The new rules of marketing for woodworkers with Alison Heath!

In my journeys as the resident blogger for CustomMade, I have come across an enormous amount of fellow bloggers. Some are completely irrelevant, some are written by woodworkers, some are interior designers, craftspeople, etc. This time, I got to touch base with someone who is spreading a bit of a different message, with a mission not very much unlike CustomMade’s. So without further adieu, I’d like to introduce for your blogging and reading pleasure, our guest author Alison Heath of Workbench Marketing!

Alison Heath of Workbench Marketing

You might have gone into business for yourself because you’re not big on following rules. That’s just fine. But when it comes to getting customers to purchase your furniture, there are a few rules of marketing you should be aware of, even if you later choose to break them.

Rule #1: You are not your customer

Though there are female woodworkers out there, in my experience, most furniture makers are male. However, the clients a woodworker is looking for are not. In fact, women make 94% of home furnishings decisions. Don’t believe me? Think about your own home. Who makes decisions about what comes into the house and what doesn’t? Unless you’re a single guy, it’s probably not you. It’s your wife. If you are single, think about your parents. Who made decorating decisions? You dad? Or your mom? Keep this in mind when choosing colors for your website and making other marketing decisions. Remember, the most important factor is not whether you like your decision; it’s whether your customer does. Just please don’t think that everything needs to be pink.

Rule #2: Not every tactic is right for every business

Social media has gotten a lot of press lately when it comes to ways to market a business. Every time you turn around, someone is telling you that you need to start a blog, get on Twitter, make a Facebook page and “join the conversation” about your brand. After all, it’s inexpensive and you get an immediate ego boost when someone “likes” your page or retweets your latest news.

While social media can be a very effective marketing tactic for some businesses, the downside is that participation can take a lot of time and it can sometimes do more harm that good. You know your strengths better than anyone and if writing isn’t one of them, maybe a blog isn’t for you. But maybe you are a great photographer. If that’s the case, some businesses are using Flickr in really creative ways. Don’t let anyone pressure you into trying the tactic of the moment just because it’s new. Decide on your goals, make a plan and do your research before jumping in with both feet. You wouldn’t start a new piece without a cut list. Why would you handle your marketing that way?

Rule #3: Develop an identity

Marketers generally refer to a company’s identity as its “brand”. Everyone is familiar with big multi-national brands like Nike and Coca-Cola. But a brand isn’t just a logo. It’s the sum total of what customers think and feel when they think of you. Particularly at a craft show featuring a lot of woodworkers or on a site like Custommade.com, it’s important to stand out from the crowd. Otherwise a potential customer might not remember where they saw that fantastic dresser or end table when they are ready to make a purchase. Try to pick a style for your marketing that matches the style of your furniture. And especially if you have a business name like “John Smith Woodworking” try to pick a secondary tagline that you always use (on invoices, business cards, your website, your profile here; just everything). You’ll be surprised at how many more people remember who you are.

Thanks to the fine folks at CustomMade.com for asking me to be their guest blogger today. And if you have questions about marketing your business, feel free to ask them in the comments!

Alison Heath is a marketing consultant specializing in teaching small business owners (particularly woodworkers) how to think like marketers and sell more stuff. She also blogs at Workbench Marketing and can be found on Twitter @furnituregirl.