353 – So You Think You’ve Tried Everything to Get People to Buy? with Matt and Layne of Obsessed With Markets

Are you selling crafts at fairs? Or are you selling online only? I had the chance to talk with a married couple who are experts on selling at markets. Their story is so interesting because they both had this passion as they were growing up – and the combination of their experiences together is really powerful. You’ll see what I mean in a minute. But if you haven’t considered selling crafts at fairs and shows before, it’s something to consider for this year - it might change everything for you. And I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but even the experts in social media are now changing their messaging and talking a lot more about email and yes, face-to-face selling like what we’re focusing on today. Matt and Layne are husband and wife business partners who started Obsessed With Markets. Layne comes from a retail family so she grew up on the floor of large retail stores and experienced going to markets with her mom and dad. Matt is a welder/fitter by trade who has spent the bulk of his life making, sculpting, and fabricating anything he could get his hands on. His professional life before Obsessed was manufacturing and construction management. They spend their lives now helping makers and artisans understand what steps need to be taken to turn their creative passion into the job they want or the opportunity they want. Selling Crafts At Fairs & Local Markets Understand your customers and what their needs are.  Learn how to sell to them properly without being pushy. Know basic sales things. It'll change the entire dynamic of how you do things once you start to understand. Understand why some products don't sell.  Why isn't it selling? What have you missed? What are you not addressing? What skills can you give to get this product selling? Look for the right type of help from people who have actually been in your shoes. Learn face-to-face sales. That's what you need to focus on because so much becomes clear about what you're doing, why you're there, and what they want to hear. Always consider what your market wants to hear from you. Do your research. You don't have to know everything. Delegate tasks so you can prioritize things to grow your business. Establish a relationship and ask the right questions. Make sure you have a strong niche because that's going to be a big help with your business. It’s something that makes you stand out. Business Building Insights Address problems and issues very quickly. Follow up with solutions and answers. You can learn how to do things that are difficult. Be willing to put yourself out there, to fail, and to feel embarrassed. Be open to all those things that go along with learning. Look for the right kind of training and guidance when trying to grow your business. Move towards what moves you and this will all work out. Believe in yourself and do what you love. Put your heart and soul into it. When you do something you love, it just goes exponentially better. So much of success comes from just believing in yourself in the first place. Embrace failure - over and over. Throwing yourself into the fire is the only way you'll learn. You were not made to know everything. Go educate yourself and be willing to outsource. Even when you think you've tried everything - you haven't. Look around for new ideas and techniques to try. Take a chance on yourself - get help, get training, don't give up. ...