Amber Dusick

woodmouse toys in Simply Handmade magazine

So six months ago, a magazine, Simply Handmade by Northridge Publishing, contacted me about showing one of my wooden items in their magazine.  The magazine world as you probably know works about a half year (or more) ahead of schedule.  I sent the requested info and then forgot all about it.  

Until today when a box arrived in the mail!

Now here is the deal, I was expecting another tiny image on a page as part of a collage of other work (like in the two other zines my wooden work has been in) so imagine my shock when I flipped through and found an entire two page spread devoted to it!  I had no idea.  

In addition to an incredible feature, they sent me a box of crafty goodies.  Oh, yes please!  

So Simply Handmade is a new publication that focuses on handmade projects and includes how-to instructions for them.  Tons of inspiring crafty projects in there.  I can't wait to spend more time pouring through it.  

And for all you fellow crafters reading, you can submit your own work for consideration, I believe they are accepting work for Jan/Feb 2012 right now and here are the themes they want to focus on.    

Interview on ScoutieGirl

I was interviewed over on the fabulous ScoutieGirl blog.  That blog is one of my favorites, it isn't just a pretty blog that lifts content from other blogs, Tara puts her heart and soul into it.  Her personality shows in it.  Her posts are insightful and thought provoking.  She asked me some really hard questions too.  The interview was done via instant messaging - I've never done one like that before, it was fun and a little nervewracking.  I always think I sound like an idiot in interviews but I'm pretty sure everyone feels that way.    

Wooden Toy Cell Phones and organizing my business

Wooden toy cell phones are back?  Yes indeed.  

Keeping with my organizing my business theme, I did something "buiness-y" over the weekend.  I tracked and recorded every toy and ornament design I've ever made and sold to confirm my top selling designs. 

That part wasn't very revealing.  I could pretty much guess what my top sellers were, even my husband could.  The wooden cell phone toys were in the top ten but I already knew they would be.  What was revealing was how many designs I had completely forgotten I ever made.

So what does this all mean?  It means I'm one step closer to being more organized.  I figure that most people keep track of this sort of thing and this has been on my to do list since 2007.  Phew, feels good to check that off. 

Another way I've organized is to pick colors for the wooden toy phones.  No more taking photos of each and every individual phone.  I've got my little rainbow set so the red phones will be that red.  The green ones will be that green.  Course you know I can't resist experimenting with colors sometimes.  Colors are irresistible.  I also simplified the design a wee bit to give them a cleaner look. 

Just for fun (okay, fun for me)  is a trip down wooden toy phone memory lane...

2007.  Made as a custom for a friend.  She wanted one to look like her home cordless phone.  This planted the idea and I totally credit her for it. 

2007.  One of the first cell phones.  These were painted with milk paint.  It is relatively embarrassing.

 

2008.  Getting better.  

2009.  Nothing much changed other than my photography background.

2010.  New cleaner, modern version.  What do you think?  Obviously my skills are better all around.  Like I said, it is slightly embarrassing looking at my early work, but it also makes me really proud.

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So.  Organizing!  Streamlining!  In case you are wondering, these steps I'm taking now are to avoid burnout later.  I'm safeguarding the future. 

(and I'm still working on my template organization, thanks so much for all the amazing ideas, you guys are the best!)  

   

    

organize to save time

So.  I have this huge pile of paper templates in my studio that I've designed for my wooden (and now ceramic) figures.  It is literally just a pile in a box.  It takes forever to find something specific and I've even lost some.  They are just small (under 6") pieces of scrap paper.  But they are rather important.

This is just one example of how inefficient I've been over the years, just digging through there trying to find a specific template is a waste of precious time.  Every time I've dug in there I swear I will organize it.  So, now I'm gonna.  Get organized = save time, yes?  That is the plan.  To run a business you have to stay organized.  Well, you don't have to but I've heard a rumor that it helps.  Being organized saves time and time is money, right?   

How can I store and organize these?  Obviously my shoe box (actually it is a wooden wine crate) method is not working.  Maybe an accordion folder?  A binder with plastic sleeves that I shove them in?  Anything I'm not thinking of?

How does being organized save you time?  How does being disorganized waste time for you?      

How to Pick an Etsy Shop Name

I haven't written any business tips in a long time since I haven't been, you know, in business for a while.  (Maternity leave!)  Well seeing that my most popular post ever (90 comments and counting!) was on vending at craft fairs I figured I might as well cough something else up.  Or try to anyway.  I'm always nervous to give business advice because I'm no expert.  I'm learning right along with ya'll.     

Well.  I've been obsessed with business names.  Like, for years.  I analyze them, critique them and generally probably pay more attention to them than I should.  I even read about naming businesses so I'm generally a nerd about it.  So maybe I have something to offer?  Not that I follow my own advice, I've made plenty of naming mistakes.  Anyway, here are some ideas that might help inspire someone who is considering opening their own Etsy shop.     

Some Ideas for picking a good Etsy shop name:

Short & Sweet:  Your name is displayed under your listings when people search.  In the gallery view (like when things are featured on the homepage)  Etsy just cuts off too long names.  This is a bummer and the only way to avoid it is making sure your shop name is short enough to fit.

Readability & Sound: Write your potential names down to see what they look like.  If your name involves two or more words, you need to make sure when you string it together (like on Etsy) it makes sense.  The classic example of Experts Exchange written as one word "expertsexchange" being confused as "expert sex change".  Oops.  Especially for an online selling format like Etsy, customers will glance at your name for less than a second!  Make it easy on them.  In addition, make sure it sounds good too.  I suggest emailing your potential business names to a friend for reactions and calling another friend for thoughts on how it sounds out loud.  Why if you'll be selling online should you care about how it sounds out loud?  Well, in addition to having to tell people your shop name at parties, what if you are successful and expand?  Pick a name that will grow with you.  Make sure they can spell it.  How else will they search for you online? 

Visual & Concrete:  A great tip is to pick a name that mentions a "thing" and then use that "thing" in your logo.  People are more likely to remember your name if it allows a visual.  Rather than use descriptive (boring) words like "unique" or "beautiful" pick a word that is concrete.  For example, the name "Unique Jewelry" is pretty bland and easily forgettable.  However, the name "Elephant Jewelry" with the logo involving an elephant of course will create a visual for your customer.  A way to create a distinct brand.

Story:  It helps if there is a story or personal meaning to your name.  People like stories.  If you tell them a good story they'll remember it.  For the "Elephant Jewelry" example it could be a story like this...   "When Aunt Matilda was 80 and vibrant, I was wide-eyed and seven.  She wore layers of bright, chunky beaded necklaces and she let me dig around in the jewelry chest in her room.  At the back of a tiny velvet lined drawer I found a gold elephant brooch that had emerald eyes.  She told me it was very old and came from far away.  I believed it had belonged to a princess.  We spent the afternoon telling stories about the princess.  Four months later Aunt Matilda was gone.  For my eighth birthday my mother handed me a small package and it was the elephant brooch.  A small note included simply said, "For a princess who appreciates true treasures, Love Aunt Matilda".  And then you go on to say you still appreciate true treasures which is why you are now a vintage jewelry dealer and still feel like a princess when you think of her.  (PS - my Matilda story probably sucks because it isn't real.  Your real story will have soul.)

Descriptive/No Pigeonholes:  This is one I've learned the hard way.  My name "woodmouse" really makes me think of wooden stuff.  So now that I'm dipping my crafty toes in ceramics it doesn't fit.  (By the way, Etsy will allow username changes sometime in 2010 - they are working on it so my dilemma will be solved eventually).  You'd think it would be great to be very specific in your name, so that people know what your business sells based on the name.  Makes sense.  "Elephant Jewelry" obviously sells jewelry.  Neato.  However, what happens if she wants to start selling vintage hats?  Oops.  If you are 100% sure you are sticking to one thing then a descriptive, narrow name is perfect.  However, if you are a fickle artist like me and possibly might want to spread your wings to new mediums or projects, you might not want to pigeonhole yourself.  Keep it broad enough to expand with you.  Think long term, your name can grow with you and you won't lose out on all the branding you've built up even if you change.

Check it:  Obviously, you need to check to see if it is available.  Four things help with this...do a Google search, check if the domain name is available, check with the Secretary of State in the state you live in and search the US Patent & Trademark Office.  Even if you are opening an Etsy shop as a hobby you still can't use a name that is taken.  Trust me, doing the extra work and making sure the name isn't in use will save you future problems.  I still regret that I didn't nab the domain name "woodmouse" and instead had to pick a different domain.  While it didn't hurt my business, I would have preferred to have it all streamlined.

So, how can you pick the perfect name that meets all these tips?  Impossible?  Yeah, probably.  That is okay.  Go with the ones that make sense to you, pick what feels right.  A mediocre or even poor name isn't going to truly make or break your business anyway.  For online selling venues, you'll be much better off working on your photographs than stressing about names.  Have fun with it and ask friends for help.  I personally love brainstorming names with people, and I'm sure I'm not the only one.

PS - People may ask, if you are an artist, why not just use your real name?  I actually wonder why so few Etsy artists use real names.  Is it to remain anonymous since we are on the internet?  Does it feel "safer" to hide behind a different name than your own?  Is it because a person's name isn't as memorable and easy to brand?  Probably a variety of these things, I'm not sure.  However, if your work is in a gallery it will be under your real name...so why not just stick with it?  I'm still on the fence on this one.  What do you think?

What do you think makes a good name?  Any other tips?  Are you geeky like me and have a list of favorite business names?


UPDATE - there actually IS an "Elephant Jewelry" and guess what?  They sell elephant jewelry.  Perfect!  Well, just as long as they don't start liking monkeys.   

Paying the bills...what I do for a living

Working at home with two little ones is difficult.  But also awesome.  I realize that I never talk about "what I do" on this blog which seems odd because in real life I almost never shut up about it.  So what do I do? 

Well, besides being at home with two wee ones I also have a career or a job or whatever you want to call the thing you do that pays the bills.  I don't like to call it a career or a job because that sounds icky and what I do is not at all icky.  To make it brief, I do crafty stuff and then I write about it by stealing a few moments on my laptop.  That is it. 

What I do does have a proper name, most would call me an "infopublisher" or an "infopreneur" but that sounds lame.  Essentially, I built a website on a topic I'm interested in, like my first website "do it yourself weddings" and write a bunch of content that people are looking for.  People start to find my site and my traffic grows.  I put up advertising and get paid for every click.  With thousands of people visiting every single day these clicks add up...and I suddenly have a grownup career on my hands.

I started my first site on weddings when I was wedding planning six years ago.  My second site, Make Baby Stuff was started four years ago when I was pregnant.  We just renovated our first home this summer and what do you think I did?  Yep, started a DIY Home site.  Basically, my websites are an online extension of whatever I'm into at the time.   

The best part?  The freedom.  I work for myself and stay at home with my two kids yet make much more money than I ever did while working for someone else.  I can ignore my websites for days, weeks even and it doesn't matter in the long run.  I can work on writing a page while sitting on a blanket while my son plays in the sandbox.  I am so, so thankful every single day that I found SBI (the webhost I use for my sites) and took the leap into working for myself.  PS - you'll see my own video on that page, the 11th one down called "No more suits, no commutes"!  So embarrassing.   

So if you are not already doing what you love, I hope 2010 brings you closer.  

               

             

Robots & How to Keep Track of Who's Talking About You

First...more robots are in the shop!

Second, in case you have a shop or blog (who doesn't these days!) set up Google Alerts for your shop name, blog name and your name.  This way you'll get an email every time someone writes you up on their blog or site...and then you can hop over and thank them for writing you up if you want.  Or at least find out what they are saying about you!  This is precisely how I've been keeping track of all my woodmouse "press" over the last year.  

In several cases I'd suddenly get a handful of orders and then sure enough, I'd find out from my alert email that I was mentioned on a blog somewhere.  Otherwise, I'd probably never know where it came from.    

My first Podcast with Creative Thursday!

I had such a great time the other day recording my first ever Podcast with Marisa from Creative Thursday!  We talked about competition in the crafting world as well as all kinds of other crafting business topics.

While it is always a bit weird hearing your own voice recorded (my goodness, I really do sound like a little mouse) I had a great time chatting with her and I was so honored that she asked me to do it.  Marisa is an incredibly giving person and shares so much of her life and goals and crafting business information in her inspiring podcasts.  

PS - In keeping with her giving nature, she is having a giveaway over at her blog right now, asking what people would like to see her branch out in.  The prize is this adorable lion painting below!

  

my photography secrets

Several people have asked me about my photography of my toys in the shop and I've been meaning to share my secrets with you because, really, it is no secret! I really do believe that good photography on Etsy is so very important. I often see great products that don't move and the photography is always to blame.

Backdrop: My backdrop consists of several same size cardboard rectangles with different colored fabric taped on with duct tape. Nothing fancy! I bought a fat quarter lot of the same fabric in a variety of colors. Try to stick with solids, small stripes or a very small print. Anything too busy will not work. Obviously, if you need a larger backdrop you'll need more fabric and larger pieces of cardboard or poster board.

Lighting: I take my photos outside on my steps as you can see in the photo below. The handy portable backdrops are big enough that all you see in the end photos are the product and the backdrop. I take my photos between 1:00pm and 3:00pm because I like the deep, left shadows I get at that time. Obviously, your special spot outside of your house might be different so play around with times of the day but avoid noon if you are working with 3D objects because you won't get any shadow and it will look washed out.

The steps are a perfect place to lean the backdrop and it allows me to take the photos at eye level, which gives them an interesting perspective.

The lovely thing about the portable cardboard/fabric backdrop method is that I can change colors in a mere moment and experiment with different color backgrounds. I like to pick a background that really contrasts so the toy "pops" out. Look at the three examples below and how it totally changes the mood and color of the same exact toy car:

Camera: I have a Nikon D40X and I adore it. It is a digital SLR but when taking my toy product shots it is way more camera than I need...but I still adore it and highly recommend it if you are looking to invest in a starter level digital SLR.

I hope that helps!

Craft Vendor Booth Mistakes - or why I won't buy from you

I am a craft fair shopping veteran. When I was a child, my mother was an arts & activities director of an organization that held craft fairs. I was raised behind the scenes of craft fairs. Craft fairs, handmade markets, handcrafted bazaars...whatever you want to call them, I was there. In my 30 years of craft fairs, I've picked up on a few things that strongly affect whether or not I'll buy from a seller. Whether or not I'll even step foot in their booth. Here are a few mistakes to avoid:

Craft Booth Vendor Mistake #1 - No Prices: I'm an introvert. Lots of crafty types and people who buy handmade "indie" goodies are also introverts. This means that prices should be clearly marked. Why? Because an introvert is not going to bother to ask "How much is this?" to find out a price. She'll just leave. Especially when the booth is hopping full with people, any of whom could be the owner/vendor. This means you'd not only have to ask "How much is this?" but you have to figure out who to ask, or even worse, have to just yell it out for someone to answer. Usually not happening for me so I just move on to the next booth. Especially if there is still a lot to see. I'll tell myself I'll come back later when the booth is less busy...but by then the thrill of the hunt is over and the item in question is long forgotton.

Craft Booth Vendor Mistake #2 - No Sign: I hate unmarked booths. No sign means no name recognition. A huge opportunity for "branding" is lost here. You NEED a sign at a serious craft show. You even NEED a sign at your very first craft show. It doesn't have to be professional, but if you sell at a craft show it means you are crafty. Make one! Either a small printed one or make one out of felt or fabric. This really will help people take you seriously and helps with name recognition.

Craft Booth Vendor Mistake #3 - Not Enough: Now some would disagree with me on this one, so take this with a grain of salt, but if I can see every single item in your shop just by casually walking by I will do just that. Walk by and not enter. If you only have 10-20 items for sale I'll feel weird going into your shop. I much prefer a shop that makes me walk in to take it all in. A shop that has hidden little items waiting for me to discover them. Take advantage of space and fill it up in an organized way.

Craft Booth Vendor Mistake #4 - Not Matching: I'm much less attracted to a booth if it isn't put together looking. Matching (non-busy) fabric cloths covering the tables looks great. If you use crazy busy, patterened fabric on tables that you lay your delicate jewelry pieces on I won't even notice them, I'll be looking at the fabric! You want your products to "pop" from their backdrop, not get lost in it. Matching packaging. Organized table. The use of risers to have an interesting look and to utilize space. Have business cards in a holder. Have a sign. Use fabrics on tables that coordinate with your packaging. All very important! You need to think of your booth as a stand alone product that you are selling. You are not just selling your products inside, you are selling your booth...it is like a mini store you must get people to enter!

Craft Booth Vendor Mistake #5 - No Draw: A trick I've learned is to have something really interesting (or weird, or big, or unique, or freaky) to draw people in. A sculpture? A fountain? If you sell stuffed animals, how about a GIANT stuffed animal that other smallers ones will sit on? People will see it from far and want to know about it. They may ask questions about it, giving you a chance to get to know people. It doesn't have to be for sale, it can be your booth's mascot. Use something unique as part of your display to catch people's eyes as they walk by. They'll glance at it, giving you a chance to make eye contact (see next tip) and draw them in.

Craft Booth Vendor Mistake #6 - Not Friendly: Okay, this goes back to that introverted thing and I know this is hard for many crafters, but you HAVE to be nicer than you naturally are. Be friendly. Have you ever worked retail? If you have you are at an advantage because you'll know how to put on that persona. Say "hi" when people enter your shop. Make eye contact. Smile. This is SO important and something so many craft booth vendors fall short on. Sure, it is hard to have your creations out there for people to poke and prod at and judge. Nervewracking, isn't it? Drink a shot of vodka beforehand if you have to and put yourself out there with a big smile and chat people up.

Craft Booth Vendor Mistake #7 - Business Cards/Current Info: This is a HUGE pet peeve of mine since I just encountered it today when I tried to link to two vendors I met at a recent show. First of all, always have business cards on your table. Someone may grab one thinking a friend might like your items, even if they don't. Make sure to throw in a card with each purchase too. If you just chat someone up for a while, hand them a card! Now once you have your card out there, make sure it is current info! Please, please I BEG you, don't have a "holder" on your website that says "coming soon" because this is very, very bad business practice. It is like a store starting to advertise on TV and you go to the store only to find a sign in the window that says, "oops, just kidding...we aren't open yet" as it is a total inconveinence to the buyer. Just think of those two shops I was planning to link to on my blog but can't because their sites aren't up yet. Lost publicity = lost customers!

Craft Booth Vendor Mistake #8 - No Price Discounts: If I buy more than one item I really appreciate a price discount. Trust me, if you sell earrings for $12 a pair but offer a "2 for $20" discount you are much, more likely to sell two pairs. People can't resist the opportunity to "save" money and will be more likely to buy as gifts. Everyone loves a bargain!

Craft Booth Vendor Mistake #9 - No Freebies: Customers like to feel appreciated. It always annoys me when I see people selling their promo materials. Why would I want to spend $3 on a pin with your logo on it? You want me to pay you to let me advertise for you? Makes no sense! That is part of your marketing costs! How about offereing free gift wrapping, magnet, pens, buttons or stickers. All of these things can be branded with your business logo and information too. They feel special for getting something free and you are getting your name out there more. Alternatively, you don't have to give freebies to everyone, you can set a spending limit. If someone spends a certain amount of money in your shop thank them with something special. A good plan is to set an amount in your mind (say any purchase over $200 for example) and have some bonus gift set aside that you'll give them when they do.

Craft Booth Vendor Mistake #10 - Not Advertised Stuff For Sale: When I go to a craft show I generally go because the vendors interest me. A lot of craft fairs will advertise by showing a tiny photo of one product from each vendor. Now if I see an item that interests me advertised I'll go to that booth expecting to see if for sale by that vendor. I hate it when it isn't there! Sure, I know product lines change and evolve, but if you use a photo of your adorable plush creatures for the vendor advertising but don't plan to even sell them at said craft fair, please update your advertising images!

Craft Booth Vendor Mistake #11 - Your Friends: This mistake goes hand in hand with mistake #6 on being friendly. A lot of craft booth vendors will have at least one friend help them man their booth. That is just fine and a great practice. You can give each other breaks to get food, go to the bathroom and if it gets busy, you'll need a helping hand to watch the booth and handle money. However, don't sit gloomily in the back of your booth with your friend and chat the day away, ignoring your customers. A buyer will feel like an intruder and that isn't creating a friendly, welcoming atmosphere!

So those are my top 10 mistakes I see being made most often. Got any more to add? Please post a comment!