Your first thought when starting a greeting card company is to concentrate on getting distribution in retail stores. As a result, you might attend trade shows and conferences with the hopes of getting attention from a major company. While trade shows and conferences should be a part of your marketing mix, you're missing a huge opportunity if you're not also using the Internet to market your greeting card company.
A Website
Your Internet marketing plan has to include a website. You can do-it-yourself using WordPress or any other user friendly publishing platform, or hire a web designer. Your website needs to include a portfolio of your work that visitors to your site can easily view. You'll also need to work on search engine optimization (SEO) for the website, to help Internet users find you in the first place. The web pages need to be written in a way that persuades consumers or business owners to buy your cards or hire you to write for them. Writing for sales can be difficult for some business owners, and if that's the case, you should hire a freelance writer to help you. You can find writers on websites like www.iFreelancer.com or www.freelancewritinggigs.com.
Social Media
You can benefit from social media in two major ways:
- Find customers
- Find distributors
Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook are the major social media sites that you should be as active as possible in. These will allow you to build followers or group members that you can build relationships with, which can translate into business for you. You'll want to showcase your creativity, as well as make announcements about your greeting card company from time to time.
- You can broadcast one liners in Twitter from time to time from your greeting cards, or to spark curiosity in viewing your cards on line.
- You can pose a question for discussion on Facebook, asking the business owners how effective the use of greeting cards is in their sales and marketing strategy.
- You can network with distributors and sales representatives on LinkedIn, who may be interested in learning more about your greeting card company.
You'll have to keep a delicate balance of broadcasting information and building relationships when using social media websites, so that you don't turn off followers or group members.
Email Marketing
Most businesses can benefit from email marketing, and a greeting card company is no exception. In fact, it can be the best opportunity you have to entice customers to buy your cards. You'll need to build up a subscriber list and a professional email design to be effective.
- Invite visitors to your website to sign up to receive your emails from time to time, by using an opt-in sign up box. Your web designer can help you make one, or you can use an affordable service like www.constantcontact.com.
- Offer discounts, news or tips as an incentive to customers to get emails from you.
- ConstantContact also has many professional templates that you can select, and all that you have to do is write your email and upload photos.
When you use the Internet to market your greeting card company, you can extend your reach to many new customers beyond your local area. Promoting your business online will help you meet your income goals.
_______________________________
Daphne Mallory, Esq. is the co-owner of Mallory Writing Services and has written more than 100 articles helping home based business owners and entrepreneurs start and market their business. You can learn more about her here.
