How to Make Your Handmade Shop Stand Out
Nowadays, people are looking towards breaking away from mass-produced items that aren’t ethically sourced and instead want to focus more on having an eco-friendly lifestyle that’s all about supporting small businesses (whether they’re local or not), focus more on ethical products, and best of all, buy items that are made with love- those that are handmade. Handmade shops have always been around, you’ll find them at farmers’ markets, and there are plenty of shops like that floating around on Etsy too.
They’re almost a luxury in a way, getting to see these fantastic sellers make soaps, candles, stationery, baskets, clothing, and anything else. It just makes the item feel more special. While consumers have a major love for these items, it does mean that there is a push for more businesses like this. Even for extremely niche handmade products, you’re probably still going to have to deal with competition. So, how can you make sure that your handmade shop stands out? Well, here’s what you need to know!
Start Off with Your Suppliers
The whole point of consumers wanting handmade items isn’t just because of all the love and hard work put into them. Customers also want to buy them because they’re more sustainable, they’re locally produced, and they’re ethical too. In order to stand out, you need to make sure that you’re checking all of these off that the consumer wants. Whether it’s mould suppliers, your tools, fabric, machinery, or anything else, it’s so important that these meet the standards of being ethical and sustainable. Some consumers would like to see proof of some of this, too, such as certifications, so be sure you can always back these up.
Create a Unique Online Presence
The most successful handmade shops have a strong social media presence that reflects the brand’s unique personality. It is a place to show commitment to your customers and also a way to reach new, potential customers. But it doesn’t stop at just making social media content for platforms like Instagram and TikTok.
You need to also consider your website, making it both unique, captivating, user-friendly, and even transparent enough to where customers can look through everything they need to know before making a purchase. Some shops will even have an Etsy shop too, which is honestly a fabulous way of getting yourself discovered too.
It’s All About Your Brand Image
This isn’t just about your logo, but it’s how you market your content, what your content is, what your products are, the niche you’re in, the customers you’re targeting, the aesthetics, the imagery, and the list keeps going on and on. Your brand image and how you display your shop (including the products) are going to make a massive impact on how you’re perceived and how you’ll be able to reel in your target customers.
For instance, if you’re a basket weaver, and you also weave other items too with wicker, then you might want a brand image that not only screams sustainability but want to follow an aesthetic too, such as contemporary or cottage-core, for instance. You want to have an identity, and you want your shop to have an identity, so it’s best to just stick with something particular.
