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Day1 Assignment

PillowThrowDecor


Posts: 1096


« on: May 19, 2009, 03:04:02 am »

Day 1  Tuesday, May 19, 2009

PROMOTION

1) Add your automatic icraft store signature to every email  in Outlook or Outlook express. For Outlook go to Tools, Options, then the Mail Format tab and start creating your NEW signature.  There is a little link button in the small signature frame to add your shop name as a LIVE LINK in every email.  Make it easy for people to go to your shop.  In Outlook Express, go to Tools, Options, Signatures then click on NEW.  As far as I know you cannot put a live link in here. If you feel like you absolutely need to add a second store then create the second link or shop  url right below your icraftgifts.com address.  Your signature might look like the example below.  I use about 5 different signatures depending on my correspondence but my default one is icraftgifts.com
Christine Skaley Reid
PillowThrowDecor
Luxury Handmade Originals
https://icraftgifts.com/pillowthrowdecor

 2)  Craigslist – Post  at least one FREE AD  
 http://www.craigslist.org/about/sites   I don't know if this link is live... you may have to copy and paste it into the address bar.  We’ll be doing a series of ad postings on local Craigslist so pick your communities now.  I don’t know if Craigslist is available to all of you.  If not,  pick another free ad site like Lycos , Oodle or pick one from the list of 53 others at the end of this assignment.  Create a Google Gmail account for your shop and use this address in any free ad site.  I don’t think Craigslist allows you to put your icraft url in the ad.  I describe my pillow and mention “ 150 other styles available in a safe transaction site. For more information email me at …… “ I avoid spam by writing my contact email like this …PillowThrowDecor (at) gmail (dot) com. Do likewise!  

3) List your store in a free local store/buiness directory. Bootcamp emphasizes LOCAL PROMOTION as it is the easiest and the quickest way to generate retail icraftgifts.com sales. One of the sites that I have my business listed in is http://www.smartflyer.ca/webApp/start/Home.aspx which is a publication used by over 300,000 Canadians each month to find flyers and local deals from 100s of community merchants across Canada! Every region state or province has these free business listings.  Find one and list your business and icraft url today.

SHOPKEEPING

Have a good hard critical look at your shop and make a mental list of some of your listings that need tweaking with new photos or new descriptions. Tomorrow we are going to do some updating. There is help on our new thread on the Message Board called “Exhibit Critique” https://icraftgifts.com/forum/b17/store-critique/  I think it’s important that others have a fresh look at your store and give you their honest opinion.


NETWORKING

Call or convo a selling buddy on this site or another site and share with them what you have done so far today …especially the next task.  It often helps to discuss goals with someone else to help you articulate exactly what you want to accomplish.  Talk the Bootcamp program up. You will be amazed how interested people are in helping you meet your goal.

MISCELLANEOUS

1) Get your business cards ready. Order some. Get some. Make some.  Do what you have to do to get ready to start getting your cards out.  That starts tomorrow.  I can recommend PolkadotPixels .com and she is one of our sponsors (look on the sponsor sheet shortly).  She was very quick, reasonable and most importantly I liked what she created for me.  She also did my blog, ads, banner, etc. So If you need help, she is offering a discount (free draw too) to design a business card that you can print off yourself or have professionally printed.

2) Bootcamp Goals  - Spend some time thinking and writing down answers for  the following questions.

How many items can you reasonably produce and list in the next 28 days?
How many sales would you like to make in the next 28 days?
What products would you like to introduce or eliminate from your product line?
To whom will your products appeal to? Describe your buyer (male, female, age, profession, etc)
What areas do you need to tweak in your shop? (pictures, bio, policies, shipping, descriptions, etc)
What networking activities have you been procrastinating but really want to start? (blog, .com,twitter)
Is there a seller/shop out there that you wish you could be like? Or admire? Why?

3) Go to the forum and share any or all parts of today’s assignment under WHAT HAPPENED THREAD. I really need feedback!  Remember to sign out in the CHECK OUT THREAD tonight with a very quick comment saying DONE or ALMOST DONE  or whatever you want to share. These checkouts are important … Free draws are coming!

List of 52 free ad sites
http://www.craftjuice.com/
http://craftstylish.com/
http://www.1000markets.com/
http://www.byhand.me/
http://thehandmadedirectory.com/directory/
http://www.mixxmade.com/
http://www.bluecanvas.com/
http://www.plaincraft.com/
http://www.43things.com/things/view/70128
http://www.postaroo.com/postaroo
http://www.craigslist.com
http://www.twitter.com
http://www.facebook.com
http://getcrafty.com/index_f.php
http://www.stumbleupon.com
http://www.google.com/addurl/?continue=/addurl
http://www.replacement.msn.com/docs/submit.aspx
http://www.ecom.yahoo.com/dir/submit/intro/
http://seocompany.ca/directory/free-web-directories.html
http://www.pageflakes.com
http://www.100craftlinks.com/
http://youcraft.org/
http://www.targetcrafts.com/
http://asdcashgenerator.com/?ref=50684
http://www.adwords.google.com/
http://ArtsCollab.com
http://artzee.net/
http://www.blogger.com/start
http://www.bust.com/girlweb/index.html
http://www.cracker.com.au
http://www.craftsitedirectory.com/index.html
http://craftylinks.com/
http://daisycraft.com/
http://www.designstolove.com/
http://www.dmoz.org/add.html
http://www.electroniccottage.com
http://freecraftfair.com/
http://www.flickr.com/
http://froogle.google.com/
http://www.indiefriendly.com/
http://indiefixx.com/
http://www.indiepublic.com/
http://www.linkedin.com/
http://www.kaboodle.com/
http://www.linkreferral.com/adwel.pl
http://www.ryze.com/
http://www.squidoo.com/
http://www.craftytips.com/
http://www.creativity-portal.com/
http://www.deviantart.com/
http://www.votehandmade.com/
« Last Edit: February 19, 2010, 09:12:58 pm by iCraft Admin »
GalleriaLinda


Administrator
Posts: 442


« Reply #1 on: May 19, 2009, 03:25:57 pm »

Wow. Great list of important things. I am just finding time to do some and will check in later tonight. Murphy's law - day job going crazy!

THANK YOU for all your positive energy and organization. Even I might be able to graduate...lol!
mountaindreamers


Posts: 71


« Reply #2 on: May 19, 2009, 05:31:18 pm »

the list of resources is pretty long, thanks for the ideas!!! Laura
StudioduSoleil


Posts: 43


« Reply #3 on: May 20, 2009, 12:38:15 am »

I completely forgot about some accounts that I have to post pics on (Deviant Art & Indie Public specifically)! Reading through the list reminds me that I have neglected a few avenues for promotion! :oops:

Thanks for the assignment!
Rohini Wahi


Posts: 51


« Reply #4 on: May 20, 2009, 12:33:23 pm »

Hi all,

I LOVE Sellers bootcamp! SO inspirational - it's got me all riled up even though I'm not a seller : ( However I think this Bootcamp can apply to all aspects of trade and marketing, whether its a product you are selling or yourself.

Christine you are doing an amazing job, I can't wait to see what the next 28 days hold for iCrafters. What's exciting is that expectant feeling...of all the endless possibilities out there for your store.

Keep up the great work!

Rohini
x
Rohini Wahi


Posts: 51


« Reply #5 on: May 20, 2009, 12:35:21 pm »

Hi all,

I LOVE Sellers bootcamp! SO inspirational - it's got me all riled up even though I'm not a seller : ( However I think this Bootcamp can apply to all aspects of trade and marketing, whether its a product you are selling or yourself.

Christine you are doing an amazing job, I can't wait to see what the next 28 days hold for iCrafters. What's exciting is that expectant feeling...of all the endless possibilities out there for your store.

Keep up the great work!

Rohini
x
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