The success of your quilting store is dependent on your ability to market. Today’s environment requires using marketing tools both inbound and outbound campaigns. However, inbound marketing is becoming more important than outbound advertising with each passing day.
Take full advantage of the latest marketing tools and strategies and you’ll emerge with more market share in the increasingly competitive quilting industry. Like Sew is here to help.
An understanding of your audience is integral to success. Make a concerted effort to learn about your target audience, shape your value offering as well as your marketing efforts accordingly and you’ll forge relationships that have the potential to be mutually beneficial for years or even indefinitely.
Part of understanding your target audience is developing an understanding of the demographics and preferences of those most likely to need or desire your quilts and quilting accessories. There is no harm in asking online visitors, current customers and former customers to complete surveys or provide feedback. Review such information in-depth, take notes and develop buyer personas to tailor marketing campaigns toward.
Prioritize the user experience design (UX) when building your website. If you are laser-focused on your quilting business, consider hiring a webmaster and UX designer to create a user-friendly website on your behalf.
Once your website is up and running, it is time to shift your attention to social media. Use social media platforms to engage your target audience and steer them toward your website where they can buy quilts and quilting accessories. Continue to engage in a dialogue with social media users to reinforce your business’s presence in the market as well as the merits of your value offering.
Though much has been made of the decline of email marketing, the truth is it is still highly effective when used strategically. Connect with your target audience including both previous and current customers using emails and you’ll remind them that your business exists and also update them on your latest offerings, specials, promotions, discounts, etc.
A quilting store that cannot be found online certainly exists yet many will not be aware of its presence. Search engine optimization or SEO for short, makes it that much easier for people in the local community and beyond to find your quilting business.
Optimize the entirety of your online content from your homepage to service pages, product descriptions and more with keywords and key phrases. If you sell quilts and quilting accessories to locals, add local information to your online content, making it that much easier for those in the area to find your business online.
The saying of “content is king” rings true when it comes to quilting businesses. However, content extends beyond a homepage and a presence on social media. Truly effective online content also includes blog posts that inform, tutorials that educate and additional content.
Seize every opportunity to expand your online footprint through guest blog posts, social media interactions, informative product descriptions and more. Be patient and your SEO push will prove to be the gift that never stops giving.
It is also in your interest to step outside of the box, hosting virtual quilting events, workshops and webinars to pique the interest of potential customers and current customers. Take a chance and it might pay massive dividends.
The 80s tennis superstar Andre Agassi was famous for saying, “Image is everything.” Agassi’s statement holds true to this day. Optics matter just as much, if not more, than substance. Visually striking videos and images on your website and social media will rouse interest in your quilts.
Instagram and Pinterest are the top two platforms for using marketing tools visually, as they provide the perfect opportunity to present your artful quilts in all their beauty. Showcase your best products on these platforms, steer online traffic toward them and you’ll motivate visitors to take action in the form of a purchase. Encourage your customers to post their own quilting-related content along with hashtags when using social media and you’ll build momentum.
Influencers have become just as important as conventional advertising. Recognize that the younger age cohorts have shifted away from TV and newspapers to the web, tap into the social networking power of an influencer or two and wait for the results to manifest.
It will also help to collaborate with an industry stalwart or two, especially those in your area or region. Co-create content, pay influencers to promote your quilts and business, then measure the impact including the return on investment (ROI) of each individual influencer campaign.
Everyone loves a good sale. Run promotions, launch loyalty programs and hold the occasional sale. A loyalty program for returning customers is especially important as it rewards them for successive purchases. Dangle the positive reinforcement of referral incentives for your current customers and their word-of-mouth references will expand your customer base.
An online presence is certainly important yet it is only one piece of the puzzle. Your business also needs local marketing for your brick-and-mortar quilting store.
Host quilting events along with classes on-site, collaborate with local quilting clubs and word will quickly spread about your store.
Feature an email signup form on your homepage and social media. Encourage online visitors to enter their name and email address to receive updates about your business and the quilting industry. Send monthly emails to keep interested parties in the loop, be patient and your messages will convince a portion of the audience to convert into paying customers.
Customer relationship management (CRM) software will help nurture those budding relationships, personalizing communication with targets and developing a rapport that leads to sales.
It is now possible to present your quilting products as they would appear in a customer’s home without making a trip out of the store. Augmented reality technology empowers quilting businesses like yours to superimpose images of quilts in bedrooms, living rooms and other spaces so customers can see exactly how those items will look in the home.
Technology has also improved to the point that chatbots are now used for customer service. Instead of paying an employee an hourly wage to answer questions on the web, rely on a chatbot to do the work for you.
The ongoing analysis of key performance indicators (KPIs) will tell the true story of your quilting store’s online marketing campaign. Keep your finger on the pulse of your inbound marketing efforts, make the necessary changes and don’t be afraid to ask online visitors for feedback.
The moral of the story is the most adaptable quilting businesses will succeed across posterity. Be creative in your marketing approach, embrace technological change and do not hesitate to shift away from the outdated conventional outbound approach to advertising, favoring inbound marketing.
Above all, recognize that an inbound marketing campaign will take time to catalyze business growth. Be patient as your SEO push builds momentum and you’ll notice a gradual but meaningful uptick in online visitors as well as sales.
Like Sew helps quilting businesses like yours make the most of marketing tools. If you own or manage a sewing store or fabric store, you will greatly benefit from our software.
Contact us today at 385-526-2262 or sales@likesew.com to find out more about how we help your business reach its potential .