Selling your Woodwork on the Internet

To Blog or Not to Blog. That Is the Lesson

Everyone else seems to have one. Does that mean you should you have one with your new woodworking business site?As popular and powerful as blogging has become, I can whole-heartedly, unequivocally, without a doubt answer with a resounding…It depends.I know. Real hardcore stand on that position, right? Seriously. It really does depend. As much good as a blog can do for a business, there actually are some types of websites and online businesses where a blog isn’t the best thing to add to the lineup. It’s true.

So, how do you decide whether a blog is right for your site?

To sell or not to sell

The first question to ask is whether or not you are going to sell your work directly from your site. Personally, I am a big proponent of this. An estimated 2 billion dollars is spent online every year in just the U.S. $50,000 cars are sold online every day. So, yes. People will pay for your high end work over the Internet. But I digress.

If you plan on selling your pieces online, then you can go one of two ways with a blog. What I mean is, you can set your site up to be strictly a retail site. Simple, clean, and engaging. Design it around the ideal experience for the ideal customer. Make it simple to find the pieces for sale and buy them. A site like this can certainly do very well without a blog. This is due to the fact that all the emotional connection is done through the experience on the site.

If you do a great job telling your story and letting people into the work through the information on the site, you’ll give visitors all the info they need to trust and buy from you. If you choose not to sell directly from your site, as in you book custom orders only, then a blog will really help establish the trust and relationship people need before contacting you for a commission. It can also establish authority as an expert craftsman and maker. Which is what people want reassurance of when coming to you.

As you read the above, keep in mind that I can easily change my mind tomorrow on all of this. That’s because blogging is an ever evolving thing. It’s a rapidly changing tool and what’s true today may not apply tomorrow. Don’t let that keep you from engaging your ideal customer in greater ways through a blog. It’s something that, if done right, can only help your business and online presence.

Stop writing to the wrong people

The key is what you write about. You see, a great blog is built around an underlying core message. It’s not random. 1997 blogging was random. 2010 blogging is message and purpose driven. Here’s the key: it’s all about the perfect client. Yup. Once again it comes back to that. Get used to it. And that’s precisely why you won’t blog about woodworking on your new site.

Your little woodworking blog over in Blogger isn’t of any interest to the client. As much as that hurts, it’s true. Yeah, your ideal client cares about how the piece is made, and the high level of craftsmanship that goes into it. But, they’re not into woodworking. At all. And they never will be. That’s why every blog post on your new site will always be written with that one ideal customer in mind. The one you profiled the other day. Answer their questions. Solve their greatest pains. Deliver their most coveted fantasies.

Never write a post from your own self interest or for other woodworkers. Why? You aren’t your ideal customer and neither am I. It’s a hard truth to swallow for some. But it’s essential to delivering the greatest experience and value to the potential clients who visit your site. It can mean the difference between a random visitor and a commission client.

It’s Time to Get Social.

There’s literally thousands of social media type sites all over the web. They range from world renown (think Facebook) to small and niche-specific (your favorite woodworking forum). So, how do you decide where you should be and why?The key to understanding your best use of social media for your woodworking business comes down to a few simple rules. Then, I’ll introduce you to the big 3 social media venues you need to get familiar with.

Rule #1: Be where your ideal client is.

That’s pretty simple sounding isn’t it? What are the best sites for interaction and building a relationship with your ideal client? Are they a Facebook junkie? Perhaps they use Twitter like they own it. Or, are they in more obscure places like hobby forums?

Now, I’m not telling you to hang out in the flower arrangers forum if you discover your client is into that. Unless you share an interest with them in that area, your interaction there won’t be genuine. The key, as always, is to learn your interests, hobbies, and desires of your ideal client so you can meet them on common ground in social media. Do you both share a love of fine dinning? What about cigars? Or, your pets?

Just because you have a shared interest in these areas doesn’t mean you instantly join a forum or social group around that interest just to find clients. Only be in those places if you actually want to be a part of that group.

Believe me. Your clients aren’t dumb. In fact, they’re actually some of the most brilliant people you’ll encounter. And they can spot anything that’s disingenuous a mile away. So, only participate in places that you have a desire to be in. Places where you can give and contribute to the value of others. Transparency and honesty are the secret to social media.

Rule #2: Your customers aren’t woodworkers.

That’s no secret, right? Then why did you instantly begin to follow every woodworker you could find on Facebook or Twitter? Are they going to buy your work? Not unless you’re selling tools, plans, or how-to information on woodworking.

Don’t get me wrong. Networking with other furniture makers isn’t a bad thing. You can certainly send each other business. But, social media is also about conversation. If the majority of your conversations are with woodworkers, your ideal client will either see this and have no interest in you, or they’ll never see you because you’re not actively talking with them. Did you catch that “talking with them” part?

Rule #3: You are a conversationalist. Not a bullhorn.

The world is bombarded by blatant advertising that interrupts constantly. So much so, that venues that were once successful like TV, radio, and newspaper ads, are ignored by many people today. It’s all noise and people are intolerant of it now.

When you bring a constant stream of disruptive noise to a place like social media, you will be ignored quickly for someone with a more interesting and genuine message. The key is to be active in conversation and interaction. Talk about what your people are talking about. Be a thought leader. Be the nicest person they’ve ever met. Have something unique to bring to the venue. Show pictures of the kids.

Be human.

The biggest way to stand out in conversation is to be a problem solver. Be on the lookout for people that you can help at a moment’s notice. It can be anything like a link to a web page, a simple answer to a question, or sharing a bit of expert knowledge and experience.

Be useful. Be helpful. Be relevant.

Free Doesn’t Cut it Anymore.

You’re building a business, so it’s time to put on your big boy pants and ditch that freebie blogspot thing you call a website. Because it’s not. It’s a blog. A personal page for ramblings. Your ideal customer expects you to be a professional. Don’t give them any reason to think differently when they see your current “web site.”

Not only does a .com site show people you’re in business, it’s also the best choice for your business. Search engines favor the real thing, and the range of customization and marketing ability is almost limitless with a .com site. It’s an investment you can’t afford to overlook any longer.

Getting a website up and running isn’t difficult as it seems.