you are your own publicist

Let's face it. We don't have the big bucks to pay a publicist, so we are it.
According to Meg Mateo Ilasco, "You should spend at least a couple of hours each week working on your publicity outreach." Craft, Inc. Turn Your Creative Hobby Into a Business
The first step is to determine to whom do you reach?


maram.etsy.com

You could start locally with your local papers and magazines.
Pick those that speak to your target market.
Contact editors, send press kits ...


LarkStudio.etsy.com

But the easiest and best way to be your own publicist is to sell yourself.
Did you have lunch with a friend? Did you give him or her a business card?
Did you have a dentist appointment yesterday? Did you tell your hygienist about your work?
Did you chat with another mom or dad when picking up the kids at school?
Did you mention that you have your own business?
Did you go out to dinner last night? Were you pleasant with your server?


aSecondChanceVintage.etsy.com

Do you wear your product? Use it publicly?


renegades.etsy.com

You have to remember that you live in a fishbowl:
everything you say and do wherever you are reflects on your business,
whether it is online in forums, on social sites, or blogs,
or whether it is your daily contact with people in your everyday life.


dandee.etsy.com

You never know ... your server's mom or dad could be the curator of a gallery.
Your child's friend's mom at the playground could be a magazine editor.
Your hygienist might be married to a radio personality.
Your friend might know someone who writes for the local paper.


EnviroMental.etsy.com

And one of my favorite quotes from Glengarry Glen Ross
"A-B-C. A-Always, B-Be, C-Closing. Always be closing, always be closing."

publicity

pub·lic·i·ty : a : an act or device designed to attract public interest; specifically : information with news value issued as a means of gaining public attention or support b : the dissemination of information or promotional materials c : paid advertising d : public attention or acclaim

When I think of publicity, I think of FREE!

onewomanstudio.etsy.com

"Publicity is different from advertising because it entails capturing the media's interest in your business. Very often the best way to accomplish this is by being aggressively bold." Martha Stewart, The Martha Rules

weddingstuff.etsy.com


"Plan to use more public relations campaigns than advertising, since they have the advantage of giving your business credibility while being nearly free." Meg Mateo Ilasco, Craft Inc. Business Planner



fashionsplatter.etsy.com

"Publicity is a good strategy when you're long on time and short one money." Meg Mateo Ilasco, Craft Inc. Turn Your Creative Hobby Into a Business



jewelrybyvicki.etsy.com

"Getting press mentions is ... about raising your company's profile and brand awareness. A press mention is essentially a stamp of approval from an esteemed source." Meg Mateo Ilasco, Craft Inc. Turn Your Creative Hobby Into a Business



ChaosSupplies.etsy.com

Next week, more on being your own publicist!

branding

On my last post about advertising, Green Works mentioned branding.
brand·ing : the promoting of a product or service by identifying it with a particular brand

"By creating an identity or image, you are communicating a message about your company; this is often called branding." Meg Mateo Ilasco, Craft Inc. Turn Your Creative Hobby Into a Business



"Your brand is an idea." Are you carefree and fun?



Or are you more classic and traditional?



When you create your brand, you want it to represent you, your products and your shop.
Try to be consistent: your colors, your logo, your banner, your blog, your packaging, your business cards and stationary.



You want to establish an identity and make it easy for your customers to recognize you.

Jodie of Lake Erie Beach Glass does this very well!
You can find her on various sites - Etsy, Art Fire, 1000 Markets, Ebay, MySpace, blogspot -
and she uses the same branding on every one of those sites!

What's your brand?
(click on the banners and avatars to go to each shop!)