On this episode, Josiah and I (Travis) covered 9 common mistakes that POD business owners often make. Let's review them:
1. Low Quality Designs
Sometimes you just have to be straightforward about calling out weak designs. People frequently ask why their products don't sell, but the hard truth is that subpar designs are likely to blame. My advice? Level up your design skills to create awesome, eye-catching artwork. There are tons on online tutorials you can learn from or if you have the means, outsource your designs!
2. Ignoring Copyright
It's tempting to sell things using copyrighted material when you see others seemingly getting away with it (looking at you, Etsy!) But venturing into that murky legal area is extremely risky and these platforms can shut down your shop with the click of a mouse. A few temporary sales aren't worth losing your entire business!
3. No Proofing Samples
Many POD vendors use various production facilities to fulfill your orders. So who's making yours? Don't take shortcuts when it comes to getting samples to check quality and providers. Sending poor quality products damages your reputation with customers. Invest time upfront to ensure you offer merchandise you'd be proud to give your friends and family.
4. The Wrong Products
No need to reinvent the wheel when starting out. Proven bestsellers like t-shirts and mugs (with great, unique designs) can go a long way toward building some momentum in your business. Once you've built an audience, branch into more niche products. But ensure there's demand within your niche first.
5. Minimal Keyword Research
Thorough keyword research serves multiple purposes. It can boost your product's visibility through SEO and can help you uncover untapped niche opportunities. Skipping this step risks over-saturating competitive keywords or wasting time on niches without sufficient demand. Don't skip this step! Check out our resource page for different research tools.
6. Disorganized File Management
If you've listened to the show for any length of time, you know this is one of my favorites. 😎 Implementing a structured file management system early on saves massive headaches as your business grows. We've shared tons file organization tips on past episodes - revisit Episode 157 for advice on smoothly scaling through organization.
7. Comparing Your Store to Others
Avoid the temptation to compare your business to others, as it only steals your joy. Instead, focus on your own path, knowing that with consistent effort you'll progress over time. Rushing to match someone further along rarely ends well.
8. Not Knowing Your Numbers
Big profits require understanding your margins, costs, and which sales channels bring in serious money. We have several money-related episodes to help get your financials in order. Check out Episode 171 to learn how to make more money in POD by understanding your margins.
9. Not Subscribing
Last but certainly not least, make sure you're subscribed to our newsletter and subscribe or follow our podcast on your favorite podcasting app (here's a list of where you can find the show!) Josiah and I are trying to share weekly knowledge bombs to fuel your POD success and growth. Don't miss out!
The Wrap Up
To quickly recap, keep your designs compelling, steer clear of IP issues, proof your products, start with proven bestsellers, research smart keywords, organize your files, avoid unhealthy comparisons, know your numbers, and subscribe for regular updates. /synopsisoff
Whew, quite a list! Which tips stand out the most to you? Do you have any other thoughts on this list? Hit us up and let us know your thoughts! I look forward to connecting again next week for more entertaining and educational POD "stuff!"
