2/28/2011
Marketing Monday: Branding
Sellers Assisting Sellers had a post this weekend:
How To Tell If Your Business Is Branded.
I'm not sure about the 'tell a story through your descriptions.'
I prefer a clear and concise description, both as a buyer and a seller.
JohnnyNoThumbzzz
Catherine of Olivebites, Home of Uncorked and Polarity
has been writing a marketing series on her blog. From
Marketing This Thing Part IV: Strategy Is Not Just For Generals,
I really enjoyed this advice,
Now, we want to be creating our own brand and not
copying anyone else's, but seeing someone else doing
something really, really well can get us thinking of new
ways of looking and thinking about our own work.
CandyCalamity
So what do you prefer? A story? A concise description?
Have you found your brand?
2/25/2011
Feature me Friday: Unik Creations
Where do you work?
For my sewing and crafting I basically invade a decent chunk of my families basement.
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What are your favorite tools?
My sewing machine (which I often refer to as my baby), my
duct tape dress model, and most importantly my seam ripper.
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Why work with recycled materials?
Working with recycled materials began because they were easier and cheaper for me to get my hands on, but has become something that inspires me. When your materials have a history,
I feel like it becomes a more interesting relationship. I'm not just taking my ideas and making them new, but taking things that already have a past and giving them new life. That's really the beauty of working with recycled materials for me.
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What music do you listen to while you’re working?
It really depends, if I need to chill I'll listen to classical, if I need to get pumped up I'll put on the radio to some awful pop station, and sometimes I just like to listen to some soft indie rock.
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Who inspires you?
So many people. Both my grandmothers are insanely talented and artistic, they partly got me interested in arts and crafting. My dance and art teachers really inspire me both in their determination and their willingness to experiment and "play" with what art is. I'm also so so so SO inspired by all the amazing things I see on Etsy, as we all know it can be mind shattering how much talent and creativity is both close to home and thousands of miles away. Not to be too corny, but I have become inspired really by this team's noble ideas, which are so much a part of me.
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Been to any great exhibits?
I live in a vibrant 5 college area, so I have been able to see so much local and global art. Recently I was awed by an exhibit called Luscious, by Emily Eveleth at the Smith college museum which was these enormous still life's of jelly doughnuts. Very memorable.
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Read any good books lately?
A few. I loved the book Button Button by Terry Talyor, I discovered it right after I began to work with buttons and was thrilled to hear so many other creative minds were thinking the same thing.
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How do you get from A to Z?
Biking and public transportation all the way- parents gave up on the whole issue a while back ;)
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What do you do for fun?
I love biking, swimming, dancing, cooking, painting, drawing, sewing, designing, and just plain playing.
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Besides Etsy, where can we find you work?
As a high school student, my main work domain is still school, but I also work as a teacher trainee at both my dance school and my temple. Basically I teach/ control little kids, and try not to be that horrible assisant teacher who is detested forever.
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How do you promote your work?
facebook for sure, flickr, email lists, handy business cards, word of mouth, plus my website and blog. To be honest, it's an area I probably need to work on.
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What’s in your future?
I'm still in high school, but someday I'd love to be able to really do what I'm doing now, crafting and beingable to live of it.
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Have any words of wisdom?
You are your own unique person... just like everybody else.
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Images & Text © UnikCreations
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2/11/2011
Feature me Friday: JohnnyNoThumbzzz
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What do you do for fun?
Currently Blue has been updated with a lifesize plastic skull hood ornament with red led's for eyes. There are two smaller skulls on the left and right sides that are also wired with red led's and are wired into the turn signals. Blue was featured on the Skull-a-Day Blog.
What music do you listen to while you’re working?
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Have any words of wisdom?
What’s in your future?
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2/07/2011
Marketing Monday: Square
If you have any sort of booth, at any sort of show,
where you need to be able to accept credit cards, then you need Square.
I witnessed one first hand last week at the To Bead True Blue show in Tucson
[one show of the much larger Tucson Gem and Mineral Show].
Just plug it into your iPhone, iPad or Android device and swipe cards right at your booth.
Customers sign with their fingertip, you receive your payment instantly,
and you can immediately email the customer a receipt.
For me, this sort of thing is priceless,
but it will only cost 2.75% of total receipts, plus 15 cents per transaction.