A journal about running a successful craft business.
I recently began planning my ornament business with a marketing/editorial calendar. It's not fancy.... it's a $3 desk calendar from Walmart, with nice big pages and plenty of space to write. Creating my yearly calendar has helped me insanely. It was one of those things that I balked at for the longest time because it ...
(image by Fearless Stumbler, used under CC BY 2.0, modified from original.) A lot of people have said to me, "Okay, Staci...I get it that blogging is good for business. The problem is, what the heck am I supposed to blog about?" I totally get it...it's really hard at first to figure out what to write about. ...
I've made it no secret that I believe blogging is one of the very best things you can do to drive traffic to your shop, whether it's an Etsy shop, an eBay shop, or any shop. I received an email the other day from a fellow blogger and crafter, Shavonta, and she said that's exactly what ...
(image by stockerre, used under CC BY 2.0, modified from original.) "No matter how often you blog, just make sure that you're consistent." "Even if you can only blog once a week, at least be sure to do it the same day each week." "Your readers won't trust you if you aren't consistent with your posts." Statements like these ...
(image by Tara S, used under CC BY 2.0, modified from original.) I know that if you've never built a website before, it can seem seriously overwhelming. And yet, if there is anything I've learned from my years of selling online, it's this: if you have a handmade business, you need your own site. When I say "your ...
One of the biggest things that tends to keep handmade sellers from blogging is the belief that it's going to take over their entire life. Or, maybe they've already tried blogging, and it DID take over their life. So they quit. Believe me, I get it. We aren't superheroes. Between making your products, and photographing them, and ...
I received a question yesterday from Sandy, of Sandra Fox Designs, and I wanted to post this here because I think this is something that just about all of us handmade sellers have wondered about at some point or another. With so many options for selling, and hosting, and blogging, and ugh... how do you ...
(image by Steve Snodgrass, used under CC BY 2.0, modified from original.) Owning a blog is not just about the act of blogging. Not anymore. It's about having a haven for your business. It's about having an unwavering empire which continually brings your business traffic, and continually builds on itself. Blogging is about having your very own business ...
We are all, always, trying to think of ways to get new visitors to our blog. But, how often do we think about what happens once they've gotten there? A mistake I made for years was assuming that a visitor would automatically do what I wanted them to do once they'd found me. I assumed (okay, hoped!) ...
Inspirational Warning: This blog post is a little long. Bear with me though if you're in the mood for some blogging-for-handmade-business advice... there's lots here. When I first began blogging for my ornament business, I struggled big time. The beginnings of my blogging days are just plain embarrassing. I was honestly frustrated and overwhelmed even trying. So, ...
My name is Staci Ann, and I am the founder of TheOrnamentGirl.com, where I sell handmade quilted ornaments & patterns. I also run a Kit of the Month Club, with over 3,000 members and growing.
This is my personal blog about that journey.
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