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By Megan on May 18th, 2012 in Advertising.
Megan is the heart and soul behind the blog {and here's to you, Mrs. Robinson} that follows her adventures as a woman, wife, and mother. She has a Bachelor's degree in Human Development and Family Life and writes professionally for the Stronger Marriage Blog as well as runs an Etsy shop with her sister. She is continuing to pursue her dream to be a motivational writer for families & women. Read more about her here.Get to know our sponsors from May below!
Want to see yourself featured here next month? Check out the advertising page!
Five Sixteenths
Hi there, I am Moe from Five Sixteenths a blog about life, art, DIY’s, creative inspiration, fashion, thrifting solo and with my boyfriend, & blogging tips + tricks. I am a Southern girl with a Yank for a boyfriend who is going into the second exciting year of her post grad life. If you have a creative heart & a hankering for Sweet Tea, pop on by & sit a spell.
blog / shop / twitter
Somewhere Over the Rainbow
 Hannah's Weeping Cherry Tree Somewhere Over the Rainbow. Custom, personal creations from wood, paper, glass, ribbon and love. {And pretty soon we’re getting my new sewing machine into the mix!}
I like to think my shop encompasses the sacred connection between remembrance and hope through the support of those affected by pregnancy and infant loss. Proceeds from remembrance items are used to gift such items to other families on similar grief journeys. I lost my beautiful daughter Hannah to stillbirth and these things are done in her honor. So thank you for stopping by and for your support.
Source of Joy Creations
Hi, my name is Abigail Walker. I am a wife and a mom who has a passion for photography, art, design, sowing, and everything in-between. In my blog, Source of Joy Creations, I provide resources and inspiration for designers, photographers, small business owners, and bloggers. It is my passion and joy to learn as much as I can about art and business and so that I could create fun tips, tutorials, and custom designs to share them with you.
blog / facebook
Grin and Barrett
Hi everyone! My name is Melissa Barrett and I write for a little ol’ blog called Grin and Barrett. I have been blogging since 2007 but began taking it seriously in October 2011. I have learned so much about blogging and about writing in general. My hope is to someday be able to write a book and inspire others. I am pursuing my Master’s degree and hope to someday start a non-profit organization geared towards education and students. I am not sure yet how that will happen, but everyday I am working towards it. On Grin and Barrett you will find stories about newlywed life, grad school, funny, insightful, pretty and everything in between. Please stop by and say hello! I would love to connect with you!
blog / twitter / facebook
Our Reflection
I’m a full-time working mom of two beautiful daughters, a wife to an amazing encouraging husband. When I’m not working my 8-5 or being “mommy”, I’m a lifestyle photographer. I’m regrettable a bit addicted to social media. I have a constant connection with Facebook and Twitter. I heart Starbucks. I love the colors pink and yellow. I have a passion about mountain biking and I would LOVE to learn how to play the piano {on my bucket list}.
blog / photography / facebook / twitter
By Kristine on May 17th, 2012 in Introductions. View more posts by Kristine.
Kristine is Wifey to Nate and Momma to their M&M girls. She owns The Foley Fam {unedited} Blog, and her own Etsy Store J&M's Eye Candy Shoppe. She is all about loving and living life, and she firmly believes life should be a celebration! Read more about her here.Hi there friends!! I’m Kristine!
Over at my place I share {us}.
The good, the bad, and even sometimes the nitty gritty parts of our life.
Introductions always tend to be a bit awkward, don’t you agree?
So let’s jump right in!!
What you NEED to know, so we can be BFF’s (wink wink).
I am {in love} with the Hubs.
I am {in love} with our M&M girls.
And I have a {passion} for creating things with my hands.
I am looking forward to growing, learning and sharing not only my business journey, but also my blogging journey with you. And don’t you worry I’ll be sharing the good, the bad, and you guessed it, even sometimes the nitty gritty parts.
I’ve got BIG dreams, and I’m ready to put them to action!
If not today, then when right?
Cheers for new adventures and new friends!
If you stop by, please be sure to leave a comment. I would love to follow your adventures too!
By Cate on May 16th, 2012 in Encouragement, Motivation, Success, Tips. View more posts by Cate.
Cate is the writer behind Sangui(knit)ie, a lifestyle blog about creativity, happiness, and living colorfully. She believes happiness is in the making of things, that dreams were meant to big, and that life is better lived colorfully. Read more about her here.
via
Today I want you to do something you probably haven’t done in a while, or possibly not ever.
It’s going to seem silly. I promise you it’s not.
It’s going to sound pointless. It definitely isn’t.
It’s probably going to make you embarrassed, or you might laugh at me (I did, when someone asked me). But please, don’t let that stop you from doing it.
Ready? Here it is:
I want you to make a list of what you have already accomplished.
Post it in the comments. Blog it. Write it in your journal. Get it all out on a big piece of paper and hang it in your workspace.
Too often, we make lists for what we want to get done, or what needs to get done. We think in terms of what we have left to do, and we cross things off and forget about them as we move on to the next item. And that’s not always bad.
But today, for just a few minutes, it’s vital for you to do the other, corresponding half. Trust me. It’s a small time investment, and so often overlooked. But the difference it makes is amazing.
By Digger on May 15th, 2012 in Branding, How-To, Tips. View more posts by Rushelle.
Born in the 80's and raised in a small mountain town in northern Utah, Digger was drawn towards a creative life at a very young age. The only child, she was always found drawing, imagining, or creating in one form or another. Now she is the desigNERD behind Dig Deep Design Studio and feels very fortunate to be able to live her passion. She's all about designing, writing, photographing and living a fruitful, fulfilled life. No other ambition than to find balance and live an artful existence. Read more about her hereColor is an important aspect for all of us. We all have the one “favorite” color (ok, maybe 2 for some of us). We all prefer certain things in certain colors. (I know not to eat a green banana, but hand over the bright yellow one.) I prefer my clothes to be in shades of black, white, grey, and tan with small splashes of color thrown in the mix. I like my car to be silver or black. I love Bruiser in anything blue cause it makes his eyes just sparkle. On the other hand, Monster looks best in yellow or green. I like my pen to write blue and be thick. And I want my socks, when I wear socks, to be crazy and wild stripes. We all have these preferences. And it’s good for us to have them. Makes us part of who we are.
The past few weeks I have really been striving to find a better balance. Not only in my work and designs, but also in my life. I firmly believe that food has a huge affect on how we feel, act, behave, etc… Color, without our realizing it, can have a profound effect on how we feel both mentally and physically.
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| Finding balance… |
So, as you’re designing or even while you’re choosing your clothes in the morning, remember, the colors that you’re picking say something. This can really help if you’re trying to achieve a certain feel for a design or even just trying to create a certain mood for yourself. Here’s what I mean:
BLUE: Blue represents peace, tranquility, calm, stability, harmony, unity, trust, truth, confidence, conservatism, security, cleanliness, order, loyalty, sky, water, cold, technology, and depression.
Blue can “slow the pulse rate, lower body temperature, and reduce appetite.” Blue is considered a business color because it reflects reliability.
GREEN: Green, one of most-often cited favorite colors. It represents nature, environment, health, good luck, renewal, youth, vigor, spring, generosity, fertility, jealousy, inexperience, envy, misfortune.
“Its cool quality soothes, calms, and has great healing powers.” It is often worn in operating rooms by surgeons.
YELLOW: Yellow represents joy, happiness, optimism, idealism, imagination, hope, sunshine, summer, gold, philosophy, dishonesty, cowardice, betrayal, jealousy, covetousness, deceit, illness, hazard, spirtuality and inspiration.
The yellow rose is a symbol of friendship, less passionate or threatening than red ones.
ORANGE: Orange is a combination of yellow and red. Orange is considered a warm color like red, but to a lesser extent; orange expresses energy. It has luminous qualities and has been used for attention-getting purposes, such as on caution signs.
Orange brings up memories of fall leaves, pumpkins and Halloween. It symbolizes balance, warmth, enthusiasm, vibrance, flamboyancy, and is demanding of attention.
PURPLE: Purple represents royalty, spirituality, nobility, ceremony, mystery, transformation, wisdom, enlightenment, cruelty, arrogance, mourning. Purple is considered an exotic color.
Purple dye was made from the mucous gland of a snail. It required thousands of snails to yield 1 gram of dye causing it to be a color only nobles could afford. Today purple is a trendy color targeting creative types.
RED: Red is the color that we pay the most attention to. It is the warmest and most energetic color in the spectrum.
We associate red with love, valentines, danger, desire, speed, strength, violence, anger, emergency exit signs, stop signs and blood. Red can evoke a fight-or-flight response, raise blood pressure and make the heart beat faster.
BLACK: Black is the absence of light and therefore, of color.
It represents power, sexuality, sophistication, formality, elegance, wealth, mystery, fear, evil, anonymity, unhappiness, depth, style, evil, sadness, remorse, anger, underground, good technical color, mourning and death.
WHITE: White is what we see when all colors come together in perfect balance.
It represents reverence, purity, simplicity, cleanliness, peace, humility, precision, innocence, youth, birth, winter, snow, good, sterility, and marriage.
By Christina on May 14th, 2012 in Get Started, Goals, Money, Motivation. View more posts by Christina.
Christina's ingrained entrepreneurial mindset comes from growing up in family business. She is a passionate creative who always has a new project up her sleeve. Christina is a wife, mommy, designer, artist, small business enthusiast, and speaker of truth who would love to journey with you on the often precarious adventure of self-employment. Read more about her here.Starting out on your own, sailing into the uncharted water of self-employment can be sorta a wee bit a lot scary – there are just so many unknowns.
Source: laurenxconrad.tumblr.com via Julie on Pinterest
One thing that helps tremendously is to minimize your risk.
There are many ways to do this, but one of the most important is the financial aspect.
You can pick yourself back up from disappointment if something doesn’t go the way you had hoped. You can rearrange and reorganize how you’re doing things if need be; even go in a different direction altogether!
But something that is harder and takes more time to recover from is getting yourself in over your head with financial woes.
Source: Uploaded by user via Debbie on Pinterest
Realistically speaking, if you didn’t have to worry too much about the money, how much freer would you feel to pursue some of those things that you hope to do “someday”?
The dreams I would eventually pursue with my husband were birthed about a year after we got married. We only had a small picture, but we knew that building towards how we envisioned our future would be a long process.
Thankfully, we were able to go through Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University program only four months into our marriage, and it gave us the financial foundation that would enable us to build the location independent self-employment lifestyle we are currently blessed to live.
I’m not gonna lie. It was a very long, rough, 7 years in many ways, but I very much believe that those years of preparation were a necessary, formative part of our journey, and I really can’t say I would change them.
Obviously everyone’s journey will look different, and I think there is a good chance yours could be much shorter! :) We all have different long term goals.
But one goal I believe we should all have is financial freedom.
Financial freedom does not mean unlimited wealth. It means not being a slave to where your money comes from or where it must go.
The truth is, you’re going to make mistakes. And that’s ok.
Actually, it’s great, because it means you are trying, and most likely learning!
But when you have debt hanging over your head, and/or no emergency fund to help with those God-only-knows moments, your mistakes will take a much bigger toll on your business and your stress levels; they can even be crippling.
There is a good chance you’ve heard of Dave Ramsey by now. The principles he teaches are actually “common sense for your dollars and cents” as he likes to say. “Telling your money where to go instead of wondering where it went!”
Source: google.cz via Barbora on Pinterest
If you want to be serious about pursuing your dreams you’re going to have to take the financial aspect into account, and the sooner the better! The good news is that it might actually turn out to be a lot easier than you anticipate!
Dave Ramsey breaks things down into fun and understandable steps that anyone can follow (I promise, it’s not stuffy and boring :), and he is all about working towards doing what you love. I highly recommend checking out his classes for yourself, and his radio show is also very encouraging and motivational. Hearing stories about so many others who have stuck with it and overcome adversity is truly inspiring. You can check out some of his tools here.
Getting finances in order and making a plan is one step everyone can take toward their dreams.
Do you already feel good about where you’re at with this? If not, what are you waiting for!
I promise that you won’t regret it.
By Guest Writer on May 11th, 2012 in Inspiration. View more posts by Guest Writer.
Today we have a special guest post for you. If you're interested in writing a guest post for us, we'd love to hear from you! Just send us an email at revolutionizeher@gmail.com and we'll send you more information.By: Rachel from Chasing Kite Tails
I should be editing the manuscript of a New York Times Best Seller, typing away at an uncluttered desk from the keypad of my efficient and chic computer…occasionally taking glances from the immaculate windows of a 46-story skyscraper in NYC. I should be waving down a Taxi and then jumping into a packed subway car, standing, gripping the pole for dear life, smacking on my gum and reading (from the-Kindle-I-don’t-have) the last chapter of my fiction thriller. Headphones blaring in both ears, black leather tote slouched over my right shoulder, digging into my skin. Ouch.
My hair should be spun—tightly—in a knot on the top of my head with black lining my eyelids and a thick coat of mascara hugging my eyelashes…powdered skin, puckered lips, eye creases painted in shimmering shades. I should be climbing the rungs of a corporate ladder, kicking dust in the eyes of those below me and blowing kisses to those above me, hoping…wishing…praying….that all my vain efforts might take me higher, make me better…bring success faster.
But…instead, I am in the living room of my untidy home, hair—unwashed and unruly—tossed up in a sloppy bun. Sweat pants, t-shirt and socks swallowing my frame, blowing bubbles and repeating the same, redundant phrase, “Get those bubbles.”
In May of 2011, I graduated from Nyack College (Nyack, New York) with a Bachelor of Arts in English, Concentration in Writing. One month later, my physically and mentally challenged older brother’s three-year-long Nanny quit. One more month later, I do my mom a favor, stay at home and agree to be Jordan’s full-time caregiver. Hence forth, my working days consist of changing diapers, washing clothes, cleaning bathrooms, giving baths, singing along with Sid the Science Kid and making meal after meal after meal. All of which my B.A. in English has not prepared me for.
A bubble falls slow and I glare into the middle of the iridescent bulb, catch a glimpse of myself and peer into it like a mirror. Why am I here? Why I am home and not out there—in the world that I so desperately want to be a part of? The world that I so desperately want to contribute to and help change? Revolutionize?
I had dreams. Dreams of bringing all that my tiny, little heart had to offer into this world. Dreams of working with the best publishers, the best companies. Becoming a renown Editor-in-Chief. Dreams of going places. And doing things. Big things: world-changing, newspaper-worthy, Twitter-trending, Golden Globe things.
The bubble sinks to the ground, bursting. Its glossy, rainbow skin explodes and just like that, my perfectly imagined world shatters; all that once was glorious bursts into nothing. Maybe, there is more…more to this world…more to my life, more than just success and riches. Even, dare I say, security.
THE TRUTH IS: the time it takes to mull and lust over success and all of its pretty perks, is time wasted that could be spent on giving thanks for what we do have, what we are doing, and how we are changing the world, if even in only the smallest of ways.
- My brother is the happiest and the healthiest that he has ever been in his life.
- I am thankful for the opportunity to spend time with my other two brothers, before my Prince Charming whisks me away to a Cinderella castle far, far away.
- I am overwhelmed with gratitude for an unforeseen internship opportunity with MyFairyTaleBooks, where I not only serve as the Social Media Administrator/Blogger, but where I will be writing my first Children’s Book (um, dream come true much?).
- I created, own and blog for Chasing Kite Tails where I happily write letters for girls all over the US and in Europe.
- I (once again) paint, sew and hot glue-gun everything that walks AND I am even contemplating opening up a shop with Etsy.
- I have relinquished my responsibilities for three positions that I held for years at my church (Faith Assembly of God) in order to embark upon a soul-seeking journey. Fear fought me, leaving me crippled and afraid to let go, for, I worried that without these positions, I would become useless, worthless and ineffective.
Despite my hesitations to travel down this road of uncertainty, I have experienced a freedom that has empowered me to fearlessly follow my heart. I now love where life has brought me. I have positioned my heart in the most vulnerable place, as I cease to strive in roles and position. But I find that I am filled with complete contentment in simply being. It’s a miracle, to experience peace like this.
In the silence of my home, my soul is being deepened. I am being awakened to the truer realities of this world: realities that prove success may come and go but family is forever. A reality that says possessions and riches are gratifying to have, but a heart that yields hope, love and joy is rare and worth more than gold. I am learning that in the stagnancy of my days, my dreams are coming true. My wildest dreams, even. And the best part about it is that while these dreams are coming true, I’ve yet to clobber anyone with my scrambling feet and grasping hands, climbing some ladder like a mad woman.
And to think…all it has really taken is a little bit of faith: one selfless heart, some patience, a smidgen of perseverance and a whole lot of courage. Give me three more years and you just might qualify me for a Bachelor of Arts in Staying a Home.
BLOG / TWITTER / FACEBOOK
By Erin on May 10th, 2012 in Blogging, Tips. View more posts by Erin.
Erin is freelance graphic designer, blogger, photographer, and illustrator. Follow her journey into the world of self-employment! Read more about Erin here.This is a continuation of my previous post, please start there!
Last time I gave you a little bit of homework to help you figure out your goals, determine who your readers are, and to appeal to them. This was the homework in case you cut class on that day!
- Write your goals down and post them near your computer so you can reference them when you are writing your posts
- Post a survey on your blog to learn more about your readers and their interests
- Tally your survey results and look at where you need to focus more attention and where you might consider dropping topics or modifying them to appeal to your readers
Based on your survey results you should have a good understanding of who is reading your blog and who your main audience is. Based on our new knowledge we can now fine-tune our blogs a bit more. Here’s how!
Don’t waste time on things that your readers aren’t interested in. I’m actually really into nutrition and exercise, but it’s not my business and it’s not what my readers come to my blog for, so I don’t write about it. I do mention it in my monthly goals, but it’s just a bullet-point. My readers want to see some design and get to know a little about me, but not read a daily post about how many reps I did or what I ate. Skip the fluff and stay focused. You can still post more personal posts, but keep your goal in mind. If a post doesn’t help you reach your goal, then don’t post it.
Focus on accomplishing your goals while appealing to your readers. Now that you know who your main audience is and what appeals to them, think of ways that you can use this information to accomplish your goals. I’m going to go back to my goals from above, and tell you how I’m going to accomplish my goals while appealing to my audience.
Professionally, I want to showcase my design work, bring in more clients, and network with other designers. To do this I will:
- Post my projects – which will show readers what I can do
- Share tips – which helps establish me as an authority and appeals to my readers by giving them something
- Feature other designers on my blog – which will help me network with them
- Give away some free designs that people can test out – which again appeals to my readers by giving them something, but also lets them try out my work for themselves and see the quality
- Let readers know when I have a new design for sale – which appeals to my readers because they will be able to purchase the design for themselves
Personally, I’d like to make friends! To do this I will:
- Share parts of my life – by having a face to my business and adding some personality to my blog makes me more approachable, both to clients and people with common interests
- Show that I’m a real person and not just a company – share my struggles and successes with other who have been through similar situations
- Comment on other blogs – leaving comments on other blogs and reaching out to start conversations with others will help me “meet” people
- Have some guest posters on my blog from bloggers I like and connect with
Let’s go back to someone who might sell hair accessories. Their list could look like this:
Professionally, I want to sell more accessories! To do this I will:
- Post hair style tutorials using my accessories – appealing to readers because they get a free tutorial and making me an authority, while also showcasing my work!
- Let readers know when I have new accessories for sale – appealing to readers because they can buy items for themselves
- Let readers vote on new design names – appealing to readers because they get to interact and be part of the process
- Post tutorials on how to make simple hair accessories – appealing to readers because they get a free tutorial and making me an authority on the topic
- Offer giveaways on my blog – appealing to readers because they might win!
- Send some accessories to some “big” bloggers to feature – appealing to THEIR readers, because if the blogger likes it, it must be good!
Personally, I’d like to learn more about photography! To do this I will:
- Start taking more photos of my hair accessories, trying out different angles – this will help me see what looks best and update my shop
- Take lots of photos for my blog – which will give me practice and blog content
- Ask my readers for feedback on my photos – which will help me see what appeals to others and open dialogue with my readers
- Take a photo class and share my experience and progression with my readers – which will show off my work and what I’ve learned, and help me connect with my readers
Whatever your goals, focus on doing them in a way that benefits both you and the reader. Learning photography is a great goal for most bloggers since we like to post a lot of photos. It’s especially important when you sell physical items that must be photographed! But instead of just learning photography and presenting your readers with amazing photos, you can share your struggles with them and ask for feedback and advice–which will help you create more of a community!
Keep it classy. It’s HARD to balance a blog when you use it both personally and professionally. If your audience is mostly professionals and businesses, you probably don’t want to mix your posts about using proper SEO in with photos of your beach vacation where you got wasted and passed out by the bonfire. It might be hilarious, but your customers won’t take you seriously. But if you sell cloth diapers and burp rags to moms, it might be perfectly okay to share a story on your blog about how your son peed in your husband’s face while getting his diaper changed. It depends on your audience.
While I’ve always shared parts of my life on my blog, and done my best to portray it realistically, I’m not going to share everything. I might get a little silly, or I might express my frustrations over a coding issue, but I’m not going to tell you about the fight I had with my boyfriend or complain about a client. A business blog is not a journal. If you want a journal, start a separate blog (and you should probably keep it private).
I will say here that I do think it’s important for your readers to realize you are human. How you portray yourself is up to you, but think about what you like to see from bloggers. Do you like thinking their lives are perfect because it gives you a lot of inspiration? Or do you prefer to know that they make mistakes and then have to fix things?
No matter what you do, you need to think about whether your posts portray you in a way that you want people to see you. Will it turn your readers and possible customers off if you tell them that they’re stupid for loving (or hating) Twilight? Will you lose credibility if you post a photo of yourself doing a kegstand? Think about the affect that your posts will have on gaining or losing readers and customers.
That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be yourself. You should. But you can express opinions without being offensive and losing readers and customers, and you can mention parts of your life without getting into the gritty details. Again, a business blog is not a journal, so while you should let your personality show through, you shouldn’t post every detail about your life.
A good rule to keep in mind is, if you wouldn’t share it with coworkers in an office, then don’t share it on your blog.
What advice do you have for blogging for your business?
Note: I’ve recently started a new blogging series on my personal blog, I’d love it if you came by and participated!
By Joanna on May 9th, 2012 in Asking For Help, How-To, Inspiration, Social Media, Success, Tips. View more posts by Joanna.
Joanna is an actress, tv host, writer, photographer and mom. She owns ModaMama, a lifestyle and fashion blog. Joanna tried the corporate 9-5 deal for all of three weeks. It never stuck. Read more about her here A fun/funny candid shot from the shoot! It’s an old saying, but it truly, truly is. I recently went through a struggle that taught me exactly this.
Here’s the back story:
I needed new headshots. The old ones were a touch amatuerish and my hair has continued to grow and grow, so I needed an update. The photographer I really want to work with will charge about $700 for the final products when all is said and done. Now, I don’t want to spend that in the first place, but I definitely don’t want to spend that on interim pictures while my hair grows out to the desired length. So I was faced with a dilemma: how do I get good professional headshots?
I had to get creative. I reached out to everyone *thank the Lord for social media!* , and I do mean everyone, who may know of someone who knows someone who could do them for cheap or for free. A talented student, a recent graduate, a hobbyist – anyone who had talent but wouldn’t charge an arm and a leg. I had to get creative about who I approached, who I reached out to, and how I was going to make this happen. And guess what? It worked! It totally worked.
No, I didn’t get a professional headshot photographer to do my pictures. But I got someone who is so incredibly talented, and who has a strong understanding of light. And I used my own honed photoshop skills to edit hair flyaways, even out tone, and balance the image. Together, we not only had a fun time hanging out, but I got some stunning headshots that I can now take to my agent and use to represent me.
What did this teach me? Money is not necessarily a limitation, and when you really need to get something done, you can get it done. It may not be the exact thing or way you imagined, but it doesn’t make it any less good.
If you want to see more of the pictures from the shoot, check out my official website. Now what are you going to make happen?
By Diana on May 8th, 2012 in Creative, How-To, Organization, Success, Tips.
Diana runs :dianapantz: ; a blog about sustainable living, vegan food and her journey of turning her hobby into a career.
She also runs an Etsy shop by the same name, where she sells hand-knit winter wear, babypantz [legwarmers for small humans!] and farmers market totes.
She is just starting out on her full-time journey is so excited to share her experiences.
Read more about her here.hey everybody!
happy spring!!
one of my favorite things about these posts is the comments // feedback we writers get from you [talented] readers.
today is no different!
as someone who [tries] to survive by selling my wares [vegan e-cookbook, bow ties, babypantz, photography & winter wear] ; i have quickly learned some great ‘dos’ & ‘don’ts’.
see, i sell my work on etsy, big cartel, in a few shops around the country & throughout the year, i also sell at craft fairs.
today, i wanted to share my top 8 tips for setting up your fair booth.
1) show us who you are & where we can find you!
have a banner or sign clearly displayed so folks know who you are!
also, make sure you have TONS of business cards & display them throughout your table.
since i sell different categories of products [winter wear // kids accessories] ; i put cards near my babypantz, another stack near the bow ties & more near my winter wear.
even if folks don’t purchase something, you want them to take a card. you never know when they will come back & put in an order for something they saw a couple weeks before.
2) rad display ; small amount of money.
it’s no secret that running your own business is expensive. and craft shows are no exception. some shows are great deals ; $5-20 for an 8 hour show ; but some fairs can be $85-200. and thats just to get in! so how do you make the most out of your [small] budget?
use, reuse & repurpose items for display. a quick trip to a few great thrift // resale shops & you can purchase TONS of great display items.
search for vintage suitcases, milk crates, pyrex bowls, windowsills, photo frames, mirror trays, baskets & cigar boxes. and if you dont like the color? buy a $5 can of spray paint and go to town.
3) create an elevated look
levels do wonders visually. most small business folks [and craft-lovers] are visual learners. you are, right? [me, too!]
when potential customers come to your table, they will do a quick scan ; and it’s easier to take everything in if there are levels [again, boxes, suitcases, large frames come in handy here!] if it’s possible, create a clothesline & hang something. if you have small items [rings!], place them in a bowl.
spend an afternoon thrifting or garage sale-ing & see what you can find.
[added bonus? if people are drawn in to your rad display, the more likely they are to stop, chat & browse your product]
4) ‘how much for _____?’ // ‘uhhhhh….’
know your pricing & your product!
when a customer says ‘how much is this cute little bow tie?’ ; be confident & quick in responding. it looks unprofessional if you have to take a minute to figure out // remember how much your products cost. [tip : keep a small pricing sheet behind the table for easy reference]
along with KNOWING your prices ; make sure everything is clearly labeled. you can have signs [all scarves $50] or you can price everything individually. either way, make sure its easy to see how much everything is.
also, people will ask you questions about your products ; know what you are selling!
the scarves i sell are made from ingeo fiber, which is created from corn kernels. it’s a very cool, soft fabric & i LOVE talking about it. when people ask about it [cuz it feels nothing like acrylic or wool], i know exactly where & how it was made. answer with confidence to show that you stand behind your products.
5) wear & share your product
do you make jewelry? headbands? winter wear? put it on! wear your product so people can see how it looks ‘on’. bring past product photos, too.
i have a picture of a baby wearing a pair of :babypantz: so it’s easy to see what the products purpose is.
6) load up the car!
always bring MORE inventory than you think you will need! maybe you are one of the lucky vendors that sells out when you go to shows [not me!] ; but always keep more product behind the table. that way, as you sell items, you can quickly replenish your space.
7) remember to take care of YOU!
most craft shows are 8+ hours. you have to be there early to set up & you have to stay late to tear down. there will ALWAYS be a slow-time [usually over the lunch hour]. make sure you bring plenty of water & food [and napkins!] to keep yourself satisfied throughout the day. also, i always bring a couple asprin. no matter what, i ALWAYS get a headache when i do a show ; so i make sure to take care of myself.
8) get off that darn phone!
again, sometimes shows are slow & sometimes you just HAVE to check your twitter, but when there are people nearing or at your table, put your phone away. it looks rude & comes off as ‘dont mind me, i’m just here to take your money!’ shows are a *great* way to connect with other local artists & like-minded people you might not connect with otherwise ; take advantage of that!
true story : a while back, i was at a show & there was a vendor gossiping on the phone with her friend AS she was making a sale! i am not the ‘manners police’ but there is something to be said about great customer service..
alright! your turn. what did i miss?
as a customer, what do YOU want to see at shows?
and as a vendor, what advice can you give the rest of us?
thanks for reading, everybody!
By Aubrey on May 7th, 2012 in Uncategorized. View more posts by Aubrey.
Aubrey is Mama to three little monsters and is the girl behind the shop aubreyplays where she makes functional and cheeky things that wink at you. She thinks good moods are contagious and will ask you to catch one with her. Aubrey is an artist, seamstress, blogger, mama, wife, sister and Jane of many trades. Read more about her here .
Once in a while I spend part of an afternoon shopping.
Most of the time I have a beginning of an idea in my mind and then start to search.
If I am out and about I make sure I have my phone camera.
If I am at home and doing it online
{which is more often the case}
I keep a notebook handy and also usually pin a thing or two.
Inspiration shopping is my favorite.
Why?
Because I don’t spend a dime.
My entire purpose is to be inspired and complete my idea.
For me, this is an absolute necessary in getting back to my center and
focus.
This is because focus is a rare commodity in my neck of the woods.
If you were a fly on my wall, you would at this very moment hear:
a dog barking to come back in.
The cat knocking some legos off the table.
my son yelling at the xbox.
My husband and daughter having a loud discussion
my toddler playing make believe in narrative style.
The phone ringing and quite possibly the mailman ringing the door bell at any moment.
Sound like a familiar story line?
So it’s an exercise to get my mojo focus back.
And to finally complete a thought and get that project going.
My favorite spots to go shopping are
Pinterest and my favorite shops…
{currently Fossil and anthropology top the list ;) }
When I am done with my inspiration shopping,
I feel happy and rearing to go….
and my next idea might not need as much shopping.
How do you like to get that idea ball rolling?
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