# Instagram?



## AnthonyF (Nov 11, 2016)

I've been reading many posts recently on marketing. Many of them suggest the use of Instagram. I have to admit, I'm feeling old! I do know what Instagram is, and I do have the app on my phone. I have a number of friends who use it, but they are all performers. (My day\night job is in theater). I don't get how it would be used to promote t-shirts or other craft sales. I would love to follow some people who are using it successfully to see what it is they do. At this point I'm not selling much and I'm not sure how much time I have to devote to my craft business, but I'm trying to get my head wrapped around how it might be done. I'm not sure if it counts as self promotion if someone (me) asks for people to share their links, but if it does please pm me. 
Thanks!
Anthony


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## danandnao (Dec 29, 2016)

You just take and share great photos of your tees, or even better, people wearing them. Start following everyone in the industry and take notice of who's doing it well, and imitate them. In order to find people to follow, you could, for example, go to the Stahl's instagram and just follow everyone who is following them. 

I really recommend listening to Gary Vaynerchuk (https://www.garyvaynerchuk.com/) to learn about content marketing, or social media marketing. Just listen to hours and hours and hours of his stuff (which is very easy to do!) and the techniques will start rubbing off on you.


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## AnthonyF (Nov 11, 2016)

Thanks, Dan. Finding people to follow was what I couldn't seem to figure out. That was excellent advice to find people following Stahls! That's exactly what I wanted- to follow some folk and see how they do it. 
Thanks again!
Anthony


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## R0thom07 (Mar 7, 2014)

Instagram and word of mouth is where all of my business comes from. I don't even have a website. And I don't think it's hurting one bit for my clientele/demographic. 

I use it as my portfolio as well as advertising. 

You definitely have to learn to use your hashtags. And I follow a bunch of brands and other embroidery/screen print shops


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## AnthonyF (Nov 11, 2016)

Do you only sell locally? If not, what is your actual mechanism for a sale? If you don't have a website, how does a transaction take place? I just can't seem to wrap my head around the concept, so any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Anthony


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## R0thom07 (Mar 7, 2014)

I do a lot of local stuff. But it's not all of my business no. It's about 75/25. 

Once someone contacts me through message. I ask what they are looking for. Put it in my excel sheet to get them a quote. Once they say yay or nay, I the. Send them a mock up sheet for approval. Get one more "ok" and send an invoice through PayPal. 


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## AnthonyF (Nov 11, 2016)

Thanks. Makes sense. It seems a little cumbersome, but if it works, it works.


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## R0thom07 (Mar 7, 2014)

I find it to be free advertising. And if you make good content and use your hashtags right, brands/customers will like pictures(obviously). And if you are ever in a lul in work. Just message people who have previously liked pics and sell yourself. 

I'm a small, 1 man shop. And it keeps me busy enough that I haven't had the time or need to advertise via other methods. 


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## kevincook (Dec 5, 2017)

Nice question, chances of growth are high on Instagram as not much of the brands are using it currently for marketing purpose.

Instagram is one of the most popular social media platforms. Released in the year 2010, the app has managed to gain 800 million users in a short span of time.

Using Instagram photo-sharing app for marketing can be one of the best approaches towards connecting with the customers quickly. You can post the images of your items, your organization on your Instagram profile, also, can use some popular hashtags on the photos so that they can be easily searched.

You can also upload your product promotional videos on your accounts which can easily create engagement over your profile, also, can get likes, shares, followers in a very short time.


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## kostasfmx (Apr 19, 2017)

I don't recommend Instagram unless you are a super hot sexy woman with a super body! This is the best way people follow you on Instagram !I have an Instagram account with 300 followers but nobody have click the link to my t-shirts!All of my customers come directly from Etsy and only a 5 percent come from social media!The Etsy shop have statistics and you can see from where your potential customer come and what they have search!I recommend an Etsy account because is cheaper and customer come to you and not the opposite!


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## needtshirtsnow (Jun 2, 2016)

Etsy is a very important tool. I highly recommend learning it.


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## TABOB (Feb 13, 2018)

Instagram on its own will not work for most people.
Unless of course you have 100,000 followers or more...But then you wouldn't be most people.


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## TieDyeShirts (Jul 5, 2018)

TABOB said:


> Instagram on its own will not work for most people.
> Unless of course you have 100,000 followers or more...But then you wouldn't be most people.



I highly agree with TABOB. I wasted so much time and money on Instagram. I think it's not the right place for me. Maybe.


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