Schoolhouse Craft - GIVEAWAY!

I just realized that I have a FREE 1-Day pass to Schoolhouse Craft that I won't be able to use this weekend.  Which makes me very sad, because there were several sessions that I wanted to attend - like:

• Book Publishing Your Crafty Idea with Sasquatch Books 
• Generating Creative Energy with Noah Scalin 
• Get Your Etsy Shop Reviewed by Etsy 
• Blogging 101 with Megan Reardon of NotMartha.org
• Organize Your Business and Create Life Balance with Maulitta Brown.  

 Not to mention the networking and camaraderie of all those craftepeneurs in one space...  I'm sad I can't go.  So... drumroll... 

If  you want the pass just leave a comment here.  I will use a random number generator Thurs. 9/22 at noon to choose the winner.  We will then make arrangements to get you the pass.

If you want, you can also become an Haute Goat fan on my Facebook page and follow me on Twitter.  This won't increase your chances of winning, but it will increase your karma points.

Crafty Business: How to keep up and trump the "Joneses" with QR codes

 So, as many of you know, I ♥ QR codes.    I think they're brilliant.  Probably because I have big fingers with callused tips (too many years of crafting) and I have a hard time typing accurately on my Android phone.  Just point- click - and voila!  I am at the pertinent website, contact info, calendar event, etc.


Well here is my new reason to love QR codes.  It keeps me one step ahead of - or at least in line with - bigger companies that have mucho dinero to spend on SEO and marketing.  Not only does it make me look like I'm keeping up with the times, but since I DIY, I can add my QR codes to all of my marketing materials at a moments notice.


Here's an article from Search Engine Land supporting my belief.  Do you have a QR code yet for your business?  If not, here is my post on how to make one.  It's easy.  It's free.  And your customers will love you for it!

Crafty Business: Craigslist Search Notifications

Do you go to Craigslist and type in the same search over and over (like "mannequin" or "craft fair application")?  Do you search for a popular item (like "Victorian dress form"), only to find out it is already sold by the time you contact the seller? Did you know you can get an RSS feed

How To: Reset Canon Powershot (Elph) digital camera

I've owned my camera for almost 2 years now.  In that year, I have used it on multiple trips, at multiple school productions, for taking etsy photos, and just for goofing around in the snow.  Needless to say I have monkeyed with just about every setting there is, not to mention dropped it a few times.  In the past few months, the macro just ain't what it used to be - and the regular focus is a little softer than normal.  I've been begging for a new camera, because that seems like the logical fix to me - but my husband insisted that problem is just that I have the settings out of whack.

So, enter Google.  I found this post that suggests holding down the FUNC/SET button while turning the camera on - thus resetting it to the factory settings.  I did it, it worked.  If you are having problems with your camera, you might want to see if there is an option for resetting it to the factory settings before you abandon it and buy a new camera!

Crafty Business: How to tweet so others will retweet

1)  Don't use all 140 characters.  If you think about it, when you retweet, automatically inserted in the front of the message is "RT @[name]".  So, if you used up 140 characters,

Crafty Business: Do you check your links?

Just a reminder - and something I always try to remember to do - check that all your links work in your blog posts before publishing it.  The last thing you want is to have a typo in a web address that results in a dead end for your readers, or worse yet, the wrong page.  (This applies to Twitter, Facebook, and web design also.)  Two seconds of clicking and checking could save your reputation.

Crafty Business - Designing your own postcards

I've had a lot of postcards printed over the years - advertising my own art openings, marketing my scarf business and announcing craft shows.  Most printing companies have their own templates

Crafty Business: DIY Press Kits

Last week I participated in my first big trade show.  Buyers Market of American Craft is a show that draws buyers from stores across the country, but primarily from the mid-Atlantic region.  Most of the stores are gift shops, museum stores (like the  Smithsonian Institution, the National Building Museum, and the National Archives), galleries and boutiques. The vendors are all artists selling their studio made goods from USA and Canada.

It was a 3-day show in Baltimore, MD (yes, I can write a whole book on how not
to survive in work clothes during 95+º heat with 80% humidity).  (to read more, click the link...)

How To: Make QR Codes

QR codes are little black & white square codes that can be scanned using a free app on a smart phone.  The codes can direct you to a website, blog, facebook page, twitter page; or add contact data to the address book in your phone, or an event to the calendar on your phone; or show you the location on a map.

They are very useful tools for getting information into a consumers hands, without that person having to find pencil and paper to write it down.   I have seen them used on concert posters, in restaurants, on business cards and on magazine & newspaper ads - basically anywhere there is information you want someone to remember.

QR codes are easy to create.  Go to one of the below generators and follow the steps.  Save it as a jpeg, and you are ready to add it to your marketing materials (as they say, anything that doesn't move or talk)!

QR Code Generators:

my fave:  http://www.sparqcode.com/static/maestro

http://qrcode.kaywa.com/

http://www.beqrious.com/qrcode/create

http://app.qreateandtrack.com/#/create/url

QR Code Decoder:  http://zxing.org/w/decode.jspx

QR Code Readers:

I use the basic bar code scanner on my Android phone.  Check your phone's Market, or App Store for a free reader/scanner.  Google Goggles is also an awesome app that will scan upc codes, qr codes, as well as graphics.

Crafty Business: Groupons, Living Social, etc. deals are a One-Night-Stand

Ok, I just have to say my peace because I have heard of enough stories about these webisites selling the "glamour life" to entrepreneurs.  So, I offer you this analogy:  "Social Deal Sites" (from now referred to as SDS) as a one-night-stand.

• Mailing List
• Marketing Expense
• Stress on you and your business

How To: Get Digital Magazines on your iPad

So I'm thrifty.  And I ♥ my iPad.  What I don't like is spending $$ checking out indie on-line magazines.  I also don't like a HUGE stack of unread magazines sitting in the corner of the living room (it makes me feel guilty about 1) spending the money, 2) being too lazy to go pick up a magazine to read and 3) well, add 1 + 2).

So, I've been cruising the internet trying to find a way to get my digital inspiration on-line.  This is no easy feat, for those of you that don't have an iPad, because iPads don't support any content that has Adobe Flash.  Pretty annoying, so I just go back to playing games...