Today's win-win: Free website giveaway!

Do you need a website? 

I need fresh new websites for my portfolio!

Let's help each other out - it's a win-win.

Whoohoo!

I will build a basic 3-page website for free*, in exchange for allowing me to use it as an example of my work when advertising my marketing business.

You provide the content (text) and pictures, and we'll work together on what design you have in mind.

What do you you get in this free website dealio? 

• You get a basic three page website designed and built. While I recommend one page should be your homepage, the other two can be anything you like. It's your site. Tell me what you want.
• All of your social networking sites will be integrated into your website - Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, blog, photo sharing, event calendar, etc. 
• Unlimited emails with your domain name, such as you@whoohoo.com 
• Your site will be listed in all of the major search engines. 
• As an added bonus, you get a QR code that can be used to promote your website in print and online 

How do I get this free website?
Just "Like" my Pam Hawk Marketing Facebook page and leave a comment telling me what kind of business you want the website for. Hurry! The first three comments get a free website. Super simple.

So what are you waiting for? Get over there and tell me about your business! Go on; I'll wait right here.

*Gosh, you say it's free, Pam. So what's this asterisk for? Is there a catch?
Yes, actually I'm glad you mentioned that. I wouldn't say it's a catch, just the cost of having a website.
While I am providing my website building services for free, there is still the cost of publishing a website live on the internet. This is the one cost you'll be responsible for. The cost will vary a bit, depending on what kind of website you're interested in, but I'm all about getting the most bang for a buck, so we'll keep it as budget friendly as possible.


Well can you at least give me a ballpark price? 
Accounting for a little variation, we're looking at your annual cost to be under $120. That averages out to about $10/month. This price includes both your hosting fee and annual domain renewal.


Can you say that in English?
Think of having a website like having a phone.

• The domain is your very own version of www.whoohoo.com and like a phone number, and you have to pay an annual fee to keep your domain. Usually it's about $10/year. 
• Web hosting is like having a calling plan, and you can pay monthly or annually. It costs less overall if you pay annually, of course. This price can vary, but the company I prefer using is less than $120/year. Plus this company uses only wind power for their offices and equipment, and appeals to this Oregon girl. (That would be me. I live in Oregon and am proud to be a dog-loving, recycling, rained-upon treehugger.)

What the heck is a QR code?
This funky little square barcode is cellphone readable and can store any alphanumeric data you can think of, such as website addresses, phone numbers, special messages, coupon codes, email addresses, etc. Here is an example of a QR code:

Facebook "Like" marketing experiment - update

Last month I posted about marketing on Facebook using their Like button. I was using it for my own marketing project, learning as I did it, and posting about what I did and how it worked.

In my project, I posted 15 flower pictures that I had taken last summer, and asked people to vote for their favorites with the Like button so I could narrow down the top 12 to make calendars. When the voting ended, I wanted to choose one person who voted to get a calendar.

Here are the earlier posts:
Marketing via Facebook "Like"
Facebook "Like" Marketing Experiment - Part II

Here are the pros and cons of what I did:
Pros -

• While I didn't get a lot of people involved, the few who did were very active and not only voted, but added comments to most pictures.
• I learned the difference between Facebook Groups and Facebook Pages and learned how to build a Page. (Here is an explanation about the difference between the two.) 
• I discovered a bunch of useful Facebook applications that help me do what I wanted to do within the Facebook guidelines. The list of links is below.

Cons -

• I learned that while asking people to vote is allowed, doing a giveaway on my own Facebook page is against Facebook rules. Facebook can only be used to lead people to a non-Facebook website where the contest/giveaway can be conducted.
• Giving away one free calendar with flower pictures did not create a lot of buzz. No surprise there. Giving away something free to everyone who participated would have created more buzz. More on that in an upcoming post when I tell you about Stacy's Pita Chips. Huge buzz.
• In order to comply with Facebook rules, I created Help Pick the Top 12, which is a separate website with voting buttons under each picture (actually it was a blog) and the challenge was encouraging people to click over from Facebook to vote. I did get some votes, but not a huge amount.
• While I did find sites and applications to help me market with Facebook "Like," I personally didn't have the time to work on this more and develop it into a bigger project with bigger results. I don't know if it would have mattered with flower pictures, anyway. 

While I didn't have any big Wow moments, I learned a lot about using Facebook as a marketing tool. I hope when you are planning to market your product or service via Facebook and want to take advantage of the Like button, my experience helps you to pick up where I left off. I'd hate for you to waste valuable time learning about this from the beginning like I have.

Meanwhile, here are links to sites that I have used or would use with my next Facebook marketing campaign:

Crowd Conversion - If you can look past the the hype, you'll find an interesting webinar, videos, and links.

Like Button - Yes, it seems strange that I have included the Like Button page, but this shows you how to add a Like button to your blog or website. When visitors to your website click your embedded Like button, it shows up on their personal Facebook page and your website/blog is broadcasted to all their friends. It's Like Button marketing in its most basic form. Here is what it looks like when added to your site. Click it and see how it appears on your Facebook profile. You can click Unlike to remove it from your profile if you want. (My feelings won't be hurt.)





Facebook for Websites - If you're a geek or have a geek working on your business website, this offers code and tutorials to integrate your site with Facebook. There are even options for Facebook users to opt-in to receive messages from you (your business.) One caveat is unless you're technically minded, this page might make your head spin. I consider myself a geek and still had a hard time with some of the info here.

Facebook Promotions - This is the one I should have used from the beginning. The description on the page says it best: "Promotions for Fan Pages is a Facebook verified application for companies & agencies to run branded interactive promotions on Facebook Fan Pages. Promotion formats include: sweepstakes, contests, coupon giveaways, special deals and more..."

My Merch Store - Not so much a page that helps you market your business through Facebook, but more a way to create and sell merchandise that markets your business. Merchandise that you can create and sell via Facebook includes t-shirts, cards, key chains, mugs, etc.

Do you have any other links or tips to share?


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Facebook "Like" marketing experiment - Part II

Here is the text that I used to get things rolling. I edited and edited and edited until there were no extra words and the message was clear:

This year for Christmas gifts, I'm making calendars from these photos I shot this summer at Swan Island Dahlias - but I have too many pictures.

Will you help? Just "Like" your favorites and I'll use the top 12.

The 12 pictures with the most "Likes" will be featured in the calendar. I'll count up the most popular ones on the weekend before Thanksgiving. (Saturday 11/20/10)

When the calendars are printed, I'll randomly pick someone who liked at least one picture and send them a calendar as well. (Sure, your friends can "Like" their favorites, too.)

Thanks for the help!
-Pam

Update:
Apparently, if your friends "Like" a photo in your album, it doesn't show up in their profile. Any comments they make simply say, "Mary commented on your photo."

That's definitely not going to create a buzz. I'll post a solution here after figuring out the best way to fix this.

In addition to that, Jennifer pointed out some rules regarding promotions on FB (in a comment on the last post here.) I'm working on modifying the thing to make it FB friendly and will let you know what I come up with. Like stated at the beginning, this is an experiment. I'm learning as I go and bringing you along so you can learn more, too.







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Marketing via Facebook "Like"

This fall I am conducting a little experiment on Facebook to see firsthand how the "Like" feature can create a viral effect. Like many people, I casually dabble in Facebook but haven't taken any Facebook classes or spent a lot of time studying how to make my concept go from 0 to 1,000,000 in two days.

Many of the businesses that I "Like" are locally owned venues with fans numbering between a handful to maybe a couple hundred at most. These pages use Facebook more as a cocktail hour extension, keeping their fans in the loop with upcoming local events and special deals.

In order to learn more about how I could use the "Like" feature in big ways, I'm going to pose a small contest, of sorts.

It all started when I came up with this year's Christmas gift to the grown-ups in my family. Each household gets the same thing - a handmade or home cooked something or other. Last year it was hand-sewn grocery bags, fresh bread, and homemade jam. The previous year it was homemade BBQ sauce with corn bread mix, and a few BBQ cooking and eating accessories. This year I'm making calendars from photos I shot this summer at Swan Island Dahlias.

My problem: I can't whittle down my favorites from 17 to just 12 pictures.

The solution: Post them on Facebook and ask my friends and family to vote for their favorites by "Liking" them.

Simple enough.

The whole experiment thing didn't occur to me until I was uploading the pictures into an album on Facebook. The ideas flew around in my head -
Why limit it to just my friends? Why not open it up to everyone? (I don't sell photos or calendars, but I suppose I could if I really wanted to.)
Why not take the names of everyone who "Liked" the photos and pick one to win a calendar?
...Why not take some notes for when I want to promote a business in this manner?

And so here is where the project is for today. I'll run the experiment, take some notes, report back here with an update midway through, and share my final result.

If you want to take a look at the rest of the photos - and "Like" your favorites, or not - simply visit my Dahlias Album.

Update : Still learning about Facebook, there have been some changes. The link to the Dahlias Album now points to a different location. Read more about my learning process and reason for the changes in Facebook "Like" Marketing Experiment Part II



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Put Your Shop in Your Pocket

Today I'd like to show you how to put your shop in your pocket for about $11.

No, I'm not kidding.
Yes, I said you can put it in your pocket.

Just upload your pictures to a digital key chain or digital photo frame.

Digital key chains have a picture area of about 1.5" and run from about $8 to about $20.

Put on your thinking cap and imagine the places where this could come in handy...

• In line at the grocery store or post office
• While getting your hair or nails done
• When buying business supplies
• Out with your friends or family - show them what's new
• Any time you're doing some business networking
• Picking up kids from daycare (or school)
• On an airplane
• At a sporting event
• Social Events
• Church

This is useful for any business who relies on visuals.
Can you imagine these kinds of small businesses showing their digital pictures to prospective customers?

• Etsy Shops


• Restauranteurs


• Realtors


• Travel agents/Vacation Planners


• Hairdressers and salons (how about showing off bridal hairstyles)


• Bridal Boutiques


• Retail shops - fashion, home decor, jewelry...


• Antique shops


• Florists


• Interior Decorators


• Faux Painters and Mural Painters


• Auto Dealers


• Auto Detailers


• Dentists - teeth whitening and orthodontia


• Tattoo artists


• Professional Home Stagers


• Landscape Professionals

Another similar idea is to put your images in a digital picture frame. You could set this anywhere, but it may have the biggest impact in these locations:

• Craft Shows
• Waiting rooms
• Home Shows
• In a lobby
• Work out an arrangement with a complimentary business, for example, you could show your bridal floral creations in the bridal gown boutique down the street.

Digital picture frames vary in size, starting at about 7" and their prices start at about $50 and go up from there.

So now I'm sure you're thinking of places where one of these could help you showcase your work. Please comment here with your own ideas!

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151 Guerrilla Marketing Ideas :: Memorable Business Cards

Today's Low-cost, High-impact Marketing Ideas focus on making and using Memorable Business Cards.

For the full list of ideas, organized by category, check out this post.

1. I always make and send out bookmarks with my orders. That way, you never know where they'll end up, not just in my city, but all over the world to people I sell to. Mainly I just do it because it's a nice 'extra' for my customers.
   
2. I once found an old theater ticket from England from 1943 in a book I got from a used book store and it was like a treasure. If I were to advertise in library books I think I would make special advertising bookmarks with a nice ribbon and such so that the person feels more like it's a treasure than an invasion.
   
3. When I was 12 I found a very unique and mysterious business card taped to a bus stop window and I still have it because it was so interesting to me.
   
4. i make matchbook style Post It holders with my shop info printed all over the outside cover.
   
5. bookmarks are cool too. i just bought a bunch recently when Overnightprints.com had a special where you get 100 booksmarks free with the payment of shipping.
   
6. I like the idea of making Etsy bookmarks and leaving them in books. I am always looking for a bookmark and usually resort to old bill envelopes or scraps of paper when I'm desperate. Finding a nicely done bookmark in a library book would be like finding buried treasure. (I am a school librarian, by the way.)
   
7. my business cards are actually bookmarks. figure when i send it out with my items it kills 2 birds with 1 stone
   
8. We have MixedSpecies temporary tattoos that we give and apply for free! You'd be amazed at the fun those things create. We also are working on sets of "leave behind" coasters to drop off at bars with a drunken dot to dot game! Just a couple ideas!
   made my banner and my business card into key chains and make sure and show them off every chance I get...I love people at the grocery store asking me about them.
   
9. I make coupons using etsy mini and send then out as postcards and hand them out at craft shows.
   
10. I got pens with my Etsy url and tag line on them. Every time I have to sign something - at the bank, the pharmacy, the doctor's office, etc., I "accidentally" leave the pen behind. I've also left them in public restrooms, at restaurants, pretty much everywhere I go. also, at places that have cups of pens, like my chiropractor or the vet, I put a couple of my pens in there for their clients to use. Sneak marketing.
    
11. I make postcards out of etsy mini with my website on them and send them out and hand them out (with little coupons or discounts on them).
    
12. I got talking with the librarian and told her what I do. I asked her if I was to make up some book marks would she put some up at the front desk.
    
13. Perhaps if you know the item is going to be a gift, offer free gift wrapping and use Kraft brown paper, and then stamp your logo on it nicely?
    
14. Refrigerator and bumper magnets are fairly inexpensive to make yourself now, especially if you are using custom wooden stamps.
    
15. Temporary tattoos of our logo.
    
16. I bought these teeny tiny hardcover composition books (4 in a pack for a dollar) and glued my business card to the front. Once I found a ton of boxes of purple ink Bic pens at the dollar store. Since purple is my colour, I scooped them up! People can always use a little pen & notebook for their purse/backpack.
    
17. gave these out for halloween, along with candy of course! my son takes them to school, too.

As mentioned in this post, the ideas in this post came from my snippets of ideas saved from Etsy forum posts over the last year. If you provided an idea listed here, please comment and I'll credit the idea to you with a link to your shop, ok?

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151 Guerrilla Marketing Ideas :: Samples

Today's Low-cost, High-impact Marketing Ideas focus on Samples.

For the full list of ideas, organized by category, check out this post.

1. You could also try giving out samples at various events. Even at family or work events...you could supply the give-aways or doorprizes and then place your business card or a tag with you Etsy info on them.
   
2. I leave soap samples and business cards in public restrooms.
   
3. I've got a purse full of soap samples....just let them ask me a single question even remotely related to soap, and they wind up with a free sample to try.
   
4. Have sent sample santas to stores in the past, and ended up with an order for 40 santas!
   
5. I made up some little bags with mints and some other candies and a business card in them and had friends put them in the lunch room where they worked! everyone needs and after dinner mint!
   
6. I have also sent "promo packages" to everyone in my family....The instructions are funny... "This is not for you! Give this to a friend or someone you know! If they buy from me you will get something extra special in your christmas card!"
   
7. I contacted by local community welcome wagon (they introduce all newbies to the city) and have asked them to include my sample package in their basket.
   
8. If you include any samples in orders, try including an extra "Tell a friend" sample that includes your store name and url.
   
9. showing my paintings in a local cafe has been my most successful marketing yet!
   
10. Most hospitals have volunteers that put together packets for new parents.
    
11. When I make a new soap that I want tested or critiqued, I'll bring mini-bars to work. Word has spread like wildfire and my colleagues are my best customers.
    
12. send out lip balm samples to local dentist's
    
13. If you include any samples in orders, try including an extra "Tell a friend" sample that includes your store name and url.

As mentioned in this post, the ideas in this post came from my snippets of ideas saved from Etsy forum posts over the last year. If you provided an idea listed here, please comment and I'll credit the idea to you with a link to your shop, ok?

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151 Guerrilla Marketing Ideas :: Conversation Starters

Today's Low-cost, High-impact Marketing Ideas focus on Conversation Starters.

For the full list of ideas, organized by category, check out this post.

1. Oh, and standing in line at the Post Office is another good way to network. We meet lots of Etsy and eBay sellers there who swap info with us. Have a bag with your ETSY url on it to take your packages to the post office.
   
2. I'm a knitter. So, I work on my items in public (coffee shops, city busses, standing in the check-out lane at the grocery store). People always ask about it.
   
3. Use friends as models. The more people you involve in the process, the more they want to know how THEY did, and they'll tell their friends and family. I've asked friends to model, and they get all excited to let their other friends now "Hey, I'm on a website!" It's mostly unintentional advertising, but hey, you get the word out and get to involve buddies!
   
4. A good one I do is I make stuff during my lunch break in the office break room. Lots of people stop and ask about it (men and women!) and I hand them my card.
   
5. Also, be sure to inform your alumni newsletter about your shop/website/blog
   
6. You can wear a painting!!! hahahaha!!! i have tee shirts made with my artwork on them. Seriously, print off your work at http://www.cafepress.com/ or http://www.spreadshirt.com/ and wear it! You can print your art on all kinds of other things, too.
   
7. I also work on a lot of my designs on a bus and noticed people watching me while I did it (what else is there to look at on a bus?) so I made a sticker with my URL and stuck it (upside down) on the lid of the little wooden box I carry around my most recent project so people can check it out if they want to see what I was making.
   
8. I dress blatantly and outrageously punk rock all the time. It doesn't matter how small the outing. If I'm just going to pick up some NyQuil from the drugstore, I will still get all decked out. Then I hand out business cards like crazy when people ask about my outfit.
   
9. I'm planning on taking some paintings and working on them in the park. People love to watch an artist at work and if you can put up with the interruptions and people's kids hanging on you, you can drum up a lot of business.

As mentioned in this post, the ideas in this post came from my snippets of ideas saved from Etsy forum posts over the last year. If you provided an idea listed here, please comment and I'll credit the idea to you with a link to your shop, ok?

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151 Guerrilla Marketing Ideas :: Your Identity

Today's Low-cost, High-impact Marketing Ideas focus on Your Identity.

For the full list of ideas, organized by category, check out this post.

1. I recently ordered personal checks with four of my paintings as the designs for them.
   
2. You can also design your credit card with your own picture on it. If you choose an interesting picture of one of your items, every time you hand it to a clerk it's an opportunity to talk about what you do.
   
3. I play regularly on a game site and changed my player name to my postcardlady.etsy.com
   
4. I put Etsy on my resume as my current job!
   
5. if you wear hats a lot, wear an an "etsy" hat

As mentioned in this post, the ideas in this post came from my snippets of ideas saved from Etsy forum posts over the last year. If you provided an idea listed here, please comment and I'll credit the idea to you with a link to your shop, ok?

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151 Guerrilla Marketing Ideas :: Craft Shows & Home Parties

Today's Low-cost, High-impact Marketing Ideas focus on Craft Shows & Home Parties.

For the full list of ideas, organized by category, check out this post.

1. Whenever we go to craft shows, farmer's markets, or festivals, we have handouts, flyers, business cards, and postcards to give to interested people. We also walk around the markets and offer them to other sellers at the various other booths and tell them that we will give them a fellow seller's discount at our booth and online. We usually get one in return, so it works out!
   
2. I make coupons using etsy mini and send then out as postcards and hand them out at craft shows.
   
3. Having a home show has been the best thing for me so far. Invite all your friends. Plan WELL in advance and talk it up for a while! Send email invite, mail some and make a facebook event. Perhaps you'll have to draw crowds by inviting a friend or two to take part with you (I recommend about two other people...don't let it get too big). This way their friends will see/buy your stuff and the other way around! It's great fun. I've had wonderful turn-outs! :)
   
4. Since I do jewelry Parties, and they Are probably the Fastest way to earn the Most Money in the Shortest Time That I have Ever Found. I also pay the host a percentage of whatever I sell in order to entice them. Usually between 5% - 15%. It depends on the situation. If you make $2,000. they get $200.00 and are happy with that.
   
5. So my best promotions still remain craft fairs and classes taught offline. If you can make those regular, your name, cards and face are out there all the time and you make contacts that come back.
   
6. Have an Etsy Boutique Sale in your home - if you have the space. It's what I'm doing the end of this month.
   
7. I've invited 10 other Etsy Sellers to bring their goods to my home to setup shop. Each seller had to pay in a very small amount of money to cover the cost of postcards that I had another Etsian design. Each seller has to invite 30-50 people to the sale and hopefully we'll get 200-500 customers coming through.
   
8. I'm clearing out all my large furniture, knick-knacks, etc to make our Etsy shop. I'm offering treats and beverages and hopefully we'll be able to build a local customer base.
   
9. I'm also going to offer free shipping coupons good through the end of the year to all the customers as they leave.
   
10. my local art business that supports me, not my online business! i sell more cards in a week locally than i have sold in two years on etsy....
    

As mentioned in this post, the ideas in this post came from my snippets of ideas saved from Etsy forum posts over the last year. If you provided an idea listed here, please comment and I'll credit the idea to you with a link to your shop, ok?

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25 Places to get Promotional Products

Today I was reading this article about how to market a business effectively by using promotional products.

Have you used promotional products to market your business? If you're wondering where to find them, here's a big list of places where you can order promotional products. I have used the first two myself, but there are a ton of them out there.

1. http://www.vistaprint.com/
2. Oriental Trading Company
3. http://www.promopeddler.com/
4. http://ocs.landsend.com/corpsales
5. http://www.herodecks.com/
6. http://www.top-brands.com/
7. http://www.zagwear.com/
8. http://www.e-corporategifts.com/
9. http://www.branders.com/
10. http://www.pensrus.com/?s=gaw&kw=promotional+pen
11. 4imprint
12. Empire Promotional Products
13. Silver Star Promotions
14. Superior Promos Inc
15. http://www.logosoftwear.com/
16. http://www.gimmees.com/
17. http://sweetpromos.com/
18. http://www.compleat.com/category.i?catid=1
19. http://www.promogeek.com/
20. http://www.companycasuals.com/cs/CustomBrowser?customer=adco
21. http://www.epromos.com/browse/Ne1-N11618.html
22. http://www.embroiderysuperstore.com/designs/stock_design_search.aspx
23. http://www.apromotionaloutlet.com/apparel.html
24. http://www.empirepromos.com/
25. http://www.rushimprint.com/

Don't forget your own creative efforts! If you can create a cost-effective promo item for yourself that ties into your business and fits your brand, go for it!

I'd love to see what interesting promo ideas you have come up with for your own business!

Will you comment here with your ideas or links to a blog post about what you've done?














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151 Guerrilla Marketing Ideas :: Magazine Submission & Article Writing

Today's Low-cost, High-impact Marketing Ideas focus on Magazine Submission & Article Writing.

For the full list of ideas, organized by category, check out this post.

1. I've been entering contests for publication and other such opportunities. Art Jewelry Magazine has a gallery section and one of my necklaces will be featured in the July issue which I'm excited about.
   
2. I usually just check out the magazines I like and follow their submission requirements - I'm new to this type of promotion but it's fun and it really only takes a moment to fill out the submission info. They had my necklace for several months, but it's back safely and it's pretty neat to be in print - I recommend trying it out!
   
3. Another idea is to enter your crafts into contests...such as the county fair. Winning competitions and contests is a good way to get your name out there and win some money or recognition to boot!
   
4. Write a book review. This one is even shorter, only about 200 words. The book should be something somehow connected to creativity. So that will probably be non fiction. I'm obviously not saying that this should be the book where you get all your ideas/instructions from (if you do get ideas/instructions from books) Like at Amazon.com
   
5. Write an article for a 'zine. Write about something you're interested in, not about your shop. It shouldn't be too stressful, try thinking about it like a blog entry. The byline would have your name and a link to your site.

As mentioned in this post, the ideas in this post came from my snippets of ideas saved from Etsy forum posts over the last year. If you provided an idea listed here, please comment and I'll credit the idea to you with a link to your shop, ok?

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151 Guerrilla Marketing Ideas :: Media

Today's Low-cost, High-impact Marketing Ideas focus on Media.

For the full list of ideas, organized by category, check out this post.

1. I am starting to Advertise in our Local Parenting magazine. First I called some current advertisers and asked how good their results were, and they all said business was great from the magazine. So Now I am starting a small ad.
   
2. I emailed our local TV station - with information about ETSY - maybe will get some adv. out there for all of us. Will let anyone know if this works and possibly others in other areas might try.
   
3. If you have a day job and they have a staff newsletter, with a 'social' section, get yourself in it. Especially if you're at a local craft fair or taking part in charity events.
   
4. Start writing a regular newsletter and invite blog readers to opt in to your newsletter mailing list
   
5. I used to be my hometown's photographer and our editor was always desperate for stories. I remember she sent me out to photograph a man making balloon animals for kids in the park, a kids' lemonade stand that made over $20 one hot day, and a family pitching a tent in the local campground. Check with your newspaper. They might be hungry for feel-good stories that include a photo or two. Anything with a local spin is even better because it helps to sell papers.
   
6. I did an article about our farm and my creations for Storque, and that sent my sales through the roof
   
7. Why not contact your local radio station and arrange for them to include your creations in a station giveaway or contest.
   
8. What about writing an article for your local paper about Etsy and how it is helping people earn a living at home in these hard economic times? And there's so much more than the local paper....newsletters, community organizations, etc.
   
9. One Etsy seller called the local newspaper about a large commission she had created. They sent out a reporter and photographer and she had a big write-up in the local paper with color pictures of her work, her studio, and everything.

As mentioned in this post, the ideas in this post came from my snippets of ideas saved from Etsy forum posts over the last year. If you provided an idea listed here, please comment and I'll credit the idea to you with a link to your shop, ok?

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151 Guerrilla Marketing Ideas :: Business Card Advertising

Today's Low-cost, High-impact Marketing Ideas focus on Business Card Advertising.

For the full list of ideas, organized by category, check out this post.

1. drop cards at hairdressing salons, cafes
   
2. drop posters on bulletin boards at work
   
3. drop flyers in kitchenettes at work
   
4. I did have an intranet classifieds listing at work- unfortunately they're onto me and it's gone now :(
   
5. make gifts for children of friends- with card included for Mum!
   
6. Print your business card on a pen and leave them everywhere - when you sign the check at a restaurant, when you sign in at the doctor, when you write a check at the grocery store, when you sign your kids out early from school...
   
7. tape your business card to the inside of a bathroom stall
   
8. What about cards left in taxis? And pockets of clothing you try on (those that aren't sewn up that is!) Or giving a bunch of stuff to a thrift store with tags attached?
   
9. Whole Foods has a bulletin board in their front entrance and they let people put things up their all the time.
   
10. Coffee shops are great for leaving cards.
    
11. i put flyers up at "public" places; laundromats, the community building, the library, the park, the beach etc.
    
12. a cafe owner had wrote "free coffee with this card" on the back of all his cards, that way the card finder has to come into the cafe to get some coffee, it's working and FAR less expensive than "advertising"
    
13. On a side note, another good place to advertise is at your daycare. Lots of mom's picking up their kids would probably really love a free goodie bag & some business cards to boot!
    
14. I carry a large Ziploc bag with half sheet sized flyers I made on PS and copied onto brightly colored paper at Kinko's in my van, with a roll of Scotch tape and a pack of thumb tacks. You never know where you'll end up that'll need some Etsy love. :)
    
15. I leave my business cards with the tip in restaurants, and I hand them out to the staff at doctors offices Of course the key is to leave a good tip!!!!!!!
    
16. I went to my OBGYN today for that oh so fun check up... DR asks me what I have been doing lately (of course I am sitting there in just a paper napkin and he wants to chat) anywho- I tell him about my new little biz adventure and he suggested I bring by some fliers and stuff and he will let me advertise there (perfect for me, baby items at the OBGYN office!) talk about multi tasking! LOL
    
17. What if those of you who screenprint, had a little onesie, or burpcloth printed out with something like "I love Dr. so and so" or "Delivered with love by Dr. so and so". Something cute, but also giving a little promo to the Doc. I bet some obgyn's would love to purchase some of those to give out to new moms, and if I were a new mom who loved my obgyn, I'd have my baby wear it.
    
18. For those who do animal-themed work, like I do, finding out if any of your local vets would be okay with you posting a card on their bulletin board
    
19. Then, you could work out a deal, either by putting your etsy address on the item itself, or having the doctor include your business cards, or having a little tag on the item that says that the item was made by you, a local artist and mom who has more items available at *****.etsy.com
    
20. When I leave business card or my booksmarks someplace. I mark them in a corner with the first two letters of the name of the place that I left then. Like I added 60 booksmarks to my son's goodie bag party and on the back I put the letter LE. LE stands for Long Elementary. I I go to the library I put DL, stands for Downtown Library, SD Supermarket Davidsons, SS Supermarket Safeway. This way I can ask them what letter are on the back this way I know where they pick up the bookmarks. Also I give them 10% off if they buy using the code: "Please mention the code on the card and you get 10% 0ff." This way I can see which place is working out for me.
    
21. Everytime I use an ATM machine, I leave a business card on the little ledge beside it or on the keypad.
    
22. Another good place is at fabric stores. The one that I go to has a board where others leave their business cards and flyers.
    
23. I leave biz cards in my shopping cart/basket after I check out at the grocery store
    
24. I've tucked mine inside those Sky Mall magazines tucked behind the seats in airplanes!
    
25. i leave aceos in tip jars
    
26. What places are you thinking of putting your cards? For my cooking class I teach at the city's rec center, I put flyers at the library, the Whole-Foods-ish grocery store, and a Starbucks or two. For my Etsy shop I'm thinking of putting cards/flyers at places moms and babies go but am having a hard time thinking of mom-places that have billboards
    
27. Try asking any friends or family that work in office buildings to take some of your cards and leave them in the break rooms and cafeterias. I see them a lot in the building where I work, usually on bulletin boards or stacked by napkin dispensers.
    
28. If you are selling multiples of the same item and sell one, you can include a few "tell a friend" business cards with the order - that include a photo of the item they purchased. Customers will sometimes share these with people who ask them about your item.
    
29. I have been selling some items on ebay. When I package up my item for shipment, I include a small card that reads "thank you for your purchase - be sure to check out my other items on etsy" and have my etsy address at the bottom. I also include my (etsy) business card.
    
30. Last night I gave the property manager a stack of my cards and he is going to put one in each of the new tenants(homeowners) welcome package! I also went around and hit up every bulletin board in the apartment complex.
    
31. Whenever I take a flight I leave cards in the seat pocket and/or the magazines.
    
32. I leave free buttons with my biz card attached pretty much anywhere I can without being caught. Mostly bathrooms etc.. Its my PIF with a motive I guess...I dont know if Ive gotten any looks but what the heck... I usually use my Canadian Girls Rock! buttons....I cant wait till that day Im standing in line at a coffee shop and see one of my buttons on the napsack of the girl in front of me...I might cry! LOL
    
33. Got business cards. They have a description of what I sell, my name, my email address, my store address and the line "Come see what I made today!" I hand out two to each friend I see during the day, the babysitter's mom, and enclose two in every letter and package I send out.
    
34. I got some great results by leaving fliers in stores around town, any store I went to that would allow it got a nice little stack of my fliers. I would also put them on the bus and subway seats. I had a few people report they found out about my business that way.
    
35. I would only put on your business card, your name, your etsy store name, your etsy web address and your e-mail address. I don't have my address or phone number on there. If people want to contact me they can get to an e-mail address with a computer or they can come and leave a message by going to etsy.
    
36. I live in a college town and the students are back so I grabbed a pal and hit the high-rise dorms. They have bulletin boards by all the elevators usually covered in weight loss or work from home ad's. I did 4 different dorms each with 25 floors! My feet hurt.
    
37. Whenever there's one of those raffle boxes for a prize or to enter your info to be on someone else's mailing list--instead of filling out the little form (and hunting down a pen) I just drop my business card in the box instead--it's a lot quicker for me, and all my contact info is already on there.
    

With all of these great business card ideas, there are also some safety concerns to think about.
BUSINESS CARD SAFETY

• I would only put on your business card, your name, your etsy store name, your etsy web address and your e-mail address. I don't have my address or phone number on there. If people want to contact me they can get to an e-mail address with a computer or they can come and leave a message by going to etsy.
  
• Archdiva said: There was another discussion here in the (Etsy) forums about putting a phone number on business cards. Several no cost or low cost options for voicemail were discussed which would allow you to have a contact number on your cards without giving out your home or personal number.
  
• I wouldn't put my home address on business cards that I drop here and there. Instead I use a PO Box so creepy people can't locate me so easily.

As mentioned in this post, the ideas in this post came from my snippets of ideas saved from Etsy forum posts over the last year. If you provided an idea listed here, please comment and I'll credit the idea to you with a link to your shop, ok?

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Marketing Tips from the Etsy Forums

Have you had enough great marketing ideas to set your business on fire?

No?

Ok. Today I'd like to take a little break from the huge list of ideas and share a few links with you to check out:

Etsy's ChristianHaylie created this post:
25 Marketing tips to get your products moving!
and also
More Marketing tips to get your products moving!

FluffyFlowers shares:
1 little tiny Marketing tip

soapdeli says:
Are you new to selling online? Marketing tips to get you started.

mrsdstahl tells a great story about her advertising experience to help you understand where to focus your marketing energy and advertising dollars:
More Great Marketing Tips Revealed

FlyingButtons make a very good point with this forum post:
Just hit my 100th sale in 8 weeks, thought I'd pass on my key marketing tip

You have to check this one out... so easy.
contrariwise says:
Marketing Tip: how to drive more people to your Etsy shop from your blog
Here's a link to the blog post she mentions in the forum. Great tutorial.
And please observe how she has her blog laid out. She doesn't mention it, but basically her blog posts are nestled between two columns of her own creations so you can't help but be amazed at her items. And yes - they're all clickable links to the Etsy listing.
Smart.

Designsbyreese says:
BLOG LOCAL!

DBlankPrints brings up the topic of URL tagging:
(Don't overlook this simple trick.)
Have a simple marketing tip? I'll suggest the first one...

saratams gets into the nuts and bolts of creating and establishing an online presence:
Marketing Tips

Because outdoor market season is upon us, Neogami talks about her experience:
First time selling at market ends in 100's...want tips?


On Monday 5/25/09 I'll post the next category from the huge list of marketing ideas...

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Reactions to the 11,000 Twitter followers post

On Monday, I republished parts of a 28-page Etsy forum post about how CatherinetteRings got 11,000 Twitter followers and how it has helped their sales.

Today, I'd like to share some forum comments from other Etsyians:

I've already more than doubled my twitter followers in just a day thanks to the great advice! :)

Wow. Took some of the advice on this thread and I have so many new followers. Definitely see that it gets me more views.

I've gotten at least 2 sales from twitter and I have less than 2000 followers.

Actually, a single tweet that reaches a potential market of 11,000 people is a very good investment in time. I've found many a great item for sale on Twitter..

I too thought Twitter was the most ridiculous thing until I started seeing how many Twitter followers were actually visiting my sites using Google Analytics...really took me by surprise.

It's a great marketing tool, as long as you remember to not just Twitter about your business, or at least make your biz tweets fun and engaging.

Do your twitter research and see the BIG NAMES using it because it works. It doesn't matter whether you "get it" or not, it works. If it translates into even just one sale a month, it works. I get so amazed at the folks who simply don't use something because they don't like it or get it or whatever the reason. If Twitter is good enough for the Fortune 500 companies, then its definitely good enough for me.

I only have just over 100 followers, but according to Google Analytics, I get quite a few hits coming from Twitter. I don't know how many purchases that has translated into, though.

it sounds like another marketing tool that is going to stick around the way it has caught on. if barbara walters can tweet, so can i! :D

I tried an experiment: I listed two similar items on Etsy. I tweeted about one and didn't tweet about the other. The tweeted item got a phenomenally higher number of views!

I have a very different approach to twitter than the original poster, but to those asking it DEFINITELY can result in sales! I've had numerous sales and private custom orders as a direct result of twitter. I love it when someone says "I found you on twitter and I'd like to buy this..."

Next to blogging, twitter has been the best thing I've done for my little business.

I have at LEAST 15 sales because of Twitter in the last month, I ask people who buy from me where they heard about me and a lot of them said twitter. Oh and 2 of those sales came back and purchased items again

And my favorite comment:

marking this for when i get smart enough to twitter

You can learn more facts about Twitter in the second post on this page.

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Sharing my Twitter Strategy : 11000 followers

I just read through an entire Etsy forum post (26 pages and still growing) about how Etsy's CatherinetteRings has used Twitter to increase her sales. Her info is a fantastic example of how Twitter can help increase your sales, as well as a step by step tutorial on how she made it work.

The entire forum post is here, entitled "Sharing my Twitter Strategy : 11000 followers" and his tutorial is listed in the original post. Please check it out.

A summary of the next 26 27 28 pages includes a more in-depth explanation by CatherinetteRings:
(The quoted text that follows is used with permission.)

How has it increased Catherinette Rings's traffic?
"Whenever i post a link to an item , i get from 30 to 70 hits within minutes . You don't get that many hits by renewing items these days . "

Google Analytics stats:
"1. (direct) / (none) 4,139
2. adn.entrecard.com / referral 1,661
3. twitter.com / referral 1,652
4. google / organic 1,287
5. entrecard.com / referral 798
6. steampunkrings.blogspot.com / referral 551
7. craftcult.com / referral 436
8. facebook.com / referral 251
9. deviantart.com / referral 152
10. catherinetterings.deviantart.com / referral 135
And these figures are growing . 1652 referral would cost me 250$ of google add"

"Everything that brings more traffic , eventually brings sales . twitter is in 3rd position and represent 11 % of the traffic i get . I have received many Direct message after a purchase or note to seller saying they found me with twitter . "

Does this work?
"I get lots of sale from Twitter . Many buyers told me they found me on twitter . "

What does CatherinetteRings tweet about?
"Personal vs. Business :You can use twitter for personal but i recommend that you use a separate twitter account for your business . Personal stuff is not relevant to business , you need to build an image that reflects the nature of your business on twitter , for ex saying that you are going to take a walk because its sunny outside might not interest those who follow you for your craft . This way you can keep tweeting about something relevant to your business . Work in progress , new design , tips ...etc "

"You have to filter what you think will be interesting for those who follow your business on twitter , When you say your working on something , some of your followers sometimes replies to that , that's when you get in and interact with them and engage in a discussion . I dont tweet all day and say everything i do . That would be boring . "

"Also you can comment and reply to others tweet , when you find something interesting . You can RT : retweet content from someone you follow so that your followers can also read that tweet . "

Ok, so how much time do you spend managing this?
"Building a followers list to 11000 takes times but once you have them , you can post tweets that takes just a few second to write and get 100 hundreds of views from just a line less that 140 character long , hard to beat and less time consuming that blogging . Now , i can just sit and wait an still my followers list grows by it self , the more followers you have the more popular you become . "

"One advantage i have is that im a full-time artisan . My priority is custom orders , post office first and adding new rings to my shop . Then when im less busy i put all my effort on promoting . Then i get a rush and i have no time for promoting and i just do customs until it slows down . I alocate time to promoting depending on the flow ."

"The majority of twitter users are already using it to promote their store and I only have about 400 updates , i don't spam twitter . Twitter users have the choice to follow or not to follow so if you don't like the way someone use twitter you simply don't follow them . 56% of twitter users are using it for their business, so there is no reason to be afraid to promote your business with twitter . You can choose the way you want to use it . I use it the way i have learned to use it after reading a lot of business oriented tips from various sources on the web . "

Pam's note: There were a lot of questions in the forum, and several people mentioned their dislike for someone with so many followers, which is fine. Obvoiusly, 11,000 people don't have a problem with this and like CatherinetteRings said in the original post, it took some time to build the list. Other Etsyians voiced their concern over spam tweets, which CatherinetteRings addressed when discussing what he/they tweet about. While I didn't post a chronological repeat of the entire forum here, I did organize the info into an interview style for my summary of the post.

Thanks again, CatherinetteRings, for permission to republish!

On Wednesday, I'll post some of the follow up comments from this forum. Meanwhile, you can learn more facts about Twitter in the second post on this page.

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Indie Spotting

Here's a no-cost idea to give your shop a little boost.

There's a shopping website called My Shopping Connection, where you can window shop and see what fabulous new things are out there. Click on something you like and you're taken to that item's online store.

My Shopping Connection has an indie side called Indie Spotting, which of course, features an amazing array of quality handmade items for your window shopping pleasure. Again, click on your favorite item and you're whisked to the store. (I have added a link in the sidebar for you.)

Here's the thing... It's free. All you have to do is submit a great picture of your handmade item to Indie Spotting and they'll show it off for you. There are some guidelines you'll need to follow regarding how many pictures to send, how often you can submit them, and photo quality. You'll find all of this info in their FAQ.

My theory - since they will accept one photo per week, you have the opportunity to send them 52 photos each year.

The question now is this: Do you want to promote the heck out of one item until it sells? Or promote up to 52 different items?

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Adding an Etsy Mini to your site

Many, if not most of you have put an Etsy mini on a blog, either your own blog or someone else's. Here's an Etsy mini idea for you to play around with...


One evening when I was fiddling with Etsy, I received a message from SweetSeaJewelry who asked,

"How how how did you do that with the etsy mini? it looks GREAT on your website, but when i tried to do it it didn't work on mine. i have the google apps site... "


She is talking about my use of a giant Etsy Mini on my main website, http://www.passitonplates.com/

Here's a screenshot:



My reply was:

Oh, no bother at all. I built my site with FrontPage, so I just popped in the code...
...I wanted my home page to look like a store and that was the fastest, easiest way I could think to do it. :o)

That was the key. I wanted my website to look like a store and I had been driven to tears trying to configure shopping cart software. Adding Etsy's mini to my site was the fastest, easiest way I could set it up without throwing my computer out the window in frustration.

While SweetSeaJewelry mentioned using Google sites, I tried adding an Etsy mini to a Google site I manage and while I think Google is wonderful, their sites just won't accept the code.

Had you thought of making a big Etsy Mini (should we call it an Etsy Maxi?) as the main crux of a website?

Where else could you put a maxi sized Etsy Mini?

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CraftyBIZtips.org

Here's a new resource for all you folks in the crafty business. Shalana, The Funky Felter, created this site to help you find all kinds of helpful information and related links for your indie business.



It's still a work in progress, but there's already some very useful info available. Please check it out at http://www.craftybiztips.org/

Last week I was reading some older articles in Etsy's Storque and was interested in this article about how to get noticed and blogged about by high traffic blogs. Only six of the high traffic blogs were mentioned in the article, but there are many many more.



Shalana's list of blogs and sites, which is under the button "Crafty Sites": http://www.craftybiztips.org/craftysites.html is the perfect compliment because she lists more than 20 of the "big (glue) guns" of crafty and indie and design blogs all listed in the middle column.



...now to work my way through that list with my Pass It On Plates...

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