September 9, 2010

Marketing Your Crafts Business On A Budget ! – August/September I




My Molds Newsletter




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August / September 2010 Newsletter




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l This Month’s Article



 



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Hello Crafter,



 



Happy Fall! I love this season of transition. Summers over and school’s back in session: the calm before the bustle of the holidays. It’s a great time to take a deep breath of fresh autumn air and prepare for things to come! Now that summer has come to an end, it is time to start switching gears and think about how we are going to plan for the rest of the year.



 



Fall in Love with crisp cool days of Fall by spending a little time doing what you love most. Crafting. Recharge your mind by letting it go wild with ideas, with a little help from us here at Mad About Molds. We can make crafting fun again by creating new designs just for Fall. Have you seen our selection for Fall leafs? Just click on our Flowers & Plants link. There’s also a few more you want to look at on our Seasons page.



 



You won’t want to miss this! So sit back and enjoy this issue of My Molds! J



 






Until next time,




 




Marjorie with Mad About Molds


 






As always, thank you for your time, your wonderful comments and your generous support! I enjoy sharing what I do with you and I love to hear what you think!



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Announcements:



 



 



1.      Have you seen our Movie Clips? Well now we have a new improved version of Steps 1-7 and how they can be completed in about 20 seconds per mold. This just shows how easy and fast our molds really are to use. See our Movie Clips Here!



 



2.      We also have NEW molding instructions with illustrations to show you how Step-by-Step! 10 Steps for using our molds with clay. This great technique will help you to make a perfectly flat backed mold, without distorting your casting when your remove it from the mold. These new instructions are so easy to understand and follow. See them Here!



 



3.      If you are an international customer we have made things a lot easier for you! As you may know it wasn’t possible for your shipping rate to be included in your order, well now that has all changed! So now when you place an order, your shipping rate will be included. We no longer will need to request the remaining amount from you after your order is processed. We hope you will be able to enjoy this and take advantage of this time-saving change.



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Learn more about using our Molds:



 



Learning more… Do more!




Art Clay



Calendar of Inspiration

Castings

Casting Recipes

Creative Ideas

Drawer Pulls & Buttons

Gallery

Using Multiple Molds


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This Month’s Article



 



Ten Tips For Marketing Your Crafts Business On A Shoestring Budget



 



 



If you're like most people just starting to sell their crafts, you don't have a lot of money to spend on marketing. Well, you'll probably be surprised to learn that there are many low-cost and even free ways to market your handmade items. Here are ten tips to get you started.



 



1. Be A Human Billboard



 



If your handmade items are meant to be worn, wear a piece of your work whenever you go out. You'd be surprised how many people will notice it, and compliment you on it. Don't miss the opportunity to graciously whip out your business card and give it to your admirer.



 



2. What, You Don't Have Business Cards?



 



Business cards are a must for anyone who's serious about marketing. You should also have letterhead stationery and fliers, all with your eye-catching logo. It won't take long for people to start to thinking of you whenever they see your logo. 



 



Don't be satisfied with plan-old, boring, white business cards. VistaPrint.com is a great place get bold, attention-getting business cards, stickers, and other promotional items for your business at affordable prices.



 



3. Leave A Trail Of Flyers Behind You Wherever You Go



 



Post your flyer or business card on every public bulletin board you find. Look for them at grocery stores, libraries, schools, Laundromats, colleges, and a host of other places. Leave them at welcome areas along the interstate to draw in tourist traffic.



 



4. The Press Release Is Your Friend



 



Get free publicity by sending press releases to local newspapers. Think out of the box. The free newspapers in your area may feature local artisans with a nice write-up inside. These go to thousands of homes every month. Is there something similar in your area?



 



5. Join Your Local Chamber Of Commerce



 



You should also join local and national craft organizations. Take plenty of business cards along when you attend meetings as these are great opportunities to network with other business owners and crafts artists in your area. The Chamber of Commerce may also publish a list of its members, which will be handy for contacting local organizations.



 



6. Overcome Your Fear Of Public Speaking



 



Once you have the handy list of local groups, you can contact them and offer your services as a speaker. Non-profit organizations, the Rotary Club, the YMCA, and local civic groups usually need speakers to jazz up their meetings. 



 



7. Teach Your Craft



 



If you're a bead worker, organize an after-school class at the local library for teenagers (and their moms) who want to learn to make earrings. You'll be popular and well-loved. Not only can you charge for lessons, but you can sell books and supplies, too. Once you get them hooked on making these things, they'll be back to buy more supplies from you. 



 



8. Make A Donation



 



A great way to get lots of publicity locally is to donate a piece of your work to a charity auction or fundraiser. The organizers usually promote their sponsors in their ads and brochures, which can give your business a nice boost.



 



9. Set Up A Special Showing With Another Crafter



 



Look for someone who produces handmade items that complement yours. If your specialty is hand carved picture frames, perhaps you can team up with a watercolor artist to do a special show during the holidays. You may want to include other crafters, too, to keep your costs lower, and to draw in a bigger crowd.



 



10. Write Articles About Your Craft



 



Your local newspapers are always on the lookout for story ideas. Avoid blatant self-promotion in your article, but mention your business at the end.



 



Look for online ezines that are related to your craft, and offer to do an article. You'll get a link back to your online store in return. There are many article directories online, too. Write interesting, informative articles, and you'll probably develop a following. Be sure to include your store link.



 



There you are - Ten ways you can market your crafts business for free, or at very low cost. What are you waiting for? Get busy!



 



 



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Thank You!