Wreath Business Blueprint

Wreath Business

Blueprint

The Ultimate Guide to Selling

Wreaths Online

Amanda Cleckler

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Table of Contents

Chapter One: Are You Ready to Build a Business

Selling Your Wreaths? ................................................ 1

Chapter 2: Do You Want a Business or a Hobby? ..... 4

Chapter 3: Choose the Perfect Name for Your

Business ...................................................................... 7

Chapter 4: Register Your New Business .................... 9

Chapter 5: Wreath Supplies - Wholesale vs. Retail .. 11

Chapter 6: How to Build Your Brand ....................... 14

Chapter 7: How to Price Your Handmade Wreaths .. 17

Chapter 8: Choose the Best Platform to Sell Your

Wreaths ..................................................................... 20

Chapter 9: Begin Selling Your Wreaths Online ....... 21

Chapter 10: Finding Your Ideal Customer ............... 23

Chapter 11: How to Sell on Etsy .............................. 29

Chapter 12: How to Set Up Your Etsy Shop ............ 31

Chapter 13: How to Start an Online Store or Website

.................................................................................. 39

Chapter 14: How to Take Captivating Photos .......... 42

Chapter 15: The Best Lighting for Taking Photos .... 44

Chapter 16: The Best Background for Taking Photos

of Wreaths ................................................................. 45

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Chapter 17: How to Write Effective Product

Descriptions .............................................................. 47

Chapter 18: How to Improve Search Engine

Optimization (SEO) .................................................. 48

Chapter 19: Ways to Market and Promote Your

Wreaths ..................................................................... 53

Chapter 20: Using Social Media to Grow Your

Business .................................................................... 59

Chapter 21: Shipping Your Wreaths ........................ 66

Chapter 22: Packaging Your Wreaths ...................... 68

Chapter 23: Packing Materials You Will Need to Ship

a Wreath .................................................................... 69

Chapter 24: Make Customers Feel Special and Valued

.................................................................................. 71

Chapter 25: Dealing with Bad Reviews and Negative

Customers ................................................................. 72

Chapter 26: Enjoy the Journey ................................. 74

About the Author ...................................................... 75

1

Chapter One: Are You Ready to

Build a Business Selling Your

Wreaths?

ave you worked hard learning how to design and

create stunning wreaths? Do you have a passion

for creating beautiful things and a desire to make a

living doing so? Have you spent month after month

honing your craft and learning new wreath making

skills and techniques? Are you tired of spending

money on supplies and materials, and not getting a

return on your investment?

I remember this feeling all too well, and that is why I

decided to take action. I stopped just wishing and

dreaming I could make an income selling my wreaths

and decided it was time to turn a hobby into what is

now a thriving business. If I can do it, trust me, you

can do it too! In this book, I will give you the tools

and knowledge to take your wreath making “hobby”

to the next level, and I will help you create your own

thriving wreath business using your creative talents

and God-given abilities.

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Deciding to turn your hobby into a business can be

overwhelming and confusing, to say the least. You

may be facing questions, fears, negativity, naysayers,

or objections. You may even have a nagging, negative

voice (a Negative Nancy as I like to call it)

whispering inside your mind, that is continuously

taunting you with thoughts like, “Am I crazy?”; “I

can’t do this!”; “I’m just not good enough!”; “Why

would someone actually pay for one of my wreaths?”;

“I don’t have enough experience to sell my wreaths!”;

“I don’t have enough talent!” or “I’m not smart

enough to run a business!” This list of Negative

Nancy lies can go on and on, but that’s just it; they are

all lies.

So, if you have been the victim of these pesky

untruths, then the first step in creating your thriving

wreath business is to tell the Negative Nancy inside

your mind exactly where it can go! Shut that voice up

just as quickly as it crept into your mind, and replace

those negative thoughts with positive ones, like “I am

good enough!”; “People love my designs!”; “I am

smart enough!” and “I am talented enough to build a

booming and successful wreath business!”

There is no doubt that you will have questions and

uncertainties along this journey. This is entirely

normal, but it is important to try your best to stay

focused, positive, and surround yourself with

likeminded people who support and encourage you.

No matter the type of business you start, there will

always be challenges and setbacks, but the important

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thing is to learn throughout the process, keep a

positive outlook and an open mind.

4

Chapter 2: Do You Want a Business

or a Hobby?

ou are probably thinking to yourself right now,

“Okay, that’s great, but where do I start?” There

is a ton of information to be found on Google, like

how to start a business, how to sell things online, and

how to be successful selling on Etsy. In this book,

however, I am going to specifically give you tips and

tools for creating a business selling your handmade

wreaths, and the very steps that I have used in

building my own business.

Someone once told me, “Treat your business like a

business, and it will pay you like one, but treat your

business like a hobby, and it will pay you like a

hobby.” I took those words of wisdom to heart. In

2007, my mom and I decided to go into business

together. Neither of us knew anything about making

money selling handmade products. We knew we had

found a hobby that we enjoyed doing, and we knew

we needed to at least make enough money to cover

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the expenses of our hobby, because let’s face it,

making wreaths isn’t cheap.

After selling a few wreaths, and being the “Go big or

go home” kind of gals that we are, we decided we

wanted more from our business than just covering the

cost of supplies. We decided we wanted to have a

full-blown business. We both knew it wouldn’t be

easy, but we decided to jump in and do everything

that we could to make our wreath business work. We

went all in. It was hard, and it was scary, but twelve-

plus years later, with thousands of handmade wreaths

sold, and here we are! I’d say it worked out pretty

well for us.

When we first started our business, we didn’t have the

resources we have today. There were no books like

this one that teaches you, step by step, how to sell a

wreath. Everything we learned was from trial and

error. We made many mistakes, and there were many

times that we wanted to give up -- but we persevered,

and we learned from our mistakes. If something didn’t

work, we would try something else, until we found

something that did work. If our wreaths weren’t

selling, we would try to find the reason why no one

was buying them. Were our prices too high? Maybe

they were too low? Yes, that’s a thing! Pricing too

low can be just as detrimental to sales as pricing too

high! Were our product descriptions not good

enough? Were our customers not seeing the value in

our wreaths? We would ask our customers for

feedback and analyze everything until we found the

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answers to why our wreaths weren’t selling. Then, we

would tweak things and make the necessary changes

so that our wreaths would sell.

We initially started selling our handmade wreaths on

eBay, where we built a decent sized customer base.

Then we moved on to Etsy, and eventually, we were

making all of our income selling on our website. We

now sell almost exclusively on our website and ship

our wreaths all over the world. In the following

chapters, we will discuss actions that you can take to

start and grow your own wreath business.

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Chapter 3: Choose the Perfect Name

for Your Business

ow that you have decided to stretch your creative

outlet from a hobby to a business, you will need

to think of a business name. I recommend coming up

with a name that is catchy, short, and communicates

the element of your business. The more your name

communicates to potential customers about your

business, the less effort you have to put into

explaining it. You want to choose a name for your

business that is easy to recognize, but you also want it

to convey the value and uniqueness of you and your

product.

Stay away from names that are long and confusing. It

may be useful to test your name out on your friends

and family. Ask their opinions on it, and whether they

think the name communicates what it is that you do.

Take into consideration their advice, but remember

that ultimately it is your decision what to name your

business, and it should be something that you are

proud of and love.

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If, for some reason, you choose a name, and then

months or years later decide that, for whatever reason,

you want or need to change the name, don’t worry, it

is perfectly fine to change it then. We changed the

name of our business several years ago from Petal

Pusher’s Designs (a name that was oversaturated) to

Grace Monroe Home. It isn’t ideal to have to change

your business name and rebrand, but it isn’t

impossible, so don’t get so hung up on choosing the

perfect name for your business that you get

overwhelmed and let it stop you from moving

forward.

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Chapter 4: Register Your New

Business

nce you have picked out your business name and

you are ready to run with your new business, it is

time to make it legal! Let me preface this section by

saying that I am in no way a lawyer, and I cannot give

legal advice. It is always in your best interest to seek

professional legal counsel before starting any business

venture.

With that said, I have found that you can find a great

deal of information about what paperwork is required

for your state by visiting www.sba.gov. Since you are

transitioning your hobby into a business, you will

most likely need to obtain a business license. The

licenses and permits you need for your state, county,

or city will depend on your type of business

and location. Fees for your business license will also

vary depending on your geological location. Visit

your state’s website to find out which permits or

licenses you’ll need to start a business.

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The easiest and least expensive way to structure your

business is to run as a sole proprietorship. This is how

the majority of small businesses begin. You typically

do not need to fill out any paperwork with a sole

proprietorship; however, as mentioned above, it is

always good to double-check with your state to see if

they have any specific requirements.

State Tax ID and Federal Tax ID – also known as an

Employer Identification Number (EIN) may be

required depending on the structure of your business

and whether or not you will have employees. A

Federal Tax ID works much like your social security

number, except it is for your business, allowing your

business to pay state and federal taxes. If you are a

sole proprietorship, you can opt to use your social

security number instead of a Federal Tax ID. You can

visit www.IRS.gov to apply for a Federal Tax ID

number.

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Chapter 5: Wreath Supplies -

Wholesale vs. Retail

ne of the most common questions that I get

asked about selling handmade wreaths is where

to purchase supplies, and whether it’s worth it to buy

retail or wholesale. Let me break it down for you.

Buying retail and wholesale are two completely

different things.

When you purchase supplies from a wholesaler, you

are essentially purchasing from the middle man. The

middle man is the person who is between your wreath

shop and the manufacturer. Because the purchase of a

wholesale order is typically in bulk, you receive a

discounted price for the purchase. You then take the

items that you purchase at wholesale prices and use

them to make the wreaths that you sell in your shop.

Many wholesalers will have a pretty large minimum

order purchasing requirement, so that is always

something that you want to check before placing an

order with a wholesale company,

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To purchase wholesale, you will need to check with

your state tax office to see if you are required to

obtain a wholesale license or any other permits.

Buying wholesale is a great option, especially if you

are creating multiple wreaths to sell, but if you aren’t

at the place in your business where you can afford to

place a bulk order, then I suggest purchasing retail

until you can. Craft stores like Hobby Lobby and

Michaels Stores are great places to acquire wreath

supplies, but be sure to shop when items are on sale!

We use supplies purchased both retail and wholesale,

and I think it is perfectly fine for you to do the same.

Here are a handful of my favorite places to

purchase wreath supplies

Pioneer Wholesale Co. –

www.poineerwholesaleco.com (wholesale

only)

Ampelco – www.ampelco.com (retail &

wholesale)

Raz Imports – www.razimports.com (wholesale

only)

The Gerson Companies –

www.gersoncompany.com (wholesale only)

Lion Ribbon – www.lionribbon.com

(wholesale only)

Hobby Lobby – www.hobbylobby.com (retail)

Michaels Craft Stores – www.michaels.com

(retail)

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Ranch House Craft Supplies –

www.ranchhousecraftsupplies.com (retail)

You can find the full list of our recommended wreath

supply vendors (over 70 suppliers) on our blog at

www.gracemonroehome.com.

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Chapter 6: How to Build Your Brand

randing is an aspect of building a thriving

business that you should not overlook. Your

brand is essentially your identity when it comes to

your business. It’s what customers know about you.

Many people think that you need a fancy logo to build

a brand, and while a logo is an excellent way for

others to identify your business, it’s not the only

aspect of building a brand. If you would like to have a

logo made for your business, I suggest using a service

like fiverr.com, where you can find designers that will

work with you to create a logo for a reasonable price.

I have listed below some other things to consider

when building your brand.

1. What is your purpose, mission, or vision that

you want to convey to the customer? Who are

you, and what do you value? What makes you

passionate? Whom do you want to impact?

These things all play a part in your branding. I

am a Christian, and I am southern. I’m also

passionate about family and helping people use

their God-given talents to grow a business.

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These are all things that impact my brand.

Figuring out what you and your business

represent will play a role in determining your

brand and logo.

2. Pick colors to use in your logo, graphics, and

Etsy banners that you want your brand to be

known for.

3. You want your brand to stand out and be

recognizable.

4. Your customers will have expectations about

your products and services based on your

brand.

5. Good branding makes customers feel

comfortable and helps with their decision to

make a purchase. This is one of the reasons

why it is crucial for you to know what values

you want your brand to represent. This will

help build trust.

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Chapter 7: How to Price Your

Handmade Wreaths

ow much should I charge for my wreaths?” is

probably one of the most widely asked

questions when first starting a wreath business. The

typical pricing formula for handmade items is as

follows, (however, I believe that there should be some

variation depending on your level of expertise and

experience):

Pricing Equation: time + materials = cost; cost x 2 =

wholesale price; wholesale x 2 = retail price. Now,

let’s break this down, so it is easier to understand.

Time means how long it takes you to make your item,

meaning, if it takes you two hours to create a wreath

then you would put a value (hourly rate) of what you

believe your time is worth, multiply it by how many

hours it took you to create your wreath, and then add

it to the cost of materials. For example: if I value my

time at $10 an hour, then I would multiply $10 by the

time it took me to make my wreath (2 hours) = $20 +

the cost of materials. So, if you spent $30 in materials,

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then you would add $20 + $30, and the total will

equal the COST of the wreath. So, the cost of your

wreath is $50. If you were to want to sell your wreath

to a retail store, then you would sell it to them at a

wholesale price, which is the COST of your wreath

doubled; $50 x 2 = $100. To find the retail price,

which is the price that you would sell your item

online, or in person, if someone was purchasing it

directly from you, you simply take the wholesale

price and double it: $100 x 2 = $200.

That’s right! You should be selling your handmade

wreath for $200… in an ideal setting. However, as I

mentioned earlier, I believe there should be some

variation in pricing, especially when you are first

starting. When you first begin to sell your handmade

wreaths, and you have very little feedback or

testimonials from customers, it may be in your best

interest to price your wreaths slightly lower, to begin

selling your items quickly and gain momentum. This

will help you to start building your business and brand

and get some positive customer reviews.

At the beginning of your business, you may choose

not to include your time into the pricing equation, or

only valuing your time at a low amount, so that you

can quickly turn over some products. Once you have

gotten a good customer following, you can begin to

increase your prices. I remember a time when we first

started selling wreaths we barely broke even; some

wreaths sold for only $25. But once our customer

following grew, the customer testimonials began

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rolling in, and people started to recognize the quality

we were producing. We were able to raise our prices,

and now the majority of our wreaths sell for well over

$200.

I also always take into consideration the effort that it

takes me to make a wreath design. If I am making a

very intricate and complicated design, I may value my

time at a higher rate than if I was making a simple

design that takes minimal effort. It is also vital to

know your audience, as we discussed earlier. In

studying your customer base, you will learn what

prices you can effectively sell your wreaths. If you

have more complicated designs that require high

priced materials, you are going to want to be sure to

target a customer base that is willing to pay higher

prices.

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Chapter 8: Choose the Best Platform

to Sell Your Wreaths

here are many ways that you can sell your

wreaths to buyers. You can sell offline, and in

person at craft fairs, festivals, bazaars, and trade

shows, or you can put your wreaths in consignment

shops, flea markets, or retail shops. Because I live in a

very rural area, I have always done ninety-nine

percent of my business online, so for this book, we are

going to dive into how you can make a substantial

income selling in the online space by having a

personalized website or selling on handmade

marketplaces like Etsy, eBay or Amazon Handmade.

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Chapter 9: Begin Selling Your

Wreaths Online

ow that you have decided to turn your passion

for making wreaths into a full-blown wreath

business, you have to choose a catchy name for your

business, you have to know who your ideal customer

is, and then it’s time to start selling your wreaths!

I am sure you are probably asking yourself, “Okay

Amanda, but… exactly how do I go about selling my

handmade wreaths?”, “Where do I sell my wreaths so

that people can find them?” and “How much should I

sell my wreaths for?”. These are all very valid and

important questions, and I am going to dive in and

help you find the answers to all of them.

As we discussed in an earlier chapter, you can choose

to sell your wreaths locally at craft shows, flea

markets, trade shows, or retail stores, and you can also

sell them online. We are going to primarily discuss

how to sell your wreaths online since that is how I

grew my own business, and I am confident that you

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can too! Let’s look at just a few of the avenues where

you can sell your wreaths online:

Handmade Marketplaces such as Etsy,

Handmade at Amazon, ArtFire, Bonanza, and

Big Cartel.

Facebook Marketplace

eBay

Craigslist

Your Own Personal Online Store

My favorite, and what I believe is the most income-

producing opportunities for selling handmade

wreaths, and building a business, are Etsy and a

personal online store. In this book, we are going to

focus primarily on these two platforms and ways that

you can use these platforms to grow your wreath

business.

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Chapter 10: Finding Your Ideal

Customer

hen selling your wreaths, it is essential to know

exactly who your ideal customer is, what your

ideal customer wants, and how to get your handmade

wreaths in front of that ideal customer. Your ideal

customer is the consumer that would be most likely to

purchase your product. For example, you are selling

handmade wreaths, so your ideal customer will likely

be a middle-aged female, but it isn’t enough to know

the gender and age range of your ideal customer; you

need to narrow it down even more.

You will need to take into consideration what type

and style of wreaths you create, and what price point

you want to sell your wreaths for. A person making

and selling silk floral wreaths will likely have a

slightly older customer base than someone who sells

burlap wreaths, ribbon wreaths, or deco mesh wreaths.

Always take into consideration the price you would

like to sell your wreaths. We will discuss pricing more

in detail later in this book, but if you are selling high-

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end wreaths, you would not want to target an audience

that primarily shops at Walmart or Target.

One of the most critical aspects of creating a

profitable business will always be becoming as

knowledgeable as possible about your audience - the

people you serve. It is imperative that you take the

time to research and know precisely who your wreaths

will attract, and whom they will benefit the most.

Once you know who your ideal customer is, you will

need to take steps to market this customer or

audience, which we will dive into more in a later

chapter.

Now, let’s discuss some steps that you can take to

decide who your ideal customer is, and how to talk to

them, so they respond positively to you and ultimately

buy from you.

Define what it is that you sell and how it can

impact or improve your customer’s life or

circumstances.

What problem does your product solve? In this book,

we are going to talk about selling wreaths, because

that is why you are reading this, right? But this is

really for any product or service that you sell. You

HAVE to know how your product can add value to

your customer.

So, let’s think about a handmade wreath and how it

can add value or improve someone’s life. Well, you

may be thinking it’s just a “wreath,” it’s not a

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lifesaving tool or service, but you have to think deeper

about the value that your product holds.

Wreaths bring joy through their beauty by making a

home more welcoming and more inviting. They make

a front door stand out. If a home is welcoming and

inviting because of the wreath on their front door,

then a person may feel more comfortable inviting

friends over to their home, and in turn, that creates

deeper, more meaningful relationships for your

customer. So, you can see that even a wreath can

serve a purpose in impacting someone’s life. You

want to be clear about how your product can help

your customers.

Know who your IDEAL customer is.

So, what is an ideal customer? Your ideal customer is

someone who gets their exact needs met by the

product that you are offering. They see a ton of value

in your product, and they can benefit from your

product.

I encourage you to ask yourself the following

questions to help define who that ideal customer is for

your product: Is your ideal customer male or female?

What age range is your ideal customer? How much

money do they make? Are they educated? What stores

do they shop at most often, and do they shop in stores

or online? Does your ideal customer have a family

and children? Are they working or retired?

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All of these questions are going to help you have

clarity about whom you need to target as your ideal

customer to sell to, and the more you know about

them, the better you’ll know how to speak and

communicate in a way that they will respond to

positively.

Attracting your Ideal Customer.

So, now that you have defined who your ideal

customer is, and how your product can benefit them,

you need to know how to attract them and sell to

them. One of the most significant ways that you can

attract your ideal customer is through the way that

you communicate with them, and the language that

you use. For example, you are going to communicate

and talk to a person who shops primarily at Walmart

very differently than you would speak to a person

who shops at high-end department stores like Neiman

Marcus, Nordstrom, or Saks Fifth Avenue.

Remember, to many people, primarily if they are used

to purchasing higher-end products, lower prices equal

lower quality and higher prices equal higher quality.

So, as long as you find the right audience, they WILL

pay your prices! If you are targeting a higher-end

customer base, you need to use language that

resonates with them and explains your product in a

way that makes it seem attractive to a higher-end

audience. For example: using words like designer

wreaths, luxury wreaths, and elegant wreaths are all

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phrases that higher-end customers tend to respond

well to.

You can replace words like “Fake Flowers” with

“Faux Flowers” or “Lifelike Flowers” with “Florals.”

Quality and exclusivity are paramount when selling to

a high-end clientele. They love to know that the item

they are getting is of excellent quality and that it is

‘One of a kind.’ Offering your customer something

that no one else has, or can get, is a huge selling point

when targeting that higher-end customer, so if you are

selling a ONE OF A KIND wreath, ensure that you

make that very clear in the description.

Build Your Brand so that Your Ideal Customer

Can Find You.

It is crucial that you utilize social media platforms

like Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest to attract your

customers. If you don’t have a Facebook business

page and you are not using Pinterest, then I would

highly suggest setting both of those up for your

business, because they are two of the most significant

ways to grow a following and promote your products.

On social media, you want to be posting things that

your ideal customer would be attracted to, and

remember that people buy from people they know,

like, and trust. Building your trustworthiness and

credibility is not only going to grow your following,

but it will ultimately lead to sales. We will talk more

about social media and ways to promote your business

in a later chapter.

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The most important thing to remember about finding

your ideal customer is that you have to be able to

clearly define what it is that you are offering and how

it can benefit them. Understanding what it is that the

ideal customer wants, who that customer is, and how

to talk to them will ensure that they will listen to you,

trust you, and ultimately buy from you.

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Chapter 11: How to Sell on Etsy

aving an Etsy shop is a fantastic way to get

started selling your handmade wreaths! An Etsy

shop has proven, for many, to be an excellent avenue

for marketing your product and growing your

business, and it is a great way to build your brand, and

a customer following. Joining Etsy and opening your

shop is free, so it is an easy way to begin selling

online without having to invest a ton of startup

money.

Etsy gives you great tools to help you set up your

shop with ease, even as a beginner. They also have an

incredible support and education team available to

help you if you have questions. What I also love about

Etsy is that from the moment your Etsy shop goes

live, you have online traffic that is explicitly looking

for the product that you are selling. This is excellent

news because it means that people that go on Etsy’s

website are searching for wreaths, and many have

intentions of making a purchase. However, this also

means that there are lots of other Etsy shops that sell

handmade wreaths, so there is quite a bit of

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competition. The key to success on Etsy is to make

your wreaths stand out and to do that will take

consistent effort.

If you were to ask me what I think the essential

elements of a successful Etsy shop are, I would say:

A personal and well developed “About”

section,

A keyword-rich product title,

A detailed description,

Captivating photos,

A clear and concise policy section,

Good tags and keywords

Shop categories, also known as shop sections

Prompt communication with buyers.

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Chapter 12: How to Set Up Your Etsy

Shop

f you have no experience selling on Etsy, then

setting up a new Etsy shop may seem

overwhelming and intimidating, but the good news is

that it is not nearly as complicated as it seems. This

book is about how to sell your wreaths online, not just

on Etsy, so I will not go over every detail of setting up

your shop and how to sell on Etsy (we will save that

for another book!). But I am going to go over some of

the key points that I want you to remember.

When setting up your Etsy shop, you always want to

be sure to set up your shop in its entirety and don’t

skip over portions of it. All of the following need to

be completed when your shop goes live to the public.

Shop Name

Shop Title

Shop Announcements

About Section

Profile Photo

Banner Photo

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Shop Policy Section

Shop Categories

Product Titles

Product Descriptions

Shipping Profile

Product Tags

Payment Settings

Below are some guidelines for setting your Etsy shop

up for success:

1. Get Personal with Shoppers

People shopping on Etsy are looking for more than

just a “pretty wreath.” They want to invest in your

story and the face behind your product. They can buy

a commercial product anywhere, but they choose to

come to Etsy because of the appeal of purchasing a

handmade item and the story and maker behind it.

It is crucial to make a connection with your potential

buyers. You do this by having a well-developed

“About” section in your shop. Tell your story. What

is it that inspires you? Give customers a window into

your world, not just the wreaths you make. Be

personal. How did you develop an interest or passion

for creating wreaths? What motivates you? Share

personal pictures, and not just photos of your wreaths,

to create a connection with your buyers.

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33

2. Competition is a GOOD Thing.

Let’s talk for a moment about competition. Don’t let

the competition on Etsy scare you, because the truth

is, if there is competition in your market, it means that

people are searching for the product that you are

selling, and there is a demand for it. Competition is a

good thing. It can inspire you to improve and find

ways to make yourself stand out. The challenge faced

here is learning how to get your products seen above

all of the others.

There may be many other wreath sellers out there, but

there is only one YOU, and you need to market your

product and position yourself so that potential buyers

know the uniqueness and value in what it is that you

have to offer. That is why telling your story and being

personal is so crucial on Etsy. Buyers want to feel like

they are supporting someone whom they know, like,

and trust. You are building a relationship, and the

stronger your relationship is with your customers, the

more loyal they will be to you.

3. A Good Product Title is Essential.

A good product title is essential to having your

wreaths found by buyers combing through Etsy’s

search engine. The key to a good product title is to fill

the title with keywords that are relevant to your

product, and that people are actively searching. You

have 140 characters available to pack your title with

keywords, so use up as much space within your Etsy

product title as possible.

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The first few words in your title are the most

important, because they have the most influence on

Etsy’s search engine, so be sure to put your strongest

keywords at the front of your title. You also want to

use keyword phrases that buyers may be searching

for, and always separate your keyword phrases with

commas, dashes, or slashes to make the title readable.

For example, if you are listing a summer wreath in

your Esty shop, you may want to use a similar product

title as the one below:

Summer Wreath – Summer Door Wreath – Front

Door Wreath for Summer – Summer Wreath for

Door – Front Door Summer Wreath – Wreath for

Doors

A simple way to find popular keywords in your niche

is to go to the Etsy search bar and begin typing

something into the bar. Etsy will automatically

provide you with suggestions that people are using

while searching Etsy. This is a great tool to use as a

starting point because it will let you know

immediately what the most popular searches are in

your genre. For example, if you type in the search

terms “summer wreath” into the search bar, Etsy will

suggest a few more keywords related to that. In this

instance, when I began typing in “summer wreath,”

Etsy immediately suggested:

Summer wreath

Summer wreath for door

Amanda Cleckler

35

Summer wreath burlap

Summer wreath sale

The Etsy search bar is a great tool to use as a starting

point. However, the search terms that Etsy suggests

are broad, so I do recommend doing detailed research

to find long-tail keywords. Long-tail keywords are

three- and four-word phrases that are more detailed

and specific to your particular niche. These are great

to use because they are precisely what your customer

is looking for, so if you can provide a customer with

exactly what they are searching for, you are more

likely to get a sale.

Google Keyword Planner and Marmalead are both

excellent tools to help you analyze keywords further.

The Google Keyword Planner: This analytic tool is

a handy resource and is free to use. To use the Google

keyword planner, you will need to create a Google

AdWords account. However, you do not have to set

up an ad campaign to use the keyword planner. This is

totally free!

Marmalead: Marmalead is another helpful tool for

analyzing keywords, and it also has excellent features

to help you optimize your Etsy shop. Marmalead

currently costs $19 per month for an “Entrepreneur”

account; however, you can sign up for a “Dabbler”

account and have limited access to it’s features for

free.

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36

4. Have Great Product Photos!

Having outstanding photos is essential for creating a

well-balanced Etsy shop that is visually pleasing and

likely to gain buyers. At the time of this publication,

Etsy allows you to include up to ten photos of your

products. I recommend taking advantage of all ten

available photo uploads, and having your product

shown from different angles. We will discuss how to

take captivating photos of your products in a later

chapter.

5. Have a Good Product Description!

Not only do you need stellar photos to showcase your

wreaths, but you need to have an equally attention-

grabbing and detailed product description that will

entice shoppers to purchase the wreath you are

selling. Your description should list all of the

significant and unique attributes and details about

your handmade design. You should include the

dimensions of your wreath, materials used in making

the design, prominent colors used or color options

available, and how long it will take you to complete

the item if it is a ‘made to order’ design. Your product

description should aim to answer any question your

shoppers may have about your product. We will go

into product descriptions, and what is known in

marketing as “Sales Copy” in a later chapter.

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37

6. Add Search Tags.

Etsy provides you with a section where you can list

tags that are searchable for potential buyers, so be

sure to take advantage of this section and do not skip

over it. In this section, you will have an opportunity to

include tags (keywords or short phrases) that relate to

the product that you are selling; examples include -

wreath, wreath for door, front door wreath, Mother’s

Day wreath, pink wreath for spring. Having these

searchable tags will increase the chances of people

finding your wreath listing on Etsy, so it is essential

that you add these in every listing.

7. Communicate Effectively with Your

Customer.

People who shop on Etsy rely heavily on reviews

when determining which products to purchase. One

way to increase the chances of gaining a five-star

review from a buyer is to communicate regularly and

effectively with your customers throughout the entire

buying process. If a customer sends you a message,

try to respond as quickly as possible. Now, I don’t

mean that if you get a notification in the middle of the

night that you should hop out of bed and send a reply

message right away, but I do think it is important to

respond in a reasonable and timely fashion.

If there is a delay or issue with fulfilling an order,

then send a message to the buyer and communicate

the issue with them. Most buyers are much more

willing to overlook any inconvenience or concerns if

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38

you keep an ongoing and open line of communication

with them.

If your customer has an issue with the wreath that

they received, such as the item is not as described, or

there was a mix-up, and you sent the wrong wreath to

the wrong customer, be sure to listen to them and take

their concern(s) seriously. Do not ignore your

customer. This will make the customer angry and will

potentially cause them to leave a negative and

unfavorable review of your product and service. If the

issue is valid and you are at fault, try to do what you

can to rectify the situation. Once the problem has been

corrected, you can offer the customer a discount on

their next purchase to make up for any inconvenience.

39

Chapter 13: How to Start an Online

Store or Website

long with your Etsy shop, or perhaps in place of

an Etsy shop, you may be thinking of starting a

personal website or online store. I encourage you to

think of your website as your piece of real estate in

the online world. When you are selling on other

platforms, it is almost as if you are renting space from

them. You ultimately want to OWN your real estate,

and in the world of selling online, the best way to

“own” your real estate is to have a personal website

where you make the rules, you don’t pay super-high

fees, AND overall it looks professional to people.

In this section of the book, I am going to talk about a

few different e-commerce platforms that you can use

to open your online store. These are the ones I believe

to be the most economical and user friendly for

beginners.

1. Shopify – www.shopify.com

2. Wix – www.wix.com

3. BigCommerce – www.bigcommerce.com

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Pricing:

It will cost you a monthly investment to have an

online store.

Shopify - $29/month + when you make a sale, you

will pay a 2.9% credit card processing fee and 30

cents per transaction.

Wix - $17/month if you pay annually and $21.50 if

you pay month to month.

BigCommerce - $29.95/month + 2.9% credit card

processing fees and 30 cents per transaction.

ALL of these three options offer a trial period, which

is great because you can try one platform and see if

you like it. If you don’t, you can try a different one

and see which you like best before making a monetary

commitment. All three platforms have customizable

templates that you can use.

You will need to purchase your domain name - which

is the website that people will go to, to find your store

online. For example, the domain for my online store is

www.gracemonroehome.com. You can purchase a

domain name from a company that manages domain

names such as godaddy.com ahead of time and have it

transferred over to your shop, or you can purchase

directly at the time you are creating your shop.

I have created e-commerce shops with both Shopify

and BigCommerce. I have personally not built an

online store using Wix, but I know of many people

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41

who have. In my opinion, the shops do not look quite

as professional and put together as shops built using

BigCommerce or Shopify. Shopify is the platform that

I recommend if you are now starting your online

store. I think it is the easiest to navigate and has great

templates to create a beautiful store.

42

Chapter 14: How to Take Captivating

Photos

have learned throughout my own experience

selling wreaths, that it does not matter how

gorgeous a wreath is in person, if you are not able to

capture the beauty and uniqueness of it in photos, you

are wasting your time because people will not buy it.

We tend to be very visual creatures (especially when

it comes to online shopping), and if a product does not

grab our attention immediately, we are more than

likely going to move on to the next option. That is

why it is imperative that you have great product

photos.

To have great photos, you need:

Excellent lighting (natural light often works

best)

Attention to details and unique elements

A simple background that does not distract or

take away from the wreath.

I

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Etsy recently started allowing shop owners the ability

to provide ten photos to showcase an item in a listing,

instead of the five that have been available to sellers

in previous years. I highly recommend using all ten

picture uploads, if at all possible. This will help

shoppers have a better idea of precisely what they will

be getting when purchasing your wreath. Take photos

from all angles and zoom in on specific details of the

wreath, such as the bow, or any unique elements or

embellishments. If you have the option of showing

your wreath on one or two different doors or a wall in

your home, this is an excellent way of giving

customers a visualization of how it may look in

various settings of their own home.

44

Chapter 15: The Best Lighting for

Taking Photos

have found that natural lighting tends to provide

the best light to capture the essence of handmade

wreaths. Some may prefer to present a wreath on a

solid white background; however, I firmly believe that

you will get more buyers when you show your wreath

in a setting where people can visualize using it in

themselves. If selling a wreath that would typically be

used as a front door wreath, you should show the

wreath on a clean door, with little distraction. For

instance, you probably would not want to photograph

a wreath that has pink floral elements against a bright

red door. It may distract the viewer from seeing all of

the beautiful aspects of the wreath, and when

photographing the item that you have worked so hard

to create, it is essential to allow it to stand out and get

all of the attention it deserves.

I

45

Chapter 16: The Best Background for

Taking Photos of Wreaths

white door, natural wood door, or black door,

all typically photograph very well and are great

options for using as a background for your wreath

photos. If you do not have a door that you feel will

photograph well, you can purchase an old or

unfinished door at an antique or resale store that you

can readily finish or repaint for cheap, and prop the

wreath up against your house to take pictures.

Another option for photographing your wreaths would

be to use a solid white background, wall, or backdrop.

I recommend photographing in a well-lit room if you

are taking your photos indoors. If you do not have a

room with great natural lighting, then it may be a

good idea to purchase an inexpensive lighting kit from

a retailer such as Amazon. These will, in most cases,

cost less than $100, but having great photos will

increase your number of buyers, so it is absolutely an

investment worth making!

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47

Chapter 17: How to Write Effective

Product Descriptions

ike I mentioned earlier in the chapter that focused

on Etsy, it is imperative that you know how to

write perfect product descriptions, aka sales copy, so

that shoppers turn into buyers. Remember that when

shopping online, your customers are not able to touch

or try your product, so the more information and

detail you give them, the more likely a shopper will

be to follow through with a purchase. My theory is

that the more “questions” you “answer” in your

description, the better. Put yourself in the shopper’s

shoe and think of all the questions you might have

about your product if you were the one shopping for

it, and then aim to answer all of those questions.

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48

Chapter 18: How to Improve Search

Engine Optimization (SEO)

et’s talk about Search Engine Optimization

(SEO) and ways that you can improve it to

increase traffic and sales to your Etsy shop or website.

SEO is crucial when it comes to selling your products

online. Regardless of if you are selling on Etsy, eBay,

Amazon Handmade, or your online shop, you need to

master SEO to get adequate traffic to your products,

because traffic equals sales.

Basically, you can understand SEO like this: when

someone searches the internet, whether they are

searching on Google, Yahoo, Pinterest, or Etsy, and

they type into the search bar what it is that they are

searching for, the search engine does a crawl of all the

sites that have relevance to that search and determines

which sites are worthy of being shown to the person.

For example, A person goes to Google searching for a

yellow pair of men’s socks. So, what do they do?

They type in the search bar “yellow socks for men.”

Google is then going to pull out all of the sites that

L

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49

contain keywords that match the search options of that

particular person.

There are probably thousands, perhaps even hundreds

of thousands of sites out there that sell yellow socks,

and it is up to Google to figure out which sites are the

most relevant and trustworthy to show at the top of

the search results list. Google, and all of the search

engines, have a fancy algorithm that they use to

determine who gets on the top of the search results,

and although we don’t know what that algorithm is,

we do know ways that we can optimize our SEO

within our online shop or Etsy shop to improve our

chances of being shown at the top of the search

results.

Ways to Improve SEO:

1. You need to make sure your branding

matches across all platforms.

Platforms include Etsy, Facebook, Instagram,

Pinterest. For best results, you want to use the same

name on all of your social platforms, and make it

clear on each platform what it is that you do or sell.

For example, You don’t want your Etsy shop to be

called ‘Sue’s Handmade Wreaths’ and then your

Facebook page to be called ‘Sue’s Creative Designs’

and Pinterest to say ‘Sue’s Handmade Creations.’

You want to make sure that it is the same across the

board and that your brand is easily identifiable.

Because social media has such a significant impact on

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50

our society, the search engines have taken note of that

and are starting to include social media sites in search

results; it also shows social presence and authority,

which will indicate to the search engines that your

websites are trustworthy and relevant.

2. Figure out what main searchable

keywords you want your shop to show up

as in the search engines.

For instance, think about what it is that people will be

typing in the search bar when looking for your shop.

If it is front door wreaths or wreaths for your door,

you would consider those as your main keywords.

3. Optimize Your Shop Page Title to

include those main searchable Keywords.

Whether you sell on Etsy or have your online shop,

you need to have your main Shop Page Title include

your most relevant keywords, so in your Shop Title

you may include your Shop Name, and then beside it,

your keyword or keyword phrase that best describes

what people will find in your shop.

4. Optimize your Product Titles and

Descriptions.

All of your product titles need to have keywords in

them, as well as your product descriptions. The search

engines want to know that you are a real human being

and that your website is not computer-generated, so

they value organic descriptions that are easy to read

and give valuable information. But you also want to

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51

sprinkle in keywords throughout, so that when they

index or crawl your products, they know how to

match you up with the relevant searches.

5. Use Long-Tail Keywords.

You want to have the right combination of short

keywords and more detailed keywords, which are

called Long-Tail Keywords. Long-Tail Keywords are

detailed searches that people may be looking for that

fit your products. I love long-tail keywords in general

because it is much easier to rank at the top of the

search results using them. After all, there just isn’t

nearly as much competition for those keyword

phrases. An example of a long-tail keyword would be

‘Pink Wreath for Baby Girl’s Room.’ You want to

just think about all of the things people might be

searching for, so put yourself in your potential

customer’s position. If you need your product, what

would you type in the search engine to find it?

6. Include Categories.

I mentioned categories, or sections, earlier in our Etsy

chapter, but this is also important if you have a

Shopify store or any other online shop. You need to

categorize your products. First, it makes it easy for

people to find what they are looking for, and it also

allows more opportunity for you to include relevant

keywords for search engines to locate you. You don’t

just want to have a category called “wreaths” – you

also want to have fall wreaths, spring wreaths, every-

day wreaths, mesh wreaths, etc.

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52

7. Inbound links.

The search engines value links within your shop or

website, so inside of your description, it is good to

include links to other products that a shopper might be

interested in; you can link it to your blog or Facebook

or other social media sites.

8. Start a blog.

If you don’t already have a blog, you may want to

consider starting one. Blogs are a great way to

generate traffic to your shop. They engage your

customers, and they are another way for the search

engines to gauge your relevance for a search term.

SEO can seem confusing and complicated, but if you

implement the things we have talked about in this

chapter, you will begin to see more traffic to your

shops, and ultimately more sales.

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Chapter 19: Ways to Market and

Promote Your Wreaths

t’s great to make stunning wreaths and list them for

sale online, but if you don’t market and promote

your wreaths, then no one is going to buy them, and

all that time and energy invested becomes wasted.

Let’s talk about ways that you can market your

wreaths and products. I love marketing. Finding new

ways to grow our business and get our items in front

of a growing audience is something that I am

passionate about, so let’s talk about eight different

ways that you can market your wreaths.

1. Word of Mouth and Your Community.

Don’t ever underestimate the power of word of mouth

when it comes to marketing, and let people in your

community and circle of influence know what it is

that you do. Many people feel uncomfortable when it

comes to self-promotion, but if you don’t promote

yourself first, no one else ever will.

I

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Donations of wreaths to local charity organizations,

auctions, and fundraisers are great ways to market

your business. Advertise locally with organizations

like your local football team or little league. Contact

real estate agents in your area - they are always

looking for closing gifts for their clients, and what

better closing gift than a wreath to welcome their

clients into their new home. Tell them that you can

work with their budget and create something special

for their clients.

2. Customer Referrals.

Offer incentives for your current customers if they

refer a person to you, and that person makes a

purchase. You could offer something like a $10 store

credit to someone who refers a customer to you, who

then purchases a wreath. Always keep in mind that it

is much easier to keep a current customer than it is to

get a new one, so customer service is key and offering

customer referral incentives is a win-win – it’s a win

for you because it helps you get new customers and it

also keeps the current customer loyal to you and

purchasing from you.

3. Coupons.

Everyone loves a freebie or discount! Coupons and

promo codes give consumers a sense of urgency. You

should not offer discounts ALL the time or shoppers

won’t have that sense of urgency, but on special

occasions, they are great for getting people to

purchase your wreaths and help grow your business.

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55

For example, you can offer free shipping or a 15% off

coupon for a limited time. This will encourage people

who may be on the fence about purchasing a wreath

or product from you to take action and make the

purchase. I believe that coupons are an excellent way

to grow your customer base.

4. Social Media.

Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter are three of the major

social media platforms used today – I love using

social media to promote products, and I think that it is

one of the largest and most significant ways to grow

your customer base. In my business, we primarily use

Facebook and Instagram to market our products and

services.

The key to marketing and growing your customer

base through social media is consistency. You can’t

post five times a day for a couple of days and then not

post again for two weeks. That does not work in

growing your audience and will derail any marketing

efforts that you are trying to make with social media.

You absolutely have to be consistent. Try to do your

best to post every day and create a relationship with

your audience. People buy from people that they

KNOW, LIKE, and TRUST, and social media is an

excellent way to get people to know you and your

products.

5. Pinterest.

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56

I actually consider Pinterest (www.pinterest.com)

more of a search engine than I do a social media

channel. Pinterest is HUGE for getting traffic to the

items that you have for sale. In recent months, we

have had more traffic come from Pinterest than from

Google, Facebook, or any other outlet. If you have an

Etsy shop or website, you should consistently pin the

new wreaths that you list for sale, and occasionally re-

pin wreaths that you have for sale that have not yet

sold. If you don’t utilize Pinterest, you will miss out

on a great opportunity to get your wreaths in front of a

new and eager audience.

6. Email Marketing.

Email Marketing is one of the most effective ways to

market your wreath business. So, what exactly is

Email Marketing? Email marketing is essentially just

sending a mass, commercial message to a group of

people using email. It is a way for customers, or

potential customers, to stay up to date on sales,

specials, events, or any other valuable information

that you want to share with them.

I refer to the email addresses that you have on your

email list as your "audience" because, just like social

media and Pinterest, email is another way to get in

front of people. In fact, according to recent statistics,

email marketing is up to forty times more effective

than social media, with ninety-two percent of internet

users having at least one email account. It is a potent

marketing tool and one that I highly recommend that

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57

you implement into your wreath business marketing

strategy.

Let’s take a minute to think about something. Which

was the last store that you purchased something from

where they asked you for your email address when

you were checking out? Did they ask you if you

would like to sign up to receive a percentage off

discount, get future coupons, or to join their loyalty

program? This is just one way for the store to get your

email address so that they can include you in future

marketing campaigns.

Email Marketing is a more personal and personalized

way to get in front of people. When you send an

email, it goes straight to the recipient’s inbox, where

they can read it at their convenience. It is also a very

cost-effective way to market your business.

I recommend setting up a Mailchimp account if you

do not have one. Mailchimp allows you to send up to

12,000 emails a month to a list of up to 2,000

contacts. I have used several email providers over the

years, and I am currently using Mailchimp, and I am

pleased with it. You can go to mailchimp.com and set

up an account, and it will walk you through adding

email addresses and sending emails, and even how to

create a landing page where you have a link that you

can send people, and they can type their email in, and

it will immediately add to your email list. Mailchimp

is very Newbie friendly, and the fact that it is free to

use makes it even better!

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7. Contests and Giveaways.

We have always had great luck when doing

giveaways. They create excitement around your

product, and people love the idea of winning

something. If you are hosting a giveaway on social

media, you just need to be sure you check the rules for

the platform that you are on and try not to violate any

of them.

8. Paid Advertising.

Google Ads and Facebook advertising can get you in

front of many people and can be a very effective way

to market your business. But you have to be careful

and tread with caution when it comes to paid

advertising, or you could spend a LOT of money.

Some of the big and recognizable brands can spend as

much as six figures monthly on advertising through

Facebook. Most of us don’t have anywhere near that

kind of budget, so it is okay to start small. The good

news is that you can start doing Facebook ads for as

little as $1 a day.

There are many great ways to market your products,

but at times you just have to think outside of the box.

We have passed out flyers, put magnetic signs on our

car, hosted many giveaways, and donated to charity

events. The main thing is to get your name out there

so that when people need your product, they know

where to go.

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Chapter 20: Using Social Media to

Grow Your Business

e mentioned in a previous section of this book

about promoting your wreath business using

social media. In this chapter, we are going to dive into

what I believe is the best social media platform at this

time to market your products, namely Facebook.

Firstly, if you are planning on selling your wreaths or

other handmade products, then you NEED a Facebook

Business Page. If you have not already set one up for

your wreath business, it is a fairly simple process to

do so. There are many videos on YouTube with step

by step tutorials on setting up a business page. This is

something that I go into great detail on in our Design

with The Pros Club. If you are not currently a member

of Design with The Pros Club, you can learn more

about joining at https://gracemonroehome.com/learn-

to-make-wreaths/.

Many people ask if they can just use their ‘personal’

profile to promote and sell from, and the answer is

No, it’s not a good idea. You need a business page,

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which is a page dedicated solely to your wreath

business. It is okay to post things related to your

business on your ‘personal’ profile now and then or to

share something from your business page onto your

‘personal’ profile, but it is actually against Facebook’s

Terms of Service to use your ‘personal’ profile as a

primary form of advertising your business. So now,

let’s go ahead and dive a little deeper and talk about

ways that you can use Facebook to grow your

business ultimately.

A few years back, when Facebook was considered a

newer platform, it was easy to get your your products

seen and noticed by people scrolling their newsfeeds.

Anyone who “Liked” or “Followed” your page would

see your updates. Recently, however, there have been

some changes to the Facebook algorithm, which

makes it a little trickier to get your posts seen on your

followers newsfeeds, whether you are posting from a

personal profile or a business profile. Only a small

percentage of people who follow you, or “like” your

page, actually see the things that you are posting

unless you are purchasing Facebook ads, but that

should not stop you from posting or using Facebook

to promote your products. You have to learn to post

smarter and get to know your audience so that you

know what they want and what they will respond to

positively. Here are some tips for growing a

successful Facebook business page.

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1. Add a good, clear profile picture and

cover photo.

A good, clear profile photo is essential for Facebook

business success. Your page’s profile photo will be

the first thing a person sees of your brand when

scrolling through their Facebook newsfeed, so you

want it to grab their attention so that they will click on

it and take a look at your page. You can use a logo,

photo of one of your best wreaths, or my favorite,

which is a photo of you standing beside a wreath, or

holding a wreath. The latter is my very favorite

because I think it helps people get to know you and

trust you when they can see your face, and ultimately,

YOU, are the face of your brand. You can easily make

a graphic for your cover photo using Canva.com or

PicMonkey.com. People should be able to click on

your Facebook business page and know what it is that

you do or what it is that you are selling just by

looking at your profile picture and cover photo.

2. Post Consistently!

Posting consistently on your Facebook business page

is so important. You cannot post every few days or

once a week, and expect to grow your Facebook page,

or gain a following. You must post consistently, every

single day. I recommend 2-4 times a day, and I know

that for a lot of you, that may seem overwhelming or

like too much work, but you can schedule posts on

Facebook ahead of time. You can use the Facebook

scheduler and schedule your posts for the day or

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week, and you can decide exactly when your post

goes out to your audience.

3. Post a good mixture of content.

You want to stay away from posting only “salesy”

posts or posts trying to get people to buy your

products or visit your shop. It’s essential to have the

right mix of posts that your audience will find

interesting and engaging - motivational quotes, funny

pictures, DIY projects. You do not have to come up

with all of the content on your own; you can share it

from other pages. You especially want to share posts

from pages LARGER than yours, that you see getting

a lot of likes, shares, and comments because that will

help you get some of their traction.

When it comes to posting, I typically follow the 80/20

rule – 80% non-sales posts and 20% sales posts.

When you do post a sales post, try to make it seem

“not so salesy.” Facebook, as a platform, does not like

it when you publish sales posts all the time. In fact, if

they think you are continuously posting “sales”

pitches, they may stop showing your posts to portions

of your audience, so you want to mix in your sales

posts in a way that is very casual, friendly, and “non-

salesy.”

You don’t want to post: “Spring Wreath for Sale -

$139.00: Buy Here Now!” Try to make it more casual

like, “I just finished making the cutest spring wreath.

Don’t you think this would look lovely on your front

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door? Grab it HERE: link to your shop.” You can talk

about what you do without sounding “salesy.”

4. Be engaging with your posts.

Facebook is all about creating community, and

engagement is the key to creating a community that

others want to be a part of. I like to think of the way

that I interact with my Facebook following as a

relationship. The more I get to know my community,

the more I can give them content that they want, and

that they will ultimately engage with. The more

engagement that you get from your followers, the

better off you will be. The more likes, comments, and

shares you can get on a post, the more likely that

Facebook will show your post to more of your

followers, so you want to be sure to post things that

will get people talking to you. Ask questions of your

audience; seek their opinion - “What color ribbon do

you think I should use for this wreath?” Always be

sure to answer and respond to any comments.

5. Use a Call to Action Button.

You can add and change the button under your cover

photo, so if you have a website or Etsy store, you can

change the button to say “Shop Now” and link it to

your shop. This is a great way to get traffic over to

your shop because people who visit your Facebook

page can click the button and then head over to your

shop.

6. Facebook Live videos.

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I know! I know! You are probably cringing right now

at the thought of doing a live video. Trust me, I felt

the same way when I first started doing videos, but I

am going to tell you why it is so important. Facebook

Live gives people a chance to get to know you. It is an

excellent way for your potential customers and “fans”

to get an inside peek into what you do, how you do it,

and who you are.

We are a very visual society, and people love to feel

like they KNOW from whom they are purchasing.

KNOW, LIKE, AND TRUST… people will buy more

readily from persons whom they know, like, and trust,

and Facebook Live gives people a chance to get to

know and trust you.

Another reason it’s important to do Facebook Live is

that Facebook wants us to. They have said that they

value engagement, and they are going to be more

likely to show posts from the pages where the

audience is engaged. Facebook Live videos are the

best way to do that. It gives people a chance to ask

questions and for you to ask and answer questions,

which creates engagement, and ultimately develops a

relationship between your community and audience.

You can always start small. You don’t have to do 45

minutes or a one-hour live video; to begin with, you

can start by hopping on for 10 or 15 minutes and give

some tips or show some of the things that you are

working on - let them watch you organize your ribbon

- there are so many things you can do.

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7. Facebook Ads.

I think that these are more for those of you who

already have an established page and want to build it

up and get more exposure for some of your posts. I

would not recommend Facebook ads if you are now

starting your page because if you aren’t careful, you

can spend a lot of money with very little return. Also,

I am not a huge fan of “Like” ads, where essentially

you are paying people to like your page. The problem

with this is that you can get people who are not your

target market, and then it does you no good. So, be

careful with those “Like” ads.

So, the most important thing to remember when using

Facebook as a platform to market your wreaths is that

you want to be consistent in your postings and try to

create a relationship with your audience. The more

you can get them to engage, the better. You want to

stay away from very “salesy” type posts, but you still

want people to scroll through your page and know

what it is that you do or sell, so when you do post

about your products, be sure to do it in a way that is

friendly, conversational and doesn’t seem like a sales

pitch.

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Chapter 21: Shipping Your Wreaths

he most popular ways to ship wreath packages

are through the three major shipping carriers,

USPS (United States Postal Service), UPS, and

FedEx. When choosing a carrier service to ship your

wreath orders, it is crucial to think about price and

convenience.

If you ship via United States Postal Service, you can

go to USPS.COM and request a pick-up, and the

postal carrier will come to your door and pick-up all

of the packages that you have for that day. You have

to request the pick-up ONLINE the day before you

need it. This is a FREE service that USPS offers, and

it is wonderful because you do not have to go to the

post office every day, so that will save you both time

and money. FedEx and UPS both also offer a pick-up

service; however, there may be a fee attached. Both of

the latter services are selective about where they will

pick-up, so check to see if your address is included in

their pick-up zones.

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I recommend getting a printer to print your shipping

labels from home, and I also recommend getting a

scale from Amazon (typically under $15) to weigh

your wreaths so that you can enter the most accurate

weight when printing your labels.

To keep your shipping prices at a more reasonable

rate, I encourage you to try to keep your shipping

boxes at a size of 24” x24” x6” or 22” x22” x8” or

smaller. We generally use 22” x22” x6” boxes when

possible. You can purchase shipping boxes at

uline.com, amazon.com, or staples.com.

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Chapter 22: Packaging Your Wreaths

orrectly packaging your wreaths is very

important. Not only does good packaging help

improve the likelihood that your wreath will arrive at

its destination intact and in good condition, but it is

also a visual representation of your workmanship and

the pride that you have in your product. It is another

excellent way to offer the customer a great shopping

experience, which will increase the chances that they

will become a customer for life.

C

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Chapter 23: Packing Materials You

Will Need to Ship a Wreath

Shipping Box (22” x22” x6” recommended)

Clear Packing Tape

Tape Dispenser

Bubble Wrap

Tissue Paper

Fragile Stickers

Kraft Paper

Pipe Cleaners or Zip Ties (Optional)

o protect your wreath, you can cover it well with

bubble wrap and then a layer of tissue paper. You

want to be sure that your wreath fits snuggly in the

box, with little room to move around. If your wreath

wiggles and moves around in the box, you can either

use pipe cleaners or zip ties to wire your wreath to the

box so that it does not move around during shipping,

or use kraft paper to fill in any empty spaces.

A great way to add a little personalization to your

packages is to leave a little “Thank You” card in the

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box with it. This can be a handwritten card or a pre-

made card. It is a good idea to include a coupon code

with a discount for a future purchase on the card. This

will encourage the customer to shop with you again in

the future. Vistaprint.com is a great resource for cards

if you want to purchase pre-made cards with your

branding and logo.

Remember when packaging and shipping your

wreaths to try to go above and beyond for your

customers. During the holiday season, you could

consider including holiday-themed tissue paper or a

holiday card. These little touches will make the entire

buying process for the customer a five-star

experience, and stellar customer experience will often

convert to a long-term relationship with the customer.

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Chapter 24: Make Customers Feel

Special and Valued

omeone once told me this, and it is so true, “It is a

lot easier to keep a customer than it is to find a

new one.” Once you have found your ideal customer

and they have purchased from you, you want to do all

that you can to make the experience a great one so

that they keep coming back.

Customer service is KEY. Be professional and timely

in your responses, and do all that you can to

personalize the experience and make the customer

feel special. One way that you can make the

experience personal is by including a handwritten

thank you card or note with the item that they

purchased. Also, I like to cover the wreath with pretty

colored tissue paper, so that it’s like the customer is

opening a gift when they receive the package. Little

details and special touches go a long way, and will

often create a customer for life.

S

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Chapter 25: Dealing with Bad

Reviews and Negative Customers

et’s face it. At some point in your journey of

selling wreaths, you will probably get a negative

review, or “bad customer.” It happens. It is part of

doing business. You can give a five-star, white-glove

service, and make the most stunning wreath the world

has ever seen, and there will still be that one customer

whom you can’t please. Here is what NOT to do if

you get a bad review or negative comment: Don’t get

defensive and don’t ignore it.

It’s easy to get defensive and argumentative,

especially if you don’t feel you did anything wrong,

and it’s natural to want to ignore negative feedback,

hoping it will be forgotten. These are almost always

the wrong things to do. Trust me, I’ve been there and

done that, and I can honestly tell you that ignoring it

and becoming defensive will only make the situation

worse. Ignoring the negative remark makes the

customer feel unheard, so in many cases, they will

“talk louder.” In today’s society, we use social media

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platforms as a way to share our good experiences and

also our bad experiences, and if you aren’t careful,

one small negative situation can become larger and

harder to rectify.

The best thing to do if you have a customer that is

unsatisfied, negative, or just plain rude is to remain

calm and be as personal, professional, and polite as

possible. Acknowledge the issue and sincerely

apologize to the customer, then find a solution.

If you do get a bad review, don’t be too hard on

yourself. Anyone who’s been in business, for any

length of time, will likely agree that it happens, and

you just have to move on and not make it personal. If

the customer has valid complaints, then listen to them

and use this opportunity to learn from your mistakes

and improve in the future. You can offer your

customer a discount as a way of providing a solution.

In most cases, the customer just wants to be

acknowledged and heard.

Once the negative review or situation is resolved,

shake it off and move forward. One bad review won’t

make or break you, and you shouldn’t dwell on it. All

you can do is be as professional as possible and learn

from your mistakes.

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Chapter 26: Enjoy the Journey

elling your wreaths can be so rewarding and

exciting, and I am thrilled that you have decided

to take this journey. Whether it’s the first notification

that one of your handmade wreaths has sold or the

hundredth notification, it never gets old knowing that

someone loves what you created and is willing to pay

money for it. If you had told me over twelve years ago

that I would be writing a book and helping others, like

you, sell their handmade wreaths, I would never have

believed you. I have to pinch myself sometimes!

I am honored to be able to go on this journey with

you, and I wish you massive success with your wreath

business. I hope that this book serves as a foundation

for you to create the business of your dreams. For

more information on making and selling wreaths,

please visit our blog: www.gracemonrohome.com.

Happy wreath making … and selling!

S

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About the Author

manda Cleckler is a co-founder of Grace Monroe

Home, an industry leader in luxury floral

wreaths. She and her mother, Sherry Buckner, began

selling their handmade wreaths online in 2007.

Together, they created a thriving business selling

designer wreaths to clients around the world.

Amanda, along with her mother Sherry, enjoys

teaching others the “art” of wreath-making, and

sharing their knowledge with thousands through their

blog at www.gracemonroehome.com, their social

media presence, YouTube channel, and in their

exclusive Design with The Pros Club.

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