provided online articles for the magazine where the journalist was named as the individual that contacted me. The social media accounts for the individual confirmed they were employed by the magazine. From this I could deduce that the individual was indeed connected to the publication they claimed to represent.
Step 2 – Customer base
Now that I had confirmed the publication and journalist were genuine. Therefore my research then turned to the magazine and potential customers. I did a quick flick through of some of the articles available online. In order to get an idea of what the magazine covered and who it may appeal to.
To get a rough idea of the reach of the magazine I turned to my local newsagent. It was my intention to ask them if they had ever heard of the magazine. Also if they knew anything about it. However when I walked into the newsagents the magazine was clearly displayed on the shelves in prime position. They had a strong presence and customer base as they are readily visible in a small local newsagents.
Step 3 – Preparation for being featured
By this point, as you can imagine, the excitement of the possibilities had started to rise. I packaged up the cushion and sent it to the magazine ready for photography. I double checked that the journalist had all the necessary information about the product. Especially my business details and ways that customers could make a purchase. In the back of my mind I had written off the cushion. Therefore if it wasn’t published and if I never saw it again I was prepared to take that loss. I also ensured that the cushion was with the journalist in a timely manner. They would have deadlines to stick to.
Step 4 – Stock up featured item!
This is where I went wrong so please do as I advise not as I actually did. I was contacted at the beginning of December. I was already in the thick of the busiest time of the year with the Christmas rush. The cushion was being featured in the February issue which was published on the 26th December. Ideally at this point I would have got ready and started to stockpile cushions ready for when orders came in. However due to the time of year and my order book being maxed out this just wasn’t a possibility.
First off I would ensure that you have stocked up on the necessary raw materials needed to make the items. At least if you have the materials ready you can set to work on any potential orders that come in. I would also start working on a reserve of ready made items.
Conclusion
My items were featured almost four months ago now and I am still receiving a steady stream of new orders. Therefore so not think that the resulting orders will only happen at the time of the magazine being published. Actually they can continue after the fact.
Overall being featured has been hugely successful for my business, if a little mundane. Be aware that customers will buy the exact version that was featured. Therefore other colours or sizes are unlikely to be as popular. This means that producing these items can become a bit repetitive. As you can see I did not actively seek to be featured, they approached me. I believe this made the partnership a more genuine relationship.
If you would like to have a look at my handknitted tree cushion please use the following link to browse: https://claireyatfairycrafters.com/product/hand-knitted-wool-tree-cushion-woodland-pillow-sofa-soft-furnishing-tree-decor-autumn-cosy-winter-branches-cover/
If you have been featured let me know your experience or if you have any questions about my experience. Being featured is just one method of free advertising, read this for more https://claireyatfairycrafters.com/free-advertising/
