One Thing: Facebook Groups to Grow Your Business

Our One Thing series is all about fitting an action into your day that is fast, efficient, and hopefully, effective for your business. Last time, we connected your personal profile and your Business Page on Facebook.  Let's go one step (or One Thing) further and join a relevant group on Facebook.

From your Facebook homepage, you'll find a column to the left listing Favorites, Pages, Groups, and more.  If you click on Discover under the Groups heading, you'll be taken to a page of suggested Groups in many categories that may be relevant to your business. 

As you search for a group that suits your business, read the descriptions provided on the individual Group page in the right-hand column. You may need approval from the Administrator of a Closed Group, but if you are selecting a relevant group, approval usually happens quickly.

Facebook Groups are about participation, conversations, and sharing of ideas and resources.  Linking to your own content is usually a no-no. Bringing value to a group through real engagement via comments should be your goal. If members of the group are curious about who you are and what you do, they can hover on your name, see your business link, and click through to your business page.

There are so many groups to choose from that could help your business grow.  It's exciting to find business peers, potential customers, or a wealth of business knowledge right at your fingertips.  Good luck and happy searching!

One Thing: Your About Page on Facebook

Our One Thing series is all about fitting an action into your day that is fast, efficient, and hopefully, effective for your business. Today, one of the quickest and most effective ways you can market your business is to make the connection between your personal profile and your Business Page on Facebook.

When someone hovers over your name in Facebook, a pop-up of of your profile picture, cover image, and various information is shown.  If you're comfortable connecting your Business Page to your personal profile, here is how to show that as the first, and easily clickable, line of the pop-up.

Go to your personal page, click on About, then click on Work and Education.  You can click Add a workplace or edit the one you have entered. When you click in the Company field, type your Facebook Business Page Name and you should be able to link to it from Facebook's suggestions.  Fill in the other relevant information, set your permissions for this to Public, and Save Changes.

Now, when anyone hovers over your name in a group or discussion, your business is the first thing he or she will see.  Soon, we'll follow-up with a great way to use this One Thing to market your business even further - stay tuned!

One Thing: Mind Your Manners

Our One Thing series is all about fitting an action into your day that is fast, efficient, and hopefully, effective for your business. Today, always remember to mind your manners when interacting with business associates via email.

You never know who is going to be your next great business connection - that person who is the source of valuable information or customer base or can lead you to another important connection.  Therefore, when using email correspondence, take a minute to make sure to thank someone who has spent time on a lengthy email or email exchange full of information that they have generously sent off to you.  This not only acknowledges that the email was received, but it shows that you are gracious and respectful of others.  In a world where digital information is flying, it takes only a few seconds to send out a quick "thank you!" to someone who has helped you out.

One Thing: Get a Critique

Our One Thing series is all about fitting an action into your day that is fast, efficient, and hopefully, effective for your business.  Today, ask a peer to give you a critique.

When you are the center of your business, your blog, or other important project, you can get so wrapped up in the details that you don't see the overall picture.  Asking a peer to review what you're putting out there can give you a fresh perspective and allows you to see your work as an outsider would see it.  A critique can provide feedback on wording, photos, color schemes, ease of use, correct links - any number of details that can add or detract from the user experience.

Just be aware that asking for a critique may provide constructive criticism, so be prepared that not everyone will love what you do - and be open to changes or other ideas.  However, only make changes if they feel right to you - not every comment will be a good one.  Also, seek out a peer who does what you do or something similar so they can offer up some "insider" tips.  An independent set of eyes can help in even the smallest ways.

One Thing: Copycats

What is the One Thing you can do about the complicated issue of copycats?  Excel.

It sounds too simple and not instantly satisfying, but as creatives and makers, this is how you can combat that awful situation of someone who is taking the easy route with your design or pattern or idea.

There are times when you will need to confront someone who is copying what you make with a phone call, email, face to face, or even in the form of a Cease and Desist letter.  Rely on your instincts and your trusted community to help you decide the best way to handle your specific situation.

In the end, remember that what you are making is good enough for someone to try and duplicate it. Rely on your community, stay positive and excel.

Cyn Thomas is the illustrator, designer and pattern maker of RiverDog Prints. Her paper goods and gifts are guided by earth, animals, function, food and cocktails. You can also find Cyn canning in her kitchen, walking her dog, being outnumbered by her boys and husband or reading herself to sleep.
Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | woof@riverdogprints.com

One Thing: Newsletter Sign-Up Links for your Etsy Shop

Our One Thing series is all about fitting an action into your day that is fast, efficient, and hopefully, effective for your business. Today is all about building your email list through your Etsy Shop.

Email marketing is still the best way to reach your target audience.  This is a huge topic, but the focus today is providing links to subscribe to your list on Etsy.

There are three major places to place your newsletter sign-up link within your Etsy Shop:  About Page; Shop Announcement; Message to Buyers. 

When you edit your About Page, click on the Story tab and add your sign-up link where it makes sense in the "story" you write about yourself and your shop.  There is also the Related Links section, which does not have a newsletter option at this time. There is a link to your Shop Website, so be sure to have a highly visible sign-up there for your potential customers.

Your Shop Announcement is a very prominent place to provide information, so a link to your newsletter should be included.  This section is right below your featured item images and is the first place visitors to your shop can read more about you and your creations.

And finally, in your Message to Buyers note, definitely include your link to sign-up in this area to encourage your current customers to keep up to date on your business.  This is included in the Etsy order confirmation email that your buyers receive after purchasing.

Providing the link to your newsletter in as many places as possible will help to build your list, so your message will reach the people who most want to hear from you and about what you create.  Do this One Thing today!

Cyn Thomas is the illustrator, designer and pattern maker of RiverDog Prints. Her paper goods and gifts are guided by earth, animals, function, food and cocktails. You can also find Cyn canning in her kitchen, walking her dog, being outnumbered by her boys and husband or reading herself to sleep.
Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | woof@riverdogprints.com

One Thing: Add a Listing

Our One Thing series is all about fitting an action into your day that is fast, efficient, and hopefully, effective for your business.  Today, try adding a listing to your online shop.

This does not have to be a new listing for a new product.  One Thing you can try is copying one of your existing product listings, reworking your titles and tags with different keywords, and listing it as an additional product.  It can be an experiment in SEO and how your potential customers may find your goods.  You'll benefit from this experiment by gaining knowledge of what keywords are best for your product, as well as keeping your online shop fresh and up-to-date.

If you try this one thing this week, add an image to social media and be sure to tag it with #nutmegcollective - we'd love to see what you post!

Cyn Thomas is the illustrator, designer and pattern maker of RiverDog Prints. Her paper goods and gifts are guided by earth, animals, function, food and cocktails. You can also find Cyn canning in her kitchen, walking her dog, being outnumbered by her boys and husband or reading herself to sleep.
Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | woof@riverdogprints.com

One Thing: Organize Just One Thing

I will admit that I get overwhelmed by clutter and piles and stacks of things. The word Later plays a big role in this and always makes sense at the time, because there is something more pressing to do.

But (you knew that word was coming), taking a bit of time to organize just one thing that really needs to be done, pays off not only for your business, but for your peace of mind.

I challenge you (and me!) to organize just one thing today, or this week, that has been on your mind to do. Convince yourself that it will be worth your time, and when you're done, celebrate. Or post a pretty pic on Instagram and tag the #nutmegcollective.  I'd love to see what you've accomplished!

Cyn Thomas is the illustrator, designer and pattern maker of RiverDog Prints. Her paper goods and gifts are guided by earth, animals, function, food and cocktails. You can also find Cyn canning in her kitchen, walking her dog, being outnumbered by her boys and husband or reading herself to sleep.
Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | woof@riverdogprints.com

One Thing: Google Analytics Training

Even in this busy time of year, most makers start thinking (longing?) for the time to sit, plan and analyze their creative businesses.

One Thing that can be helpful is how to figure out what your analytics mean and how to interpret them to your advantage.  Google has many options to help you learn about your numbers.  There is Analytics Academy, which offer free online courses, a YouTube Channel for visual learners, and a blog to search out topics.  Taking the time to know your business, who your customers are, and where they come from, can be incredibly beneficial.  Give it a try!

If you have other sources for analytics training, please share!

Cyn Thomas is the illustrator, designer and pattern maker of RiverDog Prints. Her paper goods and gifts are guided by earth, animals, function, food and cocktails. You can also find Cyn canning in her kitchen, walking her dog, being outnumbered by her boys and husband or reading herself to sleep.
Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | woof@riverdogprints.com

One Thing: Gift Sets

Designer Dwellings

Having ready-to-gift options is one thing you can create in your shop to attract new customers and keep your loyal fans coming back.

Poor & Pretty

Take a look at your current offerings and imagine yourself as a customer looking for gifts for different occasions.  If you have items that could be paired together to give as a gift, create a new listing for them using keywords that will help that gift-giver find your items.

Painted by the Shore

 You can also offer a gift set or a singular gift that includes gift wrap.  Customers want you to solve their gift-giving problem, so ensure that is as easy and complete as possible.  You can offer gift wrap as an add-on to your items or include it in the price of your items.  Make sure to take a photo of the gift-wrap option.

Treefort Naturals

 If you can offer different price points for your gift sets, you can fulfill the needs for different gift-givers.  Commonly, gifts are between $20 and $50, depending on the recipient.  There is also the token gift that can be between $10 and $15. Try to have a variety of options for both of these price point ranges.

Nutmeg Naturals

If you keep in mind who your gift set might be for, how much they want to spend and make it easy for the gift searcher to find your item, you can open up a whole new area for your shop and your customers.  Happy gift-giving!

Cyn Thomas is the illustrator, designer and pattern maker of RiverDog Prints. Her paper goods and gifts are guided by earth, animals, function, food and cocktails. You can also find Cyn canning in her kitchen, walking her dog, being outnumbered by her boys and husband or reading herself to sleep.
Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | woof@riverdogprints.com

One Thing: Know Your Target Market

You set out to sell a product or to reach people with your blog, but you find your sales and traffic are lacking.  What can you do to help get yourself out there?  Know your target market.

Your target market is the specific type of customer or reader you want to reach.  They are your people- the ones who will buy (and love!) your products, or the one who will faithfully read your posts.  Think about who it is you are trying to reach - age, gender, socioeconomic status, hobbies and interests, etc.- and create a character.  Is your ideal customer a woman in her 20s with disposable income, or is it a stay-at-home dad who loves to cook?  Who do you see in your head when you make your products or write your posts?  Who are you most trying to connect to and why?

Once you have your model customer in your head, it's time to think about how to reach them.  Are there media outlets specifically geared toward your guy or gal: mommy-based websites, Instagram accounts, local media, and so on that can help get you connected?  Take your content to where your type of people are and reaching out to someone who can help connect you to their followers.  Develop a marketing plan that will tell your customer why you and they are a perfect match, and use social media to develop your brand even further.

Kristen Skelton of Milo and Molly is a self-taught sewist, Kristen who runs her business while staying at home with her two small children.  Fueled by an endless supply of tea, she sews late into the night when the house is quiet, most often accompanied by her faithful poodle, Casey.  Stop by and see her collection of bold modern accessories and home goods.

Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | miloandmollyshop@gmail.com 

One Thing: Ask Questions

Running your own business is one of the most exhilarating and satisfying adventures. You make your own choices, set your own hours and your boss is pretty awesome. You work really hard at creating your social media following, branding and building your overall image. "Hi, my name is _____ and I am taking over the world!"

Glitter & Bold

With that said, sometimes it is hard to admit that you don't know something. I just want to let your know that "It's Okay!" No matter what stage you are in business there are things you don't know and that's good - it means you are growing. You didn't get an employee handbook when you started your position as Owner, CEO, CFO, Secretary, Customer Service Rep, Mailroom Associate and Janitor. We deal with complex scenarios and paperwork that many of us have no background in. SO ASK QUESTIONS!

Cinder & Salt

One of the best parts of this whole lifestyle is connecting with other businesses. Bouncing off ideas, collaborating, and sharing creative energy is crucial to your success. So find an online forum, pick up a phone, check with your local commerce organization or bring it to social media.

Written by Alonda Baird-Juhasz, owner of Designer Dwellings, who believes in adding color to life. An avid DIYer, sparkle-loving, all things fabulous addict, her shop features bright and fun home decor accessories and gifts. When not in the shop you can find her interior decorating or visual styling events and photo shoots.

One Thing: Believe in the Value of Your Work

Believing in your work is crucial, but sometimes believing your work has value is hard. 

People ask for discounts, groups ask for donations to raffles, everyone wants a bargain. Believing that your work has value helps you to say no, or negotiate fairly, or work out a deal that works for both you and your customer. So many handmade businesses price their items too low. 

If you browse Etsy or other handmade markets, this becomes clear very quickly. There is a basic formula used to price handmade items - sometimes the number you end up with might be surprising. Would someone actually pay that? Yes, someone would pay that. They’ll pay because they cannot make the item themselves, or don’t have the time or ambition to do so, or the quality of your creation will be better because of your experience, or because handmade is awesome! 

So many sellers think “bargain” prices mean selling more. The reality is that handmade shoppers looking for quality items disagree. Bargain pricing could mean pricing yourself out of the sale. Your price communicates your product’s value to the consumer and is a major factor in your success.

Believe in yourself!

Vanessa Felie, aka "Queenvanna" juggles a husband and two blond pixies while running her burgeoning paper arts and crafts business, QueenvannaCreations. Her job and family inspire her to create crafty projects for holidays, vacations, as well as times when there's just not much going on. Perpetual calendars and other home items, scrapbooking album kits and personalized gifts of all kinds - She looks to add a little flair to everything she makes, to put some extra fun in to daily life, as well as special occassions.
Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | queenvanna@cox.net

One Thing: Process Time

source

Do you know how much time each of your tasks take in your business?  Timing your processes can help with your productivity, give you an accurate way to price your products, and possibly, help you achieve a work/life balance.

Next time you are about execute a single process to create an item, be conscious of the time it takes. How long it takes to make something you sell should be part of it's total cost. (For product pricing advice, I think Megan Auman has the best http://designinganmba.com/category/price/ ) The ultimate goal in being a creative maker is to pay ourselves a salary. The time it takes to create must be a tangible and accountable factor in this goal.

Not everything can have a set amount of time in creating (such as designing, painting, photography, etc.), but you can set limits or time periods that work best for you. Email, social media, accounting, packaging, shipping... there are so many things that take your time. When you know how much time these things take, it empowers you and your business to make solid choices.

If you do One Thing for your business this week, mark your time and use the information to your benefit!

Cyn Thomas is the illustrator, designer and pattern maker of RiverDog Prints. Her paper goods and gifts are guided by earth, animals, function, food and cocktails. You can also find Cyn canning in her kitchen, walking her dog, being outnumbered by her boys and husband or reading herself to sleep.
Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | woof@riverdogprints.com

One Thing: Pinterest for Business Part Two

In Part One of One Thing: Pinterest for Business, your personal account was converted to a business account.

Today, one thing to do is examine your boards and how they relate to what you create, make or sell. Changing some of your board titles will allow you to Pin your products to the boards, mixing in with related pins from others. For example, I have a board named "For the Dogs" (pictured above.) I will add a pin of one of my dog drawings or cards to the board, as well as all the other dog-inspired goodness I find. The people who follow this board obviously love dogs and may love one of my paper goods that feature dogs.

If you are a landscape photographer, you may have a board that features beaches. You can pin your work to this board among other beach-related pins.  If you make children's clothing or accessories, you may have a board that features Traveling with Family. If you are a soapmaker, a board of beautiful kitchen or bath counter tops and sinks would mix well with your products.

The boards you create or the titles of boards that you modify should have keywords to make them searchable.  Remember that the pins of your products should have meaningful descriptions and link to your work.

Having a board that is exclusively your products is fine. You will have fans of your work subscribed to that board. Spreading your products to other related boards will help pinners imagine your products among the things they love and possibly turn pinners into fans and customers.

Cyn Thomas is the illustrator, designer and pattern maker of RiverDog Prints. Her paper goods and gifts are guided by earth, animals, function, food and cocktails. You can also find Cyn canning in her kitchen, walking her dog, being outnumbered by her boys and husband or reading herself to sleep.
Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | woof@riverdogprints.com

One Thing: Pinterest for Business Part One

Pinterest can be a great tool for your business. How to use it for your business may be a bit unclear, but we'll explore how to navigate Pinterest step by step (or One Thing by One Thing) with your business in mind.

The first step is to convert your personal account to a Business account, if you haven't already. Conversion is the way to keep your followers, pins and boards in tact from your personal account.  To access the business area of Pinterest, click on the right end of the Search bar for the drop down menu. Businesses link will be at the bottom.

On the page, you'll need to find the link that reads Convert now.  You'll be asked to pick a business category and enter some other information. That's it for the conversion from personal to business Pinterest account!

Once you have your business account, you can setup analytics by verifying your business website.

In upcoming posts, we'll cover how to use Pinterest for your business, as well as the different kinds of Pins (Promoted Pins, Rich Pins and Buyable Pins.)  If you want us to explore something specific, let us know in the comments. Happy Pinning!

Cyn Thomas is the illustrator, designer and pattern maker of RiverDog Prints. Her paper goods and gifts are guided by earth, animals, function, food and cocktails. You can also find Cyn canning in her kitchen, walking her dog, being outnumbered by her boys and husband or reading herself to sleep.
Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | woof@riverdogprints.com

One Thing: Update Your About Page.

Let's talk for a minute about your About page: when is the last time you updated it?  If you go to it right now, do you still have the same hairstyle/boyfriend/pets/products/philosophy?  Are you still the same person who set up the page?

Your About page is a small glimpse into who you are and what you do, what your purpose is online, your background, your favorites, and so on.  It's also a huge look into your personality- do you use humor, lots of photos, a bullet-point list?  The folks who drop in on your About page are looking to get to know you better, so make sure you are giving the truest version of yourself.  If you haven't looked at your About page in awhile, hop on over to it and consider updating the photos, information, and links- anything that is new that is relevant to your online self.  Just a little tweaking can go a long way with helping you connect to your viewers.

Written by Kristen of Milo and Molly.  Kristen runs her business while staying at home with her two small children. Fueled by an endless supply of tea, she sews late into the night when the house is quiet, most often accompanied by her faithful poodle, Casey.

One Thing: Set Up Your Avatar.

An avatar is a small icon that represents a person's online persona.  Avatars can be a person's head shot, their logo, or any other graphic representation of that person online.  Most social media platforms have them, and when you are setting up your account, it is one of the first things you are asked to fill in.  For some, if you do not provide a photo, you are left with the stock image that the platform uses.  On Twitter, this is an egg.  You do not want to be an egg.

As a business owner, you want to make sure that you have a professional-looking avatar that represents your business- it's often the first look someone gets of you online.  Without a custom avatar, your account not only looks unused and neglected, but it gives a potential client no idea who you are.  You either want people to see you, or you want them to identify your business through your branding.

Some quick tips for businesses on social media:

• Avatar graphics should be sharp and sized appropriately to avoid getting cut off or stretched out.
• Graphics should be professional- ask youself: if your boss was looking at your account, would you be embarrassed by the photo?
• Make sure the image is easily identifiable. You don't want someone wondering, "What is that?"
• Use a consistent image over all your business-based social media accounts.  This helps with branding.

What's one thing you do to help your business?

Written by Kristen of Milo and Molly.  Kristen runs her business while staying at home with her two small children. Fueled by an endless supply of tea, she sews late into the night when the house is quiet, most often accompanied by her faithful poodle, Casey.

One Thing: Check Your E-Mail.

Technology is an integral resource for businesses to run their daily operations, from conference calling to live chat sessions, from Instagramming products to sending out a tweet to announce a new endeavor.  We are living in a digital business era, so it's best to keep on top of it as much as possible.

One of the oldest and most useful forms of digital technology is e-mail.  E-mail allows people from all over the world to instantly contact each other with the push of the "send" button.  Use of e-mail is so prevalent, a unique e-mail address is provided to college students upon enrolling, and most businesses provide employees with one as well.  Once you have an e-mail established for your business, the best thing you can do is make sure you use it.

Communicating with clients, customers, event planners, and other folks who may help your business along is extremely important.  Because so many people use e-mail as a main form of communication, it's super important to check your account on a regular basis so as not to miss important information or leave someone hanging waiting for a reply.  Keeping on top of your email is one of the most important forms of digital etiquette.  If you aren't able to access your mail at any given time, plan to check it in the morning and evening at the least in order to keep up with new messages coming in.  This also gives you a routine time in your schedule to ensure that you reply to messages in a timely manner. 

Written by Kristen of Milo and Molly.  Kristen runs her business while staying at home with her two small children. Fueled by an endless supply of tea, she sews late into the night when the house is quiet, most often accompanied by her faithful poodle, Casey.

One Thing: Stop and Shoot!

If you are a maker or artist or a vintage curator, images of your process can give your audience a peek "behind the scenes."  While you're actually making, creating or curating, try to find a natural break in your process to take a photo or two of your work in process.  Yes, it is one more thing to think about and do, but you'll be happy that you planned to fit it into your day. A glimpse into your creative and work space will inform your audience and support your brand.

You can use the images you shoot in many different places, including social media, your blog, when you're featured or guest posting on another blog, and on your About Page.  Have you ever wished that you had one or two photos of your process? Then, you should definitely stop and shoot at your next opportunity!

Process Photo above courtesy of QueenVanna Creations.

Cyn Thomas is the illustrator, designer and pattern maker of RiverDog Prints. Her paper goods and gifts are guided by earth, animals, function, food and cocktails. You can also find Cyn canning in her kitchen, walking her dog, being outnumbered by her boys and husband or reading herself to sleep.
Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | woof@riverdogprints.com