A - Advertise

Advertise - Successful business people must think about advertising. Advertising needn't cost a fortune though. There are many ways to advertise for little to no cost.

To advertise for free, find blogs that feature items similar to those in your shop. E-mail the blogger and ask if he or she would be interested in featuring your item. This tactic can also be applied to print media. Companies such as Lark Publishing look for artist submissions of images and craft projects. Getting exposure online and in print media can help to boost sales and pad a resume.

Other sites such as Facebook (see F) and Craftcult (see C) offer advertising space at a low cost. Facebook also allows artists to create a fan page for their store. This fan page can generate more interest and drive traffic to the Etsy store.

Artists need to also remember to advertise their products on the go. Business cards come in handy when networking with potential customers. Word-of-mouth advertising is also vital, so customer satisfaction has to be a high priority. Good service can translate to more sales while bad service can kill future business.

It is important to use a combination of advertising techniques to expand the customer base and reach a diverse audience. Artists who promote will reap the benefits.

F - Facebook Fan Page

Facebook Fan Page - Facebook.com is a useful social networking site that can help artists to generate traffic to an online store. Artists can create a fan page for their artwork and invite friends to become fans.

A Facebook fan page can be created for free. It should feature a variety of artwork images, a description of the artist's business and a link to the online store. The fan page can be used to introduce new products, announce promotions or sales and advertise upcoming events such as art shows.

Once a fan page has been created, artists can also purchase advertising space on Facebook to promote their fan page and their site. The advertising cost is relatively low and the ads will be targeted to people who show an interest in similar shops and items.

G - Good Customer Service

Good Customer Service - Good customer service is the best advertising an artist can create. It is important that artists provide quality products and excellent customer service to generate repeat sales and word-of-mouth advertising.

One of the ways artists can ensure quality costumer service is by providing clear communication. Create a set of policies that clearly express information such as:

• When should the costumer expect to receive their item after ordering?
• What is the return policy?
• What payment types are accepted?
• What to do if a refund or exchange is needed.

If clear policies are set upfront, customers can avoid frustration during the buying process.

Shop owners should also e-mail customers as soon as a purchase is made to let the customer know that they received the order and will be mailing it out soon. Once the order is mailed, artists should e-mail the customer with the tracking number for their package. It's also helpful to tell the customer to contact them with any questions. By maintaining an open stream of communication the seller can make the customer feel more comfortable and more satisfied with the buying experience.