♥lollipops

Saturday, September 10, 2011

How to Make Your Own Email Signature -Video-

Welcome to day six of our Shop Talk series!

So far this is as close as I will get to "vlogging" :)
I hope it is helpful. Enjoy!

After you watch the video and create your signature, you can add a shop link to you signature so when the email recipient clicks your signature their browser will open to your online shop :)

Here's how to add the link:
In Apple Mail compose a new email and add your signature to the body.

Highlight the part of the signature you want to add a link to and click edit,

and then click link and "add"

Type in the URL.

Click OK. Then copy and paste that signature replacing your signature in "Signatures".

It will look the same but now have the link!

Happy designing! See you tomorrow for Advertising.

xoxo,

krystina

Friday, September 9, 2011

Design & Code Your Own Shop Button

Welcome to day five of our Shop Talk series!

I hope you've enjoyed the series so far :)

Today I will share a bit about how to make a "button".

A button is HTML code to display a picture of your product and

link to your online shop when clicked.

You can use your button on your own blog, in email newsletters,
and as your ad for advertising your shop on other blogs.

I recommend using a photo of your core product(s) importing it into picasa 3, picnik, or photoshop,

whichever you are most comfortable with.

Picasa and picnik are super easy. Just import your photo and add text (shop name?). You can change colors & fonts if you like. Then you will upload the photo to picasa, flickr, photobucket... and all you have to do is use the link to that photo inside the code that tells the browser which photo to display.

here's how to code:

So this code will display my what i love wednesday button:

See you tomorrow for Email Signature DIY ;)

xoxo,

krystina

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Book Recommendations

Welcome to day four of our shop talk series!

I love books, especially helpful ones.

I am usually reading non-fiction, there is always so much to learn.

Here are some great books to help you with your shop!

Craft Inc by Meg Mateo Ilasco; my friend Lindsey of the pleated poppy recommended this book to me.

Craft Inc has mini interviews with artists who started at the beginning just like us. In this book they share their mistakes, successes, and inspiration. Meg gives a ton of business sense, advice, and how to's. From pricing to employees to what to do about burnout. It's put together very nicely, easy to read either cover to cover or a quick reference!

The Handmade Marketplace by Kari Chapin

The Handmade Marketplace is similar to Craft Inc and my favorite sections from this book are: branding your business, setting up an inspirational space, and crafting in a small spaces.

Unmarketing by Scott Stratten

Scott was the closing keynote speaker at Blissdom 2011 and talks about marketing by getting to know your customers, having conversations with them instead of broadcasting AT them. Scott has transformed several companies with his strategies. One of my favorite tweets from Scott - "Every time you auto-cross post to Twitter from Facebook/LinkedIn, a unicorn dies." :) follow scott @unmarketing

Hire Blog Help by Jeannett Gibson

Jeannett of life rearranged recently came out with an ebook. Affordably priced for those who need virtual help with their blogs. It has guests like Lindsey Cheney, Maggie Whitely and Lisa Leonard for help and great ideas. This is mostly for blogging, so if you have a blog or are starting one + a shop you will have your hands full. I highly recommend this book!

Also look for books pertaining to your craft in particular + online video tutorials.

See you tomorrow for Designing & Coding Your Own Shop Button!

xoxo,

krystina

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

What I Love Wednesday {No. 31}

Happy Wednesday friends!

To go along with our photography shop talk post today...

I am loving photography :)

Specifically through instagram!!

These are just a few of my faves from the past ;)

I love with instagram I can take a photo, choose from several fun filters,

and share it on just about any social medium I choose!

I can't wait to see what you're loving!

xoxo,

Photographing Your Wares

Welcome to day three of our shop talk series!

The most important thing i have learned while taking photos of my wares is lighting. The best light? Bright indirect daylight, you don't want the sun directly on your goods, and you don't want shadows. Indoors, near a window is always easiest for me. There are some wares that reflect flash like paper, leather, seqiuns, metal, glass, and glitter -this makes it hard to tell what the product really looks like. You can also use a light box - this is a great homemade light box DIY!

Another important aspect is details. Your product details and the details in the picture with your product. Make sure there is no unfinished stitching, dried glue, dust, etc your product needs to be finished and perfect ready to deliver to your bestie or your most loyal customer (all your products should show your best workmanship every time for all customers). Then the details around your wares - do you have a vintage looking necklace to sell? Maybe place it with vintage shoes or a purse in the background.

Maybe even simpler, a vintage lamb figurine. Just something that gives a feel to the photo. Maybe you only photograph your goods with a pretty, unintrusive fabric in the background. Other ideas: a pretty tea cup, a delicate leaf, brick wall, graffiti, glass pebbles, cork, weathered wood fence/planks, shells, a simple flower, old postal stamps, children's toys, a typewriter, a stack of books, tools that help create your product, the possibilities are endless. Pinterest is a great place to get ideas of details in the background for your photos. I also like design*sponge, a beautiful mess, and a freckled nest.

Try to experiment with different angles it's easy to take a photo of your product looking down at it straight on from above. Although it may be more interesting to take a photo of it from one corner or side almost from the same surface going across your product with the focus.

Or try only focusing on one important aspect of your product while slightly blurring the rest. Can you photograph your product in use, being worn, held by a child's hands, or with items people use it with?

For instance stationery could be photographed with a pen at a desk, maybe even with someone writing a letter on that pretty stationery. A child cupping a necklace charm in their delicate hands. A model (or a friend) wearing your purse or maxi dress on the beach looking out at the ocean.

Again the possibilties are endless. Look at the big guys like Anthropologie, Starbucks, or Apple - how do they get you to want? Just because you're small or just starting out doesn't mean you can't employ the same techniques :)

Ok today your assignment is to try taking photos of your goods with all the details set, experimenting with different backgrounds and angles. Choose 3 of your favorite, blog about them to share your work on our linky party next Saturday September 17th. You could even post before & after (this assignment) what improved in your photography.

See you tomorrow for recommended books :)

xoxo,

krystina

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Time Management

Welcome to day 2 of our Shop Talk series!

Part of having your own shop and selling wares means you need to do things, have a plan, and stay focused. Being busy doesn't necessarily mean you are productive. You might even be more tired than you need to be.

Write down how your schedule looks right now then next to it write how you would like it to look - add things you want to be doing and should be doing. Are you focused or meandering throughout the day? Having goals and setting appointments will keep you focused and productive.

Also having a place for everything and everything in it's place is extremely time saving!

Several planner companies have a system you can learn from their website to stay focused and efficient while reaching your goals each day.

some great planners/calendars are

Much ado about you... ( my favorite )

i have also used franklin covey and day timer in the past...

franklin covey

day-timer

The key is to use it! Write everything you need to do in it, all of your appointments, and engagements. Then look at it everyday. If you don't write everything in it it is useless. If you don't look at it everyday it is useless. The whole point of keeping a planner (this took me several years to realize) is to write in it and refer to it everyday. We can't hold everything in our heads and it's exhausting when we try to. Give yourself a break, write it down and focus on life and work :)

I highly recommend reading franklin covey's how to set goals and write a mission statement. This teaches you how to work toward something you want everyday, while doing it with your best character and values.

I also have used iCal - I love the alarm feature. I also love the fact that I can customize the colors on iCal.

Here's a quick tutorial:
control click the calendar you want to change the color of I chose my blog schedule
click "get info"

click the color to the right

choose the "other" option

select any color your heart desires :)

you can change all of your colors into a pretty theme

happy planning :)

See Balance and Productivity & Incentives next week for more tips on this topic.
See you tomorrow for tips on photographing your wares.

xoxo,

krystina

Monday, September 5, 2011

Would You Buy It?

Hello friends!
Welcome to our Shop Talk series.
When getting started in the world of handmade this is the first question you should ask yourself:
Would You Buy It?

You came up with an original work of art, something practical and beautiful, would you buy it? Yes? Continue...

How much would you pay?
Good business sense is very important, without it you may very easily go out of business. Spending a penny more than you earn ends your business. Being original and passionate is what handmade is all about. Revolve your shop name, logo, and blog around your core products. It can be the products themselves or a feeling you get when you see or use the products. Keep it simple and uncomplicated.

coke=easy

courtesy of coke

apple=easy

courtesy of apple

super shiny glitter gloss purses by sara=complicated

Sometimes I see something I like but is already being made and sold. I can make one for myself or a friend or for my girls. But I don't need to turn around and sell it - to me that would be stealing. Online social networking and sales is a see-through world. You are fully exposed. The most successful are always the most scrutinized - like under a microscope! Honesty is always the best policy. Good character, believe it or not, gives amazing peace of mind!

Is your product you? Does it match your personality somehow? This makes it easier to sell. Part of marketing your wares is about selling yourself - not in the sense "you sold out! what a sell out." In the sense people like you, they want to be like you or look like you or feel like they are a part of your super cool life so they subscribe to your program, drink your kool-aid.

Time to do some research.
download and print out this worksheet to help you get started

Thank you for joining me today!

See you tomorrow for Time Management :)

xoxo,

krystina