When Tara Swiger emailed me last September saying that she was working on a book, I got so excited! Her guest posts here at Handmade Success have been so chock full of information and so knock your socks off insightful that just the idea of her trying to help you market yourself with a book filled me with anticipation!
Market Yourself by Tara Swiger does not disappoint. Tara Swiger knows marketing and after you read this book (heck, after reading the first chapter!) you will believe that Tara Swiger knows you.
You will get excited just reading the Table of Contents! Your interest will be piqued to see how your business will grow as you proceed through the book. Each chapter has a carefully crafted focus along with (AMAZING!) worksheets to help you bring new ideas into fruition.
Right in Chapter 1 she breaks down marketing in a way that will have you thinking differently.
You will be so excited to write your next blog post halfway through Chapter 2!
When Tara discusses finding your Right People in Chapter 3 you will begin to feel more focused, certain and secure about where you are taking your business.
In Chapter 4 she talks from a buyers perspective in a way that will have you nodding your head in agreement and realizing that this point of view will totally help you as a seller.
You will begin to navigate social media from a more authentic, natural, and productive place than ever before after reading Chapter 5 and Chapter 6 will have you expressing yourself that way offline too.
You are already going to feel pumped up by Chapter 7 and it is going to blow you away!
Now, I could go on and on about each chapter but what I really want you to know is this:
Market Yourself takes your passion for making to the next level by teaching you step by step how to get your product into your buyer’s hands. Tara encourages and inspires but ultimately challenges you to create the growth you are looking for in your business. You will be amazed and intrigued by what you begin to learn about yourself as well as your brand. You will feel like you are in one-on-one coaching sessions with Tara. She communicates like she knows you, your product and what you need to succeed.
Are you so ready to go get this book?! Cooperative Press is officially launching it today and it is being offered in both print and digital forms. You can go here to buy a copy and you can go here to join in on all of the fun things Tara has planned surrounding the launch! She may even be in your neck of the woods soon too!
Tara has graciously offered to giveaway a copy of her new book to one lucky Handmade Success reader!
HOW TO ENTER:
Since the name of the book is “Market Yourself,” we would like you to leave your thoughts, concerns, questions, and/or advice about marketing yourself in the comments section below.
Please be sure to leave an email address (if not in your profile) so we can contact you if you are the winner.
GIVEAWAY RULES:
END TIME – This giveaway ends on Thursday May 17th, 2012, 6:00pm PST.
PICKING A 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 and in a post here on the blog next Friday May 18th.
Good Luck!
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
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I’m currently in the process of getting ready to open a shop, so I have pretty much everything to learn about marketing. I think the thing I want to know most is how to make the most out of my marketing dollars… so how to figure out the best market & supporters & such…
After two years of unemployment, I am starting a home-based business in vintage rentals. In the decade since I left my public relations career, marketing tools and strategies have changed dramatically, and I have been far behind. Happily, Homemade Success is helping me catch up. I particularly like the palatable manner in which Homemade Success serves up its invaluable advice. I need to be gently led into this new world.
I just opened my shop and need all the marketing help I can get. I have always worked in the corporate world where there was always someone to go to to help with any questions. Now that it is just me and my partner I believe this book will be our ‘Go to’ for all our marketing questions. Kinda of like having a marketing manager working there beside us.
I opened my Etsy shop in November of 2011, so I am still fairly new. I am getting discouraged due to the lack of sales I have had. Your marketing book would really come in handy for me!! I really don’t feel I have the right “people” viewing my creations-I feel I have more “do-it-yourselfers” that like my stuff versus “don’t-do-it-yourselfers” that want to buy my stuff. Plus a lot of people have told me that Etsy is becoming too saturated & a lot of people are failing.
Thank you for this contest & a chance to win!!
My business is still very new and I have a lot to learn in every facet. I have just grabbed a golden marketing opportunity by the horns and I really want to learn how to make it work for me, Market Yourself sounds like it could be just the thing and I am looking forward to reading it.
I also opened a shop on Meylah.com last month. I have gotten views, but no buyers. I believe marketing could help me create more engaging and eye-catching content for my blog and for my shop. I have really enjoyed Tara’s previous posts!
Wow…love the intro on this book. I too have a small shop and need more than just a few pointers. I think this book can lead a person in the right direction. I feel to that there are so many people out there selling the same thing, so we need to know how to stand out in the crowd. I have not been very successful with doing that. I get people looking, but not many sales and everyone that buys from me, they love my crafts, but it is not enough. I would love to have this book and would really use it and tell people of my new found success….good luck on the launch, Sue
The book review sounds so intriguing that I would really like to have it
I’ve had my shop for a while but it’s rather thanks to good luck that anybody finds my ware and even buys it from time to time. I do believe that good marketing would help a lot to increase my sales!
I’ve had an Etsy store since 2008 and have only had a few sales. I do a lot of craft fairs and my jewelry sales are good and I get a lot of great comments and repeat customers. How can I increase My online business so I don’t have to do so many craft fairs?
Denise McLachlan
McLachlan Design Studios
After working more than 10 years with just limited success in marketing my greeting cards and gifts, I am eager to read just about anything marketing related to see if I can take my images to the next level. Several years into my endeavor, I spent a lot of money on an e-commerce website which after 5 frustrating years, I took down. In the past year I created my own e-commerce website which I am able to update so much easier. It took a lot of time and effort to learn how to create a website but I was motivated by the fear of again misspending the little that I have to invest.
For the past year I have been trying to learn something new everyday about marketing and I would love to read your book.
My biggest issue with marketing is finding a flow, so to speak. I have lots of ideas, but I don’t have lots of ideas of how to implement those ideas on a daily basis! My marketing always comes in large spirts rather than slow fizzles.
I’m in the process of starting 2 totally separate businesses. It is so stressful to get yourself out there and find buyers or clients! However my biggest piece of advice: Find your number 1 fan! I’m not talking about your mom or boyfriend, I’m talking about that 1 person who will talk you up to everyone they know, and while they’re at it they may even call people they think would like your service/product and set them up to try it asap! I think I just found that Fan for one of my businesses, and she hasn’t even tried my service yet!!!
I am not a huge consumer–a.k.a. I don’t shop a lot–so I don’t have an innate understanding of consumer-based issues…. therefore, I don’t have an understanding of good marketing.
I know I have great products to offer, but I always seem to hit a roadblock with marketing. I have so many ideas and very little time, so I want to figure out how to focus my efforts on the areas that will bring me the most success.
There’s so much information on the internet, that I don’t have the time to read it, time is a precious commodity for me. I need the “right” tools and how to use them effectively, spending my time on the right activities.
I should have no excuse marketing myself. I work in advertising, and develop creative branding for national campaigns. But when it comes to doing it for myself, I fail. I have so much to offer. I create something, and after a while, it is packed up and sent to, “the room”. If my life were a Pixar film, my art would be plotting their escape from their storage room as I am writing this.
Congrats on your new book!!!
It’s always a challenge to keep up with all of the new websites to market my business. I’m so glad someone has written a book and put so much information into one place! Now I might have more time to be creative rather than researching how to market myself.
What a fabulous opportunity! I’ve felt that I have done a good job at marketing my shop, but I know I can do better! I feel like I am missing opportunities and also that certain marketing venues for me have gone stale or just not worked out. Looking forward to learning new concepts and creative ways to market.
My Etsy shop is doing fairly well. I am at the edge of quitting the day job but looking for just the right thing to push me over yhe edge and take the plunge. I am hoping the information in this book will be just what I need to get me there. I have been recently doing more research for just this kind of help. Looking forward to the book.
Vinyl Art Studio
There are so many outlets and not enough time to get to them all to either read, post, list. . . I need a system or shcedule to get me on the right track and to know where I’m going to get the most traffic and referrals. Looking forward to what Tara has to offer in this book- for not only the beginner and expert, but for everyone inbetween!
Sounds like just the thing for me. I love creating beautiful things, but have very little natural marketing ability-working very hard to grow and become able and confident in marketing the stuff I make and love. Been reading everything I can get my hands on, and taking advantage of every opportunity-have learned a great deal already!
Greetings!
I have been working on my online jewerly shops, for the last 12 months, and I don’t see the sales that I was hoping for. I know that marketing is the key, however all my marketing is not working like I hoped, so I would love to know more from the marketing book.
I have had an Etsy shop for a couple of years and would love to increase my sales. I need to know how to market to others. I have about 1 sale a month and would love to have more.
I’ve been attempting to get my crafty business going for more than 15 years, realizing that what i’m lacking is definite knowledge of how to best get it done! This is a wonderful opportunity for this stay at home Mom trying to make it in this world have an affordable chance. Thanks!
The book sounds fabulous and a great way to get some focused information — would love to read it as I’m just preparing an online store & feeling overwhelmed not knowing the best way to reach customers…
I just moved to LA from a different country altogether and is finding my footing here to establish and market myself as an indie artist. I don’t know anyone and it would be really helpful to get some insights on how to market myself and my products and make some friends too!
I am involved in several businesses with different focuses…I have no background in marketing and need a resource to help me with ideas for each. This book sounds right on the mark and a well-timed resource for those of us who are trying to reinvent ourselves and our livelihoods.
How do I market myself?
1) Believe it or not my “hair” is part of my branding. I stand out and people remember me.
2) Facebook interaction and giveaways on FB and other sites that fit with what I sell.
3) Email campaigns including monthly newsletters and specific target markets.
4) Blogging with good SEO links and tags of course incorporating my services and offering ideas.
5) Magnetic business cards instead of paper ones.
6) I hand out visual brochures instead of business cards as a visual snap shot so people will want to go to my web site.
7) Pinterest boards with good description.
8) Flicker taking advantage of SEO key terms
9) Various other marketing techniques.
I’ve been reading blogs on… how to blog…. and am afraid to take the plunge in – just planning to go to the next step seems a hurdle. I’m stuck and just discovered your blog/book and WOW – your no-nonsense approach is so refreshing. Thank you Handmade Success for featuring Tara Swiger and please sign me up for her book giveaway!
I need to learn how to market myself on etsy by building a healthy base of buyers without breaking the bank on showcase fees.
Right now I’m in the midst of a marketing overhaul; for me, one of the hardest things about marketing is finding a “voice” and being consistent in my social media approach.
Marketing seems like such a scary thing to do for me – I’m such a shy, introverted person, that trying to put myself out there makes me feel vulnerable. But then again, I don’t really know what I’m doing! haha
I’ve been experimenting a lot with social media, and I’ve found giveaways give me a quantity of people, but not the quality. Most people were only around for the freebies, but never actually went to my shop!
So, I’m looking for new ways!
I would really like to develop my blog into something bigger, with a view to moving it in the direction of a business in the future. However, getting the word out is by far the most difficult part of the process, and the thing I find most difficult is ‘meeting’ like-minded people on the web, as quite a shy person when it comes to putting myself out there. What I haven’t really found anywhere is a guide to how to start making contacts & putting your site out there in a friendly, rather than spamming people with comments, kind of way!
My mum is running an internet business and she too would be really interested in this book!
I really need to streamline my “marketing voice” without spending to much money and time so I can get the most out of my blog/site that I am working on.
One of the challenges I have is making sure my voice and sense of “self” stays consistant among blog posts, products, and customer interactions.
I find the hardest thing in marketing myself is to be consistent in the frequency of what I do. Also figuring out what I should say and do to attract the right audience for my product. That’s one of the things I love about reading this blog, I often find answers to those things here.
I am really interested in this book because I am currently in fashion design school and looking to sort of brand myself. I haven’t exactly pin pointed which direction that I want to go in so am floundering a bit. I do think this would spark some ideas inside me (me hoping) haha.
primandpropahgirl @ gmail dot com
I started selling my knitting patterns last fall and really need to improve my marketing skills. In particular, I suck at social media. I’d love to win this book and hopefully learn how to suck a little less at it.