Creative Yarn Entrepreneur Show

In each episode of the Creative Yarn Entrepreneur Show, you’ll find great ideas for launching, managing, and evolving your indie yarn-related business, and tips for keeping yourself creative, productive, and sane. Share the unique joys and challenges of being an indie in the yarn industry, whether you’re a crochet or knitting author, blogger, designer, maker, podcaster, publisher, teacher, or tech editor; a yarn dyer or spinner; or the owner of any other indie business based around yarn. Topics include marketing, social media, pricing, negotiating with vendors and clients, balancing family/personal life or other jobs with your indie yarn craft business, working from home, authenticity, staying creative, dealing with customers, juggling different roles to create different income streams, collaborating with independent contractors, the solopreneur lifestyle, trade shows, selling online and monetizing your website or blog, building a community of fans, and more. Hosted by Marie Segares, small business consultant and the crochet & knitting blogger, designer, and teacher behind Underground Crafter. The Creative Yarn Entrepreneur Show is no longer broadcasting. Episodes are available as a service to the yarn community. Be aware that content may be outdated. If you'd like to chat with other yarn-related business owners, join the Creative Yarn Entrepreneurs Facebook group. Support Marie's work by buying one of her books, Make Money Teaching Crochet: Launch Your Business, Increase Your Side Income, Reach More Students or Design It, Promote It, Sell It: Online Marketing for Your Crochet and Knit Patterns.

Episode 71: Managing Subscriptions, Diversifying Your Income, and Growing Your Business at the Right Pace with Stacey Trock from FreshStitches 11/13/2016

Episode 71: Managing Subscriptions, Diversifying Your Income, and Growing Your Business at the Right Pace with Stacey Trock from FreshStitches Stacey Trock is the owner of FreshStitches. After a technical failure during our interview at The National NeedleArts Association summer show in June, we talked over Skype about the success of her kit club and why she is switching to digital subscriptions. We also discussed how and why she's diversified her income and her perspective on pacing her business growth, customer service, social media, and more. About Stacey Trock Stacey Trock, the owner of , recently relocated to Los Angeles with her husband and daughter. Stacey started her business in 2008 selling crochet amigurumi patterns as PDFs and has since expanded her business and diversified her income. She is the author of Cuddly Crochet, Crocheted Softies, and Modern Baby Crochet. She is a nationally recognized knitting teacher (and she explains why in the interview), as well as a crochet instructor of Craftsy/Bluprint classes. She also teaches business classes from time to time. She and sells and through her website. She designs . And, she recently transitioned her kit club to a . You can find Stacey on and follow her on , , Instagram (as and ), , , , and . About the Episode This episode was inspired by a question Delisa Carnegie, the yarn dyer behind , asked in the . Delisa wanted to hear from someone who had a subscription club, and since Stacey's club was the most successful one I knew about, I reached out to her. (Since the original request for an interview in the spring, Stacey has actually ended her kit club. You can read more about that and . Her new is opening soon.) Stacey shared her perspectives on several important business topics in this interview, including: How and why she diversified her business from exclusively selling PDF amigurumi patterns in 2008 to starting an educational blog, selling individual kits, a her kit club (which has now transformed into the digital Ami Club), selling craft eyes and other supplies, writing books, teaching, and launching a yarn line; Managing a club, starting with understanding your customers, determining your price (and cost), deciding between prepaid and month-to-month subscriptions, being strategic about supply orders, technology for managing payments, inventory, packaging, shipping, and more; Her DIY approach to running her business, how she thinks about scaling, and deciding when and if to bring in contractors and employees to help; Her business philosophy, including her focus on flexibility, customer service, time management, organization, and social media; and Mindset, including speaking your business fantasies into reality. Stacey also answers questions from Delisa at , Angie Doherty at , Carmen Nuland at , Angela Plunkett at , and Anita Bose Natarajan from . Listen to the podcast for more discussion from me and Stacey. If you enjoyed this episode The Creative Yarn Entrepreneur Show is no longer broadcasting. Episodes are available as a service to the yarn community. This episode originally aired in November, 2016. Be aware that content may be outdated. If you'd like to chat with other yarn-related business owners, join the group. Support Marie's work by buying one of her books, Make Money Teaching Crochet: Launch Your Business, Increase Your Side Income, Reach More Students ( | ) or Design It, Promote It, Sell It: Online Marketing for Your Crochet and Knit Patterns ( | ). /episode/index/show/creativeyarnentrepreneur/id/4824725

Episode 70: Transitioning Your Business from Online to Face-to-Face - Time Management - and More with Kim Russo from Kim Dyes Yarn 10/21/2016

Episode 70: Transitioning Your Business from Online to Face-to-Face - Time Management - and More with Kim Russo from Kim Dyes Yarn Kim Russo is the yarn dyer behind Kim Dyes Yarn. We met at The National NeedleArts Association summer show in June, and later I spent some time talking to Kim, who shared how her business has transformed over the past 10 years, how she transitioned her fully online business to one that includes face-to-face elements, and her approach to time management. About Kim Russo Kim Russo, owner of , lives in Virginia. She is obsessed with gorgeous colors, the way colors look when mixed and matched with each other, and how to achieve the next great idea in her head. She is a life long learner and her work reflects her continuing determination to keep learning about dyeing and color and fibers. Kim also loves baking, cooking, her family, and the Gilmore Girls. Kim Dyes Yarn uses a variety of dyeing techniques on quality yarns and spinning fibers including gradient dyes, semisolids, variegated yarns, and mini skeins sets. You can also follow Kim on and . About the Episode In this episode, I chat with Kim about her business and we cover many topics including: How she started in business 10 years ago as a maker of wool soakers (diaper covers), selling her items online as Sit on Knit. How she approached naming her current business. How she used a combination of photography, clear policies, and customer service to build her brand online. How she transitioned from an entirely online business model to one that includes selling yarn at fiber festivals and other events. Why she decided to "put her big girl panties on" to overcome her shyness at events. How she developed and uses online relationships to find business collaborators and to get advice when needed. Kim also closes the interview by sharing some words of wisdom for shy creative business owners. Listen to the podcast for more discussion from me and Kim. If you enjoyed this episode The Creative Yarn Entrepreneur Show is no longer broadcasting. Episodes are available as a service to the yarn community. This episode originally aired in October, 2016. Be aware that content may be outdated. If you'd like to chat with other yarn-related business owners, join the group. Support Marie's work by buying one of her books, Make Money Teaching Crochet: Launch Your Business, Increase Your Side Income, Reach More Students ( | ) or Design It, Promote It, Sell It: Online Marketing for Your Crochet and Knit Patterns ( | ). /episode/index/show/creativeyarnentrepreneur/id/4763636

Episode 69: Staying Inspired, Being Authentic, and Learning to Say No with Dedri Uys from LookAtWhatIMade 09/23/2016

Episode 69: Staying Inspired, Being Authentic, and Learning to Say No with Dedri Uys from LookAtWhatIMade Dedri Uys is the crochet designer, blogger, author, and teacher behind LookAtWhatIMade. I spent some time talking to Dedri and she was incredibly open and generous in sharing how she is able to work a full time job, be a devoted wife and mother, and still find energy and inspiration for her crochet business. About Dedri Uys Dedri Uys is the crochet blogger, designer and teacher behind . She is best known as the designer of , a stunning continuous square crochet blanket pattern available as a free, 18-part crochet-a-long. She is the author of Amamani Puzzle Balls and the coordinator/author of Big Hook Rag Crochet. Dedri is also a and , where she taught several crochet classes as part of a tour organized by . Dedri "believes that crochet is more than just a craft. It is a lifesaving panacea, a necessary creative outlet, a calming tool and a rewarding passion." Dedri lives in London with her husband, 3 sons, and a cat. Four days a week, she's a radiotherapist at Charing Cross Hospital. You can also follow Dedri on | | | | About the Episode In this episode, I chat with Dedri about her business and we cover many topics including: How she started, grew, and diversified her business. The benefits and challenges of growing organically, including how she manages looking back on past projects that may not be "perfect." How teaching keeps her energized, even though she was initially nervous about it. Working full time in addition to being a crochet designer, and her suggestions for time management, involving others in your business, organization, and caring for your loved ones. Building the self-confidence to learn to say no to new opportunities to avoid burnout, stay inspired, and find more time for family, inspired by the C.J. Langenhoven's quote, "Yes is like credit. No is like cash." Learning to be vulnerable and the difference between guilt and shame from Brené Brown. (Dedri especially recommends this interview with Brené on Chase Jarvis Live: .") Dedri also closes the show with 3 things she wishes she knew when she started her business. Listen to the podcast for more discussion from me and Dedri. If you enjoyed this episode The Creative Yarn Entrepreneur Show is no longer broadcasting. Episodes are available as a service to the yarn community. This episode originally aired in September, 2016. Be aware that content may be outdated. If you'd like to chat with other yarn-related business owners, join the group. Support Marie's work by buying one of her books, Make Money Teaching Crochet: Launch Your Business, Increase Your Side Income, Reach More Students ( | ) or Design It, Promote It, Sell It: Online Marketing for Your Crochet and Knit Patterns ( | ). /episode/index/show/creativeyarnentrepreneur/id/4690665

Episode 68: Getting Started with Video and Growing Your YouTube Channel with Jennifer Dickerson from Fiber Flux 08/12/2016

Episode 68: Getting Started with Video and Growing Your YouTube Channel with Jennifer Dickerson from Fiber Flux Jennifer Dickerson is the crochet and knitting designer, blogger, author, and YouTuber behind Fiber Flux. I had the chance to chat with Jennifer about how she got started with video and grew her YouTube channel to over 125,000 followers in less than two years. In this interview, she shares her practical tips for working with video, building a YouTube channel, time management, working for free, and monetizing your blog and videos. About Jennifer Dickerson Jennifer Dickerson is the crochet and knitting designer, blogger, and YouTuber behind . In addition to her blog, she launched the about two years ago and has grown to 125,626 followers as of this writing. Jennifer is the author of Mini Flower Loom Crafts and has another book forthcoming. You can also follow Jennifer on | | | | About the interview In this episode, I interview Jennifer about getting started with video and growing a YouTube channel, but we also chatted about other aspects of her creative business. Some of the topics we discussed about video included: Jennifer's practical tips for getting started in video. Start by recording your back catalog so you don't have deadline pressure. Use simple tools. Her recommendations are to use artificial lighting from a kit with a "natural light" bulb, a camera that has both automatic and manual options (should you decide to experiment with settings), and a tripod. She uses the to edit her videos within the interface. Remember that you don't need to film in sequence. Jennifer credits Celina Lane from for reminding her that she can film the process in any order and then edit later. Focus on transitions. You don't necessarily need to film an entire process, but remember to share a transition before moving on to the next step (e.g., "Continue to repeat this step until the end of the row and I'll meet you there.") Jennifer's suggestions for growing your YouTube channel. Use the , YouTube's free resource for creators. Release videos on a consistent schedule so your audience returns to your channel often. Start each video quickly with a strong opening and link between videos on your channel to encourage viewer retention. Make the opening of your channel an "event." Remember to promote the channel itself, not just embedded videos on your other online properties. Ask viewers to subscribe. Remember that your YouTube followers may be different than your audience on other platforms. We also talked about other aspects of Jennifer's business, including how Jennifer... Monetizes her blog and channel, Approaches her editorial calendar and time management, especially when working on larger projects (like a book), Decides if and when to work for free, Has become a published author, along with suggestions for other aspiring authors. Listen to the podcast for more discussion from me and Jennifer. If you enjoyed this episode The Creative Yarn Entrepreneur Show is no longer broadcasting. Episodes are available as a service to the yarn community. This episode originally aired in August, 2016. Be aware that content may be outdated. If you'd like to chat with other yarn-related business owners, join the group. Support Marie's work by buying one of her books, Make Money Teaching Crochet: Launch Your Business, Increase Your Side Income, Reach More Students ( | ) or Design It, Promote It, Sell It: Online Marketing for Your Crochet and Knit Patterns ( | ). /episode/index/show/creativeyarnentrepreneur/id/4587113

Episode 67: Mailing List and Email Marketing Best Practices with Heather Solos from Feedblitz 07/20/2016

Episode 67: Mailing List and Email Marketing Best Practices with Heather Solos from Feedblitz Heather Solos is a director at Feedblitz. I met Heather at the 2016 Snap! conference and we later had a Skype chat about best practices for growing, maintaining, and monetizing your email list. About Heather Solos and Feedblitz Heather Solos started blogging in 2004 and became a professional blogger in 2006. She joined FeedBlitz, an RSS and email marketing company, in 2012 where she built the customer service team. She’s now a director at Feedblitz and swims in a sea of email, marketing, and best practices. When she comes up for air, she works for , a site that earned her the blogger dream, a book deal in 2011. Heather is raising four kids, a dog, and a hedgehog with her fiancé in the Lowcountry of South Carolina. She runs on spite, caffeine, and wine and recently picked up a crochet hook in an attempt to resist checking her phone in the evenings. She now has more washcloths than dishes. About the interview In this episode, I talk to Heather about her own experiences with email lists as a blogger and what she has seen through her work at Feedblitz. (If you're new to the topic of email marketing, you may want to list to Episode 55: Email Marketing 101: Or, Why and How to Set Up an Email List for Your Creative Business.) Some of the topics we discussed included: Ways to monetize your email list through advertising, sponsorships, digital or physical product sales, and bundles/special offers for subscribers. The email open rate companies will be looking for before sponsoring a list. When to consider opt-in freebies to grow your list. When it's ok to use a more "salesy" approach to your list. Content ideas for autoresponders. How to approach an email list if you don't have your own website but operate out of a marketplace like Craftsy, Etsy, or Ravelry. How to find out the deliverability rate of your email list. What to avoid in your subject line, format, and email text to stay out of spam filters and when to use different email formats. List hygiene and maintenance. Tips for sending emails more regularly. Listen to the podcast for more from Heather about best practices in email marketing for creative businesses. I also share my experience using with the Feedblitz "test drive" and the service. If you enjoyed this episode The Creative Yarn Entrepreneur Show is no longer broadcasting. Episodes are available as a service to the yarn community. This episode originally aired in July, 2016. Be aware that content may be outdated. If you'd like to chat with other yarn-related business owners, join the group. Support Marie's work by buying one of her books, Make Money Teaching Crochet: Launch Your Business, Increase Your Side Income, Reach More Students ( | ) or Design It, Promote It, Sell It: Online Marketing for Your Crochet and Knit Patterns ( | ). /episode/index/show/creativeyarnentrepreneur/id/4527975

CYESmmtc2: Make Money Teaching Crochet Virtual Tour Wrap Up/Question and Answer Session 07/03/2016

CYESmmtc2: Make Money Teaching Crochet Virtual Tour Wrap Up/Question and Answer Session I answer questions about teaching crafts and self-publishing as I wrap up the virtual tour for my new book, Make Money Teaching Crochet. About this episode In this episode, I share the edited audio of a Facebook Live event I hosted earlier in the week where I answered questions from listeners about teaching crafts and self-publishing. Thanks to , Novella Bobo from , Patrice Walker from , Rachel McKinney from , and MG Camacho from for sharing questions beforehand! I reference a lot of different resources, which you can learn more about by following these links: : This certification program is a requirement if you want to teach crochet or knitting at a "big box" store. In the book, I talk about other reasons you may want to consider getting certification, or why it may not be necessary for your specific teaching business. : This is the software I used to convert my book to .mobi files for Kindle and .epub files for Kobo. I also used it to organize writing the book because there is a great "corkboard" feature where you can organize what looks like little index cards for notes on your book. Scrivener has a 30 day free trial, but the days aren't consecutive. You only "use up" your free trial on days when you open the software. : I used KDP to self-publish my Kindle book and my print-on-demand book. : I used this to self-publish the .epub version of the book. : I used Canva to create the cover for the ebook using the pre-sized template, my own selections of fonts, and a photo. Fiverr: is the Fiverr seller who transformed my ebook cover into a cover for the print book to meet CreateSpace requirements. : This is where I sell the direct downloads of my ebook. It also has a great affiliate program that is super easy to set up. If you enjoyed this episode The Creative Yarn Entrepreneur Show is no longer broadcasting. Episodes are available as a service to the yarn community. This episode originally aired in July, 2016. Be aware that content may be outdated. If you'd like to chat with other yarn-related business owners, join the group. Support Marie's work by buying one of her books, Make Money Teaching Crochet: Launch Your Business, Increase Your Side Income, Reach More Students ( | ) or Design It, Promote It, Sell It: Online Marketing for Your Crochet and Knit Patterns ( | ). /episode/index/show/creativeyarnentrepreneur/id/4489133

Episode 66: Showcasing Your Creative Business and Pitching to Brands and Clients with Leslie Albertson from Mixbook 06/28/2016

Episode 66: Showcasing Your Creative Business and Pitching to Brands and Clients with Leslie Albertson from Mixbook Leslie Albertson is the director of marketing at Mixbook. I had the chance to get to know Mixbook in person at the 2016 Snap! conference and was later introduced to Leslie. We scheduled a Skype interview to talk about the best ways to present your creative business to potential sponsors and collaborators, following up after networking events, and more. About Leslie Albertson and Mixbook Mixbook's mission is to help you share and relive life's most important memories through its custom photo products. As director of marketing, Leslie brings her passion as a storyteller to Mixbook's content, community, and customer retention programs across it's portfolio of brands- Mixbook.com, Montage, and Mosaic Photo Books. Her past roles have included driving strategic partnerships with brands including Samsung, Verizon Wireless, and the NFL. Mixbook was founded by Inc 30 Under 30 entrepreneurs from UC Berkeley, and has been featured on the Today Show, Good Morning America, TechCrunch, The Verge, Washington Post, New York Times and many other global media outlets. About the interview In this episode, I talk to Leslie about Mixbook's products and brands, networking at in-person events, follow up, and branding your creative business. Some of the topics we discussed included: Tips for approaching brands or potential collaborators at networking events, Identifying which brands would be the best fit for partnership with your business, How to stand out (in a good way) at your next networking event, Leslie's "rule of 3" for follow up after an event, Becoming comfortable with sharing and pitching ideas, and Ways to use Mixbook products as a portfolio, for packaging, and to brand your business in general. Listen to the podcast for more from Leslie about branding your business and working with brands. I also share my experience using Montage for a portfolio. If you enjoyed this episode The Creative Yarn Entrepreneur Show is no longer broadcasting. Episodes are available as a service to the yarn community. This episode originally aired in June, 2016. Be aware that content may be outdated. If you'd like to chat with other yarn-related business owners, join the group. Support Marie's work by buying one of her books, Make Money Teaching Crochet: Launch Your Business, Increase Your Side Income, Reach More Students ( | ) or Design It, Promote It, Sell It: Online Marketing for Your Crochet and Knit Patterns ( | ). /episode/index/show/creativeyarnentrepreneur/id/4477366

Make Money Teaching Crochet (and Other Crafts) 06/09/2016

Episode 65: Organizing Your Inspiration, Branding Your Creative Business, and Working with Brands with Alexis Middleton from Persia Lou 06/03/2016

Episode 65: Organizing Your Inspiration, Branding Your Creative Business, and Working with Brands with Alexis Middleton from Persia Lou Alexis Middleton is the crochet designer and craft blogger behind Persia Lou. I had the chance to meet her in person at the 2016 Snap! conference and we later scheduled a Skype interview to talk about the panel workshop, Generate and Pitch Ideas Like a Boss. About Alexis Middleton Alexis is a work-at-home mother of three and a lifelong crafter. She learned to crochet from her great grandmother as a child but put down the hook until a few years ago. She started her blog, , as a place to share her crochet projects and it has since expanded to include other crafts and home decor projects, too. You can learn more about Alexis by visiting . You can also follow Alexis online on | | | | | About the interview In this episode, I talk to Alexis about her panel workshop at Snap!, Generate and Pitch Ideas Like a Boss. (Her co-presenters were Colleen from and Sarah from .) Alexis also answers listener questions from Angela at and Carmen from . Some of the topics we discussed included: Ways to organize your inspiration, Whether you should consider working for free or for product, How to ask brands to get paid, Creating a cohesive visual brand across your website, Instagram, and other social networks, Staying focused on your business goals, and Taking time off to refresh creatively. Listen to the podcast for more from Alexis about growing your blog and creative business. If you enjoyed this episode The Creative Yarn Entrepreneur Show is no longer broadcasting. Episodes are available as a service to the yarn community. This episode originally aired in June, 2016. Be aware that content may be outdated. If you'd like to chat with other yarn-related business owners, join the group. Support Marie's work by buying one of her books, Make Money Teaching Crochet: Launch Your Business, Increase Your Side Income, Reach More Students ( | ) or Design It, Promote It, Sell It: Online Marketing for Your Crochet and Knit Patterns ( | ). /episode/index/show/creativeyarnentrepreneur/id/4415666

Episode 63: Blogging, Taking Risks in Your Business, and Working with Sponsors with Erica Dietz from 5 Little Monsters 05/06/2016

Episode 62: Bootstrapping Your Business While Knowing When To Spend with Lorraine C. Ladish 04/23/2016

Episode 62: Bootstrapping Your Business While Knowing When To Spend with Lorraine C. Ladish If you're like most home-based business owners, you're bootstrapping your business and keeping costs low with a DIY approach. In this episode, I interview author, speaker, and digital entrepreneur, Lorraine C. Ladish, about how she bootstrapped her business. We also discuss when to invest and spend in your business, taking risks, taking care of yourself, and more. About Lorraine Lorraine C. Ladish is a bilingual author of more than 15 books, and a writer, editor, speaker, and digital entrepreneur. Lorraine is the founder and CEO of Viva Fifty!, a bilingual online community that celebrates being 50+. Lorraine is a contributing writer for NBC News, Huffington Post, AARP, BabyCenter, and Mom.me. You can learn more about Lorraine by visiting her and You can also follow her online on | | | About the interview In this episode, I talk with Lorraine about a variety of topics, including the evolution of her own business, taking risks and gaining confidence, bootstrapping vs. working with investors, staying true to yourself and your mission, and knowing when to spend on your business. Lorraine also talks about defining success and setting goals for your business, writing a book, and how her yoga practice keeps her pain free and reduces the stress of being an entrepreneur. If you enjoyed this episode The Creative Yarn Entrepreneur Show is no longer broadcasting. Episodes are available as a service to the yarn community. This episode originally aired in April, 2016. Be aware that content may be outdated. If you'd like to chat with other yarn-related business owners, join the group. Support Marie's work by buying one of her books, Make Money Teaching Crochet: Launch Your Business, Increase Your Side Income, Reach More Students ( | ) or Design It, Promote It, Sell It: Online Marketing for Your Crochet and Knit Patterns ( | ). /episode/index/show/creativeyarnentrepreneur/id/4315717

Episode 61: The National NeedleArts Association (TNNA) Membership and Trade Show for Newbies with Beth Whiteside 04/07/2016

Episode 61: The National NeedleArts Association (TNNA) Membership and Trade Show for Newbies with Beth Whiteside Have you considered joining The National NeedleArts Association (TNNA)? In this episode, I interview knitting teacher, designer, and tech editor, Beth Whiteside, about the benefits of membership, newly formed Business and Creative Services sector, and power tips for getting the most out of the TNNA trade show. About Beth Beth Whiteside is a knitting teacher, designer, and technical editor whose curiosity has led her to visit many countries (stranded color, EPS, k1b, lace, ...) on the knitting-world map. Originally from New England, she now lives in San Francisco, where mountains, ocean, and Haight Street are always good sources of inspiration. She has been teaching locally since 2003, and nationally since 2005. What she loves most about teaching is finding ways to make light bulbs pop on in her students' heads and helping them grow as knitters. You can learn more about Beth by visiting her website, . You can also follow her online on | | | About the interview In today's episode, I talk with Beth about the evolution of her own business, Beth Whiteside Design, and her involvement with The National NeedleArts Association for the past 10 years. We talk about Affiliate membership, attending the trade shows, and the newly formed Business and Creative Service sector, which focuses on individuals and agencies that offer creative and business services to the needlearts industry including authors, bookkeepers/accountants, copy editors, designers, fiber artists, finishers, graphic designers, illustrators, marketing specialists, photographers, teachers (business-to-business and consumer), technical editors, website developers, and those in video production. Resources mentioned in this episode You can find The National NeedleArts Association online at . Follow TNNA on | | | . Links to other TNNA resources we mentioned: You can learn more about membership types . Most regular listeners will probably fall into the category, with the exception of indie dyers, spinners, and other yarnies (and yarn shop owners). For yarnies who sell directly to consumers, membership is less expensive than membership, but doesn't allow you to exhibit at the trade shows. There is also a membership option. You can find a list of upcoming TNNA events, including trade shows and webinars, . I also mentioned a previous episode that you may want to go back and listen to: Episode 33: 7 Steps for Pitching Your Ideas for Workshops, Presentations, and Panel Sessions to Conferences and Events If you enjoyed this episode The Creative Yarn Entrepreneur Show is no longer broadcasting. Episodes are available as a service to the yarn community. This episode originally aired in April, 2016. Be aware that content may be outdated. If you'd like to chat with other yarn-related business owners, join the group. Support Marie's work by buying one of her books, Make Money Teaching Crochet: Launch Your Business, Increase Your Side Income, Reach More Students ( | ) or Design It, Promote It, Sell It: Online Marketing for Your Crochet and Knit Patterns ( | ). /episode/index/show/creativeyarnentrepreneur/id/4277737

Being a Mompreneur, Staying Positive and More with Elayna Fernandez from The Positive Mom 03/25/2016

Being a Mompreneur, Staying Positive and More with Elayna Fernandez from The Positive Mom I interview Elayna Fernandez, author, speaker, and owner of The Positive Mom. About Elayna Elayna Fernandez is an author, international keynote speaker, and a key Latina influencer and storyteller through . She lives with her loving husband and her three brilliant bilingual daughters (and home school students) in Fort Worth, Texas. Elayna’s mission is to encourage, empower, and equip moms to have more influence at home, more impact in the world, and more income to make it happen. Elayna is also an award-winning and the creator of the Guerrilla Positioning System™ () for mompreneurs or aspiring mompreneurs who want to increase their Credibility, Visibility and Profitability™. You can learn more about Elayna by visiting her blog, . You can follow her online at | | | | | About the interview I had the chance to meet up with Elayna in person at the by Latina Bloggers Connect in Long Beach, California. She was part of a very inspiring keynote panel. In the interview, Elayna shares her suggestions for involving your family in your home-based business, talks about how she uses her morning ritual to set herself up for success, gives recommendations for dealing with negative feedback and negative energy, and explains the way she organizes her time so she can be more productive. Resources mentioned in this episode Elayna recommends the following: The Four Agreements: A Practical to Personal Freedom by Don Miguel Ruiz website If you enjoyed this episode The Creative Yarn Entrepreneur Show is no longer broadcasting. Episodes are available as a service to the yarn community. This episode originally aired in March, 2016. Be aware that content may be outdated. If you'd like to chat with other yarn-related business owners, join the group. Support Marie's work by buying one of her books, Make Money Teaching Crochet: Launch Your Business, Increase Your Side Income, Reach More Students ( | ) or Design It, Promote It, Sell It: Online Marketing for Your Crochet and Knit Patterns ( | ). /episode/index/show/creativeyarnentrepreneur/id/4248591

Episode 59: An Interview with Kara Gott Warner 03/07/2016

Episode 59: An Interview with Kara Gott Warner Today's episode is a double header. I'm interviewing Kara Gott Warner, host of , and she's interviewing me! Read on for more details and then have a listen to both episodes. About Kara Gott Warner Kara is the Executive Editor of Creative Knitting magazine. She began her career in the yarn industry as a knitting designer in 2002. Kara's designs have been published in several magazines, including Creative Knitting, Vogue Knitting, Family Circle Easy Knitting, and Interweave Knits. Kara has also worked as a technical illustrator, working with craft book publishers such as Random House, Lark Books, Sterling Publishing and F+W. Kara joined Annie’s Publishing in 2008 as knitting book editor, and she became the Executive Editor of Creative Knitting and Annie’s knitting publications. Kara's also a podcast host! Her first show, the is a seasonal program that is currently on hiatus. Knitters and yarn industry folks may prefer her latest show, , where she loves to dig deep and ask those burning questions about what turned her guests on to the “two sticks and fiber,” in the first place, and what keeps their needles moving. You can find Kara online on , as well as on and . About the interview Kara shares an editor's perspective on the magazine design submission process, along with tips for increasing your likelihood of getting a design accepted, and how to build a strong relationship with a magazine as a freelancer. We also talk about the importance of networking within the industry, developing multiple streams of income, and using morning rituals to increase your productivity. Resources mentioned in this episode Kara recommends the following books: The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert Jocelyn Glei's Make Your Mark, Manage Your Day-to-Day, and Maximize Your Potential, Designing Knitwear by Deborah Newton Knitwear Design Workshop by Shirley Paden Sweater Design in Plain English by Maggie Righetti You may want to listen to these back episodes of the Creative Yarn Entrepreneur Show for more discussion about topics addressed in this episode: Episode 1 Episode 43 Episode 49 Episode 56 You can find . If you enjoyed this episode The Creative Yarn Entrepreneur Show is no longer broadcasting. Episodes are available as a service to the yarn community. This episode originally aired in March, 2016. Be aware that content may be outdated. If you'd like to chat with other yarn-related business owners, join the group. Support Marie's work by buying one of her books, Make Money Teaching Crochet: Launch Your Business, Increase Your Side Income, Reach More Students ( | ) or Design It, Promote It, Sell It: Online Marketing for Your Crochet and Knit Patterns ( | ). /episode/index/show/creativeyarnentrepreneur/id/4185323

Episode 58: How To Organize and Participate in Multi-Business Collaborations 02/26/2016

Episode 58: How To Organize and Participate in Multi-Business Collaborations This episode is all about multi-business collaborations, including blog hops, multi-designer make-a-longs, and in-person events. I share 4 reasons you might want to participate in such a collaboration, 7 tips for organization a multi-business collaboration, and 5 ways for being an ideal collaborator when you're not organizing the event. 4 reasons you might want to participate in a multi-business collaboration There are many reasons you may want to participate in such an event, but here are the four major ones: Introduce your business to a new audience and expand your reach. Network with other businesses and sponsors you may not have access to on your own. Earn more money. Develop friendships with like-minded business owners. I share more details about each of these in the episode. So, are you ready to organize one of these collaborative shindigs? If so, here are 7 tips for successfully organizing a collaborative event. Manage your fear of rejection. Decide who's in charge. Choose to curate or have open invitations. Get organized. Invite and follow up. Reach out to sponsors. Keep your word and thank your collaborators. I go into more detail about each tip in the episode. Hmm, that sounds hard. I'd rather participate than organize. Here are 6 ways to be an ideal collaborator that gets invited back again and again. Join groups. Read and follow directions. Ask questions if you're confused or have concerns. Communicate, especially about problems or delays. Promote the entire event/collaboration, not just your participation in it. And, for bonus brownie points, offer to help the organizer(s). I share more details on each way in the episode. If you enjoyed this episode The Creative Yarn Entrepreneur Show is no longer broadcasting. Episodes are available as a service to the yarn community. This episode originally aired in February, 2016. Be aware that content may be outdated. If you'd like to chat with other yarn-related business owners, join the group. Support Marie's work by buying one of her books, Make Money Teaching Crochet: Launch Your Business, Increase Your Side Income, Reach More Students ( | ) or Design It, Promote It, Sell It: Online Marketing for Your Crochet and Knit Patterns ( | ). /episode/index/show/creativeyarnentrepreneur/id/4178137

Episode 56: 6 Income Streams for Yarn-Related Businesses 01/23/2016

Episode 56: 6 Income Streams for Yarn-Related Businesses I share six different income streams for yarn-related business owners to consider in this episode. Many of us start our own businesses part time and by leveraging our existing skills. As you plan for expansion in 2016 and beyond, consider these different options for earning money for your business. Six Income Streams for Your Yarn-Related Business Here are some options to consider. Most successful businesses have a combination of income streams which helps to mitigate risk and to standardize cash flow. Consumer Products: This is a very broad category including... Handmade products you sell directly to the end user (e.g., crochet/knit finished objects, artisan hooks and needles, hand dyed or hand spun yarn), Handmade products you sell via retailers (wholesale or consignment), Items you purchase from a manufacturer/wholesaler and resell, Digital products you sell directly to the end user (e.g., patterns, ebooks), and Services including teaching face-to-face and online. Advertising and Sponsorship: You may work with an ad network (like , , , etc.) or negotiate your own relationships with brands. Affiliate Marketing: As an affiliate, you promote another company's products and earn a commission when items are purchased through you. Business to Business Services: Many yarn-related business owners provide services to other businesses on a freelance or contractual basis. Some examples include writing, designing patterns, tech editing, sample making, social media coordination, and virtual assistance. Membership/Subscriptions: Magazines, pattern subscriptions, and yarn clubs are some examples of yarn-related membership and subscription options. Crowdfunding: Crowdfunding can be used in exchange for product pre-orders through , , and other services, or by allowing your fans to support your business on an ongoing basis through and related services. If you enjoyed this episode The Creative Yarn Entrepreneur Show is no longer broadcasting. Episodes are available as a service to the yarn community. This episode originally aired in January, 2016. Be aware that content may be outdated. If you'd like to chat with other yarn-related business owners, join the group. Support Marie's work by buying one of her books, Make Money Teaching Crochet: Launch Your Business, Increase Your Side Income, Reach More Students ( | ) or Design It, Promote It, Sell It: Online Marketing for Your Crochet and Knit Patterns ( | ). /episode/index/show/creativeyarnentrepreneur/id/4097251

Episode 55: Email Marketing 101: Or, Why and How to Set Up an Email List for Your Creative Business 12/16/2015

Episode 55: Email Marketing 101: Or, Why and How to Set Up an Email List for Your Creative Business If setting up (or enhancing) an email list for your business is on your list of New Year’s Resolutions, listen to this episode. In this episode, I talk about why you should start an email list, how to get started, the different approaches you can take to an email list, and how to grow your subscriber base. Why should you have an email list? Here are just a few reasons why having an email list by benefit your business. It provides you with a direct connection to your fanbase without another platform as an intermediary. People check their email regularly throughout the day, so you can connect with them on their schedule. Your subscribers will have a direct, individual connection to your emails (rather than the feeling of being "broadcasted at" that comes with social media posting). Business report seeing boosts in sales after sending out emails to their subscribers. When your business faces another disruption (e.g., your website goes down), it's a great way of letting your audience know what is happening. How should you set up an email list? The most important thing is to get started, not to develop the most masterful email strategy that ever existed. You can always improve and update over time. I recommend starting with or , both of which have permanently free accounts for small subscriber lists. Both offer affordable plans for people with smaller lists, as well, so you can grow your list before spending a lot of time researching different companies and features. MadMimi is a bit easier (more "low tech") to use, while MailChimp offers more features in its free plan. How should you approach your email list? There are several simple options to consider for your email list. RSS feed: If you have a website or blog that you update with some regularity, you can set up an RSS feed so that your subscribers are alerted via email to any new posts on your site. Newsletter: You may want to write an email to your list on a regular basis (e.g., weekly, biweekly, monthly, quarterly). This can include links to your latest posts, original content for subscribers, roundups of relevant information you’ve found online, and more. Updates: You may choose to send sporadic emails to your list when something new happens in your business (e.g., a new product is released, you’re teaching a new class, or there’s a sale). Autoresponders: You may choose to set up a sequence of replies that are automatically delivered to your subscribers on a schedule based on when they subscribed. For example, the first email can be sent one day after they subscribe and the second email can be sent two weeks after they subscribe. Listen to the episode for more details about each approach. How do you get subscribers? Once you understand your approach, you can start recruiting subscribers. Consider letting potential subscribers know more about your approach wherever they can opt-in to subscribe. Here are some other ways to grow your email list. Update your website: Include subscription opt-ins in a sidebar, your About and Contact pages, and even in posts on your site. Update your social media profiles: Use the “sign up” option on your Facebook page, and include a link to your email list on your Ravelry, Etsy, G+, and other social profiles. Update your “thank you” message: Change the automatic reply sent to your customers on Etsy and Ravelry (or other marketplaces) to include a link to your mailing list. Giveaways: Some companies offer giveaways to their subscribers as an incentive to encourage people to sign up. Lead magnet: Offer a free ebook, checklist, or other desirable product “in exchange” for a subscription. Tip: Do not get stuck on this. If you don’t have a lead magnet, you can still start an email list. Resources mentioned in this episode Listen to Episode 27: Connecting with Your Mailing List and More with Vashti Braha to learn more about Vashti's approach to her email list and how it impacts her business. Read on Forbes Check out by Amy Lynn Andrews as an example of a curated/roundup approach to an email list Read more about (or sign up for) a free or account If you enjoyed this episode The Creative Yarn Entrepreneur Show is no longer broadcasting. Episodes are available as a service to the yarn community. This episode originally aired in December, 2015. Be aware that content may be outdated. If you'd like to chat with other yarn-related business owners, join the group. Support Marie's work by buying one of her books, Make Money Teaching Crochet: Launch Your Business, Increase Your Side Income, Reach More Students ( | ) or Design It, Promote It, Sell It: Online Marketing for Your Crochet and Knit Patterns ( | ). /episode/index/show/creativeyarnentrepreneur/id/4021009

Episode 54: Time Management for Your Part-Time or Side Business 12/12/2015

Episode 53: What To Do When You're Not Feeling Inspired for Your Creative Business 12/04/2015

Episode 52: How to Increase Your Blog Traffic for Your Yarn-Related Business 11/25/2015

Episode 52: How to Increase Your Blog Traffic for Your Yarn-Related Business In this episode, I talk about increasing blog traffic in response to feedback from the and and email exchange with Lindsay Lewchuk from . I'm listening to & am a bit bummed that she wouldn't get into particular dollar amounts. I've got content on my site (content I'm proud of), but I have very little traffic... I know I haven't done any SEO but am completely lost online with how to do it & what to do. I want to budget for this, but have no idea. Do you have any insights of which company I should be looking at and how much I need to budget for it? Is it really as simple as the yoast plug-in (which makes absolutely no sense to me)? Lindsay was previously a guest in Episode 26, where we talked about niche marketing and eco-conscious knitting. (She also shared a great tip in Episode 47: Best Advice for Yarn-Related Businesses.) Here are my suggestions for increasing your blog's traffic. First, focus on strategy and measurement. Clarify your blog's purpose in relationship to your entire business. Begin tracking your blog's traffic. Analyze what you've tracked, and make changes as appropriate. Some of the tactics I've used to increase my blog traffic in the past year include... Establishing an editorial calendar. Posting more frequently and focusing on specific types of posts based on my goals. Adding subscription options, including an RSS feed subscription and a weekly email newsletter (with links to that week's blog posts) subscription. Guest posting on other sites. Participating in link parties. (See below for a list of link parties.) Linking your blog posts to projects and stash on Ravelry, and sharing those projects and stash in groups. Sharing old/archived posts on social media daily. Changing social media schedule, frequency, and/or platforms based on analysis of blog traffic. Submitting links to referral sites more regularly (especially the growing network of sites). Joining private blogging groups where you can share information with other bloggers. Attending blogging conferences, reading blogging books, and/or taking online blogging courses to further develop skills. Listen to the episode for more details. If you're focused on improving your blog and increasing traffic, you may want to listen to these prior episodes: Episode 4: 6 Ways to Engage with the Blogging Community Episode 23: Diversifying Your Income and Boosting Your Blogging with Tamara Kelly from Moogly Episode 32: Journey to 100k Monthly Blog Visitors with Sedie Maruska from Yarn Obsession Episode 48: Website Strategy and Working with Digital Marketers for Your Business with Carol Lyn Rivera If you enjoyed this episode The Creative Yarn Entrepreneur Show is no longer broadcasting. Episodes are available as a service to the yarn community. This episode originally aired in November, 2015. Be aware that content may be outdated. If you'd like to chat with other yarn-related business owners, join the group. Support Marie's work by buying one of her books, Make Money Teaching Crochet: Launch Your Business, Increase Your Side Income, Reach More Students ( | ) or Design It, Promote It, Sell It: Online Marketing for Your Crochet and Knit Patterns ( | ). /episode/index/show/creativeyarnentrepreneur/id/3976837

Episode 51: Should I Be Using LinkedIn for My Yarn-Related Business? 11/13/2015

Episode 51: Should I Be Using LinkedIn for My Yarn-Related Business? In this episode, I answer a listener question from Caroline Ruzicka from about using LinkedIn for a yarn-related business. Caroline asks, What about LinkedIn? I didn’t see anything on your podcast about it, so I believe you didn’t cover it yet. I use LinkedIn a lot in my main job environment (which is not related to yarn) but honestly I’m not sure this is really working in the yarn industry or for networking in this creative environment yet. I had a quick look today and it seems to me that most of the groups are closed and rather small. I actually do use LinkedIn for my yarn-related business, and unless there's a compelling reason not to use it (e.g., you work in another industry full time, and adding it to your profile may harm you professionally in that industry), you may want to use it, too. A few things to keep in mind about LinkedIn: It's a professional networking site, so language tends to be more formal. You will probably find it more useful as a site for professional networking, professional development, or finding business-to-business prospects, and less useful as a way to connect with consumers. It's alright to talk about yourself in third person or in first preson in your profile. Most yarn-related business owners won't need to share update on LinkedIn as frequently as on other social networks. Some of the ways yarn-related business owners might want to use LinkedIn are by: Joining groups on writing, self-publishing, social media, marketing, or other topics that may support the development of their businesses. Writing long-form posts that may help to build a portfolio for freelance writing or coaching. (You can find .) Searching for contacts at specific companies. Building a professional network. You can listen to the episode for more tips for using LinkedIn for your yarn-related business. If you enjoyed this episode The Creative Yarn Entrepreneur Show is no longer broadcasting. Episodes are available as a service to the yarn community. This episode originally aired in November, 2015. Be aware that content may be outdated. If you'd like to chat with other yarn-related business owners, join the group. Support Marie's work by buying one of her books, Make Money Teaching Crochet: Launch Your Business, Increase Your Side Income, Reach More Students ( | ) or Design It, Promote It, Sell It: Online Marketing for Your Crochet and Knit Patterns ( | ). /episode/index/show/creativeyarnentrepreneur/id/3949519

Episode 50: Do I Need to Formalize My Yarn-Related Business? 11/05/2015

Episode 49: How to Submit Crochet or Knitting Design Proposals to Magazines 10/28/2015

Episode 49: How to Submit Crochet or Knitting Design Proposals to Magazines In this episode, I answer a common listener question: How do I get my patterns published in a magazine? Even if you aren't a designer, you may want to listen as the same process is used for submitting tutorial or article ideas. But first, I shared why I was on a 6 week (!) podcast hiatus and my new philosophy about show notes. (Spoiler alert: They will be shorter.) So, how do you submit your crochet or knitting design proposals? First, if you haven't already, listen to Episode 1: for more information about choosing magazines that are a better match with your goals and design aesthetic. There's also a document with links to many magazines' submission information. Look for design submission guidelines, mood board, or other documents on the publisher website, and/or scan the group for current Calls for Submission. If you have guidelines from the publisher, follow them closely. If you don't have guidelines from the publisher, email to ask for an editorial calendar or to be added to their designer email list. In the absence of guidelines, share a sketch, swatch, romance text/description of your proposed pattern, along with a short bio and links to your Ravelry design page (or project page, if you've never published a pattern before). Fit this onto one page if possible. You can listen to the episode for more details about preparing your sketch, swatch, and romance text. If you enjoyed this episode The Creative Yarn Entrepreneur Show is no longer broadcasting. Episodes are available as a service to the yarn community. This episode originally aired in October, 2015. Be aware that content may be outdated. If you'd like to chat with other yarn-related business owners, join the group. Support Marie's work by buying one of her books, Make Money Teaching Crochet: Launch Your Business, Increase Your Side Income, Reach More Students ( | ) or Design It, Promote It, Sell It: Online Marketing for Your Crochet and Knit Patterns ( | ). /episode/index/show/creativeyarnentrepreneur/id/3895270

Episode 48: Website Strategy and Working with Digital Marketers for Your Business with Carol Lynn Rivera 09/16/2015

Episode 48: Website Strategy and Working with Digital Marketers for Your Business with Carol Lynn Rivera If thinking about your company's website makes your head explode (even just a little bit), you'll want to listen to this week's episode. I talk with Carol Lynn Rivera, a digital marketer at and the co-host of the , and she shares great information about how to think about a website for your yarn-related business. You can find also Carol Lynn online on , , and . This week's episode In my interview with Carol Lynn, we talk about different ways to approach your website. Carol Lynn brings many years of experience working with other small businesses on their websites and digital marketing and answers questions like, "Do you need to have your website, or if it's alright to rely on a digital marketplace like Etsy or Ravelry?" and "Should you do your website yourself, or hire someone to do it for you?" Spoiler alert: The answer to both questions is "It depends" (but it all sounds much more elegant when Carol Lynn explains why). So, do you need your own website? Carol Lynn recommends developing an ecommerce site for your yarn-related business only if it can be done well. If that is outside of your current capabilities or financial resources, tap into the ecommerce and marketing strength of a larger site like Etsy or Ravelry. Even if you don't want, need, or can't manage ecommerce cabailities, what about having a website for other reasons? Carol Lynn recommends thinking about what your website will do for your business. What are your goals for it and what do you want the site to do? Once you have your strategy, you can decide whether it is a DIY project or something that needs additional resources. In general, a site with more complexity will require more resources. If you aren't already familiar with the technology, think about whether you have more time to invest in training yourself, or whether hiring out is the best appraoch. If you take the DIY approach... Carol Lynn recommends taking an inventory of other sites to start. Look at websites in other industries as well as some in the yarn industry and your specific niche(s). Examine what is being done wrong (hint: avoid those things) and what's being done well. Try not to copycat, but think about what is appealing and what makes you interested in browsing the site. Are there similar elements that you could incorporate into your own site? Don't forget to start with the strategy and purpose for your website, but understand that a website will continually evolve. It can't (and won't) be "perfect" on your first try. Start where you are and then build towards your goals. Carol Lynn also reminds you that your website isn't just a visual aid. The content is more important than the design (though pretty looking designs don't hurt). If that isn't something you are prepared to develop yourself, it can also be outsourced (or, you can work with a digital marketing company to develop a strategy that you can implement on your own). There's a continuum between DIY and pay someone else do everything. Based on your budget, available time, experience, and comfort, choose the approach that makes the most sense for your business. If you decide to hire someone... Carol Lynn shares 5 important tips for finding the right company (or individual). 1) You should be able to communicate easily with the company before you contract with them. Ask a lot of questions so you can understand the company's approach to your site and their services. If you can only communicate via email, that's a red flag. You should be able to have a consultation over the phone or using Skype/Google Hangouts before making a decision. Consider whether your communication styles work well together. 2) The company should have an online presence that you can preview. If the company is in the digital marketing space, it should have an online presence including a website and active accounts on one or more social media platform. This allows the company to test out new approaches on itself, not on your business. 3) Get it in writing. Once you settle on a company, you should get a clear outline of the services they will provide and the costs involved in writing. Read through the information, ask questions about it, and don't sign anything until you have satisfactory answers. The document can be just as clear about what the company is not providing as about what it is providing. 4) The company should have insurance. Carol Lynn talked about the prevalence of "day trippers" in the industry - people who have limited expertise but offer digital marketing services. The presence of insurance indicates the company is serious about their business, and also protects you as the client from the negative impact of problems resulting from their work on your website or social marketing activities. 5) You should have access to your site and its analytics. Even if you plan to be completely hands off and delegate all of your website and social marketing activities to another company, you should have access to all the login details, analytics, and other critical information in case of emergency. This is also helpful if you decide to switch to another company in the future. If you need a horror story to drive the point home, listen to "Don't Hire a Web Developer ," a fascinating episode of the Web.Search.Social podcast where Carol Lynn and her husband, Ralph, interview a business owner who lost access to his website, email, and more. It also includes a link to a helpful (and free) business continuity plan document. You may also enjoy these additional resources Carol Lynn has written several related articles that you may want to read. If you enjoyed this episode The Creative Yarn Entrepreneur Show is no longer broadcasting. Episodes are available as a service to the yarn community. This episode originally aired in August, 2015. Be aware that content may be outdated. If you'd like to chat with other yarn-related business owners, join the group. Support Marie's work by buying one of her books, Make Money Teaching Crochet: Launch Your Business, Increase Your Side Income, Reach More Students ( | ) or Design It, Promote It, Sell It: Online Marketing for Your Crochet and Knit Patterns ( | ). /episode/index/show/creativeyarnentrepreneur/id/3804089

Episode 47: Best Advice for Yarn-Related Businesses: Listeners and Former Guests Share Their Tips to Celebrate One Year of the CYE Show! 09/07/2015

Episode 47: Best Advice for Yarn-Related Businesses: Listeners and Former Guests Share Their Tips to Celebrate One Year of the CYE Show! This week's episode is a special one-year anniversary episode of the Creative Yarn Entrepreneur Show. Listeners and former guests share their best advice by telling us the one thing they've done in the past 2 years that has had the most benefit for their businesses. Before we started on the advice, I shared the top 10 episodes from the first year of the show. Can you sense the themes? Episode 32: Journey to 100k Monthly Blog Visitors and More with Sedie Maruska Episode 8: Affordable Crochet and Knitting Fonts with Adriana Hernandez Episode 1: Identify the Right Magazines to Target for Your Article, Tutorial, and Design Submissions Episode 9: Selling on Etsy, An Interview with Ijeoma Eleazu from the Etsy Conversations Podcast Episode 2: 10 Ways to Use Pinterest to Grow Your Business (In Just Minutes A Day) Episode 3: 8 Tips for Organizing Your First Pattern Test Episode 23: Diversifying Your Income and Boosting Your Blogging with Tamara Kelly from Moogly Episode 29: Selling on Etsy, Passive Income, and Using Trending Keywords with Alexandra Tavel from Two of Wands Episode 21: 10 Habits for Successfully “Owning” (or Working) from Home Episode 4: 6 Ways to Engage with the Blogging Community It seems that topics related to blogging, selling on Etsy, and self-publishing patterns are enjoyed by most listeners! And, now on to the advice! Michele Wang Michele is a . Michele says: "In regards to my design business, the one thing that has been the most beneficial is outsourcing. I’ve found a wonderful tech editor to work with, and have also worked with great sample knitters. It’s increased my productivity and allowed me to focus more on designing." Joy Grise Joy is a crochet maker and . Her business is called . Joy's advice is: "Write your patterns! Crochet lends itself to improvisation so easy. Many crocheters can see a picture on Pinterest and they make a similar pattern off the top of their head. They assume that others can do the same and do not write the patterns that they come up with. So if you are making the same thing as everyone else, say you make a Minion hat, write up the pattern and offer it for free. If you make a pattern that fills a need that you have noticed so you made the product, write up the pattern so that others can make the item too. Don't be intimidated by your own skill level whether you are an expert or a beginner. The examples in my own life are my which is a free pattern and my ." Tamara Kelly Tamara is the (mostly crochet) , blogger, and behind . I previously interviewed her on Episode 23. Tamara's advice: "I think the most important thing is to stay true to yourself, and your own voice. It's important to listen to your readers/customers, but you have to keep going with the stuff that made you passionate about getting into this business to begin with. Otherwise it becomes just another "job" - and burnout will follow along soon enough!" Dana Gervais Dana is a and owner of . Dana says: "I have noticed a shift in my business since I made the decision to approach my business with the same attitude and focus that I gave to my prior careers. I have taken the systems and tools that I used successfully in my previous ventures and adapted them to be applied to my knitwear design business. This has given my business structure, routine and made me much more productive." Amy Ramnarine Amy is the blogger and behind . I interviewed her on Episode 31. Amy's advice: "One thing that I have been doing for the past year or so, that has been the most beneficial to my blog, is sharing my posts across many social media sites. People are constantly on social media. They use it for news updates, to stay in touch, and get inspiration for projects, recipes, fashion, and more. I noticed that by sharing my patterns on different social media sites such as Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Google+, StumbleUpon and even Ravelry, I am able to get more exposure for my blog from different groups of people. It has helped me tremendously with my traffic." Anita Bose Natarajan Anita is the knitting designer behind Anita says: "Invest in Yourself!!! Learn financial, business and 'your area of interest' skills. If you are starting out and have no funds, learn from all the freebies you can find - internet, people, print articles - anything. If you have some funds, research classes/subscriptions that will really benefit you, check on their pricing regularly and when the prices drop, buy them and learn. If you have funds you can set aside regularly for investing in yourself, keep a listing of nice to have classes/subscriptions, keep tabs on the pricing, and when the price is within budget, buy them and learn. I have always done one of the above depending on my financial situation and managed to move ahead - snail pace, but still ahead." I agree! I talked more about how I invested in myself and my business in Episode 18: 8 Best Investments I Made In My Business in 2014. Lindsay Lewchuk Lindsay is a knitting and , and the owner of . Lindsay was my guest in Episode 26. Lindsay's advice: "Let your passion and character shine through each design." Joanna Joanna is a known as . Joanna says: "My business is fairly new so the conclusion I came up with is: I didn’t quit. Staying motivated to keep going and not give up is a must when you’re dealing with a business that cannot be grown overnight. There are a variety of ways I keep motivated but the most impacting has been listening to podcasts. Listening to your podcast, small business podcasts, mom business podcasts, affiliate marketing podcasts, SEO podcasts, really anything I can get my ears on. Hearing tips as well as other regular people’s success stories really motivate me to keep going, and to up my game." Kathryn Vercillo Kathryn is a and the blogger behind . Kathryn's advice: "I thought I'd share my simple-but-true business tip ... The best thing I've ever done for my business is stay true to my heart. It's important and smart to take a strategic approach to business but it's equally important to let your head quiet down so you can hear the beating of your own truth inside, following that towards any changes in business." Ashwini Jambhekar Ashwini is a and . She is the owner of , and she shared her approach to pattern grading in a bonus episode. Ashwini says: "As a newer designer, the two most important things I've done have been to 1) persevere and 2) diversify. I think it's tempting to envision rags-to-riches outcomes in this business, but I suspect that's not realistic, especially in the current climate. Even though sales were dismal at first, continuing to produce high-quality patterns has definitely begun to reverse the trend. There were times I wanted to give up: as I mostly design garments, each pattern is a tremendous amount of time and effort, and there were times it seemed not worth-while. However, I'm glad that I persevered and stayed true to my aesthetic style, as I'm slowly starting to see the pay-offs. Secondly, I've learned various aspects of the business by designing for different formats/ venues. I've published three designs in third-party publications in the last year and half, and all of them have operated a little differently from each other. It has been informative to see how the professional publishers display and promote my work. I also recently completed my first project with yarn support, and the logistics of the promotions and marketing have been different from what I've experienced for self-published designs without yarn support, or for 3rd-party publications. The skills I've learned by designing in each of these settings will be valuable in whichever direction I take my business in the future." Angela Plunkett Angela is a and , and the owner of . Angela's advice: "The tip that has made a daily impact on me is about my tools - If I am going to crochet everyday, I need to use the best crochet hooks out there to keep from getting hand cramps, etc. I’m not sure which of your episodes this is from, but after that show I ordered myself a set of the Tulip hooks and love them! They were expensive, but much better than hand cramps! I’m know that I have utilized several other tips that you have passed one, but this tip is the one that stands out to me, probably because it’s the one tip I use every day." Vashti Braha Vashti is a , indie . She was previously my guest in Episode 27. Vashti's advice: "I thought the answer to your question would be simple but I ended up with a list of ten things! Then I realized that five of them are all aspects of the same thing: crocheted ALL sizes of a new design in ALL colors of . At two we had "fitting labs" with them, and had them all modeled at once in the fashion show of each conference. This ensured that crocheters got to know the yarn in the best possible way: they experienced the yarn's special drape and sheen as they tried on the garments. They saw all of the colors up close as well as on a runway. They gained lots of valuable and inspiring information about crocheting clothing in a memorable way: how more than one size of a well-designed garment fits fine depending on the look you want (for example, a smaller size may look trendy in a cropped, figure-enhancing way, while a larger size on the same person may have a breezy, swingy, streamlining look). How two people who wear the same size but have different body shapes look different in the same size. What good blocking does for a stylish design. Ideas for altering the pattern, for example, add repeats of the edging, or change sleeve length. (Doris also crocheted some simple variations.) And, they experienced all of this while chatting with the designer directly." Danielle Chalson Danielle is the behind . She also happens to be an intellectual property attorney, and I interviewed her about IP issues in Episode 7. "For me, the one thing that has been the most beneficial is to learn to trust my gut more. By that, I mean: trusting my instincts when a design idea is working or is compatible with my design sensibilities, but more importantly, trusting my instincts when a design idea is NOT working. It could be the shaping, the yarn choice, a stitch pattern, or the whole design altogether. Learn to trust that inner voice that the idea needs to be tweaked or even abandoned. I think that the more I do that, the more my designs will reflect a cohesive aesthetic or “voice” that is hopefully unique!" I don't suppose I could sneak away from this episode without sharing my own tips... Since I made the transition from being the full time employee of an organization with a side business in 2013 to being a fully self-employed person, I've found that there are 3 things that have allowed me to be self-supporting without relying on a full time job for income. Flexibility. I've had to be willing to make adjustments and course corrections to my businesses (while still staying true to myself, of course). Learning. I've had to make frequent investments of time and money in myself to keep learning new things to help my businesses thrive. Diversification. I have more than one business, and within each business, I have activities that lead to multiple streams of income. I've found that each one contributes to the others in unexpected ways. Recent review from gave the Show a 5 star review on iTunes. She says, "I am always surprised at the amount of useful information included in these podcasts. Definitely worth the time and an enjoyable listen too." Thanks, Kathy! If her name sounds familiar, it's because I responded to questions from Kathy in two past episodes: Episode 4: 6 Ways to Engage with the Blogging Community and Episode 45: How to Balance Two Creative Businesses. If you enjoyed this episode The Creative Yarn Entrepreneur Show is no longer broadcasting. Episodes are available as a service to the yarn community. This episode originally aired in August, 2015. Be aware that content may be outdated. If you'd like to chat with other yarn-related business owners, join the group. Support Marie's work by buying one of her books, Make Money Teaching Crochet: Launch Your Business, Increase Your Side Income, Reach More Students ( | ) or Design It, Promote It, Sell It: Online Marketing for Your Crochet and Knit Patterns ( | ). /episode/index/show/creativeyarnentrepreneur/id/3784543

Episode 46: 8 Free and Low-Cost Resources for Professional Development for Your Yarn-Related Business 08/21/2015

Episode 46: 8 Free and Low-Cost Resources for Professional Development for Your Yarn-Related Business If you’re in the United States, you’re being bombarded with “back-to-school” advertising. I decided to put my own spin on the back-to-school theme by sharing 8 free and low-cost resources you can use for professional development to help you launch, manage, and expand your yarn-related business. Here’s a preview of the 8 ways you can take advantage of these free or inexpensive resources: Use your local, regional, or federal small business development center Read Connect with colleges and universities Apprentice or barter skills with a master crafter Participate in a blog challenge Take a video course Listen to a podcast Volunteer or speak at an event 1. Use your local, regional, and federal small business development centers As a small business owner, you may be entitled to free support services from the government. These services may include workshops, free clinics with legal or tax professionals, or one-to-one business counseling. Check out the or for more information. While often these organizations have limited understanding of the yarn industry, home-based businesses, and online business, they can be very helpful in providing information about “basic” business information that doesn’t feel very basic when you are starting out. You may also want to investigage business improvement districts, economic development zones, or related local initiatives to support small business growth. 2. Read In general, reading books is an inexpensive way to learn new things, but I’m going to share some tips for saving even more on books. Use your local library system. In addition to books, your local library is likely to have a variety of DVDs and audiobooks, as well as access to research databases and other resources for small business owners. Some systems even have a dedicated business branch. You may also be able to request books on business or craftsmanship via interlibrary loan from nearby library systems for free. Additionally, many libraries hold classes on-site. If your library doesn’t have the resources you need, get to know your local librarian. S/he will be more likely to help a valued local branch customer. Use a subscription service like Amazon Prime. I’m an Amazon Prime customer and affiliate. Amazon Prime is a subscription program that costs $99/year and offers several different benefits including free 2-day shipping, access to free streaming music and video, cloud storage for photos, and the Kindle Owners’ Lending Library. You can borrow up to one book free each month from the Kindle Owners’ Lending Library. Each book can be kept as long as you’d like, but you have to return it in order to take out another book. Listen to audio books through Audible’s subscription service. Many crocheters and knitters prefer listening to audiobooks to reading physical or e-books, but audiobooks can be expensive. Audible is a subscription service operated by Amazon, and you can listen to one or two free books each month with your subscription. There are tons of great business books on Audible. Write book reviews. If you have a consistent following on your blog and/or social media accounts, approach a book publisher’s marketing or publicity department directly to request a review copy, or sign up for Netgalley, which coordinates advanced review copies of ebooks. Ask to review books that focus on the areas you’d like to develop to get the most out of your review experience, and don’t forget to properly disclose your receipt of a review copy as per FTC guidelines. 3. Connect with local colleges and universities Colleges and universities frequently have guest speakers, workshops, and conferences that are open to the public. These events may be free or low cost. As a side benefit, you may make connections with potential student interns or professors who might be willing to use a challenge facing your business as a class project. Your local business school may also have additional opportunities available, including free classes for small business owners. If your local college or university offers majors (e.g., textiles, fashion design, marketing, new media, etc.) that are relevant to your business, consider how you may connect with faculty and students. 4. Apprentice or barter skills with a master crafter Apprenticing or working closely with a local artisan or business owner can help you improve your skills rapidly under the tutelage of an expert. Approach a master and ask to be an apprentice or intern. This approach is much more time-intensive, so you should consider it more cautiously. You may also barter your skills with this person in exchange for private lessons. 5. Participate in blog challenges Information on almost anything a small business owner might need is freely available online, but the hours required for research can be daunting. Many bloggers curate this process for you by holding challenges focused on improving your skills. These challenges sometimes convert from free experiences to paid courses once they are archived, so join in when you have the chance! Some of these challenges are delivered via email, while others are posted directly to blogs. These can be difficult to find, so use Pinterest or your search engine to look for “TOPIC challenge.” 6. Take a video course Video courses are often cheaper than other forms of professional development and you are usually able to learn at your own pace and review the materials, which are added benefits. There are many great options for taking video courses online. Two of my favorite resources are Udemy and Craftsy. Udemy. Instructors create their own courses and then add them to the Udemy platform. Although courses have to be approved, this allows a wide variety of styles and options to exist. There are courses on business, computer applications and technology, photography, and more. You can read customer reviews to find the best course for you. Udemy offers both free and for sale courses, and they also frequently have sales on courses, so sign up for their email list to save even more. Craftsy. Craftsy’s courses are curated and filmed at Craftsy’s studios, so there is a more uniform appearance. The courses are affordably priced and they offer frequent sales, too. Some of the more helpful courses for yarn-related business owners are the advanced courses in crochet, knitting, or spinning, as well as photography courses. They also offer several free mini courses. You may also want to consider MOOCs (massive open online courses) from colleges and universities. You can find business MOOCs on and Coursera . These courses are often free but rarely carry college credit. 7. Listen to a podcast I’m assuming that if you listen to the Creative Yarn Entrepreneur Show, you may find listening to podcasts a great way to learn. Here are some shows that I listen to regularly which I think may be helpful for growing your yarn-related business. The : This live Q&A format video show also has an audio version. It’s hosted by entrepreneur, Gary Vaynerchuk, and covers a wide range of business topics with a focus on entrepreneurship, marketing, and new media. There are several short episodes released each week. Spoiler alert: Gary is known for his colorful language, so if you are sensitive to cussing, this may not be the show for you. : This is a show co-hosted by husband and wife team Ralph and Carol Lynn Rivera. They focus on marketing and other business issues from the perspective of the small local business owner. Their show is muti-format and includes read blog posts, interviews, and conversations. Except for the read blog posts, they tend to be chatty. This isn’t a “quick tips” type of show. : This weekly show features interviews with Etsy sellers and is hosted by Ijeoma Eleazu, who I interviewed in Episode 9. Ijeoma also occassionally interviews service providers who may of use to Etsy sellers. You can learn a lot about Etsy selling, but I find the show most inspiring for its focus on creativity and inspiration. : This show is hosted by entrepreneur, Pat Flynn. It is usually an interview format and focuses on developing passive income opportunities. : This interview show is hosted by Tim Ferriss, the author of The 4-Hour Workweek. Tim does a great job of getting his guests to open up, and many of the shows deal with creativity, overcoming adversity, and other inspiring topics that have motivated me in my business. I usually only listen to specific episodes rather than on a weekly basis. I listen to three weekly author/self-publishing podcasts. These share valuable information about self-publishing and author marketing. The first two also talk a lot about creativity and the business side of being an artist or creative indie. is hosted by author and professional speaker, Joanna Penn. Her guests often share insights on creativity and the mindset of being a business owner as a creative person. is a weekly interview show hosted by Simon Whistler. The is a weekly roundup of writing, self-publishing, and publishing news and is hosted by Bryan Cohen and Jim Kukral. There are two inactive shows with helpful archives you may want to listen to. is hosted by Kat Lee. The format is mostly interviews with an occassional Q&A. The show covers all aspects of blogging. Kat is a devout Christian and many of her guests talk about Christianity and spirituality and how that impact their blogging. The show is currently on hiatus. Oh So Pinteresting was hosted by Pinterest expert, Cynthia Sanchez, who I interviewed in Episode 30. The podcast, not surprisingly, focuses on Pinterest. While some of the oldest episodes are less relevant with recent Pinterest changes, most share valuable information that you can use in your business. 8. Volunteer or speak at an event Most conferences and events are not free or low cost, which is why few of us attend regularly. Most craft industry events (as well as blogger, business, and social media conferences) rely on volunteer staff to help things run smoothly. In exchange for your services, you are typically granted access to the vendor area, demonstrations or lectures, and sometimes even to classes and workshops. You can learn more about this option in Episode 43, where I share tips for getting the most out of conferences and how to save money on attendance as a volunteer. You can also save on events by speaking. I share tips for pitching your proposals to conferences and events in Episode 33. If you already have an existing relationship with a company or brand, you may even be able to get a sponsorship to a conference. Events and conferences allow you to learn while also networking. I think this is a really valuable option for home-based business owners, so try to attend if you can! If you enjoyed this episode The Creative Yarn Entrepreneur Show is no longer broadcasting. Episodes are available as a service to the yarn community. This episode originally aired in August, 2015. Be aware that content may be outdated. If you'd like to chat with other yarn-related business owners, join the group. Support Marie's work by buying one of her books, Make Money Teaching Crochet: Launch Your Business, Increase Your Side Income, Reach More Students ( | ) or Design It, Promote It, Sell It: Online Marketing for Your Crochet and Knit Patterns ( | ). /episode/index/show/creativeyarnentrepreneur/id/3750859

Episode 45: How to Balance Two Creative Businesses - The Creative Yarn Entrepreneur Show 08/14/2015

Episode 45: How to Balance Two Creative Businesses - The Creative Yarn Entrepreneur Show In this week’s episode, I answer a listener question from Kathy Kelly, a crochet designer and teacher at and a jazz musician at ! Kathy wants to know how to juggle two creative businesses at once. She says: I’m a jazz musician and a crochet teacher/designer. When I start to have some success in one area, it’s hard to keep things going in the other area, and I’m kind of making lopsided progress. Since my crochet and knitting business isn’t my full time work either, I thought I would answer this by sharing some of the things that I do to balance my different entrepreneurial activities. As you might know, I teach business education at the college and graduate level, and work for a local non-profit organization in addition to being a crochet and knitting designer, teacher, blogger, and podcaster. (For more details about what I’m currently working on, you may want to check out .) I shared four things that have helped me to be successfully in multiple businesses. Set your goals for each business. Have a clear idea of what you hope to accomplish with each business in the near and far future. Whether you decide to write business plans, create lists, journal your goals, or speak with a coach, think through this process so you can articulate your plans for each business. Since you are committed to keeping both businesses part time, be aware that you may reach a ceiling in one or both careers because you will not be able to devote the time and energy to take one business to the next level while still maintaining the other business. Schedule and organize your routines. Put structures in place to support each business based on the goals you are hoping to achieve. (I talk more about this in Episode 21: 10 Habits for Successfully “Owning” (or Working) from Home.) You may want to have multiple workspaces and devote specific days of the week to each business. It can be distracting to jump back and forth between radically different types of tasks and activities, and you’ll be less productive in each business as a result. Automate when possible. Find some activities in both businesses you can automate to increase your impact and decrease the amount of time you spend on these activities. I automated social media sharing for all of my different businesses and freelance projects this year using and . This has increased my focus on what I’m sharing and reduced the amount of time I waste on each social site. It has also increased traffic to my blog from different social sites. You may also find outsourcing helpful. Plan ahead. Detailed planning for each business allowed me to focus and use slow periods in one business to work on the other. I started using earlier this year, and I’ve been able to write up patterns to share during the semester when I’m busier. (Tamara Kelly talks about how she uses her planner in Episode 23: Diversifying Your Income and Boosting Your Blogging with Tamara Kelly from Moogly.) If you enjoyed this episode The Creative Yarn Entrepreneur Show is no longer broadcasting. Episodes are available as a service to the yarn community. This episode originally aired in August, 2015. Be aware that content may be outdated. If you'd like to chat with other yarn-related business owners, join the group. Support Marie's work by buying one of her books, Make Money Teaching Crochet: Launch Your Business, Increase Your Side Income, Reach More Students ( | ) or Design It, Promote It, Sell It: Online Marketing for Your Crochet and Knit Patterns ( | ). /episode/index/show/creativeyarnentrepreneur/id/3737210

Episode 43: 10 Tips for Attending (and Getting the Most Out of) Your First Blogging or Social Media Conference 07/31/2015

Episode 43: 10 Tips for Attending (and Getting the Most Out of) Your First Blogging or Social Media Conference This Week’s Episode I’m sharing 10 tips (plus a few bonus ones, too!) for attending and getting the most out of your first blogging or social media conference. As regular listeners know, this year I spoke at the and . These were my first two blogging conferences, and I have plenty of ideas to share! You may be thinking this episode isn’t relevant to you if you aren’t including blogging as part of your business model, but most of these tips are transferable to any conference or event where both colleagues and potential sponsors are in attendance. The tips are: Pack thoughtfully and light Dress for your niche Bring business cards Read ALL of the emails Organize and plan before the event Know your purpose Pad your budget Go the expo (or marketplace or vendor area) during off hours Add recovery time to your schedule Don’t forget to follow up These tips will help you prepare for, navigate, and then get the most value for your business out of the event. But first… Let’s talk about saving money on attendance. The primary reason I haven’t attended blogging conferences in the past is because I didn’t want to spend a lot on registration and travel. There are four great ways to save money on any conference you plan to attend. Register at the Early Bird Rate. Virtually all conferences have an “early bird” rate for people who register far in advance. This rate often expires prior to the finalization of the agenda, so you may feel anxious about signing up for an event that may not focus on exactly what you need for your business. The good news is that most of these events allow you to transfer your registration for a small fee, so you can sell your ticket to someone else after the early bird period ends for a slightly higher amount without losing any money. Use a promo code. Most conference speakers and some sponsors will have promotional codes that provide a discount. These may be a bit harder to find (unless you stalk each and every speaker on social media/blog/podcast before the event), but the savings are generally quite significant. Volunteer. Many events offer free registration to volunteers who may staff registration, the expo, assist with workshops, etc. This option is much more hands on and requires that you do some work! But it can also be a great way to meet people and get on the radar of the organizers before next year’s event. Some of sponsors and vendors may also need help staffing their tables. While these (usually competitive) opportunities are often announced closer to the event, be proactive and reach out to the organizers to ask about available volunteer positions early. Speak. Panelists and workshop speakers are generally provided with free registration (and some events provide additional compensation including room and board and/or a speaker fee). For more tips for getting started as a speaker, listen to Episode 33: 7 Steps for Pitching Your Ideas for Workshops, Presentations, and Panel Sessions to Conferences and Events. And, it goes without saying that you’ll save a lot on travel by attending a local conference. 10 Tips for Attending (and Getting the Most Out of) Your First Blogging or Social Media Conference Once you’ve gotten registration (and travel plans, if necessary) out of the way, let’s talk about the other ways to get the most out of the event. Pack thoughtfully and light As yarn crafters, we often travel with yarn, hooks and needles, works-in-progress, and more. I’m definitely guilty of this. However… You may not have as much “down time” for crocheting or knitting as you expect, You may be picking up quite a few free samples, gift bags, and other items at this event. You’ll need as much space in your bag as possible to bring these goodies home. Don’t forget to bring comfortable shoes, as you may be on your feet walking and standing a lot If you organize and plan before the event, you’ll know exactly what type of clothing to bring for all the activities you plan to participate in. Dress for your niche Dress appropriately for your niche/brand. Fashion-oriented bloggers will need to dress differently from mommy bloggers. As a yarn-related business owner, don’t miss the opportunity to show off your handiwork. Handmade accessories (or clothing) are great conversation starters and help people to recognize you. There are hundreds (or thousands!) of people at these events, so everything you can do to stand out (while promoting your business) helps. At each of these blogging conferences, someone came up to me and introduced themselves, knowing who I was based on recognizing something I made! Bring business cards As an online business owner and blogger, you may think that everything is electronic, on your smartphone, or in the cloud. Actually, a lot of people are still dealing with paper! Here are two bonus business card tips: Design your own cards with a matte back with little to no text. This allows people to take notes on the back of your card, increasing the likelihood they will remember (and follow up) with you. Bring a small pouch for your cards and a pen. While many people use their ID badge holder for their own business cards and those of others they meet, I prefer to bring a small pouch that holds a pen and my cards, with room for picking up other cards. This allows me to always have a pen handy for my own notes. The pouch also keeps everything together once I get home for easier follow up. Read ALL of the emails This is the hardest tip to follow! Most events will bombard you with emails, especially in the weeks leading up to the event. When you are stressed out about taking time off for a conference, it might seem best to skip reading these all together. These emails often include special pre-conference events, opportunities to meet with sponsors, and other activities that may not be on the formal agenda. By deleted or skipping these, you may miss out on a lot! Organize and plan before the event Again, with the time pressures before the event, many bloggers just want to show up and dive right in. As an introvert, this strategy doesn’t work for me as I get easily overwhelmed once I’m on site. Instead, I review the emails and the posted agenda and I create my own schedule. This may include workshops or panel events I plan to attend, meetings with sponsors, meetups, sightseeing, or meals with friends. I create two tiers in my schedule – activities that I must attend (like a one-on-one meeting with a potential sponsor) and activities that I might attend (like a workshop that looks sort of interesting). When I get on site, I’m very flexiblle about ditching those activities in the second category. Know your purpose So, what are you hoping to get out of this event? Understanding your goal in advance will help you focus all of your preparations and your activities at the conference. Some of the main reasons people attend blogging conferences are to: Learn. Are you primarily in attendance for professional development? You may find it important to spend more time in workshops, panels, and other structured activities. Network. Are you primarily looking for other bloggers to collaborate with? You may find it helpful to keep your schedule flexible so you can spend a lot of time chatting informally. You might also want to connect with some people of interest before the event to set up meetings or interviews. Find a sponsor. If sponsorship is your primary goal, you may spend more time in the expo hall and at sponsored workshops, and be more thoughtful about the brands you wear or bring with you to the event. You could also reach out to some of the brands in advance to try and schedule one-to-one meetings. Get ideas for your own event. Perhaps you are planning a local meetup or small blogging conference. In that case, you may want keep a critical eye on the way the event is organized and presented. Pad your budget Conferences can get expensive. If (ahem) you’re also a bit on the cheap side like me, you’ll find it tempting to have a very tight budget. Keep a cushion for a restaurant lunch with new friends (rather than the on-site panel lunch), sightseeing, or to purchase books or other goods from vendors and speakers. If you’re also an introvert, you may also need to skip some of the larger meal events and eat alone, so having some leeway in your budget is helpful. Go the expo (or marketplace or vendor area) during off hours If you want to speak to sponsors and vendors, schedule your visits in the off hours. These will be different depending on the conference, but in general the night before the main conference “kick off,” during workshops or popular panels, and early in the morning are quieter times. Avoid the scheduled “expo break” times, if possible. Add recovery time to your schedule You may be losing out on a lot of work or family time to attend a conference, so what many people do is work up to the last minute and then try to immediately jump right back into the swing of things when they return. If you’re traveling, you may be jet lagged or have a travel delay. Even if you are in your hometown, you’ll find that you may be exhausted after the conference. You’ll probably be doing a lot of walking, projecting your voice in loud spaces, etc. Be sure to add some recovery time into your schedule. You may find that prescheduling blog and social posts for the week of your return will give you some breathing room. Another bonus tip: Preschedule some of your social media activity related to the conference, using the official conference hashtag. This will give you more time to focus on the conference and not on sharing while on site. Don’t forget to follow up Separate yourself from the pack by following up with people after the conference. Build time into your schedule after the conference for following up with potential sponsors, collaborators, and others that you meet. Even if you do one or two emails a day, you will be doing more than most people. Think about how/if you want to follow people you met at the event. I find very helpful because I can keep track of people I met at an event without going over my follower limits. If you enjoyed this episode The Creative Yarn Entrepreneur Show is no longer broadcasting. Episodes are available as a service to the yarn community. This episode originally aired in July, 2015. Be aware that content may be outdated. If you'd like to chat with other yarn-related business owners, join the group. Support Marie's work by buying one of her books, Make Money Teaching Crochet: Launch Your Business, Increase Your Side Income, Reach More Students ( | ) or Design It, Promote It, Sell It: Online Marketing for Your Crochet and Knit Patterns ( | ). /episode/index/show/creativeyarnentrepreneur/id/3708431

Episode 42: Crochet & Knitting Design & Self-Publishing Mini Series 7: Promoting Your Pattern 07/22/2015

Episode 42: Crochet & Knitting Design & Self-Publishing Mini Series 7: Promoting Your Pattern This Week’s Episode I’m wrapping up the Crochet & Knitting Design & Self-Publishing Mini Series by talking about promoting your pattern after release. Updates from Last Week’s Episode Since last week’s episode, I’ve been informed that CraftFoxes now offers a digital download option. I can’t find anything about it on their , but a quick scan of the confirms that several sellers are offering digital downloads. Additionally, there has been some concerns raised about selling on Craftsy. In the episode, I share two tips for your PayPal settings that can protect you from both issues. Promoting Your Patterns I talk about two different aspects of promotion in this episode: strategy and systems. Promotional strategy Promoting your pattern is part of your business’s overall marketing strategy. Think about your target audience and where they congregate (online, or off). How does your target audience prefer to get information? Are they interested in detailed backstories about how the pattern came to be, or do they just want a pretty picture? If your target audience is very defined (a “niche”), you might find that you should only promote patterns in certain areas where they are likely to congregate. If your target audience is more general, you may want to consider something more like a “mass marketing” approach, where you share information about your new patterns widely. It helps if your promotion of each pattern – your methods of communication, your “voice,” and your pictures – is consistent with your overall brand as well. Of course, you may need some time to try different concepts out before you settle on your strategy. Promotion systems I recently created a checklist to formalize my process for promoting my patterns online. I’ve found that having this system makes things easier because I don’t have to “think” about what to do with each pattern, and I can also track traffic (and potentially conversions, depending on the site) more easily. You can customize this system, or process, to meet your own needs. Ravelry Create a project, including all of your pattern photos. Link to the yarn used. Add the pattern to the Ravelry pattern database, whether or not the pattern is available as a Ravelry download. Link the project to the pattern. Share the project (and yarn, if you received yarn support) with relevant groups. Add the pattern to the appropriate bundle(s) on your Ravelry designer page. Blog/Website Write a blog post. If the pattern isn’t available on Ravelry, remind readers to add the pattern to their queue or favorites on Ravelry and include a link. Back to Ravelry Link the blog post to the project and yarn. Now your pattern will show up (as a project) in your groups as a “recent blog post.” Announce the pattern in appropriate threads. I announce the new pattern in my own group on Ravelry, as well as in the group’s monthly new designs threads. If appropriate, add it to a relevant group’s new designs thread, and to one of the “Big 6” boards (both and have promotional threads). Be cautious about violating Ravelry’s Guidelines: “Posting the same message to more than 2 boards without permission from the group owner/moderators is not permitted. Unreasonable crossposting is considered spam!” Some groups explicitly allow people to cross post, and of course, you always have permission to cross post in your own group. Email If you received yarn support, email your contact at the yarn company. Thank them for their support and provide a link to the new pattern. You may also want to include a photo they can share on social media. If you bought yarn at a local yarn shop, email the shop and let them know about the pattern, too. You may even want to ask if they want to display the sample in their shop. Schedule future posts Most of us promote once and then forget all about our pattern. If you use a social media scheduling tool, schedule some future posts about your pattern. I currently use . Or, add a reminder to your calendar in 30/60/90/180 days to remind you to talk about it again! Twitter Tweet a link to your pattern with relevant hashtags and mentioning the yarn company and/or yarn shop. Share pictures to promote more engagement. Pinterest Pin your pattern to your own board for your designs, as well as any other relevant boards you have created. Pin your pattern to group boards. Group boards have been very helpful in driving traffic to my patterns. Be sure to follow the rules of each group board you belong to about what types of content can be pinned (e.g., crochet, knitting, free, for sale) as well as the frequency (e.g., no more than 3 pins a day). I now use for Pinterest scheduling and really enjoy it. You can hear more about it in Episode 30: Going Beyond the Basics on Pinterest with Cynthia Sanchez. The Interval Scheduling feature allows me to spread out the Pins over a period of days, weeks, or months across the different boards. Facebook Write a post about your pattern on your own page with mentions to the yarn company and/or local yarn shop. Add a picture to an album of your own designs with mentions to the yarn company and/or local yarn shop. Share the pattern in relevant Facebook groups. Tag your own page when sharing to groups and in the picture so people can easily find you if the post gets shared. LinkedIn If your full time career is yarn related, or your side business as a designer won’t negatively impact your other career, you can also share the news of your new pattern release on LinkedIn. You can share this information as an update, duplicate your blog post as a post, or in appropriate groups. Instagram Since I don’t have a smartphone, I don’t use Instagram. However, I’ve heard from many designers who find that sharing pictures of new patterns via Instagram is very helpful. Kollabora Share your project on Kollabora, whether or not it is being sold there, especially if it is fashion-oriented and/or has great photography. Link to the pattern on Kollabora or another site where it is available. Add the pattern to other sites In addition to Ravelry, Free patterns can be listed on CraftFoxes, Craftsy, and Kollabora. For sale patterns can be listed on CraftFoxes, Craftsy, Etsy, Kollabora, and Patternfish. Free pattern directories If your pattern is available for free, submit it to one or more free pattern directories. Email newsletter Let your email list know about your new pattern release. I send out my weekly, so I add the new pattern to my list of things to share that week. In the past, I used it more like an announcements list, and I would send the email earlier in the promotion process. If you’re new to mailing lists, you may want to listen to Episode 27: Connecting with Your Mailing List and More with Vashti Braha. If you’ll also be hosting a crochet- or knit-a-long Share the information with or . List your CAL/KAL in Ravelry’s in the appropriate threads. So what link should you share? If you share the link to your website and you use Google Analytics or a similar tool, it’s easy to track where people are finding your link. This may help you to narrow down or focus in on particular promotional methods. You can also provide links to multiple marketplaces, if you use them, and allow the buyer to choose a preferred site. On the other hand, if your pattern is for sale, a direct link to the shop may increase “impulse” buys. What about advertising? I’ve found that Ravelry ads are quite affordable. You can find more information in . Many craft bloggers also offer affordable options for advertising on a sidebar, in a newsletter, and/or on social media. Should you discount? Many designers release their patterns for a discounted rate as a “scarcity tactic” to encourage people to buy it before the price goes up. Others never (or rarely) discount their patterns. Don’t forget face-to-face promotion! Wear or use your sample as much as possible. You’ll be surprised about how many sales you can make this way! Getting others to promote you If you feel shy about promoting your patterns, consider working with others to get the word out. Some crochet and knitting bloggers do pattern reviews. You can reach out to such a blogger and gift her/him a pattern for review. If you have a collection, consider organizing a blog tour. You will need to gift patterns for review, write guest posts, be interviewed, and/or offer giveaway prizes for the blogs on the tour. Consider offering the pattern as a giveaway prize in a large or multi-designer event to extend your reach. Make this checklist your own! Create your own checklist so you can routinize some of your promotions to save time and increase consistency. If you enjoyed this episode The Creative Yarn Entrepreneur Show is no longer broadcasting. Episodes are available as a service to the yarn community. This episode originally aired in July, 2015. Be aware that content may be outdated. If you'd like to chat with other yarn-related business owners, join the group. Support Marie's work by buying one of her books, Make Money Teaching Crochet: Launch Your Business, Increase Your Side Income, Reach More Students ( | ) or Design It, Promote It, Sell It: Online Marketing for Your Crochet and Knit Patterns ( | ). /episode/index/show/creativeyarnentrepreneur/id/3690347

Episode 44: Getting The Most Out of Ravelry For Your Yarn-Related Business 07/21/2015

Episode 44: Getting The Most Out of Ravelry For Your Yarn-Related Business If you missed the live Google+ Hangout on Air for getting the most out of Ravelry for your yarn-related business, or you want to watch or listen again, here is the updated post. In this week’s episode, I shared seven tips for optimizing your use of Ravelry. The video (which you can watch ) includes screenshares and walkthroughs, and the audio podcast includes an additional summary. 7 Tips for getting the most out of Ravelry for your yarn-related business: Optimize your profile to include information about your business, a link to your blog or website, and relevant social profiles. (Bonus tip: Always check your links to make sure they work.) Link to your yarns and/or designs. If you are a designer or yarnie, be sure to connect your yarns and patterns to your Ravelry profile. Optimize your designer page or yarn company page to be visible to non-Ravelry members. Document your projects and optimize your project pages to feature any collaborators, such as other yarn companies or designers. Connect blog posts to projects and stash and you can share your projects with relevant groups to increase the possibility you will be found by new customers. Save searches so you can keep track of trends, competitors, and other information. Use bundles to make it easier for customers to search your work. Consider Ravelry advertising as part of your marketing plan. I also answered questions from Anita Bose Natarajan about how to get more exposure for new patterns. If you enjoyed this episode The Creative Yarn Entrepreneur Show is no longer broadcasting. Episodes are available as a service to the yarn community. This episode originally aired in July, 2015. Be aware that content may be outdated. If you'd like to chat with other yarn-related business owners, join the group. Support Marie's work by buying one of her books, Make Money Teaching Crochet: Launch Your Business, Increase Your Side Income, Reach More Students ( | ) or Design It, Promote It, Sell It: Online Marketing for Your Crochet and Knit Patterns ( | ). /episode/index/show/creativeyarnentrepreneur/id/3722377

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