In the age of the digital creative landscape and social media, most art glass business owners with some good ideas and a laptop can develop a global presence online. By leveraging social media, email marketing and new tools like Pinterest, art glass businesses have the opportunity to visually showcase their products and work.

But, a laptop and good intentions alone won’t cut it when building a solid online presence–you need the right tools and strategies to make it work.

Here are our top five mistakes to avoid when developing your online marketing strategies:

1. Not Using the Tools

If you’re too busy, not computer savvy or think it’s a fad that will go away, then you’re setting yourself up for being behind and not reaching your customers and prospects where they spend a lot of their time–online–on sites like Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, etc.

Set small goals and commit to spending time daily to learn how to use the tools and then implement them. Even if you have to do it in your “spare time” it is a worthy investment that you need to make for the future of your business.

2. Not Understanding the Tools or Not Having a Plan

Okay, so you’ve decided to try a Facebook Fan Page or Pinterest. Don’t just start posting random thoughts, ideas or photos–you need to have an idea of the “rules” for each medium (there are unspoken rules to each and spending some time getting to know the best ways to leverage each medium will help you be more successful.

Are we saying you need to be an expert right away? Of course not–there will be a learning curve. Start out by listening to others and learning what people want to learn more about.

3. Having Amazing Creative Examples and Not Promoting

It doesn’t matter how great your website, blog, Pinterest account is or how stunning your portfolio is if no one knows about it! That’s why it’s critical to make sure you use your online mediums to showcase your work and get more people to your site, and ultimately convert them to loyal customers.

4. Emailing People Who Didn’t Ask You to Contact Them

Ever get an email from a company and you don’t remember asking to receive their news? Makes you a little less receptive to their messages, doesn’t it?

It’s never a good practice to send unsolicited mail (spam)–not only can it tarnish your reputation but it could also land you in a heap of legal problems.

Only have four people on your mailing list? Work hard to get customers to opt in and deliver a professional, compelling newsletter for four people. If you are providing useful information, more people will opt-in on their own.

5. Posting About Politics, Religion or Other Controversial/Sensitive Topics

We are all passionate about certain things and have personal beliefs that we are vocal about. And it’s fine to express them on a personal Facebook account–but it is not a good practice to use your public business accounts to voice opinions on sensitive or controversial issues (unless your business involves these issues).

By voicing your personal views on issues via your business’s online mediums you risk offending customers or prospects or worse, losing them. Remember to keep business and private separate; if you aren’t sure about something, it is always best to err on the side of caution.

If you avoid these five common mistakes when using online mediums for your business, you will be on the fast-track to success!

Glass Artist Rebecca Hees from Iowa is one of the featured artists in the Ed Hoy’s Spectrum Glass Artists of the Month Challenge.

To view Rebecca’s work along with the other artists’ creations that are participating in this glass challenge, please visit our Facebook page.

Glass Artist Patricia Deere from Michigan is one of the featured artists in the Ed Hoy’s Spectrum Glass Artists of the Month Challenge.

According to Patricia, this piece was inspired by the Trillium that grow in her woods and cover the woods floor like a carpet on Mothers Day. She has  always considered this her gift from God at that time of the year.

To view Patricia’s work along with the other artists’ creations that are participating in this glass challenge, please visit our Facebook page.

Glass Artist Susan Hartill of Downer’s Grove, Illinois, is one of the featured artists in the Ed Hoy’s Spectrum Glass Artists of the Month Challenge.

To view Susan’s work along with the other artists’ creations that are participating in this glass challenge, please visit our Facebook page.

Glass Artist Mindaugas Vitkauskas from Illinois is one of the featured artists in the Ed Hoy’s Spectrum Glass Artists of the Month Challenge.

The artist describes this pieces as,  a glass sculpture with pieces of glass are connected with copper foil, soldered and installed over a walnut wood pyramid. The light is hitting the iridescent glass producing a very impressive effect.

To view Mindaugas’s work along with the other artists’ creations that are participating in this glass challenge, please visit our Facebook page.

Glass Artist Kimberly Croft from Missouri is one of the featured artists in the Ed Hoy’s Spectrum Glass Artists of the Month Challenge.

To view Lyla’s work along with the other artists’ creations that are participating in this glass challenge, please visit our Facebook page.

Glass Artist Kimberly Croft from Massachusetts is one of the featured artists in the Ed Hoy’s Spectrum Glass Artists of the Month Challenge.

To view Kimberly’s work along with the other artists’ creations that are participating in this glass challenge, please visit our Facebook page.

Glass Artist Joan Hohenstein from Wisconsin is one of the featured artists in the Ed Hoy’s Spectrum Glass Artists of the Month Challenge.

To view Joan’s work along with the other artists’ creations that are participating in this glass challenge, please visit our Facebook page.

Glass Artist Jesse Corbett from Montana is one of the featured artists in the Ed Hoy’s Spectrum Glass Artists of the Month Challenge.

To view Jesse’s work along with the other artists’ creations that are participating in this glass challenge, please visit our Facebook page.

Glass Artist Cheryl Garrett-Jenkins from Ruby Eyes in Ontario is one of the featured artists in the Ed Hoy’s Spectrum Glass Artists of the Month Challenge.

To view Cheryl’s work along with the other artists’ creations that are participating in this glass challenge, please visit our Facebook page.