You have started your own dressmaking business, and you have the supplies and the enthusiasm. Now, how do you find customers? It's no secret that online advertising is hugely popular today. You can use the Internet to advertise your dressmaking business.
Etsy - It's Easy!
One of the easiest ways for stay at home moms to advertise online is by using Etsy.com. Etsy is a site where you can sell handmade crafts of many types. You will set up your site, including information about your business, photos of your products, shipping information and more. The listing fees are quite reasonable and the site is intuitive to use. Many artists use Etsy to market their wares, and you can easily join them.
Craigslist - It's Free!
Craigslist is another site you can use to sell your dressmaking products. An advantage of Craigslist is that it is totally free to list and sell products, thereby making it an ideal way to start getting the word out about your products, without spending anything upfront. You can list as much information about your creations as you would like, as well as photos. You will need to re-list unsold items every two months, as the listings will expire after that time.
Ebay - It's Popular!
If you want to reach the largest possible customer base with your dressmaking business, Ebay is the place to go. Millions of potential customers worldwide browse Ebay at all hours of the day and night. You will list each of your items separately either in an auction format or at a fixed price. If you plan to list and sell many items, you may want to open an Ebay "store." One consideration with Ebay is that there are fees involved when you list, as well as when you sell. Be sure to take these into account when you are deciding on the prices you will charge.
Social Networking - It's Everywhere!
Facebook, MySpace, Twitter - they are known as social networking sites, and it seems that everyone is joining them. Simply put, these are sites where you can post brief bits of information about yourself, your day or your dressmaking business! You can "tweet" about your latest creation on Twitter, or post your business name as your Facebook status. This can create buzz about your business, as well as promote word-of-mouth advertising as more and more people begin discovering your creations.
A Website - It's Effective!
A crucial part of advertising your dressmaking business is having a business website. A website gives you an online presence. It gives you an address to put on business cards, so that when potential customers go home, they can easily find a place with full information about your sewing. If you have created an Etsy site, that can be your business website. You may want to create a website through a blogging portal, such as Wordpress or Blogger. Both of these formats are free to use and are easy to set up. You may want to have a website with your business' name as the web address.
If this interests you, research companies selling domain names and see if the one you want is available (godaddy.com and register.com are two possibilities).
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Susan Braun is a freelance writer living with her husband, three daughters, 2 rabbits, 2 gerbils and hedgehog in Indiana. She writes at girlsinwhitedresses.wordpress.com and Associated Content.
