Finding your niche: Making your shop an audience-based business

There's a lot of buzz on the internet lately about audience-based business models. If you're not familiar with the term, I'll explain.

While there are many different models for businesses to follow, most can be summarized by being product-based or audience-based. A product-based business, as it may be obvious, begins with the product you've created, that you wish to market and sell. When you're first starting out, your shop will probably fall into this category. You don't have an audience yet, but don't worry! It's not hard to convert your business from product-based to audience-based. All you need is a little feedback to get you going.

With an audience-based business, you spend most of your time communicating with your fans and then catering to them. Is there one particular design or product that seems to sell better than all the rest? Something you consistently get more compliments on or receive positive feedback for? There's your niche!

So why convert to an audience-based business? You don't have to, but remember that word of mouth is the most powerful advertising tool there is. The more your audience loves what you create, the more likely they are to share your work--and your shop--with their family and friends, expanding your reach more than you may be able to do on your own.

Once you find which of your creations people seem most interested in, the transition from product-based to audience-based business is a piece of cake. All you do is make more items that are similar in style and type to what's already been successful, and expound on what your fans already like the most.

Freshwater Tahitian pearl bracelet
$16 in the project shop

Another way to expand into an audience-based business model is to cater directly to what your followers ask for. If you ask, they'll tell you exactly what they want! Maybe it's a handmade soap in a travel size. A specific color or size of jewelry.  For me, I have a lot of requests for freshwater pearl jewelry and wire-wrapped stones, so that's what I try to cater to first and foremost. Those products are consistently more successful than other designs, specifically because they're catering to what my audience has asked for.

What if you don't have an audience yet? How do you get the feedback you need?
Well, everyone has an audience! Do you have a Facebook account? Try showing your creations to family and friends there and ask which ones they like best. If one item receives a lot of attention, that can give you a great idea of which direction to grow.

And of course, if you really have no one to ask for feedback, I'm always willing to take a look!