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Showing posts with label business tools. Show all posts
Showing posts with label business tools. Show all posts
Saturday, August 23, 2014
Storefront: TICTAIL


For many small business owners there comes a time when they want to make the jump to an ecommerce site.Though there are several options to choose from, one of those options is Tictail.

Tictail is described as "the tool that permits you to open your shop without the hassle" . On the Tictail home page you will find detailed information and also example of shops. In addition , it's FREE. They have an easy video that shows you your options and how easy it is to use.

They are a new Swedish company ( just about a year old)  and have already hit over 24k stores. Looking at the sites and functions, I can see why. If you are really looking for a free ecommerce site that is easy, fast and professional, I think that Tictail is a good option.


You can connect your own domain name, your PayPal account, change the favicon and set up Google Analytics . This is a new platform so you don’t have all the different customization of the others well-known ecommerce sites, but you can edit your store with HTM/CSS .  Did I mention it’s completely free?





Pros: Free, fantastic minimalist Scandinavian design, no adverts
Cons: Do have to pay for the extra apps like custom domains , custom store coupons/discounts.
           There is also no currency conversion


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Monday, March 3, 2014
EVER HEARD OF TACKK?


Ever hear of Tackk? Tackk allows anyone, to create content that combines text, images, audio and video...think Pinterest with audio and video capabilities. You do not have to download anthing or even login if you don't want to, just point and click.

Tackk is great for businesses since it really is at it's base a flier that one may put up to advertise whatever content you want to get out, but on a digital scale. From business products and craft tutorials to recipes and announcements. Tackk also lets you share your creations with Facebook, Twitter,  Google+, LinkedIn, and ironically even Pinterest,

So how does Tackk work?

It’s simple! Go to Tackk to create your first board.  Click on "Create New" and a variety of options come for you based on the "intention" of your Tackk.  They range from a Blank Canvase ( pictured below) to food, events, for sale, house, blogpost, announcement and more. Then you can even add images, videos, links, and more! You can even content from your Instagram Account!
tackk-digital-tool-craft-business-hobby-Crafts-Unleashed-3



Tackk takes care of the design and gives you a simple, clean interface that you can customize, all you have to do is insert any media you would like to use, change the text, and more. You can use the sidebar panel on the right to change the text size, fonts, colors, and backgrounds . Use the gear menu to change each section of your  and use the big plus sign to add more items, such as headlines, text, photos, videos, maps, and links to other websites.

 Don’t forget to visit the Tackkboard for a alot of other ideas!

Pros: Easy to create one page "website", embed options, able to add video, instagram pics , find and follow people, tags or a combination of both, able to edit board at anytime and sleek design that is very easy to use.

Cons: Must create account to edit board or keep board over one week.
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    Sunday, June 16, 2013
    Color Crush: Color Palette Generator

    For me, finding the correct colors for a project can be hard. When choosing those colors for a design, alot of times, clients minds can go blank .Generally they will see an image and want  to use colors from the image .This is where a color generator is the perfect tool to use.
    A color generator or color scheme selector is a tool for anyone in need of a color scheme. In most cases these online tools have the color codes attached and some offer extended features to help a designer build the perfect color scheme. There are alot of color generators out there, but I the following are a few that I like based on image uploads. There no order of favorites, just ones I prefer over the rest.


    1. Big Huge Labs
      2. Color Palette Generator


     3. Degraeve
           (based on url, must have url of image . Cannot upload from computer)
     

    4. Patorjk
         (based on url, must have url of image . Cannot upload from computer.
           Also, they allow you to choose your Hue variance, based on picture)

    5. Photocopia
        (This is an extension of colorLovers, so you can log in with your colorLouvers login and save
         your  pics. You can use an url or load one of your Flikr pics  & choose your Hue variance, based
          on picture)


    6.Pictaculous
        (This is an extension of Kuler and Color Louvers as they also give you suggest the closest color
          palettes already made.  They also let you download the palettes for easy install instead of     
          copy/pasting the color codes)
    7. Cool Hunter
         (This site is good, but I do not like that the picture is autmatically sized to thumbnail & they
           only give you 5 colors with no variations.)


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    Sunday, March 10, 2013
    $12 Photography Set Up

    If you have not taken at look at Handmadology's post about a $12 photography set-up, you definately should!
    Made with foil and a cardboard box, this setup by  photography pro Mariano, will definately get the job  done.....who needs a fancy lightbox anyway, lol
     


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    Monday, August 13, 2012
    Free Landing Page with Kickoff Labs

    Planning on launching a website? Need to generate buzz for your brand while you are finalizing your options? Try Kickoff Labs , a service that allows the user to create a beautiful custom landing page plus access to social and email marketing tools.
    This custom landing page can then direct your customers to your various social media sites, other websites, links and even a newsletter sign-up sheet. The best thing is that it can all be done in less than a minute, though customizing can take a little longer.

    Creating a basic landing page is free and allows you to sign-up 50 people max to your newsletter. Paying customers , starting at $15 a month, get more options, like the ability to tweak SEO settings, add widgets, send email newsletters, and more.




    All in all, Kickoff Labs is a great and affordable option to make your small business more professional.

    Pros: Affordable options, easy to use beta interface, sleek designs. Also users are able to add a newsletter, Facebook, Twitter and a variety of other social media links.
    Cons: Free page only allows you to do one thing....create a page with the Kickoff Labs logo splayed at the top.
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    Friday, July 13, 2012
    STOREFRONT: Indie Made

    Looking for a low cost alternative to host your company website? Try Indie Made.
    According to the website, Indie Made is a simple, reasonably-priced online service that combines a blog, a photo gallery, an event calendar, and a shopping cart, all in one. which you can have in as little as 120 seconds....though , if you want it the best it can be, it will probably take you a little longer.

    After you sign up , you choice one of the 3 monthly plans ,ranging from $4.95-19.95 . Once you have chosen, you can set up your store, design, add a blog post, gallery/images and separate pages for your company.
    In addition, there are several features that beneficial to the small business owner , such as a
    • Shopping Cart: No merchant account necessary — you just need a PayPal™ account. Your customers can pay with credit and debit cards. And IndieMade doesn't take even a bit of your sales.Though the shopping cart design is very similar to Big Cartel.
    • Blog on your own website. With IndieMade, visitors can read your blog, grab a feed, and buy from your store all without leaving your site.This is useful, if you are tired of having a separate blog on another interface.
    • News:Showcase and tag press and reviews you've received, or share big announcements with your fans.
    • Company Calender to share dates and details of shows, parties, classes, or special events you're planning
    • Video Embedding ( Youtube/Vimeo, etc) Embed audio snippets or videos on your site. Include song samples for albums you're selling, or post videos of your work in your blog.
    • Reporting : Run reports on your orders or customers to get a handle on sales cycles and discover your most popular products. Print out invoices to ship and not to mention Google Analytic integration.
    • Inventory Control: You can also control the amount of easily reproduced items available, so you don't sell more than you have in stock.
    Have an Etsy Store? they also let you import your etsy store listing.In addition , they have a lot of good articles about starting and maintaining your business on their own site blog.
    With different, easy to change themes and custom url integration, Indie Made is definitely a low cost alternative to the pricier alternatives.

    Pros:Some great features and support. The fact that there is a shopping cart is worth it. Clean , simple website themes and easy to use controls.

    Cons: If you are looking for fancy layouts and themes, this may not the site for you. If you don't know any coding or have a friend who you can bribe into doing it, you are pretty much stuck with just the designs/features that they already give you. To get a custom url, you automatically have to upgrade to the 2nd ( $11.95) price tier.
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    Sunday, April 15, 2012
    Whoring Your Business Out: 39 Sites To Advertise Your Products

    Though by no means am I an expert in marketing , but since I started my business I am constantly looking for new ways to advertise or some might say "whore out " my business . Advertising is really "Trial and Error" and some of these methods work better than others. It is really up to you to decide what works best for your company, budget and structure...but of course that is the great thing about advertising, if something doesn't work, then you can easily change it.


    The following are a list of ways and places to promote your business...
    1. Flikr: Online Photo Sharing Website ( great to store photos for your own website & share)


    2. Indie Public: Independent Art & Design community that is a place to share your items as well as speak with other artist in your field or elsewhere. You can sign up with your Google account and it includes options to "customize" your page.


    3. Kaboodle: is a social shopping community where people discover, recommend and share products. You can create groups and share your products or others and hit a wide audience.


    4. Craigslist: is not just for perverts and theives, it is actually a good place to advertise your products and for free under "services". You do not have to meet anyone, just direct them to your website or email.


    5. Postaroo: is an online classifed ad community similar to Craigslist . Though currently it is "invite only" if you add your email to the list they will update you when it will be open.


    6. Stumbleupon: is site that members (free to join) can recommend or "Stumble Upon" web pages that interest them. You can then discover and review/rate web pages, photos, and videos,"like or dislike" pages so that they can tailor what they find for you.


    7. Bust.com: is an online as well as paper magazine that celebrates handmade. They sponser there own "Craftaculars" which are craft shows around the U.S and London but they also are a good place to advertise. Just be prepared to pay a little extra for it.


    8. Craft Juice: is basically a social networking site for all things handmade. You can submit any item that you would like and the item goes out to a community of 5, 000+ . The way that you become "popular" and seen by more people thru votes. The more the community votes for your item, the more its seen......it is essentially a giant popularity contest.


    9. Craft Stylish: is an online (free member only) community where you can create a public profile of your work, promote your blog, tutorials or share photos of your work.


    10. Crafty Tips: is similar to Craft Stylish where a person can share thier work or crafting tips/tricks with other members.


    11. Designs to Love: is similar to Kaboodle, where members (free to sign up) can share with others products that they love.


    12. Try Handmade: is great handmade blog that sellers can submit pics to the gallery and if picked a possible write up will ensue. Also great resource to chat and discover other artist.


    13. Cool Mom Picks: is a blog that is geared towards products for mothers and kids. There is a section to submit your picks for review as well.


    14. Craft Gawker: is a photo gallery that allows you to visually search and discover handmade arts and crafts to inspire your own projects. They publish photography submitted by craft bloggers from around the world and the editors review submissions daily and choose the highest quality, coolest images to showcase. Though you can submit any handmade item (within the rules) they do have other sites such as Food Gawker, Wedding Gawker and Dwelling Gawker that are obviously catagory specific. I have personally recieved alot of traffic from the site and any one can submit to them, even your customers.


    15. Etsy Lush: is a picture based advertising site similar to Craft Gawker , that only accepts handmade submits from Etsy stores. Any Etsy seller of handmade goods can submit an item ( url) and upon approval it will be placed on the site with the link to the product. There are a list of Do's and Don'ts , so make sure to read the FAQ's thoroughly. Also you are only allowed to submit 1 picture within a 24 hour period and if you "abuse" that rule you could be blocked from the site.


    16. Pintrest: is a website that you can essentially make online "pin" boards in a similar fashion like Etsy Treasuries from anything/picture found on the web. In addition , you can browse other "Pin" boards that other people have made so that you can discover new things. Because it encompasses the whole web, you can make a "pin board" about anything, but the most popular are pin boards about weddings, home decor and food.


    17. Squidoo: is basically webpages or "lens" about what ever you would like to say/promote similar to a Facebook Page. You can find a variety of "lens" about things such as cooking and technology to shopping and how-to's. The best thing is that you can create as many "len's" as you would like. You can also make money from the site when someone clicks on your page ad. This is a great site if you have a variety of interest that may not specifically pertain to your company, but you can link your products to.


    18. 100 Craft Links: is exactly as it sounds, a site where you can list your shop with a "text" link.


    19. tumblr.com : Join and add items from your shop. People can follow you and you can follow them. Also can act as an inexpensive web page


    20. Wanelo: Social store similar to Kaboodle, where users post, collect and organize products and follow people and stores they like. You can sign in with an existing facebook account or via email.


    21. We Heart It: is similar to Pintrest , where users share images and products from the web.


    22. Artchain.com : A free directory that list your shop. Just add your shope where it says "Submit Artist Listing"


    23. Thefind.com : is a site similar to Kaboodle, where a user can find and recommend sites to other users. You can sign in with your existing Facebook or email, just go to the bottom where it says "submit a site" and put your shop or website in.


    24. Ravelry : is a community based site specifically for crocheters,knitters or anything that has to do with fibers and yarn.


    25. things people make: Is a sight to upload and promote your products as well as tutorials or blog. You can sign in using Facebook.


    26. My handmade Registry: Allows you to list items from your shop


    27. Craftcult: Though this is know to be have tools for Etsy users, they do have advertising options that can bring traffic


    28. Indiepublic: Is a community based site where you can create your own page with your products, share ideas and etc


    29. Pearl Trees : is similiar to We heart It or Pintrest , where you can collect ,organize and share interesting things on the web.


    30. Wist: is similiar to We heart It or Pintrest , where you can collect ,organize and share interesting things on the web as well as make a slideshow for your blog )


    31. Snipi: is also similiar to the above, but you can also share video as well, so if you have a video tutorial, it is easy to add.


    32. Crafters Buzz: will only link to your shop, but can advertise single items


    33. Unanimouscraft: is a directory for crafter to submit links to shop


    34. Etsy Shops Directory: Is a site specifically for Etsy Shop Owners that are allowed to add your shop to their directory.


    35. Etsy Love: Is similiar to Indipublic where users can set up a page for their Etsy Shop.


    36. Bloglovin': Is a central site for those of you who have a blog as a promotional tool. Just add it to Bloglovin' to get followers

    37. Indie Quarter: A site similar to Craft Gawker where you can submit your site to be featured.
    38. Indie Spotting: submit a find to get featured or you can just advertise with them.
    39. This Next: is similar to Kaboodle where users can recommend products.
    Don't forget to check out our other post " Social Media For Your Business:Whoring Out Your Facebook and Twitter"
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    Sunday, February 5, 2012
    STOREFRONT:CRAFT LAUNCH

    The latest kid on the block is Craft Launch , an online site that allows the owners of handmade and vintage businesses to easily build custom, professional websites...basically allowing an Etsy shopkeeper the ability to "tie in" their Etsy shop,giving it an "Storefront" appearance. I gotta say, its about time someone thought of this.
    Once you sign up, CraftLaunch will take your latest Etsy listings and put them into your website so visitors can view them. When a customer clicks “buy” , it will then take them to checkout on Etsy. That means you do not have to manage two sets of inventory or checkout processes, and you only have to post and pay for your listings once.
    There is a month $15 (pay-as-you-go) fee to use the service, but they are currently offering a 15 day free trial ( with no credit card required) to see if you would like the site.With the monthly fee you can get a variety of services ( google analytic's, unlimited Etsy products, social network linking, unlimited pages and etc) but there is an additional fee per month to use your custom domain. If you choose not to add that they your domain will be your site name.craftlaunch.com.
    If you have finally decided to have your own website from Etsy, but your are "budget" conscious or don't know where to start(html, shopping cart, etc), this is a good first step. It allows you to "get your feet wet" and find out if your business is ready to sustain itself


    PROS: Easy to use integration and automatic website updates when you add new listings to your shop. Great start for "1st time" website launcher.
    CONS: Limited features, if you are looking to do more with your website, this is not the site for you.Also, if a customer is not an Etsy Member, they will still need to join Etsy just to buy fro your site and that may alienate customers who want your product, but dont want to take the time to join another website.

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    Tuesday, September 20, 2011
    NEWEST STOREFRONT: GOODSIE




    There are alot of "Online Store Fronts" that try to make a name for themseleves like Etsy or as Ebay once did...Zazzle, Big Cartel, Artfire, Foodzie, Store Envy along with countless others, but a new kid has entered the block...Goodsie


    Goodsie , a NY Based online store front is from the creators of Favors.Me, has created a simple way of creating a website similar to Wordpress. Users are able to choose from multiple layout options, color pallets, background patterns, and typography without having to worry about HTML or coding issues. Users can transfer domain names for free, get site analytics, and connects to most payment options including PayPal without charging transaction fees. This is a great option that allows the owner to interagate a "cart " without alieanting some buyers by having them "join" the site to purchase from you like Etsy or Ebay.


    New users can join with a free 30 day trial and once the trial is up, the user will be required to pay$15 per month for the service. Just note that Goodsie is not the end all be all. It currently does have a coupon feature and though the layouts are great, they can be limiting if you are looking for something more extensive.


    The bottom line is that this site will get you started, but if your business is growing, you will need a more extensive option.

    PROS: Goodsie is a good starting place for 1st time shop owners on a limited budget. Easy to use with slick interface and clean lines. Offers great non traditional font options built in and great layouts.
    CONS: Limited in extensive design options, fee per month, though low at $15 is still an expense. No automatic cross sales, like on Etsy or Ebay,where a customer may see your store and purchase ...you will have to push people to your site


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    Friday, May 6, 2011
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    Etsy Fee Calculator -This tool allows Etsy Sellers to determine what to charge for each product or service listed. In addition to estimating those pesky little Etsy and PayPal fees, it also allows you to enter information about shippingand handling, postage, and material costs.








    Outright- Automates your small-business accounting tasks by pulling all of your accounts into one place and organizing them. You can keep track of customers and their orders effectively and know exactly how much profit you are making after subtracting the overhead costs, labor, taxes and etc.


    Pros: Great for small business accounting solutions and easy to use


    Cons: $10/ a month fee, but does have a free 30 day trial.


    Share -A-Sale - help product sellers set up a simple affiliate program where anyone who helps you get a sale through their special web link gets a commission on the earnings. You can do this for as little as 2-5% of your sale price or go further for downloadble products by offering 10-50%. Try starting out by asking existing customers to consider becoming affiliates or put up the information on your website and allow anyone to join. All in all, it’s not that hard to gain customer referrals if you sit down and map out a simple plan for getting there. Use the tips in this post to get out there and make it happen!Pros: Great for small business accounting solutions and easy to use Cons: $10/ a month fee, but does have a free 30 day trial.















































































    Etsy Fee Calculator-























































































































































    ETSYNC-Display your Etsy profile, shop or listings in a signature banner (image) which you can use on Forums, Emails, Websites, Blogs ... This dynamic signature will update automatically when you change your profile or shop info, or if you add new items to your shop ! You can also create a banner for your Etsy shop.
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    Thursday, March 17, 2011
    PHOTOSHOP ALTERNATIVES: SOME OF THE BEST FREE PROGRAMS FOR YOUR BUSINESS

    I can't live without photoshop ! Not just for my business, but for my life as well. I know that there are alot of people out there who either can't afford the ever rising price of Adobe Photoshop or who just dont have time nor patience to learn who to use it....Sometimes you need tools such as layers, filters, and other effects and apps such as Picnik and Picasa just don't cut it. So we've rounded up some PHOTO EDITOR ALTERNATIVES TO PHOTOSHOP that pack the punch of Photoshop's bells and whistles without the price. They are easy to use and each program has it's own pros and cons with some having a more "photoshop-like" look to their appearance.

    Picnik: arguably the most popular web-based photo editor and now it’s now integrated with Flickr. We know we stated that "sometimes you need more than this program can offer" , but we would be remiss , if we didn't add this popular program to the list.
    Pros: web based with new Flikr integration makes it easier to host and edit photos
    Cons: sometimes they have problems with server overload which makes uploading pics longer

    Photofiltre: is a downloaded app that is very reminicent of photoshop.This app eliminates layers and some user controls for certain tools but leaves plenty of tools for color, saturation, and effects.
    Pros: has lots of tools for color, color correction and effects
    Cons: missing layer tools and certain "advance settings" for tools for better control

    Paint.Net: is a downloaded app that is very similar of photoshop.DON'T LET THE NAME FOOL YOU...THIS IS NOT THE "PAINT" PROGRAM THAT IS INSTALLED FREE WITH WINDOWS.
    Pros: has tools for layers, curves and other "photoshop" similar goodies
    Cons: multi step download process , lacks sophisticated color correction/alteration and selection tools


    Aviary: is one of the newer sites on the block that combines illustrator like vector features with photoshop image editor features. Also has a cool "music editor" tool and just added a "HTML editor" as well that lets you edit pictures directly on your web site/blog.

    Pros    : has multiple tools/effects on one site with easy "point and click" interface.
    Cons: lacks the previews of many filters/effects on the site, so if you don't know what each tool does, it can be time consuming to "try it out"


    Splashup: is a online web app that is one of the closes "knock off" of photoshop I have seen in appearance as well as tools.It has a sleek modern appearance that interfaces with flikr, picasa and facebook.
    Pros: if Photoshop was a 10 then Splashup would be an 8
    Cons: lacks curves, levels and several other lesser used photoshop tools.



    Photoshop Express: is actually from Adobe and has finally gotten on the web app bandwagon. You do have to create an account to use the site, but if you want a "true" photoshop image editor without the price, this is the app for you.
    Pros: has 2G of storage space with every account and able to share your albums like Flikr
    Cons: lacks the ability to layer or manipulate images like photoshop.It also has even less tools than the pared down "photoshop elements"


    flauntR: is a online web app that is sectioned by image use. From a section to create online profile pictures for your blog or social media account to a section that has dozens of fancy fonts and effects for all sorts of photos and backgrounds .One of the more interesting sections is the one that can instantly bring the essence of world famous paintings onto your photos in one click.


    Pros    : has an abundance of image tools, something for everyone and easy "point click" usage
    Cons: is more about "photo manipulation" and less about "photo editing"...if you want your photo to have different effects (painting, mosaic, puzzle or backgrounds) then this is the app to use.
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    Friday, February 18, 2011
    FREE COMPANY BUSINESS TELEPHONE NUMBER

    I am always looking for ways to stream line my business more professional and now


    Google Voice is a telecommunications service by Google launched on March 11, 2009. The service provides a U.S. phone number, chosen by the user from available numbers in selected area codes, free of charge to each user account. Inbound calls to this number are forwarded to other phone numbers of the subscriber. Outbound calls may be placed to domestic and international destinations from any of a user's configured telephones, or from a web-based application. Inbound and domestic outbound calls (including calls to Canada) are free of charge, while international calls are billed according to a schedule posted on the Google Voice website.
    When you register you can choose a virtual phone number in any area code. You can use that number to send and receive text messages, record voicemails and even receive and make calls over the Internet, but it becomes particularly useful when you attach it to the number associated with your mobile or land-line phone.That means that you can now a have separate number for your business but have it come to your home or cell phone and you won't be worried about privacy issues.Tracking Calls From Your Website

    Some Features of Google Voice:


    Track Calls Thru Your Website: One of the great features is being able to track your calls. Since all of these calls are logged, if you use this number on your website you can tell how many phone calls your website is generating for you. Google Voice provides you with a “Call Me” Widget that you can put on your website, and if people click it and enter their phone number, the service connects you with your potential customer instantly.

    Voicemail Auto Transcribed to Text Form: Google Voice automatically transcribes your voicemails into text messages. This is very helpful if you are in a place where cell phone usage is "frowned upon" like in a meeting or a noisy place.

    Different Personalized Greetings: llows users to personalize voicemail greetings by caller. So if you want certain people to hear a professional greeting when calling your Google Voice number, you can set the greeting according to their number. For friends, you can record and set a more laidback greeting.g.

    Google Voice App: So conveniant for this day and age , letting you access your features while on the go. Also you can send SMS messages from your app without charges from your carrier. The app is free and is currently available only for Android, Blackberry and Iphones ,just go to your phones "app market" and look for "Google Voice" under search.

    Screen Callers: When callers dial your Google Voice number, you have the option to send them directly to voicemail as well as listen in to the voicemail as it is being left. This comes in handy for those unknown numbers directed to voicemail that you really wish you had picked up. If you determine that you do want to take the call, you can hit a number to cancel the voicemail and connect the call.

    Now the Downside Google Voice:

    As with all good things there are also some bad and though this is a fantastic platform, it is not the end-all solution to ditching your land-line altogether. There are some of the downsides to using Google Voice

    New Phone Numbers: Changing to Google Voice requires picking a number from Google. If your business is established, changing phone numbers may be a problem. There are also no 1-800 numbers, thought if you are looking for a "Toll free" number for your business try Ring Central, a small fee based option.

    Reliability: Every now and then there is a small delay in the call– hopefully the fact that they are opening up the system means issues like this are solved.

    PRIVACY: By using Google Voice to control all of your phone activity, you're exposing a vast amount of personal information to Google. Everything from whom you call to what you discuss.... even that drunk night naughty text you may have sent your your significant other-is stored on Google's servers. Together with the other various data Google may have on you, all of that could create quite a file on you. Though I highly doubt that Google is going to set your information free to the masses as with other Google services, Google Voice is governed by a privacy policy that explains what can and can't happen with your data....but it's still in someone's hands and can "technically" be used for other things.

    Caller ID Confusion: If you start using a Google Voice number as your primary number (which I dont recommend), be prepared for the fact that regular calls from your cell phone (or any other phone) will still show up as your old number. This may create confusion, as the number you give out won't match the number from which you actually call.

    Number Change: You have to get people to start reaching you at a new number. You might have to reprint business cards or stationery, and you'd have to take the time to update your information anywhere you have a registered account (other websites, anywhere you have linked your info to and etc).Until they fix this problem ( which they are in the process of doing) be sure to think carefully about what's involved before you decide to make the move to the new service or try this Hack that I found.
    Cool Hack: Use Google Voice Without Changing your Number

    FOR MORE INFO ABOUT GOOGLE VOICE, GO TO THE WEBSITE OR TAKE A LOOK AT THE VIDEO BELOW:


    TELL US ABOUT YOUR GOOGLE VOICE EXPERIENCE.....
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    Monday, November 22, 2010
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    Anyone who owns an Android or I-phone knows how addictive the apps can be...there are applications for everything ( my personal favorite is the "Starbucks Finder") and it looks like Etsy has finally gotten on the bandwagon. For those of you who have an Etsy shop, you can now take advantage of Etsy App Gallery. These applications are from developers who have tapped into the Etsy community, building their own apps for the web, desktop and mobile devices. Just as with most applications, some are more "useful" than others. The following are some of my favorites:

    1. Etsy Catalog- Let's you create a PDF catalog with all the listings in your shop. You can then use your PDF catalog at trade shows, craft fairs ,in emails or with your company newsletter (if you have one).
    PROS: Very easy to use beta interface to easily create the catalog. You can also change the listing easily before pushing the "button" to make the pdf catalog
    CONS: Limited in design and color theme but if you are Illustrator savvy, you can alter pdf catalog easily in Adobe Illustrator and save as pdf.




    2. Clock Bot- Let's you automatically renew your listings by setting the date and the time. This app is brought to you by Statsy, which ( for those of you who are not familiar with) is similar to Craft Cult.

    Pros: Can set it to automatically renew your most popular items so you don't loose sales when something sells during an "off peak time"

    Cons: Taking the time to set your listings, which can be time consuming if you have alot of items in your shop






    3.Etsy Text- Sends you a notification text when you sell somthing in your shop. For those of you who do not have an smart phone with easily accesible email options.

    Pros: easy to get an update when you need a quick notice. free to install and use

    Cons: this is the only thing this app does and standard phone messaging rate apply.














    Do you know of any etsy apps that are useful?
    Read more
    Wednesday, October 27, 2010
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    So all of you know how much I use to rave about those Eseller Ad widgets, but sadly you found out in another post that Eseller Ads are no more. For those of you who just wanted a display widget and not convert over to the paid service Handmade Spark, the Craftcult Widget is what you need.
    The Craft Cult Widget lets you customize your shop in 5 steps. Just put your shop name in , pick one of the 8 templates (refer to ours in left side bar and some that we made below) and pick from display and animation style, then generate your widget. We have generated a couple above with different effects. The only downside to the widget is its limitations. With Esellers widget, you could choose from 3 different layouts to fit different areas of your blog/web, BUT, this is still a very useful too.....try it out
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    Wednesday, September 29, 2010
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    Due to overwhelming response, we have decided to make the "Etsy Business Tool You May Never Have Heard Of" and ongoing series. If you haven't seen the previous posts ,there is now a link in the right side bar under Shop Busines Tools in the "Little Secrets" section.

    UPDATE: Certificate Buddy is no more :( They company is no longer there, but you can still make Gift Certificates thru paypal. Just take a look at our posting "Company Gift Certificates" for info on how to make yours.

    Certificate Buddy: is an website that lets you print and track gift certificates for your shop. One of the main questions always asked is how to offer gift certificates from an online store. The designers of this site tried to make it as easy as possible for the user, so the site automatically generates unique codes for your gift certificates, keeps track of which ones have been redeemed and has some gift certificate templates for you to use. It is free to sign up, BUT there are limitations. You can only issue 3 certificates a month, not more than $20 value and you can only use the free templates provided. There are two other price tiers ( Paid $25 and Premium $50) a month that offer 50 and unlimited certificates and both are able to use your own certificate designs.
    If you don't know how the gift certificates will be recieved, we suggest signing up for a free account and test them out. If the average prices of your items is above the $20 maximum for the free account, why not use the gift certificates as "coupons", offering $5 discounts for certain products as a promo.

    Web Resizer: is a nifty web based tool that resizes your photos for the web. One of the biggest annoyances that shop owners have is when you have spent your time creating an image only to find out that its "too big" or "wrong dimensions" for wherever you are uploading it to. This tool will take your image and save it in the requires size that you input. You are also able to make some simple photo edits like exposure,contrast, saturation and more.

    WhosTalkin: is a site to find out who is "talking" about your shop in blogs. Much like Social Mention, you put your shop name, or url in the search box and every blog mention will show up.
    The downside to this site is that it is only blog mentions, I prefer just putting the name in the Google Search Bar. At least there you can filter the results by date posted ( 24 hours, week, year, etc). Or with Social Mention , its not just blogs, but websites as well.
    Read more
    Thursday, July 29, 2010
    SOCIAL MEDIA FOR YOUR BUSINESS: WHORING OUT YOUR TWITTER AND FACEBOOK

    One of the most asked about questions is "How do I use social media for my business?"..Translation, "How can I whore my business out on Twitter and Facebook?
    As you know, I myself am a "Twitter Quitter", having shut down my account since it didn't increase sales or add any value to my business. But there are alot of people who swear by it and it does benefit there business is some way.There are no "hard and fast" rules or magic wand that can give you success with these outlets, but the following may be some info that can work for you.


    1. Separate your personal and business social pages!
    That means if you are all ready on Facebook or Twitter for yourself, dont use that same account to then promote your business. None of your customers want to get pcitures and video on the fantastic trick your cat learned last night. Stay focused on your product and objective ,give your personal Facebook to your friends and the professional to your buyers.If you are really serious about your business and promoting, keep it professional.

    2.Social Media ResourcesResources to help you with using and promoting your social media for business




    3.Don't Forget to make sure the button is working!
    Make sure to test your button/link. I can't tell you how many times I have clicked on something and it wasn't linked. In addition to the company buttons that social media sites give you, there are also some that you can install yourself. Click below for a link of great and free social media icons to download.
    FREE SOCIAL MEDIA ICONS

    Most Importantly .....just because you posted new images on your social media accounts or Etsy store doesn't mean people will rush to buy them. You still have to get them to your website and thats why you really have to promote your Social Media Accounts just like as much as your shop to build your following.





    Facebook Birthday Card Available Here
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    Friday, July 23, 2010
    COMPANY UPGRADE:WAYS TO MAKE YOUR SMALL BUSINESS MORE PROFESSIONAL

    I constantly get emails asking about our website or how to make a business more professional. Most people think that you need an extensive knowledge of HTML/CSS, though this is helpful, it is not necessary to make your business more professional.
    There are little things that you can do that can make a big impact on the look of your business.If you cannot "hire" someone to do your site for you or are on a limited budget, the following are some things that you can do yourself to very inexpensively "upgrade" the business.
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    1.PURCHASE A DOMAIN
    This is the one thing that I feel is necessary, even if you don't do anything else. When you have a domain you can then forward all of your shops , whether its your etsy, artfire, ebay, blog or other site to it. There are several important reasons to get your own domain:


    • The ".COM" instantly makes your business look more professional , especially on the business card.

    • The domain protects your business name. If you have a sucessful online( etsy, artfire, etc) business and then someone else has your business name in a domain you could be loosing business.
    There are several places that you can get a domain name,some of the more popular ones are Go Daddy and Yahoo. There are several others, but these are great because they are known for easily interfacing with alot of servers ( website host and etc). For new users,Go Daddy usually has specials for a few dollars per yer, right now for the actual ".com" it is $10/yr. They do offer the option of purchasing a ".net, .info, .org" and etc that is cheaper than the ".com" , but we don't recommend that. Info and Org are usually for organizations and the Net looks subpar ( you have to think about the international buyers who come to your site), we suggest paying the extra for the ".COM". Also note that GO Daddy usually offers a "one web page" when you buy a domain name. This allows you to make the link to send to your various places (you do need to know the code to link pictures...its easy). Just remember that the Go Daddy Advert is on top, but you can pay extra to remove.
    Yahoo is another good place for domain purchases. They also offer the $2/yr for new users or there rate normally is $9.95/yr. One thing to note with the "First Time Rates" that both of these have, if you only purchase a year at a time, then after the first year the price goes up to what every is the company going rate. But if you purchase several years when you first sign up, you can get all of the years for the same intro rate. This is especially the case with Yahoo, just make sure to read all the policies and restrictions before purchasing.

    TIPS: If your domain name is already gone and the service you purchased from doesn't automatically give you alternates for your name, then try Nameboy. This site lets you put in your domain name and it comes up with a list of alternatives that you might be happy with.

    2.GET A WEBSITE...SORTA
    A website is something that everyone wants but doesn't think they can afford or have. There are several cheap place to get a website, especially easy for the "First Timer". The following offer "drag and drop" interfaces, that allow you to just point and click to change things.We suggest you try out services for free before you upgrade and pay the low fees...just to see if they work for you.




    • FAVORS ME offers a simple one page site, that lets you add 4 data sources for free. Anymore links than that you have to pay the low price of $20/per year. The great thing is that they can easily link to 20 different popular sites, like your blogger, wordpress, twitter, facebook, flikr, picasa and a whole lot more. Take a look at there directory to see what others have done using this site.

    • SOOPSEE literally turns your Etsy Site into a website. The good thing is this site is FREE and if you already have your own domain name you can easily use this site as well. For examples of how other Etsy members are using this site just go to there Gallery. Another good thing about this site is that it offers a more "user friendly" site analytic for those who are totally overwhelmed or confused by Google Analytics ( though you can easily use Google Analytics with this program)

    • WEEBLY is a free "Drag and Drop" website that lets you either buy the domain from them or you can easily integrate your own with the site. This beta site lets you easily change things, have unlimited pages and incorporate your blog or they even offer you the option of haveing your own "Weebly " Blog if you don't want to sign up for Blogger, Wordpress or etc. They do have a variety of templates that you can choose from and easily customize ( color , layout and etc) They also interface with alot of sites, like paypal, flikr and etc.

    • WEBS is another site similiar to Weebly. It has the same "drag and drop" system, but I think that they dont have as many templates to choose from as Weebly.
    TIPS: USE YOUR BLOG AS A WEBSITE. If you have a blog already like Blogger , Wordpress or TypePad, this can be used as a website , forwarding your domain (if you have one) to this site. By using your blog as a website, you can easily use the sidebars(depending on your layout that you use) for your company items (link to your shop,gift certificates, etsy mini, company ads/announcements and etc).Just remember that the "minimal" templates (the white basic ones) are the most easily customizable for your needs.3.SIGN UP FOR AN ONLINE PHOTO SHARING ACCOUNTHaving a photo sharing account is good for several reasons. If you have a blog, the photo sharing account lets you upload large size images to use on your blog, essentially eliminating file restrictions since they are on a separate site. Also these sites gives you another outlet to get your product out there...basically free advertising (as long as you mark the photos "public").
    There are several sites that offer this service and the following are the more popular ones that work with a large variety of sites easily:

    TIP: just remember that though these are free to use, the free accounts have limited storage, so if you find that you need more then you will have to pay the low storage fees..usually not more than $20/yr.
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    Just remember that you don't have to do everything at once, try them out and then decide if you want to commit(as well as pay the fees associated ).
    Now that you have all of that together you can start to customize your company with certain Business Tools. We have several post and links that can be used for your website (from above) or if you are not ready to take the website plunge, they are great for your blog or general business.The following are links of interest that may help:

    Etsy Business Tools You May Not Have Known
    Business Tool To help your Company
    Customizing Paypal for your business
    Company Gift Certificates Made Easy
    Basic HTML Codes
    Read more
    Sunday, July 18, 2010
    COMPANY GIFT CERTIFICATES WITH PAYPAL: A BUSINESS TOOL

    I ended up coming by this great forum post on how to make your own (free) gift certificates with paypal. (Since there is a possibility that the forum can be deleted, I will copy and paste below, but please feel free to visit original post)
    I have my company "Gift Certificate" button on my blog located on the right side bar for you to take a look. I created a gadget (in layout) and added the code in the HTML/JavaScript button. As you can see this is the Paypal button, but just remember , if you are computer/design savvy, then you can make your own "company logo " personalized button for your gift certificate.
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    INSTRUCTIONS:

    *After you login in to your paypal account, click here https://www.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_giftcard-intro to get to the Gift Certificate page of your PayPal account. (or go My Account > Profile > Redeem Gift Certificates and Points if not able to link directly)

    *Click Create a gift certificate now and fill out the Gift Certificate form making sure to put your Etsy store’s url for Shopping URL. Be sure to check out all of your options, and check out the Gift Certificate Manual for more info.

    *Click Create Button Now and PayPal will generate HTML you can then copy & paste into your store or any other website, blog, MySpace page, whatever.

    That’s it! Now when someone receives a gift certificate to your store, they can enter their redemption code when they checkout.
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    Thursday, July 8, 2010
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    If you are always trying to take your business to the next level customizing your paypal account for your customer is one of them .There are several ways to make the paypal account that you use for your business more professional by incorporating your logo and other company branding.
    When you log into your paypal account, just click on "Merchant Service" for a list of neat little things you can do with your paypal account.(Please note that this "merchant service" tab may only be available for business accounts and not for personal)

    SHOP LOGO ON PAYMENT PAGE:
    This option puts your shop logo or other branding image on the payment page that your customers see when they checkout and pay for item. Normally you see plain text of your shop name spelled out. By using these simple option your logo/image will replace this (you can also preview image on payment page like a customer before you "save")

    {INSTRUCTIONS}


    • Click Profile

    • Click "more options" in the drop down menu

    • Under Selling Preferences, click "Custom Payment Pages"

    • Click ADD and then fill in the blanks to create your custom page
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    SHOP GIFT CERTIFICATE BUTTON:
    This option puts a button for the buyer to purchase a company gift certificate ( see our button in the right side bar) . You have the option of making your own company button for paypal or you can use the standard paypal button with the "Gift Certificate" text on it.

    {INSTRUCTIONS}

    Once you log into your account, go to "Merchant Service" tab at top of page to get to the Gift Certificate page of your PayPal account. (or go My Account > Profile > Redeem Gift Certificates and Points if not able to link directly)

    Click Create a gift certificate now and fill out the Gift Certificate form making sure to put your Etsy store’s url for Shopping URL. Be sure to check out all of your options, and check out the Gift Certificate Manual for more info.

    Click Create Button Now and PayPal will generate HTML you can then copy & paste into your store or any other website, blog and etc.Now when someone receives a gift certificate to your store, they can enter their redemption code when they checkout.
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    ADD PAYMENT FOR SHIPPING TO CHECKOUT    :
    If you have a "stand alone" site in addition to your online merchant site (i.e ebay, etsy, artfire, etc) alot of people dont know how to add shipping to the price when someone purchases by clicking a "paypal button". Because of this, alot of people do not use paypal buttons (created in Merchant Services) on there stand alone websites due to the fact that you cannot add shipping for different regions. This option lets you add "shipping profiles" for each currency and shipping region as well as create multiple shipping methods offered to buyers during checkout. So you can offer same flat shipping to everyone in the U.S.A/International, or you can offer different rates per US State and every country in the world.

    {INSTRUCTIONS}

    Once you log into your account, go to "Merchant Service" tab at top of page then click on "Shipping Calculator" under "Shipping & Tax" on top right column. You can then set up Domestic and International shipping methods and amounts for however you would like. Then just save!

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    FIND OUT HOW BUYERS FIND YOUR SHOP    :
    If you have every wanted to know how buyers find your shop (other than using Google Analytics) then you can add a little Survey to your paypal checkout that the customer can answer when they pay for the item. This is good for people who cannot really make heads or tails of Google Analytics and just want a simple answer like...Facebook or Google , not some graph chart.

    {INSTRUCTIONS}

    1) Login to your PayPal account
    2) Under “my account” click “profile”
    3) Under “selling preferences” click “custom payment pages”, then click “options” and go to “merchant service options”
    4) Check “add a customer service survey” and fill in the blanks*
    5) Make sure you click “SAVE” before you exit

    * You can use what every question you want, but most people say “How did you find (insert shop name)” for question. Then you can add any answers for the customers to choose from, like:
    -friend/family
    -google search
    -yahoo search
    -facebook
    -Etsy
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    EXTRAS:


    • If you have to charge tax for certain states there is a section under "Shipping & Tax" called "Tax Calculator" that lets you set up the tax method for each region applicable, much like the "Shipping Calculator" section.

    • Doing charity work or have a good cause you want to raise money for? Paypal also has a "Donation" button that you can set up under the "Merchant Service" tab. This button works the same as your other company buttons, it just states "Donation" so that you can separate it from your other business buttons.
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