Lessons

Lesson Info

Artist Selling on Instagram

So I'm really excited now to bring on the next three guests. We're gonna actually have products here on the stage. These air three artisans and you can you know, again, If you're not writing down their names fast enough, take a screenshot of the flied. Or remember that if you go to instigate alive, be sure to be following that account. Every one of these individuals will be People were following. So you can easily go into the back end of instant ally and follow everybody that's being featured on the Google hang out here on stage with me or in the live audience. So don't worry. If you don't get their names, let me first show you the visual before we pull up the Google hang out. So I am actually wearing one of best bracelets that we're gonna hope to get a good view on. She is a sea glass artisan. So I have this gorgeous sea glass bracelet on and you can see the pendant in the dipstick. Okay, so I love bracelets if you haven't noticed and I love best work, she's amazing. And I do sell her...

work in my store on the Cape because I love sea glass, and then we have Tracy's dolls. Oh, you want money? So, in addition to the bracelet Beth sent me these gorgeous earrings, They're so pretty. Everything's beveled that she does with sea glass. Some other sea glass artists used wire to wrap them. I just love this bevel look, and remember that each of this is authentic sea glass, so no two pieces are alike, so matching them up for earrings sometimes can be a little bit of a challenge. She did a beautiful job with that. And then, Okay, these are just the cutest things in the world. These dolls. Trish is the Okay. So the dolls were watching me last show. So again, it's one of these connections. It's one of these great connections where she was watching me on the last show and wait. First, I have to show these and I'm like, OK, I love your dolls. I want them for my store. Send me your dolls. Look what you sent me. So I had these in my store all summer. My little nautical dolls. They're adorable. And I said, Trish, I don't I don't want to sell these. I just want to give a shout out to you all have them on display. I'll give people your business card. There's not enough margin for her as an artist to wholesale them. Each one is hand made. I totally get that cause I'm an artist at heart. So I have these on display in hopes of sending Trish some more business. And then she's like, Let me send you one mawr for instigate alive. So here she is really cute. And I love how Trish features her dolls in her account that I'll talk about more in a little bit. And then lastly, I'm calling her Me, me. She sent me art. She's amazing. I love her art. You guys might remember her from last time. She did a, um, illustrate a watercolor of me with my hashtag sign, of course, in Cam, but with a little transparent Campbell over elated that Rachel talked about yesterday and I loved her art so much that we actually did a contest together. She sent me the painting on the top, the nautical one, and we did a contest together, which I can talk about later as well. So all of these artists were watching the first show on. And now they're on the second show because they're all making money using Instagram as an artist. So welcome. Hey, Beth. Okay, You re doing good. I me Me. No interest is there, too. Okay, great. All right. Great to see all of you. OK, so I'm going to get right into the questions with you guys. Beth, I'll start with you. So tell everybody what? Your step. You ready? What? What you sell? I did mention the sea glass already, but who is your ideal customer? Who were you trying to reach as you're selling your fabulous sea glass and jewelry? You know, I grew up in New England, so I have a very specific person in mind because it's basically who I am, someone who enjoys travelling, who enjoy the outside, who appreciate handmade products and loved the ocean. So seek last comes very naturally to make. I love the beauty of it. I love talking about it. I love connecting with people on instagram visits of strong speed, last community. So it's been really well for many, but we've also started doing beach quotes, and that's allowed me to reach out with a new community and the over community because a lot of boats people hold ways. So that's why I've been sticking with the whole beach and coastal inspired items. Awesome. Me, Me. How about you? Hello. Hi. So good to see you and all your art. So talk about talk about who is your ideal customer. Because you you draw so many different styles. Mostly animals, obviously. But you're so everything that you do. I just love. So who's your Who's your ideal customer on that you're looking to sell to from Instagram? Yes, I get inspired to nature and especially my dog and everything. What surrounds me? So it's very interesting that it's not. My art is not just for Children, but it is expected people who own the same breed of my dog on by my stuff. This is so interesting. So this is the ground out. They have a custom white portrait with compass with these dog and I think I also I might registration that also made broaches different. So it's, um this is this is directing current. Yes, So everyone should definitely be checking out the feet of these artisans toe. Look at the products that they sell. So how about you, Tricia? I So my target market is, um, moms that have girls daughters, usually within the ages, like birth to around eight years old. I'm a mom. I have two girls, so I just love creating handmade. I don't think I think there's a lot of value and uniqueness and handmade items and especially dollars. I mean, there help Children develop some money, developmental skills and things that I create. You know, there's certainly one of a kind. And I think a lot of my market, that's what they're looking for. Something unique, something special, something that might be a keepsake for their daughters. Yeah. So, Trish, let's start with you. So you obviously everything that you make everything that you sell, you make and it takes time. And I'm sure all the artists can appreciate the, you know, trading time for, you know, to mark to market, then to produce and then having to market. And I see that you're very actively on instagram now, especially since the last course, and you figured out your secret sauce since you've started because you were not getting much engagement before, and now you are and you have a posting strategy that I think is beautiful. I'd love you to talk about how much you've grown since you've really started understanding to use instagram and the posting strategy that you're using. But more importantly, um, how your monetizing making money from using instagram and selling from the APP. Can you talk to her about that? Um so I definitely have a hashtag strategy and I've used a lot of the ideas, you know, that you've suggested about finding Hashtags at work, So I definitely used a lot of hash tags. And I know people find the from those hashtags. I've also collaborated with other handmade sellers on Facebook, and I mean, I'm sorry on Instagram and also other mommy bloggers that also have featured my dolls. That seven only brought me a lot of followers. My says the Lancet instagram creative life class. I probably grown at least over 200% in my followers on instagram. So my relations well, I definitely, you know, stalk you and follow your strategy. So but absolutely. You know, I tried it. You know, any time someone comments on my dog, I'm always engaging with them, you know, I really am listening to the people that make comments about my dolls because I really want to offer them something that is one of a kind. So time they're suggesting to me different hairstyles and different hair colors for the dolls, My offer, you know, some custom orders because a lot of people really want something personal for, like, the child's first birthday. So and yeah, yeah, I really so everyone makes sure that you get on her account so many pretty she's She's doing a beautiful job, not just posting the dolls, but I love how you're also putting him in the hands of the little girls that absolutely love them. And one of the thing that I noticed that you're doing Trish, is that you? Are you really humanizing your brand and on instagram and also showing a little bit of yourself? And before you weren't doing that, Which post are you getting the most engagement on? Um, I got a lot of engagement on posts that show. Like you said, little girls loving all my dolls on guy also, you know, I really try to follow trends with little girls fashion. So if I used a fabric that similar Teoh, You know, a trendy fashion south for a little girl. That's something that gets a lot of engagement. Attention, Um, I have some dolls, like whole my glitzy dolls and little girls love everything sparkly and their moms like a dress them up in these sparkly, adorable outfits. And so when I make dolls that kind of are similar to that, they just they go over the me for them. That's awesome. So not only have you increased your engagement, meaning your numbers and followers has your sales gone up significantly since the last course as well they have. They have gone up significantly so much. That's basically now when I post stalls, they sell out pretty much immediately. Um and so I'm spinning my wheels trying to keep up, especially with the holiday season now. So yeah. So assuming typo stalls there flying, sounds like you need to hire some new people to help you. Yeah, thank you so much. But maybe back to you, because I want to talk Segway into your posting strategy. Because let's talk about when you were first on Instagram. You were watching the last course and you really didn't have that posting strategy. Like you said, You love your dog and your dog is adorable. And there's a lot of pictures of your dog more so than of your art. And now you are showcasing step by step art. You're showing your tools. You're also showing your dog every now and again, Um, and occasionally you're showing yourself which I love. I think it's really important as an artist toe. Let people know who is the artist behind this gorgeous art. They want to see you, even if it's behind the scenes. So let's talk about the posting strategy that you had before the last course and what you've done to this course and the successes that you've had. Yes, I started to use Instagram shortly before I saw your own course and creative life. So I already knew what case checks are, but not really how to use it properly. I didn't have any bio, and this is very important, and the hair it and also the profile picture would represent your brand on or what you do on. So since then, I think I have had just on I don't know. Around 50 on around 50 on followers. There were just my friends from Facebook on, and when I started to use hair sex, this was another word for me. So I think I have now it's It's like I said, it's very important that you have done great. Not so much how much followers you have, but they're the right one. You would say that someone follows you and another day don't follows you no more because interest they want to follow back. And then And yes. So I started. I mix my photos on my photography with my art with my illustrations and I was thinking to my store counts. But I think this is better because people connect me through my dog. And so I wanted to say that when I started about how I grow my business is I'm from Slovenia. Decision Europe, Very small country on. This is so small that your cities more bigger than coal country. So on east around is the best way to go around all the world to see you. And I sell mortal United States or Canada. Then Sylvania. This is so interesting or Europe so. But the local store So my work on my feet and I have now where bison approaches and demonstrations own. Oh, so like how your a great photographer and you show nature. I'm looking at your feet right now as I hope everybody else's. It's absolutely fabulous. And you know, you have a picture of a beautiful flower as well, because that is what inspires you to create art. Right? So you're you're showing all the elements that give you inspiration behind your beautiful art as well as the art itself. Yes, because this is not a business for me, But this is why off leaving, you know, And you see me in this feet. And everywhere I go, this is some of these flowers from a tree in Portugal and I always some big pictures everywhere I go, even if when I go on a walk with my dog and this that it's far is me and it shows in your feet. And after the Google hang out, I will absolutely show some of these pictures cause they're just they're gorgeous. I love your art. I think it's fabulous. And I love that I discovered and found you on Instagram, as I'm sure everybody watching isas Well, thank you so much. Me, me, Beth, back to you. So I want to talk with you, you know? So you sell locally. Primarily. I know that you do a lot of direct to consumer events and you also wholesale. So I'd like for you to talk about what strategies have worked well with you to attract your local customer. Because I also know that you're kind of an instagram newbie as an artist and that you do spend a lot of time creating like all the artisans out there. And so the time that you're spending marketing, is it Is it worth it? Especially on Instagram? And if so, I want to hear from you what is working so that other artists hearing can benefit as well. Well, I my most challenging working with C glasses. Every piece is unique. So for me to photograph it, uploaded to the website and then sell it, it's an extra process. I'm warning with Instagram. I could take a quick picture when you're on my instagram account and sell it that way, as opposed to going through the extra step of having uploaded and I'm learning, it's much more productive. It cuts down on an extra step of the editing because I can do a fairly good job of taking a picture now the I phone and I need to make a couple of edits doing it that way. And then I could specifically use the hash tags if people in the sea glass world there certain colors that are more rare than others. So, for example, of Louis piece of sea glass, I can use cobalt blue see glass of the hash tag and someone searching for that confined it. And I have been cuss words that way. I don't been playing around with it to grow my mailing list. We didn't give away a free see glass photos, and we put an image of that up there and said three glassy photos and I did pick up a significant number of people jumping over to the Web site or jumping through the link. How the website to sign up for that? So that's been successful. Also, I'm definitely finding more stores on there also reached out to me, saying they found my product online through Instagram at the foot of the website. I'd like it just cut out an extra step, really helpful for me regularly. Target market. So are you. Are so you just said whole sailors air finding you. So how many new wholesale accounts have discovered you found you and now buying from you wholesale. Do you have a idea? Let's say a good fine. I think they find Kendall the last few months because I'm not a hard sell on instagram. I really value those relationships because I love to share my passion for sea glass, but so you'll never see me really pushing hard. But I realized that people are tending to like to shop. Board outweigh, and the source can go on a quick picture of what I have out there. They're more likely the colonies, they say. Let's talk when you have accepted etcetera again, it's just unique because every people the jewelry we make is difference. So this way it's a nice little portfolio for them to check out what's going on. Right? So I understand how rare see glasses, especially red and orange, and I love that ring that you just ghosted. I might be buying that love throwing. So so you're getting wholesale accounts by using hashtags. That would be so. The wholesalers finding you from you hash tagging sea glass? Are you asking or I guess I should rephrase that. How are the wholesalers finding you? You know, I spent a lot of time checking out what's out there in general, and I find the store that I think is posting things where I would be a good bed. I'll take a screenshot of the picture and put it to my stools to reach out to, and I might be commenting. I comment because sincerely care what these people are posting, and I think I might be in value to them from their customer. I'll reach out to them and say, Hey, look at what we have. You think it might be a good a calm again. It's more relationship first before I do a harder sell. Okay, so you are discovering accounts where you actually want to have your products right? And so you have standards of where you want that your product to be. So maybe it's the gallery. Or maybe it's Sue BDO somewhere, and so once you've discovered where you want it, you strategically comment on their posts and then you do you tag them on one of your opposed to get their eyes on what you're doing. It's more me commenting and deluging at the cursed pope over. See what I'm doing. Can knowing my channel flocking to say Hey, what's going on? And then I'll have been timeless. The folks follow up. Teoh is new things for coming out. Okay, Interesting. This is great. So I want to just really pause here for a second. So it's her engagement. First building the relationship, first her not being a hard sell and then them coming back to her to discover her. And if you look at her feet, it's absolutely beautiful, so they might say yes. Now I want to buy your product. So that's your wholesale peace. Are you still doing a lot of what I call direct to consumer selling, where you're at craft shows and events selling your products? My price. One tends to be a little bit higher because we use Sterling often 60 glass. So I'm fairly selective now with the show's I'll dio again. Why, like Instagram? Because I could put Hey, we have a rare one red one orange C class, right? It's available on the side that anyone wants it. We shout out to me by steel. And I got a lot of feedback in that picture I put out during the day as opposed to me, having uploaded to the website and hoping someone goes that extra step defying me. They are good. Okay. So, Beth, if you were to give everyone watching and I don't know how many thousands of people from all over the world are now watching you, that you could give tips of the discoveries that you had since you started strategically using instagram to grow your business not just to the wholesalers, but to the the customers that want to buy your beautiful jewelry. Um, what tips would you give to? Because some people watching want to hear from you, you've successfully figured out how to market and sell on instagram. Okay, so what's the first thing I hit up? Your first coat, of course, was well and claims of the hashtag sea glass school. So you'll see that in my viable every post. I do says, see glass guru on there and again, it was just to make people an easier way for people to find me because there are a lot of folks out in that space. Um, going forward. I have a very specific If I have a unique one of a kind you'll read, then I'll post that picture and say You're interested in insurance. You being emailed recommences today one of a kind flash sale. We did a flash sale a couple of weeks till that was exception. Successful and really just keep putting my products and ideas out there. Nothing said, I like to share information, so I share things that you put out there. I'm a big fan of Cape Cod, so I'll put the share of their pictures out there, too, because it all kind of work together in that space. Okay, card folks will come over and look at me. I send people over there and we just couldn't build that relationship socially online. And it sounds easy, but it's taken time taking a few months now, right? That's what I said. It takes about 2 to 3 months to do it, So can we just clarify? Could you just explain for our online audience what a flash sale means? So, for example, if a lot of folks I'll notify excess inventory is I'm looking thio more to share with folks that I can offer the reviews price. I'll do a can but braked a little image that sets flash sale hours or however long you want to set the time period, and those items will be available at a lower price. Points and I could neither message May or they direct them to the lab site will apply it out of his prize. It's usually just say, a couple with a very short amount of time. I called the action could be on our or 24 hours, for example. So it's just a short period of time. Best. So how much time are you spending on Instagram a day? Do you know? You know, it's one of those things. It's the first thing I do in the morning because I enjoy checking out. The left comes with a lot of glass people what they're doing, and I got to know people over time. It's funny because there was a big C class festival this summer and we're all through Instagram saying he was going is gonna be there. Make sure you post pictures doing this whole live interaction going on the whole time that went on. But I'm probably on it once an hour, just checking to see what's going on. I try to post at least 1 to 2 pictures a day. Again, I'm not a hard sell on more about the relationships right now, but I'm definitely I mean, I started. I want to see July really with Instagram and it's going well. I like it. It's my favorite platform right now. Of course, it ISS get that eso since July. So that's very impressive, really. So how many followers do you have now? I don't I don't even care about the numbers. I'm just curious, like here in terms of sales. My what? So Instagram ball that probably have around 400? Yes, there. So not. Okay. So since July, followers very targeted followers, her wholesale business has grown significantly. She's having flash sale. She's selling her one of a kind for all of you artists out there that make one of a kind pieces. These are great tips at Beth is giving. That's really working well for her. And I love seeing that you, you know, you're you're endorsing this notion of you don't have to spend a lot of time on your website because people really aren't going. There is often as they are on Instagram, and it's the first thing she's doing every morning. I know why thank you. Bet those are all great. Great tips for all the artisans. All three of you have been wonderful guest and everyone be sure to start following them and learn more from how they're posting from life for all three ladies. Stephanie saying Elise, Guest speakers are just so awesome. I really feel I can relate to all of them so much so thank you, ladies has been great having you here give a big round of. So the idea of a flash sale seems really strong. What's what's your feeling on this? Do you see a real benefit eso for an artist that has a one of a kind? And I actually do it in my store when I have one item left and if I say it's the last one, it's the last all the urgency to purchase it. It's Oh my God, if it's the last all I have to buy it. So I think when you say limited edition I'm only selling it for the next six hours. Whoever comments first, it make the urgency people like to know. The urgency is like that call to action, to try to get people to take action in the period that we're here live on stage. So it's the same, um, you know, same idea, any other. You have some questions? Yeah, I think you know, as a lot of artists in here, like photographers, they might hear that and be like, Well, I can't sell anything on the spot like that. But I actually do something like that with my bookings, my book, photo sessions for families. I only book a season at a time. So I will start saying my fall books open on this state, and I'll start setting it out to my newsletter posting on Instagram. And then I tell them like you have to be on the newsletter to be able to get first access to the dates. And this year, my fall from Oct August 2 November sold out in 36 hours, Theo Entire thing. So it does translate photography. I think this is a great message from all artisans if you have. If you position yourself, so it's a limited time or a limited addition. People are more active in for for chocolate. You have that koala. I was thinking You can't do a flash style because people are gonna think the chocolates. You have certain molds that you can be limited. I was thinking you could do even if a cupcake do a limited edition, have a flash. I'll bang on making these 50. I'm selling them today. Come and get them right, right. Who else in the audience can can take this advice from Beth and talk about it? We'll be designers asking on line, and they like the idea of this flash sale. Does it work when you have a low number of followers? She's got below 300. Just this principle still work. It's not the number of followers. It's the quality of your followers. I cannot say that. I mean it. Doesn't you know Resa, who we listen to on Day one about the tape hurt industry? You know, she has, I think, 200 ish. It's not the number. It's if you have the right followers. That's what's really important. The high end ticket items I mean and Ray was with a za guest on Day one. Obviously, her painting some of themselves for thousands. Does that still work? That's a great question. I've never purchased anything of that value. But I will tell you this. I love her art. I do shop it galleries, and I know her. Now I feel like I have this emotional connection, and if I had a wall to put a piece of that art on, I would absolutely be contacting her to put it on my wall. So it all depends on you know how you're positioning yourself in your account. And so if you have an account like an with the lighting of the the artist, absolute feels like you're at a gallery and you're getting that gallery experience you. You know, when you have the budget for it. I don't think it matters. The price point come up a lot. Katherine has been asking that the other views. About 11 people voted on that question, So it's always something that they're thinking about it, and I think each artisan it needs Teoh test it and see what's working now and might have postcards with the art That's $1000 for less and or a little prince or jewelry or, you know, you know, create other art from the from the actual art. And you might just have to play with what's gonna work and sell. And some of those, like So, let's use this analogy So say she's selling postcards for $8 and someone says, I love this. Do you sell do sell prints? She can say Yes, I also have a gallery, so it could be like a loss leader to some other big ticket item. Yes, yes. So you just in response to your question and some of the online questions as well. I am a coach, so I don't sell a physical product similar to you. So you know, as I was beginning to think about how this would translate for my business and the services that I offer for women, it's very similar. There's a limited number of spots every month, and so that the price point is higher, and I believe Laurel does the same thing in her in her business as well. There's a certain number of spots every month, or there's a retreat that I'm hosting, and there's only six spots. And so there's this idea of limited quantity, regardless of the price point, it's more about yet the relationship and the people who are looking for your services and knowing that there's only so many question coming from a health coach online. So that's an amazing answer. So thank you for that. Yeah, yeah. Speak to that as what has happened for me was that I didn't have a lot of followers, either. Um, and I really focused, you know, I was I've been trying to, like, figure out what is the called the selling culture on Instagram, cause it's very different than Facebook. And so just kind of like playing with that. But so my strategy was just, like add value at value, add value. And then I posted something about my happiness challenge, and people who were already engaging with me said, Wait, what is this? Right? And so you build up to that point giving, giving, giving Gary Vaynerchuk jab, jab, jab. You know, and then asking and two people signed up from that one post. Great. I'm telling the more you give value, you will receive and you can ask Spurred the sale without being sales e. I love how you positioned it. Yes, I loved. Um, this is giving me such great ideas because as a pet sitter and dog walker, we have holidays coming up. People are going on a town. They'll need someone to watch the dog there. A limited amount of space is for sitters to go and watch their dogs. So this is a great great information from I know that because I have a dog and I was higher use. Very cute. So I have to make plans early? Yes.