As we step into 2024, it’s the perfect time for you to reassess your merch strategies so that you can turn Spring into one of your top revenue streams.
Below, you’ll find the top ways creators like yourself have been successful in promoting their merch to increase their sales:
Tip 1: Order Samples
Did you know that samples increase sales by 300%?! That’s because samples allow you to advertise your merch in your day-to-day content. Think of it as giving your products some much needed “face time”.
What kind of video should you do? Here are some thoughts:
Unboxing videos. These are still going strong in 2024. Capture the moment you open your delivery and see your product for the first time. Excitement is contagious.
Give tips. Sure, we all know how to wear a T-shirt, but styling tips are in demand. Offer suggestions on how to best show it off. If you created a mug, then use it in your content! Where do you hang your calendars? Where do you place your stickers? Give fans ideas and that’ll entice them to buy. Use Spring’s social integrations to link your products directly in your posts so fans can make a purchase decision on the spot!
Run giveaways. Everyone likes to get something for free. Giveaways can be used as incentives to encourage your fans to do something, like reply to a post or fill out a poll. You can also use samples in your content promoting your giveaway so fans will want to participate (because they’ll really want that merch).
Tip 2: Launch Limited-Edition Merch
Only offering your products for a limited time is an effective sales strategy. Having a deadline creates FOMO (fear of missing out) and can increase your sales by as much as THREE TIMES. In fact, 60% of millennials have made a purchase because of FOMO, according to Online Strategy.
Here are some ideas:
Put a holiday-themed spin on one of your best sellers. For example, you can add hearts or a pink & red color option for Valentine’s Day.
Mark a memorable occasion. Honor a significant moment in your journey as a creator, like hitting 100K followers, or a funny moment you shared with your fans in your content.
Capitalize on a trend. Memes are always of the moment. If there’s a current trend you spot that you feel fits you and your brand, put it on some products and run it for a limited time. By the time the trend goes cold, your limited edition sale is over and you’ve (hopefully) made some money.
If you need help creating a design for your limited edition merch, you can hire a professional designer to do it for you here at an affordable price.
Tip 3: Run a Promotion
People also love a deal. Spring creators who share promo codes with their fans see a 200% increase in sales on average! Creating a promo code only takes a few seconds and is one of the easiest and fastest ways to boost your sales. Log into your Dashboard and select Promotions (Under Tools & Services).
Once you have your code created, make sure to set a clear end date! You’ll want to communicate that to your fans. Then it’s time to spread the news by sharing your code across your socials.
You can easily create a graphic on Canva to really make it pop, or better yet, take a photo with a sample of your merch and announce your sale with your big pearly whites smiling next to your sample!
Tip 4: Use Spring’s Social Integrations
If you’re familiar with Spring, you know we talk about our social integrations all the time. But that’s because they work! Creators who actively use our social integrations to share their merch with their fans see a 20X increase in sales!
We have integrations with almost every major platform. Click on any below to learn more and set up the integration within minutes.
You can also use our PopUpShop to add your Spring store as a widget anywhere that basic HTML is accepted, making it easy to drive sales from anywhere on the internet.
Follow the steps above and you will have a better shot at having a prosperous 2024. Never forget, it’s about you and your brand just as much as it is about the product. Fans are buying YOU. So get those samples, make them part of your everyday content, get some promotions, and get selling!
Now that the Holidays are over, we’re hurtling toward Valentine’s Day. Can you believe it?!
Our data from the last couple seasons shows that just designing for V-Day alone is not as effective as combining that effort with using this holiday as an opportunity to connect with your audience. Not everyone is into V-Day, we get it, but it will definitely be on everyone’s mind. That means it’s an opportunity to increase engagement with your fans, which will then help increase your sales.
So here we go: 5 ways to use this V-Day to connect with your audience.
1. Plan a Giveaway.
It’s not as daunting as it sounds, and the increase in engagement is well-worth the effort. Follow these steps:
1. Find Your Target Audience.
Yes, you probably know your target audience, but if you don’t, check out our blog here on how to lock that down.
2. Establish Your Giveaway Goal.
This is your roadmap. Once you know this, you can back engineer your milestones to measure the success of your campaign. For example, you may be shooting for more customers, or you may be more focused on driving sales to boost revenue, or maybe you’re honing in on more website traffic, expanding your followers, or all of the above!
Knowing where you’re going is key to where to begin. The idea is to not let your giveaway become a time-consuming endeavor with no clear outcome.
3. Choose an Exciting Giveaway Prize.
Now to the fun part. The prize should be enticing and have value and relevance. People can’t resist freebies, but they smell gimmicks. Make it worth their time. Offer your most recent product, or a cool bundle, or a past-item that you’ve refreshed in some way. If fans don’t win, they might just go buy it anyway, which is the real prize.
4. Set the Giveaway Rules.
It’s a must to establish the entry requirements and rules for your giveaway contest. Be specific: eligibility, process, how winners are selected, how they will be notified, etc.
Some rules can even be advantageous for your brand. For example, maybe eligibility requirements involve tasks such as following your socials, liking and sharing a certain post, or reviewing one of your products.
Another key point is the timeline: When it starts and ends. Give your fans enough time to enter and strategically plan your announcement to continue the excitement.
5. Choose a Platform to Design Your Giveaway.
When it comes to choosing where to conduct your giveaway, not all platforms are created equal, and the rules can vary from lenient to strict. Do your research.
Obviously you’ll want to use the platform where you have the most engaged followers, but be sure to check out the promotion guidelines before you start. Or you can check out services that specialize in running giveaways like involve.me, an interactive content platform that facilitates the creation of giveaway campaigns. We don’t have a dog in the fight so pick whichever is best for you and your needs.
6. Promote, Promote, Promote.
Once your giveaway is ready, it’s time to spread the word and drum up participant interest. Here are some quick tips to reach the largest audience:
Leverage Platforms. Whether it’s an Instagram post, a story, or a TikTok hashtag challenge, giveaways often increase overall engagement, especially in the comments.
Website Popups. This tactic is great for gathering email addresses and also targets visitors already interested in your offerings.
Influencer Collaboration. Increase your reach by collaborating with influencers relevant to your brand or have a similar target audience. Incentivize them to share your giveaway.
Encourage Sharing. The best promoters of your products are your fans and followers. Incentivize or motivate them to share your giveaway on their personal channels. Maybe offer additional entries for every share.
7. Track Results.
One way to measure success is to do surveys when you’re done. This provides valuable insights so you know what was effective and what was not.
Finally, track your sales and revenue both during and after the giveaway so you know if the giveaway achieved what you wanted. A successful giveaway should garner more sales in general, both directly and indirectly.
2. Conduct a Poll.
We don’t have a crystal ball – we don’t always know what our fans want or what will entice them to purchase products. So stop guessing and start asking! Conduct a poll on your socials about which designs and products your fans would like to see for Valentine’s Day.
Use that as inspiration to launch something new, even if it’s just as simple as changing your colors on existing merch (like taking a popular tee and making it pink). Here are some quick tips on how to conduct an effective poll:
Determine your goal. What is it you want to know? If you already know you don’t want to create a whole new design, don’t ask about that! Instead, ask what past designs are a favorite and maybe add a new color or put it on a new product. Be very clear what you’re asking and know ahead of time what you are willing to do (and not do).
Choose a survey tool. Sure, you can just ask fans to comment. But do you really want to read through dozens and dozens of them and try to make sense of the answers? Get official! There are multiple tools to choose from. We have no affiliation with any of them, but some examples are FigPii, Survey Monkey, Google Forms, Typeform, etc. It really comes down to what your preferences and needs are.
Create your questions. You want to ask the right ones. As we said, if you’re looking for which past products to refresh and promote, don’t ask what new design they’d like to see you do.
Launch your poll. One of the most effective ways to do this is by emailing a link to your survey to your past purchasers and then sharing it on your socials. Post about it regularly until you get enough responses and be sure to communicate an end-date when the poll is over.
3. Share a Meaningful Story.
Sometimes it’s the simple things that are most effective. Human beings are born wanting to hear stories and also wanting to tell stories.
A meaningful story draws someone in and gets them emotionally attached to the outcome of your story. Even more, some people will actually purchase things they don’t need or want if they are emotionally attached to the brand.
Since this is about Valentine’s Day, share the love! Who is special to you? What helped inspire your success and your designs? The more people know about you and your life and the people that are important to you, the more they’ll engage with your brand.
4. Share a Shout Out to Your Loyal Fans.
Human beings don’t just love a great story, they love to be credited. There’s a reason you see fifty thousand names at the end of a movie. Giving props and a loving shout out to loyal fans on social media has exponential rewards.
Look at this Valentine’s Day as an opportunity to share your love for your fans who have purchased your merch and supported you. This will build even more fan loyalty. The more loyal fans you have, the more likely they’ll be to share your story, products, and brand with their network.
5. Refresh Your Store.
Add a little holiday branding to your store, even if you don’t offer Valentine’s themed products. Stores with custom branding see 35% increase in conversion rates! To quickly add a theme you can customize your:
Hero & footer banners.
This is the easiest way to stand out. You don’t need an all-new design, just throw on some hearts, flowers or other nods to the holiday. Are you an anti-Valentine-ite? Have fun with it and add some counter-messaging. Either way, it’ll feel fresh for the holiday.
Logo.
If you want to really commit to a Valentine’s theme, change-up your logo. Make some merch with it, promote it for the holiday as an exclusive, and then watch FOMO drive sales.
Store colors.
Don’t want to change out your logo? No worries, you can change the background color & text color. Add some pinks and reds for the holiday.
Sure, Valentine’s Day is only one day in February. But walk into any store and you’ll be bombarded with hearts and candy. Why not hop on that train and use this shared experience as a way to connect with your audience?
Share your feelings on the holiday. Ask what products your fans would like to see. Thank your fans for being loyal and share how much it means to you. Build that goodwill, so you can keep your fans engaged throughout the year. Happy selling!
And just like that…2024 has begun! Let’s make it a profitable one! Sure, easy to say, but how do you execute? We’re here to help with some tips, of course!
Success comes from consistency over time, such as a regular drip of new products. One proven strategy involves the interweaving of new products with refreshed versions of your past popular products. Think of it as a creative reboot that’s fan-driven.
Here are tips on how to pull it off:
1. Gather data.
Which designs did the best in 2023? What were your top sellers as far as design and product? Ask yourself: What were my…
Hit Designs? Let’s say you had a killer hoodie that kept selling out in ‘23 but you never really made the effort to use that design on other products…whip out that backpack, blanket, or mug and capitalize on that design’s popularity. After all, your design was a hit for a reason:)
Hit Products? Did you have a product type that sold more across all designs? Did your t-shirts and hoodies rack up sales while your leggings lagged? Really look at which types of products got the most sales, and most positive feedback, and offer more of them.
2. Rely on proven bestsellers.
Not sure what your data points to? Use ours! Here’s a list of Spring’s 2023 Top 10 best sellers:
Exactly what a comfort tee should be, but a more tailored fit.
3. Give popular designs a memorable remix.
Keeping your designs fresh by adding in memorable moments you’ve shared with fans is a great way to stay relevant in ‘24. Maybe you use a catch-phrase or image that your fans will immediately associate with you? For example, if you have a running joke about how you are always late, you could add in a phrase “Island time vibes” by your logo. Or if you’re a beauty creator that tends to get mascara everywhere when getting ready, you could add smeared mascara to a design that performed well in 2023. Whatever it is about you that your fans identify or associate with is an easy way to refresh your designs and increase sales.
4. Involve your fans in the process.
Everyone wants to feel like their opinion matters, and your products will be more meaningful when fans know the story behind the design.
Run a poll. Take to your socials and ask fans for advice, preferences, and suggestions: what type of glow-up do they want from your best sellers? What would they like to see next? Neon colors, giant text, retro vibes, etc.
Ask friends & family. Sometimes the intel you need is right under your nose. If anyone in your social circle is near your target audience, they’re a great resource. Plus, you can always share the story about how your design was influenced by someone close to you – great content for social posts!
5. Spread the news across your socials.
Once you’re ready to launch, it’s time to promote. Let fans know what’s new in 2024 and give them the story behind the launch to drive excitement. We’ve gone over promotions a lot, but here are a few quick refreshers:
Order samples to show off on social media.
Get creative with content – maybe an “unboxing video” to increase hype.
Create promo codes to drive sales. If you need a reminder on how, click here.
Use relevant hashtags; makes it easy for your fans to find & repost.
For more tips on how to market on your socials as well as promoting merch, click here.
Creating a new design involves an investment of your creativity and time. But refreshing a design involves much less. Remember: offer a variety of products (not just T-shirts!) and make sure the design is appropriately sized for the product and fits the style. Putting “World’s Best Grandpa” on a Women’s Comfort Tee may not be the best route.
You’ve done the heavy lifting. Now it’s time for you to reap the rewards by launching refreshed products. Happy 2024 and Happy Selling!
This year marked a period of major growth and transformation, not only for Amaze but for the remarkable creators we’ve teamed up with. From expanding our product catalog to witnessing powerful creator success stories, we’ve seen how Amaze isn’t just a collection of platforms – it’s a powerhouse for monetization and brand development in the creator community.
As we flip the script to 2024, let’s look back on the key milestones, the success stories, and the remarkable developments that made 2023 a memorable year.
New partnerships to enhance earnings
In our continuous effort to facilitate increased revenue for creators, this year, we intensified our efforts to streamline the process of selling merchandise through our Spring by Amaze platform. We are proud to announce some strategic collaborations that have contributed significantly to this goal.
Our partnership with TikTok has transformed creators’ videos into profitable ventures. With this integration, showcasing Spring merchandise seamlessly on TikTok profiles, videos, and livestreams has become more effective, turning each account into a lucrative storefront. More information on this integration can be found here.
We have also collaborated with Beacons.ai, further expanding earning opportunities. Creators can now integrate their Spring Store URL into their Beacons link in bio, providing direct access for fans to shop Spring merchandise. This feature is available for free here.
Highlighting creator achievements
Amaze has played a pivotal role in the lives of millions of creators, significantly boosting their income through simple yet effective product launches and promotions. We are continually inspired and honored by the numerous success stories shared with us throughout the year.
We value our incredible creators immensely, and while there are countless success stories to share, here are a few highlights from 2023.
The social media sensation Jimmy and his black labrador, Clarence, have experienced major wins this year. Their successful Black Friday sales challenge resulted in over 1,000 units from Black Friday to Cyber Monday, thanks in part to a highly engaging video. View Jimmy and Clarence’s Video here.
Danae Hays achieved remarkable success with her merchandise launch in November, selling over 125 units within the first 48 hours. She used her content to drive a merch strategy that her fans were excited to see and purchase. Explore Danae’s Instagram Post for more insight.
Alex’s journey is a remarkable tale of resilience and the strength of community. Battling multiple cancer diagnoses since May 2022, Alex made the decision to relaunch an old design to fund his treatment and support his family’s needs in these tough times. The overwhelming sales he’s experienced since his relaunch this month are not just transactions but a powerful demonstration of communal support and the kindness inherent in humanity.
These stories provide just a snapshot of how Amaze unlocks new revenue opportunities for creators, aiding them in establishing and expanding their brands. Through these experiences, we see time and time again that Amaze is more than a platform; it’s a catalyst for entrepreneurial growth and personal success.
A year of transformation
In 2023, we significantly upgraded our Spring by Amaze platform to focus on simplifying sales and enhancing creator success for our expansive community of over 11 million creators.
A key strategy in achieving this was through the improvement of our social integrations. Creators utilizing Spring’s social tools have experienced a substantial increase in sales, being 11 times more likely to close a sale and tripling their earnings compared to those not using these features.
Key Social Integration Enhancements:
Introduction of TikTok and Beacons integrations for streamlined in-app selling.
Enhanced YouTube integration to tag Spring products in videos, shorts, and live streams.
For Twitch users, a revamped Twitch integration launching in January will provide an interactive shopping experience directly from channels.
Further Developments:
Improved order fulfillment efficiency and reliability.
Expansion of our reach with new fulfillment centers in Mexico.
Launch of “Custom Collections” for better product categorization.
Simplification of custom product request processes.
Modernization of our Subscriptions page.
Review of top-selling products
In 2023, several products stood out in popularity and sales. We recommend considering these for your 2024 lineup to enhance sales potential:
Introduction of 29 new products, incorporating innovative printing methods like Digisoft and Embroidery.
Adjustments in EU catalog pricing, reducing base costs and retail prices while maintaining creator margins.
Diversification of production partners for a more reliable supply chain, particularly for stickers, posters, home products, and more.
Looking ahead to 2024
This year has been unforgettable. We’re in awe of how many lives have been changed by being able to easily monetize their content. We are profoundly grateful to have played a role in the journey of so many creators, contributing to their growth and the diversification of their revenue sources.
As we turn our sights to 2024, our dedication to empowering creators reaches new heights. Anticipate a range of exciting new products, impactful partnerships, enhanced integrations, and a host of other innovations.
Stay tuned as we step into a year brimming with opportunities, pioneering developments, and breakthrough features. Here’s to a year of prosperity and joy – Happy New Year!
If you want to succeed as a creator, then learning how to tap into your fans’ desires is key. By crowdsourcing design ideas for your products–meaning, asking your fans what designs they want you to make, rather than just anything you think up on your own–you’re not just crafting merch; you’re building a direct connection with your audience.
By giving your fans a voice in the creative process, you’re not only launching products they genuinely desire but also increasing the odds of success. It’s a win-win strategy that transforms your passion into profits while making your fans feel like cherished collaborators in your creative journey.
But first, let’s dive into what crowdsourcing exactly is. Simply put, it’s the process of collecting ideas and/or content with the assistance of input from a large number of people (your fans) on a topic of your choice. Once you’ve collected those ideas, you can use that info to develop products and refine your marketing strategy.
Now, let’s explore some ways to leverage crowdsourcing.
Understanding Your Fans’ Needs & Wants through Social Media
Crowdsourcing is your chance to learn what your fans are all about – their buying habits, what they’re into, what they love, you name it. And the fastest way to get all these deets? Social media, baby!
How to Crowdsource on Social Media:
1. Understand Your Squad: Social Media Style
First things first, to sell effectively, you gotta understand who your followers are. What are they interested in and what do they enjoy? This is key to creating merch that they’ll actually want to buy.
For example, if you’re a gamer and play mostly first person shooting games, your followers will likely be interested in merch with gaming phrases like “I paused my game to be here.” They would also be more interested in specific products, such as a desk mat.
If you don’t already know the main interests of your followers, try the following:
📊 Polls & Surveys
Use Instagram polls, Twitter surveys, and Facebook questions to get a quick read on their likes and dislikes.
🤳 Stories & DMs
Share stories asking for feedback or slide into those DMs for a more personal touch.
2. Design idea campaigns
Drop a post asking your fans for their help. Announce you’re looking for fresh merch ideas and watch your comments section light up.
Ask followers to comment with their design ideas or themes they’re crazy about and create a unique hashtag for your campaign to make it easy to track all the suggestions.
3. Analyzing What’s Hot
Keep an eye on which ideas are getting the most love. Likes, shares, comments – they’re all clues to what your fans are really into.
Platforms like Instagram and Facebook have built-in analytics. Use them to see which ideas are trending among your audience.
4. Feedback Loop
Once you’ve got a bunch of ideas, throw some sketches or mockups back at your followers. This is where you get to say, “Hey, look what we made together!”
Then let your fans vote on their favorite designs. It’s like having a focus group without the stuffy room and clipboards.
5. Bonus Tips to Amp Up Your Crowdsourcing Game
Collabs with Micro-Influencers: Team up with influencers who vibe with your audience. They can provide insights and amplify your reach.
Creative Contests: Launch a design contest with a cool prize. It’s a fun way to get loads of ideas and engage your community.
Storytime Highlights: Share stories of fans wearing your merch. It’s a solid way to build community and get real-life feedback.
Q&A Sessions: Host live Q&A sessions on your socials. It’s like a digital hangout where you can ask about preferences and trends.
6. Launching Your Fan-Approved Merch
When you’re ready to drop your new line, create a hype train on all your channels. Remember, this is a celebration of your community’s ideas!
Offer exclusive deals for your social media fam. It’s a sweet way to thank them for their help.
By following these steps, you’re not just making merch. You’re creating a movement where your fans are the co-creators. This not only ups the chances of your merch flying off the virtual shelves but also strengthens the bond with your audience. It’s all about making them feel like they’re part of your creative universe. So go on, get out there, and start crowdsourcing like a boss!
At Spring, we’re always looking for ways to help creators maximize their success, and part of that is launching new, trending products and improving our printing capabilities. Check out our improvements and take this opportunity to create something new.
You can also click here to see all of our new products in the Spring platform.
Elevate your brand with embroidered designs, now available for our hoodie and jogger— comfy, casual pieces that appeal to just about everyone. If you’re not familiar with creating embroidery design files, check out our Embroidery 101 guide where we discuss the different types of stitches and give tips on creating the best designs.
Embroidered hoodie:
Soft wash hoodie made of 65% cotton/35% Polyester 3-end fleece with a 100% cotton face
3-panel hood and flat draw cords with silver grommets
Embroidery available for left chest and left wrist
Max thread colors: 6
Sizing S-3XL
Base price: $38.73
Embroidered jogger:
Soft-wash joggers made of 65% cotton/35% Polyester 3-end fleece
This Camper Mug is perfect for those who take their beverages with a splash of style. This mug is durable for the outdoors yet still elegant enough for when you stay in.
Light-weight stainless steel with durable enamel coating
12 fl oz capacity
$12.00 base price
Hand wash only
Not microwave safe
Ceramic Ornaments
Holidays come and go, but ornaments last for years! Our Ceramic Ornaments add a touch of fun to your tree. They are double-sided and offer a vibrant UV printing. It’s a great opportunity to have your brand be a part of your fans’ holiday festivities!
Bring your art to life big time with our Gallery-Wrapped Canvas. Now available in three orientations—Square, Landscape, and Portrait—these canvases provide the backdrop to your creativity. From landscapes to portraits, your designs will get a spot of honor on your fans’ walls.
You might remember we offered a similar product in the launcher. See the specs for why these are a superior choice for your designs:
Gallery-wrapped
High-density pigment inks on acid-free archival quality canvas
Sawtooth hanger included for easy installation
Increased frame size (1 1/2″) to better stand out from the wall
6 available sizes in square, landscape or portrait orientation
Giclee Printing
UV & fade resistant
Time to Create
As the year winds down, opportunities for creators are revving up. Embrace the festive spirit, explore our new products, and take advantage of our enhanced print capabilities to set the stage for a successful year ahead. We want all of our Spring creators to have the tools they need to succeed, and we can’t wait to see what awesome creations you’ll bring to life. Happy selling!
Digital products are an easy way to make money without the hassle of shipping. Once the design is done, all you have left to do is promote.
We hope you’re ready to elevate your promotion game and ramp up your engagement, visibility, and most of all sales! Because at the end of the day, that’s what you’re here for, and we’re here for YOU! Here are 6 powerful strategies to promote your digital products this winter.
1. Leverage your social platforms:
As a content creator, you’re already plugged into social media. Now you need to leverage it to connect with your audience while promoting your digital products. Tailor your content to the platforms your target demographic uses most.
Run targeted ads, use visually appealing posts, and share behind-the-scenes videos and pics—which brings us to showing off in your posts.
Nothing wrong with a little showboating in your photos and videos (when it’s appropriate and on-brand!). No one likes an irrelevant bragging post. Be clever about it. Instagram Stories, Facebook Live, and X (the letter of the alphabet formerly known as Twitter) are great features to create shareable and interactive content.
2. Create compelling content showcasing you digital products:
The best way to get your digital products seen is to create valuable, high quality content that will resonate with your audience while showcasing your digital products.
Made a cool background? Use it in your posts! Have a song? Jam to it during your live stream. All of your videos, photos, and posts should be related to your digital products that are available so that you’re creating that FOMO if people don’t purchase.
3.Offer seasonal bundles:
Winter is a time of giving, and creating special seasonal bundles is a great way to attract customers looking for unique gifts. Bundle together complementary digital products or offer exclusive winter-themed collections.
Whether it’s a set of recipes, backgrounds, video or image files, providing bundled options adds value for customers and encourages them to purchase multiple items at once. That’s increased sales for you!
4. Request & repost UGC (User Generated Content):
Have you ever heard that it’s not bragging if others do it for you? It’s true. Get your users to toot your own horn by having them post after they purchase your digital products.
It works like this: When your users post using/showing the digital products (whatever they may be), have them tag you so you can repost it. When a product is awesome, eventually the word spreads so quickly, you couldn’t stop the spread if you wanted to!
5. Run limited-time promotions and discounts
Create more FOMO with a PROMO. Develop a sense of urgency by offering discounts and running limited-time promotions. Since digital products can be bought and downloaded instantly, offer holiday discounts and exclusive bundles all the way through the holidays. You’ll catch those last-minute shoppers, and keep the sales rolling all season long.
And don’t forget those promo codes, a vital tool in any digital marketing tool box, as they provide a huge incentive for your fans to purchase immediately for fear of losing out on a deal. Customers who are driven to make quicker decisions equal higher sales. Plain and simple.
6. Create emotional connections through storytelling
What is it to be human? Well, for one thing, we are unpredictable. But there is one thing about all humans that is predictable. We love to be told an intriguing story. People will see through an ad that just says “buy this.” But tell a story…that’s how you hook ‘em.
Not all stories are equally intriguing to all people. You must find out the story your audience wants to be told. A clearly defined brand—your brand—will help dictate what that story will be.
Sometimes it’s as simple as telling a story about how your designs came to be or why you chose the products you created. It’s about connecting with your audience through relatable stories. People buy because they connect with the brand they are buying from. They’re buying you.
7. Use Spring social integrations
Do yourself a favor and integrate your Spring store with your social media. This shouldn’t need to be said, but you’d be surprised how many creators still don’t do this. When a fan of yours wants to purchase your product, why make it hard? Make it simple for them to bounce back and forth between your social media and your Spring store. Why? Because it equals sales. It’s literally the difference between someone saying to themselves, “This is too complicated,” or tapping the “Buy Now” button and saying, “What should I have for dinner?”
Spring makes this as easy as it gets.
You can use the Integrations Tab on your Dashboard to activate your products on Instagram, YouTube, Twitch, Instagram, and others. This way, fans will be able to see the items on your merch shelf within the platform. And it’s just one click for them to get to your store to purchase.
And here’s a bonus fact: Creators who use the YouTube merch shelf integration earn 20x more on average than those who don’t. Once you connect your Spring store to YouTube, you can also tag merch directly in your Shorts and Lives to make it easier for fans to shop!
By implementing these strategies, you’ll resonate with your audience, get the exposure you and your products need, and achieve lasting success in the digital jungle. Adapt to changing trends, constantly refine your promotional strategies, and stay creative. Happy promoting and Happy Holidays!
Why create digital products? It’s a valid question many creators have.
Let this sink in: JPMorgan recently conducted a study revealing that over $54 billion is annually spent on digital goods, and that number is expected to increase to $74 billion by 2025!
Yeah, that’s a huge number, but money is not the only reason to create digital products. Digital designs are cheap to make, you have more flexibility on the profit margin, and there is no upfront cost! Win!
Key benefits of digital products:
Easy for fans to purchase.
After your fans make a purchase, the digital product is in their inbox within minutes. No wait times. No shipping.
Easy for creators to sell.
Digital products allow creators to drive a heap of traffic through our integrations like Linktree, YouTube, and more.
Enjoy Spring’s support services.
We’ve got fan and creator support teams to offer help whenever you need it, even for digital products.
Lots of free digital product templates.
Not a designer? No problem. Use these free, customizable templates to create your high-quality digital products.
Easy to promote.
No need to wait for a sample to arrive. You can start promoting your digital products instantly. Once your product’s ready, use these tools and templates to help promote them.
Not sure what to create? Check out these cool digital products from Spring creators.
Canva is a great tool to help you create your digital designs. They offer amazing assistance with images, videos, audio files, other media, text, illustrations, background features and editing techniques, to make a “new” creative work. Truly an invaluable resource.
Simple is best.
Pick designs that are easy to create and not too intricate. Why? It’ll be quicker to create multiple designs. The more designs you offer—the more ways you have to make a sale! And that’s always good!
Offer Freebies.
Weigh the pros and cons of giving out promos. In the long run, it’s really worth it because of the dividends you receive from future sales. One method is to offer digital products as freebies or as part of a promotion for your other products. Another go-to tactic, and one of the more popular methods, is offering a bundle.
Cut off dates? Nope.
Keep selling after shipping cut off dates, right up to the holiday. A good portion of your sales will come from last minute shoppers.
Ready to rock those digital products? Before you go, here are some of the most popular ones trending this year:
In the ever-evolving landscape of commerce, two days stand out as monumental opportunities for creators to boost their sales and connect with their fans: Black Friday and Cyber Monday (plus the Saturday & Sunday in-between). These shopping extravaganzas have become global phenomena, with consumers eagerly awaiting the chance to snag exclusive deals and discounts from their favorite brands and creators.
But don’t just take our word for it! Here are some staggering stats:
According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), Black Friday and Cyber Monday consistently rank among the top shopping days of the year, with billions of dollars spent collectively.
Statista reports that in 2022, global online sales on Black Friday amounted to over $8 billion!
So enough with the reasons. Let’s roll with the reality that you’re ready to prep your store with products you’d like to promote for these two shopping sprees. Want to know how to cut through the noise and let shoppers know you have deals they should snag? Don’t worry, we’ll cover how you can set up Black Friday & Cyber Monday promotions in your Spring store and some best practices for creating content to promote on your socials. Let’s go!
How to create a Promo code on Spring
How to Create Content for Black Friday & Cyber Monday
When we talk about creating content, what we’re asking is: What content will you create that announces you are participating in the sales frenzy of Black Friday and Cyber Monday? The easiest way to do this is to announce that you are running a promotion (a discount) on products in your Spring store through the shopping weekend. Promotions are what your fans are expecting, so this will be the linchpin of your content.
Here’s what you should consider when creating promotions on Spring:
Pick a dollar amount or percentage discount to offer your fans. Note that this will apply to all items in your store, so do the math on what makes the most sense. For example, if you have a die cut sticker, instead of offering a discount dollar amount, choose a percentage because you may be taking a loss on the item. On the flip side, offering 15% off on a $50 item will cost you more money than giving a promo code for $5 off. Do the math. See which one favors you.
Consider free shipping. Be aware that Spring’s shipping is only free in the U.S. so make sure you’re within your profit margin if you’re shipping internationally.
Set a time limit on your promo codes. Keep in mind that Spring’s platform is on UTC time. So if you set your sale to end on Friday at midnight, it will end at 3:59 p.m. Friday PST.
Timing is everything. Set your promotion to go live at a specific date, and make sure you announce the promo either right before or on that date. More on announcing promos on your socials below.
Tips for Promoting on Your Socials
Promoting your discount on social media is the main avenue for getting word about your promotion to your fans. However, there are some key things to keep in mind when it comes to posting your sale on social media:
Tease your promo. Announce that you’ll have an upcoming Black Friday and/or Cyber Monday sale. Build excitement. Do count-down posts. Make sure you clearly state the date it starts AND the date it ends (Note: All Spring promo codes are in UTC time zone).
Use short videos & graphics. Canva has many free templates you can use to create stunning graphics, and they also have social media sales templates that can easily be customized to match your brand. You can also use CapCut for free to make short form videos announcing your sale (check out their sale templates that are easy to use).
Use samples! Photos and/or videos of you or others wearing your merch can increase sales by 300%. But if you don’t have samples to use, you can always use platforms like Placeit to drop your designs on models and use them in your content.
Post A LOT once your promo is live. Social is all about timing. Keep posting teasers and reminders about your promo and include a countdown to when it ends. FOMO is strong and if fans know time is running out, they’ll be incentivized to buy now.
Thank your fans when the sale is over. This is important. Once your promotion is over, be sure to thank your fans for participating. You don’t have to give numbers. But gratitude will go a long way, especially as you are asking fans to spend money on you. Give the love back.
Black Friday and Cyber Monday represent more than just days of frenzied shopping. For creators, these events are an opportunity to boost sales, connect with your fans, and position you and your brand as a player in a highly competitive market.
You only get one chance to prepare for the biggest SELLING weekend of the year—Black Friday and Cyber Monday!
Here are some stats to get you motivated:
During the 2022 holiday season in the US, Cyber Monday was the day with the highest e-commerce conversion rate for online shopping.
Black Friday came in second place, with a desktop conversion rate of approximately 5.6% and a mobile conversion rate of 3.3%.
Busiest holiday sales days research by Statista shows that Black Friday was the most popular sales day in 2022, with over 50% of American shoppers planning to buy gifts!
That’s A LOT of shoppers! Let’s review the checklist so you can have the best-selling season you’ve ever had!
STEP 1: Go to the Holiday Resource Hub.
The amount of resources you’ll find in the Holiday Resource Hub are plentiful, not just for this topic but for maximizing your sales throughout the holiday season. The hub is also where you will find another crucial tool, the Countdown Calendar, but we will cover that in detail below.
STEP 2: Prepare Promo Codes and Promote.
Did you know that fans who visit a store off a promo code like are 25% more likely to purchase?
It’s an opportunity you can’t afford to pass up. When you choose to promote your products on social media, it’s good to have a promo code. These can be planned in advance and switched on when you’re ready. Make sure to have different promo codes for different times – it helps with tracking, what is working, etc.
Don’t fret—making promo codes is super easy! You can create them within the Promotions section of your dashboard. Line up your promo codes in advance and follow your calendar as to when they will activate. Find out more about creating promotions and promo codes here.
Promo codes can be applied to all of your products.
Reminder: You’ll need to ensure there’s enough profit margin to support the promo—no matter what product is being purchased, so do that math ahead of time.
More promo hacks:
Create effective promotional content. Canva is a great tool for creating eye-catching images on social media. You can also get 40% off Kittl using Spring’s partnership to create sale announcements when you use the code: SPRING23 at checkout. There are hundreds of templates—just don’t forget to include the promo code, the dates your sale will run, and the discount type.
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!
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.
STEP 3: Go to the Countdown Calendar.
The Countdown Calendar will give you key dates through the Holiday Season, including cutoff dates, shipping deadlines, and some key dates we’ll mention below.
First, create your own “content & sales” calendar.
Calendars are super helpful, especially since 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 socials, and so forth. We recommend having your promos ready by November 1st.
Second, mark these key dates on your calendar:
OCTOBER 10: Get your holiday products designed and sample orders in by October 10th so you can start promoting.
NOVEMBER 1: Have all your promotional materials and promo codes ready by November 1st – Create your promotions in your dashboard so that you can switch them on when the time comes.
EARLY NOVEMBER: Include hints in your social content about upcoming sales and promos.
Build anticipation early with pre-sale benefits (like giveaways).
Run mini sales.
Run different promo types to the ones you plan to run during Black Friday/ Cyber weekend. Example: offer free shipping early in the month, then switch to percentage discounts as you get closer.
NOVEMBER 11 thru THANKSGIVING DAY: Offer discounts for early birds. Continue excitement & anticipation with pre-sale benefits.
BLACK FRIDAY thru CYBER MONDAY (CYBER WEEKEND):
Black Friday: 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: Highlight your newest digital products. You might add a bonus gift as part of your listing. Example: a free bonus wallpaper.
Giving Tuesday (day after Cyber Monday): Thank fans for their support. Offer a giveaway, or an extra discount for the rest of the week.
DECEMBER 1 – 18: Thank fans with more promotions
Use the beginning of December to continue running other mini sales leading up to the shipping cut-off dates for Christmas.
Mid-December 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. In fact, you can sell digital products up to and through Christmas Day!
We’ve armed you with everything you need to blow your previous holiday sales records away. Stay on course in the Countdown Calendar and utilize the Holiday Resource Hub as your Creator Bible. Get your designs, samples, and promo codes out there, Happy Holidays, and Happy Prospering!
