Creative Business

Commercials for Small Business Saturday are all over the TV and the Black Friday buzz has begun in earnest. What comes after that? CyberMonday! This very special shopping holiday has been going on for more than ten years – can you believe it? The term was coined by a writer who used it in the title of a press release for Shop.org and now it’s as common a term as Black Friday. Last year, consumers went online and spent 3 billion dollars in that single day. This total beat the previous year by 16% and there’s every reason to believe that this year will beat last year’s total, as well. Want a piece of that 3 billion dollar pie? Start preparing now for CyberMonday.

What do cars, guitars and your online store have in common? In order to perform properly, they all need a tune-up now and then. Set aside 20 minutes next week at a time when you can give your store your full attention to review each of the areas listed below. Any time you spend now will go a long way toward getting your store ready for the holidays, which will be here before you know it.

This week we're talking with one of the queens of IndieMade social media marketing. We see Nancy on Twitter everyday sharing her pieces as well as pieces from fellow artisans both on IndieMade and Etsy. Today, she's here to talk about how she got started selling online, what inspires her and what she would do if she had the whole day to herself. Please welcome Nancy of Jazz it Up with Designs by Nancy.

Anita DiRenzo is the creative force behind In Fine Feathers. One of the more unusual stores here on IndieMade, she makes and sells costume pieces and props for dancers, all with a gypsy flair. Today, she’s with us to talk about why she started selling online, her inspirations and her advice for other creatives who are thinking about following in her barefoot footsteps.

Are you a jewelry designer on the lookout for really unique beads and pendants? If so, there are many wonderful art bead resources available on IndieMade. Art Beads can be defined as "A bead, charm, button or finding made by an independent artist. Art beads are the vision and handiwork of an individual artist. " Art beads are not made in a factory. They are handmade individually or in small batches. Art beads can be handmade of glass, textiles, ceramic, polymer clay, metals etc. The key points are that they result from the creative ideas and the hands of the artist who is offering them. Each of the artists highlighted below are well worth a visit. You'll find yourself excited and inspired to create fabulous jewelry designs with their tiny works of art!

Winter is over. It’s time to open the windows, clear out the clutter and start fresh. Let’s begin with your craft room / space / desk / corner of the dining room. Do you have supplies you don’t need? Items you bought for a project you’ll never get to? Leftovers from a project you won’t make again? Dried up paints, too small fabric bits, and broken objects? No? Really? Look again.

Social media can be a marvelous tool for not only keeping in touch with your current customers but for finding new customers as well. I say “can be”, because like all things on the internet it takes time, effort and a bit of luck. So why bother? Because in 2016, every business needs a social media presence. A Facebook page says you’re serious about what you’re doing and that makes customers feel more confident. Sounds silly, doesn’t it? But a recent survey showed that 48% of shoppers check a brand’s social media pages before committing to buy a product.

I have a confession to make; I’m not much of a planner. I love Plan With Me videos and calendars of all kinds. I love the stickers and pens and I’m completely enamored with the idea of having my future sketched out in neat little boxes. Unfortunately, somewhere between my passion for planning and the actual execution, I get lost. The planners (multiple) that I bought the first week of the new year are empty and abandoned by St. Patrick’s Day. The To Do lists that work so well in April get ignored in May. The supplies I invested in because I was sure that a range of stickers and colored gel pens would keep me on track – they’re in a box in the garage waiting for the passion to return.

Traditional planners are excellent for keeping track of appointments, 'to do' lists, work hours and important reminders. But for creatives who are constantly overflowing with thoughts and ideas, calendar-based planning can feel very restrictive. If you need a more expansive way to keep track of your life, try Bullet Journaling.