How to sell your creations on the Internet?

Every year, we look forward to this time of year. We enjoy strolling through the illuminated streets, shopping for handcrafted gifts at the Christmas markets, tasting mulled wine and other local specialities... It's also the perfect time for designers to showcase their creations in a warm atmosphere.
But this year will be different. Due to the Covid-19 health crisis, there will be no Christmas market and no fairy-tale entertainment in the streets. Had you planned to sell your pretty creations of costume jewelry and DIY accessories, but your plans fell through? Don't panic! Maybe it's time to start selling on the Internet.
It can be scary, but don't worry, we'll give you a few tips and tricks to follow to sell your creations on the web.

To complete this article, we recommend you watch our "Tips from the pros" videos on our Youtube channel!

Catch the eye

Creating your own website allows you to showcase the quality of your work, your world and your creations. The key is to write simple, honest content and choose attractive photos. You'll be able to control your sales from A to Z.

It's an indispensable tool for generating more visits and reaching new customers. They have 24/7 access to your site, so you don't have to work around the clock.

There are many platforms available for creating your own website free of charge or at a lower cost in just a few clicks. Shopify is one of them.
Simple enough to use, you can choose the theme of your future website and customize it by selecting colors, images or style for a result that matches your expectations. The platform offers a host of features, such as a shopping cart adapted to mobile commerce, a customer account to find out more about their habits, the possibility of creating gift cards, search engine optimization and the ability to send newsletters to build customer loyalty and keep them up to date with your latest products. It takes a little time at first, but it's worth it!

And opening an online store is always better than relying on commercial marketplaces.

However, if you don't feel up to it, or if you want to sell right away, you can sign up for these Etsy-type marketplaces.

Take care of your photos

We can't stress this enough: photos are essential to catch the eye of your future customers. They'll be seduced by your creations.
There's no need to invest in a state-of-the-art camera - a recent smartphone will do. What's more important is knowing how to take pretty pictures when you're not a photographer. Here are two tips to help you do just that:

• Choose natural light. Find the time of day when the light is most beautiful.
• Set the scene for your creations. Well-presented jewelry is more eye-catching. Take inspiration from what's around you: a twig or a flower picked from the garden, or small decorative objects from around the house, can be used to create a beautiful composition. Keep it simple, and above all, keep it simple, as your necklaces and bracelets should be the stars of your photos.
  For inspiration, take a look at what's available on the Internet, but above all, trust your creativity to transcribe your universe as best you can! Pinterest and Instagram will be a great help if you're a complete novice!
• Our extra tip: take photos with a light background and of the jewel you're wearing.

If you'd like to create pretty presentations, choosing the right graphics and integrating text, you can use sites like Canva. It's easy to use and free. In fact, it's perfect for making elaborate banners and stories for Instagram.

Use social networks

Do you have a Facebook pro page? Do you have a pro Instagram account? It's essential to switch from a personal page to a pro page to show that creating DIY jewelry and accessories is more than just a hobby for you.

You'll also have a better view of your stats, since pro accounts give you extra features.

On Facebook and Instagram, you can link your profile to your online store, so you can tag your products directly on your posts.

Store tab

You'll also be able to activate the handy "boutique" tab: it lets you indicate the price of your creations, their components, and link to your website.

Hashtags

Think about hashtags (#) when you write a post. They make it easier to reference your publications in the news feeds of people who share your interests.

Animations

It's not enough to create a pro page, you now need to animate your social networks: to make sure your work is noticed, it's essential to post regularly on Facebook and Instagram. How do you do this? There are several ways: post your publications, of course, but also share relevant content, make exchanges with other designers to share your communities, create events, make stories, run contests, make videos... The more varied the content, the more your community will enjoy following you.

Planning

To get organized as best you can, make a schedule, choosing wisely the dates on which you're going to publish your content. Facebook and Instagram will help you schedule your publications, so you can save a little time.

Interact

Don't hesitate to interact with your followers. Facebook and Instagram allow you to use polls, comments, emojis... Your followers are very sensitive to this.

Get inspired by what you see on the web. Recently, virtual Christmas markets have been multiplying on Facebook. Why not sign up or create your own with your creative friends? The magic of Christmas will certainly be missing, but it could be a good alternative.

Want to find out more? Take a look at Audrey's pro tips on YouTube. You'll discover invaluable tips for boosting your online sales or animating your Facebook pro page.