Hedwig & The Twin Rivers

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Have you ever done a Pattern Swap? I haven't, until now. Toni of the very awesome TL Yarncrafts recently launched her new design: The Hedwig Beanie. Just about the same time, I launched my Twin Rivers Beanie. 

To support each other we did a pattern swap and during a few designated days made each others' hats then shared them.

It was so fun to try Toni's pattern and I am in love with it - the texture is yummy. Truthfully - I'm usually so busy sorting my own designs that it was a nice break to try one of hers. And I LOVE how her Twin Rivers Beanie came out. She chose great colors.

This was such an awesome experience and a true example of community over competition. By supporting each other we can ALL be successful! So if there's a designer or fellow artisan you like maybe try a swap and expose each other to your communities. Big thanks to Toni for inviting me to the Pattern Swap! Community over competition for the win!

Make Plans, Chase Dreams, Live Happy (and with a plan)

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Following the theme of Nicole's awesome Time Management Tips post, I have been thinking about my own time management and how to streamline, improve and trim the fat. I want to share with you something that is a game changer for me. It actually came down to something as simple as I needed a new planner. What? YUP!

Although I am a roam the earth free spirit artistic kind of gal, I am also a planner. Shocking right? Well, let me explain.

Ever since I got my hands on my first FiloFax as a wee young up and comer, I have been a fan of the organizer & planner. It serves so many purposes. Not just helpful with dates and schedule but... It is a great place to stash business cards and receipts; it hold notes and numbers and random thoughts. My FiloFax has been around the world with me over and over until it died and finally the last stitch came apart a few years ago. Oh the stories it could tell. And oh the loss I felt.

Sure we are in the digital age and there are apps and tools for workflow. But for me, I like pen to paper. I am a fan of writing things down. I also like to gather my thoughts, spend a few minutes of quiet time and getting grounded. My needs have changed as I began to focus more on my small business, so I looked for planners that did more than just provide a place to write things down. I wanted to PLAN.

In my search I stumbled upon Passion Planner. What is this? I have Passion. I need a Planner. Hmmm..... As I read more & found out about the company (which has a great story you should read here) and the planner I discovered that they use mind mapping to help set a course to achieve goals. WAIT!?!? WHAT???

I LOVE Mind Mapping. How is it that I have never thought of this, but Thank God they did! It makes such perfect sense. I had to get one of these. And let me tell you- if you are an artisan, small business owner, human being with dreams & goals - you will want to get this too.

Granted, at first it is overwhelming. But the word itself means you need more than a notepad... we are making PLANS. In the short time since I have had my Passion Planner I can honestly say my efficiency has improved. My focus has increased. My spirit is lifted. Can a Planner really be the source of this? YES!

Because if you take the time in the beginning to invest and get going with the tools provided in the Passion Planner then it really does remove the clutter and help facilitate success. It is more than just things "to do". By following the Passion Planner layout tools, it has helped me prioritize, remove some clutter and truly come up with the HOW to achieving my goals. I am also a fan of the downloadable inserts. Because.. um.. graph paper :-)

As I gear up for busy season, it is crucial to streamline and be productive & efficient. I have incorporated spending a few minutes with my planner to start my day and it truly has helped me regain some focus I had lost in the clutter of To Do Lists.  I am stoked to see how this continues and mind-map my way to achieving my goals.

And now, OMG - get this- the fine folks at Passion Planner are giving one Stitch & Hustle community member your very own 2016-2017 GameChanger Passion Planner. Um helloooooooo... get in on this. Enter below. Don't wanna wait to win one? You can buy one here

Disclosure: Passion Planner sent me this planner free of charge for the purpose of this review and provided the giveaway. Although this is sponsored content, opinions and review are completely my own.

Cozy Season, Simple Season

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As Makers & small business owners, this is our time of year. This is the time we live for... these months leading up to the holidays and all that comes with it. But for us, this time of year brings a unique set of challenges in finding balance and enough hours in the day. I am always interested in how to improve in this area and squeeze as much quality into those hours as possible. I've invited one of my favorite makers, Nicole Knutsen of Naturally Nora Crochet, to share her tips for not just surviving the bustle of the season, but thriving through it! Take it away Nicole...

When I was a child, my grandmother would overwhelm us with loving gestures all autumn long. Family outings, special celebrations, and gifts upon gifts upon gifts. We would find ourselves buried in an avalanche of white tissue paper and golden tinsel every year.

I read a book when I was about eight or nine in which the little girl protagonist received a set of colored pencils in a wooden box as her Christmas gift from her grandmother. This little girl cherished her simple gift and rode home with it in her lap, cradling it like a treasure. That year, I wrote a letter to Santa asking for only one gift, making sure to specify that I did not want anything else. I wanted to feel what the little girl from my book felt-simple pleasure from a simple gift and the freedom to pour out gratitude for a humble holiday. Even as a young child, I felt deep in my soul a longing for that kind of joy.

That simplicity becomes more and more difficult to claim as we grow into adulthood, as we marry and integrate two families, as we commit ourselves to meaningful friendships, as we have our own children, as we start our own businesses. Simplicity and slow living doesn’t just happen, it takes commitment and work.

The demands and expectations of the coming season can overwhelm,  draining the comfort and joy out of all the things that bring us our happiest childhood memories, particularly when you are a self-employed-maker-of-cozy. Your boss can be SUCH a task master! I know mine can.

I am taking some steps this year to make this my family’s most intentional holiday season yet, even though it is also likely to be my busiest season as a maker yet. As I tiptoe carefully into fall, I will be focusing on five commitments to help achieve the humble, joyful season I so desire for my family. Care to join me?

Make a Plan

I recently created my own planner, customizing it to include all the areas of my life I am currently attempting to juggle. In addition to daily tasks, I have an area for my various business needs, including weekly goals for making, designing, writing, photography, and social media. By splitting these tasks up throughout my week and planning goals a few weeks in advance, I know how much work I can realistically bite off on any given day. This has literally saved me from insanity as the season has already begun to ramp up with market applications and collaborations.

In addition to my weekly planner. I keep a very strict daily schedule. I am strictly disciplined about work on my computer-writing, photo editing, and patterning must be done in the two hour window my husband and I plan for when he is home throughout the week, before the kids wake up, or after they’ve gone to bed. This is the only way I, personally, can be fully present with my children, which is top priority for me (this is what works for ME; no judgment here at all if you do it differently!) I allow myself time to crochet throughout the day, as the kids play at home or at a park, while they are at dance class or as we wait for an appointment, but my computer stays closed.

Take Time to Prepare

I am a designer. I want to be creating new designs and writing patterns all the time. I am a blogger. I love writing and sharing my heart and soul to encourage others. But, this time of year, I am specifically setting aside one day a week when I work exclusively on building stock for fall markets. For me, it is so easy to get distracted from building stock. I have about fifteen ideas roaming like free range chickens in my mind at any given time (I know you have NO IDEA how that feels!). Compartmentalizing my various business tasks keeps me moving on the parts I wouldn’t naturally do first.

Focus on People

So far, I have talked about organizing your many to-do’s. It is a constant danger for me to focus so much on my to-do list, that the people right next to me who get in the way of said to-do’s are dealt with swiftly and harshly. This isn’t how I want to live, and it isn’t the kind of mother or wife I want to be. I am working this handmade business life in an effort to spend MORE TIME with the people I love. I must have the self-awareness to realize when the opposite is happening, and the discipline to reverse the effects by refocusing on the folks I’ve been given to care for and the folks I am serving through my designs and handmade items.

Develop a Comfortable Pace

Small tasks done consistently over time add up to very big accomplishments! Treat yourself well by having patience with the pace that works for you. A super-productive day is great; a well balanced day is better. I never feel less satisfied than when I rush myself or my family and the simple pleasures of being together are lost on the highway of life. Take a backroad instead-as Phil Dunphy says, “Slow is smooth and smooth is fast!”

Claim Peace

Peace is lost when the expectations we feel from others or ourselves are not met. We feel restless, less-than, harried, and worried. But peace is not a state of being that simply alights upon you-you must be intentional about claiming it. For me, this means letting go of those expectations. I had a goal for September to publish “x” amount of patterns. It didn’t happen. There were days and evenings I could have worked on them and I choose not to. I took my kids to their grandparents or had a date night in with my husband instead. Things went undone. I made peace with myself and let go of the expectation that equates success with productivity. Last holiday season, I had Christmas cards all designed, even printed. They are still unsent, sitting in my desk drawer. I claimed the peace the season is truly about and let go of the expectation that equates an adorable photo sent out in December with familial bliss. Above all the commitments I am making this year, claiming peace by releasing expectations is by fay the most vital.

Plan, and prepare, yes. But I challenge you this year to keep you focus on people, move at a healthy pace, and feel deep in your soul a still kind of peace that will last beyond your busiest season as a maker.

Nicole is the amazing designer and artisan behind Naturally Nora Crochet. Get inspired & follow her on Instagram here.

Get Your Craft Fair On: Prep & Pack For Success!

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Next up on the Get Your Craft Fair On Series is the perfect prep and pack. It can be overwhelming to think about all the things you don't want to forget. For me, that's a trap. Instead of focusing on what I need and planning, we find ourselves getting a bit frantic with "oh, and don't forget" items. That can lead to stress trying to remember and missing things you need. This is all easily avoidable with some solid prep and packing for your event. 

For me, I break it down into four categories. This helps me go through each aspect of the event so I really don't miss a thing. I start this process as I am building the display and that way as I think of things, if they are not on the checklist already, I just jot them down. By the time for packing rolls around, I am a lean prepped machine and packing is a breeze.

Here are the categories and how I break them down followed by a sample of the checklist I use.

BOOTH: Display

Now that you have the perfect display layout for your items, make a detailed list of what you will need to get set up. By keeping the Booth Display its own category, you can focus strictly on the mechanics of setting up your display. Do you need any tools like a hammer, screw-gun, pliers, etc.? Do you need string or push pins? Will you need a step ladder or trash can? Go through each stage of your booth set up and make yourself a list of items you will need. Pack them all so that you can set up your booth exactly as you envisioned but also be prepared for what may come up!

BOOTH: Selling

What will you need to sell your products? What about payment processing; have you tested your device and updated any apps? Did you set up for Sales Tax and know the rate? Do you have business cards and a place to put them? Will you be taking custom orders? If so, how will you keep them? Do you have an order form? What about color swatches for your customers to select from? Do you need your business license on hand, is it required by the event? This is the finishing touches stuff that means so much. It is imperative to maintain brand through the whole selling experience so think of what you need to do that.

PRODUCT:

Prepping inventory can be overwhelming. That feeling of the need to make ALL THE THINGS. Take a beat. Breathe. Go through your current inventory and decide what you need to add. Make yourself a small list and production timeline to get items ready. Set mini goals such as 10 scarves week 1, 5 hats Monday, etc. Based on what you can truly achieve, don't over pressure yourself, you can create a schedule of what to make.

I also like to make a full inventory list of what I am bringing. This helps me track sales and inventory throughout the event and keep things easy. In addition to product for the event, you may want to make a list of what will be put out first so that can be packed where it is easily accessible. And, while in theory we should have all of our products prepped and ready, I always find myself with last minute To-Do's. Maybe you need to add fringe to an item. Maybe add a hem. I also like to have Work-In-Progress projects on hand to work on during slow moments in the booth. It is a great conversation starter and can help pass the time if you have down time.

HOTEL (if applicable):

For me, I like to have my tea and oatmeal. It is easy, portable and I can make sure I eat something everyday because it is easy to forget. So I have a little kit I take.

I also have my personal essentials to take to the booth each day: Travel Tea Mug, Flat Outs for my poor feet, mascara, lip gloss and face cream. If I've got these I am set for the win.

You can use this checklist that helps me or just make yourself a list of what makes you happy and get prepped to pack for success.

5 Reasons Your Handmade Business Needs a Website

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I think that the topic of whether or not to get your own website comes up a lot in our small business & artisan community. I cannot stress enough how important it is to begin your online branding & presence. But don't just take my word for it. Below, guest blogger Toni of the awesome TL Yarn Crafts shares her perspective:

Close your eyes and imagine this: Your handmade business is moving right along. You’re making sales, packing orders, life is sweet. Then you get a call about the opportunity of a lifetime – a boutique across the county wants to carry your product or a major craft show wants to know more about you. So, where will you send them?

Sales platforms like Etsy and Amazon Handmade are great for making sales and developing customer loyalty to your product. But as we all know, businesses and brands evolve over time, and your needs may extend well past just making the sale. That’s where your stand-alone website comes in. Here are 5 reasons why YOU need your very own site: 

Reason #1 – Define Your Brand. Websites are a blank canvas waiting to tell the world who you are. If you have a clear brand strategy (colors, fonts, logos, images, etc.), going to your website should be like opening the door to your storefront for a customer. Determining the look and feel of your website will be the first step to helping visitors fall in love with you and your product.

Reason #2 – Engage and Direct Your Visitors. Let’s say you put a link to your Etsy site on Instagram. The implied call-to-action is to have them buy something, right? But what if you want them to do something else, like subscribe to your email list or RSVP to an event? Having your own website lets you drop breadcrumbs for your visitors to lead them where you want them to go. You have the power to create buttons and graphics on your site that make your media easily accessible to your customer.

Reason #3 – Make A Good Impression. Unless I’m mistaken, you’re interested in getting more than just retail customers through your virtual doors, right? Building a clean, beautiful website that is easy to navigate is immensely important if you want to attract store owners, sponsors, and the media. It says a lot about you, namely that you have it together and are ready for potential business relationships. Remember that boutique across the country that I mentioned before? A great website versus an Etsy page might be the difference between “absolutely” and “no, thank you”.

Reason #4 – Give Yourself Room To Grow. Since I started by business 3 years ago, I’ve introduced new projects to the TL Yarn Crafts lineup. In addition to finished pieces, I now have a blog, I teach on and offline, I do craft shows, and I sell kits and patterns. It would be pretty tricky to communicate all of that from my Etsy page. Adding new pages and plugins to my website helped keep my message clear while still accommodating my growth. And that is not to say your have to grow beyond just selling your physical product. But a little breathing room doesn’t hurt. You never know what tomorrow brings.

Reason #5 – Keep the Focus on YOU! As an online shopper, the “Other products you might like” section is super helpful. But as a seller, it makes me cringe. Why go through the effort of guiding a customer to your sales page only to have that very same sales page take them somewhere else?? *queue the face-palm* The main reason to have your own website is to keep the focus on YOU and whatever message you decide to deliver. Carve out your corner of the internet and plant your flag!

Once you’ve committed to launching your own website, it’s time to do a bit of research on what resource is the best fit for you. Pattern by Etsy is great for Etsy sellers whose main concentration is sales. Shopify, Big Cartel, and Wix give you a bit more wiggle room, adding in features that feel like a traditional website. But if you want to go big or go home, Wordpress is the way to go. Whatever you choose, a stand-alone website can be a game changer for your handmade business.
 

About Toni:

Toni Lipsey is the Owner and Designer behind TL Yarn Crafts, an Ohio based fiber arts studio for the modern cool girl. Find her collection of crochet accessories, patterns and maker gifts online, and follow her tomfooleries on Instagram.

 

Get Your Craft Fair On: Setting Up The Perfect Display

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So you've applied for the perfect Craft Fair and got accepted. Woo Hoo! Now time to prep your display. Say What? It can be a daunting task to visualize and then realize your first craft fair set up. Have no stress. We got you!

First let's talk about your overall set up. The design and layout of your booth or display is more important than many realize.  It is not as easy as popping open a few folding tables, spreading out your wares and waiting for the masses to come rolling in to buy. I have learned that the design of your display is as much a factor of a successful show and sales as the products themselves.

Before you can even think about your display, first you need to think about WHAT you will be selling.  I have a variety of inventory but don’t bring all to all events. Now sure, some say “well, if you don’t bring it you can’t sell it”. But that’s not true. You can take orders, ship to customers if you don’t have something on site or any other ways to sell.  You want your booth to have a cohesive look and feel. Not everything you carry will work. Think about the audience and customer base who will be attending the event and what will work.

Now that you know WHAT you are selling, it is time to focus on the display. Think inviting. Think clean. Think cozy. If you sell touchy feely products you need to make sure they are accessible. Think about how a customer will experience you, your brand and your booth. Then get to work on your display.

A word of caution before you start buying things: it may be worth it to find out if the event is supplying or renting tables to vendors. While renting may seem wasteful when you can OWN and continue to use something, you run the risk of ending up with lots of "stuff" that didn't exactly work out. You may be able to rent a table and chair from them for a small fee and use the rest of your budget on display set up. This allows you to play around until you find what works best for you. Test then buy is my motto.  And before you buy, see what you have around the house that can help with your set up. Maybe you have baskets or stands. You can decorate shoe boxes. Get creative.

Build your booth in advance so you can truly see what will work. I cleared out our dining room, tape marked the floor to the exact size of my booth and did a few test runs. No matter how good things look on paper I cannot tell you how valuable this was. I was able to truly see what worked and what didn’t and it also helped things go smoothly on actual set up day.

Keri from Izy & Oly did a great job of maximizing space and displaying product. Customers can get a clear view of all fabric options and the variety of products. She really maximizes space by going up and down and her use of baskets keeps things organized and clean.



 

I love the look that Janet from Flowerchick Designs uses. You can clearly see her products and the variety as well as her branding. At a glance people are able to seethe colors and array of items. Her prices are clearly marked which is a big thing in display set-ups. You want to be able to answer customer questions, but also have the information available. By covering the tables with long table linens she can keep her extra inventory handy but still keep her display looking clean.


When I did my first event, I was given a 5x5 space to show my work and be ready to sell for four days in one of Chicago's biggest markets. No stress (are you kidding? I think I cried more than once).  I had to maximize space but seem inviting and show my offerings. I decided to go up and down much like Keri did.

My total booth set up cost under $200 (which was $50 more than I budgeted so there's that). I used the dress forms I already had for my product photography and bought an additional set of Styrofoam heads to display multiple hat styles. I bought a variety of "Laundry" baskets at discount and filled them with lots of colorful product. This allowed me to utilize the floor space in front of my display table and also invited people to touch and feel. I actually became known as "the touchy feely booth" by the end of the event and it worked out perfectly because there was always that "crowd" vibe and fun at my booth.

Instead of "tables" I bought stackable plastic drawer totes and covered them with a solid black sheet. This allowed me to keep my inventory restock out of site to keep my both looking clean. It also allowed me to keep my restock accessible and handy as things sold.

When I moved up the following year to a full 10 x 10 booth in the Fashion District of the show I had to step my game up. But I knew it would be a long term investment as well. I brought the storage units from my studio to create a Wall Of Color. I also visited stores that were going out of business to see what I could get on the cheap. I got a $1500 wall rack full unit for $125! And at a closing JC Penny I got a full set of mannequins for $50! Kinda cool.

I have since made additional changes to my set up to better invite and serve customers. I also tailor my set up to the type of event. I always start with what will I be selling and where is the event. Then make necessary tweaks to my set up as needed. But it all starts with a base set up.

Whatever your set up - it is essential to be able to keep your display well stocked. When you make sales re-stock quickly. While empty tables and shelves might be a good feeling of accomplishment, customers like to shop and browse and have choices. It is a shopping mentality. So keep your re-stock handy.

Do you sell things that need to be tried on? If yes, don't forget to have a mirror AND a place where people can see themselves in that mirror. I once saw a booth hang the mirror so far in the back corner it defeated the purpose of having one because no one could use it.

Another thing that is so important is your signage. You want to be able to have brand recognition and let customers know where they are shopping.

Last, but certainly not least, be wary of overstocking and of excess. You don't want things to seem cluttered. It is a fine balance, but an essential one. Clutter turns customers off and excess (things like extra chairs, waters, etc) make it look more like a hangout than a booth.

It is a lot but do not be overwhelmed. Take a step back and vision your booth. When thinking of your display here is a list of things to consider. Answer these questions and use this checklist to get started to building a successful display. Share your pics with the community on Instagram tagging #stitchandhustle

 

Insta Updates: Tips & What's New

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Wow Instagram has come on strong with the latest round of updates. Let's take a look at a few of them and how you can use them to up your social media game. 

First Up: Stories. Now, I'm going to skip over how much this is like Snapchat because that topic is covered all over the web. I want to focus on why I think it's awesome and you should too. 

Instagram Stories goes out right into the bar of all your current followers. So it is enhancing and growing that relationship. That's awesome!  Isn't the whole point of connection on social to actually BE social and grow relationships? Heck yeah!

If you don't want to scroll through the whole bar of stories and end up in a never ending time suck of social media eye candy, you can simply go to someone's profile directly. If the circle around their avi is lit up with color, then you know they have shared a new story. To see it, simply hold down their avi. This keeps you free from all the stories of people you follow rolling into the next like a slide show and you just see that person's story.

I also love the message option. When viewing your story, people have the option to message you in response to your story just as you can message those whose stories you view. This is such a great opportunity to connect and develop relationships. In the few days since Stories launched on Instagram, I've both sent and received messages and already made new connections! That's a social media WIN!

The privacy options are basic but good.. Separate from your feed, you can decide who sees your stories and who can respond. That's a great option for those with personal accounts who may want to limit interactions as opposed to those with a business or brand account. 

Another great feature is the option to see how many views your stories have gotten and who is viewing them. This is helpful to know what your audience is connecting with and who you can reach out and connect with as well.

Next Up: I want to talk about the option to make your account a "Business Account". This is cool because it allows you to add a "contact" button which also frees up space in the limited Profile area where many business accounts put contact detail. It allows for a very clean professional look.

Another awesome feature of switching to a business account is it gives you native Instagram analytics. Best times to post, how your posts are doing and a starting point to build an effective campaign. This is essentially all you need to know to grow your account.

Even so, I'm still not 100% sold on this new option and here's why: Instagram is owned by Facebook. Yes, it's an entirely separate platform but we cannot ignore this relationship. I have to wonder if by siphoning out which accounts are business versus personal, if this isn't paving the way for a long term objective of Pay To Play for those businesses like Facebook has become for Pages. 

Another cool little update is Drafts.  This is awesome because I hate it when I've done some "edits" getting ready to post and then for whatever reason step away but don't want to lose all that work. Now, when I back out it allows me to create a draft. This is also helpful if I've got some down time (it happens like twice a month, but hey) because I can create some posts and keep them as a "draft". This way when I'm super busy but want to post I can pull up a draft and keep my presence while not taking up too much time.

I am pretty excited for these updates and think they are a great opportunity to grow on Social! What do you think about the updates?

Get Your Craft Fair On! Finding The Right Event

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The year is just flying by! I cannot believe summer is almost over. So it is definitely time to kick it in high gear. It's August and you know what that means... September is just around the corner! That means cooler weather, Harvest Festivals, Cool Craft Fairs and Holiday Markets are just around the corner too. NOW is the time to prep. Actually - June is when I personally start prep but August works too :-)

Are you ready to get your Craft Fair & Festival on? Throughout August, we will have a series of posts to help you get Craft Fair Ready. I am by no means an "expert" but can share from my own experiences to help you elevate your Craft Fair game. We will feature posts on:

How To Pick The Right Craft Fair For You (this post)

Which Payment Service Is Best For You?

Setting Up Your Display For Success

Prep & Pack For A Successful Event

Check List Central Because We Love Lists!

I love attending Fairs & Festivals as much as having a booth. As an online store owner, it is a rare and special opportunity to get out and meet customers face to face. It is a chance to talk to other artists and vendors and grow in community. It is an opportunity to introduce new people to my work in a way that you can't online: by showing them the value of cozy handmade up close. But my love of all things Festivals doesn't transcend to just any festival! It is essential to be part of the right one.

So let's start at the beginning with the biggest, and seemingly most daunting, question: how to find and pick the "right" event. If you do not already have some Fairs & Festivals you know you want to apply to, here are some great links to find out about Fairs in your area:

Arts & Crafts Show Yellow Pages
Festival Net

Stitch & Hustle Market Season Tips

Research. Research. Then research some more. It can be such a sucker punch to have a "bad show" when it was all avoidable by doing just a bit of research as to what show you should apply to. Just because a Fair or Festival has tons of traffic and your target market, there are other factors to consider, such as weather and time of year. I sell cozy handmade accessories, mostly chunky heavy knitwear. So while I love a couple of local Chicago Summer Festivals, I know I have to love them as an attendee. Do people want to think about heavy knitwear in 90 degree temps outdoors? Nope.

Besides seeing if your work will be a good fit for the event, also consider is the Fair a good fit for your brand! Some things to consider and ask:
Do they only sell handmade or will you be up against a variety of small home based businesses (ie Scentsy, Chloe & Isabelle, etc.)? 
It is always good to know who will also be there. You can check previous year's events and vendors to get a feel if you will be a good fit. If your work will fit in well, but also if who already is at the market attracts the same type of customer as you.

What is the typical traffic at the show? What is the last 3 year attendance?
Again -do your research. Event track records speak for themselves. While "First Annual" has lots of hype and fun, it is a much bigger risk. I like to see an event that has grown in attendance. It tells me that they keep adding value and not only do people go back but they also attract new people. Also check the vendors - do they go back? This will tell you if they found it a success or not. I mean, would you go back to a Fair you lost money at and did not sell well at?

Does the event have a strong web presence? Website? Facebook page?
This will be a huge factor when it comes to advertising. It will tell you if they do a lot of the legwork or expect the vendors to do it all. There should be a good balance, but more importantly when you drive your customers to the event site you want them to get excited to go support you there and bring friends.

Be mindful of deadlines. Be ready to get your application filled out the minute you know you want to apply. Here are a few quick tips for the application process:
1. Keep your bio short but lively. Let your personality come through but maintain professionalism. It is a tough balance so write your bio and have it saved and handy to go when you need it. Describe you, your work and what inspires you. And check your spelling! For real tho!

2. Send only high quality clean product photos. This is not your Instagram feed. You want to show your products, and especially if it is a juried show, show the quality of your work. Over stylized photos can take away from your product.

3. Read the full application directions thoroughly. Follow all of the steps, provide all of the requested materials on time, and completed. 

Most shows, fairs & festivals have fees. Fees range from application fees, to booth / stand fees, to tables and chair rental fees. It is essential to look at not just the application and booth fee, but all of your related costs when deciding on a show.  Here is a small checklist of things to consider about fees to get you started when considering if an event is right for you.

Factor in all of your related costs then determine what is your true break even number. Know it. Then ask yourself; Is the fee worth it? Can you make it back? Can you lose it if you don't make it back? Those are hard questions and I cannot stress enough how important they are.

Let me also take a moment to say this: No matter how much you research and prep and plan, sometimes events go wrong or people don't buy. So I suggest to have the mindset of a weekend in Vegas. Have fun. Consider the fees and costs that go into setting up to sell your wares a donation (that is what I call a Vegas gambling allowance). It is an investment into your business. While you hope to make it back, and then some, at the event, I believe the key is to not stress about it so having budgeted and the mindset that it is an investment will set you free from that stress. Because if you are not stressed, you will have fun. And if you have fun, you will likely have sales. And Sales is the ball game!

So with that I say: Happy Craft Fair season everyone.

POS Credit Card Readers: Which Is Best For You

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Woo Hoo it is summer festival & craft fair season. That means we get to get outside, set up our pop-up shops & tables to show off our wares. Since I sell warm weather cozy wear, Summer festival season is something I enjoy only as a spectator and customer. But I do love the vibes.   

One question many handmade artisans have is about payment processing, especially since not many people carry cash anymore. I did some research when I was starting to sell at the One Of A Kind Show in Chicago and found that I am a fan of Square. Here is a link to sign up and get a free reader and get your first $1000 free processing.  (Yes I get credit for this link but no that is not a factor in my analysis)

For me, it is just easy and the fee is not too bad. I like the fact that I can get unlimited free card readers so when the booth is busy more than one of us can process sales. I like the reporting analysis because it is easy to read and lets me know what my best selling items are.

The inventory management system was a bit labor intensive to set up but they all are so this isn't a deterrent to me. I would have to set it up anywhere. It is extremely helpful to go through this step to know what really sells and what trends are happening with my products. It also gives me a good overview of traffic patterns in my booth which is extremely helpful.

I have a friend who uses the Etsy reader because it helps her presence on Etsy by increasing sales in her shop. For me, that is not a factor. Plus, I do not like the fact that it makes me subject to Etsy TOU which means I cannot directly market to those customers unless they explicitly sign up for my emails. Similar to why I don't like Pattern by Etsy, it means I am doing work for the Etsy brand instead of my own.

Whatever card reader & POS system you choose, be sure it is right for you and your needs. Below is a breakdown of the three I researched. I know that Intuit also has a card reader / POS system, but I am not familiar with it so you may want to explore that as well.

Happy Market Day season everyone

 

Do What You Love, Love What You Do

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Sunday Reflections:

my happy place: on location

Sunday morning. I'm up early, coffee in hand and sitting here working on my Lookbook and Marketing materials for the 2016-17 season. I couldn't be happier. 

Last year at this time I was stressed. Stretched thin. Trying to squeeze hours into already packed days. I was sad that my time to create and crochet was limited to but a few hours a day and I wasn't finding much joy in it at all because my mind was filled with all the things I needed to do. I was canceling and juggling plans and meetings and always running behind.

I had several projects in play at the time: Prepping for the launch of this blog (which is my passion project for a community that I deeply love); launching an extension of the blog: a consulting agency to assist other artisans become successful in their marketing & social media efforts; development of my tech start up (which was my brainchild and baby); designing new projects AND prepping to go back on location for a new show for several months. Not to mention family and home responsibilities.

Then I had the light-bulb moment.

While meeting with the seed money investor for my tech start up, he said something that changed everything. I do not think he anticipated the answer he got, but it was the right one.

my happy place: cozy crochet corner

He said: Michele, something has to give. To move forward you need to be 100% in this. You are spread too thin and before we invest further I need you 100% in this. Skin in the game beyond finance, this has to be your sole focus.

In that single moment, without even needing to think about it I had total clarity. He was right. While my idea and this project was amazing, it wasn't what I wanted to pursue 100% of my time. I wasn't willing to give up my other loves. Other loves which, oddly as it may be, compliment each other and give my life balance.

Look, walking away from my incredibly needed, viable start-up with seed money on the table was not easy. Especially since it fed my inner geek and I truly love the tech & start up community. But it was easier than I imagined and that's how I know it was right and why I've never looked back with regret. The same with walking away from the consulting agency.

I'm a creative. I'm a small business owner. I am not an entrepreneur. And because I know the difference I'm able to invest my time and resources into the places they are needed and the places that will grow. This clarity allows me to have focus which is essential when it is time for the tough decisions. By walking away from those 2 projects I brought the balance and joy back to my life and as a result, my business and this blog are thriving.

This doesn't mean I won't have other ideas and be part of new projects. This just means I have clarity and focus and both of those things feed my passion which leads me to success. But more importantly, it leads me to happiness. I am truly doing what I love and loving what I do!

Are you spreading yourself too thin?  Do you need to cut some projects loose? I encourage you to take a deep honest personal inventory this week. It will change your life like it did for me.

Don’t Just Be Busy: Be Productive! A Simple Tool for Increasing Daily Productivity

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Guest post By Alissa M. Trumbull

Sometimes I have these mornings where I’m paralyzed in bed. I can’t move. I won’t move. I’ve spent the night mulling over what seems like 100 things that need to get done the second my feet hit the floor. Instead of getting up and running, my head feels busy and not productive, and I spend the day running circles around myself like a dog chasing its tail.

I know that I, like many others, continually look for ways to increase productivity. Some days are hard: I might have writing to do, errands to run, a vast number of emails to read and reply higher than a preschooler can count, and a job or two outside the house that require me to be dark on social.

A few weeks ago as a guest on #H2HChat, Brian Moran shared what he does to be more productive every day. Brian broke it down for us and showed how tasks on packed days – and the easy ones, too – can be grouped into four categories:

Urgent – It has to get done today. Don’t go to sleep until it’s finished.

Important – It really needs to get done today. Don’t get in trouble for not doing it.

Everyday – The daily routine. Muscle memory items.

Nonessential – If it doesn’t get done today, it can happen tomorrow. It’s okay to sleep on it.

This blew my mind. Such a simple categorization would allow me to provide better structure and more meaningful organization to my day. As a big fan of post-its, I’ve taken to laying out each day since then in these quadrants.

In the same chat, Brian noted, “Today is for execution; planning happens the night before.” So, now I wake up in the morning with today laid out from the previous evening. As my day goes on, I am able to remove items from my digital list. Ideally, I’ve done everything in the first three categories by the end of each day (and god forbid I forget to feed the cats!).

It’s amazing how my overall stress level has decreased and my productivity has increased during the past few weeks as I’ve utilized this new system. I no longer wake up fearing a lengthy to-do list. Instead, the visual division positively impacts my day, allowing me to be more organized, less busy, and more fruitful in my day-to-day activities.

I feel better. My relationships are better. My work is better. My life is better.

ABOUT Alissa:
Alissa is a Community Gardener for BTC Revolutions. Her purpose in life is to help people find their aha moments. She lives in Denver with her husband and their two cats, and gets to see the mountains every day.

Got ‘Gram-Game? An Instagram Primer For Artisans & Small Biz

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Let’s take a deep dive into Instagram as part of the Stitch & Hustle Social Media Series. If you are not using Instagram yet, I implore you to see if it is a good platform for your brand. I have a feeling it will be.

I love Instagram – in fact it is my favorite of all the platforms.  It is an incredible tool to grow you business, connect with other businesses and customers.  I break it down here into 3 segments: Posts, Community, and Metrics.

Since it all starts with what you post, let’s talk about that first.

I think of Instagram as the advanced Social Media version of the pre-school game Show & Tell. You have two opportunities to tell your brand story when you post on Instagram: in the photo and in the text.  A great Instagram post is more than just a pretty picture. It connects and tells a story.

You can also think of Instagram posts as mini blog posts. That way you are always trying to connect with every post and share with intent & purpose. And remember – every post is a representation of your brand.

First up: The Photo

Knitwear designer Ozetta Takes Us Into Her Cozy Studio On Her Instagram

Knitwear designer Ozetta Takes Us Into Her Cozy Studio On Her Instagram

The photo is the draw. It is the eye candy. It is what makes Instagram Instagram. Your images should give a cohesive theme and brand message. You can focus on reflecting the brand lifestyle, inspirations,  as well as just the product itself.  Give a glimpse to your behind the scenes or process. SHOW your brand message.

If you are starting out or have a personal small brand this still matters. For example a friend of mine was asking how to up her IG game for her home chef account. I say – go beyond the finished meal and glossy pics.  As a healthy home chef show ingredients in their natural setting. Show markets and shopping carts. Show the process. Show the meal prep. Instagram allows video: show us your knife skills and dice something! There are so many ways to mix things up in a single image that reflects your brand and community.

Building your Instagram brand profile for personal account or your business requires a cohesive and consistent message in all your posts.

On a technical side; You can use almost any camera really. There are so many apps and filters that sometimes your phone is your best option. Plus, it’s always handy. For specific product display or branding purposes, you may want to consider a DSLR or even hiring or collaborating with a photographer. But again, getting started with your phone is all you need.

If you want to take a quick course on turning your phone into your camera, I suggest one on Craftsy or this one on CraftU. But nothing beats playing around with it and learning hands on, learning when the best time of day gives you the best lighting for your product, etc. No matter what filters or tools you use, nothing can “fix” a badly lit photo so these are important things to know.

Mud and Yarn Takes Us behind the Scenes on Her Instagram to See her Process and Even Inside her Kiln

Mud and Yarn Takes Us behind the Scenes on Her Instagram to See her Process and Even Inside her Kiln

A couple of apps I personally love are Camera+, VSCO, & PicStitch. Each has various features that allow me to manipulate the photo to tell the story I want. Be careful with filters though. They are not all right for your brand image even though they work for others. You can also control the intensity of the filter with a simple click. So play around with filters and apps to find what works best for you.

Stay away from collages. While you want to show all the awesome uses and variations of your product, the truth is that they are distracting and do not convey a clear story or brand message.

One photo. One story. Minus the rare exception, that is my Instagram rule of thumb.

And have fun! It’s true this is work and you have a marketing purpose but having fun is just as important. It comes through in the image (I firmly believe this). So be creative. Play around with various angles of your product and in various locations and settings for your product. It is a social media platform not a catalogue shoot!

Next up: The Text

While yes, the photo should tell a story – your text should enhance that story. Go deeper to connect with your community. Maybe talk about your process. Or share personal detail about the day. Whatever you choose to share it should be with intent to connect with your community and stay within your brand message.

The text is a great place to offer something to your community. As we have talked about is the intent of this blog, our hustle should be to help others succeed and to be of service. No reason not to do that with your Instagram. Offer a tip. Offer insight to a design. 

Whatever your brand message, this is a great opportunity to start a conversation with your community. I try to leave my posts with a question, invitation to comment or call to action. Invite the community to engage.

Back to the home chef example; this could be where she talks about the difference between one ingredient over another.  Or offer the community a quick time saving tip to be more efficient. Maybe ask the community what their favorite herb or ingredient is then in the next post refer back to that favorite. Talk about the recipe and why you love it (which gives a glimpse to you). Make it about more than just the picture.

I am strongly against lengthy text every time. Mix it up. Keep the audience interested. Again, this is another opportunity to connect. Don’t miss out.

Another important aspect of text is hashtags. I could do a whole spiel on hashtag etiquette but I will refrain. Just know that within the main post 2-5 relevant hashtags should be the max. If you want to add another round of relevant hashtags you can do so in a comment. Use tags that your audience will seek out so they can find you.  Think like a customer!

So now you have a great image and interesting post. Posting it is only the first step. Now we get into your community.

Crochet & Knitwear Artisan Crochet Gallery Lets Us Experience Her beautiful Surroundings and Inspiration on Her Instagram Account

Crochet & Knitwear Artisan Crochet Gallery Lets Us Experience Her beautiful Surroundings and Inspiration on Her Instagram Account

Social Media platforms call them “followers” or “fans” but I call people part of your community. Interaction & engagement goes both ways and, as you know from the purpose of this blog, I am a firm believer in giving more than you take.

When new people follow you, check out their page. If it is interesting or appealing to you, follow back. Read their posts. Comment and start a conversation. Make that effort to reach out. It could be as simple as a “like” or happy face. Whatever your method, connect. Find accounts that are aligned with your brand. Interact and comment.  Don’t wait for people to come to you. Go to them!

When people comment on your post thank them. An unanswered comment is akin to saying “I don’t care what you say” and WE DO CARE what our community says. So BE social. Respond. Interact. Too often we think Social Media is about putting it out there. It’s not. It is SOCIAL Media. Read my detailed post on that topic here.

Which takes me to my next point on community: Listen!!!  The importance of listening to what your community is talking about cannot be understated . What interests them? What problems can you help them solve? What are they talking about matters because it is your opportunity to connect.

So now you’ve posted and listened and built community. But how do you know if it’s working?

Like any Social Media or Marketing effort, you need to have an intentional plan & strategy going in. You want to grow. You want to increase followers and ultimately generate brand loyalty and sales.  Develop a plan that works for you to achieve those goals. Then Track. Track more. Track, shift and grow.

Obviously if you see an uptick in likes, comments and “followers” you will know you are on to something. But I suggest you develop KPI’s that will help you meet your goals and know where to spend your time and resources and get an overview of what posts are hitting the mark. I personally use Iconosquare and you can try it free for 30 days.

Over the course of your first 30 days of posting with purpose as described above, you should be able to clearly see what resonates with your community and attracts new followers. That is what you build on to grow and ultimately generate sales.

Instagram should be fun but it is also work. So get to work and have some fun!
And don't forget to follow Stitch & Hustle on Instagram & join the community!

 


 

 

 

Pattern by Etsy: Is It Really Your Own Website?

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photo from Etsy blog

photo from Etsy blog

You may have heard, either by news article, blog or an email from Etsy, that Etsy has launched a new Web Service: Pattern By Etsy and are rolling it out this week. Here is a link to the Etsy blog launching the service and the Entrepreneur post.

I can't say I am a fan of this but to serve you best, I will be objective...

On second thought, nah.. let me just lay it out for you. I am finding more bad than good here.

Let's start with the name: Pattern by Etsy. Who thought of this malarkey? I mean really?

In my first 24 hours using the service and reaching out to their customer support there was instant confusion, more than once. You see, I (like many many others) sell my original patterns on Etsy. So their support thought I was having an issue with a Pattern transaction. You can imagine how frustrating it gets spending the first group of emails trying to get them to understand I am talking about their feature not my patterns. Even when my email to support said "I am having trouble with the new website program Pattern by Etsy"... they still came back with instructions on how to download a digital pattern. No kidding.

It blows my mind that they would name it Pattern by Etsy. But moving on...

Pattern by Etsy is slick. It is glossy and pretty and easy to use. The set up process is a matter of a few clicks. Because it is a mask of all the data Etsy already has in your Etsy shop, there is no import. The items are linked on the back end.

You can select from a few Theme Templates and each allows a bit of customization. The customization is quite limited though. You cannot "add pages" or really customize the type of content on your site too far away from what is already in your Etsy shop. The initial content from your Etsy shop comes over and you can edit as needed but again, within the parameters of what Etsy already allows. But it is easy to use and setting up the entire website took a matter of minutes.

At first glance, Pattern by Etsy has all the trappings to entice crafters, hobbyist and small business owners already using Etsy. But hold on... it also has limitations and constraints that make me tilt my eyes,  smirk and shake my head.

Going beyond the fact that Etsy takes 48-72 hours for your site to go live (which baffles me being that they are in fact a tech company) let's talk about the nitty gritty.

Pattern by Etsy is designed to keep you within the Etsy vortex. Similar to how Etsy itself works, Pattern by Etsy will not let you link to an outside site. For example, on the “About” page, I wanted to link to my standalone site www.144stitches.com. The link would not go live forcing customers or site visitors to see the text but not have a clickable link. They would have to “copy & paste” the text into their browser to get to my site. But If I put the link to my other Etsy shop, www.144stitches.etsy.com then the link is live. So you see, it is not actually "my website" as I am still playing by Etsy rules keeping the consumer and me, the vendor and in this case site owner within the Etsy vortex.

Additionally, Checkout is still run through the Etsy check out system.  So customers are still not buying from “you” but are re-routed back to Etsy. This means if they do not have an Etsy account, they will be required to create one.

You work hard, marketing your shop and promoting your work. You spend lots of man hours developing your brand and driving traffic to your new website. In fact, you spend the extra $16 per year Pattern by Etsy charges for your very own domain so you are not using the “patternbyetsy.com” extension to further drive traffic directly to your site and create brand name recognition.

But, in compliance with Etsy TOU, you are NOT allowed to collect emails of your customers or market to them once they have made a purchase. You see Etsy views them as "their" customers and only Etsy is allowed to use their email for marketing purposes.

So now you have your stand alone site doing Etsy’s legwork… not your own. Your brand is now linked to Etsy on a deeper level and all the work you do to get traffic and customers to your site is wasted as you cannot grow them into returning customers. Yes, you are paying for the privelege of doing Etsy's marketing.

Pattern by Etsy promotes Unlimited listings and that you do not have to pay a “listing fee” to add items. But you have to pay $15 per month and still have the listing fees due Etsy any time you add an item. And since you can ONLY add items by adding them to your Etsy shop there is no way around that fee even if you plan to drive traffic only to your new Pattern by Etsy website.

So now you are paying the $15 monthly fee, $16 annual fee for your domain and your Etsy listing fees of $0.20 per item and Etsy takes a 3.5% transaction fee per sale. These fees add up quick. Seriously do the math. and you have to still follow the Etsy TOU though you technically have your "own" website.

One last nail in the Pattern by Etsy coffin is the fact that if you have multiple Etsy shops (as I do) then you must create multiple Pattern by Etsy websites. Yup... they STILL will not allow a single account to operate multiple shops. So in my case, where I have 3 Etsy shops, take all those fees I just mentioned above and multiply it by three. Not to mention I would need 3 separate domains, 3 separate marketing plans, etc. I mean what a confusing headache!

Look, I love (and hate) Etsy. It is how I got my start and has opened so many doors for me. But Etsy today is very different than the Etsy of old and I really can't help but feel like Etsy is scrambling to create new revenue streams by making features that entice users but are just to keep investors happy now that the curtain has been pulled back. To me this feels haphazard and without much forethought for the user, which is the Etsy customer. And I am not talking about the consumer. I am talking about small businesses who use Etsy to sell their wares. Those are the Etsy customer. The money makers for Etsy through fees upon fees. Yet here we are again...

So what do you do?

You are not helpless and if you want your own website and domain go get it! But be responsible and check all the options. If you have big Etsy inventory and are attracted to the fact that Pattern by Etsy integrates your Etsy inventory, maybe you will consider IndieMade or SupaDupa or SquareSpace.  Each allows you to import your Etsy products and I know IndieMade syncs as you sell. And if you have multiple Etsy shops as mentioned above, you can import from multiple shops. Come on... no brainer!

I am a huge fan of these platforms and if you do the math you get way more bang for your buck and have true site ownership and control of your brand!

IndieMade, Supadupa & SquareSpace allow you to add pages and truly control your content as well as customize any of the free templates they provide. You can create a blog to share news and updates if you want. Pattern by Etsy simply allows you to link to an offsite blog, as long as you don't sell anything there because that would technically violate Etsy TOU.

Personally I use Squarespace, though I have used both IndieMade & SupaDupa in the past. For my needs, Squarespace is working great. On my current standalone sites (I have 2) I can list whatever I want (or not). My monthly fee includes listings, data storage, email and whatnot. 

Another option is to get a domain from GoDaddy or a similar service for a few bucks a year then have it direct to your Etsy shop. For as little as $5 a year you can have your very own domain to begin your branding and still it takes customers to your Etsy shop. There - I just saved you over $180 a year :-)

Bottom line is that there are tons of options if you are ready to take the leap, have your own website and begin building your brand beyond having an Etsy shop. I just think anyone considering Pattern by Etsy should take a beat and do the math and decide if it is really right for them. And I think that Etsy needs to find a way to reconnect with the Artisans who helped get it where it is.

Are you using Pattern by Etsy? Are you considering it? I am interested in your thoughts so please join the conversation in comments below.

UPDATE:

When I contacted Etsy to cancel my "free trial" within the 30 day period, I was informed that it would take SIXTY (60) days for me to get "ownership" of my domain, that I purchased through the sign up for Pattern by Etsy so not to use the "patternbyetsy" extension. I was baffled because didn't I "own" it when I paid for it? Nope. Etsy does. And because of ICANN restrictions, they cannot transfer for 60 days. With only a 30 day free trial, that forces me to at least pay for a month to be able to use the domain I purchased and is unacceptable.

I then asked, well could they at least forward the domain to my Etsy shop while I wait out the 60 days? Nope, they said they cannot because of the same ICANN rule. This is odd - especially since on GoDaddy, or anywhere else, I can pretty much forward a domain straight away.

In the end, their support apologized and extended my "free trial" to the full 60 day period. The problem is that for those 60 days, they are killing my google rankings because it appears as duplicate content as mentioned above. Thankfully I did not test Pattern by Etsy with either of my two main shops. But I will still feel the pinch.

 

 

Social Media: Not All Platforms Are Equal

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Social Media has become a necessary tool for success. It is a gateway to the world for small independent business. It is a way to not only grow customers but also grow within the artisan or small business community. You can connect with service providers, fellow artists for collaborations, people who inspire you and so many others. The opportunity to connect is endless. But where do you start?

I think that many of the nuances available for social media to be a tool for success are missed because as a whole it is overwhelming. I get that.

In the Stitch & Hustle Social Media Series we will explore social media and how to make it work FOR you! How you can use social media to grow your brand and yourself.

The first step is to realize that not all social media platforms are created equal. This is an extremely vital factor in social media success. The term “social media” is broad. To truly be successful you need to look at each platform as it’s own branch of social media and plan a strategy for each independently.

Of course, you can be lazy and lump them all together but you will be missing opportunities for success if you are not tailoring your approach and message for each platform.

Customers are smart. They know when they are being bombarded or your content is just posted without specific intent. Want an example?

If I post on Instagram, then hit the “share” to Facebook, Tumblr & Twitter option, the EXACT same piece of content is being posted to all four audiences. This has a few negative effects but here are the big ones:

  1. People who see your content, the SAME content, on multiple channels may start to ignore you or even unfollow you. They do not need to be bombarded with the same content every place they go.
     
  2. There is a good chance your content isn’t relevant in all places. (we will dive into relevancy later in the series). Twitter is real time. It moves fast. Facebook algorithm gives you more opportunities to be seen based on what is relevant to your audience. Currently Instagram is chronological but they too are switching to an algorithm based on audience activity. So your same piece of content is not relevant everywhere! That is ESSENTIAL to understand.

Yes, people do this. Yes I do this on occasion. But it should be done at minimum if at all and not with everything you share. For me, I do it when I know I have content relevant on multiple platforms. I may edit the post and tailor the language for each platform as well.

Where you share your content is just as important as whom you are aiming your content at and whom you are targeting. They are intertwined.

For this post, I will just look at what I call the big 3: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram.

Of course there are basic generalizations about each platform. But to develop a strategy for success, it is important to drill down further into each one and what they offer. You may in fact find some platforms aren’t for you at all. So drilling down into each platform is important to help you know where to focus and where to spend both time and money.

Statistics change often so you can only go by the best information available and then implement best practices. One statistic that seems to be consistent is age. Facebook audience is generally older users. Twitter & IG have a younger base. Why does this matter?

Well – if you put emoji everywhere (like I do) that may not go over as well on Facebook. Or while you can get away with a quick one liner or sarcastic quip on Twitter, that probably won’t get the same response on Facebook. Knowing your audience and platform will help you tailor your campaign and ultimately reach more of the RIGHT people. And more of the RIGHT people is the ball game. Not just more people.

Another big difference is that while Twitter operates primarily in a world of anonymity, Facebook and IG are platforms where people get a bit more personal. It may be via people you actually “know” in person, or people who share like interests and are in shared groups.

Twitter and IG are more “global” communities where as you will likely find Facebook audiences to be closer to home. It is also important to keep this in mind in the content you are creating to share. What plays well to your local audience may not hit the mark globally. This goes back to what I said earlier about sharing the same content everywhere may yield fewer results.

It is important to factor all of this and more when creating your campaigns. For example, if you do not ship worldwide, Facebook may be where you place more focus. And vice versa – if you are intentionally trying to grow globally you may focus more on IG and Twitter.

But the bottom line is that the better you can know your audience and understand the platform they use, the better chance you have for a successful campaign.

Where to begin?

Start by listening. Go to your Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook pages and see what your audience is interested in. See what they are talking about. Learn their concerns and what they like. Is it the same on all platforms?

Any successful campaign starts with listening. And the best way to understand how to best use each platform is to listen to your audience who is already there. Talk to them, Comment on their posts, interact. Get to know your audience. You may even find that your audience or target audience isn't where you thought they would be! Drill down to all platforms.

You will find they are different on each platform and then you have started the journey to successful social media.

We will dive into each platform over this series and tips and tools for each as well as general social media best practices. If you have specific questions please use the contact form to ask. We will get it covered for you. And share below in comments what platforms you use, what your favorite Social Media Platform is and why. Would love to get to know what you are all using.

 

 

 

 

Welcome to Stitch & Hustle - Is Your Hustle On Point?

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Hustle is a word I hear a lot. Everyone is hustling. When I was growing up and lived in NYC if you "got hustled" it wasn't always a good thing. Nowadays, everyone is "on their hustle". Some even have a "side hustle'. So let's talk about it. Let's talk about the Hustle.

I recently listened to a podcast with an interview of Matt Mazzeo from Lower Case Capital. Well, the timing of this interview and this message could not have been more perfect. While there were many (many) takeaways from the 20 minute interview, the one I want to talk about right now is being of service and having Hustle. It seems, after all, appropriate right?

Mazzeo was asked how he defines the word "Hustle". Someone as successful as him, you may have expected an answer that talks of non-stop work and being busy busy busy. Or perhaps an answer that talks about constant forward movement. Nope. Here it is:

"Hustle is repeatedly understanding how to offer value to others in advance of asking for value for yourself. [...] It's really truly believing that if I just add value to other people that there doesn't need to be a cash in moment - that you're just doing it because it's the right thing to do because you love doing it and because you can help somebody else. That's a whole other level of hustle."
- Matt Mazzeo, Lower Case Capital

Marinate on that a minute.

Kind of a head turner right? Yet, it makes total sense.

It's natural for me. My hustle has always been behind the scenes. In both my career and personal life, I am happiest when I am able to be of service and support to others. Not because I am people pleasing, which can easily be confused here. But because I like to be part of something so much bigger than myself it requires many elements to be completed. That is kind of magical.

The truth is, coming out from behind the scenes, where I lived in my production life, to be the face and owner of a business was a big transition. Still is in fact. It is a constant struggle against my nature. I prefer being behind the camera rather than in front of it. It is part of why I struggled so much with my previous blog. It always felt too focused on "me" and I was not comfortable with that. Letting it go stagnant was a relief.

But I missed having the opportunity and platform to share my work and creations. A place to share my tips and things I have learned.

So for me, Stitch & Hustle is a bit of a compromise. It allows me to still share my projects but, more importantly, it makes giving back and serving the community of artisans I love so much the priority. I was working on this new blog launch when I listened to the Mazzeo interview. It struck such a cord with me and the timing could not be ignored  (especially since I'm not a real big podcast listener)!

We are meant to be in service of each other. Without community we have nothing. I believe this as a human being and as a member of society.  So why shouldn't our Hustle be part of that?

My hope is that this blog becomes more about you the reader than about me, your host. I hope that I can offer you, through sharing my experiences and thoughts, a resource to grow to be the best version of yourself possible. I hope that by inviting guests to share their knowledge that I can offer you insight and help to become uber successful. I hope that this becomes a place that serves you.

On my hustle!Never gonna stop! 

On my hustle!
Never gonna stop! 

With that bit of background I say welcome to Stitch & Hustle. Let's hustle together! If there is a topic you would like covered, please contact me here and let me know. I will do my best to cover it or invite a knowledgeable guest poster to help us out.

I have brought over some posts from my previous blog that I think may be relevant or of interest as well as have several scheduled topics and posts coming up.

I hope that I can share my hustle; and I'm talking about Hustle in the meaning presented above by Mr. Mazzeo. A hustle not just for my goals or success but to be part of yours!

Sign up for updates and never miss a post! Let's do this! 

 

Amazon - The New Kid On The Handmade Block

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Well now isn't this interesting! I was kind of waiting for this… Amazon saw the opening with Etsy woes I bet… and here comes competition. They are launching a Handmade at Amazon. Not much info is available but I am sure it will be competitive. Many Etsy sellers and other handmade artisans already sell on Amazon, but it is not in a specific Handmade Marketplace and you need to follow Amazon's strict rules on return policies, UPC codes and other various requirements.

But in the wake of recent Etsy woes since going public (exposure of their big success story being fake, scrutiny over lax practices when it comes to allowing counterfeit products & copyright infringement and trademark infringing products on the site, a potential lawsuit as a result of this practices and a severe dip in stock price) may have been a signal that the time is right for a major competitor to shake things up.

And Amazon already has systems in place to address IP / trademark / copyright  so that is a bonus. They also require certain things from sellers to maintain integrity and this could be promising. Additionally, it appears from the initial emails that they are trying to be distinctive as to what Artisan and Handmade are defined as. All good things if you ask me.

Truthfully, I will always have some type of loyalty and gratitude towards Etsy. It is where I got my start. It is where I met many other creatives. entrepreneurs and developed some great relationships. I even spoke at an event for them. I will always champion what Etsy used to be.

But in reality, Etsy has known about the "reselling" and counterfeit or copyright infringing for as long as I have been there (which is almost 6 years). Sellers on the site have raised the issue and concerns in the forums and to Etsy directly so many times I can't put a number on it.  Etsy hasn't taken any action unless the copyright / trademark owner files a takedown notice. Their stance was untouchable between safe harbor rules and being a private company. Then they went public and these things can no longer be swept under the rug. It shakes the integrity of the site to it's core in my opinion.

Etsy has a tendency and habit to stay silent. That is their known practice, while they leave sellers and merchants hanging in the throws of speculation. Spend a day in the forums and you will see what I mean. But if you weed through the conspiracy theories and rants, there are some genuine and valid concerns that Etsy just does not address publicly if addressing them at all. This has created a very love/hate and tenuous relationship with sellers toward Etsy. This can be fixed - but Etsy doesn't seem interested in fixing this.

Etsy is the known handmade marketplace powerhouse. They've never had a competitive push. Artifire, Zibbet and the many others are out there but never gained enough traction on the buying side. Sure sellers went there, but buyers didn't and that was Etsy's edge. They had the BUYER. 

Well guess what? So does Amazon! 

And that could be the big wake up call to Etsy as well as create a competitive handmade marketplace


While "Handmade at Amazon" doesn't exactly roll off the tongue since it is known as the place everyone goes for fast shipping and bottom dollar pricing on things, I am excited for the doors an Amazon global marketplace would open. 

More details to come when I have them. I applied to be a beta seller and like Etsy themselves always say.. competition is a GOOD thing.

My biggest hope is that this type of competition forces etsy to take a look in the mirror and make changes.

So maybe ... Just maybe between the public scrutiny since the IPO and quarterly filings coupled with the Amazon handmade platform - etsy will take a minute, take a look and use this as an OPPORTUNITY to be awesome again.

 

 

UPDATE:

Shortly after I posted this, I was pointed in the direction of an Etsy forum where a seller suggested this may in fact be part of Etsy's big plan. While I am typically not one to go for conspiracy theories and speculation, this perspective seems both interesting and plausible. Their comments are here:

"As business analysts are saying, Etsy is now a prime target for a buy-out, and there are plenty of HUGE ecommerce players with money to burn who would like to get hold of Etsy.

As they are saying in the business news world, it is way easier for someone else (Amazon???) to buy out Etsy than it is for them to start a whole new venture from scratch. 

The current Amazon presence is not right for selling handmade/artisan goods, so Amazon would have a huge marketing job ahead of them to gain trust and acceptance from consumers in the handmade sector.

It would make a lot of sense for Amazon or Alibaba (or similar ecommerce businesses) to just take over Etsy. Perhaps Etsy *allowed* it's first-quarter financial return to be worse than was expected, because it sure makes Etsy attractive to the really Big Boys on the internet."

This post originally appeared on Crochet By Michele

Going Deep: Tech Talk In A Crochet World

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People who know me best often wonder how I never spent my entire career in tech. It's a deep passion of mine. I love all things tech from conception to gadgets and finding out how things work and that is what led me to becoming a Production Manager. I actually started in the trenches on the mechanics of things. So of course as the tech revolution has grown it has become a great hobby to follow along and the growth of social media is fascinating to me as I launch my handmade business. When the app Meerkat launched I was super stoked. Not just because I was elated and ready for the next level of streaming products & apps, but because what I do is so visual, I have been searching for new ways to interact with customers and other designers using social media. Because let's face it, we live in a visual instant kind of world now. Things move fast. We want to connect and be interactive and need to stand out in the noise.

Of course I jumped on the Meerkat train early. I was already a fan and watching the app when they headed down to SXSW where they basically became THE topic and THE sensation. (Every year there is a new rave "IT" product - but this year I was on board for it). This made me very happy - because well, first of all I was right about this one (patting self on back now) but also because I see potential for brands and people like me as live streaming comes to the forefront.

I immediately started planning and strategizing on how to incorporate Meerkat into my social media plan for customer contact, interaction and growth. And, that was the initial topic for this post: How to Stand Out

But as in life, unexpected twists happen. And a twist was about to happen here.

So  I will do a full on apps / tools / social media post later. Right now I want to talk about something magical that happened courtesy of Meerkat and because I am not yet even sure if Meerkat CAN be a tool for my biz as it is still too early.

Last week, I was alerted to a Meerkat sesh with Mark Suster and Chamillionaire. Now, of course I followed Mark on the twitter because… well… um yeah, no explanation needed, but I was excited to hear / stream / see this chat with Chamillionaire or (Cham). If you don't know who he is, bust out the google and let your mind be blown.

Throughout this session they were talking about Cham being an EIR (Entrepreneur In Residence) over at Upfront Ventures and the various tools and process of selecting companies to invest in, etc. It was a really good look at the kind of discussions and things that go on behind closed doors and in the bullpens at VC firms and tech start-ups. I learned a LOT. And as I was about to bring my StartUp to the next level, the timing kind of felt serendipitous.

Then they took questions - and the first one was from me (true story).

I asked: Cham: "what drew you to go deep into tech?". The answer was so inspirational that it has been feeding me for the whole week.

I have to paraphrase because I was unprepared to be so blown away and didn't get quotes. Cham talked about how coming up as a rapper he knew he had to do more than "just rap". He made it a point to learn the ins and outs of producing the tracks and creating a sound and using new equipment. He went behind the scenes of what it takes on a marketing level, product and brand level, all the things you think "other people do once you're discovered"… Cham went deep and learned how to do it himself.

So when he wanted to start investing and getting into tech companies, starts up and work with VC firms he started from scratch again. He went to where the tech people were and started meeting them and talking to them and learning from them. He talked about how he began to feed that area of knowledge. The more he learned, the more he wanted to learn.

That answer struck a cord with me. It's at the core of being successful isn't it?

YES!

If we want to really succeed and be the best version of ourselves and whatever we are doing, then we must go deeper and not just take what's on the surface. All those tools Cham learned, they were part of it but what he really learned was to NEVER STOP LEARNING! Never stop going to the next level by starting at the level below.

Deep thought right? It's true.

It's what I did when I first started in concert lighting. I had to start at the bottom and take apart lights and learn operating systems. I had to constantly learn what was coming up, how to improve things and how to fix things and how to solve problems.

Then, when I switched to television production years ago, I had to get educated and go deep again. Gear was constantly changing and my crews were always on the hunt for the best look and best tools available. I had to learn the best and the worst. Lots of trial and error. But ALWAYS LEARNING.

So it makes perfect sense now, as I launch this new venture and build my crochet dreams, (and yes, you knew this would somehow land back to me hooking right?), that it is time to get my hands dirty and go deep once again.

I am so inspired by what Cham said. I have re-committed to going next level on this new business venture. My brain has literally been ON FIRE since that sesh.

it's a tweet
it's a tweet

I busted out the white boards, got my groove on and got to work! I booked a few conferences to attend to learn more than just  the design which is my passion, but on the fashion and textiles and branding end. Learn and negotiate platforms to best drive this ship to smooth sailing and success. All the things I was going to "hire" someone to do… oh no grasshopper. Do NOT hire anyone. Time for me to dig in, find a few more hours in the day and learn the ins and outs of the fashion world. I may be scared but I am not afraid!

And it lit that spark inside me that started it all. So there is another new project in the works that I am excited about and will share when I can. The point is that my passion for tech was reignited by Meerkat and that led me to being fired up for my crochet adventure. I am excited for the world in front of us and how we can all be part of making it awesome.

So while I may have started out excited about seeing how I can integrate Meerkat into what I am building and as a branding tool to reach & interact with customers, it has already proved to be a tool to feed my soul and mind. It is also reviving that love for tech in me like in the early days.

You can't beat that!

and thank you Cham & Mark for feeding my soul and setting my brain ON FIRE!

Also…. side note on what is also awesome about Meerkat is the random fun that it brings to your day. Like while I was working in my studio on how to put these plans and dreams into action, the most epic thing happened: I got a Meerkat Alert that Quest was streaming. So boom, I hit the link and while I am working there are the Roots rehearsing for Carnegie Hall with special behind the scenes stuff. QUEST WAS IN MY FACE!!! It was so epic I had to take a pic.

Enjoy!
And check out Meerkat - see if it works for you.
And don't be afraid to go deep and be awesome in whatever you're doing.

Quest Love IN MY FACE
Quest Love IN MY FACE

The Value Of Handmade

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I recently had an interesting experience. Someone liked one of my products, was interested in it, but only wanted to pay me 50% of my price. They said they wanted to support me, but didn’t feel like the product was worth what I was charging. This same person had previously tweeted about the price of another product, publicly saying that his Grandma could make a hat for a few dollars.  

Sadly, this view is not uncommon in the handmade world. But what is new here is that it's the first time a “supporter” of mine has raised a question about my prices and by doing so raising questions of the value of my work.

At first, I was taken aback, truly shocked the way a person thought they could haggle prices or devalue my work. While crochet is known as a craft and many people take it up as a mere hobby, I am more than that. I am an indie fashion designer.

Would you walk up to Tory Burch, Marc Jacobs, Michael Kors, Donna Karan, or Ellie Tahari or ANY other designer and haggle? I doubt it. So then why would a person do that with me? It happens too often I tell you. Asking for a discount is commonplace, but haggling is almost insulting.

The most likely truth is that unlike the big names where the labor, research, and toil are publicly known (and sometimes exaggerated) smaller handmade designers aren’t given the recognition for their work. No one sees the behind the scenes of this one woman show, or the small staffed shop so they make assumptions about how “easy” it is to make something. From ideas, to designs, to photo shoots, it's a process. And that doesn't factor the business & backend of it all.

My creations are made from my original designs. I spend a lot of time researching fibers, working with yarn vendors, and testing what works best for each design. Sometimes this process is quick and smooth and other times it is a laborious task with near no end in sight. I work with other designers in collaborations and to grow the community.

Also, in my particular case: Each item is handmade. Hand. Made. Though the bulk of my items are made by me personally, I also employ another crocheter to help me meet my demands in the busy season. Like so many others, I’m running and building a business and a brand in fashion. Materials, workmanship, branding - it all goes into my pricing formula.

Sure, I know you can go to Walmart and buy a knit beanie for $10 and that’s fine because that’s not what I’m selling. That’s not what I’m creating. That's not a hand made piece of wearable art or a handmade accessory. I create cozy, chic, handmade accessories.

I’ve also recognized that not everyone is going to be my customer and that’s okay. But claiming to be a supporter and then turning around and devaluing the work involved in the business is not support. Maybe my items aren't in your budget and I understand that.

I love those who support me by sharing my posts, projects, or sales on their social media pages. The people who poke in to say, "hey, have you ever thought of this__?", and even my friends who simply stand by and say, "great job!" Not every one of my supporters buys my work but NONE of my true supporters devalue it!

But I also want to impart to you that there are so many ways to support someone, to help them grow their business and their brand and it doesn’t always have to be with a purchase (though ideally those are fabulous). Each bit of support is dear to me, and so important to artisans as a whole. I thank everyone who has supported me in their own way over the years.

Because when you buy, or even consider buying handmade, please remember that someone somewhere sat down and made that. And each time an artisan celebrates a success, celebrate with them because you, their support, helped make that.

For those of you out there supporting  handmade, in any way you can, thank you. For those of you who haven't, why not start now?

 

Crochet With Purpose: Halos of Hope

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It is my great honor to announce the One-4-One program beginning October 1, 2014.  

In partnership with Halos of Hope, every time  a hat is purchased from my store,  I will make a hat for Halos of Hope. To me, Halos of Hope allows me to do something with my business that makes a difference. It's an opportunity to touch someone's life through crochet.

I am blessed that I do not have a close relative or even know someone who has cancer. My grandmother had lung cancer. They removed her lung and that was the end of it. She did not have chemo or lose her hair and the cancer never came back. She went on to live a full life until she passed away ten years ago.  As I type these words I am blown away by that fact.

Not long ago, upon request of a good customer, I sent a free chemo cap to a friend of hers battling cancer and I received this note:

Her note to me changed my life. To know that my creation touched her that way.. well, it was a gift.

I hear stories of woman battling breast cancer and men & woman battling other forms of cancer and it touches my heart. I wanted to do something. I decided to take my love for crochet and turn it into an expression of love for cancer patients. I want them to know someone, even if a stranger, is thinking good thoughts for them. A handmade head cover as they go through the process of battling cancer.  In that spirit I decided to launch my One-4-One program.

You can buy hats here or in my Etsy shop.

If you are a crocheter, I also have posted free hat patterns and am accepting donations of completed hats to go to Halos of Hope. Send your completed hats to:

144 Chemo Caps PO Box 86 Sycamore IL 60178

*** DO NOT SEND MONEY ***

:::::::::::::  UPDATE:  JANUARY  5, 2015  ::::::::::::::: Thanks to the success since launching this program, today I shipped 60 hats to Halos of Hope. What a wonderful gift to reach 60 chemo patients with love.

:::::::::::::  UPDATE:  MARCH15, 2016:::::::::::::::  Last weekI shipped another 80 hats to Halos of Hope.