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How to Identify a Role Model for Your Creative Business

May 23, 2013 Leave a Comment

energybracelet Chakra Balancing Bracelet from The Energy Shop

Last time I visited Handmade Success, I briefly mentioned that in testing the marketability of your product, you’ll likely stumble upon a role model for your creative business. Today I would like to expand on that because identifying a role model is actually the greatest advantage of doing industry research.

A role model business is a person or corporation that does something similar to what you want to achieve. Your role model has already conquered that which currently overwhelms you, and the answers you seek are readily available … with a little reconnaissance.

They’re also going to be shining examples of how to turn your product or service into a successful business. When you come across an obstacle while you’re building your creative business, you can almost always ask: what would/does my role model do? Applying their proven techniques to the way your business operates will spark new insights and ideas for growth.

Here’s how to locate a role model in your industry:

 

1. Name a few keywords that you associate with your creative business, product, and/or service. Google those keywords to see what businesses appear on the first few pages of search results. In addition, try to think of a few bigger businesses that already exist in your industry.

2. Identify at least one go-to big business in your field. You want somebody that is charging a strong price and creating a desirable experience for their customers.

3. Next, analyze what’s working about your role model by asking:

  • How are they presenting their products online?
  • What are they calling the product you make?
  • How are they describing it?
  • What do their customer service policies look like?
  • What are they doing better than you?
  • What are you doing better than them?
  • How does their “about” page read?

Bigger business often leave their copywriting, marketing, and advertising research right on the table. All you have to do is dig a little deeper, and enjoy the learning curve!

Here’s an example of what you could do with role model market research (down the road): 

When I studied the leaders in my field (I create Reiki-infused bracelets for my store, Energy Shop Jewelry), I noticed a few companies were taking out full-page advertisements in magazines catered toward people who practice yoga. Those print ads cost tens of thousands of dollars, if not more! While that level of advertising is still out of my league, I always have Facebook. How can I reach the same market on 1/1,000th of the budget? I create a Facebook ad that targets those who “like” the magazine where my role models print advertisements. I can reach the same audience at a tiny fraction of the cost!

With a little research, you too can tweak what you learn from bigger-budgeted role models to create a winning marketing strategy. Let’s see what you come up with: please share your results or questions in the comments!

lisawashi

 

Lisa Jacobs — Marketing Creativity

Lisa Jacobs writes Marketing Creativity for fellow creative spirits who aim to build a career with their own two hands. She leads group webinar programs and offers one-on-one coaching designed to help you get paid to be … you.

 

Editor’s note: I added Lisa’s Chakra Bracelet image to this post. Be sure to check out her beautiful and inspiring shop!

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Filed Under: guest post, marketing, tools and organization

Drive Quality Traffic from Facebook to Your Etsy Shop

May 14, 2013 2 Comments

fanchimp

More and more Handmade sellers, on Etsy and on other marketplaces, are using Facebook and Twitter to do marketing. I have used it in the past, for personal projects, because I’ve heard great results can come from it.

So, I “Googled” how to do it, but I found substantially wrong information. Sadly, I learned it after months of wasted effort. It took many years to become an Etsy expert, and today, I want to share what I’ve learned with you.

  • The Problem

The problem is using the number of fans to measure success. This encourages you to use ineffective techniques to increase the number of fans, no matter what. In most cases this means buying packs of fans or paying Facebook ads to promote the Facebook page itself.

Buying packs of fans is absolutely the worst thing that you can do because the quality of these fans is really poor. It’s an army of fake Facebook accounts that “like” all day long paying Facebook pages.

This means that they are absolutely not interested in reading anything published on the pages. They’ll never read about your handmade products, so it’s just wasted money.

In the case of advertising your page with Facebook ads, it is dangerous because if it’s not followed by a serious marketing strategy to engage with these new fans, you’re wasting all of the potential of Facebook marketing.

  • Why having fans is just not enough?

Having fans on your shop’s Facebook page is like having a ready audience. If you don’t have anything intelligent or interesting to say, you will lose them.

That’s why it’s important to have a serious communication strategy in place before trying to increase the number of fans. You should update your page multiple times a day with interesting information to captivate your audience.

  • Why you should NOT use advertising to get Fans?

There’s a more cost effective way to get fans. These fans will be more interested in what you have to say and sell. The coolest result is when these fans follow your page because they are going to “share” it with their friends. This will create a larger fan base.

These high quality fans are going to comment and “like” your messages, their friends will see the “like” or the conversations and follow your page.

  • Great, what do I have to do now?

First thing is to collect a list of interesting blogs. Next, share the most interesting info on your Facebook page.

It should be about topics close to your products.

If you’re designing home furniture, it should be about design, architecture, and furniture. If you’re designing clothes, you can talk about anything in the fashion market. 

Let’s say that you have to update 3 or 4 every day. You’ll probably want to use a tool to schedule this content for the different times of the day during the week, so you don’t have to connect to Facebook to share these messages 4 times a day.

Then, choose one of your products to promote every day. Share it between the previously selected news. Change the time of the day in which you share it, so a larger percentage of your audience will see the promoted products.

  • How can I start?

First mix the news and the promoted products every day. Share the promoted product at different times day, for example, sometimes in the morning, sometimes in the afternoon, and so on.

If you share large and cool photos, they will attract the attention of the readers, and be sure to include the link to the product in your shop, so people will know where to go to buy it.

You can use different tools to simplify this process.

To collect interesting blogs, use Feedly. To schedule messages to be shared daily, you can use Hootsuite or Tweetbot. 

Of course all this is still going to require 5 to 10 hours of work each week. It’s still a long and tedious process.

Luckily, there are several tools that can help you. One is Fanchimp, which I’ve created. It finds interesting news for you. Once you have selected the ones you like the most, it will schedule them at the most convenient time for you. Reducing the effort to 10 minutes a week.

Of course, it is not the only tool available. In the end, nothing is more important than finding the tools that you like the most. In doing so, you will reduce the mental effort needed for communication campaigning, week after week. 

  • Is this the best way to get new customers?

Long story short, yes. Using Facebook to do marketing, in the organic way (saying interesting things and then promoting) and not with advertising, is the most cost effective way of increasing your sales.

Until a year or two ago, it was more difficult. Now, new technologies and more wide spread knowledge about it is making it easier.

There is still one last thing that you need to know before you start the work to grow your sales. You need to be consistent. You need to share these interesting and promotional messages every day, for at least few months, before seeing a real increase in sales.

The good news is that when your business starts to grow, it keeps growing, and you’ll be repaid for your investment. You’ll be very happy to see your shop blooming.

Meanwhile, good work!

photo.jpg

Claudio Carnino, Founder & CEO of Fanchimp.

I am a passionate entrepreneur with the dream of making all online shops amazing and successful. Working on Fanchimp allows me to help a lot of people fulfill their dreams.

I am a Ninja developer and an expert in Social Media Marketing for online shops.

I’m always happy to help.

 

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Filed Under: business resources, guest post, social networking

How to Find Your Voice As a Business Owner

May 9, 2013 5 Comments

blogplannerkitBlog planner kit from Eva Fer-Per Shop

When you’re working through the first few years of your business, you have lots of things to worry about. How to pay the bills, handle taxes, and get your shop up and running. How to find customers, keep customers, and make all those customers exceedingly happy. How to balance your business life with your personal life, and vice versa. How to find time to eat, shower, and otherwise care for yourself and your family.

It’s no surprise that finding your voice as a business owner — as in, expressing who you are and what you do in the most unique way possible — falls through the cracks.

You market the way everyone else is marketing and you keep up with your responsibilities. You have a blog and you post to it occasionally. Maybe you sell ad space, maybe you invite guest bloggers…only having a blog doesn’t really light you up, so it’s a low priority.

Consider — just for a moment — that writing and expressing yourself in a completely transparent way could be the key to increasing your income without putting any more effort into your business.

 

Here are three blog post types that mean you’ll increase reader engagement while drawing those who love you even closer into your fold.

  • Voicefinder #1: Express your opinions.

You could keep talking about the latest seasonal stripes and patterns if you’ve got a fashion shop online. Or, you could strike a nerve. You could start writing about trends that make you crazy (we all know some trends are just plain HIDEOUS) or trends that make you happy to be alive. You could push the envelope of what’s possible, talking about how to choose investment pieces that AREN’T trendy to layer in with the Andy-Warhol-meets-Kate-Spade-meets-skateboarder look that’s coming into season for the next 13 minutes.

The more useful ideas and articles you share with your community, the more your business will grow. What comes easily to you doesn’t necessarily come easily to others, so start with an article answering a question that you’re commonly asked.

  • Voicefinder #2: Express a secret, or at least something you would normally keep hidden.

Often, the things that are the most personal are also the most universal. Maybe you secretly hate having to pay for shipping, or you can’t stand shops that never have sales (I mean, don’t we deserve a discount every now and again?), or you’d really like to start changing the world but you aren’t sure just how to start.

We think we have to have it all figured out before we say it to the world — when in truth, our uncertainty is universal. Ask for feedback, ask for help, ask for opinions. It means your readers will help you shape your business — and then buy what they’ve helped to shape. Modcloth does this exceptionally well with their Be the Buyer feature. (No reason you can’t have your own!)

  • Voicefinder #3: Let go of what it means to be “professional.”

We’ve all been taught that swearing isn’t allowed, that talking about religion or politics isn’t good for business, and that we mustn’t offend anyone if we want to get the most customers possible.

Bullshit.

The more we express who we are, without trying to be someone else, the closer we come to the hearts of the people who will become our biggest fans.

If you’ve created a line of pro-choice shirts, there’s no way to skirt the issue of politics. If you swear like a sailor, whitewashing your shop will only make those who meet you in person wonder what the hell happened!

One of my most popular articles about pricing involves a hooker and some inappropriate actions — it gets the point across, makes people laugh, and teaches, too — all those things I try to do in my business.

In the coming week, I dare you to be YOU in your business communication.

Use one of the three options listed — express a strong opinion, express a secret, or let go of what it means to be “professional” — to start breaking out of your own mold.

When you’ve completed this exercise, post a link to your goodies in the comments! Let others see your boldness and channel some of it for their own. I’d love to see Handmade Success readers kicking ass and taking names in this department!

kristenkbiowashi

Kristen Kalp — Brand Camp

Kristen Kalp is a (ghost)writer who believes people should have fun being in business.  She blogs at Brand Camp for like-minded folks.

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Filed Under: blogs/blogging, guest post

How to Plan Your Wholesale Marketing Calendar

May 2, 2013 1 Comment

frontdeskplaisirCounter/cash desk at Plaisir

There are particular times of year when retailers are especially concerned with buying stock.

A large part of running a successful retail business lies in having the right quantity, type and range of items on hand when customers want to buy them.

If a shopkeeper gets this wrong, one of three things will happen.

  • If she buys more stock than there’s a demand for:

She’ll end up with boxes of left-over items she’s paid for but can’t sell.

She gets a slightly crazy look in her eye and starts saying things like “Actually, I really like own-brand corned beef. And who knew you could make a single tin of carrots last a whole week?”

  • If she buys the wrong kind of stock:

It’s a similar situation. If the items she chooses are too expensive, too cheap or she otherwise picks things her customer wouldn’t touch with a barge pole, she’s left with stock she can’t shift.

She starts taking an intense interest in horoscopes, buys lottery tickets by the dozen and becomes an expert in how many times you can re-use a teabag.

  • If she doesn’t buy enough stock to keep up with demand:

She’ll have empty shelves at a time when customers are desperate to buy. They get cheesed off, complain loudly then go spend their money somewhere else.

She retires to the back room with a bottle of Jack.

Let’s break this down a bit further.

Obviously, Christmas is the biggest, most financially important event of the year. It’s almost impossible to exaggerate how significant it is for indie shopkeepers.

Some will start planning their buying for the festive season in April or May.

At my shop we don’t start quite that early, but we generally aim to have a rough plan by the beginning of August and a finalised plan by late September.

Valentine’s Day, Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and the beginning of the new school term are other times of year when retailers try to drive sales and need appropriate stock on hand.

So what does all this mean for you?

Well, it’s something to be aware of.

If your work is closely tied to a particular event in the year you need to give shopkeepers enough time to consider your submission, decide to make an order and receive your items.

A rough rule of thumb is the bigger the shop, the earlier they’ll start planning. Smaller operations are lighter on their feet and are generally able to make decisions much faster.

Factor this into your decision about when to pitch your work to retailers.

If you make Christmas cards aim to get in touch between late May and the end of October.

If you make Valentine’s cards get in touch at the beginning of January.

Use your judgement and knowledge of how long it takes to make your product to work out when’s a good time to make contact.

Here’s the thing, though.

JUST GET IN TOUCH.

If you make cushion covers with a reindeer pattern and a lead time of six weeks, then half-way through December probably isn’t the best time to send me your submission.

I hit the egg-nog pretty hard around that time, for one thing.

Failing that, though, just pitch your work.

Seriously.

Don’t let worrying about it being the wrong time of year hold you back.

 

clarewashi copy

Clare Yuille — Indie Retail Academy

Clare Yuille is a shopkeeper, writer and retail coach for creative types who want their wholesale business to go whoooosh. Want to sell your work to indie retailers but feel overwhelmed, out of your depth or, erm…completely paralyzed by fear, doubt and self-criticism?

Clare’s blend of insider knowledge and expertise will help you simmer-the-heck-down, plot your course and experience so many biz-related epiphanies you’ll actually enjoy pitching your work to retailers. She takes away the eeeek! and replaces it with aaah.

Ready to get moving? Download her free Indie Retail Starter Kit

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Filed Under: guest post, holiday marketing, marketing, wholesale + retail

How to Test the Marketability of Your Product

April 25, 2013 3 Comments

marketabilityThere are a few ways to not only test the marketability of a future product, but to enhance the visibility/search-ability of any existing products you might have on the market. If you have yet to launch your own storefront, you’ll find these tools useful throughout the life of your business. Here’s how to get to know your market better:

  • Check Out the Competition

Start with a basic Google search to see what comes up whenever you type in your craft, service, product, etc. This is what your customers will be doing, and it’s a great way to research their first hits, as well as what’s already being advertised to them (watch which sponsored links appear at the top and to the right of your search results). Sometimes this is going to be direct “competition” and other times you’ll stumble upon business role models (click here to see how I taught one candle maker how to identify his business role models). Take note of both.

Further your research by searching your product or idea on marketplaces such as Etsy or Big Cartel. Please don’t be discouraged if you discover a lot of results because…

  • A Crowded Market is Good!

Contrary to popular belief, a saturated market is a good thing. It means there’s already high demand for what you love to make! A lot of folks tell themselves that their business idea won’t work because “there’s already so many jewelry designers/photographers/painters/etc out there.” If that sounds familiar, please stop denying the world your artistic individuality!

I’d like to clear up this common misconception once and for all: that’s your own insecurity, and it’s a personal belief that you’re turning into a business decision. The key to overcoming a saturated marketplace is learning to advertise outside of it, and introduce the customers to your individual brand. Don’t think of yourself as one in a million, but rather an industry that billions of people don’t know about yet!

  • A Trending Product is Even Better!

When your product is trending, it’s a golden opportunity to recruit new customers. The style of jewelry I make is a hot trend right now. Beaded bracelets are up and down the arms of very high-profile celebrities. I see jewelry similar to mine all over the pages of In Style, US Weekly, and other big magazines. The question is: how do you ride a hot trend?

I don’t have any photos of celebrities in my listings, and I’m cautious of the legal permissions those photos may require. However, you can use the trend without infringing on any copyrights, and I’ll offer you an example of how I managed to do just that.

I’m a huge fan of Bravo TV’s The Real Housewives. I love them all in every location. On an older episode of the Real Housewives of New Jersey (RHoNJ), a cast member named Dina was wearing gemstone bracelets and had an “energist” come over to smudge them.

To explain, gemstones are minerals of the earth, and like crystals, they’ve been believed to hold natural attributes and healing properties for thousands of years. Smudging is a cleansing, Native American ritual that involves white sage.

I use gemstones and materials at the Energy Shop, like those seen on TV. I cleanse, charge, and smudge each piece I make. As I was watching RHoNJ, I quickly realized that that particular episode explained everything I make and sell!  The question became, how can I use that information as my own commercial?

You too can use the higher-profile attention to find your customers. Here’s how:

  • Cost-per-click Advertising. On Facebook, we “like” all kinds of pages and activities. We enter our age, our gender, and our marital status. When you come to this site as an advertiser, you realize how ingenious the system is. For example: I “like” Real Housewives of New Jersey. Therefore, I’ve seen the episode that explains the bracelets that I sell, and so have the other 200,000 people that “like” the show. While that particular episode was airing (read: my product was trending), I paid about $.40 per click to showcase my products and target those 200,000 RHoNJ fans. It made for many new customers.
  • Blog on Your Trend! The post I made on Dina Manzo’s bracelets drew in way more traffic than I would have ever expected. If you search “Dina’s bracelets” on Yahoo or Google, my blog was (and possibly still is) the first result—and that just happened for me with good tagging and keyword usage. I’m honest in the post, I give credit to the actual jewelry designer who appeared on the show (I even link to her online storefront), and I leave links to my site as well.
  • Tweet to Your Audience. Again, at the time this RHoNJ episode was airing, I used the hash tag (#) on Twitter to reach fans of #RHoNJ and promote my shop. I often repeated tweets as new episodes were airing. The hash tag is a great way to talk to a large audience of like-minded people.
  • Carefully Tag Your Listings. Remember to include “inspired by” and “styled like”. I think it would be big trouble and bad karma to lead any person to believe that you made a product when you didn’t. Imitations and likenesses are a natural part of the handmade world, but everyone has a different style. You are right for your customers, so help them find you with tags. I use “spiritual gemstone jewelry” and “beaded, power bracelets.” If the customer is looking for that general concept, then they are really going to enjoy browsing my shop.

Happy handmade to you all! Until next time~

lisawashi

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lisa Jacobs — Marketing Creativity

Lisa Jacobs writes Marketing Creativity for fellow creative spirits who aim to build a career with their own two hands. She leads group webinar programs and offers one-on-one coaching designed to help you get paid to be … you.

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Filed Under: advertising, blogs/blogging, guest post, marketing

Personal Space

April 22, 2013 3 Comments

lettingithappen

Being comfortable and satisfied in the present moment is something many of us desire. I also think “being in the moment” can be one of the most challenging states, not something that comes easy for many people. For us that find it difficult we may fear stagnancy, wasted time and lost dreams. For those that master this state of being, they might argue that it is quite the opposite. By lightly letting go, we might find that we can hear our soul speak and that we deepen our relationship with ourselves and others. We might find that happiness is easier to attain and our lives are filled with more sincerity and peace.

In the last couple of years, I have done a lot of letting go and stepping back to reassess. It has not been easy in any sense of the word. However, I made a promise to myself that for once I was going to let some things just happen on their own. It takes a lot of faith in oneself -that regardless, you can be happy. And it takes a lot of faith in life that some things might just come on their own  if you give it space to do so. Honestly, the latter is sometimes very difficult when so many horrible things happen in the world. Realistically, we need to remember that the good by far outweigh the bad even if it doesn’t always feel that way.

This past year I let go of a former business I shared with a friend to branch out and to do something that allowed me room to explore my own natural talents. I took a break from creating jewelry to try other crafts and broaden my experience. I have allowed myself ample time alone to write and write and write so someday I will have the confidence and skill needed to publish my own book. Something awesome is happening in my 40th year of life. I am beginning to have more feelings of personal acceptance and happiness with all that I have achieved. There is more peace and an understanding of what it takes to be happy. I feel like through this personal and professional space and all of my past adventures, I finally really know me. And by taking time to reflect on past experiences with humor and lightness along with a promise to do things differently, I believe I finally have enough space for this wonderful new person that has just entered my life. I know that all of these wonderful things have happened because I stepped back and simply let go, just a little.

shellybiowashi

 Shelly Kerry — Creating Space, Mindful Living

Shelly Kerry is the founder of the program Creating Space, Mindful Living – motivating and inspiring people to run their businesses more efficiently. She helps others look at their personal and professional lives and explore what is and isn’t working. As a jewelry designer she has spent many years testing and honing the skills and discipline needed to run your own creative business while still having time for friends, family and fun. She puts her wealth of experience to use in the Creating Space service – healthy living advice to help keep you motivated and make the most out of your already busy schedule. She will help you find both the physical and emotional space so you can pursue your dreams and she’ll always insist there’s time for yourself.

Shelly writes guest posts on living your best life on well-known blogs such as Kanelstrand, Handmade Success and Awfully Grand and is pursuing a Core Strengths coaching certificate through San Francisco State University.

You can now find Creating Space on Facebook.

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Filed Under: guest post, inspiration

Technology & Your Shop

April 18, 2013 5 Comments

shoppingColorful Village Storefront Shops Print from Anna See

The way we shop has changed – for good. How often do you walk into a bricks and mortar store, find a specific item you’ve been looking for, and buy it there and then?

If you’re anything like me, this scenario happens a lot less often than it used to. In 2013, I can walk into a high street shop and pick up a product that tickles my fancy. I can then take my smart phone out of my pocket, open up a browser and do a quick internet search. Within seconds I’ll be reading reviews from other shoppers and comparing prices from different retailers. Perhaps I’ll a post a photo of whatever I’m mulling-over on Facebook, and ask my friends for advice. All of this while I’m still in the shop!

Unless I’m in a desperate hurry for an emergency purchase or gift, I’m unlikely to get in line and hand over my card there and then. I’m far more likely to go back home, look at a few more options online, think about it for a while….. If and when I finally decide to take the plunge, am I going to get into my car and drive back into town? No! I’m going to buy online – from the shop that has the best price, the best reviews, and who can deliver it quickly and conveniently to my home.

Now if you’re thinking this scenario doesn’t apply to customers buying from independent retailers and craft sellers….you could be right. Customers buying from handmade sellers are more likely to be looking for something special and unique than searching for a deal.

But don’t let that lull you into a false sense of security. The pace of change in technology is changing the way we shop, for good. This, together with the fact that we’re still dealing with a challenging economy – mean that it’s important for retailers of all shapes and sizes to take note.

If you’re a small business with big ambitions, here are four things you should be thinking about:

  • Think multi-channel 

When thinking about how and where to promote your work, think about the lives your customers lead. Do they spend all their time in coffee shops, reading books and magazines? Or do they spend 24 hours a day online, browsing websites and checking their social media accounts? Chances are, they do a bit of both. Digital and “real” life are now so intertwined, your customers are likely browsing the Etsy app on their iPhone while sitting in a coffee shop, or reading reviews on Amazon for the latest craft books while lying in bed.

To make the most of the opportunities the digital economy provides, you need to adopt a multi-channel approach. A website is no longer a nice-to-have: it’s an essential tool for doing business online and off. Even if you’re selling to galleries and offline shops rather than direct to customers online, a professional online presence is a must.

If you don’t yet have a website and are planning to get one soon, choose a responsive design so that if can be used on different devices like smart phones and tablets. Don’t forget to include the URL on your business cards too!

  • Take a long-term approach 

In this age of constant distractions and huge choice of options online, customers won’t make an immediate decision about whether or not to buy from you. So stop thinking in terms of the instant sale. Some customers will want to research and look around. Others will want to get to know you first. So give them plenty of ways to do this by building an authentic online presence, sharing your story, and being consistent in your approach.

Crucially – make sure you’re encouraging them to sign-up to your email list when they visit your website or blog. It’s your best chance of getting in touch and encouraging them to come back if they don’t buy from you first time around.

  • Pull, don’t push 

It’s no longer acceptable (if it ever was) to be pushy and use the hard sell. How many brands have you un-followed because of a barrage of promotional Facebook updates or tweets?

The next generation of consumers are savvy, sophisticated shoppers, and firmly in control. So attract, engage…..then let them know about the wonderful products and services you have to sell. Learn to listen to your customers and understand their needs. Become the brand they look forward to hearing from because you put a smile upon their face!

  • Embrace openness 

In 2013, there really is nowhere to hide! Ratings, reviews and feedback play an important part in building trust and authority for your brand. So embrace openness and use these tools to your advantage.  Ask customers for testimonials. Make a habit of requesting feedback after an order has shipped. Let customers leave ratings and reviews.

Once you’ve done this – add a praise section to your website. Add snippets to your product descriptions and about page, even your business card. Then look out for an increase in sales!

Have you noticed any ways that technology is impacting your business and the way your customers shop? What are you doing about it? I’d love to know – leave a comment below.

clairebiowashi

Claire Hughes — Make, Do & Sell

Claire Hughes is an online marketing consultant with over ten year’s experience running campaigns for some of Europe’s biggest brands. Proud to call herself an internet geek and home-working mum, she now focuses exclusively on working with creative entrepreneurs. You’ll find Claire sharing free tips and advice on the Make, Do & Sell blog, as well as co-leading the Handmade Horizons marketing e-course. That’s when she’s not changing nappies or feeding her Pinterest addiction, of course…..

There’s nothing Claire loves more than helping talented ladies overcome their marketing challenges and achieve their wildest dreams. Why not connect with her on Twitter and tell her all about yours?

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Filed Under: guest post, marketing

5 Creative Biz Must Haves for Success – Part 1

April 11, 2013 4 Comments

successI recently came across a fantastic infographic by FotoSeeds called “Create Sustainably” & it really spoke to me.  It cleverly laid out the difference between The Hobbyist & The Professional Photographer.  Both are fantastic & have their own set of virtues.  It demonstrated how both of these ventures have striking similarities with some crucial key differences that sets them apart & how running a business as if you’re a professional when you are truly a hobbyist can actually be detrimental.

I won’t rehash the entire graphic as I think it speaks for itself; I will say that it’s a great read and a lot of fun to get through, all the while being slyly informative.  If you’re currently thinking about upgrading your hobby to a full-time business (’cause, why not?  People love your products & they’re beginning to pay for them, right?) or you already have and are in the beginning stages (yay for you, congratulations!), keep reading.  While the FotoSeeds infographic focuses on photographers, it can really be applied to any creative or handmade business, as does this new series.

Having worked for both corporate & start-up businesses (and now as a successful owner), myself, I have found that in addition to the fundamental foundation laid out by FotoSeeds, you will also need 5 things in order to truly succeed as a business owner.

PART ONE: CLARITY – ARE YOU A HOBBYIST OR A PROFESSIONAL?

One of the main things that sets The Professional apart from The Hobbyist is a proper business model and sound financial structure.

Sure, ok… this sounds really boring, right?  I mean, you already have momentum and a few sales under your belt and can’t you just keep getting more sales and go from there?  No.  You can’t.  I mean, you can, but at some point, things will start to unravel & you’ll be left with a big gooey mess.

A business is a serious thing.  It has legal consequences and boundaries and governmental regulations that need to be addressed.  These will, of course, vary from country to country, state to state, province to province, but they shouldn’t be ignored!  If you are really serious about becoming a business that operates on its own, brings you a proper income and can sustain itself, research what that entails in your local area.

DO YOUR HOMEWORK

• Find out the difference between “Sole Proprietorship” and “Limited Liability Company” and which would suit you better at this stage.

• Review what licenses you’ll require in your area & if you want to use a business name, how to search it so that it’s not already in use.

• See if there are any grants available to you.

• Create a business plan that details the next 5 years of your business intentions & includes real finances, such as investing your own capital or needing a business loan.

• Research similar businesses and competition in your area to see if your business will be viable in that market.

• Invest in a support system; don’t rely solely on friends & family for advice & help… reach out to the professionals!

There is a lot of information out there on the interweb; try typing in “starting up a business” in whatever search engine you use.  If it seems like it’s too much, ask for help or advice, especially from a financial advisor or small business lawyer.  If you’re pretty savvy at working up a financial structure that includes a balance sheet & projections, then great.  If not, hire an accountant.  Trust me.  The money might seem like an extravagance, but they will end up saving you money in the long run if their experience outmatches yours.

There are some great resources out there for starting up your own creative business, but not all of them will work for you.  Spend the time to review several to see which one fits your personality & venture.  If you are doing this alone, you are going to be wearing a lot of different hats, including artist or creative, bookkeeper, administrative assistant, customer service rep, marketing guru, designer, packaging whiz & mail runner, to name a few…  and you won’t be good at all of them.

Sorry, but them’s just the facts!

You will be excellent at one or two at the most, good at maybe one or two more and average or poor at the rest.  Dig down deep and be truthful with yourself about which ones you excel at and delegate the other jobs to someone else.  If money’s tight and you have to do everything yourself, ASK FOR HELP!

WHO SAID THIS WAS GOING TO BE EASY?!

Owning your own successful business is one of the most rewarding things you can do… it’s also one of the hardest.

Expect to work long hours, make big sacrifices, make no actual profits (or simply lose money) in the first 2-3 years, increase your stress levels, learn a lot about yourself, expand your limits, reveal your true people skills, sleep less, worry more & get discouraged.  Sounds horrible, right?  Why would anyone in their right mind want to put themselves through that?  Well, if you do decide that you want to become a professional and take on this mammoth adventure, you can also expect to gain immense satisfaction, work the way that suits you, do what you love, create for a living, be your own boss, call the shots, give back to or serve your community, live out your dream.

Sounds great, right?  Well, it is… so, now you need to figure out if you want to be The Professional or The Hobbyist.  Think long and hard; it’s a soul-searching question.  No joke.  As FotoSeeds says, “Create Sustainably”.

… stay tuned next time for PART TWO: YOUR IDENTITY & BRAND.

Geri_small

Geri Jewitt — The Languid Lion

Geri Jewitt is a designer gone rogue from Corporate who now owns The Languid Lion, handmaking eco-friendly invitations + stationery, paper decorations & illustrated art prints in her Paper Boutique as well as helping those who are in need of fresh design!  She is also the editor of The Lion’s Den, a blog where she writes about love, life, design, colour + handmade.

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How to be an Awesome Vendor

April 9, 2013 4 Comments

craft_fair2012-3 I’ve participated in craft shows for years; first as a shopper (and a supporter of my crafty friends) and then later as a vendor. Last year I took on a craft show from a completely different perspective: as the organizer. I agreed to run and coordinate all aspects of our elementary school’s successful Art & Craft Fair.

I had a good sense of what I was getting into. I’ve organized events before, I’m connected to the crafty community in Portland, I’ve been watching my friends run craft fairs (sometimes lending a helping hand, sometimes just going out for a celebratory drink when they were done), and I had sold at shows. But organizing a craft sale with 50+ vendors is a pretty big undertaking. I didn’t want to run it by committee in my first year because I wanted to make sure that I had a good handle on all aspects of the sale before I started bringing new people in. So my super-awesome husband and I did just about everything. We coordinated the marketing and the volunteers and the space and the logistics and the vendors. So many things went smoothly but one of my biggest complaints (and the thing that wasted most of my time) were flakey or difficult vendors*.

*Before I go any further, I want to emphasize that the vendors at our show were generally very, very awesome and I would welcome almost all of them back next year. Many of the anecdotes below occurred with vendors that did not end up selling at our show and stories I’ve collected from other craft fair organizers. 

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Whether you are applying to your first craft show this Spring or you are a seasoned veteran, here are some tips on how to make your overworked show organizer’s life easier (and increase the chances of being invited back for another year).

Read and follow all application instructions carefully.

If the show you are applying to has put out an open call for vendors, your organizers may be sifting through hundreds of applications. Make their job easier (and increase your chances of acceptance) by reading the application thoroughly and following all directions. If you are asked to return three signed pieces of paper, return all of them at the time you apply. If you are asked to provide photos of your work, do not say in your application “see my website for samples of my items.” Your organizer does not have the time to chase down missing items or photos. Take the extra 10 or 15 minutes to make sure your application has everything that is required. Your show organizers will appreciate it and your application won’t be set aside because something is missing.

Include great photos. 

Providing images of your products is the best way to catch an organizer’s eye, especially if they aren’t familiar with your work. Include the number of photos requested and make sure they are representative of your product line. If the images are sent digitally, make sure they are high enough resolution that they don’t appear pixelated when viewing, but not so large that they crash an email server (I personally think 1200×1200 and 72 dpi is plenty big). The images need to be crisp (not blurry), well-lit (not dark and shadowy), and clearly show your products (if it’s a photo of one of your necklaces, make sure it isn’t covered up by a sweater). And finally, if you intend to sell your line of small ceramic bowls, don’t send pictures of your paintings.

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Limit the number of “special requests.”

If you have a legitimate need that must be accommodated (say, for example, you require a back wall in your booth for your display), by all means, list that in your application and make it clear that it is a necessity. But requesting two specific booth neighbors, a scent-free environment, lots of natural light, an electrical outlet, and at least 10-booth lengths away from any jewelry vendor is nothing short of impossible for your organizer to accommodate. Try to limit the number of requests to those that are absolutely necessary.

Help promote the event! 

Your show organizers have a marketing plan and are hustling to make the event successful. You can do your part by helping to spread the word. If there are postcards, posters, or other marketing materials available to vendors, take as many as you can and canvas your neighborhood, favorite coffee shop, and local boutiques. Talk up the show on social media and your website and use any logos or other digital materials that the organizers make available. Only you can reach your targeted customers to tell them about the event. Everyone at the sale benefits from more exposure!

Be nice to your organizers and fellow vendors.

This seems like one of those tips that shouldn’t have to be shared, but we all know that some people struggle with manners. There is nothing worse for a show organizer than spending hundreds of hours prepping for an event only to get yelled at by a vendor for something they either have no control over or for a misunderstanding. If you have a beef with another vendor, save it until after the show. If you don’t like where your booth is located, let your organizer know later (not during cleanup) why that space didn’t work for you. And try to provide positive comments as well. I’m not going to go into a lot of detail here. Just remember to be understanding, respectful and professional. And don’t forget to say thank you!

Participating in a craft show is exhausting and stressful, for the vendors and the organizers. Just remember that we are all in this together! A successful event is successful for everyone.  Do you have sage advice for other vendors? Feel free to share tips from your experiences below.

bettiebiowashi

Bettie Newell — Little Paper Cities

Bettie is a business lawyer and lifestyle photographer living in Portland, Oregon. An avid thrift shopper since she was 15 years old, Bettie loves all things vintage, red and polka dotted. She has two beautiful, sassy daughters, two tiny, ridiculous dogs, and one incredibly patient and supportive husband. With one half of her professional life, Bettie counsels businesses ranging from solo creative ventures to large corporations on all issues from start-up to dissolution. She spends the balance of her work time shooting portrait sessions (and the occasional wedding) with an emphasis on real moments and unique stories. You can visit her at littlepapercities.com

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Does Your Business Need A Reboot?

March 25, 2013 2 Comments

tumblr_lv0wbxGPC71qefrmxo1_Image via touch2btouched

If you ever feel a little uninspired, frustrated or lost it might be a good time to revisit your core values. Both in business and your personal life, this can be an enormous tool to use to reboot and refresh!

Recently, I took a few days away from my other job so I could get all the little things that needed to be done for Creating Space. I called it my business reboot. With a little influence from the fabulous thought leader, Lauryn Ballesteros, I started a business manifesto. When we are all so busy (especially if you still work full-time for someone else and trying to run your own business) it is easy to just go go go. The end result for some can be to feel detached. My reason for the manifesto is to maintain a clear vision of what Creating Space means to me and how I want it to help others. It’s a little like a mission statement but way meatier and more rich. Once finished, I want to share it will the world. Shout it from the rooftops. I’ll post it on my wall as something to read weekly and to keep me aligned.

How do you start a manifesto?

I started mine with a good old brain dump. This is the best way for me to get things out of my head, leaving space for creativity and room to work on the details. Once it is on my screen or on paper, it is easier for me to see things more clearly. Some people prefer to talk it through with friends or colleagues. Just make sure you have pen in hand and are catching all those good bits.

Your manifesto is about  your business values and how your business affects others. Start by listing your priorities. What are the words that come up when thinking about your core values? What will people gain from using your services or purchasing your product? How do you hope people feel – energized, calm, motivated or reflective? What are the emotions that arise when you think of your business? Can you create a voice from this place and use it when you write your manifesto?

After exploring your values, can you say that your business is aligned with this vision? More than likely the answer is not always. That is fine but I think we can do better! The manifesto can serve as a personal alignment guide as well as a promise to others. Make sure to share it with your clients, customers and readers. It can be an enormous tool to staying true to your values and running a successful business.

shellybiowashi

 

Shelly Kerry — Creating Space, Mindful Living

Shelly Kerry is the founder of the program Creating Space, Mindful Living – motivating and inspiring people to run their businesses more efficiently. She helps others look at their personal and professional lives and explore what is and isn’t working. As a jewelry designer she has spent many years testing and honing the skills and discipline needed to run your own creative business while still having time for friends, family and fun. She puts her wealth of experience to use in the Creating Space service – healthy living advice to help keep you motivated and make the most out of your already busy schedule. She will help you find both the physical and emotional space so you can pursue your dreams and she’ll always insist there’s time for yourself.

Shelly writes guest posts on living your best life on well-known blogs such as Kanelstrand, Handmade Success and Awfully Grand and is pursuing a Core Strengths coaching certificate through San Francisco State University.

You can now find Creating Space on Facebook.

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