Facebook Does Make a Difference!

I had read several posts on various craft forums about using Facebook to help promote your business. I read good posts and bad posts. Still I wasn't sure if FB would do much for my jewelry business, but I thought I'd try it. It wasn't going to cost me anything and it was easy to use!

My on-line store is done through Etsy and recently they added a feature in which you can publish your new listing to your FB page instantly. I've been using this feature and it has really helped gain exposure to my jewelry. I have over 300 Facebook friends so when I add a new items to my store and then in turn publish that info to FB, I am getting another great advertising tool for FREE!

By adding my listings to my personal FB page as well as to my FB business page, I am creating more exposure for my jewelry. Since adding my links to my personal FB page, I have gained more sales and have opened my jewelry line to an entirely new audience that otherwise might not have seen my jewelry. Friends and family who didn't know I had a jewelry business now do and they in turn have been sharing my links with their friends and family!

So when someone asks me what I think about using FB for business, I say definitely use it. It has opened doors for my business and helped me reach more customers!

Let me know how using Facebook has helped your business! And if you want to add me as a friend on FB, feel free, the link is on the side of the blog!

Until next time...Blessings! ~ Dawn

In Marketing Overload Right Now?

Lately I've been seeing several business owners on various sites and forums talking about how they are overwhelmed with having their small business. Running a business isn't easy, that's for sure, and its especially hard when its just YOU to do EVERY aspect of the business!

One of the main areas that most business owners seem to be struggling with is the marketing. Marketing isn't easy that's for sure, but it doesn't have to consume every second of your business time either! And I see that happening for more businesses more and more and that's not good!

Upon seeing these posts and reading the emails I receive about how I do my own business marketing there is one common factor I see for those who are overwhelmed. They are trying every concieveable type of advertsing and marketing they can get their hands on because someone else suggested it or it worked for another business.

If this describes you...do me a favor...STOP what you are doing!! :-)

I'm not telling you to stop marketing your business!! I'm simply telling you to take some time and thoroughly study all the areas that are available for your business to be marketed or advertised in. You are overloaded and stressed right now because you think you have to do everything everyone suggests and that's not always the case!!

You need to do a little homework before investing your time and money in to advertising. Make a list of all the types of advertising you see talked about, such as twitter, myspace, facebook, artfire, project wonderful ads, personal blogs and blog ads, and the countless other resources that are available. Then find out how they work. Who is reading those sites, who is seeing those pages? Who is already advertising on those sites? Is it a busy site? Where will your ad be placed? Will your blog you write attract readers?

Once you have done this research, then seek out the best advertising for YOUR business. What works for Pete's Pottery in Yazoo, MS might now work as well for your custom candle creations in Topeka, KS!! :-)

Invest a little time and money (if paid advertising) in a couple of "ads" or "promos" at first. Give them time to work. Think out well thought ads or posts for these sites. Read other blogs and see what makes them interesting and makes people follow them. See how these few "investments" go for a little while. If you don't feel they are working, then you might drop one and pick up another marketing idea or ad in another outlet.

Trying to do everything you read or see talked about when it comes to marketing your business is what is overwhelming you and makes you feel like you can't handle running your own business. You can run your own business, you just need to think it through a little bit and make wise marketing/advertising investments that will HELP you!!

You can't possibly keep up with all these sites, ads, blogs and more and still have time to create, list new items, handle the paperwork, package and ship your items and also have time to go the bathroom, among other things.

That's why taking a little time to do some research and find marketing outlets that will best market YOUR business effectively will pay off in the long run with more time to do the other aspects of your business and also bring in the sales you want and need.

Until next time - Blessings! ~ Dawn