Complaints - what do you do if you get one? Small busines Tip

Business Tip

If you're in business, you will have received a complaint.  If you haven't then that's not necessarily a good thing!

Complaints help you develop and if you've never received any it might mean that your customers are voting with their feet and walking away from you. Unfortunately, they say that if a customer's happy they will tell one other person, if they're unhappy, they'll tell 10 other people!  Not good if you don't even get the opportunity to resolve their complaint.

The UK is renouned for 'grumblers' who never do anything about their grumble, hopefully we're beginning to see an improvement with a rise in complaints and if should you get one - think of it as a positive event.

There might actually not be something wrong with what you've done, but if you customer thinks there is, then it's great that they've contacted you and they do have a legitimate complaint.

• The first piece of advice would be to put yourself in the customer's shoes and don't take it personally.

• Be calm!
• Apologise - there's nothing better to take the anger out of  a situation than saying the word 'sorry'.  If you feel that you've nothing to apologise for, then there's no harm in saying "I'm so sorry that you feel that......" and summarise their complaint.
• Tell them what you're going to do to resolve their complaint and get them to agree that this is ok
• Apologise again before finishing the exchange with your customer.
• Finally - DO what you said you were going to do.

There will be something you can learn from the complaint - was it a service problem? a product problem? was it the customer misunderstanding something?  All these can be prevented in the future.  For the customer misunderstanding something - does it mean you haven't explained it well enough?

The customer who would have potentially told 10 people about how disgusted with your company they are, is now likely to tell 10 people about how they had a complaint and how well it was resolved.  

Protect Your Ideas and Designs - Handmade Business Tip of the Week

Looking after your original designs for your handmade craft.

As a crafter you will have plenty of ideas and designs - some of which you put into practice, make and then sell online. If you're selling online who do you know that these designs aren't being copied?

Well, in all honesty you don't!  However, if you spot a design that you know you created what do you do?

1) When anyone is viewing your product, it's important to advise them that the design is protected from copying. The item is your intellectual property.  The originator of the design owns it, unless they created it whilst being employed to make that design, in which case the employer owns it.  So, if you have a website, why not put a note in the footer to state that your designs are protected and should not be copied. Selling on Etsy / Folksy - put a note at the bottom of each handcrafted item you upload.

2) Keep proof of when you designed the item.  For instance, with my handmade silver jewellery - each photograph I take is dated and I also print the page when it was uploaded online together with full notes of how it was made.  Therefore, the proof of the date is available if it is required.

3) What do you do if you see someone has copied your design?  Send them notification that this is your design and that you have proof and they must desist or pay you a proportion of their sales in commission (the choice is yours).
If they don't respond send another notification to advise that you will take legal action.
If they don't respond to that - then the answer is to carry through with your threat. 
Take a look at this link to the UK Copyright Service which relates specifically to Designs and your rights. Of course every country will be different, but the idea is the same no matter where you live.

Your Handmade Craft and Design Protection

Do you want to sell more from your online shop? Business Tip

Have you got an online shop?  Perhaps you're running your own website or have decided to upload your products to a site which will showcase your work on their site?  Because I am a handmade worker, my knowledge will be in relation to the craft websites such as Folksy or Etsy, but this blog offers information which does carry to other small businesses - even if they don't make their own products.

Have you heard the phrase SEO?  It stands for Search Engine Optimisation and aids your website / online shop to get placed higher in the search results when anyone searches for the products you offer.

I've written a series of articles which are currently being run on the Guild of Jewellery Designers website.

 

The initial article took the form of an overview of SEO and the topics to be covered.  Over the last 2 weeks they've been releasing them in bite sized chunks for you to digest.

When I first started with SEO nothing made sense to me - however, over the years I've finally been able to get to grips with the topic and I've written the articles in what I hope is a plain and understandable form.  I've used examples of jewellery - but the examples naturally carry forward to any product.

If you enjoy the articles and find them informative, I'd love to hear your comments on my Website Blog

Today sees the release of sections  8 & 9 - so there's plenty to keep you entertained already!



A Week in the News

This last week has been an interesting one.  A bit like buses - nothing for ages and then they all come along at once!

It started off when I received an email from the Guild of Jewellery Designers to advise me that a bracelet of mine was featured for their Autumn/Winter Trends

Then, having written some articles for the GOJD regarding jewellers optimising their websites - this week they began their publication.  So, when I looked at the home page of the GOJD's website - I seemed to be taking over!

Then I received a lovely email from Naomi (part of the Next Blogger's network) to say that she'd reviewed a pendant of mine and it was featured on her blog.  What a lovely write up - she really couldn't have been nicer - thank you Naomi Take a look at One Heel Forward (17th October)

And as usual - this week's business tip for all small businesses out there!

Keep up to date in less time

It's important if you're in business to know what's happening in your industry.  Sign up to Google accounts and set up 'Alerts' with your name and specific words. You will then be sent emails advising you of all the latest mentions on the internet.  This allows you to track topics of interest and also if you're being mentioned in the press.

Search for your blogs and news sites which have a similar interest to your own and join them.  Sign up to the RSS feed which will mean you'll receive updates as they happen

Put your Heart into Handmade - and a Business Tip

Putting your heart into handmade - this is undoubtedly what our crafters do, but if people were to think this way with their purchases then many small businesses with their talent and flair would do exceedingly well!

So, bearing in mind my theme - I'm going to feature a wonderful selection of hearts this week.  All drawn from a handmade website and I hope that those who are not crafters will love them as much as I do.

1.  Screen Print - Yeahnoyeah
2.  Stonewear 'pebble decorations - jo lucksted ceramics
3.  Patterned silver pendant - Handmade Silver Jewellery
4.  Keyring - Polka Dot Sky
5.  Driftwood, pebbles and shells - Free Range Designs
6.  Liberty Print Brooch - Buttercup Boutique
7.  Handmade Cushion - apple bloom crafts
8.  Bleeding Heart Flower - littlelensphotography
9.  Aluminium and Steel Sculpture - CK Automata
10.Notelet with Paper Buttons - Stuff N Nonsense

All the images have been reproduced on this blog, but remain the property of the artists concerned.  The Design Rights to the items pictured are also attributed to the individual artists. Any misuse of these rights could result in court action.

Business Tip for the Artisans

When you're listing your items you will notice that you are asked for keywords.  Do make sure that you make the most of this opprortunity.  They have recently changed policy to enable the http:// address of your listed item to remain the same even when your item is sold and you update with another one.  This means that you are far more likely to be found by a random search within Google or other search engines. By adding keywords to your listing, this gives the title of your item more 'pulling power' within the search by your potential customers. 

Business Tip of the Week & Competition

This week's business tip is aimed at any small business, but naturally, me being a small business making handmade silver jewellery, it's also suitable for those people who handcraft their wares.

Pay per click advertising
Are you getting very few hits to your website?  Have you considered pay per click advertising?
Google Adwords or Bing Advertising offer these services.  As a small business, it can sometimes feel quite daunting paying out money daily for adverts with obviously very little guarantee of a return. 
So, start small!
You can set your budget on a daily basis and you can also set the budget for the cost of each click. Do bear in mind, that if you set the budgets too low, then a) you'll only get 1 or 2 hits to your website or b) your advert will be so far down the list that it won't be seen .

Make the most of the number of words for the script that you'd like the customers to see and choose your keywords carefully.  Broad keywords may well get lots of hits, but perhaps it's better to choose specific words in relation to your products - that way there's more of a chance tha a customer will purchase from you.

Competitions
Win with Handmade Silver Jewellery

Take a look at my website and try and solve the riddles!  Competitions are added on a regular basis and are being run through my facebook page:  Handmade Contemporary Silver Jewellery.  A £5 gift voucher is up for grabs to the person who gets the answer correct.  Solve the puzzle and work out from the clues which product I am referring to and you too could be a lucky winner.

Do you want to improve your business? - Handmade Workers

Every week I offer tips and hints to help handmade craftspeople improve their business.  There are so many quality items produced by the home workers, beavering away in their studios or spare room - but so often they just don't know how to market it.  There's only so much that can be made without the need to sell some of your wares - and this is where my handmade silver jewellery blog will help.

Listen to what your customers want
Why not ask your customers what they think about your products?  Try doing this every six months and ask them what they think are the good and bad points. You can contact them by email or at the events you attend.  Conduct market research to see what you should change.  Then take action!
Not only is this a good way of improving your products, but it makes your customers feel that their opinion is valued and they are more likely to want to do business with you.

All business is not necessarily good business!
Whilst you might want to please all the customers you have conducted market research with, you don't have to.  If a customer has stated that they would like something that will take hours and hours and hours to make, but they wouldn't be willing to pay the price for your time - then can you afford to do it?  If you're trying to turn your hobby into a business, then the answer must clearly be a resounding 'no'. 
Customers and projects which are causing you sleepless nights should be reviewed and you should decide if you want to put yourself under that pressure.

Handmade Saturday Showcase - Business Tip for crafters

What is it about handmade work that people like?  Most of all it's the individuality of each item - for genuine handmade craft no two pieces can ever be the same.  Secondly the buyer knows that much love and care has gone into it - Can money put a price on it?  In all honesty it's most likely priceless to the artist, but I have trawled the UK and found some exquisite items which ARE for sale and I have compiled a showcase of these items here today.
Does anyone want to try and guess my theme ?

1.  Bird cage tidy - Pin and Pen
2.  Hand dyed cotton art - Downland Originals
3.  Owl cushion - Charming Jewellery and Accessories
4.  Butterfly keepsake box - Kippers Keepsakes
5.  Cotton print handbag - Ann Chandler Originals
6.  Pin cushion - The Home Made Boutique
7.  Silver pendant - Handmade Silver Jewellery UK
8.  Bowl clock - Wonky Fox 
9.  Oak Tamper - Works-in-Wood
10.Hand thrown deep bowl - Epple Bay Ceramics

Handmade

The designs for the items featured remain the intellectual property rights of the artists who have made them.  Any infringement of their rights could result action being taken.

Business Tip for Crafters
Donate your expertise
Your chosen skill probably has plenty of associations / organisations which distribute newsletters or have blogs. By offering your opinions and expertise  by writing an article or being a guest blogger is a great way to boost your business.  It will attract new customers and show that you are a leader in your field.
Articles offering hints and tips, best practices, questions and answers or case studes always prove interesting to the reader.

Do you have your own online shop? Then read on....

Do you have your own online shop?

If you do, then you'll want to read this.....

If you have your own website, are adding products to a shopping system, such as Etsy or Folksy or even advertising your online shop this is a blog for you

Tips to improve and to gain your customer's attention

Proof read what you have written

You know what it's like when you see typing errors on a website, an ad or an article - the author loses credibility.  Don't make this mistake! 

When you are writing, make sure it is grammatically correct and error-free.  Automatically read it back and often read it out loud to yourself to ensure it sounds correct too. 

Even a small mistake can cause mistrust and lose you a shopper.  If you take the extra bit of time to double check what you have written then your customers will have more trust in you.

Improve your SEO

If you don't know what SEO is, then you most definitely need to read this next tip!

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimisation.  You could have the best website / online shop in the world, but if no-one can find it then it's all a waste of your time.

Increase your chances of being found with potential customers search online by reviewing your page titles for every page of your website or shop.  Keep the following in mind:

• When customers search, your page title appears in the first line of the search results, so make them interesting enough for customers to want to click.
• Ensure the search engines can find them, by making them descriptive and including terms within them that you'd like to be found for
• Write a different page title for every product in your online shop or for your own website

My experience of SEO stems from having my own website and online shop for my handmade silver jewellery and developing my knowledge over the last 6 or 7 years whilst I have been running it. 

A handmade gift guide - business tip for craftspeople

This week's handmade gift guide

Each week I choose a theme and select the handmade items I love the most.  This week from around the UK, I've found some treasures...  Given that we've not had much in the way of sun this year, I do feel that my theme is quite apt.  Wasn't it lucky it stayed dry for most of the Olympics.  Let's hope it follows the same pattern for the paralympics.  Anyone want to have a guess what the theme is for this week?

Do enjoy my chosen items - all of which would make perfect gifts or even to say thank you for a gift -  or just because you'd like to treat yourself!

1.   Thank you gift cards - photography & design

2.   Wading birds - LouMay Books

3.   Water Ripples - ElisaMAmorCreations

4.   Village Print - Janice Jong Art & Illustration

5.   Compact Mirror - The Clockwork Jewel

6.   Drink Champagne - Deliart - Beautiful Art Block Prints

7.   Anemone water colour - Oakapple & Rose

8.   Aquamarine waterfall pendant - Handmade Silver Pendant UK

9.   Knitted hot water bottle - selvage
10. French beaded lily -  Corbin Handmade

Please be aware that the artists who have made and designed these items hold the copyright and design rights to them.

And Finally....... A small business tip

Look after your existing customers

Did you know that 20% of your existing customers will buy from you again because they already know you and trust you?  So create a reason why they should buy from you again.   Offer products which complement each other in a product range.  For example, if they purchase a pendant do you have matching earrings or bracelet?  If so, show them these when they're buying the pendant or let them know that these are available when you contact them in the future.
Alternatively, you could offer a small incentive for your existing customers, say 10% off their next purchase.

Go Green! - plus a business tip

The birthstone for August is Peridot - a stunning green gemstone. So, drawing inspiration from the month we're in - I'm running a green blog this week.  How many people thought I was running an eco friendly blog this week then?

I have delved into handmade items from around the UK to find my favourites in the colour green.  Enjoy!

1.   A collage - Loganberry Photography
2.   Green Man - Daves Woodcraft
3.   Flower Studs - Grass Fields
4.   Gecko Picture - Handmade by D.
5.   Humming Bird - Rustic Green
6.   Cushion - Courtyards Crafts
7.   Peridot Earrings - Silver Jewellery
8.   Felt Rosette - Hooperhart
9.   Original Fabric on Canvas - J.A. Wilson
10. Hand knitted Dress - josknits

All the items which I have chosen to feature are the property of the  designers who've made them.  As such, they will own the rights to their designs and this prohibits any copying - accidental or otherwise.

Business TipFor the craftspeople who are running their own business - I hope you find your weekly business tip useful.

Do you have a tough decision to make?  If so, go and do some exercise!  Sound odd?  Well, studies have shown that people who work out regularly are better decision makers. One study tested 80 people over an 9 month period and results showed that the exercisers ability to make complex decisions had increased 70% over those who weren't exercising.

Sensational Saturday the Second - A Handmade One! - Weekly Business Tip

Following last week's Sensational Saturday for Great Britain at the Olympics (wow! wasn't it gripping?), I'm now ensuring we have a second one featuring sensational handmade Olympic items - well, what else could I feature in this week's blog?
Mo Farrar running Saturday 11th August with the hope of yet another GB Gold resting on his shoulders Tom Daly diving, 2 British boxers qualifying for the final on Sunday 12th - definite silvers to add to the ever increasing medal tally, it certainly makes you proud to be British.  So, I'm now showing just how great we are in everything that we do!

1.   Olympic Lavender Sachet - GingerBeer Designs
2.   We Were There... Sign - Signs For Every Occasion
3.   Red, White and Blue Silver Earrings - Handmade Silver Jewellery UK
4.   Flag Bib - Dribble Drool Bibs
5.   Britain Heart Keyring - An Owl to the Hollow
6.   Union Jack Felt Flower Brooch - Sew Crafty
7.   Olympics Cake Toppers - Charlotte Jane Cakes
8.   British Pincushion - Spindleberry
9.   Inspire a Generation Card - Dilley Crafts
10. London Map Cushion Cover - KateModern

All the items pictured are the property of the people who designed them and as such, own the property rights to their original designs.  Any infringement of their rights could be pursued in a court of law

Weekly Business Tip for Crafters
Eliminate the time wasters...
What do you do that wastes your time?  Take a look at your day and begin a list and review what you do that could make you more productive and takes up unnecessary time. Here's one example: clutter on your workbench /desk?  How often do you spend looking for something which if you tidied up and had all your equipment in a known place would save you time? 

Olympic Ideas - Business Tip

From: Handmade Silver Jewellery UK

This week (and next), I won't be running my usual feature of handmade items from fellow creative artists as I'm going to be participating in the Dorset Arts and Crafts Association annual exhibition.  It runs from 3rd August - 7th August (click the picture for further information)
I therefore thought this week I'd provide a couple of business tips for fellow artists. Plus, with the Olympics and the gorgeous sunshine - who going to spend hours at their computer?  So, quick business tips will be 'just the ticket' to read and keep in mind for when you have more time to think about doing something with them.


Bovington, Dorset. 3rd August - 7th August

 Business Tips


Re-evaluate your products
When was the last time you thought long and hard about the designs of the products you offer? Do they still meet the needs of your customers or do they need an overhaul? As technology, competition and your customer’s fashion change over time; be sure your products keep up!


Test before you roll out your handmade craft

Wondering if a new product idea will sell? Consider testing it out before making several. If you attend craft fairs – take along just a couple of variations and ask customer’s opinions – ask for their thoughts and would they like to see something different within your item?

Online cost-effective testing vehicles include email marketing, pay-per-click (PPC) advertising like Google AdWords, and social media like Facebook and Twitter. PPC advertising is one of the fastest and easiest ways to test a new market niche or product, but you'll need to invest a bit of time writing your ads
For the creative people – this market research is a worthwhile task and you'll learn a lot about your customers thoughts and your markets in the process.  A good time to test is now, ready to have some lovely tried and tested ideas for the Christmas season.

Business Tip - Small Businesses - Add a photo

Add Your Photo to Your Website

This is a great way of reassuring your customers about who they're dealing with. Having a photo kick-starts a personal relationship with your website visitors, and it makes it more likely they'll get in touch. But it has to be a good photo; get a professional to take it.
 

 Not many websites include personal photos, so get this right and your site will be head and shoulders above your faceless competitors.
www.lesleyhphillips.co.uk

Business Tip - How do YOU manage Social Media

If you don't have a schedule, it won't take long before you're sucked into the "social media black hole." Determine how much time you have to devote to your social media marketing and stick to it. If you only have 30 minutes each day, limit the number of social networking sites and generate a strong presence on them.

https://www.facebook.com/handmadesilverjewellery?ref=tn_tnmn 

Business Tip of the Week

lesleyhphillips.co.uk/contact

It's important to capture customer information -

If you have a website, make sure you have an area to capture the names and email addresses of visitors. Likewise if you have retail store, have an email sign-up sheet for customers to receive news and special offers.

Even if you don’t initially make the sale, you now have contact information to use in email marketing campaigns

www.lesleyhphillips.co.uk
Business Tip of the week!

A well-known referral expert suggests "promoting referrals" instead of asking for them. Whenever a client expresses recognition of your value, say, "I'm glad you see the value of the work that I do. Please don't keep me a secret."

What do you read?

http://www.lesleyhphillips.co.uk/

As a small business myself my tip for the New Year is "What do you read?"

If you receive an email, how much of it grabs your attention?  What people see in their inbox differs among email applications. An email viewed in Gmail will appear different when viewed in Yahoo! mail or Outlook. To make an impact even before they open the email, keep your subject line within the 40-character limit.

Tip of the week - helping to sell your handmade silver jewellery

Tip of the week - helping you to sell your handmade silver jewellery
Don't Hide Negative Feedback

If you sell online - don't shy away from negative comments!  Instead, face them and address your customer's concerns.  Addressing them helps build trust and diffuse a tense situation and can help you win back an upset customer.  What's more, it gives you a chance to come to your defence.  Consider this.... one person out of ten will say when they've received good service. One person will tell TEN people when they've had poor service!

Often you will receive a customer compliment following the complaint if you've handled it well!
Customer Testimonials 

www.lesleyhphillips.co.uk