Are all your eggs in the one basket?
The Internet is giving business mums many new opportunities to start a business, ones that didn’t exist even a year or two ago. With these, it can also be tempting to put all your eggs in the one basket.
For example, I have seen Mums start a business that is 100% on a Facebook page. They don’t have a website or even an eBay or Etsy shop.
I have also seen Mums who have a website, but do nothing to encourage their Facebook followers to join their email lists.
This can also be a danger for sales. I have seen many Mums who have an online shop they rely on for their sales, then something will happen to their website and they haven’t attended any markets or have any alternative method to reach their customers.
So, are you putting all your promotional and sales eggs in the one basket?
For sales, there are many different places you can sell: your own website, handmade products can be sold on sites like Made It and Etsy, and there are sites such as Ethikl and Blue Caravan. Then add offline sales at markets and fairs and you may also want to stock your products in bricks and mortar stores. Another option is to offer in-home parties, like party plan. If you are looking for a market, visit Market Angel for a fantastic list of markets around Australia.
For promotion, there are many, many different things you can do, both online and offline. For some ideas, check out our Promoting Your Business category.
To grow your business, and give you a contingency in case your sole means of sales or promotion stops for some reason, don’t put all your eggs in the one basket.
