Building a profitable online business - your top tips!

[MJD]

Hi Seller Community!

I'm Matt, you may recognise me from all I do on the Community, but I'm here to seek your best advice today...

So, I have been running MJD Online for a short while now, but have never truly had a common reliable flow of sales.

I'd like to ask everyone... 

1) How did you connect with a customer base that pays, I have all the social media game sussed even if my current following is only small, I'd consider myself knowledgeable in the social media sector, but I'm having trouble finding a community that converts. Has anyone got any experience giving their business a boost in a quiet time? Please share what you know!

2) I'm constantly looking for new products to add to keep the store looking fresh, but I want a bit of open feedback here, what are customers looking to buy, I want to go into the Christmas period selling products that people want to buy, however I want the products to also be things that I can sell year round. What products should I try next that fit with my photography brand theme? Take a look at www.mjdonlineuk.com if you want to see more about what I already do for some inspiration! 

Thanks in advance for all and any feedback provided, I appreciate the things this community does! 

[Minion]

Hey Matt, 

I can't really offer much insight as far as finding customers in your specific business  goes other than maybe stalk some other photographers social media channels or groups to see what and where the are selling to?  (I'm sure you probably have)

I do have some ideas that I can toss our way though.  You could take your images and add them to canvas prints (multi canvas to be exact).  For me personally, you could put a slice of pizza on a multi canvas print and i would buy it faster than if just on a single one.  Now there is a lot of other big companies in the canvas game, so it would be pretty competitive, but a good photo will speak for itself.

With Holiday's coming up, or just in general, you could even look to collab with other sellers here.  Maybe work something out with @BriaChaney and the candles to better offer "bundles" sort of thing. 

I'm sure i'll have some more ideas that I can toss your way at some point down the road.

[MJD]

I think I’m going to have to look and find out where I can source multi canvas prints from because they’re would be great! 

[HC_Charlie]

Have you tried prints on different substrates? I have not seen these in person, but quite a few printing sites will produce images on thin metal sheets. ?

The best product we sell in-person are boxed notecards, and I could see your work doing well in these.  Online sales have always been tricky for my store; online orders usually trickle in unpredictably, and my hardest challenge is for people to add multiple items to their online order. They usually Google a specific item and find it in my online store, and that's all they buy...wonder if there's a way for Square to add some kind of widget to websites to encourage larger shopping carts ? I've been to other sites where there is a message "you're $12 away from free shipping" of something like that.

[MJD]

I like the idea of the notecards, wonder where I could source these from though and how much they’d cost to ship, they’re the too big factors when it comes to selling any product

[SammyGrace2414]

Hi @MJD! When I think of photography + products to sell a few things come to mind. 
- Post Cards, Calendars, Graphics for Business Websites, Coasters, Prints (canvas?)

Now when I think of a photographer I usually think the person's likely creative, and probably knows their way around photoshop/procreate or something of the sort. That opens up ideas such as: stationary, notecards, mailers, stickers, canva templates, email signature templates, the list can go on and on. I have seen many people use the ?printful service to print their designs on demand on different types of products. (Basically I watch too much TikTok and there's lots of that on there right now).

Now when it comes to finding a customer base that pays.. I was very open on Social Media about what I sold and posted a lot when my business first opened. I had something people wanted and things streamed in quickly for me. It may have been pure luck the way it worked out. What continues to work for me though is providing great customer service and showing products I sell being used in real life on social media. Pictures pictures pictures. No perfect in-studio pictures either, just real life pictures. 

What kind of items can you see yourself selling? 

[MJD]

Hi @SammyGrace2414 thanks for all the input here, I know my way round photoshop to a level where I have created some incredible leaflets and such for a local athletics team before, and I really do want to bring calendars to my store for next year! Any other ideas of products I can use, I already use Printful to produce my phone cases so I’d be open to adding more of their products, also any TikTok ideas I really need to get into a regular posting schedule 

[GracifferDesign]

I’m not sure if you have the full CC suite, but if you do, InDesign will make your life *worlds* easier for designing leaflets/calendars — really anything with multiple pages/sides. 

Canva is another good (way cheaper) option if you don’t have time or desire to learn ID. 

[Doran]

I regularly poll my audience.  So when I'm at market I'll post things to IG stories and ask if it is something people would buy.  Same thing if I see something online I want to bring into the store. 

I also send a weekly newsletter announcing incoming items that I take "pre-orders" for.  If no one pre-orders, I don't bring it into the shop.  Basically, make it a conversation with your readers/followers/consumers.  They will tell you what they want to buy.  

[NewWine]

Hey Loves

A. Be committed

B. Be your #1 Cheerleader

C. Try to find new clients

These definitely changed my whole life. Hope these helps you and your customers.

[Sam_400º]

Matt - been thinking on this specifically to you over the past few days & haven’t found the time to write stuff out (still haven’t, this isn’t it). Also a bit worried that while it would be constructive it might not sound all that positive. 

Worth taking a step backwards & checking (or writing) your business plan, what is your product & where does it stand in the market? 

Anyone who says that have the social media game sussed, in my experience doesn’t.

The photography game has changed so much over the past 20 years, even just since I did my degree (commercial photographic practice) a few-ish years ago. 

Give me a bell if you want to talk though anything as happy to be a sounding board if nothing else 👍