How to Use Instagram to Successfully Launch Your Macrame Business – NEW Instagram for Makers Course by Offhand Fibers Starts August 1st!

Do you want to grow on Instagram and use the platform to sell your amazing Macrame creations? Then you’ll love the amazing ‘Instagram for Makers’ Course by talented artist and teacher Megan of Offhand Fibers!

Affiliate links may be sprinkled throughout the awesome, free content below. I’ll receive a small commission when you purchase from my (Amazon) links (at no extra cost to you), which I’ll happily spend on more colorful macrame cords!

Because many of our Macrame for Beginners Facebook Group members are getting more interested in selling their work, we recently started the follow-up group Macrame Business Support to help our community successfully launch their Macrame business and make some extra money.

It’s been so amazing to see all these new questions come in and I’m definitely learning what you all are struggling with when it comes to starting your Macrame business. If you need any support, make sure to join our group!

One of the most frequently asked questions I’ve seen so far is how to get started with Instagram and how to use the platform to sell your Macrame pieces. So, I’ve decided to connect with someone who knows exactly how to help you out with that!

Meet Megan, Instagram coach for Makers!

Megan is the mastermind behind Offhand Fibers and a full-time Macrame artist and Instagram Coach for Makers.

Make sure to follow Megan on Instagram for the best tips and inspirational content ideas! In this Reel, Megan shows you exactly how she packs her orders and in this one, she shares her best tips on how to build your audience!

Learn more with the Instagram for Makers course

Megan has created an amazing Instagram for Makers course which is designed to remove any guesswork when it comes to getting your products visible on Instagram and will help you feel confident in your next steps as a small business maker.

Here’s a word from Megan about the structure of the course:

Hi friends, I’m Megan!

Instagram for Makers is my step-by-step course for building your audience and connecting with ideal customers.

The course is totally self-paced and includes video lessons and worksheets to implement what you learn. You will end the course with a clear content strategy and a plan for success!

Once you are enrolled you have lifetime access to the material including ALL future updates of the course. You will also receive an invite to my Facebook group which is meant for questions, support, and community with fellow makers. 

My passion has become helping fellow makers thrive and I am SO excited to connect!! I am very active in my DM’s and e-mail so please feel free to reach out if you have any questions about the course, or just to say hi!

You can find me on Instagram, Pinterest, Tiktok, and YouTube @offhandfibers

Thanks for being here friend, 

Megan 

Does this sound familiar?

• You’ve been trying to market your products on the gram but feel “stuck” and need a little guidance.
• You want to take your creative hobby or side hustle more seriously but have no idea where to start.
• You’re curious about how to utilize Instagram to the fullest for your business.

If you answered yes to any of these, this course is for YOU!

The Instagram for Makers course opens up on August 1st. Enroll now and check the course on Teachable!

Interview with Megan

Megan’s story is super inspiring and with her Instagram for Makers strategy, she was able to go from full-time nanny to full-time traveler while creating Macrame pieces for clients all over America. Learn more about her amazing journey and read our interview below!

How did you get started with Macrame?

My macrame journey began as a girl’s night. The idea was that we would grab some macrame supplies, a glass of wine, and pop on a youtube tutorial to create a fun little piece of home decor for ourselves. Little did I know that night would change the course of my life!

I immediately fell in love with macrame after that night. I found it so relaxing to get into the creative zone and tie knots.

When did you decide to start a business?

At some point, I realized I had too many macrame wall hangings and plant hangers around the house and a few friends had reached out to me asking to buy one. That’s when I started to play around with the idea of making my hobby a small side hustle, and the rest is history!

Offhand Fibers started out as a fun hobby I did on the side. I was working full-time as a nanny and came home to create after work and on the weekends. Luckily, I worked up the courage to start an Instagram account for my work as well as an Etsy shop. That was 4 years ago.

Eventually, I started thinking about how much I would love to be able to create full-time. I looked up to a few fiber artists who I followed on Instagram that were very successful. I wanted that too but I had no clue how to get there!

How did you get started with Instagram?

Social media was very overwhelming for me and I had no idea how to get my products seen by more people. I stayed stuck around the same follow count for years before I finally decided to take a deep dive into the world of Instagram to figure out how to get the products that I was so proud of in front of people who would want to buy them.

I spent months researching and testing out different strategies. I read books, listened to podcasts, and watched youtube videos by people who were successful on social media.

Some of the strategies flopped, but some of them made a difference. I kept going until finally, I started seeing results and a clear content strategy emerged.  My audience began steadily growing and eventually I was able to quit my full-time nannying job!

My partner and I had been building out a van to travel America, and I was able to take my macrame business full time on the road. I was living the dream!!

How do you help other makers grow their Macrame business?

About a year ago I launched Instagram coaching calls because I wanted to help other women in my same situation not too long ago learn how to use Instagram to their advantage for their small businesses as well. This led to the decision to build an online course to teach even more makers the content strategy that I had created.

The strategy that continues to work for me every single day!! Instagram for Makers is my step-by-step strategy to build your audience on Instagram and connect with ideal customers. It’s exactly what I wish I had access to years ago when I was struggling with social media. 

What is your best advice for makers who want to start selling?

Today my small business continues to grow and there are a few main factors that I attribute to my success.

Number one is that I never gave up. I know it may seem obvious, but there have been SO many times I felt like giving up over the last few years. There have definitely been times when I felt like I was wasting my time and that it could never happen to me… and I showed up anyway.

I showed up every single day for my dream. I made a promise to show up consistently even when I didn’t feel like it, and over time it has been clear that I made the right choice to keep going. I am so proud of myself for how far I have come!

Along with showing up consistently, the other big factor that changed the game for me was focusing on building a community, NOT just trying to increase my follower count. 

I’ve learned that the number of followers you have does not matter if they aren’t invested in you or what you have to offer. More followers does not equal more sales.

When I shifted my focus to connecting with my community and engaging meaningfully instead of worrying over how many followers I had things started changing for the better! I love my community so much and now I feel like I have a hype team waiting to cheer me on every time I post. They care about what I create, they are happy for my success, and I return the love!

Instagram has completely changed my life. So much of my sales traffic comes directly from Instagram. While it can be frustrating at times, especially lately with new features, glitches, etc. it can also be your best friend when it comes to getting your products seen.

By showing up consistently with a good content strategy you have the opportunity to get your work seen by hundreds, if not thousands of new people. That along with the ability to build a community around your small business is why using Instagram is a no-brainer for me. 

What are your best tips to grow your Instagram account?

As for the best content to post right now, the #1 answer is Reels. Reels were very difficult for me at first. I didn’t want to do them. But over time I grew to actually love them and now I look forward to planning my reels out every week. I also batch plan my reels to save myself time and also set myself up for success in being consistent.

Reels are great to show off your work, relate, connect, and bring new people to your small business. Stories are great for fostering the connection with your audience even further, let them get to know you! How to create and utilize reels effectively is an entire module inside of Instagram for Makers. If you find them overwhelming, I got you! 

There’s no magic number when it comes to how often you need to post. How often you post is different for everyone. What matters most is consistency whether you decide to show up 3 times a week or 3 times a day. 

Use natural light when taking photos. Set up your flat lay next to a window, and hang your piece where natural light from a window is able to hit it. Make sure your photos and videos aren’t blurry. And don’t go too heavy on filters!

Focus on your descriptions and tell stories. Story-telling catches people’s attention and also lets them get to know you better, a win-win!

Stories are there to connect with your audience. I recommend focusing the most on showing up authentically. Share things you love, it doesn’t always have to be macrame and small business-related in my opinion. 

Learn more and enroll in the Instagram for Makers course!