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Handmade vs machine-made is a popular topic. Humankind is in the era of advanced technological advancements. Still, the charm of handmade exists and continues to grow. 

Handmade Persian rugs with creative knots tend to outshine the industry-made woven carpets. Or, the elegance of a handmade Rolls Royce dulls the charm of any high-tech SUV. Comparisons like these imply why handmade is important today.

The difference between handmade and machine manufactured goods are many. But if you wish to compare the value of handmade products vis-a-vis the industrial ones. Then, you need to read further below:

8 Key Differences Between Handmade VS Machine Made

1. Handmade Products Are Unique

The attribute that sets handmade items apart from machine ones is their uniqueness.

No two handmade items can ever look the same. It is the distinctness of products made by hand that makes them special.

Owners of handmade products cherish the fact that no one in the world has the same product as theirs. The uniqueness of the art made with hands sets it apart from those made with a cookie-cutter approach.

Being made in small numbers, the handmade products are distinct. You know from a distance that a particular product is a handmade creation.

2. Handmade Products Can Be Custome-made

You can get handmade products made as per your wish. Since the artist who creates the work is a real person, they can do adjustments the way you want.

Such luxury is not possible with mass-made products in a factory. The handmade items have a scope of edits which cannot happen with the ones made with machines.  

That is the reason you can have the choice of colors and fitting as per your preferences. 

For instance, if you are allergic to a particular fabric, you can opt-out. Or if you have a liking for a particular color, then, you can have a custom-made order in your favorite color palette.

3. Products Made By Hand Have A Personal Touch

This is the biggest difference between handmade products and industrial ones.

You can add a name/initials or whatever you wish to on a handmade product. That is why handmade items work well as gifts of remembrance. A handmade artist can create an anniversary/ graduation/ birthday or any memorable gift.

With a machine-made production, there is no scope for adding personal details. A mass-produced production line can not afford to make changes even if they are small ones. That is why the personalized benefits make handmade gifts lovelier than machine-made ones. The gifts made in industrial zones can never have a personal appeal.

4. They Are Natural And Sustainable

Since they are handmade, the production of handmade items takes time. At times, even a simple-looking product takes about a year to make. 

For instance, making khadi fabric from raw cotton takes months to create. That is when several weavers are spinning the loom wheel to create the yarn. 

This sounds disappointing because of the long production cycle. But on the flip side, the slow production leads to slow fashion which in turn leads to less pollution.

Also, most handmade products use natural fabrics. Thus, with the absence of synthetic products, handmade crafts are sustainable. This is a positive side of creating/using handmade products.

5. Handmade Products Create Less Waste

The growing and sourcing of natural materials is a long-term process. Thus, with the use of natural fibers, the production cycle stretches. Plus, converting the natural materials to fibers adds to the processing time. 

Most natural materials tend to be more stable as compared to synthetic counterparts. Moreover, handmade items have an aura of sentiments attached to them. Thus, that makes the users tend to them with care and concern. 

All these reasons combined tend to less wastage created from handmade items. 

Though not all handmade items need to be from natural sources. Some could be from waste as well. That leads to the topic of ——->

6. Handmade products Use Recycled Materials

Bulk manufacturing by machines is a big contributor to pollution. The rejected goods end up as waste dumps in soil and water bodies. 

Some handmade products are even made from waste and rejected synthetic machine-made products. That means not all handmade items are from natural materials. 

The materials could be plastic, foam, or any kind of item that finds no use. There are a few handmade brands that even make use of products from the garbage and dumpster yards.  

The creation of such handmade items prevents soil and water contamination.  Thus, it makes sense to use handmade items that prevent the garbage from ending up in landfills.   

In the long run, this can reduce the effects of climate change.

7. Time-consuming

Although handmade products have plenty of merits. But there are a few issues as well.

As discussed earlier, handmade items take a long time to create. For obvious reasons, human labor can never replace industrial machinery. That makes the production cycle long. At times it can take months and years as well. 

For instance, the ikat fabric-making process involves dyeing and tying the threads. Then, there is the use of a loom to create patterns adorning fabrics. After that, the ikat fabric turns into apparel, bags, and other accessories. The cycle of coloring the threads to create a finished handmade product takes long.  

That is why the long processing time is one big drawback of handmade products.

8. Expensive

Often handmade products are more expensive in comparison to machine-made ones. It may not always be the case, but obscure art is bound to cost more than its industrial counterparts.

These high production costs coupled with inconsistent sales cause a high retail price. Many times the high retail price further leads to low or no sales. That then initiates the vicious cycle of shutting down handmade creative businesses. 

Hence, many creative makers refrain from starting or expanding their handmade businesses. It is worse when the crafters refrain their kids to join the family’s legacy business. This leads to a complete wipe-out of a particular craft. 

For instance, the famous Rogan art from Kutch, India is on the verge of decline. The art form involves creating stunning artwork from dehydrated castor oil. The addition of vegetable-derived pigments to the castor oil results in vibrant art. But for a few years, only one family is keeping this art form alive. Though erstwhile it was a thriving art in the region, but then it faded with time due to lack of demand.

Conclusion

Centuries ago, almost every piece of furniture, gadget, or tool was handcrafted. With time, the bombardment of technological advancements resulted in fewer handmade products.

But with the liking for vintage and creativity, handmade skills are back in demand. Including handmade goods in our daily lives brings positivity. So, it makes sense to have more handmade every day.

This article points out a few handmade vs machine made differences. It could be interesting to know how creative skills compete with machines.
Do you know what products are still made by hand? Then, why not share them here.

Planning to Read this article later? Why not save it as a Pin by clicking on the Image below.

It is not easy to do handmade marketing for your creative business. You can vouch for the struggles if you own a handmade business.

The challenges facing handicraft businesses in implementing promotion strategies for their product are huge. 

If you end up doing the market analysis of the handicraft industry. Then, you would notice that most creative entrepreneurs struggle in marketing handmade products.

If you are also struggling to know how to promote handmade products. Then, you must read further.

51 Ways To Do Handmade Marketing For Increased Profits

1. Amazon Handmade

You must be living in a cave if you have not heard about Amazon. They are huge, and that is big enough a reason to use them to get some eyeballs on your brand. 

Of course, the immense marketplace brings its con of fierce competition. But with its sub-entity Amazon handmade, creative entrepreneurs do get some leverage. 

Amazon handmade sellers have a lower fee structure vis-a-vis the usual Amazon seller. Also, there is the advantage of using Amazon warehouse for faster turnaround times. Moreover, you can capitalize on events like Amazon Big Day sales. 

2. Big Cartel

When you are doubtful that your hobby might not turn into a business. Then, you can test the waters with a Big Cartel online shop.

They have a free plan which is a good way to introduce your new creative label to the world. 

In all honesty, I did not make a single sale through them. But the inquiries that came along helped in boosting my confidence.

Now I have moved to sophisticated sales software.  Though I still own a free account with them. 

Big Cartel was a savior when I was not confident of making my handmade business a success. 

3. Blogging

This one is the most important one of all the points mentioned in this list. My handmade business exists because of my blogging capabilities. 

My blog posts hover in the top results of Google SERPS (search engine ranking pages). That is how my products sell without much of any other handmade marketing techniques.

Blogging seems daunting if writing is not your cup of tea.  But, if you start writing as a daily habit. Then, it will become easier for you to write blog posts.

Blogging is my favorite since it brings an evergreen source of quality leads. 

I regret not being consistent with my blogging schedule. You should not repeat my mistake and work towards making it a priority.

4. BOGO

BOGO is selling two items for the price of one. It is a common marketing strategy. That is why the acronym Buy One Get One (BOGO). It works for selling handmade products as well.

All you have to do is, offer a free product when someone purchases it. It is a good strategy to increase the volume of sales. It also helps to clear up dead stock or the one that has a small shelf life.

Consumer psychology gets triggered by seeing anything for free. The BOGO strategy works by making consumers feel that they are picking a good deal.

5. Brick and Mortar Store

If you have been following my blog. Then, you would know that I am a big fan of learning how to sell handmade items online. At the same time, I also advocate having an actual store.

The ongoing pandemic situation has taught us to shift online. But a strategic offline presence would not hurt either. 

Most of us would want to touch and feel handmade goods. For that, a physical store where your audience could walk in would be great.

It could also become a necessity for expensive handmade items. Furthermore, it could help to convert window shoppers into first-time buyers.

6. Bundles

Clubbing two or more products together to sell as a bundle is a common approach to increase sales.

There are a few ways to carry out the strategy to tie products and sell.

One of the ways is to sell complementary products together. If you make handmade wines. Then, along with them, you can sell wine barrel stave chairs.

The other way is to create gift boxes of similar items. For instance, if you sell octopus-themed handmade items. You might introduce them to turtle-themed products as well.  

Another way is to sell a product in different colors and versions. Selling small trial packs is one of the good ways to try out this handmade marketing strategy.

7. Challenge

Running a challenge is a great way to pull people towards your handmade brand.

Challenges are time-bound activities meant to achieve a certain goal.

For instance, if you own a woodworking business. Then, you can run the challenge of making 5 projects from wooden slices in 15 days for complete beginners.  

This handmade marketing technique will establish your authority. Thus, it will help spread the word about your business.  Also, it will help strengthen ties with your existing customer base.

8. Charity

Philanthropy helps spread the good word about your business. It may seem foolish to share your earnings without earning good profits.

But you can still give a small amount of your money to charity. The small amount could even be 1% of your entire profits. 

There is a positive impact in giving away to someone needy. If nothing, you could end up receiving some heartfelt blessings.

A few handmade soap companies donate a bar of soap to charities for every bar they sell. You can also incorporate a similar strategy for marketing handmade products.

9. Competitors

If you ever use any of the products from my digital planner business. Then, you would notice using competition to generate new product ideas. 

At times you can find products by others which you think are not up to the mark. Rather, you can add your spin to bring in a better version of that product sold in the market. 

By doing so, you can steal in a few audiences from the competition. For this strategy to work, your product must be superior to your competitor. Else it could backfire and sabotage the promotion efforts.

This post may contain affiliate links. That means if you purchase any of the products mentioned in this article through routing via the links in this post. Then, I may end up receiving a certain monetary percentage from the sale. Though the one who purchases through the link does not end up paying anything extra apart from the mentioned MRP on the product. Full disclosures on the Affiliate Page. 

10. Craft Fairs

As a handmade creative entrepreneur, you cannot miss out on artisan fairs. They are a huge medium to meet the audience in person.

Through fairs, you can distribute your physical cards in person too. 

But you should never rely on putting up stalls at farmers’ markets and fairs only. Since the onset of the pandemic, most of the in-person mass events have ceased. 

Thus, it is a good reminder to sell online also apart from the fairs. That way at least one of your sales arms is up and running when the other is dead.

11. Digital Products

These are my favorite ways to market and sell products. You work on them once and they continue to bring people to your brand 24×7.

Irrespective of what you sell through your handmade business. You can always add digital products to your shelves. 

The digital versions of your art can help promote your physical products. 

If you are wondering what can be the right digital product for your handmade business. Then, you should check out Etsy. The site lists several products from various handmade artists. The products are digital downloads. Thus, they do not require physical shipping.

I bet you will find at least two ideas to create your next digital product.  

12. Discounts

Way back when I started my handmade business, I did not give any discounts. I was fearful that I would not earn profits that way.

But with a decade-long experience, I have got to know that lowered-down offers are the best way to make sales. 

Discounts convert the audience that was erstwhile undecided.

That is the reason I always introduce my new products with deep discounts. My existing customers get my new offerings at the lowest price points.

Discounts also work for new visitors if you offer FOMO + irresistible bundles.

13. Down Sells

Consider these as the lite or the scaled-down versions of your premium offerings. 

Down sells cost lower than premium products. Thus, the term down-sell.

For the bounced high-priced offerings, there is an accompanying down-sell. That way the customers get another chance to make a purchase. 

Downsells increase conversions since they are alternatives to high-priced products.

I offer digital stickers as down sells. The popular options that can work for any business are keychains and coasters. 

Low ticket items useful for everyday use can work as down sells.

14. Email Marketing

Consider emails as the magic that help in running your handmade business 24 x 7.

As of writing this mail, I have more than 5000 subscribers for my handmade business. The moment I have a new product offering, I send them a mail. That is how my messages get marketed to the people who end up buying my products.

Emails help spread the word around. They also help to deliver and follow up. That is why they are my favorite tool to run a handmade business.

You must work up an email marketing strategy irrespective of the size of your business. 

15. Etsy

No handmade business success is complete without mentioning Etsy. You must have dealt with Etsy despite the size of your creative pursuit.

This handmade e-commerce platform works to market, sell, as well as deliver products. Thus, it makes sense to use it to your advantage.

This marketplace is great to bring in customers to your email list/ shop/physical store.

It could become a problem only if they shut you down or you get big. To deal with such unforeseen scenarios, starting an e-commerce store can help.

You can also use the advertising services provided by Etsy to stay in front of the audience.

16. Fiverr 

Etsy occupies the biggest mindshare for selling handmade products. That is why using Fiverr as an alternate would amaze many.

Years ago I used Fiverr to sell some crochet items. The platform starts with 5$ priced items. Though there are plenty of options to offer high-priced handmade products. 

Due to competition, it is difficult to get the first sale on Fiverr. But you can work on it by using social media and blogging.

17. FOMO

It stands for Fear Of Missing Out. It took me a lot of convincing to use this strategy for my handmade business. 

Back then I could never understand how can someone purchase on a whim. Later it made sense to me when I ended up purchasing stuff that was time-bound.

FOMO uses the psychology of NOW OR NEVER to push the audience to take action.

For my business, I offer a 20-minute window to subscribers to make use of my discounted offer.

You can use a similar tactic for an irresistible offer by giving a time-bound call to action.

18. Freebies

These are my favorite means to market my business. It is because of freebies that I could propel my business to success.

They are also popular as opt-ins and lead magnets. All they mean is a free offer.

There is no monetary transaction involved, that is why they are free. But there is a cost involved that is not apparent. In most cases, freebies are a tactic for permission-based Inbound marketing. 

So, the moment someone gives their consent to use a freebie, they end up becoming a subscriber. That means as a handmade entrepreneur, you can then send them marketing content.

I offer multiple freebies for my audience depending upon the blog post. This further helps me to craft ideas for my products. 

As a thumb rule, I do not even dream of a product till my freebie does not become a success.

19. Giveaways

These are a quick way to bring your brand in front of a lot of audiences. 

As the name suggests, giveaways are free stuff distributed in a large number.

You should not confuse giveaways with freebies. 

Unlike the freebies, giveaways are not targeted. That means you do not profile your audience before giving them your free offerings.

Most of the time giveaways are discount coupons or your least expensive product.

Through giveaways, you can turn casual visitors into paying customers. You can even combine a giveaway with a lucky draw for massive visibility. But customer loyalty with such events is rather low.

20. Google Ads

Back then these were the most used ways of online advertising. But with social media and good ROI on organic marketing, google ads have become less popular.

A decade ago I was a heavy spender on google advertising. Though today my budget on them is nil. 

Nevertheless, google ads work. Rather, if your social media and organic marketing are in place, then google ads are a growth booster. 

With google ads, you can showcase your brand next to the relevant search results. Thus, if you use the right kind of keywords, you can bring in new people to your brand. 

21. Guest Blogging

I am sure all of us have given guest blogging a shot in some part of our lives. The recent Google updates have made this form of marketing less common. But this old-fashioned tactic to borrow audiences from your competitors still works.

Guest blogging is a win-win since the business that puts up your content on their site gets free content.

At the same time, you get a ready-made audience that gets to know that you and your business exist.

You also receive a backlink from them that helps build up your authority. So, if you are fine with giving away one of your best content to your competitor, guest blogging will work.

22. Gumroad

My business would not exist without the wonderful Gumroad.

It is a beautiful e-commerce platform for creatives.

The best part about Gumroad is that you can start using it to sell your creations for free. Moreover, the more you sell, the lower becomes their commissions. That means, unlike Etsy, you do not lose more when you earn more.

One of their best features is stamping digital files to reduce misuse by customers. 

Apart from the sales cart, it also facilitates discounts and digital product delivery. Though it lacks upsells and down sells. Even then, it is one of the best ways to market and sell your creativity.

As my business grew, I shifted to a more sophisticated sales cart software. But, I still use Gumroad because it still helps me earn sales. 

23. Influencer Marketing

This one has picked up in the recent times of social media popularity. The ones who gather numerous followers on a platform end up with an influencer tag.  

Therefore, it makes sense to leverage influencers to market your handmade products. It is a given that accounts that follow them will get to know about your brand.

But you must define Key Result Areas as gain in clicks/followers to test an influencer’s efficacy. Else, you will waste time and money from one influencer to another.

24. Kiosks

Consider these the small-sized booths at busy places like airports and mall galleries.

Due to their location, kiosks get exposed to huge footfalls.

But because of their small sizes, installing and renting it is cheaper than setting up a store.  

You can invest in a kiosk to promote holiday/festive sales.

25. Learning Workshops

Teaching your craft is a great way to generate interest in your offerings. It not only creates awareness about your brand. But it also helps in building authority in your domain.

It is rudimentary to shy away from sharing your knowledge as it may increase competition. On the contrary, imparting skills to others builds a community that pulls each other up.

You can do in-person events. Else you can share your expertise through online media as well.

26. Lookbook

Consider lookbooks as a visual representation of your products in use. The way you see models running a ramp wearing a designer collection. The same way lookbook carries pictures/videos of models wearing your products.

A lookbook helps potential visitors visualize their future selves using your handmade products. 

You can create lookbooks for digital products too. You can show visual mockups or downloaded/printed versions of them.

27. Low Priced Versions

Consider these as a cheat sheet to reduce barriers of entry for premium products. 

For instance, if you create expensive handmade gifts for clients. That implies that your service will be difficult for everyone to afford. In that case, you can bring in a smaller version of one of the best-selling products. That way you will let someone afford your products.

But do not confuse this with offering a cheaper version of your brand. Rather this strategy involves providing a barebone version of an existing product.  

Offering a handmade pillbox in the same design as the premium travel attache could be an apt example.

28. Niche

What comes to your mind the moment you hear Martha Stewart? Of course, DIY home-based lifestyle activities. The iconic woman’s brand talks about food, home decor, travel, and even poultry farming. But it is domestic home-based crafts that make her brand iconic.

If your content stays relevant to a particular niche. Then, you end up establishing authority in your field. Hence, you get popular much quicker than if you were selling everything under the Sun.

The moment you hear her name, you think of lifestyle enhancement starting from home. That is what it means to be true to the niche.

This one strategy to market handmade items is difficult to nail. But once you get it right, your growth will be phenomenal.

Try to keep the target market for craft business as the north star of your business. That makes sticking to your niche a little easier. 

Even with dream catchers and surfboards, one can stay true to a niche. 

29. Online Experience

These are the virtual experiences that demonstrate/ teach crafts. Consider these as the online version of watching a creative person working on their art. 

You can showcase all sorts of creative experiences from photography to funny art.

You can host these through video calls or special social media video hosting.

30. Partnerships

Have you seen complementary products advertised together? For instance, the sale of detangling combs with permed hair products.

This way you get to push your brand along with a product that fits your utility purposes.

If you create boho products, you can partner with travel stores to get visibility.

31. Paypal/Shopify Buttons

If you are unsure of opening a professional e-commerce store. Then you can use buy buttons from PayPal/Shopify.

The advantage of using these buttons is that it is not mandatory to have a store. You can use them on your blog, social media, and emails.

These buttons are good to check your conversion rates before you go big.

32. Pictures

Visuals let the customers know how your product looks. Thus, your images need to be the true representation of your actual product.

Appealing pictures evoke emotions and thus increase engagement. Those engagements result in social media shares thereby increasing traffic and sales conversions.

Good lights and perspective shots help people know the size of the products.

33. Pinterest

Many people consider Pinterest a social medium like Facebook and Instagram. That is why they focus on amassing followers. Though the truth is that Pinterest is a search engine like google for images.

That means you need to apply SEO principles while pinning. For the same, keywords play a major role.

To get ranking, your titles and pin descriptions must contain the associated keywords.

Once you get the hang of Pinterest, you can create viral pins to get long-term traffic. You can then use Pinterest advertising to leverage those virals for longer durations.

34. Pop Up Shops

As the name suggests, pop-up shops open up for a limited number of days at selected locations.

Flea markets and hotel lobbies are the common sites for these. Some pop-up shops have online versions as well.

They work on the principles of FOMO as they do not stay for longer periods. Consider them as kiosks that appear and then vanish. 

If you have an established brand. Then, you can leverage pop-up shops to venture into newer territories.

35. Post Purchase Follow Up

Ever received a mail after a purchase asking you to leave a review? That is the strategy to get more sales by offering discount coupons in return for reviews.

You can also use this strategy to your advantage. It will be of immense help to get traction when you are starting a handmade business.

36. Proof of Sales

If you visit my website, you can see the notification of sales in a yellow box.

That shows verified sales of my products. It has been a year since I started using that service. It has led to increased conversion rates since the visitors get proof of my sales.

The conversion rates further increase when visitors see sales from their locations. That kind of increases their confidence to invest in your handmade business.

37. QR Code

In this era of technology, QR codes are a boon. They are popular as payment facilitators. But they also serve as marketing tools.

You can generate your website/shop URL QR code and place it on marketing material. This will help transfer offline conversations to online.

You can even offer QR code-specific discounts to track their success.

38. Quora

I love this User Generated Content platform. Quora is a question-answer community of users. Their immense popularity has made them an alternative to Google.

You can use Quora to research what handmade products people are seeking. Also, you can develop authority by answering questions related to your business.

Furthermore, you can use its advertising services to promote your brand to its wide user base.

39. Reviews

All of us have become habituated to checking reviews before making a purchase. Thus, reviews can make or break your business.

You can encourage users to leave reviews by offering them incentives. At times, incentives can deter an unhappy customer from leaving a negative review. 

40. Self-Hosted Website

Every marketing function is a subset of your website. Hence, this one is mandatory if you commit to making your handmade business a success.  

Since all your handmade marketing activity depends on your website. Therefore, you need to invest in it. You cannot cut corners with a free google site. Rather, you require a professional one with a .com or a similar Top Level Domain. 

Do not ever depend on social media or any other platform for your business. Rather your website should be the heart and soul of your handmade business.

Your website gives you the freedom to turn it into a blog or a shop at any time. It is your online real estate that is a valuation of your handmade business.

41. SEO

SEO  is the skill that can kickstart even the smallest of handmade businesses. 

It stands for Search Engine Optimization. That means creating content that ranks in the top search result pages of search engines.

If it were not for SEO, my business would never have been successful.

It sounds like a technical skillset that is difficult to get a hang of. But with the plethora of apps around, it is doable to use SEO. 

The results of SEO take some time to show. But once you build on the right set of keywords, the success gets contagious.

In essence, the art of SEO is about getting better at how to describe your craft business.

42. Shopify Store

Without a doubt, this is the best way to sell handmade products you make at home. 

It has all that you need to operate and showcase your signature brand to the world.

If I were to start all over again, I would begin with a Shopify store instead of a blog.

It has tons of features that make running and maintaining a store hassle-free.

43. Social Media

This is a mammoth topic that requires in-depth content. But for the sake of brevity, I have put it into sub-parts as below:

Facebook Posts

This is a common method to update your followers about your products. Ensure that your images are square-shaped and there is no link accompanying them.

Facebook Reels

Reels are the trendiest mode of marketing a business. Most of the time it involves dancing to viral music and doing popular dance moves. If you do not have inhibitions with strangers watching you gyrating, then, reels will work for you. 

Social Media Mentions 

It is all about creating engaging conversations on social media. So, if you could get your customers to talk about you. Then, it will help you gain some brownie points. You can do this by requesting customers to mention your brand post-purchase. Also, you can organize contests and conduct quizzes to achieve this.

Social Media Ads

The good part about social media is that it can boost your presence by advertising. Also, their advertising platform is not as complicated as google advertising. 

My ads perform the best when I leverage my best-performing posts. The more engaging are your organic posts, the better will be your ad performance. Knowing your target location and audience persona improves optimized ad performance.

Twitter

It is interesting to realize that Twitter keeps on increasing its character limit. It started with 140 characters, though as of writing this article, it is 280.

Hashtags are on a rage on this social media. So, the best way to leverage Twitter is to engage in relevant hashtag discussions.

Instagram 

In today’s times, you cannot miss out on Instagram. Because this platform is visual-specific, it works well for promotions.  

You can create several images and videos of your creations to promote on Instagram. Furthermore, you can also use 30 hashtags on this platform.

Instagram Reels

These are like Facebook reels. That means to leverage these you require dance and lip-syncing to viral trends. 

Reels have shot up to popularity in the last few years. Thus, stressing the importance of including them in handmade marketing strategy.

44. Sponsorship

It involves sponsoring another business/event that supplements your handmade business.

For instance, if you create flamingo-themed products, you can sponsor birds conservation projects.

Or if you create skyline-based products, you can sponsor pollution-reducing projects.

This strategy increases visibility and thus leads to promotion.

45. Subscription Box

This is a service that has gained popularity in recent times. It works on the principles of re-serving your loyal customers.

For inspiration and ideas, you can check out popular handmade subscription box platforms. There are several handmade goodies bundled together as hampers delivered monthly. 

You can also provide regular enrolments for your customers to spread the word around.

As your subscribers grow, you can add more to the bundles and alter the prices.

46. Tiktok

If you thought that this popular Asian app is only for youngsters. Then, you are mistaken.

The video length on this app can range from 15 seconds to 3 minutes. Although short, this time frame is enough to promote your brand to your followers.

Much like other social media platforms, the number of followers is important. Because the more followers, the more will be the spread of your content.  

It seems that Facebook and Instagram reels have a similar model as  Tiktok’s.

Many countries have prohibited Tiktok. Therefore, in those nations, you can use Facebook and Instagram reels.

47. Trending Wave

In today’s times’ trends tend to pick up universal popularity. Be it some song, dance moves, or even a product.

Kiki song, bottle cap challenge, widget spinners, dalgona coffee are some popular ones.

If you wish to ride on these trends. Then, you must incorporate them in your products/offers, pop-up stores, and reels. 

Though the shelf life of these trends is short-term. But they can become significant contributors to your sales if made the right use of. 

48. Upsells

Without even battling my eyelids I can vouch for upsells. They have been a huge factor in upscaling my business.

If you recall replacing a product with an offer of that product along with 4 other similar products. Then, that was an upsell bought in place of a regular product.

If a customer buys lipstick from your handmade skincare brand. Then, you can upsell them an entire lip grooming kit that has lipsticks, lip scrubs, and lip balms.

A combination of Upsells with FOMO can have a positive impact on your bottom line.

49. Verification Discounts

Have you noticed that some brands have special pricing for teachers/students/veterans?

That special pricing for the chosen few professionals comes under verification discounts. 

Such form of pricing strategy helps in building a compassionate brand presence. 

It lets your audience know that you are a considerate business. Such branding goes a long way in positioning your good image in the minds of the consumer.

50. Videos

There is no denying the fact that videos play a strong role in spreading the word around. The best part is that almost all the platforms prioritize video content. 

I admit that creating videos is not my forte. But I am trying to overcome the fear of technology and start facing the camera.

Videos have higher engagement. They also help create successful ads. 

Videos have become huge. That is why there are several platforms where you can post as well as cross-post.

YouTube, Vimeo, Loom, and Facebook are the most common names.

51. YouTube

Because of videos, YouTube deserves a special mention. Without a doubt, it has pioneered and revolutionized videos as the unit of content.

You can start a channel on this platform to host your content. Plus, you can enjoy its monetization benefits as well.

You can even embed those videos on your blog posts for cross-posting benefits.

But ensure that you keep a backup of those videos. That will help in the future in case you lose access to YouTube anytime.

Conclusion

Doing handmade marketing for your creative pursuits is not easy. That is why it is important to try different strategies to get to the one that works for you.

Staying consistent with your niche and SEO are the mandatory ones.

Moreover, if you have any other tips on how to grow your handmade business. Then, please contribute to the comments below for credits in updating this article.

You can also help a creative solopreneur by sharing this article with them.

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Most of the digital products selling on Etsy are offshoots of a digital planner business.

That means apart from planners/organizers, there are stickers, inserts, and labels too.

A planner business is one of the best ways to start an online handmade business.

I started giving away free handmade business planners a few years ago. With time they have become my primary source of income that is growing with leaps and bounds. 

As I see my handmade business growing, I regret not starting earlier. If you also fee the same. Then, read further to know how to begin your handmade business of digital planners.

How To Start A Digital Planner Business

Understand Your Niche

Irrespective of the kind of business you are in, you got to define your niche. 

Niche defines your ideal audience, and so the marketing strategy takes shape. Thus, not knowing your niche will take a lot of trials and errors to nail your message to your audience.

For instance, since my business is in the niche of starting a handmade business. So, all my planners cater to simplifying the lives of creative entrepreneurs. 

If I start promoting planners for homeschooling parents, I will fail. That is because such a product will repel my audience even if they were homeschooling their kids. My audience expects me to solve their problems regarding solopreneurship. Introducing them to products for home/family/faith would mean an intrusion.

Hence, think of a broad topic that you know well. That way you will have a higher success rate of selling planners. Moreover, you will save yourself from getting frustrated and disillusioned.

Learn How to Create a Digital Planner to Sell

Once you are sure of the category you have selected to start a planner business. Then, the next task is to create the planners.

Please do not think that zero design skills mean a big NO for venturing into the digital planner market. If that rumor were true, I would not earn hundreds of dollars per month.

But do not assume into thinking that there is no point in learning advanced design skills. Some of the successful names in the business are from people with Illustrator skills. But that is the fun of having an online business. There is room for everyone. 

You can start with beginner software like Canva. From there, you can advance to sophisticated ones like Illustrator and InDesign. 

Pick up a Business Model

1. Niche Blog

It is how I started my digital planner business. So, I know with my experience that a successful blogging business leads to a planner business as well.

Planners are organizational tools that work for almost all industries. Therefore, irrespective of the topic of your blog, you can create and sell planners.

Since I operate a blog for creative entrepreneurs, I make planners for :

1. starting a handmade business
2. organizing a handmade soap business
3. organizing a crochet business
4. successful soap making ideas
5. starting and managing a hair care business

2. E-Commerce Store

To sell a digital product, you need a facilitator or the middle guy that showcases and delivers.

E-commerce stores serve that purpose well. There is a range of options for the same. 

Many businesses swear by Shopify, Easy Digital Downloads, Woocommerce, and Sendowl. 

I started my planner business with Gumroad. Now I use Gumroad along with ThriveCart. 

There are more ways to sell digital planners than the ones mentioned above. 

If being a beginner, you are not comfortable with an e-commerce store. Then, you can test the waters with marketplaces like Etsy and Amazon.

3. PLR Planner Business

Like other industries, the planner business can be for customers and other business owners. Meaning you can sell planners as B2C (business to customers) and B2B (business to business).

When you sell your planners to other planner businesses, it becomes the PLR planner one.

A PLR planner business involves selling planner templates for commercial use. So, if you excel in making planners for homeschooling. Then, you can make a stand-alone template that other mom blog owners can sell as their products.

It is an excellent way to monetize your design skills. You get to design planners. Then, you sell them at a premium to various other planner shops. The high price takes care of the royalty fees that work out for other businesses to use your work as their own.

A Shopify store is one of the best ways to operate a PLR digital planner business.

Work on Bringing Traffic to Your Digital Planner Business

Irrespective of what kind of a planner business model you choose. You will need the traffic/eyeballs to make them a success.

As you would know, a blog is one of the best ways to bring a targeted audience to your website. Thus, no matter what mode of operations you decide on, you must blog to get leads.

Moreover, the one strategy that worked for my planner business is giving away a free digital planner. It might surprise you to know that all the planners that I sell were once available for free. 

Yes! I test the preferences of my customers by giving them a free digital planner download. Once I get enough downloads, I create a premium version of the freebie. That makes me create new products that do not end up as failures.

Whatever goes for free does end up bringing me the moolah.

Increase Conversion Rates

Sales are dependent on how well your audience responds to your offering. It means the more the audience ends up buying your offers, the better it is for your bottom line.

I like to put it as below –

Sales = Traffic x Landing Page x Conversion

So, the higher the conversion of the traffic to your landing page. The higher is your earnings.

If you work on the above equation, you will have a successful stint with your planner business. As of now, I have a conversion rate of 3.5% on my sales landing pages. I keep testing with free small business planner printables to improve my sales. You can also introduce new product variations to get better profit margins.

Conclusion

If you are wondering how to start a digital planner business but do not know how to. Then, do not despair into thinking that a lack of graphic design skills will lead you nowhere.

That is because you can start a planner business with free tools too. The outcome may not be as chiseled the way it comes from sophisticated design software. But if it solves the problems of your audience. Then, it has the potential to make sales.

The point is to start your planner business instead of procrastinating. If the entire selling process scares you. Then, the best option is, to begin with, a free planner pdf to test the waters till you develop confidence.  

The important step is to start.

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In this digital age, it is usual to find a digital version of physical products around us. That could be the reason why there is a section of digital products selling on Etsy.

Much like physical products, digital ones have a vast range. After selling physical handmade products, I transitioned to running a digital art business.

My current portfolio includes digital checklists, calculators, planners, and cheat sheets. These products earn me a few hundred dollars each month in passive income.

So, if you are curious to know how to create a digital planner to sell? Then, you must read further.  

How to Start a Planner Business

Before you think about selling planners, you need to be clear about your niche. By niche, it means what category your planner business will focus on.

For instance, my planners focus on starting and organizing a handmade business. Most of the planners by Rosemarie are on home organizing and budgeting. Though, Sarah Titus sells a lot of planners inclined towards home and faith. 

Hence, it is crucial to know whom you will serve before you start a planner business. So, once you nail your niche, then comes the challenging part ———->

How to Make a Planner to Sell

This post may contain affiliate links. That means if you purchase any of the products mentioned in this article through routing via the links in this post. Then, I may end up receiving a certain monetary percentage from the sale. Though the one who purchases through the link does not end up paying anything extra apart from the mentioned MRP on the product. Full disclosures on the Affiliate Page.

As of writing this post, I have five planners in my online shop. But I would love to confess that up till mid-2020, I did not know what a planner was.

I have profound memories of struggling to make a planner as a product. But I had no idea how to go about doing it. Though, the fact is that in the year 2019, I did make a planner without knowing that it was a planner.

It was two pages of worksheets that can help any creative to visualize their handmade business. It was the first printable planner that I created without having any idea of what I was doing. 

Back then, I was using it as a freebie opt-in to increase my subscriber list. But someone ended up tipping me 2$ for it. That is when I gave a thought of charging for it. 

Today, that same planner sells for 9$ in my shop!

With time, my planner creation skills have become better. Looking at my sales, it is clear that I am doing a decent job of creating planners.

My favorite method of creating planners is Google slides. Though, others use Canva, Illustrator, and even PowerPoint.  

More than the design skills, you need to know how to chalk out a process flow for achieving a target. The course by Suzi Whitford on Printables accelerated my planner-making skills. You can also use it to learn how to make printables and sell them for a thriving business.

Then, the next task is to know the ———->

Ways to Go About Selling Planners

1. Selling on Digital Marketplaces

It is the obvious choice for anyone starting their handmade business. The marketplaces like Etsy, Facebook Marketplace, Amazon are the prominent options.

They are good places to start testing your digital planners. There are no significant upfront costs except for the listing and transaction fees. 

These places are good to begin selling planners, but they are not ideal in the long run. That is because of the stiff competition and a dent in profits when you sell high-cost planners.

That is why after testing the third-party market places you can switch to your own website/store.

2. Selling on Your Platform

It is my favorite way to sell planners online. After seeing poor sales and poorer profits with Etsy, I transitioned to selling on my website.

It seems daunting to sell planners by yourself. But it is easy if you have the right tools.

Since I have a blog, I added a link to my Gumroad shop. I also integrated Thrivecart with my website to create funnel-based upsells. This one activity skyrocketed my conversion rates, and so did the profits.

If you have made the decision to start a self-published planners business. Then, instead of creating a blog, you can begin with an e-commerce store. Shopify and Gumroad are good options for the same. 

3. Create Planners for Others

If you know how to make a planner from scratch. Then, you can also publish planners for others.

When I started my planner business, I looked for other creatives to whom I could have outsourced the job. But since I could not find anyone, I had to learn the skills of making planners. 

If you have graphic design skills, you can start a planner creating business. That way, you will not have to think about what planners to design. Rather, you could approach websites that sell digital planners for collaborations.

You can create a PLR planner service and sell them to others so that they can then use it as their product.

Tips To Selling Planners With Success

1. Use a Free Digital Planner to Test Your Market Segment 

All the planners that sell in my shop were once available for free in a scaled-down version. It seems counter-intuitive to give away free stuff when you are in business for profit. But the fact is that giving away a snippet of your paid product builds trust in your planner business.

You can offer a checklist or a small value planner for free to gain an audience for your business.

2. Consider Creating Ladder Products

Most of the customers look for varied products in their quest to achieve their targets. That means there is scope for products depending upon the stage they are in their journies.  

For instance, I offer a free checklist to start a handmade soap business from home for beginners. Then, I have a planner for organizing a handmade soap business for the experienced ones.

Furthermore, there is a product that lists 35 different soap business niche ideas. 

So, there are different options around the central idea of the handmade soap business.

Likewise, you can create several products catering from beginners to advanced customers.

3. Transition To Print on Demand Planners

Offering a print version of your digital product is a great way to upsell. Most of the customers who have an obsession with journals like to use a physical planner as well.

Stationery such as markers, stickers, and envelopes complement the physical planners. Thus, you can provide tangible upgrades to a digital planner to increase your profits.

Conclusion

If you are looking for ways to start a digital planner business. Then, this article will serve as a stepping stone.

It may seem that graphic design skills are mandatory to enter the digital planner market. But after selling to 300 customers, I know that more than design skills, you need empathy to sell.

So, if you can pinpoint the pains of your customers. Then, it is an easy task to design your planners around solving those problems.

You can improve your design skills with relevant resources and tools. There are also options to use PLR planners or to get them made from scratch by freelance designers.

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