20 Dec Best of 2023: Our Most Popular Strategy and Marketing Content!
Stitchcraft Marketing had an incredible 2023 with loads of exciting developments. We launched our first Craft Retail Research Study, welcomed new, highly-skilled and intelligent members to the Stitchcraft team, and attended several in-person trade show events like h+h americas, Quilt Market, Bernina University, and others. We also continued hosting our popular Mastermind Groups, launched a new Financial Mastermind Group (the next round launches this coming February!), and initiated a new digital advertising program. We’re hot on the heels of all the changes shifting the social media landscape and excited to tackle whatever comes next. Let’s talk about the pieces of strategy and marketing content that resonated with our audience in 2023!
Stitchcraft Marketing Office Hours
Stitchcraft Marketing Office Hours has become a monthly resource for exploring trending topics in marketing, social media and business. We really enjoy the feedback we receive from hosting these open floor sessions, which always generate interesting discussions. It’s a great opportunity to touch base with our clients and meet new craft businesses, retailers and entrepreneurs.
We also share these sessions on our YouTube channel. Our most attended/viewed sessions of the year were:
2023 Craft Retail Research Results
In 2023 Stitchcraft Marketing endeavored to capture the concerns and experiences of nearly 1,000 retail business owners in the craft industry. Along with partner sponsors Craft Retailer, TNNA (The National Needlearts Association), and Bernina USA, Stitchcraft Marketing worked with the research specialists at Audience Audit to conduct a 30-minute, 42-question survey. In this Office Hours, we recapped the research results from the 2023 Craft Retail Survey and discussed action items for every person in the craft industry.
2023 Fall/Winter Craft Trends
Stitchcraft Marketing is composed of avid crafters, from quilting to knitting, crocheting, sewing, weaving and more. We keep an eye on the latest trends in crafting because it has a direct effect on our needles and hooks—and our marketing strategy. For the first time ever, we sat down as a team to discuss the craft trends we’ve each seen gaining popularity among crafters this fall and winter.
Stitchcraft Marketing Blog
We’ve grown the Stitchcraft Marketing blog into a resource-rich library of informative articles to help craft businesses hone their marketing and business skills. New blogs post twice monthly and readers can subscribe to receive the Stitchcraft Marketing blog directly in their inbox by registering in the space at the bottom of our website (scroll down now and check the box for “Subscribe to our Marketing Blog”!)
Unsurprisingly, the crafting industry really loves hearing about crafting trends! 7 Hot Crafting Trends in 2023 topped the list of our most popular blogs of the year. From a focus on embellishments to upcycling, resin crafting, and more, crafters continue to enrich their home lives with DIY crafts. Each year Flossie Arend casts an eye towards hot upcoming craft trends—stay tuned for the 2024 edition in the coming months!
We’ve registered frustration from a lot of craft retailers that their Facebook Business Pages no longer enjoy the same level of reach or engagement. In this post, Flossie Arend dove deep into Facebook’s new Professional Mode, which may offer some craft retailers an alternative—or extension—to their Business Page. The new Facebook Professional Mode has its benefits and drawbacks, and creating a Professional profile or switching a current profile to Professional requires heavy consideration.
Business of Craft
Host Leanne Pressley led the Business of Craft podcast through two seasons in 2023, with 17 total episodes. The in-depth discussions with crafty entrepreneurs and business leaders in the craft industry include discussions around marketing, teaching, growth, creativity, influencers, community, AI, analytics, and so much more. This season’s most downloaded episodes are:
Season 5, Episode 6: Creativity and Wonder with Jennifer Keltner
President and Chief Visionary Officer for Martingale Jennifer Keltner joins Leanne for a fascinating discussion about creativity. Do you struggle with generating ideas? Do you feel like the passion that drove you to start a craft business has waned? This episode is for you!
Season 5, Episode 7: AI + ChatGPT with Lori Highby
Lori Highby, founder and CEO of Keystone Click, a digital marketing agency based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, sat down with Leanne to discuss the rise of AI and ChatGPT. How can we use artificial intelligence responsibly as craft business owners? Are platforms like ChatGPT even supplying reliable information? Leanne and Lori cover a range of topics related to artificial intelligence, including how Lori has leveraged AI within her own marketing agency and where she sees AI moving in the future.
We hope this review of our top 2023 content has furnished some of our best resources to strengthen your business now and in the future.
Want to take your crafty business to the next level in 2023? Stitchcraft Marketing is a marketing agency of crafting experts. We customize every program to showcase your brand, engage your customer base, and generate sales in a way that is nothing less than magical. If you’d like more help preparing your online business or boosting how your business performs online, contact us today!
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