2011 April

Who Are You Marketing To?

April 28, 2011 4 Comments

This is a guest post by Meagan Visser of MeaganVisser.com

If you have a creative business then you want to attract customers to your business, right? Right, but you want to attract the right kind of customers to your business. You do this by gearing your business & products toward a certain type of person. Do you know who that person is? Maybe it’s a teenage girl or maybe it’s a manly man. Maybe it’s an eco-conscious mother or a successful business woman. Either way, it pays to have a market in mind.

I know, I know. You think your products are great & that everyone should buy them. Well that may be true, but not everyone thinks the same as you. It’s harder to market your products to everyone & get them noticed. There’s way too much competition out there to compete with.

Trust me, you’re not limiting your business & losing customers. “Everyone” wasn’t your customer to begin with. If they weren’t going to buy your product in the first place, you’ve lost nothing. If anything, you’re giving yourself a better chance of getting your products found, seen, & bought by marketing to the right people.

All creative businesses have a target market that they need to reach, but each & every product you offer in your business is for a certain type of person within your target market. This person is your ideal customer. Your target market & your ideal customer are not one-in-the-same.

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5-Step Formula for Writing Handmade Product Descriptions that Sell

April 27, 2011 38 Comments

The Aristocrat Open Edition Print by Janet Hill Studio

This is a guest post by Julie Corbett of On the Dot Creations

Wouldn’t it be great if our handmade product descriptions were so spell-binding that customers couldn’t wait to buy our products after reading the details? Sounds like a dream, right? Perhaps you struggle with writing descriptions and feel like your product details don’t have the “pop” they need. Is there a foolproof formula that can help handmade sellers write fabulous product descriptions?

In short, no. There is no “perfect” item description. There are, however, some “best practices” for writing a product description that will influence your customers to buy. Want to know the formula? Read on.

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Filed Under: copywriting, guest post, marketing, product descriptions

Stomping on the Demons of Comparison

April 25, 2011 10 Comments

Hi everybody! I’m so excited to be joining the team here, and I want to start off by saying that if anyone has any specific questions for me that you’d like me to write about, please email me at jess@jessicaswift.com. I get a lot of questions from people about how I started my business and how I’ve created a full-time career as an artist, and I’d love to use this monthly post as a place to write about specific topics in which you’re interested in hearing my perspective. I truly believe that we’re all here to help each other, and if there’s any advice that I can offer that might make your road to a creative career a bit easier, please say the word! I know I’ve asked plenty of questions as I’ve travelled along my path, and I’m incredibly grateful to the people who’ve been kind enough to help me, so ask away!

So, I know that many of you probably dream of (and are working really hard toward) having a career as a full-time artist or running a successful creative business – I remember when I first started out it seemed nearly impossible, and I compared myself to everyone who looked so successful thinking “how am I ever going to get to that level?” And don’t get me wrong, I totally still do that sometimes! I think that’s part of being ambitious – there’s always something to strive for, and there are always going to be people who are further along the path that you want to be on. And it’s healthy to admire people and to be inspired by people who keep you moving down your path. But there’s a fine line, I think. Comparing yourself to everyone else is a SUREFIRE way to get discouraged really fast. Believe me, I know first hand. And that’s really what I want to talk about today: How to keep those comparison demons at bay so you can just do your work and move your business forward!

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5 essential things to build an engaged community

April 18, 2011 4 Comments

Photo by francoiserachez on Etsy

“Hey, I post content on my blog every week, I regularly create new products and services, I spread the word about them everywhere possible and I am a kind person with everyone.
Why the hell then do my posts have no comments, nobody seems interested in what I have to say or in my products, and my blog looks like a desert?”

Well, we could talk about the answers to these questions for days because the reasons may be many but there are 5 things that you should absolutely know and put into practice regularly to see changes happen around your blog and your online presence.

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Blogging, Facebook, Twitter – Do You Really Have to Use Them All?

April 13, 2011 Leave a Comment

Image by Tamara can Milken, via Flickr

There’s so much prevailing wisdom out there that says stuff like, “Oh, you have to have a blog if you want to market your business.” Or, “You can’t reach new customers without a Twitter account.” Or even, “If you don’t have a Facebook fan page, you’ll definitely never grow your business.”

Is any of that true? In my opinion, not really.

The thing is, each of these tools is extremely labor-intensive, because they’re engagement marketing tools. You can’t just use them to spew out a bunch of links to your Etsy shop. Twitter, Facebook and blogging only work when you’re using them to engage other people in conversation. Engagement takes time and thought and a lot of reading other people’s posts.

So, no matter what any marketing expert says, never feel like you have to have all these online presences to do your business right. Your business already takes plenty of time to run. And I’m sure you have a number of non-business responsibilities you’re juggling. So it’s a given that the number of hours you have in a week to spend on engagement marketing is finite, and probably somewhat limited.

Taking those limited hours and spreading yourself too thin over too many tools won’t get much effective marketing done. It’s far more productive to focus in on one or two of them and use them deeply. So the question is, how do you choose which of these tools is best for you and your business? Try answering these questions.

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Blogging to Promote Your Craft

April 7, 2011 6 Comments

Since this is my first article with Handmade Success, I want start my monthly contributions by talking about a subject that is very important to me: blogging. When it comes to blogging, let me say this: I wouldn’t be here writing this post on Handmade Success if I wasn’t already spending time blogging regularly. I spend time writing daily for myself and I guest write for other sites like Handmadeology and Unanimous Craft as well. Here’s the truth: everything starts with one blog, your own, and then it grows and blossoms into new opportunity. I’m really excited to take on the opportunity and the challenge that writing for a new blog is going to give me. Luckily for you, my new challenge is also your opportunity to learn, grow and blossom, too.

So, let’s talk blogging, shall we? Most people will tell you that if you have an online shop, you should have a blog. This is so true that sites like Meylah have begun integrating blogs right into the online shop. Why? Because blogs, when used right, help you sell your product. Etsy is now a sea of millions. Even with the best products and the best tags and a basic understanding of SEO (search engine optimization), putting a product on your Etsy and hoping someone will find it is much like the search for the proverbial needle in a haystack. Having a blog is one of the best ways to help drive traffic to your online shop and that is why a blog is such a useful tool.

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Can I make a living creatively?

April 6, 2011 12 Comments

Please join me in welcoming contributor Tara Swiger of Crafting a Business to the Handmade Success blog! Tara is a woman who has made a living creatively and who generously shares her insights on her blog and through her classes. Thank you Tara for these inspiring words! ♥Jordan

I just got an email (really, just as I sat down to write this).
The sender asked, “Is it REALLY possible for me to make a living creatively?”

Instead of asking her what she did or what her skills were, I answered.
(note: None of the above matters anyhow. For you, either. I promise)

The short answer:
Absolutely.

The long answer:
You can, but you need to look at what that question really means, to you.

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Giveaway! Cadence Cases

April 5, 2011 96 Comments

Today’s giveaway is brought to you by Melissa Verburg of Cadence Cases. Melissa loves creating items for moms and babies. Her fabric covered baby wipe cases are really cute! You can also become a “fan” on Facebook here.

THIS GIVEAWAY IS FOR:

Melissa is branching out and making plush blocks for babies and she is giving away the adorable set of 4 shown above. They are about 4in x 4in, with ribbon tags and a bell inside (value $10).

HOW TO ENTER:
After you visit Cadence Cases, post a comment to this blog post letting me know what your favorite item is from Melissa’s shop.

Please be sure to leave an email address (if not in your profile) so I can contact you if you are the winner.

EXTRA ENTRIES - For each of the following you will be given one extra entry in the contest:

*Blog about this giveaway and post a link in the comments of this post.
*Send out a Tweet about this giveaway and post a link in the comments of this post.
*Subscribe to the Handmade Success blog email or RSS feed. Leave a comment on this post indicating that you have done so.
*become a fan of our Facebook page (if you are already a fan, let me know) and leave a comment on this post indicating your Facebook user name.

GIVEAWAY RULES:
END TIME – This giveaway ends on Friday April 8th, 2011, 9:00pm PST.
WHO CAN ENTER – Anyone with a valid email address (will be notified this way).
PICKING WINNER – Each entry will be assigned a number. After the contest is closed, a number will be randomly generated. The entry associated with that number will be the winner! If we do not hear back from the winner within 5 days of notification, a new winner will be drawn.
WINNER NOTIFICATION – The winner will be notified via email as well as a post here on the blog next Tuesday, April 12th.

Good luck!

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Etsy Top Seller Interview: Wickedly Mod Pendants

April 4, 2011 1 Comment

For this week’s interview we go to Texas to meet the delightful Suzanne Jordan of Wickedly Mod. She designs an amazing variety of jewelry and really loves being a part of the handmade community.

What is your business name and what kinds of products do you sell?

Wickedly Mod – we sell a variety of handmade jewelry. We started out selling scrabble tile pendants but have expanded to glass tile jewelry as well as recently added some custom hand stamped jewelry.

Is there a story behind your store name?

I find that I like funky modern jewelry and came up with name Wickedly Mod.

How did you get started in your handmade business?

I was a web designer for about 11 years and a local customer wanted me to create a banner and avatar for her Etsy shop. It was the first time I had ever heard of the site and just fell in love with the community. At that time, I decided I wanted to create an online store where people could purchase handmade items. Seeing all of the absolutely beautiful items inspired me to start creating. Scrabble tile pendants sold well in my store and I wanted to see if I could produce a quality product. I haven’t been able to stop creating.

Where do you sell your products both online and offline?

Besides our online store (Trendy Shoppes), we sell online on Etsy and Artfire. Offline we have 2 local craft shows that we do yearly during the holiday – Grace Avenue Methodist Holiday Bazaar and Plano Snowflake Bazaar.

How much time do you put into your online activities?

I work every day as much as I can.

Which online activities do you feel have helped your shop the most?

I really only participate in helping others through the Etsy forums and post on our Facebook wall. The most helpful online activity has actually just been the amount of research I constantly do to help me as a business owner as well as creating the best product.

What is your schedule like on a typical business day?

Typical day starts after I take my oldest son to school. I come home and plan my work day. Morning is usually good for me to participate a little in the forums, plan my Etsy relisting, and post new items I have created. The rest of the day will be creating jewelry for orders, packaging orders ready to go out, shipping which includes a trip to the post office, bookkeeping, and any necessary tasks such as ordering supplies and materials, coming up with new designs, etc. I find the time goes by way too fast every day.

What are your biggest challenges selling on Etsy?

The biggest challenge is exposure. The jewelry business is a tough competitive category. You really need to work hard to stand out.

Do you have any time saving tips you could share?

Plan your day. I still have tough time truly going by my own plan but making a list of things you want to accomplish will truly help you stay focused.

What social media do you like to use and how do you use it?

I cringe at social media. I currently only use Facebook. I know it is somewhat necessary but I find I spend very little time on this and the rest on other aspects of my business.

What is your favorite part of your handmade business?

That I am making something for someone to wear and enjoy. Closely following that is that I am able to work at home. I am still able to do what I love and be there for my boys when they need me.

What are your hopes and aspirations for your store and where do you see yourself going from here?

Oh, I want to continue to grow. I want to be able to offer something for just about everyone. I will continue to add to our lines. I feel like this is just the beginning for me.

Do you do anything to stay inspired and what motivates you to create?

Yes…I am always looking for inspiration – through magazines, in stores, online, etc. I look at colors and trends. My husband says my mind never stops.

What are three tools in your workspace that you could not live without?

Oh, I have 3 workspaces – so for business workspace I would say my computer/printer, for my scrabble/glass workspace it would be my little organizer caddy, and in my hand stamped workspace it would be my tumbler!

*Thank you Suzanne!*