Tiny Business Tip: Utilize Social Media

Spam Mail -- original painting necklace

 One of the funniest facts of selling online is how much more comfortable I've gotten with social media. When I first started sharing on Facebook and Twitter I felt like a complete fool throwing out comments into the void and wondering if anyone would even care to hear what I thought. By that time, I was already selling fairly steadily and had gained a lot more confidence about my work. Still, I had some old habits about not posting too much on Facebook and was unused to the way Twitter worked.

Let me tell anyone starting out this little gem now: Get over feeling like a fool--social media is kind of foolish, but damned if it doesn't work out better than almost any other way of communicating with your customers!

Why does it work so well? For me, it's because a grass roots style of marketing is much more effective than an ad on the edge of a website. Sure, I'm trying to build brand recognition as much as the next person, but I want customers to see a little more about me, to be talking about my work and why they love it, what makes it special to them, and I want customers to be the ones who spread the word.

Part of what I love about my pieces is that they can be conversation starters. They're different and a little quirky, sometimes elegant, but one thing they all have in common is that they are original paintings which is an interesting enough fact to get people talking!

My favorite thing about Facebook and Twitter is that they really help keep the conversation going between myself and my customers and fans. I love it! It makes running my business on the day-to-day more fun, it makes being a fan or customer more fun because you get a little more insight into where these pieces are coming from, and it makes selling as a small business more financially manageable.

If you're just starting out a small online business or working to build up awareness of an organization, I strongly encourage you to put aside your qualms about sharing on Facebook or Twitter and just give it a try. After all, what have you got to lose?

Follow me on Facebook www.facebook.com/tuckooandmoocow
And on Twitter @TuckooandMooCow