words Al Woods
Photo Credit: Christian Wiediger via Unsplash
Starting a small business that aligns with your interests and passions is an excellent way to earn a little extra money. However, it can be difficult to know where and how to sell your products.
- Are you allowed to sell on Amazon if you’re not a huge company?
- How do you market yourself on your social media and reach beyond your friends?
- What content works best on which platform?
Check out the list of platforms below which you can use to your advantage!
1. Amazon
Amazon may seem like an obvious platform to sell products on, but not everyone realizes how easily you can use their platform as an individual to sell your products. All you need to do is create an Amazon Seller account and utilize their ‘Fulfilled by Amazon’ function to create a successful business in no time.
There are tips and tricks galore to help you rise amongst the ranks to become a competitive seller, but at its core all you need to do is complete some thorough research on a profitable product, know your competitors, and know which keywords to use in your product descriptions.
Visit Project FBA to get some help on making your business the best it can be!
2. Instagram
Instagram is a really wonderful place to develop your creative endeavors into something more. This may be sourcing hidden gems on eBay and curating different products which you can sell for a profit. Maybe you have taken up crochet and made some funky crop tops which look just like those on the high street. Perhaps you’re an artist and think your paintings could be moved beyond your house and into someone else’s. The limits are endless.
There is already a steady business community on Instagram. Interact with more popular accounts to draw attention and ask if they will feature you on their Instagram story.
Alternatively, start your business with a bang and offer a giveaway. Post pictures of your product and tell people to post it on their story to be within the chance of winning a prize! Ask friends to help you out. If people like what they see, they will follow and be there the next time you advertise.
3. Depop
A popular website to sell your second-hand clothes on, people are also looking for creative and unusual pieces of clothing they can’t get anywhere else. Here, these hashtag system is really important. People search for brands, and any product with that hashtag attached to it will appear in their search.
Perhaps your product is not affiliated with a specific brand, but if you think it has a similar style to a well-known brand like Brandy Melville, then put it in the hashtags underneath your post. If buyers like what they see, then they might be inclined to buy it even if it’s not what they were looking for!
4. TikTok
You might think that TikTok is for teens and tweens, but much like Instagram it has been a vital platform for many businesses. An effective and popular way of increasing your audience is showing the behind-the-scenes of your everyday business. Watchers gain a sense of intimacy with the creators, and it creates interest in your products.
On TikTok, the ‘For You Page’ is your friend. If you use hashtags like #cakedecorating along with #fyp then your video will start to filter onto people’s ‘For You Page’, especially if they have liked previous videos on the same subject.
Happy Selling!
Social media means the world is at your fingertips and through easy tricks like this you can increase your audience in no time. All of these platforms offer unique ways to sell your stuff and build your brand. Think creatively, and don’t hold back!
