I had a conversation with someone on Twitter asking for advice on craft sales. I went to their site and looked at their products. I thought the site was very nice and the products looked nice but I thought the colors were unattractive. Now please don’t misunderstand, this was just my opinion and I don’t claim to know their niche. I wrote back to this crafter and I asked him if he had ever done a test where he made to versions of the same product but in different colors to see which sold best. He responded by telling me how much his customers loved the colors and that they were all natural, etc… So I wrote back and said “But haven’t you ever been undecided on which color to go with and that if he did a test your customers would tell you which they preferred. To this he responded that he didn’t understand my question because his product had been in several magazines and he really wasn’t expecting this type of advice in response.
Are you getting tired yet, there’s more?
So I wrote back that he was missing my point all I was saying is that he should test. I said try it once, if I’m wrong they will both sell the same, if I’m right his customers would tell you what they like best. I didn’t get any other responses.
So this conversation brings up two points:
1. Don’t you think it’s really arrogant to assume you always know exactly what your customers want? That even if it improved your bottom-line you wouldn’t do a simple test because you know best. Seriously do you think Proctor and Gamble comes up with one package design, ships millions of items daily and doesn’t do A/B testing to see if a variation would sell better. It’s a never-ending cycle I can assure you.
2. If your not open minded enough to consider a response to your question ……. don’t ask, it’s a waste of everybody’s time.
That being said, the back and forth banter had a silver lining because it inspired me to write this article. I hope it will inspire you to do some simple testing of your own. Remember you can test all kinds of variables, price, size, fragrances, etc. Use your imagination, test and reap the benefits both financially and with happier customers. Isn’t that’s what it’s all about?
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
I take it that the individual you are referring to is actually a “she”. I think I might know who it is.
Considering you only looked at the HOME page, index.html, of said individual, and not a single, solitary product (and “he” can prove it via web stats), I most definitely WOULD argue that you are not aware of their niche.
In response to your first question, no. I do not see how it is arrogant for someone to claim that they know what their customers want after years of experience and market research.
But what really bugs me about your assertion is that you know better somehow. You bring up P&G, and while they DO invest in redesigning products and packaging efficiency, they spend WAY more time and money in R&D – and as far as product quality goes, I can vouch for at least this particular crafter. What does it matter what color the product is if it’s a horrible product anyway? Conversely, if you absolutely love the product itself, I don’t think you’re going to be standing there next time you go to buy it wishing it was a different color. That’s a far more important point, and I think you missed that entirely.
Here’s the other issue.
The subject of your blog post was, out of respect for the knowledge and ability you conveyed to “him”, asking you to review “his” wholesale policies. Not only did this issue never get addressed, but now it must become a blog post about how arrogant this person supposedly is.
Small crafters likely do not wish to be compared to huge industry. It is a different niche entirely. I have no desire to be like Procter and Gamble. None! I am also willing to bet that, as the owner, soapmaker, customer service agent, sales representative, photographer, and commerce manager… *I* have had *far* more direct interface with my customers than P&G ever will.
Kindly suggest a better color for a mint soap than pale green, a lavender soap than… well, lavender… and I’ll think about it. Meanwhile, I’ll keep doing what I’m doing, and I wish you every kindness as you do the same.
Have a good day.
Wow. I really liked this article, and I see your point – but it definitely looks like a few people got hot under the collar and took it very personally. I can kinda see why – maybe different words could have been chosen, but the point is that SURVEYING is a very basic, important aspect of any business. Potential customers can be surveyed at any point, regarding any aspect, to find out whether you, as a business person can make some slight change that will increase your business. Its a basic of marketing, which so many small businesspeople are missing. I’ve run many various types of businesses over the past 14 years, and I can say that any business that dropped this out, or started to presume that they knew best what their customers wanted, without asking for feedback from those customers, started to slowly wane from that point. Its not an insult – it is just good business to continually find out how you can improve your product or service to be closer to what more people will want.
Just a comment. I do not have a “craft, hobby” website. My site above is real estate, so please take this as my “toe in the water” comment.
I think it depends. Somethings are art because they are what they are. Other things such as “crafts, hobbies” lend themselves to personalizations and choice of colors. It depends upon the product. However when you ask for advice, you get both what you want ot hear and what you do not want to hear. So be careful what you ask for!
True – you have to be willing to hear both if you’re going to ask.
That is a good point regarding something being “art” because of what it is. The thing, though, is that only a small percentage of artists get to make whatever they want to create and have the following to sell it, just because it was made to match their own taste. Any artist can aspire to that, certainly.
But for the rest, who want to make a living with any product or service, you sort of have to be willing to change it and learn what is wanted. If I make decorated hammers, and need a new car, I might like green ones best, but if I make a pink one and those start selling like wildfire, I’d be wise to make enough pink hammers to get the new car, while I work on increasing the market for green hammers on the side, since I love making green hammers best.
Norm..you tout yourself as a “coach”. Yet nowhere on your site is any information about what services you might offer, your clients or any other information. Heck, there’s no contact information, just a tag that gives your name as author. As a small business, I’d have trouble listening to ANY thing you had to say. Clearly, not only do you not know the niche of a crafter you were purporting to “coach”, I’m seriously doubting your title as ‘coach’ at all.
Indie businesses are just that, indie. And as such, they design their products based on their own whims, desires and so forth. Big box “testing” is best relegated to big business like P&G who are selling to the masses, not to a smaller segment. Better go check your marketing prinicples 101 before you hang out your shingle as a coach!
Deb,
I am brand new to this, and hesitate to admit I don’t know what an Indie business is?? please?
I have just sent in an application to a couple of craft shows for next fall. I have some hand painted small items I want to sell, so this subscription seemed interesting to me. Flynn
Testing can work for any business, large or small. The point, I think, is that the person asked for some type of advice about a business, but when they got a business related response, they got emotional about their art.
Business is business. If you don’t care about making money, or maximizing results, don’t run a business. Just make what pleases you, and hand things out as Christmas gifts.
Kristie, I am not seeing what you are talking about in your first paragraph as being the core issue. The first commenter up above… if that’s who Norm really did talk to and write this post about… seems to be saying that he never even LOOKED at her products, only her home page on her web site, and then he was never even willing to address her original question. If that’s really true, I can’t blame her for being upset.
Wow, anyone want another worm? You sure opened a can of ‘em with that post
Well, I’m gonna take your advice and try a Twitter/Facebook focus group test on some greeting card designs that I have been mulling over. I am in creation/R&D mode at the moment and don’t have any products listed on my Etsy yet.
As a complete newbie, I appreciate your tips and advice!
Thanks!
I laughed….the artical was so funny. Well not the artical but the person that asked you for advice and then just shut you out. I have known people like that in the craft biz. We get so emotionally attached to our products and the way we sell our products we think everyone likes what we do and how we do it.
The reason I’m here looking at your web site and blog and Twitter pages is because I KNOW I don’t know everything….I know there has to be a better way and am anxious to try anything to encourage more people to my sites and give them every opportunity to buy my products. Keep up the good work. I’m buying your etsy cd right now!
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