A Facebook Business Page will Increase your Customer Base but First it Might Drive you Crazy!

It is time to add something else to your To Do List.  I know, I know...you are already on overload and one more thing will push you over the edge....but you still have to do it!  Facebook has revolutionized low cost marketing for the small business owner.  Although a Facebook Business page is one of the most important tools in the marketing arsenal, many Crafty Retailers are reluctant to jump on the bandwagon.  Ignoring Facebook is not going to make it go away.  Nope, ignoring it may just help your business go away!  Don't be hatin' on the messenger...it is what it is...so you might as well deal with it.

845 million users are spending an average of 55 minutes PER DAY on Facebook.  57% of Facebook users are female.  Most of YOUR customers are female.  Ergo, most of your customers are probably on Facebook.  Here are some other things to consider:

1.  Facebook provides a FREE opportunity to engage your customers on a personal level.  You are working with a very targeted audience that already likes you so give them a reason to remember that you are there.  You can  learn a great deal about your customers by paying attention to which posts grab their interest, what they are commenting on, etc.

2.  Every time that somebody "likes" your business page, a notification appears as a post on that person's personal page.  Each of her friends will read that she "likes" your business.  They will automatically tend to Know, Like, and Trust you even if they have never done business with you before.  They will be curious as to why their friend "likes" you and with humans being the funny creatures that humans are, they will want in on the action and check you out.  ....and so on and so on.  This is what is meant by "going viral" and it really works.

3.  Search Engines like activity.  They pay attention to the traffic that you are getting on your links and posts. Accordingly, your search engine rankings will improve as you become more adept at social media marketing.

Even though you know you should get on the bandwagon, I can hear many of you groaning.  Resistance is futile, earthling.  Here are some common objections and the logic that destroys them:

 "I already have a personal Facebook page, so I don't need a business Facebook page."

Sometimes, silence is the best option!

WRONG!  You definitely need to separate your personal life from your business life.  My personal page is for people who really have an interest in what is going on in my life, and my business page is for people who have an interest in Swarovski Crystal, Fibers, and booking me for Fun and Exciting Felting Workshops.  Of course, any Crafty Retailer worth her salt will engage her clientele so effectively that they will become "friends" in life and on Facebook.  Since there is opportunity for crossover,  I have become fairly careful not to post anything on my personal page that could come back to bite me in the ass  unduly offend anyone.  The times being what they are, and my politics being what they are, this has been a bit of a challenge for me.  Frankly,  it has taken great self control to keep my itchy fingers away from the keyboard when faced with some particularly offensive something or other, but it is important to exercise restraint. Do not assume that people share your views.    I have fallen off the Publicly Politically Neutral Wagon before, and have lost a customer or two along the way.  Sometimes the words must be spoken, but the speech comes with a consequence.  

On another note, I  try not to upload the same post on both pages as the news will be repetitive ---and therefore BORING--- to anyone who is a fan of my business page AND a friend on my personal page. I want people to be willing to engage in both pages so I try to be the perfect hostess on each.

"My life is boring!  No one needs to hear about what I ate for lunch!"

Every life is interesting, it just depends upon where you look. The food you ate for lunch would not be the place to look for an inspiring business post, unless you happen to be dining with the Travel Channel's Andrew Zimmern of Bizarre Food.  A photo of you eating a worm would make for a good post, while a photo of you eating a baloney sandwich....not so much.  Of course, if you want to post a picture of a beautiful meal that you were just served at a new  restaurant in your area, rave on.  It is always nice to give another small business a boost.

The posts that get the most feedback for me are those that feature pictures of my work,free  tutorials, or my pets.  One of my most "commented on" posts was nothing more than a photo of my hand next to a HUGE lemon from my yard.  It was so bizarre that it evoked interest.

This silly picture of my dog, Beamer, was on my personal page, but garnered responses from just as many of my business acquaintance buddies who have "friended" me as from my  "real life" friends.  Pets are always a safe bet for a post, provided the photos are funny or heavy on the "Awwwww" factor.

This photo of a ginormous Ponderosa Lemon from a tree in my yard was a very popular post on my business Facebook page.  It was just odd/unusual enough to garner attention. (The lemon weighed over 2 pounds!  Yowza!)

 

 

 

 

 Life is bizarre.  Life is glorious.  Life is poignant.  Draw on those moments and your posts will be interesting!

"I don't have the time!"   

You are preaching to the choir on this one, sister!  Time is ALWAYS the challenge, but the payoff  is big enough that you should absolutely, positively, no matter what...MAKE the time.   It is like everything else, you must make it a priority for it to happen.  Don't assume that you will "get to it."  There is always a squeaky wheel that will steal your time.  It is kind of like cleaning the baseboards.  I swear that I am gonna do it....but I don't.  Fortunately, I can still function at a high level with dirty baseboards.  Your business WILL NOT function at a high level without social media.  Set aside an hour twice a week that will be devoted to Facebook.

"I cannot  build my fan base so I am not seeing any results."

This was a tough one for me until I finally cracked the code.  Mind you, it was not a difficult code to crack once I tried to figure it out.  Facebook is like anything else....there is a learning curve.  What seems impossible at first will soon be second nature.  Here are some relatively painless ways to increase your "Likes":

1.  Invite your friends.  There is an Admin Section at the top of the page.  Click it and you will see your administrative dashboard.  There is a Tab at the top right of the page called "Build Audience."  The drop down bar offers a number of ways to increase your fan base.  

I periodically "invite friends" which results in sending a message to those friends who have not yet "Liked" my business page.  There is an option to Share your Page and an option to Invite Email Contacts, which I have not yet explored.    The new baby goats have been taking up a whole lot of my spare moments.    I will need to schedule some learning curve time in between bottle feedings!

2.  Create an Ad.  Facebook Ads are WONDERFUL!  My business page is part of a new branding program as I promote my workshops and pursue teaching opportunities.  The page was created in July 2011 and by mid January 2012, had only 123 fans, most of whom were Pity Likes from those who love me....very frustrating!  Accordingly,   I was delighted to have a chance to pick the brain of Paula Rosenberg, a Crafty Retail Rock Star and Marketing Genius while in Columbus, Georgia for a family visit.  Paula told me that it was all about Facebook Ads and she was absolutely correct.  I spent a pittance and immediately saw results.  In two short months I went from 123 to 749 fans....not as many as I hope to get, but better than a poke in the eye!  In addition to the increased fan base, I am filling more workshops, which is gratifying.  The cool thing about the ads is that you are able to drill down to define your ideal customer so that you have a highly targeted ad campaign.  

 

Business Facebook pages are effective and easy, once you master the mechanics.  Here are a few other things to consider:

1.  The new Facebook Timeline will become mandatory at the end of the month.   Thank you to Crafty Retail Rock Star Carol Garfield for giving me the push I needed to get on the Timeline bandwagon.  I was just understanding the whole Facebook thing and was none to pleased to see that I would have to learn the new system.  Fortunately, I read a post Carol  had written about attending a Timeline Webinar so that she could learn the ins and outs.  BINGO!  I did a quick Google search and found lots of online tutorials to cut my learning curve in half.  There is no need to reinvent the wheel...you can watch it yourself HERE.  

2.  Beware of which pages YOU choose to "Like."   One of the ways that Facebook Ads are effective is that when an ad appears on a page, it will list the names of YOUR friends who have "Liked" the page in an effort to get you on the Liking Bandwagon.  This is all well and good if the page is relatively innocuous.  However, you might want to think twice about Liking a Vendor's Facebook page unless you want that Vendor's name to be visible on the Facebook pages of your customers.   Moreover, there are some Likes that just don't need to be all that public....after all, Preparation H has a Facebook page but that doesn't mean you have to Like it! 

3.Go through your Customer List and search for them on Facebook.  If you don't know them well enough to outright "Friend" them, you can send them a message asking them to Like you site.  Offer an incentive such as a free gift or a coupon for a percentage off the next sale.  Ideally, you will establish enough of a connection to "Friend"them at some point, providing a wonderful opportunity to engage them on a more personal level.  You can congratulate a customer on the birth of a new grandchild that you might never have heard about otherwise, simply because you saw pictures of the baby on her Facebook page.  It is a quick and painless way to learn about your customer base.

4.  Use your Facebook page to announce last minute sales and special events.  One post I saw recently touted a "Rainy Day Discount" in an effort to get customers to brave the bad weather.  You want your posts to have value so that your audience will come back for more.  If you find a great free tutorial on another site, post the link.  If you cooked a delicious meal last night, share the recipe.  Write the stuff that you would like to read.

5.  Join some of  the Facebook Crafting Groups that have sprung up.  These groups are a valuable resource for you!  You will learn what the craft world is excited about and what your customers will likely want to find on the sales floor.  A great wool group can be found here, a fiber group here and a nice group of beaders can be found over here.  Craft magazine pages are another goldmine of inspiration...one of my favorites is the Bead Design Studio page.

6.  Facebook provides the ability for you to assign your friends to different lists, which makes Facebook Life much more manageable.  I press the link for my Beady Friends and I catch up on all that sparkles.  I press the link for my Tampa Friends and I get the local news.  Easy Peasy.

7.  Spread the love.  Spend some time commenting on the posts of others.  Visit relevant pages and engage in dialogue where possible.  You will increase the Facebook presence --and SEO ranking---of that user's page.  She will likely return the favor by posting on your page.  Moreover, when you post something interesting on another page, you will attract attention from that user's group of friends.  They will click onto your page, become captivated by your wit, and decide to be a Fan....BINGO!  Yup, Facebook Business Pages are a boon to the small business owner.   The juice is definitely worth the squeeze. Now go and Like my page....and I will be sure to Like yours, too!

You Better "Get Social" if you want your Crafty Business to Thrive!

True confessions....
I built my business by spamming.  I know, I know!  It wasn't nice and I ain't real proud, but it was what it was.... There was a time when I was that person.  In fairness, my spamming occurred early in the internet explosion and people weren't quite as repulsed by it as they are today.  There was no money in the budget for a salary, let alone a marketing plan, so I had to figure out a way to get the word out.  I spent hours and hours surfing the web trying to find bead store websites, copied down  store email addresses from the advertising section of the bead magazines, collected business cards from every store I visited, and carefully added all of the information to a primitive Excel database.  I prepared a weekly email newsletter and held my breath before I hit "send," praying that no one would hate me or report me to the Internet Police.

It worked!

Although my initial email was definitely Spam,  it turned out that the folks I had targeted were generally amenable to receiving my emails.  My unsubscribe rate was very low because I offered a product that bead store owners were having a hard time finding, I sold it at an "easy to swallow" price point in "easy to buy" quantities, and always included beautiful color photos.   My marketing emails solved a problem for retailers because they took the thinking out of the ordering and busy bead shop owners appreciated it.  I was amazed by how well the formula worked---it seemed like magic.  Mind you, although I got the marketing part down, I was sorely remiss when it came to the process oriented side of the business.  You know...the stuff like accounting and recording keeping.

I learned a valuable lesson in those early years....one does NOT need big money to get big marketing results!  Nope, discipline and elbow grease will get the job done.  It was true in 2002 and it is even more accurate in 2012.  Social media is an amazing resource for today's Crafty Retailer.  I recently changed my business model in an effort to beat my life into submission.  It is an exciting, rewarding change that makes me much happier personally.  However, the change came with a need to totally update my branding, my marketing, and my website. 

Sigh.

I am not a computer geek.  I am not a graphics person.  I do not have a clue about how to work with layers in photo editing software.  I am a middle aged woman with a small business to run.  Like you, I have a family, pets, outside interests and the drama and minutia that go along with all of it.   It is just me, by my lonesome.  Yep, I am the one juggling it all...the website, the social media, the creating, the selling.   I bet you recognize yourself!  I do not have a marketing budget but I have passion and I  have gumption.  If I can do it, you can do it.

Your customer shares your passion for creating...leverage that interest through the use of emails, your website, your blog, Twitter,  Facebook Business Pages and Pinterest, just to name a few.  Of course, it takes some time but it is worth it!  A successful business owner can no longer rely on a website alone.  The new reality is that social media works best when it works together.  It is not enough to have a beautiful website if you fail to reach out via several of the other mediums as well.  They all work together to get the word out about you and your business. 

I resisted creating a Business Facebook Page, but when my business model changed late last year, I committed to a low cost marketing regimen that incorporated a website, a blog, Facebook, and --on a much more limited level---Twitter.   Admittedly, I spend a whole lot of time on Social Media.  A blog can take me anywhere from 2 to 6 hours to write and I maintain two of them.  Additionally, I spend about an hour each day focused on the other aspects of Social Media.  Although I try to blog weekly, I fell off the wagon over the holidays and only recently climbed back in the saddle.  It will take me a month or two to build up my audience to the point where it was before my absence, but it will happen if I continue to blog regularly.  I have Pinterest on my radar...my teenage daughter is a fan and my customers are all over it, so I am behind the curve on that one.  80% of the users are female...it is like an Internet Scrapbook and I see all sorts of marketing potential.  So much to do, so little time...but I will get there....

Many Crafty Retailers are overwhelmed by the thought of an integrated social media campaign.  Don't be!  Over the next few weeks I am going to be sharing how I market my crafty endeavors.  I will tell you about how I am managing...slowly and in between everything else I have going on in my life...to get the job done.
 
I recently taught a marketing seminar for Swarovski and  I checked out the web presence of all of the participants prior to the workshop.  The ladies in attendance were incredible...a very talented group energized by the possibility of turning a passion for jewelry into a business.  It was exciting to see!  One of the attendees has a killer website.    No faint praise here...her graphics are crisp, the verbiage is pithy, the photos are artful and professional.  She takes care of the site herself , from the photos to the product updates.  There is absolutely nothing about the website that I would change---it is perfect.  Gulp. I was the one at the podium talking about marketing so I was a bit embarrassed to share my own  homemade, kind of dorky, Urban Stitch Studio site.  Interestingly, my Plain Jane site has a much higher Alexa ranking than the beautifully appointed one.  It didn't make sense to me until I realized that the owner of that site did not yet participate in Social Media. 

Helpful Tip!

Not familiar with Alexa?   It is a wonderful site that computes traffic rankings on all of the websites floating throughout cyber space.  The lower the Alexa Ranking, the more popular and visible the website.   Once you install the toolbar, you will be able to see the ranking of every single site that you visit.  Google is #1 and Facebook is #2.  It is a fun and informative tool for your marketing toolbox.  Take a minute to install the Alexa Toolbar. 

Take a look at my Urban Stitch Studio home page. I told you it was simple!  It is an average site with no bells and whistles, but it works for me. I can maintain it without killing myself.  Some pages are still under construction, but I try to work on it  for an hour or so several times a week.  It has a shopping cart and runs me about $35 per month.  Quite a contrast from my first website, which cost $26,000!   I had to pay the developer hundreds of dollars every single time I wanted to add a five cent bead to the page!  Never again will I give away that sort of control.  Simple works for me.

My Alexa Rank is circled in red on the Alexa Tool Bar at the top of the page. I will notice a change in my ranking if I fail to make frequent changes to my website.  Google and other search engines like to see that there is activity on your site, so it should not remain stagnant.  I also notice a decrease in my Alexa ranking if I have slacked off on my social media marketing efforts. You can't fool Google. 

Notice that my Urban Stitch Studio Blog is linked on the front page.  I will soon be adding a link for this blog, as well.  My goal is to enable people to find me everywhere I am in cyberspace, as easily as possible.  The more people that click on my links, the more visible I become to Mama Google.

I also include a Link for  Tutorials.  In fact, I will soon be adding the word "Free" to the link because I find that  the phrase "free tutorials" is a popular Google search term.  I want to take advantage of likely search terms to help folks find me.  The tutorials drive traffic to my site and sometimes the "traffic" morphs into a customer, which is all part of my evil plan. 

Finally, I recently added a "Google +" button to the top of the page.  The idea is that if crafters come to the site and like it, they will click Google +  and the site will, through the magic of Google, be recommended to their friends.  I have not done much research into this, but a tech savvy friend told me to do it, so I did.  I have yet to see a direct benefit, but I am watching.  If you happen to be perusing my site, do a gal a favor and press the link!


My next Post will focus on using Facebook Business Pages to connect with your customers...Business Pages ROCK!!!!! 

In the Studio:
I finally finished a pillow that I had hoped to have completed by Christmas 2011.  It didn't happen, but I was determined to get it done so that I could cross it off my To Do list at last!  I used up all of the random poinsettias I had felted for various workshops last Fall, re-purposed an old sweater for the pot, and used Tahki Stacy Charles Cotton Classic for the trim. I enjoyed it for an hour before tucking it away until next December!

 

The 3 R's of Retail Success can help you Navigate a Tough Economy

While many Crafty Retailers are closing the doors to look for greener pastures, others are digging in their heels in anticipation of a brighter future.  This week's Crafty Retail Rock Star knows the importance of the 3 R's of Retail Success:  Relevance, Relationships, Reevaluation.

 

Kelli Burns, one of the forces behind The Hole Bead Shop in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, is a retail survivor.  She is also one of the kindest and most generous people in the industry.  I first met her about five years ago when she became a customer.  She quickly became a favorite of mine and now I am lucky to call her a friend.  I had a chance to speak with Kelli today about the state of the industry and she offered the following advice:

Stay Relevant!

Check out your competition.  Find a void and FILL IT.  No one in the area is offering resin or metal work?  Great!  Make it your mission to be the best in that area.  Learn everything you can about  the subject and pound it hard.  Make IT your niche.  Design classes around IT, submit designs to magazines featuring IT,  become the national expert in IT.  Kelli, together with Husband Michael and sister Tarlee, have made Lucite Flowers their "IT."  While the store is well stocked with industry basics such as seed beads, glass beads, and lamp work, it is the lucite bead collection that is the star of the show.   The team sells the loveliest lucite in the bead industry, custom dyeing many colors not offered by any other vendor.  Kelli believes that the bead stores that carry only "standard" inventory are doomed, and I tend to agree.  Today's consumer is much more savvy than she was when I owned my bead shop.  She can get on the computer, do a quick Google Shopping Search, and find out exactly where to find what she needs if she cannot find it from you.  Stay RELEVANT and keep that dollar in your store!

Reinvent Yourself!  Kelli's bead store had an interesting start.  She traded some tired Avon inventory for some tired bead inventory and suddenly she was a Crafty Retailer.  She has been in business for about six years and has Refined and Reinvented herself the entire time.  The Hole Bead started out as a traditional bead store, with classes and bead parties.  However, Lucite sales took off and the store morphed into more of a shipping station for all of the website orders, and classes and bead parties slowly disappeared.  In fact, the website currently accounts for about 75% of store sales, with the Brick and Mortar shop accounting for the remaining 25%.  Are there any retailers out there who still think that they can get by without an e-commerce companion site? 

Of course, Kelli has been dealing with the same stagnant economy as the rest of us and reports that she and her husband now travel to six bead shows per year to supplement their income.   The store provides a salary and is the main source of income for the couple, who are considering adding classes and bead parties back to the shop menu.  Nothing is static....there is a constant need to reevaluate and refine, and Kelli does it with great success.

Cultivate Relationships!  People do business with people they like, period.  We all know the importance of focusing on customer relationships, but many of us drop the ball when it comes to industry relationships.  Not Kelli!  She makes it her mission to send out generous product samples to key players in the industry every year. Magazine editors and large vendors are always on the look out for interesting components to use for customer projects and "how to" articles, so  Kelli wisely makes it easy for them to consider using Lucite! Smart gal, that Kelli. 

Kelli does not have the budget to advertise, so she has employed other methods of getting her brand noticed.  For example, she works diligently to design amazing work and works just as diligently to get it published.  She regularly submits her designs to national and international publications and often hits the coveted cover spot.   Once the magazine hits the stands, The Hole Bead Shop offers kits for sale so that consumers can easily make the project as designed.   Moreover, Kelli has become a Facebook master...her posts are always funny or informative....very "real" and never contrived.   Frankly, Kelli  keeps her name "out there" in a way that is quite charming.   

Although her work has been published more than 30 times, she possesses none of the artistic ego so prevalent with many other accomplished artists.   She is a constant source of amazement to me with her willingness to share techniques, resources, etc.    She has encouraged me to submit my own work, sending contact names and advice regarding the process.   When I was tearfully navigating oncology treatments with my four legged pal, Rosie, I returned home on many occasions to find a well timed note of encouragement from Kelli, who had recently "been there, done that" and knew just what to say.  

 Ever the promoter, Kelli has generously offered blog readers a 10% off coupon good for 24 hours only at The Hole Bead online store!  The coupon code is CRAFTY and can be used for either wholesale or retail orders, but wholesale account holders must have a brick and mortar storefront.  If you do not have a wholesale account yet, please contact Kelli to get approved prior to placing your order. 

There is a saying in marketing that "Giver's Gain" and it is certainly true of Kelli!  Her happy heart, generous spirit, and work ethic guarantee that she will continue to delight her customers for many years!

IN OTHER NEWS:

I am no stranger to Reinvention and have a little going on myself.   I am delighted to report that I am the newest member of Swarovski's Create-Your-Style Ambassador program.  It is a thrill to be working with so many talented individuals and was just the affirmation I needed as I make the transition from Mom to Empty Nester.  I am doing a great deal more teaching these days and will soon be launching a new Retail site which will feature my own line of hand dyed ribbon, merino wool top and silk yardage,  as well as a selection of Swarovski sew on embellishments and crystal yarn.  There is so much more to report, but things are still under wraps as we work out the final details.  Look for an update soon.  Such fun!
 

...OOPS!  I ALMOST FORGOT!

A while back we tried to get an online retail networking group off the ground.  The Ning network proved clunky and difficult and the project was abandoned.  Happily, the new Facebook "groups" function has served to breathe new life into the endeavor.  I have established a Facebook group for Crafty Retailers to share their joys, triumphs and tribulations, project ideas and promotional events in a spirit of comraderie and friendship.  After all, if the industry succeeds, we will all succeed!  Although the members names are visible, all posts are private.  If you are a crafty retailer --on line or brick and mortar--and want to participate, send me a Facebook message and a friend request, as only Facebook "friends" can be added to Facebook groups!

If I can market office furniture, marketing your craft store should be a breeze!

Ever notice that it is really easy to give advice, but  a tad more difficult to follow it?   Helping my husband market his Office Furniture business has provided me with a great opportunity to practice what I preach and it ain't always pretty.  I am stretching  beyond my comfort level to do things that do not come easily, but I am doing it.  Is my halo glowing?

I send out e-mails.  I schedule special events.  I try [ ...er...."try" being the operative word] to keep his website current.   Heck,  I have even started networking.    Today I plan to ditch my shlumpy "working in front of the computer" clothes, don something that says "jewelry artist" and brave rush hour traffic to have a glass of wine with folks I met at a recent charity event. 

Guess what?

Its working!  Mind you, I am always behind and there is always more to do, but I can see the impact my efforts are having on the business.   A single email on filing cabinets has resulted in two customers who have gone on to spend tens of thousands of dollars with us.  Better yet, my husband has just added himself to the payroll---for now anyway---despite having been in the industry for less than a year.   I find that marketing office furniture is much more challenging than marketing Swarovski Crystal and Felting Supplies, but the same principles apply.  It is all about establishing the KNOW, LIKE, AND TRUST QUOTIENT! 

E-MAILS MATTER!
I want our brand to be top of mind with the consumer and need to do it in a manner that is not irritating.  I am learning the email "sweet spot" for prospective office furniture customers---- you know what I mean...that magic number that serves as a gentle reminder that we are here,  not harassment.   It appears that one email every three weeks is about right for us at this point.   You can email your crafty customer with greater frequency.  After all, she is already interested in what you are selling.  Crafting is what she thinks about when she is daydreaming at work.  It is what she wants to do when the kids are tucked in bed.  

My customer is a bit harder to engage.  My challenge is to give  him a reason to stop and peruse the email before hitting the delete key!    Not easy when you are selling work stations.  Accordingly, my emails often have little to do with  office furniture.  My last few blasts touted our latest "Business Boot Camp" Event.  

SCHEDULE SPECIAL EVENTS!

Since our customer is a small business owner struggling along just like the rest of us---wearing too many hats, facing too few hours in the day---we figured that it might be worthwhile to have a monthly gathering where folks could network and listen to a speaker on subjects of interest to every small business owner.  So far it is proving to be a solid networking effort.  Of course, any time you try something new, there is a learning curve and bump or two along the road.  Mama didn't raise no fool and  I made sure to stack the deck in my favor for the first event.   While several attendees came to  listen to the speaker and some others came to network,  more than a few only stopped in because I promised them a home cooked meal in exchange for the warm body.  It worked!  Those interested in networking were impressed by the turnout, making the second event an easier sell.

In fact, I didn't have to call in a single favor and attendance actually went up!  A number of attendees brought guests and I am hoping the series continues to grow.  The main attraction  is the ability of guests to network and market their own businesses, but I am confident that if one of them is ever in need of an ergonomic office chair, they are going to think of us!


NETWORK LIKE IT MATTERS!

...because it does.  One of the things that I have learned from working with my husband is that networking really works.  He has opened my eyes to the power of the referral and what it can mean to the bottom line.    John is in several networking groups where each member's mission is to procure leads for others.  The guy in the market for a telephone system might also be in the market for office furniture.  A few questions can result in a great lead for me, or for someone in my circle.  I would never have considered such an aggressive networking effort as a bead store owner.  Too Pushy, felt kinda smarmy, not my style.   I was wrong.  If you are sincere and motivated by a desire to give at least as much as you get, lead generation is awesome!  Every time I meet someone these days I pause to consider how we can help each other.  My life --and my business -- is richer for it.
 

Toward that end, let me tell you about Hannah Rosner.  Hannah is an amazing bead artist whose work leaves me breathless.   You can see some it here and here.   Hannah is really, really good at Social Marketing.  She and her fiance have a separate business focused on helping businesses navigate the wild and wooly world of Social Media at a fraction of the cost of other industry experts.    However, the coolest thing is that because she is a self supporting artist, she is particularly good a CRAFTY MARKETING.   She has a kind heart and a generous spirit.   If the whole Facebook/Twitter/Blogging thing has you pulling out your hair in frustration, you should contact her.  Seriously. 

In other news

Happiness is getting it level the first time.  Well, level enough, anyway.  The dogs decimated my fall vegetable garden so I spent the week-end building a fence to protect the spring plantings.  I am sure that it was quite a site....I was digging in fence posts, cutting boards, and glistening profusely.  It was great fun and I still can't believe that I did it.   I hope to have it completed this week-end so that I can get back to the more important stuff...like my fuzzy pink necklace.

Embrace Technology to Grab your Share of the Retail Craft Dollar!

Every "industry" has its Rock Star.   Regardless of your passion -- Fibers, Beads, Politics...whatever...there is someone in your tribe who is the leader of the pack---you know, the one who sets the pace.  The one we want to be when we grow up.  The cool kid.

You know who has my vote as the Crafty Retail Rock Star of the year? 

Cynthia Deis of  Ornamentea. 

She and her husband Galen run the business--which consists of a brick and mortar store as well as an internet store---together.  Cynthia is the creative genius, while Galen is the operations guru.  Although I have never met Cynthia "in person," I have been a secret admirer for many years.  Not the weird, creepy, stalker kind of fan; rather,  the  appreciative  "Damn! She's good!"  kind of fan.  At a time when more than a few retailers are bemoaning the state of the economy, Cythia and Galen employ 28 folks and are looking to hire.  Mind you, most of employees are part-time, but c'mon!  I'm impressed!  Ornamentea's success is no accident.

ORNAMENTEA EMBRACES TECHNOLOGY
 I first came across the Ornamentea website while researching sites for my own fledgling business almost a decade ago.  Most retailers were still in the dark ages...we were only just starting to recognize that a web presence was a business necessity.  Ornamentea was way ahead of the curve--the site was total eye candy in a sea of standard "stock" templates and lousy visual imagery. Today it sets the standard for the industry.

I asked Cynthia what set her apart at a time when others in the craft industry are experiencing sluggish sales.  She observed that her team is all "pretty techie" and that Ornamentea  embraces technology.  Galen is a former IBM executive who took a leave of absence to help Cynthia during her busy season.  His leave of absence soon became permanent as Ornamentea grew.  Moreover, Ornamentea employs two full time web designers to keep the site in tip top shape.  Web sales make up a significant potion of her retail sales, so the investment clearly pays off for Ornamentea.  While very  few specialty craft stores can afford a Tech Team, it certainly underscores the need for every retailer to make her website a priority.  Take some time and peruse the site.  Make sure to click every link.  It is stimulating both creatively and professionally.  You are bound to leave the computer bursting with enthusiasm and ideas for your own shop.

In addition to the website, Ornamentea leverages technology to capture the very best of what is wonderful about the  brick and mortar experience --- that yummy sense of being part of a larger crafty community --- and then carries it over to create a warm and fuzzy online community.  It is all part of the Ornamentea brand experience.   Cynthia encourages her staff to walk the floor with their cell phones/cameras so that they can grab customer photographs as appropriate.  It is fun for her team, it is fun for her customers. The pics are then quickly uploaded to Facebook or the store website.  Customers know to check in with Facebook often, because something exciting is always going on. 

Whether she is sending out her latest weekly craft tutorial, or simply sharing the details of her recent battle with the flu, it is a delight to be part of Cynthia's circle. Hop on over here here to sign up for the Dot Com Dispatch, her weekly free e-tutorial.   Cynthia has the pulse of the industry and you are sure to learn something.  She also emails a weekly newsletter to her brick and mortar customers.   Although store owners  know that "they should" have store events,  many fail  to host even one a month.  Not Cynthia! This week Ornamentea has six separate events going on!  Read her newsletter and be inspired!   

CYNTHIA GIVES HER CUSTOMERS A REASON TO SHOP AT ORNAMENTEA.

There is always a whole lot of free going on at Ornamentea.  Cynthia sells a great deal of inventory by exposing her customers to new products, techniques and ideas..FOR FREE.  She has free templates available for download and some of the best jewelry tutorials on the net.

In addition to providing the goodies listed above, Cynthia and her team cultivate several different "micro communities" within her customer base.  For example, she has a "Metals Club" which meets --for free-- at the shop.  There is a monthly  metal  project for anyone who chooses to make it.  Ornamentea is currently sponsoring a juried metals competition for group members.  The club even has its own separate newsletter!  Other free clubs include the Altered Book Club and the Beadweaving Club.

Are your school kids bored on half day Wednesday?  Ornamentea welcomes them  for Kids Work Wednesday, when your child can make a project for only $2.00!  The shop hosts an open air market five times a year for customers to sell their handmade wares.  Did I mention that Cynthia and Galen have two small children?  WHEW!

Honestly, it is easy to see where Ornamentea would have to employ at least 28 people!  Every business owner knows that staffing is one of the biggest challenges in retail. Tune in next week as Cynthia shares some tips on being a good boss!


IN OTHER NEWS:

 My current earring addiction?  Felted hoop earrings!  Get the tutorial here.  It is the ultimate "upcycling" project since it features tarnished "throwaway" hoops for the base and just a few grams of Ashland Bay wool top for the felting.   I am just finishing up a blue and silver set which will be perfect with denim.  I used mismatched hoops, which adds to the playfulness of the medium, and embellished with seed beads and Swarovski sew on stones.

FIBER EARRING CHALLENGE!

 

  

You can sew them, you can knit them, you can felt them, you can weave them, you can string them....technique is irrelevant.  They can be pierced or clip-on, dangling or post, flashy or demure.

THE ONLY RULE IS THAT THE EARRINGS MUST CONTAIN A FIBER ELEMENT!

Send me a picture of your fiberlicious creation on or before February 23, 2011!

You supply the ingredients and I will supply the prize---a fantastical, mouth watering, envy inducing box of Sparkling-N-Fibery Goodness with a retail value of  $150.   The winner will drool on it when she opens it...guaranteed!  There will be prizes for the second and third place winners as well as a special gift for every participant who blogs about the challenge.  Throw Down judges will be independent, with no business connection to either The Crafty Retailer or Aussie Threads and Fibers. 

Time's a wastin'!  Need some inspiration?  A quick google image search for "fiber earring" generates 1.9 million images!   Sort through your craft stash, get your creative muse flowing, and help me spread the crafty word!

Use your web site to move dead inventory!

The tepid economy has many retailers watching stale inventory grow staler.  It is no fun to see all of that money going down the toilet, is it?   Many of the retailers I speak with tell me that they have way too much stock that has been around much too long--it is old, old, old.  They know it and their regular customers know it.  Thank goodness that craft supplies don't smell rotten when they have outlasted their expiration date! 

 What is the Crafty Retailer to do?

Shake things up a bit!  You can do it several ways:  Get on the phone and call your customers.  Send out an exciting email blast.  Both are quick and easy. Inexpensive store promotions are a great way to expedite the sale of dead inventory and we have promo ideas here, here, here, and here, but one often overlooked means to a profitable quarter is through your website!  Seriously, making better use of your website can make a real difference to your bottom line.  Most of my retail store customers have a web presence, but for too many the site is a stagnant presence that is informational only.  Once the site is live, it is often left to wither on the vine.   There is no opportunity for customer interaction---what a waste!  I mean, seriously!  Unfortunately, many retailers use an anonymous "web guy" and find that getting the site updated in a timely fashion is either an exercise in futility or a major drain on the budget.  If it ain't working, fix it!

Ten years ago I paid over twenty six thousand dollars (yup, $26,000.00 !) to get a web site with a shopping cart. I was an idiot.  My webmaster was competent but painfully slow.  It cost me more to add a new item to the site than I could ever hope to recoup by the addition of the product.   The site was ascetically pleasing but proved to be a functional nightmare.  My experience was fairly typical "back in the day."  My partner and I vowed that we would never again pay big bucks to be held hostage by a web guy!  Bells and whistles are nice, but a simple, functional site THAT YOU CONTROL may better suit your needs.   Easy to follow templates make creating your website a snap.  Shopping carts require a bit more finesse, but you can sell product without one.  Take a great picture of a sample you made from your dead stock and offer a discounted materials package.   Customers can shoot you an email to order.  Sophisticated?  Nope.  Workable?  Yup.  Offer a new enticement every single week to keep folks coming back.

Want a shopping cart but nervous about the investment?  I spent a lot of time, but crazy little money, putting together my site.    There was a heck of a learning curve, and we still have big room for improvement, but it has been well worth it.  I pay  Volusion $100 a month and have total control.  Happy Sigh.  Of course, if you want a site but would rather pay for the convenience, it is doable and it won't cost you a princely sum.  Bead Retailer Brenda Hinesley of Beading  Elements in Sarasota, Florida is opting for a more sophisticated site which will be going live in a few weeks.  Brenda has invested about six thousand dollars and will have a beautiful site, replete with all of the training she needs to maintain it herself.  You go, girl!

Offer web content that has value. Some folks will read your blog, others will read your newsletter, while others will go to your site.  Put the information everywhere!   Like many other crafty bloggers, I offer free tutorials.  It is fun to spread my love for my craft, but it is all part of my evil plan to grow my customer base.  It has brought me a lot of new business.  No time for a tutorial write now?  Link to some cool work by others, provided they are not competitors, and give attribution.   Surf the net for  imagery that would be of interest to your customers.  Post a picture from a site such as What Not to Crochet to garner a giggle.

Showcase an artist whose work would be inspiring to your customer base. Jewelry and fiber aficionados would be charmed to see the work of  Ivy Long of Edera Jewelry.  Ivy has magic fingers, to be sure!

A quick google image search will provide a wealth of imagery to inspire even the most reluctant crafter.  Find it, share it, and offer the materials needed to make it!

Be a resource for your current customer base and your potential customer base.   Use your home page as a fluid means to communicate with your customers.  Shoppers don't like to go into stores that look the same every single visit and web site visitors feel the same way!  Engage your community and change it up often.....you will reap the benefits in increased sales and a more engaged clientele!




IN OTHER NEWS:

We had a bumper crop of peaches this spring on a tree that we planted about five years ago.  What a delight!  I made a peach cobbler a few nights ago that  had my husband and daughter singing my praises.  Honestly, you woulda thunk I was June Cleaver.  Where did I put my pearls?  I have been using this easy recipe for over thirty years and it hasn't failed me yet:

EASY PEACH COBBLER

Step one:  Melt a 3/4 to one stick of butter in a deep baking dish 

Step two:  

Make a batter from:

 1 cup of sugar

3/4 cup of flour

3/4 cup of milk

2 teaspoons of baking powder

pinch of salt 

Pour the batter over the melted butter.  DO NOT STIR!

Step three: 

Mix together:

2 cups of sliced peaches

1 cup of sugar

Step four:

Put peaches on top of the batter.  DO NOT STIR!

Bake at 350 degrees for about an hour.  Don't forget the vanilla ice cream!

SUMMER PROJECTS:

Warm weather can pose a challenge for fiber retailers.  After all, creative humans generally have more than one crafty muse calling them.   If it is too hot to have a fibery "work in progress" draped across my lap,  I tend to move on to something else...gardening, weaving, sewing....any one of a dozen projects that I have percolating at any given time.  Unfortunately,  yarn shop owners have rent to pay during the summer months, too!   Look for a different sort of project to entice your customers when the weather is wicked hot!

A friend of mine recently turned her son's prized artwork from many years ago into a treasured Softie. You can check out the HOW TO here.

I made a wool project this week-end that is PERFECT for summer fiber enthusiasts!  It was quick and easy, did not require a sewing machine, and can be taught to even a novice crafter.   I used a 1/2 yard scrap of silk and some wool top from my stash to create the sweet summer handbag pictured at left.  Excuse the mess of my studio.  Notice the chicken cage on the table?  Not much room to work these days!  But I digress....the project took me about four hours from start to finish.  It was nuno felted and then hand stitched with a wee bit of bead embellishment.  The strap was made from yarn scraps, including some yummy Swarovski yarn that adds a bit of sparkle.  Even more sparkle was achieved through the addition of Swarovski chessboard hot fix stones for the flowers.  I used an iron to apply them and they are on to stay!   It is light and airy, but strong enough to withstand the beating that I administer to all of my purses.  It is very functional and even has a little pocket for my cell phone.  I am working on the tutorial and hope to have it available next week.