Where are you?

Justice League Knit Golf Club Cover Pattern
by TraceyKnits

Have you ever googled yourself? You know you have at one time or another done a search to see what people out there are seeing about you. You may have even googled your Etsy shop, but have you googled the competition?


I had a a BIG wakeup call the other day when I decided to do a google search for "knit golf club covers". The first sign of my shop was on page 4, and that was a review from a blog. The link to my actual shop came up on page 8.


PAGE 8!


You know that no one is going to leaf through 8 pages to find my shop unless the first 7 are filled with garbage, which I must say, where not. None of the others made anything like what I make, but how can they find me on page 8?


Think about your SEO!


This is a perfect example of why SEO is important. And how did I correct the problem you may ask? Well I will tell you: View Source.


Every webpage has a source code that you can view by clicking on "View/Developer/View Source" in your navigation's toolbar. In the meta tags, under keywords, you will find what you need. Go to the first page that comes up and read those keywords, they may be the thing that is leaving your shop at the bottom of the pile!


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Time to Change

It was inevitable. My website was going to have to change in a major way. Not that I dont love all of you who follow me so loyally, just the opposite is true. I want to very much to give you the best website possible that I have been working feverishly to figure out how best to serve you.

Great Scott! I have found the answer!

Like many of you out there, I am a sports widow. I adore my husband, but I am NOT a fan of watching sports on TV. How do you survive this life of spousal fandom? Lets take the journey together. Maybe we will even learn to appreciate the down-time a little :)

If you are ready to take the wild ride, please sign up for my email newsletter. I will be contacting everyone when the big re-launch happens, and may even have some great surprises!

Top Shop: Waste of Money

You are a crafter. You have a shop on etsy where you sell your handmade creations. You sell a few items a week/month, enough to pay for your supplies and listing fees with maybe a little something extra.

Does this description fit you to a tee? Then it is time for you to make a decision: 
are you a crafter or an entrepreneur?

Hand Stenciled Shirt by Verbing

This is how I answered that question for myself:

• Do you seek out anything and everything that might help you learn to make your shop a success?
• Do you subscribe to newsletters of blogs featuring articles on making your shop work?
• Do you check your shop stats often to see what new ideas have worked for you?
• Do you imagine yourself working full time on your shop?

If you said yes to these questions, you may have the right stuff. Sometimes it takes a little more then you can find online for free to make it as a crafting entrepreneur. You can find that online for prices ranging from $4 to $1000, depending on how much help you think you need.

If you are not putting this effort in already, chances are these programs are a waste of money for you. Enjoy your moderate success. You may stumble upon sales without effort, and you will definitely enjoy making your products, but you will not have wasted your time and money on these serious programs. 

Still interested? I will be sure to highlight some of my favorite programs over the next few weeks.

Right Tool For The Job

Wood Knitting Needles by Baahurrah

There are many similarities between knitting and golf. One of the most important is using the right tools for the job. As a golfer I would never pick up a driver to putt a few feet, and as a knitter I wouldn't use aluminum straights to knit socks.

So how do you learn what is the right tool for the job? Well in both cases, it is a combination of advice and experience.

When I first began knitting, I was told that the easiest thing to learn on was bamboo. You are less likely to drop stitches because of its "sticky" nature. I loved knitting on them and began investing in bamboo needles in every size. Now I have a collection of needles I barely use. Why? Because once I got past the learning stage, I found out that aluminum needles are a lot "faster" and lighter.

So now its your turn, what have you learned in your craft from experience? 

Top Shop: 13 billion dollars

Handpainted Wooden Pin by StudioFludd

You are not alone in the crafting universe, but if you are making a living at it as your full time job, you are definitely in the minority. According to CODA (craft organization development association), 127,000 people in the US list craft artist as their primary occupation. This, of course, does not include 26,000 painters and sculpters, 137,000 photographers, and all those people who do it on the side.

So why try? The craft business in this country generates $13,800,000,000 in revenue annually. That includes supplies sold and finished products. The average gross income of a crafter is $76,000. That is a pretty nice number for getting to do what you love. 79% work from a home based studio, so you would get to work in your pajamas. 52% of their sales are direct to their customers. That is the one that I found most amazing.

More then half of professional crafter's sales come from selling directly to their customers.

That means you control your own fate. The harder you work towards your goal, the more likely you are to achieve it. Work harder, work smarter, keep your eyes on the prize.

Top Shop: Stats that will blow your mind

Agnes by CricketandBear

63% of us decide NOT to buy a product advertised on the Internet because we think the shipping and handling charges add too much to the order.*


80% of Americans say giving personal information (especially their credit card information) over the Internet scares the living sh#t out of them.*
*stats from home business for beginners


Do these blow your mind? Both directly effect you if you sell your handmade creations online. So how do you deal with these major obstacles to selling on the Internet? Here are some ideas:

1. Offer free or at cost shipping. You can add a little to the price of the item if you are concerned about the loss of money, but you may make the difference up in volume anyway.
2. You can offer free shipping as a coupon code in your shop announcement. People who were smart enough to browse your whole shop will benefit.
3. Use services like paypal to accept credit cards and offer to take other forms of payment too.
4. Be sure to indicate in your store policies that you do not share personal information and have no hidden fees, then keep to your word.

Now you can get to work chipping away at that large percentage of scaredy-cats. What have you tried to quell those shoppers fears?

Top Shop: What's The Big Idea?

Dancing Bear Golf Club Covers by TraceyKnits on Etsy

I am super excited that I found my big idea. In the way that Steve Martin was when he discovered his "Special Purpose" in The Jerk, I now know what it is I bring to the world through my work. How did I come upon it? Well, I was hoping you would ask me that :)

While Watching Kathy Lee and Hoda the other day, the show had a feature on fashions in sports clothing. So far, right up my alley right? A lot of the outfits were very new designs for running, tennis, etc... then there was golf. The golfer was wearing something super-sexy and cool; something I would love to wear on the course but KNOW I would never see on any of the golfers I know. The thought got in my mind, why do these golfers take themselves so seriously? Why is their equipment and clothing so serious? What I love most about my golf club covers is that they are light-hearted and fun; not so serious. Soooooo...


I am putting play back in the game.

Yay! My big idea!

Everyone needs a big idea that drives their company. Some call it a moto, others a slogan. It is imperative to the success of your shop that you know why you do what you do. It is one of the reasons your customers choose your shop over others that may offer similar items. Reebok and Nike both have sneakers, but Nike has "Just Do It", a slogan that has brought them success beyond their competitors.

Now my customers will know why they should choose my shop; I will make their golf game more fun by the addition of my club covers.

Do you know your big idea? Share it in the comments below.

Top Shop: the twitter experiment (part 2)

All You Need Is Love by AbbieRoad

If you didn't read Part 1, you can check it out here.

Now on to Part 2...

It was a total failure! I am terrible at scheduling myself to do anything. Even when I have it written in a calendar it will often go undone unless I FEEL like it.

Day 1, 2, 3... I tweeted a link to my shop, when I remembered, then didn't do it at the same time the next day. Then I lost interest in the experiment. So goes the life of an adult with ADD.

There is a lesson to be learned here.

1. play to your strengths. If it is not in your nature to work on a schedule like that every day, don't force yourself. Nothing important can come from your struggle.
2. twitter, while it is a wonderful free tool for promotion, is not the be-all end-all. What works for some wont for others.
3. Yes, I do get small jumps in traffic from twitter, but a large portion of the traffic to my shop is from google searches. That I learned on google analytics.

anyone else want to try the twitter experiment and let me know how it turns out for them?

FREE PATTERN! Plus: Learn to knit in the round

I spend most of my time now-a-days knitting golf club covers of various characters. It is hard to believe that a few short years ago (2005 to be exact) I had not knit a stitch. Now I can cast on and knit without even thinking about what I am doing.

You too can knit my golf club covers, but first, grasshopper, you must learn to knit in the round. Below is a great pattern to start with. You will make a complete project and learn the technique in an afternoon.

ADDED BONUS:

I have made a video tutorial! These videos will walk you through 3 of the most popular techniques used when knitting in the round. Learn how to use Double Pointed Needles, 2 Circulars, or 1 Circular for Magic Loop.

Materials:
Worsted Weight Yarn
size 8 US DPN's or circular knitting needles
scissors
darning needle

Pattern:
Cast on 40 stitches and connect them in the round
*k1 p1*, repeat across to 4"
Cast off
You can see mine on a cup on the right --->

You now have what can be used as a funky wrist band or a coffee cup cozy! AND you have learned the basic technique of knitting in the round.

You can pick up one of my more advanced patterns (like the one on the left) in my etsy shop, or on ravelry.

Top Shop: Thinking in Advance

Calendar Necklace by PunkyJane

Retail has a holiday schedule. All summer we stock up for the Christmas rush. In January, jewelers stock up for Valentine's Day. Currently I am stocking up for Father's Day.

Thinking about what holidays are around the corner is very important to your shop.

• Take out a calendar. 
• Take out that great chart of sales from last year. 
• See if there are any holidays that fall around your busiest times of year. 

Those are your key holidays!

Now, take that calendar and mark it 6 months ahead of that holiday. This is when you are going to start your planning. It may seem like a long time, but if you get a good head start, you are sure to have just what you need in time for that date.

What holidays do you need to prepare for in your niche?

Top Shop: Go Team

Baseball Golf Club Covers

Etsy has a lot of teams. A LOT of teams. I am not going to discuss any of them today. This article is not about Etsy Teams the way you may have experienced them in the past...

The Team I am going to propose to you today is more like a Think Tank. A small group of creatives get together, it is of no consequence if their shops sell even remotely similar items, in fact it may be helpful if they sell drastically different things. This group then takes on the task of helping each other make their shops the best they can be.

Face it, we all have aspects of our shops we love and hate. Things we are good at and things we probably could use a little help with. What you are good at is probably not the same as your neighbor. So lets get together and share our strengths and get something great in return!

If you are interested in participating in a Think Tank, I am sure their are others like you who would be happy to join in. Please comment below with:

• your etsy shop link
• what you think you could bring to the team as your strength. 

Hopefully we will be able to get teams together with a diverse a group as possible.

Top Shop: the twitter experiment

There have been many etsy experiments I have read about, most of them involving re-listing at its focus. I have not found any change in sales for myself in the past from re-listing so i have decided to try something else; Twitter.

Twitter has been a great resource for me. I have made many "friends" and connections across the country and the world. Many of them have similar interests to my own. Some who just want to have a zillion followers. Either way, keeping things interesting and re-tweets are the key to success in the twitterverse.

This is my experiment:
I plan on using it as I normally do most of the day. Sporadically making inane comments on life and business, however, I will make sure to tweet a link to my website with a clever tie-in once per day. I will change the time every day to see how tweeting at that specific time on that day effected my traffic/sales. Of course I will chart everything and be sure to share the findings with you.

Brand New from Handmadeology!

If you dont already know about it and you are a seller on Etsy, shame on you! Handmadeology by Timothy Adam is one of the most important sites for handmade sellers to be aware of. Once again, he has brought a new must see site for us called the Handmade Top 10.

Products are featured and voted on by you. Check out all the categories, vote on your favorites, add your items to the appropriate categories so others can vote for you. He has even put in convenient links to share on twitter and facebook to get more votes.

Be sure to go to the Handmade Top 10, and while you are there vote for my Yoda Golf Club Cover in the Geekery Category :)

Top Shop: Fear Rules

Sun of All Fears by Egolikeness

Don't moms have the best advise? I am not saying that with even the slightest hint of sarcasm. Yes, sometimes I feel like my mother should keep her opinions to herself, but this time she was spot on.

I have been struggling with some of the exercises in my Blacksburg Belle Blogging Rockstar program. I was telling my mother about how the questions just took me out of my comfort zone and I was feeling immobilized by it. Her response, "Just make something up." BRILLIANT!

Now she was not telling me to lie or tell stories, she was simply saying that sometimes if you start writing something, anything, it will get your brain working. Plus, very often the first thing that pops into your head is the answer you were looking for. Don't be afraid of the page, make a copy of your form and fill in the final version after you have worked it out on the scrap.

Mommies are the best, and I can say that because I am one :)

Top Shop: Be Original

Artist by NatashaVonBraun

New ideas are hard to come by, so when you have one protect it like a mother grizzly. That doesn't mean you have to "go rogue", but it does help to know your rights. Trademark and Copyright laws are complex and hard for the average person to understand so SmallerBox.net has broken it down into easy to understand tidbits. Whether you are the artist creating original work or the handmade shop getting inspiration from pop-culture icons, learn what is protected and what is infringement.

Beware The Brand Bully

Patents, Copyrights and Trademarks

Legally Protecting Your Original Designs

What the Heck is "Trade Dress"

Parody and Derivative Works

Top Ten Crafter Must Haves

Keep Calm and Craft On Ladies T by BoldBanana

Can you imagine some people dont keep these things around the house? I have an overstocked collection of crafting supplies but there are those just beginning their stash. Here are the must haves for all creative types.

1. Library Card I am starting with this one because it is no longer a given that everyone has one of these. What a great resource for ideas! They stock books on every kind of craft; you can make copies of your favorites if you wish, or just bring the book back when you are done with it. Be sure to check out the crafting books in the adult and children's sections, you never know what will have that idea you need.
2. Self Healing Cutting Mat Don't destroy your kitchen table with that x-acto knife, cut on a mat, that is what it is made for. The self healing part will prevent you from going over the lines of your previous project. 
3. Hot Glue Gun Great on just about any surface for some serious gluing action. Dries clear and you can pick off the little strings after it dries very easily.
4. X-Acto Knife I mentioned this along with the self healing mat. Use it to cut out those detailed paper dolls or a straight line. Just be sure to change the blade when it gets dull or the point breaks; and watch your fingers!
5. Metal Ruler It can measure, it has a straight edge, you cant cut into it, what cant this amazing item do! Be sure you get one with a cork backing so it wont slide around as you use it.
6. Colored Paper From the fanciest scrapbooking sheets to the cheapest pad of construction paper, you will use this for so many projects. Cut it up, draw on it, rip it to pieces, even sew it together; there are a million uses for this craft room staple.
7. Yarn I know what you may be thinking: Tracey, I am not a knitter, what do I need yarn for? There are millions of projects that never use a knit or purl stitch you can use yarn for. Pick up a few small balls in various colors and maybe some needlepoint floss as well.
8. Pencils This is my drawing item of choice. I use standard #2 with the pink eraser for drawing and colored pencils for loads of projects. Great for drawing as well as marking your cutting lines. Just be sure to have a pencil sharpener as well!
9. Old Shirts SOOOOOO many uses for old t-shirts. You need a smock, done. You need a project bag, sew it up. You need a rag to clean up, it can do that too. There are books filled with projects just using old shirts. 
10. Binder Remember how I said to make copies of your favorite projects from library books? Well this is where you are going to keep them all. A folder would probably work too, but I find that they overflow way too fast. Stash all your ideas in one place for easy access. 

Your faves not included in this list? What would you say is your Must-Have craft supply?

Forever Learning

"When you stop growing you start dying."
— William S. Burroughs

Chalkboard Teacher Notebook by Gibberish2

I decided to open my etsy shop about a year and a half ago exclusively to sell my hand-knit items. Research on how to sell crafts became part of my life. I have spent at least 10 hours every week since then reading everything i can get my hands on about how to improve my business. Some have been very inspiring, others less so, but I would never have known that had I not taken the time to try.

Today I take my first live session with April of BlackburgBelle. This is the first time I am paying for help with my site. I felt like I had exhausted much of the free resources, and with the success and growth I have seen in my business, it was time to re-invest. April has been working me HARD already. 4 weeks before our first class the homework began. Think about your customers, inspirations, blog ideas, short biography, etc... I am officially overwhelmed! Taking a break became necessary.

ANYWAY... the point I really wanted to make is that it is very important to not limit yourself to what you already know. Yes, I know how to knit. I know how to write a pattern. But as we in the all know, it takes allot more then that to run a shop. Expand your skill base. There are tons of free and cheap resources available online. Also, be sure to check out your local library for great books on selling your crafts. And lastly, give yourself a break. You are not going to learn everything in a day, take your time and learn as you go, you may find that you are learning as much from the experience as from the research.

Why Do They Want This Instead Of That?

The Riddler Question Mark Fingerless Gloves by TinyBully

I have been putting allot of thought into this question recently. My shop offers 3 products: golf club covers, football helmets, and patterns. I strive to have current items in my shop, like football teams during football season, and make sure most of the winningest teams are represented. I have been featured on the front page of etsy several times, and even made it to CNBC. Dont feel bad for me, I know these are impressive accomplishments, especially in a shop that is less then 2 years old.

This is what gets me; my number 1 item in terms of views is my Pittsburgh Steelers football helmet hat. It has been on the front page twice and was recently featured in a pre-superbowl etsy email. 3500 views and 77 hearts! That is 2000 more views then my next highest item. I have never sold that hat. I have had at least 20 custom orders based on that listing, but the original hat is still in stock.

OBVIOUSLY people like the hat and I am very happy to fill any custom order based on its design, but I will tell you this is not the only item this has happened with. I designed the Grateful Dead Dancing Bears golf club covers with my father in mind and ended up creating several versions of the bears for custom orders (including the panda) but did not sell the original 2. It doesn't stop there either. Do I not have my finger on the pulse of my customer? Why am I just slightly off so often? How do you figure out what people want?

Top Shop: Stats Analysis (part 2)

If you read my first top shop article on stats you already know how to use etsy stats and paypal to get a better look at how your shop is really doing. I have discovered yet another way to get a better idea of how you are doing. This time it is especially for your blogger blog and your facebook fanpage.

I had no idea that blogger had all this information readily available. Sign into blogger and look at the tabs under your blog name. The last tab on the right is called Stats. DUH! They have collected some great information there. You can see how many people have checked out your blog in the last day, week, and month. I found the most popular posts to be very helpful, it gave me a better idea of what people really like. Almost 500 people have come to read my DIY article on recycled art postcards. That is far and away the most views for any one of my articles.

Now lets talk about that Facebook fanpage. I know they send you some basic stuff in an email every week, and they have that cute little box of basic insights in the left-hand column of your page, but did you ever think to click on see more? I have never done that as I am assuming many of you have not either. It is full of useful info on who is frequenting your fanpage. Some of which could be very helpful in finding your demographic. While looking at the insights, I found out that the vast majority of people looking at my page were in their 30's to 40's and female. In fact, I had barely any male viewers at all! There were quite a few people who looked at my page but did not comment on my posts. I am hoping to change that shortly. I could use this information for facebook ads, which I am sure they would like, though I will likely use it to discuss topics that are closer to my audience's heart.

What do ya think? Were you surprised by any of the things you found out?

Top Shop: Organize your Space (Part 3)

If you are just joining us, you can read all about Day 1 and Day 2 of this project. Now, on with the show...

Day 3 was a Monday morning. I am surprisingly efficient on monday mornings, I think it is my most productive time of the week. i got my kids on the schoolbus then got right down to business.

There were still piles stacked up outside of the room and even some that ended up back in the art room so that I could add items to the cabinets as I went. My greatest challenge lie in the space stocked with the kids stuff as well as some of my old cardmaking supplies. I emptied out the whole thing and noticed allot of dried up paint and markers, as well as half empty boxes. This was no good. I consolidated all the usable items, even bringing down my stamps and an old school bedazzler. I must have thrown out a bucket of old markers and paint pens!

Once the challenge of the kids area was taken care of, I was able to start work on re-organizing the yarn I actually use for my shop. I already had most of it stored in clear plastic containers by color, but I still had a hard time finding what I needed most often. This time I took out my handy-dandy chart and was sure to put the most used yarns in the easiest place to find them.

Since I completed this project I have done 2 projects; a NY Giants football helmet and a Yoda golf club cover. Both use completely different yarns. I was able to quickly and easily locate all the yarn and tools I needed, flipped through my pattern notebook to find the patterns and get right to work.