Wreath Business Blueprint

The Ultimate Guide to Selling Wreaths Online

Amanda Cleckler Table of Contents

Chapter One: Are You Ready to Build a Business Selling Your Wreaths? ...... 1 Chapter 2: Do You Want a Business or a Hobby? ..... 4 Chapter 3: Choose the Perfect Name for Your Business ...... 7 Chapter 4: Register Your New Business ...... 9 Chapter 5: Wreath Supplies - Wholesale vs. Retail .. 11 Chapter 6: How to Build Your Brand ...... 14 Chapter 7: How to Price Your Handmade Wreaths .. 17 Chapter 8: Choose the Best Platform to Sell Your Wreaths ...... 20 Chapter 9: Begin Selling Your Wreaths Online ...... 21 Chapter 10: Finding Your Ideal Customer ...... 23 Chapter 11: How to Sell on Etsy ...... 29 Chapter 12: How to Set Up Your Etsy Shop ...... 31 Chapter 13: How to Start an Online Store or Website ...... 39 Chapter 14: How to Take Captivating Photos ...... 42 Chapter 15: The Best Lighting for Taking Photos .... 44 Chapter 16: The Best Background for Taking Photos of Wreaths ...... 45

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Chapter 17: How to Write Effective Product Descriptions ...... 47 Chapter 18: How to Improve Search Engine Optimization (SEO) ...... 48 Chapter 19: Ways to Market and Promote Your Wreaths ...... 53 Chapter 20: Using Social Media to Grow Your Business ...... 59 Chapter 21: Shipping Your Wreaths ...... 66 Chapter 22: Packaging Your Wreaths ...... 68 Chapter 23: Packing Materials You Will Need to Ship a Wreath ...... 69 Chapter 24: Make Customers Feel Special and Valued ...... 71 Chapter 25: Dealing with Bad Reviews and Negative Customers ...... 72 Chapter 26: Enjoy the Journey ...... 74 About the Author ...... 75

Chapter One: Are You Ready to Build a Business Selling Your Wreaths?

ave you worked hard learning how to design and H create stunning wreaths? Do you have a passion for creating beautiful things and a desire to make a living doing so? Have you spent month after month honing your craft and learning new wreath making skills and techniques? Are you tired of spending money on supplies and materials, and not getting a return on your investment? I remember this feeling all too well, and that is why I decided to take action. I stopped just wishing and dreaming I could make an income selling my wreaths and decided it was time to turn a hobby into what is now a thriving business. If I can do it, trust me, you can do it too! In this book, I will give you the tools and knowledge to take your wreath making “hobby” to the next level, and I will help you create your own thriving wreath business using your creative talents and God-given abilities.

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Deciding to turn your hobby into a business can be overwhelming and confusing, to say the least. You may be facing questions, fears, negativity, naysayers, or objections. You may even have a nagging, negative voice (a Negative Nancy as I like to call it) whispering inside your mind, that is continuously taunting you with thoughts like, “Am I crazy?”; “I can’t do this!”; “I’m just not good enough!”; “Why would someone actually pay for one of my wreaths?”; “I don’t have enough experience to sell my wreaths!”; “I don’t have enough talent!” or “I’m not smart enough to run a business!” This list of Negative Nancy lies can go on and on, but that’s just it; they are all lies. So, if you have been the victim of these pesky untruths, then the first step in creating your thriving wreath business is to tell the Negative Nancy inside your mind exactly where it can go! Shut that voice up just as quickly as it crept into your mind, and replace those negative thoughts with positive ones, like “I am good enough!”; “People love my designs!”; “I am smart enough!” and “I am talented enough to build a booming and successful wreath business!” There is no doubt that you will have questions and uncertainties along this journey. This is entirely normal, but it is important to try your best to stay focused, positive, and surround yourself with likeminded people who support and encourage you. No matter the type of business you start, there will always be challenges and setbacks, but the important

2 Amanda Cleckler thing is to learn throughout the process, keep a positive outlook and an open mind.

Chapter 2: Do You Want a Business or a Hobby?

ou are probably thinking to yourself right now, Y “Okay, that’s great, but where do I start?” There is a ton of information to be found on Google, like how to start a business, how to sell things online, and how to be successful selling on Etsy. In this book, however, I am going to specifically give you tips and tools for creating a business selling your handmade wreaths, and the very steps that I have used in building my own business. Someone once told me, “Treat your business like a business, and it will pay you like one, but treat your business like a hobby, and it will pay you like a hobby.” I took those words of wisdom to heart. In 2007, my mom and I decided to go into business together. Neither of us knew anything about making money selling handmade products. We knew we had found a hobby that we enjoyed doing, and we knew we needed to at least make enough money to cover

4 Amanda Cleckler the expenses of our hobby, because let’s face it, making wreaths isn’t cheap. After selling a few wreaths, and being the “Go big or go home” kind of gals that we are, we decided we wanted more from our business than just covering the cost of supplies. We decided we wanted to have a full-blown business. We both knew it wouldn’t be easy, but we decided to jump in and do everything that we could to make our wreath business work. We went all in. It was hard, and it was scary, but twelve- plus years later, with thousands of handmade wreaths sold, and here we are! I’d say it worked out pretty well for us. When we first started our business, we didn’t have the resources we have today. There were no books like this one that teaches you, step by step, how to sell a wreath. Everything we learned was from trial and error. We made many mistakes, and there were many times that we wanted to give up -- but we persevered, and we learned from our mistakes. If something didn’t work, we would try something else, until we found something that did work. If our wreaths weren’t selling, we would try to find the reason why no one was buying them. Were our prices too high? Maybe they were too low? Yes, that’s a thing! Pricing too low can be just as detrimental to sales as pricing too high! Were our product descriptions not good enough? Were our customers not seeing the value in our wreaths? We would ask our customers for feedback and analyze everything until we found the

5 Wreath Business Blueprint answers to why our wreaths weren’t selling. Then, we would tweak things and make the necessary changes so that our wreaths would sell. We initially started selling our handmade wreaths on eBay, where we built a decent sized customer base. Then we moved on to Etsy, and eventually, we were making all of our income selling on our website. We now sell almost exclusively on our website and ship our wreaths all over the world. In the following chapters, we will discuss actions that you can take to start and grow your own wreath business.

Chapter 3: Choose the Perfect Name for Your Business

ow that you have decided to stretch your creative N outlet from a hobby to a business, you will need to think of a business name. I recommend coming up with a name that is catchy, short, and communicates the element of your business. The more your name communicates to potential customers about your business, the less effort you have to put into explaining it. You want to choose a name for your business that is easy to recognize, but you also want it to convey the value and uniqueness of you and your product. Stay away from names that are long and confusing. It may be useful to test your name out on your friends and family. Ask their opinions on it, and whether they think the name communicates what it is that you do. Take into consideration their advice, but remember that ultimately it is your decision what to name your business, and it should be something that you are proud of and love.

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If, for some reason, you choose a name, and then months or years later decide that, for whatever reason, you want or need to change the name, don’t worry, it is perfectly fine to change it then. We changed the name of our business several years ago from Petal Pusher’s Designs (a name that was oversaturated) to Grace Monroe Home. It isn’t ideal to have to change your business name and rebrand, but it isn’t impossible, so don’t get so hung up on choosing the perfect name for your business that you get overwhelmed and let it stop you from moving forward.

Chapter 4: Register Your New Business

nce you have picked out your business name and O you are ready to run with your new business, it is time to make it legal! Let me preface this section by saying that I am in no way a lawyer, and I cannot give legal advice. It is always in your best interest to seek professional legal counsel before starting any business venture. With that said, I have found that you can find a great deal of information about what paperwork is required for your state by visiting www.sba.gov. Since you are transitioning your hobby into a business, you will most likely need to obtain a business license. The licenses and permits you need for your state, county, or city will depend on your type of business and location. Fees for your business license will also vary depending on your geological location. Visit your state’s website to find out which permits or licenses you’ll need to start a business.

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The easiest and least expensive way to structure your business is to run as a sole proprietorship. This is how the majority of small businesses begin. You typically do not need to fill out any paperwork with a sole proprietorship; however, as mentioned above, it is always good to double-check with your state to see if they have any specific requirements. State Tax ID and Federal Tax ID – also known as an Employer Identification Number (EIN) may be required depending on the structure of your business and whether or not you will have employees. A Federal Tax ID works much like your social security number, except it is for your business, allowing your business to pay state and federal taxes. If you are a sole proprietorship, you can opt to use your social security number instead of a Federal Tax ID. You can visit www.IRS.gov to apply for a Federal Tax ID number.

Chapter 5: Wreath Supplies - Wholesale vs. Retail

ne of the most common questions that I get O asked about selling handmade wreaths is where to purchase supplies, and whether it’s worth it to buy retail or wholesale. Let me break it down for you. Buying retail and wholesale are two completely different things. When you purchase supplies from a wholesaler, you are essentially purchasing from the middle man. The middle man is the person who is between your wreath shop and the manufacturer. Because the purchase of a wholesale order is typically in bulk, you receive a discounted price for the purchase. You then take the items that you purchase at wholesale prices and use them to make the wreaths that you sell in your shop. Many wholesalers will have a pretty large minimum order purchasing requirement, so that is always something that you want to check before placing an order with a wholesale company,

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To purchase wholesale, you will need to check with your state tax office to see if you are required to obtain a wholesale license or any other permits. Buying wholesale is a great option, especially if you are creating multiple wreaths to sell, but if you aren’t at the place in your business where you can afford to place a bulk order, then I suggest purchasing retail until you can. Craft stores like Hobby Lobby and Michaels Stores are great places to acquire wreath supplies, but be sure to shop when items are on sale! We use supplies purchased both retail and wholesale, and I think it is perfectly fine for you to do the same. Here are a handful of my favorite places to purchase wreath supplies  Pioneer Wholesale Co. – www.poineerwholesaleco.com (wholesale only)  Ampelco – www.ampelco.com (retail & wholesale)  Raz Imports – www.razimports.com (wholesale only)  The Gerson Companies – www.gersoncompany.com (wholesale only)  Lion Ribbon – www.lionribbon.com (wholesale only)  Hobby Lobby – www.hobbylobby.com (retail)  Michaels Craft Stores – www.michaels.com (retail)

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 Ranch House Craft Supplies – www.ranchhousecraftsupplies.com (retail) You can find the full list of our recommended wreath supply vendors (over 70 suppliers) on our blog at www.gracemonroehome.com.

Chapter 6: How to Build Your Brand

randing is an aspect of building a thriving B business that you should not overlook. Your brand is essentially your identity when it comes to your business. It’s what customers know about you. Many people think that you need a fancy logo to build a brand, and while a logo is an excellent way for others to identify your business, it’s not the only aspect of building a brand. If you would like to have a logo made for your business, I suggest using a service like fiverr.com, where you can find designers that will work with you to create a logo for a reasonable price. I have listed below some other things to consider when building your brand. 1. What is your purpose, mission, or vision that you want to convey to the customer? Who are you, and what do you value? What makes you passionate? Whom do you want to impact? These things all play a part in your branding. I am a Christian, and I am southern. I’m also passionate about family and helping people use their God-given talents to grow a business.

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These are all things that impact my brand. Figuring out what you and your business represent will play a role in determining your brand and logo. 2. Pick colors to use in your logo, graphics, and Etsy banners that you want your brand to be known for. 3. You want your brand to stand out and be recognizable. 4. Your customers will have expectations about your products and services based on your brand. 5. Good branding makes customers feel comfortable and helps with their decision to make a purchase. This is one of the reasons why it is crucial for you to know what values you want your brand to represent. This will help build trust.

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Chapter 7: How to Price Your Handmade Wreaths

ow much should I charge for my wreaths?” is “H probably one of the most widely asked questions when first starting a wreath business. The typical pricing formula for handmade items is as follows, (however, I believe that there should be some variation depending on your level of expertise and experience): Pricing Equation: time + materials = cost; cost x 2 = wholesale price; wholesale x 2 = retail price. Now, let’s break this down, so it is easier to understand. Time means how long it takes you to make your item, meaning, if it takes you two hours to create a wreath then you would put a value (hourly rate) of what you believe your time is worth, multiply it by how many hours it took you to create your wreath, and then add it to the cost of materials. For example: if I value my time at $10 an hour, then I would multiply $10 by the time it took me to make my wreath (2 hours) = $20 + the cost of materials. So, if you spent $30 in materials,

17 Wreath Business Blueprint then you would add $20 + $30, and the total will equal the COST of the wreath. So, the cost of your wreath is $50. If you were to want to sell your wreath to a retail store, then you would sell it to them at a wholesale price, which is the COST of your wreath doubled; $50 x 2 = $100. To find the retail price, which is the price that you would sell your item online, or in person, if someone was purchasing it directly from you, you simply take the wholesale price and double it: $100 x 2 = $200. That’s right! You should be selling your handmade wreath for $200… in an ideal setting. However, as I mentioned earlier, I believe there should be some variation in pricing, especially when you are first starting. When you first begin to sell your handmade wreaths, and you have very little feedback or testimonials from customers, it may be in your best interest to price your wreaths slightly lower, to begin selling your items quickly and gain momentum. This will help you to start building your business and brand and get some positive customer reviews. At the beginning of your business, you may choose not to include your time into the pricing equation, or only valuing your time at a low amount, so that you can quickly turn over some products. Once you have gotten a good customer following, you can begin to increase your prices. I remember a time when we first started selling wreaths we barely broke even; some wreaths sold for only $25. But once our customer following grew, the customer testimonials began

18 Amanda Cleckler rolling in, and people started to recognize the quality we were producing. We were able to raise our prices, and now the majority of our wreaths sell for well over $200. I also always take into consideration the effort that it takes me to make a wreath design. If I am making a very intricate and complicated design, I may value my time at a higher rate than if I was making a simple design that takes minimal effort. It is also vital to know your audience, as we discussed earlier. In studying your customer base, you will learn what prices you can effectively sell your wreaths. If you have more complicated designs that require high priced materials, you are going to want to be sure to target a customer base that is willing to pay higher prices.

Chapter 8: Choose the Best Platform to Sell Your Wreaths

here are many ways that you can sell your T wreaths to buyers. You can sell offline, and in person at craft fairs, festivals, bazaars, and trade shows, or you can put your wreaths in consignment shops, flea markets, or retail shops. Because I live in a very rural area, I have always done ninety-nine percent of my business online, so for this book, we are going to dive into how you can make a substantial income selling in the online space by having a personalized website or selling on handmade marketplaces like Etsy, eBay or Amazon Handmade.

Chapter 9: Begin Selling Your Wreaths Online

ow that you have decided to turn your passion N for making wreaths into a full-blown wreath business, you have to choose a catchy name for your business, you have to know who your ideal customer is, and then it’s time to start selling your wreaths! I am sure you are probably asking yourself, “Okay Amanda, but… exactly how do I go about selling my handmade wreaths?”, “Where do I sell my wreaths so that people can find them?” and “How much should I sell my wreaths for?”. These are all very valid and important questions, and I am going to dive in and help you find the answers to all of them. As we discussed in an earlier chapter, you can choose to sell your wreaths locally at craft shows, flea markets, trade shows, or retail stores, and you can also sell them online. We are going to primarily discuss how to sell your wreaths online since that is how I grew my own business, and I am confident that you

21 Wreath Business Blueprint can too! Let’s look at just a few of the avenues where you can sell your wreaths online:  Handmade Marketplaces such as Etsy, Handmade at Amazon, ArtFire, Bonanza, and Big Cartel.  Facebook Marketplace  eBay  Craigslist  Your Own Personal Online Store My favorite, and what I believe is the most income- producing opportunities for selling handmade wreaths, and building a business, are Etsy and a personal online store. In this book, we are going to focus primarily on these two platforms and ways that you can use these platforms to grow your wreath business.

Chapter 10: Finding Your Ideal Customer

hen selling your wreaths, it is essential to know W exactly who your ideal customer is, what your ideal customer wants, and how to get your handmade wreaths in front of that ideal customer. Your ideal customer is the consumer that would be most likely to purchase your product. For example, you are selling handmade wreaths, so your ideal customer will likely be a middle-aged female, but it isn’t enough to know the gender and age range of your ideal customer; you need to narrow it down even more. You will need to take into consideration what type and style of wreaths you create, and what price point you want to sell your wreaths for. A person making and selling silk floral wreaths will likely have a slightly older customer base than someone who sells burlap wreaths, ribbon wreaths, or deco mesh wreaths. Always take into consideration the price you would like to sell your wreaths. We will discuss pricing more in detail later in this book, but if you are selling high-

23 Wreath Business Blueprint end wreaths, you would not want to target an audience that primarily shops at Walmart or Target. One of the most critical aspects of creating a profitable business will always be becoming as knowledgeable as possible about your audience - the people you serve. It is imperative that you take the time to research and know precisely who your wreaths will attract, and whom they will benefit the most. Once you know who your ideal customer is, you will need to take steps to market this customer or audience, which we will dive into more in a later chapter. Now, let’s discuss some steps that you can take to decide who your ideal customer is, and how to talk to them, so they respond positively to you and ultimately buy from you. Define what it is that you sell and how it can impact or improve your customer’s life or circumstances. What problem does your product solve? In this book, we are going to talk about selling wreaths, because that is why you are reading this, right? But this is really for any product or service that you sell. You HAVE to know how your product can add value to your customer. So, let’s think about a handmade wreath and how it can add value or improve someone’s life. Well, you may be thinking it’s just a “wreath,” it’s not a

24 Amanda Cleckler lifesaving tool or service, but you have to think deeper about the value that your product holds. Wreaths bring joy through their beauty by making a home more welcoming and more inviting. They make a front door stand out. If a home is welcoming and inviting because of the wreath on their front door, then a person may feel more comfortable inviting friends over to their home, and in turn, that creates deeper, more meaningful relationships for your customer. So, you can see that even a wreath can serve a purpose in impacting someone’s life. You want to be clear about how your product can help your customers. Know who your IDEAL customer is. So, what is an ideal customer? Your ideal customer is someone who gets their exact needs met by the product that you are offering. They see a ton of value in your product, and they can benefit from your product. I encourage you to ask yourself the following questions to help define who that ideal customer is for your product: Is your ideal customer male or female? What age range is your ideal customer? How much money do they make? Are they educated? What stores do they shop at most often, and do they shop in stores or online? Does your ideal customer have a family and children? Are they working or retired?

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All of these questions are going to help you have clarity about whom you need to target as your ideal customer to sell to, and the more you know about them, the better you’ll know how to speak and communicate in a way that they will respond to positively. Attracting your Ideal Customer. So, now that you have defined who your ideal customer is, and how your product can benefit them, you need to know how to attract them and sell to them. One of the most significant ways that you can attract your ideal customer is through the way that you communicate with them, and the language that you use. For example, you are going to communicate and talk to a person who shops primarily at Walmart very differently than you would speak to a person who shops at high-end department stores like Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, or Saks Fifth Avenue. Remember, to many people, primarily if they are used to purchasing higher-end products, lower prices equal lower quality and higher prices equal higher quality. So, as long as you find the right audience, they WILL pay your prices! If you are targeting a higher-end customer base, you need to use language that resonates with them and explains your product in a way that makes it seem attractive to a higher-end audience. For example: using words like designer wreaths, luxury wreaths, and elegant wreaths are all

26 Amanda Cleckler phrases that higher-end customers tend to respond well to. You can replace words like “Fake Flowers” with “Faux Flowers” or “Lifelike Flowers” with “Florals.” Quality and exclusivity are paramount when selling to a high-end clientele. They love to know that the item they are getting is of excellent quality and that it is ‘One of a kind.’ Offering your customer something that no one else has, or can get, is a huge selling point when targeting that higher-end customer, so if you are selling a ONE OF A KIND wreath, ensure that you make that very clear in the description. Build Your Brand so that Your Ideal Customer Can Find You. It is crucial that you utilize social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest to attract your customers. If you don’t have a Facebook business page and you are not using Pinterest, then I would highly suggest setting both of those up for your business, because they are two of the most significant ways to grow a following and promote your products. On social media, you want to be posting things that your ideal customer would be attracted to, and remember that people buy from people they know, like, and trust. Building your trustworthiness and credibility is not only going to grow your following, but it will ultimately lead to sales. We will talk more about social media and ways to promote your business in a later chapter.

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The most important thing to remember about finding your ideal customer is that you have to be able to clearly define what it is that you are offering and how it can benefit them. Understanding what it is that the ideal customer wants, who that customer is, and how to talk to them will ensure that they will listen to you, trust you, and ultimately buy from you.

Chapter 11: How to Sell on Etsy

aving an Etsy shop is a fantastic way to get H started selling your handmade wreaths! An Etsy shop has proven, for many, to be an excellent avenue for marketing your product and growing your business, and it is a great way to build your brand, and a customer following. Joining Etsy and opening your shop is free, so it is an easy way to begin selling online without having to invest a ton of startup money. Etsy gives you great tools to help you set up your shop with ease, even as a beginner. They also have an incredible support and education team available to help you if you have questions. What I also love about Etsy is that from the moment your Etsy shop goes live, you have online traffic that is explicitly looking for the product that you are selling. This is excellent news because it means that people that go on Etsy’s website are searching for wreaths, and many have intentions of making a purchase. However, this also means that there are lots of other Etsy shops that sell handmade wreaths, so there is quite a bit of

29 Wreath Business Blueprint competition. The key to success on Etsy is to make your wreaths stand out and to do that will take consistent effort. If you were to ask me what I think the essential elements of a successful Etsy shop are, I would say:  A personal and well developed “About” section,  A keyword-rich product title,  A detailed description,  Captivating photos,  A clear and concise policy section,  Good tags and keywords  Shop categories, also known as shop sections  Prompt communication with buyers.

Chapter 12: How to Set Up Your Etsy Shop

f you have no experience selling on Etsy, then I setting up a new Etsy shop may seem overwhelming and intimidating, but the good news is that it is not nearly as complicated as it seems. This book is about how to sell your wreaths online, not just on Etsy, so I will not go over every detail of setting up your shop and how to sell on Etsy (we will save that for another book!). But I am going to go over some of the key points that I want you to remember. When setting up your Etsy shop, you always want to be sure to set up your shop in its entirety and don’t skip over portions of it. All of the following need to be completed when your shop goes live to the public.  Shop Name  Shop Title  Shop Announcements  About Section  Profile Photo  Banner Photo

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 Shop Policy Section  Shop Categories  Product Titles  Product Descriptions  Shipping Profile  Product Tags  Payment Settings Below are some guidelines for setting your Etsy shop up for success: 1. Get Personal with Shoppers People shopping on Etsy are looking for more than just a “pretty wreath.” They want to invest in your story and the face behind your product. They can buy a commercial product anywhere, but they choose to come to Etsy because of the appeal of purchasing a handmade item and the story and maker behind it. It is crucial to make a connection with your potential buyers. You do this by having a well-developed “About” section in your shop. Tell your story. What is it that inspires you? Give customers a window into your world, not just the wreaths you make. Be personal. How did you develop an interest or passion for creating wreaths? What motivates you? Share personal pictures, and not just photos of your wreaths, to create a connection with your buyers.

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2. Competition is a GOOD Thing. Let’s talk for a moment about competition. Don’t let the competition on Etsy scare you, because the truth is, if there is competition in your market, it means that people are searching for the product that you are selling, and there is a demand for it. Competition is a good thing. It can inspire you to improve and find ways to make yourself stand out. The challenge faced here is learning how to get your products seen above all of the others. There may be many other wreath sellers out there, but there is only one YOU, and you need to market your product and position yourself so that potential buyers know the uniqueness and value in what it is that you have to offer. That is why telling your story and being personal is so crucial on Etsy. Buyers want to feel like they are supporting someone whom they know, like, and trust. You are building a relationship, and the stronger your relationship is with your customers, the more loyal they will be to you. 3. A Good Product Title is Essential. A good product title is essential to having your wreaths found by buyers combing through Etsy’s search engine. The key to a good product title is to fill the title with keywords that are relevant to your product, and that people are actively searching. You have 140 characters available to pack your title with keywords, so use up as much space within your Etsy product title as possible.

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The first few words in your title are the most important, because they have the most influence on Etsy’s search engine, so be sure to put your strongest keywords at the front of your title. You also want to use keyword phrases that buyers may be searching for, and always separate your keyword phrases with commas, dashes, or slashes to make the title readable. For example, if you are listing a summer wreath in your Esty shop, you may want to use a similar product title as the one below: Summer Wreath – Summer Door Wreath – Front Door Wreath for Summer – Summer Wreath for Door – Front Door Summer Wreath – Wreath for Doors A simple way to find popular keywords in your niche is to go to the Etsy search bar and begin typing something into the bar. Etsy will automatically provide you with suggestions that people are using while searching Etsy. This is a great tool to use as a starting point because it will let you know immediately what the most popular searches are in your genre. For example, if you type in the search terms “summer wreath” into the search bar, Etsy will suggest a few more keywords related to that. In this instance, when I began typing in “summer wreath,” Etsy immediately suggested:  Summer wreath  Summer wreath for door

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 Summer wreath burlap  Summer wreath sale The Etsy search bar is a great tool to use as a starting point. However, the search terms that Etsy suggests are broad, so I do recommend doing detailed research to find long-tail keywords. Long-tail keywords are three- and four-word phrases that are more detailed and specific to your particular niche. These are great to use because they are precisely what your customer is looking for, so if you can provide a customer with exactly what they are searching for, you are more likely to get a sale. Google Keyword Planner and Marmalead are both excellent tools to help you analyze keywords further. The Google Keyword Planner: This analytic tool is a handy resource and is free to use. To use the Google keyword planner, you will need to create a Google AdWords account. However, you do not have to set up an ad campaign to use the keyword planner. This is totally free! Marmalead: Marmalead is another helpful tool for analyzing keywords, and it also has excellent features to help you optimize your Etsy shop. Marmalead currently costs $19 per month for an “Entrepreneur” account; however, you can sign up for a “Dabbler” account and have limited access to it’s features for free.

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4. Have Great Product Photos! Having outstanding photos is essential for creating a well-balanced Etsy shop that is visually pleasing and likely to gain buyers. At the time of this publication, Etsy allows you to include up to ten photos of your products. I recommend taking advantage of all ten available photo uploads, and having your product shown from different angles. We will discuss how to take captivating photos of your products in a later chapter. 5. Have a Good Product Description! Not only do you need stellar photos to showcase your wreaths, but you need to have an equally attention- grabbing and detailed product description that will entice shoppers to purchase the wreath you are selling. Your description should list all of the significant and unique attributes and details about your handmade design. You should include the dimensions of your wreath, materials used in making the design, prominent colors used or color options available, and how long it will take you to complete the item if it is a ‘made to order’ design. Your product description should aim to answer any question your shoppers may have about your product. We will go into product descriptions, and what is known in marketing as “Sales Copy” in a later chapter.

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6. Add Search Tags. Etsy provides you with a section where you can list tags that are searchable for potential buyers, so be sure to take advantage of this section and do not skip over it. In this section, you will have an opportunity to include tags (keywords or short phrases) that relate to the product that you are selling; examples include - wreath, wreath for door, front door wreath, Mother’s Day wreath, pink wreath for spring. Having these searchable tags will increase the chances of people finding your wreath listing on Etsy, so it is essential that you add these in every listing. 7. Communicate Effectively with Your Customer. People who shop on Etsy rely heavily on reviews when determining which products to purchase. One way to increase the chances of gaining a five-star review from a buyer is to communicate regularly and effectively with your customers throughout the entire buying process. If a customer sends you a message, try to respond as quickly as possible. Now, I don’t mean that if you get a notification in the middle of the night that you should hop out of bed and send a reply message right away, but I do think it is important to respond in a reasonable and timely fashion. If there is a delay or issue with fulfilling an order, then send a message to the buyer and communicate the issue with them. Most buyers are much more willing to overlook any inconvenience or concerns if

37 Wreath Business Blueprint you keep an ongoing and open line of communication with them. If your customer has an issue with the wreath that they received, such as the item is not as described, or there was a mix-up, and you sent the wrong wreath to the wrong customer, be sure to listen to them and take their concern(s) seriously. Do not ignore your customer. This will make the customer angry and will potentially cause them to leave a negative and unfavorable review of your product and service. If the issue is valid and you are at fault, try to do what you can to rectify the situation. Once the problem has been corrected, you can offer the customer a discount on their next purchase to make up for any inconvenience.

Chapter 13: How to Start an Online Store or Website

long with your Etsy shop, or perhaps in place of A an Etsy shop, you may be thinking of starting a personal website or online store. I encourage you to think of your website as your piece of real estate in the online world. When you are selling on other platforms, it is almost as if you are renting space from them. You ultimately want to OWN your real estate, and in the world of selling online, the best way to “own” your real estate is to have a personal website where you make the rules, you don’t pay super-high fees, AND overall it looks professional to people. In this section of the book, I am going to talk about a few different e-commerce platforms that you can use to open your online store. These are the ones I believe to be the most economical and user friendly for beginners. 1. Shopify – www.shopify.com 2. Wix – www.wix.com 3. BigCommerce – www.bigcommerce.com

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Pricing: It will cost you a monthly investment to have an online store. Shopify - $29/month + when you make a sale, you will pay a 2.9% credit card processing fee and 30 cents per transaction. Wix - $17/month if you pay annually and $21.50 if you pay month to month. BigCommerce - $29.95/month + 2.9% credit card processing fees and 30 cents per transaction. ALL of these three options offer a trial period, which is great because you can try one platform and see if you like it. If you don’t, you can try a different one and see which you like best before making a monetary commitment. All three platforms have customizable templates that you can use. You will need to purchase your domain name - which is the website that people will go to, to find your store online. For example, the domain for my online store is www.gracemonroehome.com. You can purchase a domain name from a company that manages domain names such as godaddy.com ahead of time and have it transferred over to your shop, or you can purchase directly at the time you are creating your shop. I have created e-commerce shops with both Shopify and BigCommerce. I have personally not built an online store using Wix, but I know of many people

40 Amanda Cleckler who have. In my opinion, the shops do not look quite as professional and put together as shops built using BigCommerce or Shopify. Shopify is the platform that I recommend if you are now starting your online store. I think it is the easiest to navigate and has great templates to create a beautiful store.

Chapter 14: How to Take Captivating Photos

have learned throughout my own experience I selling wreaths, that it does not matter how gorgeous a wreath is in person, if you are not able to capture the beauty and uniqueness of it in photos, you are wasting your time because people will not buy it. We tend to be very visual creatures (especially when it comes to online shopping), and if a product does not grab our attention immediately, we are more than likely going to move on to the next option. That is why it is imperative that you have great product photos. To have great photos, you need:  Excellent lighting (natural light often works best)  Attention to details and unique elements  A simple background that does not distract or take away from the wreath.

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Etsy recently started allowing shop owners the ability to provide ten photos to showcase an item in a listing, instead of the five that have been available to sellers in previous years. I highly recommend using all ten picture uploads, if at all possible. This will help shoppers have a better idea of precisely what they will be getting when purchasing your wreath. Take photos from all angles and zoom in on specific details of the wreath, such as the bow, or any unique elements or embellishments. If you have the option of showing your wreath on one or two different doors or a wall in your home, this is an excellent way of giving customers a visualization of how it may look in various settings of their own home.

Chapter 15: The Best Lighting for Taking Photos

have found that natural lighting tends to provide I the best light to capture the essence of handmade wreaths. Some may prefer to present a wreath on a solid white background; however, I firmly believe that you will get more buyers when you show your wreath in a setting where people can visualize using it in themselves. If selling a wreath that would typically be used as a front door wreath, you should show the wreath on a clean door, with little distraction. For instance, you probably would not want to photograph a wreath that has pink floral elements against a bright red door. It may distract the viewer from seeing all of the beautiful aspects of the wreath, and when photographing the item that you have worked so hard to create, it is essential to allow it to stand out and get all of the attention it deserves.

Chapter 16: The Best Background for Taking Photos of Wreaths

white door, natural wood door, or black door, A all typically photograph very well and are great options for using as a background for your wreath photos. If you do not have a door that you feel will photograph well, you can purchase an old or unfinished door at an antique or resale store that you can readily finish or repaint for cheap, and prop the wreath up against your house to take pictures. Another option for photographing your wreaths would be to use a solid white background, wall, or backdrop. I recommend photographing in a well-lit room if you are taking your photos indoors. If you do not have a room with great natural lighting, then it may be a good idea to purchase an inexpensive lighting kit from a retailer such as Amazon. These will, in most cases, cost less than $100, but having great photos will increase your number of buyers, so it is absolutely an investment worth making!

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Chapter 17: How to Write Effective Product Descriptions

ike I mentioned earlier in the chapter that focused L on Etsy, it is imperative that you know how to write perfect product descriptions, aka sales copy, so that shoppers turn into buyers. Remember that when shopping online, your customers are not able to touch or try your product, so the more information and detail you give them, the more likely a shopper will be to follow through with a purchase. My theory is that the more “questions” you “answer” in your description, the better. Put yourself in the shopper’s shoe and think of all the questions you might have about your product if you were the one shopping for it, and then aim to answer all of those questions.

Chapter 18: How to Improve Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

et’s talk about Search Engine Optimization L (SEO) and ways that you can improve it to increase traffic and sales to your Etsy shop or website. SEO is crucial when it comes to selling your products online. Regardless of if you are selling on Etsy, eBay, Amazon Handmade, or your online shop, you need to master SEO to get adequate traffic to your products, because traffic equals sales. Basically, you can understand SEO like this: when someone searches the internet, whether they are searching on Google, Yahoo, Pinterest, or Etsy, and they type into the search bar what it is that they are searching for, the search engine does a crawl of all the sites that have relevance to that search and determines which sites are worthy of being shown to the person. For example, A person goes to Google searching for a yellow pair of men’s socks. So, what do they do? They type in the search bar “yellow socks for men.” Google is then going to pull out all of the sites that

48 Amanda Cleckler contain keywords that match the search options of that particular person. There are probably thousands, perhaps even hundreds of thousands of sites out there that sell yellow socks, and it is up to Google to figure out which sites are the most relevant and trustworthy to show at the top of the search results list. Google, and all of the search engines, have a fancy algorithm that they use to determine who gets on the top of the search results, and although we don’t know what that algorithm is, we do know ways that we can optimize our SEO within our online shop or Etsy shop to improve our chances of being shown at the top of the search results. Ways to Improve SEO: 1. You need to make sure your branding matches across all platforms. Platforms include Etsy, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest. For best results, you want to use the same name on all of your social platforms, and make it clear on each platform what it is that you do or sell. For example, You don’t want your Etsy shop to be called ‘Sue’s Handmade Wreaths’ and then your Facebook page to be called ‘Sue’s Creative Designs’ and Pinterest to say ‘Sue’s Handmade Creations.’ You want to make sure that it is the same across the board and that your brand is easily identifiable. Because social media has such a significant impact on

49 Wreath Business Blueprint our society, the search engines have taken note of that and are starting to include social media sites in search results; it also shows social presence and authority, which will indicate to the search engines that your websites are trustworthy and relevant. 2. Figure out what main searchable keywords you want your shop to show up as in the search engines. For instance, think about what it is that people will be typing in the search bar when looking for your shop. If it is front door wreaths or wreaths for your door, you would consider those as your main keywords. 3. Optimize Your Shop Page Title to include those main searchable Keywords. Whether you sell on Etsy or have your online shop, you need to have your main Shop Page Title include your most relevant keywords, so in your Shop Title you may include your Shop Name, and then beside it, your keyword or keyword phrase that best describes what people will find in your shop. 4. Optimize your Product Titles and Descriptions. All of your product titles need to have keywords in them, as well as your product descriptions. The search engines want to know that you are a real human being and that your website is not computer-generated, so they value organic descriptions that are easy to read and give valuable information. But you also want to

50 Amanda Cleckler sprinkle in keywords throughout, so that when they index or crawl your products, they know how to match you up with the relevant searches. 5. Use Long-Tail Keywords. You want to have the right combination of short keywords and more detailed keywords, which are called Long-Tail Keywords. Long-Tail Keywords are detailed searches that people may be looking for that fit your products. I love long-tail keywords in general because it is much easier to rank at the top of the search results using them. After all, there just isn’t nearly as much competition for those keyword phrases. An example of a long-tail keyword would be ‘Pink Wreath for Baby Girl’s Room.’ You want to just think about all of the things people might be searching for, so put yourself in your potential customer’s position. If you need your product, what would you type in the search engine to find it? 6. Include Categories. I mentioned categories, or sections, earlier in our Etsy chapter, but this is also important if you have a Shopify store or any other online shop. You need to categorize your products. First, it makes it easy for people to find what they are looking for, and it also allows more opportunity for you to include relevant keywords for search engines to locate you. You don’t just want to have a category called “wreaths” – you also want to have fall wreaths, spring wreaths, every- day wreaths, mesh wreaths, etc.

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7. Inbound links. The search engines value links within your shop or website, so inside of your description, it is good to include links to other products that a shopper might be interested in; you can link it to your blog or Facebook or other social media sites. 8. Start a blog. If you don’t already have a blog, you may want to consider starting one. Blogs are a great way to generate traffic to your shop. They engage your customers, and they are another way for the search engines to gauge your relevance for a search term. SEO can seem confusing and complicated, but if you implement the things we have talked about in this chapter, you will begin to see more traffic to your shops, and ultimately more sales.

Chapter 19: Ways to Market and Promote Your Wreaths

t’s great to make stunning wreaths and list them for I sale online, but if you don’t market and promote your wreaths, then no one is going to buy them, and all that time and energy invested becomes wasted. Let’s talk about ways that you can market your wreaths and products. I love marketing. Finding new ways to grow our business and get our items in front of a growing audience is something that I am passionate about, so let’s talk about eight different ways that you can market your wreaths. 1. Word of Mouth and Your Community. Don’t ever underestimate the power of word of mouth when it comes to marketing, and let people in your community and circle of influence know what it is that you do. Many people feel uncomfortable when it comes to self-promotion, but if you don’t promote yourself first, no one else ever will.

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Donations of wreaths to local charity organizations, auctions, and fundraisers are great ways to market your business. Advertise locally with organizations like your local football team or little league. Contact real estate agents in your area - they are always looking for closing gifts for their clients, and what better closing gift than a wreath to welcome their clients into their new home. Tell them that you can work with their budget and create something special for their clients. 2. Customer Referrals. Offer incentives for your current customers if they refer a person to you, and that person makes a purchase. You could offer something like a $10 store credit to someone who refers a customer to you, who then purchases a wreath. Always keep in mind that it is much easier to keep a current customer than it is to get a new one, so customer service is key and offering customer referral incentives is a win-win – it’s a win for you because it helps you get new customers and it also keeps the current customer loyal to you and purchasing from you. 3. Coupons. Everyone loves a freebie or discount! Coupons and promo codes give consumers a sense of urgency. You should not offer discounts ALL the time or shoppers won’t have that sense of urgency, but on special occasions, they are great for getting people to purchase your wreaths and help grow your business.

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For example, you can offer free shipping or a 15% off coupon for a limited time. This will encourage people who may be on the fence about purchasing a wreath or product from you to take action and make the purchase. I believe that coupons are an excellent way to grow your customer base. 4. Social Media. Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter are three of the major social media platforms used today – I love using social media to promote products, and I think that it is one of the largest and most significant ways to grow your customer base. In my business, we primarily use Facebook and Instagram to market our products and services. The key to marketing and growing your customer base through social media is consistency. You can’t post five times a day for a couple of days and then not post again for two weeks. That does not work in growing your audience and will derail any marketing efforts that you are trying to make with social media. You absolutely have to be consistent. Try to do your best to post every day and create a relationship with your audience. People buy from people that they KNOW, LIKE, and TRUST, and social media is an excellent way to get people to know you and your products. 5. Pinterest.

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I actually consider Pinterest (www.pinterest.com) more of a search engine than I do a social media channel. Pinterest is HUGE for getting traffic to the items that you have for sale. In recent months, we have had more traffic come from Pinterest than from Google, Facebook, or any other outlet. If you have an Etsy shop or website, you should consistently pin the new wreaths that you list for sale, and occasionally re- pin wreaths that you have for sale that have not yet sold. If you don’t utilize Pinterest, you will miss out on a great opportunity to get your wreaths in front of a new and eager audience. 6. Email Marketing. Email Marketing is one of the most effective ways to market your wreath business. So, what exactly is Email Marketing? Email marketing is essentially just sending a mass, commercial message to a group of people using email. It is a way for customers, or potential customers, to stay up to date on sales, specials, events, or any other valuable information that you want to share with them. I refer to the email addresses that you have on your email list as your "audience" because, just like social media and Pinterest, email is another way to get in front of people. In fact, according to recent statistics, email marketing is up to forty times more effective than social media, with ninety-two percent of internet users having at least one email account. It is a potent marketing tool and one that I highly recommend that

56 Amanda Cleckler you implement into your wreath business marketing strategy. Let’s take a minute to think about something. Which was the last store that you purchased something from where they asked you for your email address when you were checking out? Did they ask you if you would like to sign up to receive a percentage off discount, get future coupons, or to join their loyalty program? This is just one way for the store to get your email address so that they can include you in future marketing campaigns. Email Marketing is a more personal and personalized way to get in front of people. When you send an email, it goes straight to the recipient’s inbox, where they can read it at their convenience. It is also a very cost-effective way to market your business. I recommend setting up a Mailchimp account if you do not have one. Mailchimp allows you to send up to 12,000 emails a month to a list of up to 2,000 contacts. I have used several email providers over the years, and I am currently using Mailchimp, and I am pleased with it. You can go to mailchimp.com and set up an account, and it will walk you through adding email addresses and sending emails, and even how to create a landing page where you have a link that you can send people, and they can type their email in, and it will immediately add to your email list. Mailchimp is very Newbie friendly, and the fact that it is free to use makes it even better!

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7. Contests and Giveaways. We have always had great luck when doing giveaways. They create excitement around your product, and people love the idea of winning something. If you are hosting a giveaway on social media, you just need to be sure you check the rules for the platform that you are on and try not to violate any of them. 8. Paid Advertising. Google Ads and Facebook advertising can get you in front of many people and can be a very effective way to market your business. But you have to be careful and tread with caution when it comes to paid advertising, or you could spend a LOT of money. Some of the big and recognizable brands can spend as much as six figures monthly on advertising through Facebook. Most of us don’t have anywhere near that kind of budget, so it is okay to start small. The good news is that you can start doing Facebook ads for as little as $1 a day. There are many great ways to market your products, but at times you just have to think outside of the box. We have passed out flyers, put magnetic signs on our car, hosted many giveaways, and donated to charity events. The main thing is to get your name out there so that when people need your product, they know where to go.

Chapter 20: Using Social Media to Grow Your Business

e mentioned in a previous section of this book W about promoting your wreath business using social media. In this chapter, we are going to dive into what I believe is the best social media platform at this time to market your products, namely Facebook. Firstly, if you are planning on selling your wreaths or other handmade products, then you NEED a Facebook Business Page. If you have not already set one up for your wreath business, it is a fairly simple process to do so. There are many videos on YouTube with step by step tutorials on setting up a business page. This is something that I go into great detail on in our Design with The Pros Club. If you are not currently a member of Design with The Pros Club, you can learn more about joining at https://gracemonroehome.com/learn- to-make-wreaths/. Many people ask if they can just use their ‘personal’ profile to promote and sell from, and the answer is No, it’s not a good idea. You need a business page,

59 Wreath Business Blueprint which is a page dedicated solely to your wreath business. It is okay to post things related to your business on your ‘personal’ profile now and then or to share something from your business page onto your ‘personal’ profile, but it is actually against Facebook’s Terms of Service to use your ‘personal’ profile as a primary form of advertising your business. So now, let’s go ahead and dive a little deeper and talk about ways that you can use Facebook to grow your business ultimately. A few years back, when Facebook was considered a newer platform, it was easy to get your your products seen and noticed by people scrolling their newsfeeds. Anyone who “Liked” or “Followed” your page would see your updates. Recently, however, there have been some changes to the Facebook algorithm, which makes it a little trickier to get your posts seen on your followers newsfeeds, whether you are posting from a personal profile or a business profile. Only a small percentage of people who follow you, or “like” your page, actually see the things that you are posting unless you are purchasing Facebook ads, but that should not stop you from posting or using Facebook to promote your products. You have to learn to post smarter and get to know your audience so that you know what they want and what they will respond to positively. Here are some tips for growing a successful Facebook business page.

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1. Add a good, clear profile picture and cover photo. A good, clear profile photo is essential for Facebook business success. Your page’s profile photo will be the first thing a person sees of your brand when scrolling through their Facebook newsfeed, so you want it to grab their attention so that they will click on it and take a look at your page. You can use a logo, photo of one of your best wreaths, or my favorite, which is a photo of you standing beside a wreath, or holding a wreath. The latter is my very favorite because I think it helps people get to know you and trust you when they can see your face, and ultimately, YOU, are the face of your brand. You can easily make a graphic for your cover photo using Canva.com or PicMonkey.com. People should be able to click on your Facebook business page and know what it is that you do or what it is that you are selling just by looking at your profile picture and cover photo. 2. Post Consistently! Posting consistently on your Facebook business page is so important. You cannot post every few days or once a week, and expect to grow your Facebook page, or gain a following. You must post consistently, every single day. I recommend 2-4 times a day, and I know that for a lot of you, that may seem overwhelming or like too much work, but you can schedule posts on Facebook ahead of time. You can use the Facebook scheduler and schedule your posts for the day or

61 Wreath Business Blueprint week, and you can decide exactly when your post goes out to your audience. 3. Post a good mixture of content. You want to stay away from posting only “salesy” posts or posts trying to get people to buy your products or visit your shop. It’s essential to have the right mix of posts that your audience will find interesting and engaging - motivational quotes, funny pictures, DIY projects. You do not have to come up with all of the content on your own; you can share it from other pages. You especially want to share posts from pages LARGER than yours, that you see getting a lot of likes, shares, and comments because that will help you get some of their traction. When it comes to posting, I typically follow the 80/20 rule – 80% non-sales posts and 20% sales posts. When you do post a sales post, try to make it seem “not so salesy.” Facebook, as a platform, does not like it when you publish sales posts all the time. In fact, if they think you are continuously posting “sales” pitches, they may stop showing your posts to portions of your audience, so you want to mix in your sales posts in a way that is very casual, friendly, and “non- salesy.” You don’t want to post: “Spring Wreath for Sale - $139.00: Buy Here Now!” Try to make it more casual like, “I just finished making the cutest spring wreath. Don’t you think this would look lovely on your front

62 Amanda Cleckler door? Grab it HERE: link to your shop.” You can talk about what you do without sounding “salesy.” 4. Be engaging with your posts. Facebook is all about creating community, and engagement is the key to creating a community that others want to be a part of. I like to think of the way that I interact with my Facebook following as a relationship. The more I get to know my community, the more I can give them content that they want, and that they will ultimately engage with. The more engagement that you get from your followers, the better off you will be. The more likes, comments, and shares you can get on a post, the more likely that Facebook will show your post to more of your followers, so you want to be sure to post things that will get people talking to you. Ask questions of your audience; seek their opinion - “What color ribbon do you think I should use for this wreath?” Always be sure to answer and respond to any comments. 5. Use a Call to Action Button. You can add and change the button under your cover photo, so if you have a website or Etsy store, you can change the button to say “Shop Now” and link it to your shop. This is a great way to get traffic over to your shop because people who visit your Facebook page can click the button and then head over to your shop. 6. Facebook Live videos.

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I know! I know! You are probably cringing right now at the thought of doing a live video. Trust me, I felt the same way when I first started doing videos, but I am going to tell you why it is so important. Facebook Live gives people a chance to get to know you. It is an excellent way for your potential customers and “fans” to get an inside peek into what you do, how you do it, and who you are. We are a very visual society, and people love to feel like they KNOW from whom they are purchasing. KNOW, LIKE, AND TRUST… people will buy more readily from persons whom they know, like, and trust, and Facebook Live gives people a chance to get to know and trust you. Another reason it’s important to do Facebook Live is that Facebook wants us to. They have said that they value engagement, and they are going to be more likely to show posts from the pages where the audience is engaged. Facebook Live videos are the best way to do that. It gives people a chance to ask questions and for you to ask and answer questions, which creates engagement, and ultimately develops a relationship between your community and audience. You can always start small. You don’t have to do 45 minutes or a one-hour live video; to begin with, you can start by hopping on for 10 or 15 minutes and give some tips or show some of the things that you are working on - let them watch you organize your ribbon - there are so many things you can do.

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7. Facebook Ads. I think that these are more for those of you who already have an established page and want to build it up and get more exposure for some of your posts. I would not recommend Facebook ads if you are now starting your page because if you aren’t careful, you can spend a lot of money with very little return. Also, I am not a huge fan of “Like” ads, where essentially you are paying people to like your page. The problem with this is that you can get people who are not your target market, and then it does you no good. So, be careful with those “Like” ads. So, the most important thing to remember when using Facebook as a platform to market your wreaths is that you want to be consistent in your postings and try to create a relationship with your audience. The more you can get them to engage, the better. You want to stay away from very “salesy” type posts, but you still want people to scroll through your page and know what it is that you do or sell, so when you do post about your products, be sure to do it in a way that is friendly, conversational and doesn’t seem like a sales pitch.

Chapter 21: Shipping Your Wreaths

he most popular ways to ship wreath packages T are through the three major shipping carriers, USPS (United States Postal Service), UPS, and FedEx. When choosing a carrier service to ship your wreath orders, it is crucial to think about price and convenience. If you ship via United States Postal Service, you can go to USPS.COM and request a pick-up, and the postal carrier will come to your door and pick-up all of the packages that you have for that day. You have to request the pick-up ONLINE the day before you need it. This is a FREE service that USPS offers, and it is wonderful because you do not have to go to the post office every day, so that will save you both time and money. FedEx and UPS both also offer a pick-up service; however, there may be a fee attached. Both of the latter services are selective about where they will pick-up, so check to see if your address is included in their pick-up zones.

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I recommend getting a printer to print your shipping labels from home, and I also recommend getting a scale from Amazon (typically under $15) to weigh your wreaths so that you can enter the most accurate weight when printing your labels. To keep your shipping prices at a more reasonable rate, I encourage you to try to keep your shipping boxes at a size of 24” x24” x6” or 22” x22” x8” or smaller. We generally use 22” x22” x6” boxes when possible. You can purchase shipping boxes at uline.com, amazon.com, or staples.com.

Chapter 22: Packaging Your Wreaths

orrectly packaging your wreaths is very C important. Not only does good packaging help improve the likelihood that your wreath will arrive at its destination intact and in good condition, but it is also a visual representation of your workmanship and the pride that you have in your product. It is another excellent way to offer the customer a great shopping experience, which will increase the chances that they will become a customer for life.

Chapter 23: Packing Materials You Will Need to Ship a Wreath

 Shipping Box (22” x22” x6” recommended)  Clear Packing Tape  Tape Dispenser  Bubble Wrap  Tissue Paper  Fragile Stickers  Kraft Paper  Pipe Cleaners or Zip Ties (Optional) o protect your wreath, you can cover it well with T bubble wrap and then a layer of tissue paper. You want to be sure that your wreath fits snuggly in the box, with little room to move around. If your wreath wiggles and moves around in the box, you can either use pipe cleaners or zip ties to wire your wreath to the box so that it does not move around during shipping, or use kraft paper to fill in any empty spaces. A great way to add a little personalization to your packages is to leave a little “Thank You” card in the

69 Wreath Business Blueprint box with it. This can be a handwritten card or a pre- made card. It is a good idea to include a coupon code with a discount for a future purchase on the card. This will encourage the customer to shop with you again in the future. Vistaprint.com is a great resource for cards if you want to purchase pre-made cards with your branding and logo. Remember when packaging and shipping your wreaths to try to go above and beyond for your customers. During the holiday season, you could consider including holiday-themed tissue paper or a holiday card. These little touches will make the entire buying process for the customer a five-star experience, and stellar customer experience will often convert to a long-term relationship with the customer.

Chapter 24: Make Customers Feel Special and Valued

omeone once told me this, and it is so true, “It is a S lot easier to keep a customer than it is to find a new one.” Once you have found your ideal customer and they have purchased from you, you want to do all that you can to make the experience a great one so that they keep coming back. Customer service is KEY. Be professional and timely in your responses, and do all that you can to personalize the experience and make the customer feel special. One way that you can make the experience personal is by including a handwritten thank you card or note with the item that they purchased. Also, I like to cover the wreath with pretty colored tissue paper, so that it’s like the customer is opening a gift when they receive the package. Little details and special touches go a long way, and will often create a customer for life.

Chapter 25: Dealing with Bad Reviews and Negative Customers

et’s face it. At some point in your journey of L selling wreaths, you will probably get a negative review, or “bad customer.” It happens. It is part of doing business. You can give a five-star, white-glove service, and make the most stunning wreath the world has ever seen, and there will still be that one customer whom you can’t please. Here is what NOT to do if you get a bad review or negative comment: Don’t get defensive and don’t ignore it. It’s easy to get defensive and argumentative, especially if you don’t feel you did anything wrong, and it’s natural to want to ignore negative feedback, hoping it will be forgotten. These are almost always the wrong things to do. Trust me, I’ve been there and done that, and I can honestly tell you that ignoring it and becoming defensive will only make the situation worse. Ignoring the negative remark makes the customer feel unheard, so in many cases, they will “talk louder.” In today’s society, we use social media

72 Amanda Cleckler platforms as a way to share our good experiences and also our bad experiences, and if you aren’t careful, one small negative situation can become larger and harder to rectify. The best thing to do if you have a customer that is unsatisfied, negative, or just plain rude is to remain calm and be as personal, professional, and polite as possible. Acknowledge the issue and sincerely apologize to the customer, then find a solution. If you do get a bad review, don’t be too hard on yourself. Anyone who’s been in business, for any length of time, will likely agree that it happens, and you just have to move on and not make it personal. If the customer has valid complaints, then listen to them and use this opportunity to learn from your mistakes and improve in the future. You can offer your customer a discount as a way of providing a solution. In most cases, the customer just wants to be acknowledged and heard. Once the negative review or situation is resolved, shake it off and move forward. One bad review won’t make or break you, and you shouldn’t dwell on it. All you can do is be as professional as possible and learn from your mistakes.

Chapter 26: Enjoy the Journey

elling your wreaths can be so rewarding and S exciting, and I am thrilled that you have decided to take this journey. Whether it’s the first notification that one of your handmade wreaths has sold or the hundredth notification, it never gets old knowing that someone loves what you created and is willing to pay money for it. If you had told me over twelve years ago that I would be writing a book and helping others, like you, sell their handmade wreaths, I would never have believed you. I have to pinch myself sometimes! I am honored to be able to go on this journey with you, and I wish you massive success with your wreath business. I hope that this book serves as a foundation for you to create the business of your dreams. For more information on making and selling wreaths, please visit our blog: www.gracemonrohome.com. Happy wreath making … and selling!

About the Author

manda Cleckler is a co-founder of Grace Monroe A Home, an industry leader in luxury floral wreaths. She and her mother, Sherry Buckner, began selling their handmade wreaths online in 2007. Together, they created a thriving business selling designer wreaths to clients around the world. Amanda, along with her mother Sherry, enjoys teaching others the “art” of wreath-making, and sharing their knowledge with thousands through their blog at www.gracemonroehome.com, their social media presence, YouTube channel, and in their exclusive Design with The Pros Club.

75 Wreath Business Blueprint