Networking Now

Hi all at N2,

I've had quite an 'eclectic' history :roll: & now I'm attempting to turn a hobby into an income.

It seems the world and its Mother has learned how to string a few beads onto a length of wire and terms themselves "jeweller"... Realising immediately that the small craft fairs are well oversubscribed with jewellery stalls and the large craft fairs are outside budget, I approached it from a different angle and started selling at bikers rallies last year. It seems to have paid off to an extent & I turned a £200 loss on the first show into a £300 turnover on the last of the season.

2010 season starts next month, so I'll be aiming to increase the turnover rather more than last year, as I've discovered that living through the worst winter in decades with no boiler hasn't been a bundle of laughs! :lol: I tend to generate an average of 1 sale a month from the website & really don't spend enough time on it, so I'm hoping to pick up a few tips here & get some more productive networking going. It's great to get X number of 'fans' on your Facebook page through the latest fad on there between crafters - "Link Love" but it strikes me as a pretty unproductive way to network - other jewellery makers won't buy from me. It's lovely to 'meet' other creative types and bounce ideas off each other, but that doesn't pay the bills.

I'm also working on a new range which has novelty value and I reckon, marketed correctly, has the potential to be a good little earner for me year round. So I've been mooching around the internet, looking for tips on writing press releases - this will have local interest due to where I'm getting my supplies from and niche interest for musicians/music press.

My background is accounting and general admin, coupled with bar work and venue security, so I'm great with the face to face stuff, although rubbish at actually 'selling' and in theory, can handle the administrative side... if I could just get over the lazyitis when it comes to paperwork :roll: I've never been involved in sales and marketing and frankly, hate that side of it! :lol: Hopefully I'll be able to give as well as get from here though - just give me a slap if I get all take, take, take.

I've reached the stage where I'm now off to the Job Centre for an interview about claiming benefits - never thought I'd see the day, but my delightful mortgage provider has declared I must evidence that I'm not entitled to benefits??? Apparently I might be, as my income has been so abysmally low over the winter. I'm not about to chuck the towel in though - I know I can make this work. Just gotta hang in there. And maybe get a day job for a while to shut the creditors up!

My website is here http://www.twistedtrinkets.co.uk as of course, I've plunged straight in before sorting out my profile and a signature :roll:

TTFN - Louise

Now thats an introduction!

Welcome aboard, and when you are sorting out your signature, don't forget to add your twitter name!

Anything that is creative is great in my book (its the faux designers that I secretly giggle at)

Welcome to the forum Louise & good luck with everything.

Kip FX Design wrote:Now thats an introduction!

I never did learn "concise" :oops:

Looks like the spanner tweaking was successful - sorry for breaking your forum!

Kip FX Design wrote:Anything that is creative is great in my book (its the faux designers that I secretly giggle at)

Ah yes... quite a number of "precious" folk out there. Try being precious when you're attempting to flog your wares to a field full of cold, wet, muddy bikers :twisted:

I'm gradually picking my way through the threads on here - looks like some great information - thanks! It's tricky trying to be a Jack (Jill?) of all trades and a steep learning curve when it comes to SEO and all things interwebnet.

It will come, you spend ages learning everything in business to best improve your service and profits, and then when you know it all you delegate it to others and get much, much more! Keep at it girl, visit my site and use the blog for some SEO tid bits