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You can’t promote an online laser business the same way you’d promote your booth at a craft show. Just like you can’t set up your booth like an online shop.

That’s why in this video; I will be going over 5 separate marketing strategies for both In-Person and Online business models so you can easily maximize the success of your laser business.

I’m getting super excited to get started so – Let’s dive in!

Subscribe to my YouTube Channel HERE

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This post is sponsored by Kittl. More about this powerful design program coming up.

Quick Mindset Shift

Before we get started, it’s important we separate the way we think about how we sell our wares.

Here’s the reality: In-person marketing is about the handshake, while online marketing is about the click.

One relies on your presentation and personality while the other relies on an algorithm and a high-res photo. To scale your business, you have to stop treating your website like a digital craft booth and start treating it like a global storefront. (And vice-versa!)

1. Email Marketing In-Person VS Online

I’ve got 5 email content ideas at the end of this section so hang in there with me.

No matter how you sell, you need to be collecting emails. I know everyone threatens that if all the social media websites blew up tomorrow, how will you get in touch with your customers? Much more realistically, in my opinion, is how will you regularly communicate with people who have already shown you they are interested in what you do.

When someone opts in to your email list, this is what we call a warm audience. Now it’s up to us to heat them up even more (get your mind out of the gutter), so they start or continue to buy from us.

Here are 2 easy methods to gather emails and start that nurturing campaign.

In-Person: Every time you set up a booth, some of the table real estate should be an email collection sheet. I like a physical way for people to sign up because it creates an interactive part of your mini-store. You can entice the signup with a discount code or even a little piece of candy or small branded token cut out of scrap material.

You can opt for a QR code signup, but depending on the average age of your customers, you may find more people are willing to pick up a pen for 10 seconds rather than all the steps needed to type on their phones.

However, a QR code to an email signup should always be on your business cards. Which brings us to collecting email leads via your online sales.

Online: If you have your own website, you can add pop ups to collect emails. I would suggest sweetening the deal with a promise of a discount code delivered to their inbox.

However, if you sell on a marketplace, like Etsy, we are not allowed to collect emails from our orders. But, that doesn’t mean we can’t still ask them to sign up.

When your customers get their order, they will discover your business card with that QR code on it. You can still incentivize a discount code upon signup, in fact, I recommend this, so they have more reason to go through the signup process.

So, what type of emails are we going to send these people?

This is where online and in-person marketing methods collide. Here’s 5 email content ideas:

1. Send flash sale codes for online purchases or a secret word to mention at your next craft show for a deal or freebie.
2. Ask about what new products people would be interested in or ask which color combo works best? When customers have a hand in the craft, they are more likely to want to buy it.
3. Show behind the scenes of your laser process. Not every email needs to be a sales pitch. Making a personal connection to your warm audience stokes the fire.
4. Send care instructions. Whether you send personal emails on how to care for a specific product or send broad care instructions, such as how to clean jewelry, it keeps your business in mind.
5. Showcase happy customer experiences. If you have an example on how a customer has maintained a cutting board for years, or how a couple used a sign to welcome a new baby, it can inspire your customers to reach out.

Remember, we are using emails as a tool to build lasting relationships, not just to politely scream about how they need to buy more stuff from you.

2. Social Media

This is a tough one but is surprisingly similar to email marketing. Instead of sending content directly to your warm audience, you are at the mercy of a never-ending sea of algorithm chaos.

First, let’s talk about how you should approach social media depending on your business model. Oh, and I should mention, if you sell BOTH online and in person, then take note of ALL of this.

In-Person: Focus on Geotags. What does that mean? No matter your favorite social media platform, there is a way to tag where you are. The platform will eventually (and I mean eventually) learn that you are in a particular area and start to show all your other content to people physically near you. If you are wondering which one is best for this, I recommend focusing on TikTok and Instagram, and trickling on down the line.

Post content like:

1. “Setting up at the Downtown Market! Come see me!”
2. “About to deliver this awesome custom piece!”
3. “Last chance to order X before the Holidays!”

Online: Focus on Niche Hashtags and trending audio. Don’t post a tutorial on HOW TO make something, however, you are going to get a totally different audience and confuse the algorithm. I’ve done this, don’t do this.

Try to keep things short and to the point. People don’t want to watch you polish wood in real time. (Get your mind out of the gutter.)

Post content like:

1. The reveal. Make it hard to see what you are making until the very end.
2. Engraving timelapses. Very fun.
3. Fulfilling orders. Builds brand trust with customers.

The social media landscape continues to change on the daily, so keep your life raft ready!

Next up, let’s talk about Sales Tactics.

3. Sales & Discounts

Let’s be honest, there are a million ways to run a sale. BOGO, Percentage OFF, Free with Purchase, blah blah blah. The only way to find what works best for your business in particular is to give them all a whirl. No joke.

You might think a Buy 3 Get 1 Free promotion is a sure thing but come to find out many more people liked that 20% off coupon instead.

Trial and error is the key here. So, here’s what to try:

• In-Person: Play on the impulsivity of a limited time frame. Use “Market Specials” like “3 for $20 today only” or “Buy a Sign, Get a Keychain Free.” The goal is to close the deal now, so they don’t have to carry all that heavy cash home.
• Online: Use “Tiered Discounts” (Spend $50, Get 10% Off) or “Free Shipping over $75.” The goal here is to increase the Average Order Value (AOV) to offset your shipping and platform fees.

4. Visual Presentation

How you present yourself makes a statement for your brand and represents the customers you serve. If you sell hippy dippy star signs to this decades “children of the Earth” but you are wearing 3 polo shirts all with the collars popped and you just smashed a Monster energy drink can on your forehead, you might not be in alignment with your brand, and your customers are going to lose trust.

What you sell should be something you have an interest in. I’m not saying we need to act like we’re not here to make a dang living, I’m just saying if you sell products with cats engraved on them and have an active hatred toward cats, you will fail. Plus, who doesn’t like cats? They are purrfect. (I apologize for nothing.)

So, let’s go over some tasty nuggets for you to consider as a way to Present your business to the world:

In-Person presentation ideas:

• Allow people to touch the wood, try on bracelets, or hold a table decoration close enough to see those details. Include at least a few items that people can personally fondle around a bit – get your mind out of the gutter, don’t make me say it again!
• Consider your booth layout. Sell products with a farmhouse chic aesthetic? Build displays from shiplap boards. Sell alien themed products? Have a silver tablecloth with some multicolor strip lights. In a world that has defaulted to millennial gray, add some freaking fun wherever you can.

Now, here are a few Online Presentation ideas:

• Your marketing is 2D. The customer can’t touch it, so the photo has to do the heavy lifting. You need pictures that showcase what the product can do, where it belongs and how it solves a problem. If the photo looks professional, the product is perceived as professional.
• Build visual brand trust. Any picture you make, whether it’s for products or a shop banner, emails or social media, they should match the overall message of your brand. Having a cohesive identity makes it easier to design new products and serves as a magnet to customers who appreciate the vibe.

5. Networking & Reputation

If your only marketing strategy is ‘I hope people see me,’ you don’t have a business—you have a hobby that happens in public. Whether you’re standing behind a table or behind a keyboard, the ‘Why’ of your laser business stays the same, but the ‘How’ is completely different.

No matter the method of selling, your main goal should be to build a reputation. This shows up online as exemplary reviews. Social proof is priceless.

In person, reputation presents as a recognizable face behind the table. I’ve been selling at some of the same shows for nearly 10 years. Some of my best customers and vendor friends started as a face-to-face meeting and I’d like to think we both look forward to our next meeting.

Network with other vendors and local shop owners when working In-Person. If you get cozy with your booth neighbor, you’d be surprised how many hidden consignment gems they know about in town, or perhaps a holiday market you haven’t heard of yet.

Networking Online can be more difficult, but once you find what works, just like in step 3 with finding what sales work best, you’ll be well on your way to crafting a name people recognize.

Focus on User Generated Content (UGC). Encouraging customers to post photos and tag you. They might be doing this on their own, but you could tell people who use a custom hashtag will be sent a discount code.

If you sell on Facebook, local niche groups will get to know you in no time.

For my jewelry brand, I’ve partnered with a local fashion designer and have had my earrings featured in 2 runway fashion shows!

Trust me, once you start on a networking path, you keep meeting people along the way.

There’s a lot of marketing tactics out there, in fact – I just recently led a 2 hour marketing masterclass tailored to laser businesses, AND this month I will be making a masterclass on social media with a whole months’ worth of content laid out for you to copy and paste later this month.

Links on everything I have for you to succeed down below! If nothing else, sign up to my email list, so I can directly send you helpful tips and updates on my masterclasses.

I’m here to help you! I love business and I love the idea of you succeeding!

If you are still in the beginning steps of your laser business, check out this post next. I go over what starting a laser engraved business looks like, no matter what level you are at.

Thank you so much and happy crafting!