Any tips out there for promoting craft gigs?

[Guest stitchingamy]

Hello all,



I’m just wondering if any of you have any tips for promoting craft gigs?



I’ve been here for a several months and played with a couple of gigs without any real success. My best gig got me 5 sales in 2 months but required about 5 hours of my time. (Needless to say, $3.92 for 5 hour of work plus the cost of materials - it had to go.) Right now, I only have 1 gig posted because I’m out of ideas, and I’m not sure there’s even a point.



I see all sorts of advice on advertising your gig, but none of it really seems feasible for something like this. Most of the places I go online prohibit any sort of advertising, and even if I did post, other crafters that I talk to are perfectly capable of doing the same thing I’m doing for themselves. I’ve also heard that videos can help, but aside from spending the time and materials to make a dozen samples that I’ll never be able to sell, there’s not much I can do to fill up a video, either.



I’ve spent months on here trying to find something that will sell, but my options are limited. I don’t own a video camera, I don’t have a lot of computer know-how, I’m not a writer, I hate proofreading, and I can’t take pictures worth a darn, so this about the only option left to me. I’d really appreciate any advice anyone can give me . . . or even any critiques on my gig.







Thanks!

Amy

[crcanny]

I’m a crafter here on Fiverr and I do all right, but I’m not a Super Seller by any means. But I am kind of popular in my niche. I make sure my projects don’t take up a lot of material (unless it’s under my Extras) and time … baby booties are my Fiverr mainstay, all my other ‘big’ items are under Extras for the appropriate money.



I suggest …



Go to Pinterest and look up ‘small craft projects’ or projects with materials you currently have in stock (fabric or thread, let’s say) and try to get inspiration for something small and funky that you can make quickly and won’t cost you. I know you cross-stitch, but do you sew with a sewing machine? Trendy things like iPhone covers, tiny knapsacks, etc, will sell.



As far as a video goes, did you take pictures for your deliveries? Use those in Windows movie maker as a slideshow with a little fun music behind it … see my gig here for an example:



http://fiverr.com/crcanny/crochet-these-baby-mary-janes



If you think you’ve made a gig that’s really funky and unique, email Customer Service and tell them you’d like to be featured or on the front page. They can only say ‘no’ and they often do it.



Try something different. Google ‘summer trends accessories’ and see if there’s anything in there you can improvise with what you have on had or for a little investment. Try to learn a new skill … crocheting, tatting or jewelry making … YouTube has great videos. I taught myself to knit this way.



Good luck, fellow crafter.

[Guest stitchingamy]

Reply to @crcanny:



I’ve seen your gigs around (especially the maryjanes and the little high-top shoes). So cute! They make me wish I had some babies in my family! (Then again, maybe I’ll keep an eye on them. They could come in handy for a baby shower . . . )



I think, for now, I’m going to take down my gig and “revamp” it a bit - make some more samples, take some better pictures, things like that. I don’t really have any way to make a video, but I know where I can get it done for $5 . . . 😉 I’ll give it another try, I guess, before I completely give up.



Thanks for all of the advice!

[Guest mrspanda]

Haha!



I was about to say, crcanny would be the way to go to ask about craft gigs!