Yoda Style Business

“Do or do not… there is no try.” Yoda

Sage Business Advice....

I got a great laugh today from reading a thread in one of the Etsy forums, which pretty much sums up all the great advice given to folks who ask how to improve the sales in their online stores. A huge thanks to StitchNTyme who started the thread, and all the fabulous Etsy folks who contributed. So here is my compilation of the list – I hope you find it useful…. or at least amusing!

• Take better photos – yours are too blurry, too dark, too light, too far away, the background is too busy, the background is too boring, there are too many shadows, there are too many reflections, you should use a live model, don’t use a live model, show the back, show different angles, etc, etc, etc…
• Write better descriptions – be more descriptive, don’t be so flowery, be concise, expand, give measurements, add metric measurements, what does it feel like, how much does it weigh, can it be altered, does it come in different colors, how did you make it, etc, etc, etc.
• Open up an account on Flickr, Kaboodle, Stumbleupon, Tumblr, Squidoo, StyleHive, Digg, Delicious, etc, etc, etc….
• Install and learn how to use Google Analytics
• Learn about SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
• Submit your own shop to the search engine
• Change your shop announcement
• Change your items titles/names/tags/keywords
• Change the font in your banner (especially if it’s Papyrus or Comic Sans
• Create a blog and post the link everywhere
• Create Facebook and or Facebook Fan page
• Twitter (or is it tweet???)
• Take out paid ads
• Promote a give-away
• Submit articles to other peoples blogs
• Join list sites
• Give free items to bloggers to write reviews for you
• Post a YouTube video
• Raise your prices
• Lower your prices
• Leave comments on blogs, and leave a link back
• Include Moo cards with your order
• Give free gifts with purchases
• Offer free gift wrapping
• Join “pyramid” buy list
• Find your niche market
• Broaden your customer base
• Create a PIF (Pay it Forward) listing for good karma
• Join teams with other sellers
• Trade with other “low sales” shops to boost your sale
• Take a break
• Work more on your craft
• Work more on your business
• Create something (anything!) tied to Twilight or True Blood
• Give it time
• Make a change
• Give a % of your profits to charity
• Learn to read tarot/tea leaves/crystal ball

Yeah…. the list goes on. Basically though, it boils down to 2 major things:

1. Create something people want to buy
2. Promote it to people who want it

Not that this is so easy – but everything else, really, is just a means to an end!

Just Giving Props…

Giving Props…. to the bloggers I admire, respect, and enjoy!

I have wanted to add a blogroll here, but just couldn’t figure out how to do it! It isn’t difficult, but you have to know what to look for – I assume each blog host has a different method (see end of post for “how-to” on WordPress). I finally (finally!!) got my blogroll up and posted just a few hours ago!

So today, nothing new from me – I just want to direct you to the great blogs I’ve got listed on the right…. they are all places I visit often, and get some great inspiration and ideas. Check them out , I know you’ll find some new places to go trolling around!

How did I add the Blogroll? For those of you using WordPress who haven’t figured it out yet, the “Links” widget (available in “Appearance” section of your Dashboard) provides the structure, but then you need to add the specific URL links for blogs and/or websites by using the “Links (Add New)” click on your Dashboard. Easy, once you know how!

Red White and Blue

July 4th is a great holiday for us in America. As a country made up of different cultures, religions, and political views, this is one day that all of us can celebrate, regardless of our personal views. And what better way to celebrate than the uniquely American way ….. by shopping!! Here are some fun things I found while browsing on Etsy… just click on the shop name to be brought directly to the item – enjoy!!

A Patriotic Bowl from Owl Creek

Isn’t this beautiful – what a wonderful bowl from OwlCreekCeramics – check out the other great ceramic items in this shop.

Flag Was Still There - print

A great print from AEMCDraw… read about why the flag is shown backward – a very patriotic story about our troops courage.

A "Beach, Baby, or Anywhere" Tote

And even though July 4th is an American holiday, we can still celebrate the talents of artisans worldwide! This great tote from IkaBag (France) still shows our true colors (and hey… their flag is red, white, and blue too!).

Coral Necklace, from my StudioDax Shop

I love the bright red in these coral beads (harvested), paired with Thai Hill Tribe silver beads… it’s a fun and casual necklace for all year, but especially nice for the summer. You can find this in my StudioDax shop .

Wearing Your Patriotism!

What fun! This scrabble tile pendant from BackBoneStudio2 is an example of the shops originality – check out the shops varied selection to find something that speaks to you!

Decorative, and Useful too!

I’ve always admired people who can create such beautiful works of useful art! Celebrate July 4th all year with this keepsake box from SisterButterfly.

For the Youngest Among Us!

I just found out my niece is going to have a baby in early 2011… I think I’ll be checking out baby items on Etsy alot more now! And who doesn’t love this adorable cap from OurLadyoftheSnows – even when sleeping, they can still be part of the July 4th festivities

Happy July 4th everyone… !

I’m a Very Dirty Girl…

But luckily, there’s always ways to get clean! As anyone who makes jewelry knows, working with metal is dirty work! Soldering, etching, fabrication – all of these make my hands look like they’ve been playing around inside a car engine, and most soaps can’t get them clean. And the ones that CAN clean them up always leave me feeling like sandpaper….

Grease Monkey Soap by Soap Scentsations

And then there’s Grease Monkey! I got this soap from a fellow Etsian – Soap Sensations (I always like to support the handmade community!), and the soap works great. Specifically made to clean you up after you’re doing your messiest, Grease Monkey is a cold processed soap made with natural ingredients, which leaves your skin soft, and has a clean minty scent (nothing wussy here!). And i to make my point, I thought I’d embarrass myself by showing you what I look like when working:

Where Have These Hands Been??

Just a little soldering, a little fabrication, a dip in Liver of Sulpher (LOS – for antiquing), and a bit of metal cleaning with some very fine steel wool – and my hands get pretty nasty looking. Wow – look at those nails… they look so much worse in a close-up!!

And After the Grease Monkey!

But a little Grease Monkey, a little scrubbing with a nail brush, and everything is pink and new! So I guess I clean up pretty good… huh?

So what was I working on that got me so messy? One of my favorite projects – an Initial Pendant, for a friend who is moving, and will be missed…

Bye, Bye Susan...

For All You Mothers…

Well, I don’t have any kids, and I don’t crochet, but I still love the Inner Hooker (isn’t that just a great name!?!), a shop by a fellow Etsian. And no, she isn’t selling the babies – she’s selling the patterns for the crochet items…!

Just Hangin' Around..

A Well Coordinated Cutie!

Since mothers and babies sorta go together, I figured I would post these photos in honor of Mothers Day. I loved checking out the Inner Hooker, and so will you. Maybe I’ll try one for a friend… how hard could it be to crochet a little bitty cap? Her patterns are sure to make your kid the envy of all the other kids. Well, I guess the other kids won’t know, but – their parents will be really jealous!!

So for all you Mothers out there – Happy Mothers Day!