I have the Tindie store set up now. But no good way to promote as yet. My problem is I generally hate the whole advertising industry (as a consumer). This leaves me a tad stuck on how to make people that actually want the products even know they exist. Of course, being that selective (a) avoids annoying people that do not want this, and (b) is highly targeted adverts which I, and others, hate even more, arrrg! You can't win.
A blog post like this will help, I am sure, but even this feels wrong, it is an advert on my blog, which is not that fair really - you did not come here for adverts, did you?
What is fun is I have a few customers (they are actually local, so collect, and do not buy on Tindie, so cheaper), but they sort of self identify as addicts of my tech. I really appreciate their business and feedback and suggestions. I just wish I could find a few more addicts :-)
So I'm interested in the most ethical ways to promote these products - suggestions welcome.
I have no problem with you self-promoting in your blog, I mean it is *your* blog after all.
ReplyDeleteThe classic advice would be: identify your audience, and then identify the channels they use, and make yourself visible in them.
Are you saying you don't want to advertise at all? I share your distaste for advertising, but I'm not clear exactly what your stance is. TikTok or Youtube videos of your products, perhaps with a focus on a technical deep-dive, covering the specific challenges involved could be interesting? That might also strike a chord with your addicts?
Alternatively, how about a classic forum/bulletin board, to draw people in to discuss the tech side of things and that might naturally lead to an audience.
Another way of achieving that audience connection would be to publish a regular email newsletter - promote it on social media, build a contact base.
Patrick
We read your blog at least in part for the tech so this is exactly the right place for it!
ReplyDeleteI come to your blog to find out about interesting things and things that you're making and working on. If those things are also useful to me then it's good to know I can buy them.
ReplyDeleteThe advice in the other comments so far is good but perhaps I can expand with some examples.
If you're a member of any communities such as hackspaces or home automation forums then you can let those people know that these things are available. You couldn't advertise per se, but by being knowledgeable and impartial when people need advice you'd be able to have a link to your store in, say, your signature and word would get out.
It's a lot of work but builds reputation and good will.
...much the same as how most of us found out about A&A all those years ago: just good word of mouth in the right circles and knowledgeable staff in IRC and other forums who we could see were from your company.