I recently read 4 Ways to Make Products that Sell from Inktale's blog and I thought I'd share the tips with you all!
Some of these might work for you, some won't. But it's a quick list to get you inspired if you're feeling a little stuck. I also added my insight to each of the topics.
1. Follow the Trends Inktale talks about following the colors of the year set by Pantone and keeping up on trends in fashion. These are both good tips. I think a great way to do this is to make sure you're on Pinterest - even if it's just once per week. Follow some big fashion designers and some small ones. You'll not only get a feel for what's on trend, but you'll also get an idea for what is selling right now. If you make ceramics, you might notice a trend in cacti lately - maybe some painted cacti on your pottery could be the trick to selling a bunch more this summer. If you do fiber arts, you might notice that hanging wall treatments are really big right now. You can macrame, crochet, and even wrap and dip-dye yarns, cords, and rope to make some beautiful creations. By watching what people are pinning (and in turn loving), you get a great idea for the colors, things, and topics that are on trend right now.
2. Design Around Seasons and Holidays You know, I have to admit, I didn't really think this one would be so important but after creating my "Carpet of Clovers Leggings" this year, I found that this tip is right on track. I sold more of the Carpet of Clovers for St. Patrick's Day than any other pair to date! That's pretty amazing. I'll definitely be thinking of some upcoming holidays and what might be a perfect fit for my customers. Some might be a miss but when you get a hit, it's well worth all of the tries!
** Side note - Inktale mentions that the most shopped for holidays are Christmas, Halloween, and Valentine's Day but always keep your customer base in mind and keep your ear to the ground, listening for what they want.
3. Pay Attention to Social Media We all know this one is true but it's even more true for products. Pay attention to which products get the most likes and comments. These are what your customer base wants more of. Create things that are similar to your "best liked" items and you'll have more hits on your hands. You'll also know which products to use as your "stars" in ads, on your website and in other promotions.
4. Make Gifts No, this isn't making gifts to give away... but rather make products that people will be searching for as gifts for their loved ones. A great example was a quote about moms on a tshirt - great mother's day gift! Think about your customer base and you can make that falls into the gift category and you'll have a product that has the opportunity to get more searches, likes, and purchases.
Which tips will you try? Let me know in the comments!
