03.28.08
Posted in Uncategorized, Time Management at 9:25 am by KellyM
One thing I’ve learned since starting my business, is that there is not enough time in the day to get everything done. From maintaining your website, blogs, social accounts, family, household, friends, yourself the list just never seems to end. In the begining, everything is important and deciding what task can be put off for a later time is difficult.
I learned about time management in high school, college and at the various jobs I’ve had over the years. I know how important it is to schedule my time effectively, so that I can complete the tasks that are important first. This will minimize stress and I will be able to stay on top of things. However, this is sometimes easier said than done. Especially online. There are constantly new things to do and find out about and decide on.
Remianing focused would have to be a number one tip. For some, it is difficult to follow. I myself find it hard to do. I am focused (or try to be), then find a great tidbit of information, stop what I was doing to check out that information, which can then lead me to more great information. Before I know it, I’ve spent hours following a trail and lost sight of what I should have been doing. Now, I’m behind in my schedule.
Follow a schedule. Refering to the above paragraph, not always easy to do either. But, it will help to make a task list and at least attempt to stick with it. To make a task list, I find it best if I make my list the night before.
Make a list of everything you have to get done and prioritize it. List the most important tasks first and move on down.
Know how much time you have to spend completing these tasks. If you only have an hour, then be realistic and schedule tasks that can be completed in that hour. If you try to over schedule, you’ll be disappointed with yourself and be stressed.
If you tend to lose focus, keep a pen and paper handy and jot down your new finds for later. These can be added for when you complete your tasks for that day, if there is time, or be added for the next day.
To make scheduling your tasks easier, buy a notebook for scheduling tasks or find a task list scheduler online.
Once you are in the habit of making your schedule and following it, your day will go smoothly and you may even find you have more time for yourself. How do you manage your time?
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03.26.08
Posted in Uncategorized, fun, shopping, site promotion, interviews, paper crafts, Glass at 8:00 am by KellyM
Meet Emily Goodwin, Owner of www.emelegifts.com.
Where are you located? Crete, Greece.
What do you design? I make handmade cards and home decor gifts, such as painted flower pots and decorative glass jars which make great candle holders! I have plans to add magnets and keychains to the site in the not so distant future. Some items are one of a kind. I also do custom work.
Where/How did you learn this? Through books and magazines and also by trial and error!
Where does your inspiration come from? I have more ideas than I know what to do with, but each one gets noted down so that I can come back to it. Most of my business ideas come to me when I’m just going to sleep so that I have to put the light on and write/sketch them down before I forget. Always keep a pen and paper by your bed!
What do you do to combat creative block? Usually I’ll just move onto another project or spend more time doing website things or concentrate on my photography until the creativity comes back. It always comes back eventually.
Where do you design your creations? The spare bedroom is my workspace for creating. The laptop and random pieces of paper sit on the dining room table for when I’m doing website things, promotion etc etc etc.
What does your work space look like right now? Messy!
Best advice you received when starting your own business venture? I’m not sure I received any, but here’s something I soon learned. Build a website and they (visitors) will come is a lie! you have to work hard to get visitors and then to get those visitors buying.
Favorite part of owning your own business? Being my own boss.
Least favorite? Not having a “regular” income every month.
How do you relax? I always seem to be doing some form of work as I love what I do, so, “Huh, what’s relaxing?” But I guess I do the usual…Watch TV/films (not horror, I have nightmares!) I read a lot and love taking photos. Photography is my hobby, although it’s slowly turning into another business!
Favorite color? Purple, yellow and green. Impossible to choose just one!
Does this color show up in a lot of your work? Not so much in my work, but I have a purple and yellow website!
If there were more hours in the day, what would you be doing? Everything that I love-Website design, crafting and photography.
A sample of Emele Gifts products. For all products, please visit Emily’s website.
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03.24.08
Posted in Uncategorized, marketing at 5:45 pm by KellyM
I ran accross this Blog post today, and thought I would share the find. It’s a list of 59 things you should be doing for your website to keep it up to date and user friendly. Don’t forget to read the comments also, there could be more tips posted.
Keeping your site up to date and user friendly is one of the most important things we need to keep up with, besides current designs and styles. This list is a great help.
Which do you spend the most time on, keeping your site up to date or marketing your product?
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03.21.08
Posted in Uncategorized, fun, shopping, site promotion, interviews, crochet at 6:04 am by KellyM
Please meet Mikki, Owner of www.kustomkrochet.ecrater.com.
Where are you located? Texas
What do you design? Crocheted throws, baby blankets, place mats and coasters.
Where/How did you learn this? My Mom taught me the basics when I was 5 and I’ve built on it since then. I had never seen anyone else “draw pictures” on afgans and decided to give it a shot. Only recently have I discovered, I’m not the only one. Haha.
Favorite Artist who inspires you? None in particular.
Where does your inspiration come from? Life, my kids, family, something I want to try. Who knows, sometimes it just creeps up on me.
What do you do to combat creative block? Do house work for a while, or look at pictures in magazines. Sometimes, if I just stop trying, it comes to me.
Where do you design your creations? My living room, bedroom and kitchen. I crochet almost everywhere, even while riding down the road.
What does your work space look like right now? Overflowing with yarn ~ LOL
How does your family feel about what you do? They love it because I use them as test subjects from time to time. LOL
Do you have any advice for someone looking to make their own creations using this method? Just do what you love and love what you do.
Favorite part of owning your own business? I get paid for doing what I love.
How do you relax? I crochet.
Favorite color? Pink
Does this color show up in a lot of your work? It depends.
If there were more hours in the day, what would you be doing? More crochet.
A sample of Kustom Krochet products. For all products, please visit Mikki’s website.
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03.18.08
Posted in Uncategorized, networking, marketing, site promotion, advertising, blogs, social networking at 9:58 am by KellyM
Blogging is huge right now! Well, has been for some time and getting bigger everyday. You can’t seem to go anywhere online without finding a blog about something. This is great! Most blogs are informative in nature, presenting you with the latest and greatest news, products, techniques, and how-to’s on any subject imaginable. There are blogs that you can find where personal updates are shared. There are even people who sell their wares from their blogs. However you set your blog voice to be, you’ll probably feel better if you get it noticed, generate a following, and get comments to your blog posts.
You can search for blog topics in a variety of places. You can even join groups of bloggers to catch up on the latest happenings in your niche or area of interst. I want to share a few of the places I keep in touch with the Blog/Web World here. If you know about these sites already, great! If I miss something, you can let me know. If you don’t, maybe you’ll be inspired to join and expand your networking a bit more. I am new to a lot of this and do not pretend to be an expert, but feel that sharing the knowledge I do have is worth quite a bit.
www.bloglines.com A free site where, when you sign up, you get your own blog. You will have the option to save it as private, where only you can view it’s contents, or public, where we can all find it and follow it if we choose. You also can build a list of your favorite blogs based on different categories. I found all of my favorite niche blogs here. The best part is, they are all in one spot! They continue to be updated as the blogger updates their posts. You can add a button to your current blog, if you have one, and others can add you by clicking on that button. No more going from site to site to site, which can take a huge amount of time. One feature I like here is that I can clip/save a blog post here for future reference. The option will be found at the end of every post. Click on it and save it to your clippings folder or blog about it right away. You can view my blog roll here. I have not made my blog on bloglines public yet. Once I get it all figured out, maybe. But you can find this one and my other one on there.
www.del.icio.us.com Free to join. Here you can compile your favorite blogs as well and view them, save them, tag them and read them at your leisure. I have spent a little bit of time here, probably not as much as I should, so not too much of an expert on this site. But if I come accross a blog I like and they have a Delicious button, I click it and it’s saved. Almost along the same lines as above. Here you can follow other people with similar interests as you and they can follow you if they like what you save. Networking for blogs…You can view me here.
www.technorati.com Get your blog posted or submitted here, and get more traffic. I did not submit my blog here, one of you so kindly did. THANK YOU!
www.mixx.com The Mixx, I like. Free to join as well. You set up your user profile and can add tags that you want based on your interests. You can also add your own content, pictures, and site to ”the mixx”, don’t forget to add the relevant tags. This site will show you blogs, pictures, and sites based on those tags and you can vote up or down about the content you read or view and make comments. (This is not the part I care for or about, just a “fun thing” they offer). You can view other peoples profiles and follow them and they you. But the part I like is that I do not have to feel bad or beat myself up if I do not get there everyday to check what’s new. They email me as new posts are submitted to my categories, I see which category it is with only the title showing and I can choose if it is something I need or want to read (this is where great titles come in!). If I choose to read it I am taken directly to the Mixx site, where I can see who voted and how, their comments~if I choose and one more click and I am on that blog reading away. Fast, easy and not a time waster. You can find me here.
I certainly hope this provided some new information for you. How do you promote your blog? What blog networking do you do?
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