On 21st September 2024, I stepped into the SUWK Webinar Series to speak on “Digital Marketing Strategies and Trends for Artisans and SMBs in the Digital Age.” Before I even started teaching, I could tell from the questions in the chat that most attendees believed digital marketing was something built for big brands, not for a tailor, a caterer, or a small shop owner.
I spent the entire session proving them wrong.
Meeting Artisans Where They Actually Are
I didn’t open with theory. I opened with a question. How many of them had ever lost a customer simply because that customer couldn’t find them online when they needed their service? Almost every hand, or in this case, every message in the chat, said yes.
From there, I broke digital marketing down into something usable for someone running a business with little time and an even smaller budget. I talked about using platforms they already had access to, like WhatsApp status and Instagram, as active selling tools instead of personal spaces. I explained the trends shaping how customers now discover and choose artisans and small businesses, and how showing up consistently online builds trust long before a customer ever reaches out.
The Shift I Watched Happen
What stood out to me was how the tone of the questions changed as the session went on. Early questions were about what platform to use. By the end, people were asking how to structure their content so customers see them as the obvious choice, not just another option.
That is the shift I always aim for. Not just giving information, but changing how someone sees their own business.
Why This Session Mattered To Me
Artisans and small business owners are often the ones told digital marketing isn’t for them, when in reality, they need it the most. Teaching that SUWK webinar was a reminder that some of the most valuable teaching moments happen in the rooms people expect the least, with the people who are working the hardest to be seen.
