Thoughts on My Target Market

Meadowlark by humblebeads 

I'm in the middle of a transistion in my business from all beads to creating a line of jewelry.  A million years ago, okay maybe more like 10 years, I used to sell jewelry all the time.  As you can imagine it's easier to sell beads than jewelry for me, after all I've made it my business to know how to sell beads like a pro. Does that mean it's harder to sell jewelry?  No, it's actually easier to sell jewelry but in a different way - believe it or not more people wear jewelry than make it!  But I do need to find my target market and put my creations in front of the right people.  Which is not an easy task.  And honestly selling jewelry online is harder than in person.  So I'm finding a balance, signing up for shows and making a plan to launch a wholesale line of jewelry to offer to stores while discovering the best way to market online.

Wildflower Fields by humblebeads 

I've been reading a lot of business books lately.  My Kindle Buy Now button is a dangerous weapon in my hands! A few good reads:

Grow Your Handmade Business
The Savvy Crafter's Guide to Success
Sell Your Jewelry

Sandy Shores by humblebeads 

So while I'm working on sketches, designs and plans, I'm also figuring out the marketing side of selling my line of jewelry.  And before I can market, I need to know who am I marketing to and how do I reach her.  Take a minute to read this great article on Targeting Customers from Halstead Beads.  

So who is my target customer?

She is who'd like to be in about 5 years.  I've met her at artist's fairs, art events, artist's guild meetings, I even went to college with her - she was the one who returned to school after her kids were out of the house.  I see her in my best friend.  My target customer is someone I'd love to have lunch with or share a glass of wine while we talked about our creative pursuits.  She is thoughtful and wise, she loves nature and poetry. 

She's 45-60.  Married or with a long-term partner.  She has children who are almost done with high school or have left home already.  She has a career, disposable income and is savvy with money.   She owns a home and has nested it like the pages out of Better Homes & Gardens.  She is a few shades of Martha Stewart, she's creative and likes to entertain her family and friends. She travels several times a year.  Some travels are to visit family and friends.  Some trips are to enjoy nature and time to recharge. 

J. Jill, Anthropologie and West Elm catalogs are a few of her favorites to shop through.  She likes to mix comfort and classic style with a creative edge in her wardrobe.  She likes surprising details.  She shops for organic produce from the Farmer's Market.  She likes to garden.  She also appreciates a little decadence like artisan soaps, handmade journals, drinking a cup of tea from a handcrafted ceramic cup and a little  homemade sweet, which she probably picks up at the Farmer's Market, along with her fresh flowers for the week

She is community minded and volunteers with a local organization. She has a wide social circle and a close knit family.  She shops at artist's markets for handmade gifts for the holidays.  She spends as much time wrapping those gifts as she did picking them out.  

 

She attends gallery openings, collects art and she has memberships to several cultural institutions in town.  She may or may not consider herself an artist, but she has an artful eye and appreciates art history and contemporary crafts.  

 

A night out might include a concert at a local venue or a fundraising event for an art center.  She would wear an amazing piece of jewelry, a show-stopper, to this event as it expresses that she is creative and enjoys the arts in all their forms.  To work she wears something from her collection of favorites from artists that she has shopped with through the years.  She returns to the same shows and artists every year to see what's new and adds to her collection.  She shops online with these artists when she needs a gift or when she wants to treat herself.    

Wow, that tells me a lot about her and how I can help her.  She shops for herself and for gifts.  She likes creative packaging.  She likes knowing the story and inspiration behind a piece of jewelry.  

Now it's obvious she shops at shows, art markets and boutiques - but where does she go online - that's my big mystery at the moment and what I need to work on next!

Oh and in case you are wondering, these are all outfits I envision her wearing with my jewelry.  And me too - why not? I did say I was aspiring to be her in just a few short years!

Beach Comber by humblebeads