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RE: Attention Vendors: Marketing is a Necessity for Our Success
I think anyone trying to run a business will realise that they have to promote themselves anyway, but maybe some who are new to it might not be aware how important it is. Might I suggest that rather than using the approach of making it a "requirement" (it feels like a word that puts pressure on) it could be put forward as a suggestion on how to market yourself. Perhaps a little article to be directed to, which explains how doing little bits of marketing at least once a month will build awareness of your business, with some suggestions of how it could be achieved. Suggesting that promoting HSCO benefits everyone with a store on there, including themselves and in turn promoting themselves benefits HSCO as a whole.
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Thanks for this feedback @minismallholding!! I agree with what you say bout promoting HSCO benefits everyone involved. This is exactly the reason why we started HSCO in the first place, so that all vendors involved can benefit from our combined, collaborative efforts to market our businesses. I think you alluded to that nicely in the post you just made.
I appreciate your feedback about not making it requirement. Initially I didn't like imposing the requirement but I was won over by a few others that suggested that the success of the marketplace depends on the co-operative effort of many. If the marketing just comes from one or a few people then we are still stuck in the "business" and dependence mindset.
Well I don't like the idea of imposing or forcing a requirement. But then again I think its important that vendors understand the value of what they are getting for free, and the responsibility that comes with a community marketplace. We are already asking vendors to contribute with upvotes and delegations. This is a requirement, but we don't really impose it or enforce it. We don't expect it. We just say this is your responsibility, should you choose to accept it. I think we can take the same approach with the marketing like you suggested and keep it a requirement, or a pledge, that is strongly encouraged but not strictly enforced.
I think the main thing we want to avoid is vendors that upload their products and put no effort into the co-op or into steem while benefiting from the efforts of others in the community. I am not sure if we can avoid that without enforcing some requirements but I like your approach. It really is a different mindset than what some of us might be used to, because for example I can put my products on etsy and do nothing and still get some orders (assuming my products are desirable) because it is already established, it has a large marketing budget and it is not a niche marketplace.
It will be interesting to hear other feedback - I hope others chime in.
Request would be a good word to. :)
I'm just going on my reaction to the word, really, being not such a confident person myself. If I'm not sure I can fulfill a requirement, I will just leave it and not sign up. That's why I wonder if suggestions/tips on marketing would be good as not everyone knows how to market.
It's hard to imagine the sort of people who would fit as vendors not putting in any effort, but I guess you can never tell.
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Thank you @minismallholding. I really appreciate the feedback. I do think this is on the right track of request or suggestion rather than requirement. That is along the same tone of our "pledges" that we are asking our vendors to honor the free service.
The tips for marketing are certainly something we are going to be working on and some of us are already brainstorming and starting on putting ideas together here :) Thank you!