20 Sales in 20 Days Challenge

Want a boost to your holiday sales?  I invite you take the Flourish & Thrive Academy's 20 Sales in 20 Days Challenge.  I did this in October and had great results.  You can rearrange the daily challenges to fit in with your schedule.  I plan to start again tomorrow.  For best results partner up with a friend or two to help you stay accountable.  If you're not ready to hustle, save this list for January - what a great way to start the New Year!

20 Sales in 20 Days Challenge Review

 

Challenge # 1:: Create a special of the day and send it out to your client list/newsletter list. If you feel comfortable with discounts, you can offer a special price for one day only. Making the offer time sensitive or limited quantity gives your consumers a sense of urgency to buy now. Post your special of the day everywhere. Facebook, Instagram, on your Blog, you name it. Ask your friends and family to share you special of the day, as well.

 

Challenge # 2:: Ask for a referral from one or more of your clients. Offer an incentive and give them a piece of jewelry for each sale or for every 5 sales they send your way.

 

Challenge # 3:: Wear your jewelry today and sell something off of your neck, hand or wrist (earrings might be a little gross). Don’t be shy and close the sale.

 

Challenge # 4:: Create a special offer for Facebook clients to purchase on your website with a “special” code.

 

Challenge # 5:: Hand out a business card every time someone compliments you on your jewelry today. Start a conversation about your jewelry. Get their email addresses and send a follow up email of what they loved from you. Send them a link inviting them to purchase.

 

Challenge # 6:: Hold a contest for the day or the week. Use this as a list builder.

 

Challenge # 7:: Offer a gift with purchase today only. 

 

Challenge # 8:: Contact 5 clients directly who you have worked with in the past and who haven’t ordered in sometime. Suggest some new items to them.
 

Challenge # 9:: Create a FRANK list of all of your friends, relatives, associates, neighbors & kids or kennel (yep, people you know because of our kids or your animals). Or you can make the K a C & C stands for church, charities or clubs. Ask them to spread the word to their friends and family about your beautiful work. Offer something special you have going on.

 

Challenge # 10:: Suggest an item to upsell with anything you sell today or this week. Example, a client is placing an order, make sure you add on a best selling necklace or pair of earrings (or add on 1 more of whatever they are ordering). Just think... by adding 1 piece of jewelry to every order you will be able to see a nice increase by the end of the month. Robin likes to call this adding the avocado because whenever you are at a restaurant and they ask you if you would like to add the avocado, they are upselling you. 

 

Challenge # 11:: Host/Plan an in person trunk show (sample sale) at your friend’s home so you can get rid of any extra inventory or samples.

 

Challenge # 12:: Post your pieces on Instagram or Pinterest with hashtags and links to purchase. Ask all of your friends to share it.

 

Challenge # 13:: Host a friends & family sale on your website or Etsy shop. Make the offer time sensitive and one day only. 

 

Challenge # 14:: Make phone calls to past clients today until you get a sale (yep don’t stop until you get that sale). Suggest new merchandise, gift ideas, etc. If you don’t happen to have phone numbers, you can email, but note if you use the phone and start a casual convo, you are more likely to land the sale.

 

Challenge # 15:: Create a special “set” for a promotional price and offer that today.Think a necklace with a pair of earrings or necklace and bracelet set or ring and earrings... you get the idea. Limit the number available, make it time sensitive and exclusive. 

 

Challenge # 16:: Loan out a piece of jewelry to your friends or sisters (something that they really love). Let them wear it and ask them to refer clients. Give them a stack of cards with your website address on it. Give each a unique discount code AND if they sell 5 pieces, they get to keep the piece.

 

Challenge # 17:: Have a one-day sale on your website or Etsy shop to get rid of old inventory...and generate cash flow.

 

Challenge # 18:: Host a Facebook auction for limited edition items today...make sure your fans know about it. Include links to purchase on your website. 

 

Challenge # 19:: Attend a networking event or some sort of social event. Go decked out wearing your jewelry and plan to talk about what you do. Bring special cards with special offers that they can purchase.

 

Challenge # 20:: Reach out to a Blogger and offer her a piece of jewelry in exchange for a review. You can give a special discount code for her readers only.

 

This document is owned and distributed by Flourish & Thrive Academy. It may not be sold or otherwise distributed without our expressed written consent. | © 2013 | Flourish & Thrive Academy

Prepare for Holiday Sales

I know it's hard to think about the holiday selling season when you are enjoying the lazy days of summer, but now is actually the perfect time to get started.  Getting ready for the holidays may seem like a big nebulous goal and you aren't sure where to start - aside from pulling out snowflake beads.  I'm going to offer some tips for coming up with a plan to help reduce stress and increase sales when October finally arrives and people are starting their holiday shopping.  Here are some tasks to add to your to-do list over these last few weeks of summer.

Goal Setting
Start with the end in mind.  Set a sales goal for yourself.  It can be monthly or for the entire holiday season.  It can be scary, it's okay to think big.  Look at your sales from last year and set a realistic goal, but one that stretches your ambition.  Break your goal down into weekly sales and decide how many pieces you need to have in your inventory to reach that goal.

Create Your Collections
Even if you only make one of a kind pieces you can start now by building up your inventory.  I would encourage you to make collections of jewelry, just like a fashion designer would.  Make designs that you can easily replicate, change out the focal bead or color scheme if you don't want to make exactly the same thing.  Spend a day sketching out your ideas.

Take a look at fashion trends for Fall and Winter to find some timely inspiration.  Look in current magazines and catalogs for upcoming trends as a starting point.
 
Pantone's Fall Color Report

Start stocking up on basic supplies when things go on sale. Make sure you subscribe to your favorite shops' newsletters to take advantage of their sales.  Or consider buying wholesale as much as possible to help improve your bottom line.

Where to Sell
Decide where to sell.  If you don't have an online shop and sell mostly at shows, consider opening a shop now and add items weekly.  Don't wait until October to set up shop online, start now and build your customer base so when the holidays roll around you'll have people who have already had a great shopping experience with you.  You won't feel like you are learning all the ins and outs of selling online when you are busy with the holiday rush.

I would also suggest finding a holiday art show or two and apply for them.  Do this today, as deadlines may be fast approaching.  If you have missed a deadline, give the show promoter a call and see if you can be put on a wait list.  You never know until you ask. 

Make plans now to host a holiday open house.  You might consider pairing up with a few other artists or indie biz owners and plan a group show together.  Start now by collecting names and emails at local shows to invite your customers to this event.

Approach new shops and galleries now to carry your work. Don't wait until the holidays, they will have already purchased their inventory.  Also if you are in a few shops already, set up a time to show them your fall and holiday collection before the end of the summer.

Marketing
If you aren't collecting emails for a newsletter, start that today.  You can use free services like MailChimp or a paid service like Vertical Response.  Schedule to send out a newsletter monthly or bi-monthly.

Set up social media accounts if you don't have them already - Twitter, a Facebook page for your business and a blog are the three big ones.  Have a neglected blog?  Take steps now to spruce it up and build up your readership.  Learn these three basics and build up your following slowly over the next few months.  You'll be glad you did!  If that seems overwhelming then pick one and learn the basics.  Read articles online on how to use these sites to promote your business in a non-spammy way.  There is a right and wrong way to use social media.  I recommend the blog ebooks from Crafty Pod.  I took a blog class with Diane last year and it's really worth the investment.

Research your advertising options on popular blogs. Contact blogs to introduce yourself.  Set up cross promotions with other blogs, like interviewing each other or doing giveaways.

Read the archives on Modish Biz Tips for helpful advice for any of these areas.  Subscribe to Handmadeology for great tips on selling on Etsy.  And for great business tips subscribe to Crafting an MBA and check out the resources on the website.

Come up with a holiday sales plan and work it now so that when the holidays are actually here you can enjoy the festivities instead of feeling like you are spinning your wheels trying to catch up!

-Heather Powers is the editor of the Art Bead Scene and the creative force behind Humblebeads.com.