Melinda Steffy

The main point of Melinda's lecture was marketing yourself successfully (through technology of course). She promoted Etsy.com which specializes in hand-made goods and crafts. She told us how to be successful on websites like that (good photographic imagery is the key, as well as reposting regularly so you pop up in searches). She did note that the site isn't geared toward fine art sales though and pieces like that don't sell well on Etsy. She also told us about in-person sales and selling your items in other stores, elaborating on the pros and cons of each. Selling in-person builds a bond with your customer base that keeps them coming back for more and it also plays upon their impulse buying. They will buy just because they may never catch you again.

I've explored Etsy some before and they have really unique products, but I can tell that it wouldn't be useful to my market, unless vendors hired me to shoot their products...