Inventory Management for the Creative Entrepreneur
by Courtney Dirks / Getting Scene
Managing your inventory between your online and offline sales doesn’t have to be tough…to get started all you need to do is determine where your items will be sold and then organize your items to execute your sales efficiently. Let’s take a look at both approaches…
Showcasing You: Why You Should Create a Printed Portfolio
by Courtney Dirks / Getting Scene
Creating a printed portfolio of your work is just another tool to help you promote your wares! This is already a common practice for photographers, and it can also be quite beneficial for the rest of the creative community. It creates yet another avenue to draw attention to your work.
SEO for Beginners: 3 Tips for Online Vendors
by Justine Smith / Getting Scene
Give us an S! Give us an E! Give us an O!
What does it spell?
Social Media: Why We Should Embrace It
by Ram Dutt / Getting Scene
Sometimes social media gets a bad rap because there are those who abuse it, but I believe it is a fantastic medium to help artists and crafters nurture relationships and become more efficient in their businesses. It can be used for both personal and professional growth as well as a wonderful tool to benefit the community. It's all about the lens you choose to look from and Seth Godin describes it perfectly in the reason social media is so difficult for most organizations when he says "it's a process, not an event." Rajesh Setty also has a great description of social media in the 7 kinds of relationships to social media starting with those who despise it at one end of the spectrum and then those who dance with it at the other end.
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How To Edit Your Photos using Picnik
by Courtney Dirks / Getting Scene
You may have seen my blog post about Picnik: Photo Editing Made Easy from a few days ago expressing my excitement over the services they provide! Here is a Byte-Syze Learning to show you just how easy it is to use Picnik to perfect your images.
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7 Smart Ways to Juggle Social Media
by Justine Smith / Getting Scene
Online shopkeepers have a lot of juggling to do: creative work, daily business maintenance, and tapping into social media. Yes, some days can feel like a circus – particularly when it comes to social media.
Last Minute Ideas for a Creative Valentine's Day
by Courtney Dirks / Getting Scene
Okay, if you're a complete procrastinator and haven't planned anything for your Valentine, don’t give up hope. Here are a few (very) last minute creative ideas to help you redeem yourself!
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How To Get Started with LinkedIn
by Ram Dutt / Getting Scene
LinkedIn, a social network, got started well before Facebook and Twitter although LinkedIn carved out the niche of connecting professionals. The platform allows you to not only share your professional experience like an online resume, it also allows you to connect with others, invite them to join your network, create and join groups, and integrate your blog, your tweets and just about anything else you want to include.
Top 10 Tips for Writing a Killer "About" Page
by Justine Smith / Getting Scene
When we find handmade products that we want to buy online, we typically don't proceed directly to the checkout. The next stop after browsing is typically the vendor's profile or "about" page: Who are they? Where do they get their ideas? Can they be trusted to fulfill the order?
Valentine's Day Craft: Flower Napkin Rings
by Dionne Christiansen / Getting Scene
Valentine’s Day is approaching, so many of us are busy finalizing our plans with our Special Someone. Sometimes we go out for dinner at a fancy restaurant, but this year my husband and I are having a fancy dinner at home. We are making ourselves a lovely three-course meal. To match our fancy dinner, I wanted to make a fancy tablescape, and part of that is a set of flower napkin rings. Here’s a quick tutorial on how to make some pretty napkin rings out of paper, and keep in mind that you could use these for weddings, or any other special occasion.
Identifying Your Audience & Writing For Them
by Courtney Dirks / Getting Scene
When you are writing your blog, are you writing just for the sake of getting something published or are you writing to capture the attention of a specific audience? If you desire to reach a specific audience, what steps are you taking to capture their attention? Consider the following 'AUDIENCE' acronym if you are trying to gear your content toward a certain crowd:
How To Find and Source an Image with Creative Commons and Flickr
by Jason Dirks / Getting Scene
Have you ever wanted to improve your blog posts or publications with great images and didn't know how to do it? Well, last week Courtney introduced Creative Commons: The What, Why and How and today I wanted to share with you a Byte-Syze Learning on how to find and source Creative Commons images on Flickr to do just that.
Creating an Editorial Calendar for Your Blog
by Jessica Howard / Getting Scene
So, you're convinced that blogging is a valuable tool that will boost your creative business, help you tell your story and become part of your online niche. You're itching to start writing and share your opinions with the world.
How To Make Handmade Thank-You Notes
by Dionne Christiansen / Getting Scene
Dionne Christiansen is a graphic designer based in Houston, TX. She is the face behind the Etsy store City of Dionne and writes at her blog Notes From Dionne.
Create Your Blog: The Nuts and Bolts of a Good Blog Post
by Jason Dirks / Getting Scene
Ever think to yourself "why do I need a blog?" or "how can a blog help my creative business?" The term "blog" comes from "web log" which can best be described as an online journal. I used to think that blogging was reserved for authors and newspaper columnists, although in the past year I have completely changed my tune and realized that blogging is one of the best things you can integrate into your online business especially if you’re an artist, photographer or handmade crafter.
How To Use A Lightbox For Your Product Shots
by Jason Dirks / Getting Scene
This past November we were fortunate to have Kelly Hall write for us on the Anatomy of a Great Product Shot. Kelly sells jewelry from her Etsy shop and blogs about her creative and photographic adventures at the Lost Earring. We learned a lot from her including proper camera mode and camera angle, incorporating backgrounds and props, and most the important - lighting.
Etiquette: Dos and Don'ts of the Arts and Craft Community
by Dionne Christiansen / Getting Scene
Many topics these days come with a “Dummy’s Guide” or rule book that explains how to act or behave. There’s etiquette for everything, even in the crafting community.
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How To Use Twitter Lists
by Ram Dutt / Getting Scene
Have you ever had the feeling of information overload on Twitter with tweet after tweet? I have and I found a great way to manage this information effectively. Normally, I like to regularly follow tweets from someone because they give good information although sometimes these important tweets get lost in a heap of other tweets. So, how do you see the forest through the trees? Answer...using Twitter Lists and I'm going to show you how to create one in today's Byte-Syze Learning.
Vendor Benders: Top 5 Mistakes Online Shop Owners Make
by Justine Smith / Getting Scene
It's important to remember that although your business will not see profit immediately, you should have an accounting system in place to avoid feeling overwhelmed once tax season arrives.
How To Manage Your Connections on Twitter: Follow & Following
by Ram Dutt / Getting Scene
A few weeks ago we posted a Byte-Syze Learning on How to Get Started on Twitter and we wanted to follow up on that with a lesson on how to you build and grow your community on Twitter. It's just like your address book although there is some Twitter etiquette to follow and just a few simple steps to grow your community and make some great connections. Let me show you...
Completing a Project 365...What, Why, How?
by Jason Dirks / Getting Scene
What’s your New Year's resolution? Mine is to complete a Project 365. I honestly can't remember having a real New Year’s resolution, sure I want to eat better and exercise more, but I have never actually given myself a specific goal to achieve at the beginning of the year…until now. After hearing about a Project 365 from a photography friend this past year and reading a blog post by Peter Carey this past week, I decided I wanted to try this.
How To Comment on a Blog
by Courtney Dirks / Getting Scene
Earlier this week I talked about the perks of commenting on other blogs, but if you’ve never done it before you may be saying to yourself "I want to comment, but how do I do it?" Let me help!
Why You Should Comment on Blogs...5 Tips to Remember
by Courtney Dirks / Getting Scene
Who here has their own blog? Do you enjoy reading other blogs? Maybe you just enjoy writing and sharing your thoughts and ideas. Here at Meylah, we enjoy both very much! Our number one goal here at Meylah is to help the creative community succeed online and we know the best way to do that is to connect all of us together to share and learn from each other.
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How To Create an Event on Facebook
by Ram Dutt / Getting Scene
Facebook provides a great platform to leverage your network and communicate with them on their schedule and at no cost to you. Instead of interrupting your friends to let them know what's happening in your life, this format allows you to give them an opportunity to listen when they have time. Yesterday, I covered the 6 Basic Principles for Organizing an Event and now I want to show you a perfect marketing tool to let your friends and those connected to you be informed about your event in a non-intrusive and yet very effective way with this Byte-Syze Learning on How To Create an Event on Facebook.
How to Set up a Craft Booth that Customers Can't Resist
by Dionne Christiansen / Getting Scene
Are you about to take the leap into your first craft show? Got the goods, but don’t know how to display them?
At a craft show, appearances ARE important and how your booth is set up can have a direct impact on your sales. Great products can lose their appeal if they're surrounded by a poorly-designed display, so think about setting up a booth or table that makes people look and keeps them browsing.
Opening your First Flickr Group!
by Francis Raymond / Getting Scene
I have some more Flickr love to spread around today. Remember the last Byte-Syze Learning on how to register on Flickr and the Flickr Groups overview? Well, now that you are acquainted with the basics of sharing photos on this social network, it is time to have a closer look at starting your own Flickr Group. Without further ado, let's start the next installment of the Byte-Syze Learning tutorial series!
How To Get Started on Facebook
by Ram Dutt / Getting Scene
Although Facebook has become one of the hottest mediums for social networking, many of us are still figuring out what to do with this new medium. A few days ago Courtney introduced you to Facebook in her post “Get with the Facebook Program!”. Although there are many benefits of Facebook, today we are going to focus on the basics of getting started on Facebook step-by-step with a Byte-Syze Learning tutorial. In future posts, we will discuss and show you how to reap some of the other benefits of Facebook so stay tuned. Okay, on with the show.
Get with the Facebook Program!
by Courtney Dirks / Getting Scene
So, what’s the craze with Facebook ? Most people these days are familiar with Facebook or already have a Facebook profile. If not, please allow me to bring you into the fold. Facebook was started in 2004 by a few Harvard brainiacs with the intention of linking students together to help them get to know one another. Initially, it was limited to students and is now open to anyone over 13. It has become a global social networking phenomenon with over 300 million active users (yep 300 million, that’s roughly the population of the United States!) that use the site to connect with friends, family, schools, organizations and other groups.
How to Get Started on Flickr: Registering!
by Francis Raymond / Getting Scene
Flickr is my favorite social networking tool at the moment. You might be familiar with it as a photo-sharing site, but there's much more to it than simply posting snapshots for friends and family. It's a great venue for finding fellow artisans, making contacts and getting inspired. Head over to Flickr.com and have a wee look around. You'll find interesting photos and videos from crafters, photographers and artists the world over. There's an endless list of photo pools that are hubs for conversation and inspiration. If you don't have a Flickr account yet, keep reading this Byte-Syze Learning tutorial and I'll get you on track in no time!
Setting up an Online Survey using SurveyMonkey
by Jason Dirks / Getting Scene
Welcome to the second tutorial of Byte-Syze Learning!
A few days ago, Ram wrote a post about using surveys to tune into your customers, find out who they are, what they want, and how you can tweak your business accordingly.
Flickr Groups: Crafting, Blogging, Promoting
by Francis Raymond / Getting Scene
Do you guys hang out on Flickr much? I will introduce registration on Flickr this weekend, but for now it's time to talk about a much more entertaining feature of the photo network: groups!
Marketing Tips for Crafters
by Dionne Christiansen / Getting Scene
When I was 6, my friends and I would go on a little door-to-door soliciting tour, trying to sell to our neighbors pictures we had drawn. Our goal was to make enough money to buy ice cream at the end of the day. Today, I’m still selling my creations, but my earning goals are a little loftier than just making enough to buy ice cream; and unfortunately, a band of friends selling our wares door-to-door isn’t as charming today as it was when I was six. I need to do a lot more than that to successfully market my handmade goodies.
How to Get Started on Twitter
by Francis Raymond / Getting Scene
Welcome to our first Byte-Syze Learning tutorial!
This is the first post of what we hope will be a long-lived series. A few days ago, Jason introduced Twitter and its conversational power. Beyond all the hype surrounding this platform, Twitter really is a great tool to meet fellow crafters, artists, and, yes, potential buyers!
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Twitter What?!
by Jason Dirks / Getting Scene
Yep, I said it: Twitter.
Although some dismiss it as a trendy time-waster or a new excuse for celebrity breakups, there's a lot more to it than that. Think of it simply as another tool in your online kit - used effectively by artists, photographers and crafters, it offers leverage.
The Importance of Branding
by Ram Dutt / Getting Scene
In the process of creating Meylah, we have learned a lot about the B-word.
Branding.