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Well I just don't understand what I am doing wrong. I have as of yet had zero luck selling anything online. I am not sure what I am doing wrong or not doing but something isn't right. I have merchandise listed on two facebook pages, ebay, etsy, and craigslist. I get about one call a week from my many craigslist adds and so far one has actually bought something. The only vinyl product I have sold on Ebay was for an auction I started at $5 and there was only one bid.

 

Just wondering if anyone would be willing to shoot a tip or two my way about what they have had good results with. I have shirts, wall art, and vehicle graphics listed for sale. 

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I personally don't bother with those type of sales cause in my opinion there are so many people doing it that the prices are just to cheap.  You almost have to give it away to get a sale.  Unless you come up with a new idea (then they will all steal that anyway).  Just my thought.  I would rather go to town, pass out a few business cards at local businesses and shake a few hands and kiss a few babies.  I would rather have a few bigger jobs with bigger profit margin like banners, signs etc. then making a buck or two husling some small decals.

 

 I went to my local chamber of commerce to see what events were planned for the year, like the rodeo and any little "fest's" they may be having.  Thinking about participating in those.  For example, the rodeo, for one, they have banners everywhere for all the local business who sponsor.....well, I want my name up there too!!  How do I get a banner up and who do I need to talk to?!  I guess what I am getting at I went the route of trying to get involved in the community to help get my name around.  Since I am home based, I don't have a billboard or a yellow page listing or even a store front.  I get around by work of mouth.

 

I will be giving this a try this fall..... sponsoring a little league team.  Guess what, for starters, my name will be on all those little kids shirts.  Since I make shirts, I might get to make their uniforms.  As well as the parent shirts..... (those are big around here. parents want shirts with their kids names on them.)  May turn out I only get the sales of my own team this year but maybe others next time around in the spring!

 

My process is a little slow but I wanted it that way.  I don't rely on this to put food on the table so it is not about having to make money to pay bills.  It happens to be extra money for me which I like!  I am in the process of converting the garage into my "office" (almost done!!) plus since I am new to vinyl, I didn't want to jump in with both feet and not be able to deliver and start off with a bad name from the get go.  I see lots of folks by a cutter and get a job before they have even done a test cut on their cutter.  I didn't want that.

 

Oh, ( see you have a heat press)  I almost NEVER, EVER leave my house without wearing a shirt I made with my name and info on it.  I try to put my info on the back and something funny or interesting on front.  Cause once they see the front and go "hey, I like your shirt"  I reply with "Thanks, I made it" and the conversation evolves from there

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Thanks paperman, 

 

I am doing these same things for the local business. That area could be better but I am trying. My frustration comes from the fact that I have heard from others on the forum and other places that most of their business comes from online sales. I don't expect that but I would definitely like getting a few dollars here and there from online sales. I agree that the online market place is flooded but I think I should be able to get a little piece too, hopefully.

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I agree, and I bet if you keep after it you'll end up getting some sales.  They town I live in here is small so I know I will never get rich.  In fact, a few weeks ago I had nothing..... no leads, nothing.  I thought, damn this sucks.  This week?  I am swamped.  New customers, repeat customers!  I guess it comes and goes   B)

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I have been in sales for about eight years, selling for companies. I am very familiar with the ups and downs of it. I have always been fortunate enough to have large advertising dollars and trusted brands under my belt though. Now it is all me and self generated leads only. What a difference I tell you, my last year working for someone else I sold $330,000 in services.

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you have entered a market with a few thousand $300 cutters in every nook and cranny in america - with everyone trying to do the same thing.  people on ebay give a lot of the stuff away for next to nothing - the only hope you have is to build your reputation locally for doing quality work and selling quality products.  just my 2c

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Also create your own niche' in the market  Something different, than what others have.  If your selling the same thing, it is just who has the cheapest. That is what buyers look at on EBAY and online sales.  I have a lot of repeat buyers on online sales. Plus,  they tell some one and they tell someone.. 

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That is why everyone needs to keep there price where they should be & everyone could make good $$! Not sell a $8.00 decal for $1.50!

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When I first started on ebay there was me and one other guy.That was it. Nobody else was doing custom signs and banners. Now there are hundreds,if not thousands. Fortunately, in the early years I built a nice customer base that buy directly now. I would hate to depend on my ebay sales for my living.

 

On the flip side,when  I advertise ( almost never) I get swamped. So I just rely on repeat business and word of mouth. If you're just starting out, hit the pavement..talk to people. I've actually been driving down the road, seen some really bad signs, stopped in and got a regular customer that very day.

 

It's easy to buy a cutter..not so easy to operate a successful business.

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I drove by one of those el-cheapo used car lots here in town and noticed they had a new, very plain, very boring banner - simple straight text - all one font - just blah.  I wondered who they had got locally to do it and then I noticed the owner's pickup parked by the door to the office and saw all the traditional "Noob" decals on the tailgate and realized that another "Hey, I've got a cutter and I can make signs now!" person has entered the market.

 

I don't list specific products for sale, I show "examples" of what I can do and encourage people to come to me with their own ideas, and that seems to work better when advertising, unless you've got something real specific that is hot right now.

 

At craft fairs and festivals, I bring a broader range of products, but I'd say half of my table space is devoted to examples and a stack of business cards/flyers.

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Ha, I will confess something here. I still only have one medium size sign on my car. I just can't come up with an idea to put on my own vehicle. I do pretty good creating stuff for my customers but when it comes to my own, yikes! I am sure using more of my giant suburban add space would be beneficial to me. I better actually get to work on it. 

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Ha, I will confess something here. I still only have one medium size sign on my car. I just can't come up with an idea to put on my own vehicle. I do pretty good creating stuff for my customers but when it comes to my own, yikes! I am sure using more of my giant suburban add space would be beneficial to me. I better actually get to work on it. 

 

I have NO decals on my truck!  I've had numerous people ask me, why, if I can make them and am so quick to make everything for anyone that asks... do I not have a single decal on my own truck.  LOL   I just can't decide what I want for myself.  I just finished up our advertising logo, that will definitely be going on there, but besides that, I just haven't found anything I had to have for myself.  I was trying to hold off on our Gettin' Sticky! ad, until the web guy finished up our website.  Hopefully it'll be able to go on soon.

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Ang,

you don't even have "Splatman" on your truck. :huh:? I have YOUR splatman on my truck so that shows i can't even come up with my own. :rolleyes: I have had several comments on him. Of course i tell them i cut him but hes not my design. :huh:  This is just mostly fun for me with a order now and then. No advertising. I should tho so my DH could retire and do the work of cutting and weeding. HE HATES his job so this could be his income but as stated, it's not consistent as of yet.

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If you intend to pay the bills doing this make to advertise on every vehicle you drive and try to always wear shirts with your info, also a pocket full of business cards.

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If you intend to pay the bills doing this make to advertise on every vehicle you drive and try to always wear shirts with your info, also a pocket full of business cards.

 

can you see me? :lol:

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Size of town may matter but I'm in a town of 800 people and still make it. Word of mouth is the best advertising there is.

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Yeah I agree! I only have my company sign on the back of my main vehicle a suburban. I am trying to think up a really good looking graphic to put on the sides with my company name and number. Of course I feel like this vinyl has to look GREAT so that people will see it and get excited about their own vehicle and idea. That is what has slowed the process so far, I just can't think anything up for my truck.

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I get a decent amount of likes on the page and on individual stuff but no sales. I like sharing my work and apparently others people think its neat but thats about it. It is mainly my friend circle though, not many likes other than people I already know personally. 

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Get something on the 'burban and remember you can always change it later cause you know a sign guy ;D . Anything is better than nothing at all.

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Ha ha, ever since I have been doing this full time I am a lot more stingy with my vinyl. Hate to waste any now, I just see dollar signs going down the toilet. I wish I had a new body style suburban because I saw some stuff I would really like to cut but I am stuck in the past with my 1999. I am going to work on the design tonight. 

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The cost of the vinyl is a pittance vs. the reward for 1 job sold due to the advertising. I cried doing mine in fluorescent vinyl because of cost and short term durability  but I know for sure 3 new customers that hadn't heard of me before they saw the Jeep.

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Ang,

you don't even have "Splatman" on your truck. :huh:? I have YOUR splatman on my truck so that shows i can't even come up with my own. :rolleyes: I have had several comments on him. Of course i tell them i cut him but hes not my design. :huh:  This is just mostly fun for me with a order now and then. No advertising. I should tho so my DH could retire and do the work of cutting and weeding. HE HATES his job so this could be his income but as stated, it's not consistent as of yet.

 

Haha... No, not yet!  I do plan to add him.  Probably decent size, on one of my back side windows.  He is on my cutter though.  Of all the thousands of designs I have, he's the only thing I've even considered using, so far.  Hubby has quite a few on his truck.  Even one that I made for him, probably 6 or 7 years ago when we did cutting the first time.  It's still lookin' good, you'd never know it was that old!

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On etsy you need to get a few good reviews to get started, renew items often as they are put on the top for searches, and join groups to get into treasuries. The more clicks to view your items the higher your ratings go. Be careful as they are a lot like ebay and their customer support really bites. As with any site, look into your search words you have chosen and how your titles are stated to maximize your potential on google. Don't forget to keep your titles under 70 spaces and think of yourself as a customer who is searching for that item. Also google hates repeats of the same things so try and stay original. Think outside of the box. Best of luck to you.

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