Slacked Off

Boy I cannot believe it is the middle of November. I guess I have gotten discouraged for a few months and to be honest I figured why try when I have not sold anything...and then I was browsing in Pitman, NJ at Bead & Glass Boutique there was a beauty in the window. I knew it was made with Swarovski Crystals the sparkle just made me smile and grateful that I am a beading junkie. I found and learned the pattern and now have the Swarovski Puffey Heart Pendants for sale in my web store. A great gift for the holidays. Well this trip to the small owned bead shop was just what I needed to boost my inspiration and beading butt back to business.

Shops with 5 or less sales

Hope everyone had a safe and Happy 4th of July.

I am not sure how to post someone elses pictures to help promote their shop. I have tried to do it like I do my own but have been unsuccessful. I belong to a guild to help promote shops including my own to gain sales it is my obligation as a member to promote another shop which is being featured this is the best I can do until I learn to post their item.

Please check out there are some unique items , very reasonably priced and even a sale foor July. I love the orgami hair pins

http://www.artfire.com/users/origamibysisi

Art of Item Descriptions

I don't know about anyone else but when I visit shops on artfire and etsy if I am attracted to a an item I look and read through the items description. Some are very lengthy with short stories ( I might read a sentence or 2 but thats it), some have certain words that heighten my attraction, and some have just the items materials used. It seems like some have the niche to pull the customer in and get them to browse more items. I thought it might be helpful if we can share some tips with each other the art of items descriptions.

The words that attract myself are soft, romantic, and versatile

Contest

Cool check out the article on artfire and support shops with 5 or less sales. Great contest.....
http://bit.ly/mqCuq

Just a beautiful day

It is a beautiful sunny day here in New Jersey. I just completed an order for some beautiful beads at bobbiebeads on artfire and headpin supplies through lululalaland also on artfire both are very reasonable priced. I have made purchases from lululalaland in the past and it has been a easy positive purchase and delivery. This is my first purchase from bobbiebeads.
I joined a guild, "shops with 5 or less sales". There is an upcoming contest I am not real clear on so I am following the first contest. It is to promote people to your shop. I feel stupid to say I only found how to access the forum in the guild and found what the contest rules are.

Networking

Hi welcome to my world...
I have not been consistent on my blog due to chronic pain issues. I am sure those who can relate to those 3 little words (chronic pain issues){CPI} you know how much this condition can change and most times control your life. I have been down for a week or almost 2 (when you have CPI you count every good day & every bad day). At times it is unmanageable with no relief. I am getting back on the uppity up train feeling somewhat better. At least good enough to sit and design.
It is during the low times when I read art daily on artfire or etsy community resources to gain insight what is happening in the art world and ways to enhance and increase sales, packaging merchandise, advertising, increasing customers, contests, etc...
Don't forget tonight at 9:00pm EST will be another ambush on artfire sneakers check it out for the unsub which is also listed on chatter box same time...until next time....

Supplies

I like to pay it forward and share both good and not so good experiences and information on purchased bead supplies. I have been ordering only on artfire and etsy..well sometimes e-bay if I can get a good deal. I recently made a purchase at The Beadin' Path.(they have a web site) It seemed like a good deal they were moving next door and they had a special 30% off and free shipping orders over $50. My beauties came today and I absolutely love them. I don't think the percentage is still valid but the supplies are worth every penny I spent and shipping is still the same. Of course I did over spend and over purchased so when I am ready to part with some of my beauties I will be sharing and posting items in an array of fashion to be purchased. I can't wait to use them. I already feel the design. Check out my shop and stop back often new items to be available.
Sometimes the world flies bye me and I get off track (darn chronic pain) I am a perfectionist and want the utmost happiness for all my customers so the almost beaded bra straps are in the final stages.
Thanks God Bless and Pay It Forward

Open House

Over the past few months I have been reading everything posted on how to promote your shop and increase or getting your first sale. I have had home jewelry parties in the past but my chronic pain issues prevent me from doing them more often. I needed to promote my merchandise and my web site. I had an open house jewelry party. I decide to have light refreshments. I did not have a lot to spend on refreshments, but I had a plan. People began to offer to bring something...so I accepted help and said yes. It turned out very nice and I had a successful open house jewelry party. I would like to share ideas I used to sell my merchandise while also promoting my artfire store. Most people were first time buyers, but there were a few regular customers.

I chose a date before Mother's Day
I had a free earring contest (which I obtained e-mail address, home addresses, and phone#).
I made my own earring cards with a special note and web site info on them.
Every bag had a business card attached (which has web site info)
My granddaughter special gift wrapped all purchased items, if it was to be given as a gift there was a inexpensive bag that we decorated and put the merchandise in, with pink tissue paper.
I had a sign for custom orders.
I had a "sale bin" which was items I made sometime ago and needed to sell or take apart. ( it is now empty).
I had a variety of prices (like my web site).

Right now that is all I can think of but I used a lot of suggestions from artfire news page, marketing, and other informative pages on the news page, .. chatterbox. I found this blog very informative for a lot of info.. check it out http://kaysommers.blogspot.com

I have been down for 3 days now with chronic pain but would I do it again......yes

Advertising

I have been working very hard preparing and getting my house in order. I am promoting my shop and merchandise by having a home jewelry party. I have gathered soooo many ideas from this web site www.squidoo.com/stand_out. Hope it is as helpful to you as it was to me.
PS I finally did receive my long awaited order.

Savings

In these times I know for myself saving money is a great way for me to have a little extra to spend on other areas (jewelry & sewing supplies). I found this web site very helpful with coupons and freebies go to Saving with 6abc. Let me know how you make out. The only thing I had to do was download the coupon printer so my coupons print. It worked for me passing it forward to you. Enjoy

Ambushing

I really like the idea that Artfire Sneakers does. They help people get their sales by ambushing their store. The un-sub is revealed every Tuesday at 9:00 pm. I am coming up with a few ideas of my own.
I would like to mention leafingearth her jewelery is so inspiring to me. She is on artfire and etsy check it out.

I am moving slow these past few days..I had a slip and fall on Friday. I went straight back and hit my head (pounding headache) and really injured my whole right side from hand, elbow, shoulder down to my feet (ouch). This is not a good thin considering I am trying to get my house in order for a in-home jewelry party next Saturday. I have been completing one task at a time.

Up coming item....I don't know about you but I hate when I wear a top and have my bra strap stick out...I will be displaying my new items in a few days how to solve this dilema....keep coming back

Taking advantage of resources

I really need to post a blog more than one time per week. I don't know about the rest of you but I find it difficult keeping up with all the things I need to do on a daily basis to promote my shop.(yes and there are those who are tired of hearing about the complaints of those who have not sold anything. They tend to blame the people for not promoting their shops). I don't believe that pertains to everyone. I work hard at being open to ideas, feedback, etc... I do apply a lot of information to my shop. I like reading the artfire news because there is a lot of information and a lot of how to's. If you have an etsy shop I find their community and all the ideas very helpful. I am constantly working the ideas given which I know will enhance my shop and get some sales. I personally cannot help everyone my paypal account is already to high. I felt bad for the people who have no sales and I would try to find those shops and purchase something I liked. It worked for a while but like I said it was getting very expesive. I now purchase almost all of my jewelry supplies through Artfire or Etsy. I am prefering Artfire to try and get our website out there in cyber world.

I will not name the seller but I have let them know I am not happy with their shipping. I placed several orders April 18th. I have received all my orders but one. This is the 2nd time with this seller. I thought I would give them a 2nd chance because the items are exclusive and I really needed them. Well it is May 2nd and I still have not received them. I think it is important if you post that you ship orders 2 to 5 times per week you do what you say. I have looked into the shops past orders when purchased and when the person posted their comments and I am not the only person this happened to, but yet this seller has 100% ratings and thousands of sales? I don't get it??? I convo'd with the seller and they said they know their irresponsible, time is of value, their doing the best they can, but then change your bio and shipping information. As long as no one rates shipping time others have false information. I look at those things when I am considering a purchase. I am researching other options because this is not good business dealings. PS my items were paid for the same day I ordered them.

Posting

How about wording when you look at an item on a store do you want the specific description without all the jibber jabber or do you like a little story about the item? How about specific words that catches your attention in a description?

Example #1

It is commonplace that all colors and styles fall into and out of favor. The ones featured by Lilly Pulitzer have proven this theory wrong. Their bright iconic palette remains chosen over many others year after year. Just a briny colored green, typical of an olive in a martini, can temper the odd pairing of bright pink and bright green. With this, they fall by the preppiness roadside.
A long hot sandy day at a summer beach, a bracingly refreshing outdoor shower, the puckishness of exuberant suntan therapy, are all antidotes to full beach days. They signal the end of time filled with the grittiness of dry and wet sand, tidal surf movement, stinky free floating seaweed sheets, abandoned shells, sea side feeding at a favored snack bar or ice cream truck. Eventually summer's multiple daytime opportunities need to have a natural curtain fall

Example 2
Sweetest little earrings of small matte dark aqua blue acrylic flowers (12mm wide) and aqua luster fire-polished faceted glass beads. The flowers are accented by vintage floral leaf bead caps and metallic bronze faceted glass beads. Just a petite 3/4” (2cm) in length from the bottom of the elongated antiqued copper kidney wire earring hooks, for a total length of about 2” (5cm).

Just a beautiful day

I just wanted to enjoy the past few days in this georgous weather. I don't know about the rest of you but our temps were in the high
90's it was great. Put a little water in the kids pool and wala like a summer day. I am just trying to get into this blog thing. I see a few more people are following this blog and my 2 old time friends are still hanging in with me. I am thinking I should focus on one web site not both artfire and etsy until I get established. I am finding it very overwhelming trying to do keep up with taking, uploading, describing, etc on 2 sites. I have been checking my stats with google anaylitic and I have been having a lot more hits on artfire. this tool is very helpful. I have to watch the tutorial to see how to customize the reports. Has anyone else found this tool helpful?

Getting it

I am sort of understanding how this all works. I am determined not to give up the fight selling my hand-crafted items on-line. Nor will I sell my items for pennies when I pour my heart and soul into each design along with the cost of supplies (lol). I have not gotten jobs because of my stubborness...I don't believe in getting ahead by walking on others. I have been taught work for what you want. This is a world of "its who you know, not what you know."( probably like that for years) but when the time comes I know I have done the right thing.
There is a really good web-site Artfire sneakers(find the link on chatter box). A time, store, and night is posted. Then all who want ambush the artfire store chosen. The store promoted is the one who has not made their first sale (you have to remain positive and keep trying for that sale). What a compasionate bunch of artisians working together helping one another.
It reminded me of the people who are being affected by the sad state of affairs I was watching the news the past several weeks all the talk about the economy, all the people losing their jobs, family losing their homes, dogs being taken to the SPCA because people can't afford to care for them,...being a social worker or just a compasionate person my next question was where do these people go?..I e-mailed a couple of news ABC, CBS, FOX to ask....recently I seen a broadcast about tent city. Our society is a throw away society, materialistic, out doing our paychecks...things are going into the direction of how it use to be when I was growing up....what is important family, friends, compassion, working as a team rather than an individual...am I on the right page what is your take on it?

EARRING of the MONTH CLUB

When the going gets rough the tough get rougher......so what do I mean.. I am trying to establish my business and increase my sales. This is a very good bargin in these rough times.. For a pair of earrings sent to your home for 3 months for a a small fee of $35.00. Your earrings will be packaged very pretty like getting a secret present throughout the month. They are quality earrings and if you refer someone who also joins (don't forget to tell me and the person to let me know of the referral) you get an extra pair of earrings...more than one person you get not only the earrings but a nice surprise gift within the 3 months.

I SOLD MY FIRST ITEM ON ETSY. HIPHIP HOORAY

This is the first time I have tried to sell my items on-line. In the past I went to craft events, had home jewelry shows, but with the chronic pain issues I needed help to set up and someone to stay with me which people are busy with their own lives and it is not always easy to find someone. It usually led to the following day in bed with pain uncontrollable....So this led me to the internet. I find myself getting very frustrated and hopeless at times (not always) when I anticiapte the logging onto my homepage to see if I had any sales......When it says still waiting sales....it is like BOOM.....I will usually pray read my daily meditation and get in a better mental positive spot.
Then I turn on the tv and realize.....how bad the economy is and people are struggeling to feed their families right now...people losing jobs....people losing their homes.......people not able to feed themselves and their families.....I am blessed not to be there......It is a real great feeling when you have someone reaching out and understanding your frustration. I find that on Artfire if I post a comment. People reach out.

Hello
When I say I don't know what I am doing it is truth.....How do I get my artfire and etsy link on my blog. Also with the pay it forward please e-mail me your address. I think my e-mail is posted. Ladies I really appreciate your help.

Me

I have no real idea what I am doing, but I am sure I will get better as I go along. I read a post in chatterbox which I can relate to. I have been working very hard making my merchandise. I felt like just giving up today then I read someone's post. I followed to ninajen and seen her game idea Pay It Forward (one of my favorite movies) so I participated followed her and now set up my own blog. I had asked for ideas on chatterbox and received very nice positive critiqing. Well I am blabbering so