Have you ever wondered how to promote your print-on-demand business?
Print-on-demand (POD) is a great way to start your own business. It lets you get started with very little up-front investment and gives you the flexibility to grow into bigger things as your audience grows.
But how do you actually start building an audience?
Here are our top tips on how to promote your print-on-demand business:
1. Be clear about the brand you’re creating.
Great branding is more than just a logo.
It’s about the whole experience you provide your customers with, from their first interaction with you to when they receive their product.
To create great branding, it’s important that you take some time to think about who your customer is and how they might interact with and receive your print-on-demand products.
2. Design products that are going to sell.
A crucial step to building an audience is designing products that are going to sell.
The first few products you offer should be something that people want and need.
If you start with a bunch of random items, it will be hard to build an audience, because there’s no clear reason why people should buy from you instead of another seller.
Think about what people are looking for and what they need. Then design products that meet those needs.
For example, if you are into fashion, create bracelet jewelry that reflects that. If you’re a writer, create bookmarks or coffee mugs with quotes from your books on them.
Finding the right products to sell can help attract customers to your business.
3. Optimize your product listing.
To build an audience for your print-on-demand business, you should optimize and customize your product listings.
It should stand out from the crowd of other listings in the print-on-demand marketplace you’re in.
Here are some tips:
- Use keywords that relate to your product and include them in your title, description, and tags
- The description of your item should be short, sweet, and compelling
- Use all the available space on your product page to show off your product in its best light
- Make sure the images are high quality and clear
- Use descriptive text that will encourage people to buy
Once you’ve got your product listing looking good, it’s time to start promoting it.
4. Use social media marketing to grow your audience.
Social media is the best way to reach your audience, and it also allows you to learn about them. In this section, we’ll go over how to promote your print-on-demand business using social media marketing.
The first thing you should do is research which platforms are best for your target market. You can start by looking at where they hang out online and what kind of content they post. Then try some different strategies until one works!
Here are some good platforms to start reaching your audience:
- YouTube
Once you’ve created an account on one of these social media platforms, start building your audience. Here’s how:
Posting: Posting content is the most important thing you can do on social media. You’ll want to post frequently and consistently so that people get used to seeing your name in their feeds. Use hashtags to make sure that people searching for those terms find your posts.
Engaging: Respond to questions, comments, and other posts from followers by thanking them for engaging with you or offering a helpful response. This will encourage more engagement in the future.
Connecting: Network with other businesses in your niche. If a post relates to your business or industry, be sure to give it a thumbs up or “like.” This will show other users that you’re an active member of the community, increasing their likelihood of following you back.
Paid advertising: Facebook ads, Google ads, Instagram ads, and Pinterest ads are all good places to start if you have some money set aside for marketing efforts.
5. Create a blog or website that advertises your products.
You can write about anything related to your business—or even just about things that interest you—as long as you keep it relevant to your target audience. Keep people coming back for more.
You’ll also want to include links to your POD shop in each post so that people can easily find and order from it.
Create email opt-in forms on all pages of your website so that visitors can sign up for updates and offers from your business.
Building relationships over time will help you build rapport with potential customers so that when they’re ready to make a purchase, they’ll remember who you are and what products they’ve liked in the past.
6. Build an email list for your print-on-demand business.
Email marketing can help you build an audience for your print-on-demand business. It’s easy, scalable, and inexpensive—making it a viable avenue for even small companies looking to expand their customer base.
There are email platforms that are free and simple to use, allowing you to send out promotional emails and newsletters. That means, even if you have a limited budget, you can still use email marketing as part of your overall strategy for growing your company.
Here’s how to start with email marketing:
1. Create an account with your preferred email marketing provider.
2. Set up an email newsletter and start sending it out to your list once per week.
3. Write a blog post every two weeks (or more often).
4. Share the posts on your social media profiles.
There are a couple of ways to use email marketing as part of your print-on-demand business:
- Build trust and loyalty. Your customers have already taken the leap of faith by ordering from you. Why not reward them with a freebie? You could offer a coupon or discount for their next order, or even send over information about other products they might be interested in buying.
- Offer advice and tips. Send regular newsletters featuring tips and resources related to printing services or other topics related directly or indirectly to what you sell (such as how-to guides).
- Deliver useful content. Give them something interesting to read once in a while. Send regular updates about products, services, and special offers.
Aim to acquire email subscribers who fit the profile of your ideal customer. The more targeted and laser-focused your email list is, the better.
Are you ready to build your audience?
These are all simple steps that anyone can do, and they don’t cost much either! Remember to keep going and keep learning how to promote your print-on-demand business.
You’re well on your way to finding success selling products in your print-on-demand business.