Wait, do not recoil just yet. I know as a creative/maker/DIYer/modeler/artist the term marketing plan could at first be off putting. This won’t involve powerpoint or excel, I promise. No pie graphs either. Just bear with me as I teach you how to write a marketing plan in just seven sentences. It’s always good to have a high-level outline of your business, and just because your shop is online does not make this step any less vital. So let’s take the plunge together!

For the sake of setting an example, I’ve channeled one of the many sides of my personality. Whimsical Sav, a product of the yoga-instructor-turned-Chiropractor parents I was raised by and the hippie household I grew up in (yes, there was tofu, kale, and cotton diapers). Whimsical Sav is opening a Shop on Shapeways to sell dreamcatchers. Play along with my blatant California stereotypes: 
Sentence One- The Purpose of Your Shop: Why are you doing this? What is the purpose of your blood, sweat and tears?

My shop on Shapeways serves as the creative outlet for my whimsical mind and generates enough income to sustain my artistic passions.

Sentence Two- The Need/Benefit:What problems are you solving? What about your needs were not satisfied by the existing products on the market?
The custom dream catchers I design nurture the subconscious of all my customers, based upon their individual energies.

Sentence Three- Who Will Buy your Product? This can be determined through your existing google analytics, or a speculation of who may be interested.
Fellow free spirits and lovers of of mother earth.

Sentence Four- How You Will Reach Your Target Audience? What style of marketing do you like? Events, Digital, Dinner Parties or ideally a combination of many styles. 
I will market my dreamcatchers using colorful facebook campaigns, Renaissance Fairs, Pinterest and good vibes.

Sentence Five- What Differentiates You from the Competition? You’re leveraging 3D Printing through Shapeways, you’re creating things impossible to make any other way, you’re the only person doing whatever it is you do, etc. 
I model the dream catchers after each persons individual aura and chakra alignment.

Sentence Six- The Personality of Your Company/Brand: People want to connect to brands and the easiest way to connect to your customers is by humanizing your company. Embrace your character and individuality! 
Peaceful, serene and inspiring, my designs reflect the serenity in the world around us.

Sentence Seven- The Numbers; Margins and Goals: What would make this a full time business for you? What is your dream income from Shapeways? 
I will set my markup at 30% across all my products, and hope to sell 1000 dream catchers to enlightened souls this holiday season and another 5000 next year.

Ready to take stab at your own marketing plan? Want me to take a look? Shoot it over to ShopCoach@Shapeways.com for feedback.

Looking to get caught up on the Shop Owner Challenge over the weekend? You can recap the month so far here.

Be sure and take advantage of our $15 off any order of $100 or more deal this weekend only with code s1e5s

Looking for design inspiration? Enter our 3D Printed Costume Contest!