Finding the Right Customer

There are two parts to selling to the right customer for your business.  First is figuring out who your customer base is, second is reaching those people.

First, figuring out your customer base.  This requires a lot of observation.   Who is purchasing your product?  Ask your customers about their purchase and listen to their answer.  For example, is it a gift? If so, who for? And how old are they? If your customer is buying for themselves, do they have children with them? Are they wearing other jewelry, (this applies in my case, not for everyone)?  Take notice of how your customer found out about the show.  Did they happen across it or did they look for a show?  If they looked for it, you can deduce they go to craft shows often.  You also need to take into account your price point.  If you are at a higher price point, you need to consider that your clients need to have a greater amount of disposable income.  My items are quality handmade pieces from precious metals, this makes for a higher price point.  So, my customers tend to have more disposable income. 

Reaching your customer base is a mixture of timing, location and marketing.  Reaching my customers has a lot to do with the show that I'm participating in.  As for timing, the time of year tends to be the biggest factor.  For me, the best sales come around the holidays.  People are in the buying mode and looking for gifts for other people.  Even my loyal customers tend to buy more during the holidays.  As for time of day, I have found there really is not any rhyme or reason to it.  Next, location is something to consider carefully.  I am not only participating in shows in the area but I also sell my items through retail locations.  You want to be careful not to saturate an area with your product but still be visible.  This is a very tricky balance. In talking to customers at a show, when it becomes apparent that they are probably not going to purchase anything but admire your work,  it's nice to have somewhere local to refer them.  That way, if they need a gift or a piece in the future and you don't have any upcoming shows, they can still purchase your work.  Lastly, marketing is very important.  I have found that using social media is a free and easy way to let your customers know where they can find you.  Also, keeping your website updated with your contact information and upcoming events can help. This way, when you hand out your card with your website, your customers can refer to it and easily locate you.

Once you find the right customer, you can concentrate your efforts there.  Especially in regards to marketing and choosing shows.