Month: September 2021

Categories
Digital

Keep sales rolling until Christmas with digital products

Add digital products to your store now and sell them all the way up to December 25th thanks to instant delivery. Sales needn’t stop.

Smash your sales records by offering digital products this holiday season. We’ve put together a bunch of ideas for you below (along with free tools linked in each section to help you get started). Don’t forget, you don’t need to be a design wizard. You have a ton of free templates here too.

Repurpose existing digital products

Think of a successful digital product you launched this past year. Then, make it holiday-ready. Here’s a few examples: 

  • Digital coloring book. Create festive themed pictures to color in-app or print out. Just remove the color from one of your designs using Photoshop, or there are plenty of tools online.
  • Lightroom preset. Consider creating a winter photo filter. Bring down the saturation and add a frosty tint, or apply a grainy texture and warm up the colors for a vintage disposable film vibe.
  • Digital art. Fans go crazy for your artwork? Offer limited edition printable artwork for fans to download and print out, only available during December.

Prepare digital products

Holiday theme e-card designs 

Digital e-card designs encourage sustainable shopping and save paper. Offer a set of digital e-card designs for fans to forward to family and friends. Get started via the button below.

  • Go the extra mile—consider animating your e-card or adding sounds. 
  • Psst—use Canva’s e-card builder. They have a ton of templates you customize and animate. 
  • Alternatively, provide design templates (editable photoshop, indesign, or illustrator files), so your fans can customize and make their own. 
Free e-card templates

Audio files 

Got a popular line or catch phrase your fans loved in one of your livestreams this year? Try your hand at selling the moment in the form of an audio file. Your community can download and use it as ringtones, notification tones, and more. 

Further, if you’re a music artist, producer (or just a bit of a whiz with sound), consider selling audio files. Sell limited edition albums for your fans to listen to while they enjoy festivities. 

Upload audio files

Create guides and e-books

Inspire your fans with your digital products this holiday season. Take your ideas to Canva and make a guide. You might create recipes for festive bakes, crafty ideas for DIY gifts, a wreath making step-by-step, or a festive knitting pattern for fans to knit their dog a Christmas jumper—we could go on.

Head to Canva below to use the e-book builder. Pick a design, add your content, then add pages via the button at the bottom of the editor.

Free digital guide templates

Prep for 2022—planners and calendars

In the run up to the holiday, you should think about releasing digital products for the new year. Focus on helping your community to get themselves organized and become the best version of themself. Examples of products you might create, we’ve also linked free templates to help:

Create listing images easily using Placeit mock-up templates via the button below.

Mock-up templates

Categories
Insights

The Black Friday weekend road map

The secret to a monumental Black Friday weekend: plan a solid strategy. It’s not as overwhelming as it sounds—here, we’ll break it down for you. 

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are the biggest selling days of the year, and Spring is no different. Creators who offer discounts during this weekend can double their sales. 

Make sure you’re prepared for the Cyber weekend. So what does that mean?

First things first, get your holiday products designed and sample orders in by October 10th, so you can start promoting ASAP. Take note of the shipping cutoff dates too, so you can make sure fans receive their orders by Christmas. There’s three key tasks to remember:

  1. Fill out a content and sales calendar 
  2. Prepare promo codes
  3. Create promotional imagery

Create a calendar 

Content and sales calendars can be super helpful, as you might run multiple sales leading up to Black Friday (for example, you might do your sales in one burst the week before, or several pre-sales in the weeks leading up—or both!). Plus, it’s not only sales you’ll be planning, but also promo codes you’re offering, when you choose to promote them on social, and so forth.

We recommend having yours ready by November 1st. Here’s a free template:

Free content schedule template

Important dates 

NOVEMBER 11 – 25TH: Discounts for early birds
  • Build anticipation early with pre-sale benefits (like giveaways). 
  • Include hints about what is coming up, as well as run mini sales leading up to the Cyber weekend.
  • Run different promo types to the ones you plan to run during the Cyber weekend. E.g.  offer free shipping in the days leading up, then percentage discounts for your Cyber weekend sale.

NOVEMBER 26TH – NOVEMBER 30TH: Cyber Weekend
  • Black Friday (11/26): Make the biggest impact on socials. Share promo codes in your content and be sure to feature sample imagery. See how other creators do it here. 
  • Offer a percentage discount promo (ex. 15% off). Run it through Cyber Monday to maximize orders.
  • Cyber Monday (11/29): Highlight your newest digital products. You might add a bonus gift as part of your listing. I.e. a free bonus wallpaper.
  • Giving Tuesday (11/30): Thank fans for their support. Think giveaways, an extra special discount until the rest of the week, and more.

DECEMBER 1ST – 18TH: Thank fans with more promotions
  • Use the beginning of December to continue running other mini sales leading up to the shipping cut-off dates. 
  • From December 1st onwards is the prime time to start offering digital products. With instant delivery and no shipping or logistics to worry about, there’s every reason to create a variety of digital content. 

Preparing promo codes

Prepare your promo codes within the ‘Promotions’ section of your dashboard. Line up your promo codes in advance, and simply switch them on when you’re ready. Find out more about creating promotions here.

Promo codes can be applied to all of your products. You’ll need to ensure there’s enough profit margin to support the promo—no matter what product is being purchased. 

Create a promo code

Top holiday promo hacks

1) Create effective promotional content. Click the image below to see how creators are announcing their sales on socials. 

2) Feature samples. Creators who highlight samples in promotional content earn as much as 200% more profit from their products. Make sure you’re doing it too—find inspo here. Don’t forget to tag @springforcreators and use the hashtag #CreateShareEarn for the chance to be featured on Spring’s socials. 

3) Use free tools to create promos. Sign up with 20% off using Spring’s partnership with Placeit to create sale announcements. Canva is a great tool for creating eye-catching images to share on social media. There are hundreds of templates—just don’t forget to include the promo code, the dates your sale will run, and the discount type.

4) Use integrations. Make sure fans can find your products easily. Pair social content with a link straight to your listing. Present products underneath your videos using the YouTube Integration, or set up the Instagram Shopping Integration to begin tagging your products in posts (and more). Don’t have access yet? Start using the Linktree Integration, available to all creators right now.

Categories
Digital Insights

Your go-to guide for the holidays

Some creators sell more during the holiday season than the entire year combined. Make this holiday season your most successful yet. 

It may seem a little overwhelming at first—but we’ve got you. Below, we’ve laid out key dates you can follow to put yourself in the best position possible. Here’s how.

1) Create a holiday product collection

We’ve found certain products sell especially well during the holidays. Here’s what’s been proven to sell the best (based on current trends and recent years):

  • Hoodies (and matching kids hoodies)
  • Premium Tees
  • Mugs
  • Stickers
  • All-Over Print Sweatshirts
  • Leggings
  • All-Over Print Unisex Joggers
  • Stainless Tumblers
  • Tote Bags 
  • Long Sleeve Tees
  • Bucket hats

Design your holiday collection

Spring’s Instagram grid is packed with design inspo, so head over to check it out. Also, don’t forget about all the free design resources available to you.

Aim to create your holiday product collection by October 1st. This will give you enough time to order samples, prepare your content schedule, and maximize sales over the next 3 months. Take note of the Christmas delivery cutoff dates for fans too, so no one misses out. Add new products to your collection just in time for the holidays, and add limited edition holiday designs.  

2) Order samples and x3 your sales 

Once you’ve finished creating, it’s time to promote. Best way: Ordering product samples. Creators who do so sell 3x more than those who don’t. 

That said, we’d recommend ordering your product samples by October 10. This gives you enough time for shipping, then for you to create your promo content. Flick through the samples guide to find out the best ways to use samples to promote your products.

Tag us (@springforcreators)in social content featuring your samples, and don’t forget to use the hashtag #createshareearn for the chance to be featured in our 2021 holiday campaign on Instagram and get more eyes on your brand ✨

Order samples

3) Prepare for Black Friday weekend

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are the biggest online shopping days of the year. Creators who offer discounts during this weekend can double their sales. We suggest running sales during those days—creators who’ve done so in the past have doubled their sales. In that, you’ll want to schedule your sales by November 1st, so you’re ready to switch your promotions on in your dashboard when the time comes.

Ready to get started? Check out these tried and true tips for the Cyber weekend. Plus, check out our guide to running a successful sale.   

Prepare promo codes

4) Prepare your store for peak seasonal selling

We’ve got three quick ways to optimize your store for the season: 

  • Feature products in your store: these can get 20% more views on average.
  • Add your branding to your store: stores with custom branding see 35% increase in conversion rates. 
  • Customize your domain: creators with custom domains can sell up to 5x more on average than those who don’t. Also, when you set up a domain with us, you’ll automatically receive an SSL certification, making your store more search friendlier as well as more secure or fans.

We recommend doing all of this by November 1. If you need a good example, see @ashleyooacevedo’s top tips. 

Browse custom domains

5) Keep profits rolling until Christmas with digital products

Okay, we just threw a bunch of dates at you. One thing with a bit of flexibility is digital products. Since these don’t have to actually ship anywhere (fans download immediately), you have up until the holiday itself to sell these products. Ensure your digital products are added to your store ASAP, so you can start promoting right away. Go extra hard on promotions after Cyber Weekend.

Get fans excited with special promotions on holiday themed digital products. Include bonus products (e.g. a free wallpaper background) with their digital product purchase—this is a great way to boost your sales even more.

Find inspo for digital products to create for the holidays, and don’t forget, we’ve got free digital product templates you can download and customize here. 

Create holiday digital products
Categories
Insights

Let’s talk samples

Congratulations on receiving your sample. Now, head out with friends, style them in your products, get snapping—the best way to send fans into a frenzy over your new collection (and increase sales).

So your sample has just arrived—this is the fun part. Paired with your expert content creation skills, they’re sure to increase sales. Like a lot.

Unboxing your sample

Get your community excited by capturing your sample unboxing moment. Once your box arrives, take pictures of yourself opening your package, or share a short video like @exploreeffectgear or @liannefrankel. Sharing teasers gets fans excited that something new is coming. Consider creating a countdown or giving fans a release date to build anticipation for your product launch.

Don’t forget to tag @springforcreators or use the hashtag #createshareearn for the chance to get featured on our Instagram grid. Click below to get started.

Share

Promote on social media

Creators who feature samples in promotional content can increase sales by up to 6x compared to those who don’t. Posting sample imagery on socials is an engaging way to create excitement around your collections. See how other creators are using their samples on our Instagram grid below.

Sample content inspo

Pair social content with a link straight to your listing. Present products underneath your videos using the YouTube Integration, or set up the Instagram Shopping Integration to begin tagging your products in posts (and more). Don’t have access yet? Start using the Linktree Integration, available to all creators right now.

Check out inspo from our top creators killing it on socials below.

6 ways to create content using samples

There’s no one way to create genius, eye-catching content. Our advice? Head to a beautiful spot (like the beach), and unleash some creative genius. You’ll have a blast, and sell some products. Win win. 

Once you’re done, tag us with the hashtag #CreateShareEarn. We’ll feature our favorite promo images on our Spring Instagram feed.

Try your hand at product photography

You don’t always need to be wearing or holding your products to show off the quality of your designs. Sometimes the beauty is in the details. @aestheticallyrica definitely has the right idea.

Show how fans can enjoy your products IRL

Feature your samples in a way that feels natural to you and the style of content your community loves seeing on your feed. Take for example @weretherussos, who put their die cut sticker on the back of their 4×4.

Create video content using your products

For YouTubers, it’s a no brainer. Wear your samples in videos. Instagram creators: videos get more engagement—It’s a known fact. @delta_of_phoenix is a shining example. Featuring samples in TikTok content is always a great way to inspire fans to purchase your products too. Don’t forget to have your Spring store accessible within your Linktree.

Get creative with your imagery

@ashleyooacevedo includes samples in almost all of her Instagram content. Check out how she has photographed her hoodie design and jazzed up her Instagram post with her own illustrative touches. Super cool!

Combine samples and online design templates to promote sales  

Just like @loudmouthpod has below. Hands down, the best way to shout about a promotion on your social media. Choose from hundreds of completely free post templates on Canva, including sample imagery.

Organize a giveaway contest

Samples make it easy for you to run giveaway contests on your social platforms. All you need to do is mail them to the lucky winner. Giveaways are a great way to thank your community for their support and boost engagement on your content.

We created an example using sample imagery below. Head to Canva to get started with yours.

Create a giveaway post

Categories
Insights

3 ways to customize (and optimize) your store

Picture this: you walk into a store, you’ve seen hundreds before like it. Then you go next door—it has a distinct feel. There’s vibrant colors, a catchy name, cool artwork on the walls. Well, the experience with your Spring store is no different. 

A great looking Spring store not only streamlines your fans shopping experience, it compliments the products inside it—making visitors more likely to purchase products. In fact, customizing your store can increase your conversion rates by as much as 35%. 

Take graphic designer and creator Ashley Acevedo, for example. Recently, she has done a total makeover of her custom store. The tagline in her header image sums up the new look, as well as newly launched digital and physical products—it’s hardcore fun. To level up your store like Ashley, here’s the 3 ways to do it: 

  • Add a custom domain
  • Feature social media icons in your navigation bar and store footer
  • Enhance your brand with design customization capabilities

Choose a custom domain 

Connecting a custom domain bumps up your rankings on search engines, making it easy for fans to discover your store, as well as revisit it. 

Ashley knew she wanted her online moniker “ashleyooacevedo” in her domain name—the name she goes by online. That’s how she landed on the domain name ashleyooacevedo.fun— instantly making her products more discoverable. When choosing a domain extension, instead of ‘.com’, she got lucky with ‘.fun’—fitting perfectly with her brand’s slogan, ‘Hardcore Fun’. 

She tells us: “Since changing my domain name, I have seen a massive increase in sales. It really took my shop to another level and it feels so much more my own. My community also really love the catchy name.” 

You can get a custom domain instantly through Spring, or connect one you already own. It’s easy.

Connect a custom domain

Add social media icons

Your store should be an extension of your creator brand—so make sure there are pathways between your social media profiles and your store. With Instagram being her main platform, Ashley did exactly that, adding her Instagram profile link to her store navigation bar and footer. 

Add your social media URLs too, via the Stores tab of your dashboard. To get started, head to the store editor now.

Store editor

Customize your branding and colors 

The fun part—you have the ability to edit the appearance and update branded elements of your custom store with ease, giving you full creative control. Edit your store banner and footer, add a logo, text color, insert buttons, alter your navigation bar, and more. 

Ashley certainly had tons of fun updating hers: “I loved being able to add my own banner and branding! As a graphic designer, it’s really important to me to have my identity anywhere my audience can find me. It’s also super fun to customize my store to fit my style.”

Try it for yourself. Head to the “Stores” section of your dashboard and open up the store editor on the top right. 

We can’t wait to see what you come up with.

Get started
Categories
Uncategorized

How a psychology professor took Instagram Shopping by storm

She came, she created, she integrated—now, Christina Costa is reaping rewards from her shop on Instagram.

Christina Costa loves neuropsychology. 

Not only is Christina pursuing her PhD from University of Michigan, she also teaches psychology to both undergraduate and high school students. On top of that, she’s written a book, given a TED talk, and regularly shares educational content with her fans. Even her dog is named Neuro. 

Christina’s so passionate, in fact, that she started creating products to convey the messages most important to her: celebrating neurodiversity and promoting accessibility. 

Sales were going well, and Christina was pleased. And then she integrated her store with Instagram. 

On August 21, Christina posted a photo wearing her “Celebrate Neurodiversity” t-shirt she created with Spring. She tagged the product in her post, so fans could buy from her profile. 

On that day alone, Christina racked up 150 sales of that shirt—her highest number of sales ever in a single day.

The best part—Christina’s not just spreading an important message; many of her proceeds from products are dedicated to cancer research. 

“I love using the Spring feature on Instagram,” Christina says. “It makes it so easy to integrate the products on Instagram and raise money for cancer research!”

You can take advantage, too. Go to your profile and look for the “Add Shop” button. From there, you can tag products in posts, stories, and reels, making it easy for fans to buy right then and there—just like what happened with Christina. If you don’t see the “Add Shop” button, don’t fret—we’re still rolling this integration out for creators and it should be available for you soon. 

Head to your Instagram profile to get started.

Add shop