Hello Everyone, Response required

[Spincus]

Hi guys,

I know it has been a while since i posted here. Simply put I got overwhelmed with my new business and had to cut some corners somewhere. My contributions to this forum was one of the areas i could let go for a while.

I have been pretty busy. I have been making some money, I have been learning a ton about the ins and outs of Art marketing, internet marketing and Craft events like farmers markets and shows. It is very time consuming as many of you know. I have been able to pay bills from my efforts. Some efforts worked much better than others. Local farmers markets have been incredible for me. Internet not so strong, but the less time I spend online hoping for sales the more i succeeded there.

I have not had tons of internet sales, which is why little effort has been spent in this direction and this marketing site. I personally only want to spend maybe one day a week supporting my internet efforts at this time in my biz development.


I would really like to hear from you folks, either in response to this post or send me a private email. I want to know what you want from this site at this time, and if we should restart efforts here or not. My take is these things die if not kept up with, and I have not kept up clearly. Little outside posting has occurred during my hiatus, and most of that is selfpromotion, which i frown upon in this forum.


So if you are still around and reading this, let me know somehow. Lets see who is still around and we can figure it out from there.

[Char Ouellette]

I am glad the move went well. So sorry to hear about your Dad, although it sounds like he is OK.
Can't wait to see your new creations when you are up and running again.
I am dreaming of the BIG R someday.

[Kimberly Rogers]

The move went great, Set up my studio in the first month and have had a steady stream of visitors ever since.
Out of 4 months we only had one without visitors so I didn't get much work done. I was finally going to have some time to get cranking on some work after my parents visit and my dad had a heart attack the last night of their visit and had to have a quadruple bypass in AZ ( they live in Maine) I've been taking care of them in one way or another for the last month. I'm extending my stay here so I can finally get back to the studio. I have yet to set up a studio in my new place in AK. The last few days however I have been back at it. thanks for asking. This summer will be my first off since '82 si I'll get to see what "retirement" will be like!

[Char Ouellette]

Checking in!
I have been swamped (that's a good thing). Internet sales have been great! But working full time as well kind of gets in the way of my silversmithing and lampworking. Hope all are well and I am wondering how Kimberly's move went.

[Cindy Fahnestock-Schafer]

Checking in, I joined this site to learn from the people who do it best; YOU ALL! I know with the economy and time constraints regular posting is hard, but just remember, the posts don't go away. This community is a wonderful resource to consult and look over previous posts for great information. So it's totally understandable if postings are few and far between. I'm just glad to read them all!

[Spincus]

Happy Holidays everyone.

[Kimberly Rogers]

I haven't been able to focus much on my work since I was selling my house of 14 years, retiring and moving 100 miles away (so that I could live with my husband) and then packing up once again to set up house down here in AZ to be snowbirds. I have to set up two studios now. The one down here I'm starting from scratch meaning that I have to buy a torch, kiln oxygen concentrator and vent fan before I can even think about making beads again.

It's been a huge transition time for me. I have had limited internet access until now. My etsy sales have come to a screeching halt- I was down to only selling vintage and supplies since all of my inventory was in shops or waiting for shows. I cut way back on my shows as well since I was moving. 3 out of four were rather dismal but I did get into a shop in Fremont, WA on my way through.

I had to completely shut down my etsy store since I left my box of stuff at my sister's house and am awaiting it's arrival by mail.

My shop/studio area is bigger than I remember it when we bought the house last April. I have to redo the floor with tile so I won't burn the house down. I am starting over completely here if I want to sell at shows. We didn't have room to pack any of my display stuff.

I am anxious to get up and running again so I can keep you posted on my progress.

[Spincus]

well my dylexia did it again, but i do like being surly. :)

[Pam Hawk]

LOL Scott! :o)

I am going to keep stiring the pot slowly and surly.

I prefer it when you're in a good mood...
J/K, just some good natured teasing. Thanks for the smile.

[Pam Hawk]

Hi All, I'm here, too!
Whew glad this place is still alive!
In a (big) nutshell, I've spent the last several months:
1. Fine-tuning my product/business approach
2. Attending The World's Greatest Marketing Seminar in Los Angeles (Really! That's the name of it. It was an incredible intense week, learning from some really big name marketing folks - meeting some very savvy and successful people, and writing a Sh!t Hot Marketing Plan. Ok, pardon my language, but that's how the speakers and all 500 of us in class referred to our plans.) It was an incredible week.
3. We bought a condo and moved. Same town, same neighborhood. We're just across the parking lot from where we had been. (Bye bye, evil landlord.)
4. After #3, I changed by business focus back to where it had been originally been pointed. I just wasn't thinking big enough at that time.
5. I have several marketing ideas I'd like to bring to this group, and will share them one at a time as I can get the concepts clearly written up. I think you'll like these ideas.

Did I mention I'm making all my Christmas gifts this year? Did I mention I think I'm a little crazy and may have a little too much on my plate?
Nah. I love being busy.

[Spincus]

Well the pot has been stirred and its nice to see that we are still around. I am going to keep stiring the pot slowly and surly. Looks like there are a few of us that want to revive this forum, and I am very good with helping that process along.