Archive for the ‘A bit of biz’ Category

What do these images have in common? There is a theme here, and I’ll give you a secret: it has to do with ALT DESIGN SUMMIT this weekend!

Ok, Can you guess?

These are the ladies I’ll be speaking with on my panel under a topic that will for sure spill overtime cause there is so much to talk about: Building Your Brand and Your Business.

I am so thrilled to be speaking with Victoria from te super savy style blog Sfgirlbybay and the expert gardener and renaissance woman Gayla from You Grow Girl. We all have something in common: we love what we do, we started to put ourselves out there in the blogging world, and a business grew partially by accident and partially planned. We will be talking about the steps we have taken to get there and advice for the journey. Come with your questions too…I think we’ll have a Q&A at the end if we have time!

So, if you haven’t had time to get your tickets, this is your last chance! The first ever blogging conference with design in mind. I can’t wait to hear from some of my biggest social marketing heros, and design heros. It will be a party with lots o lots of packed information.

If you can come, please come over and say hi! This will be my first day away from the baby, so I will be considerably more lonely than normal…either that or completely care free!

See you there!

Last month I was interviewed by “Babies and Moms” website, and was asked to talk about a favorite topic of mine: turning your passion into a business. I had a great time with Nancy Cajun, who has had many business successes herself with her company Sign Babies and now her Babies and Mom podcast. It was actually she who inspired me to get started when I heard her speak at a Startup Princess Seminar about turning an idea into a business….and I was so honored to now get to have her ask me questions!

I am on about 8 minutes into the podcast, and we are talking about how to make that passion of yours…that hobby that you can’t stop doing…into a profitable business. I also get to share bits of my own personal story on how I got started….which is always so amazing that I got through those first few months (OH they were nuts!).  We also talk a good bit about balancing your creative passions while raising young children. These are great women I’m chatting with.

Anyways, tell me what you think! I’d really love to include more discussion of the business side of things here on the blog…but would love to know your interest.

Thanks for listening:)

You can listen here.

There are days that just get you all fueled up, and Friday was just that. I went to the Startup Princess Touchpoint event (a conference for entrepreneurs) and was so delighted to meet Heather Bailey in person. She spoke twice during the conference and I also got to chat with her a bit one-on-one. What a treat! She is just as warm and genuine as she comes across in her blog. I was so impressed by here incredible work ethic, dedication to her family, God and to her talents. She is one smart cookie, I’ll tell you that. She was able to show us her new line of fabric coming any day now (she says she is just waiting for it to come in the mail!) and it’s just darling. I’ll let you check out her site for her to do the telling, but I was once again so impressed by her ability to create what she loves and what other people can’t wait to get their hands on. She shared a lot of her journey from before she even started a business until now. It was needless to say, very inspiring!

I was also able to meet up with so many great blogging friends. In the picture on the left, you see Marie from Make and Takes, Allison from Petit Elephant, and Kami from No Biggie. It was so wonderful to meet people I only t get to read from on a screen…meeting in person is the icing on the cake! Thanks Startup Princess for such a great event!

If you are in traveling distance to Salt Lake City, UT, come to the Startup Princess Women’s entrepreneur Touchpoint event on Friday featuring 3 awesome guest speakers including my favorite: Heather Bailey. Have a business? Thinking of starting one? Want to meet some really cool people? Want something fun to do on Friday? Come on down. It’ll be a blast!

Sign up here.

I get asked all the time how I started my business, as well as what advice I would give to someone starting out on their own. I always try to offer what i can, but in all honesty, so much of what I have learned is from becoming a part of Startup Princess. Kelly Anderson has become a great friend of mine, and has created a place for women to essentially band together and share wisdom, support, services and techniques on life as a female entrepreneur. And the great thing about this organization, is that it’s global with services and support offered via their online magazine with posts and support offered daily.

I don’t consider myself an entrepreneur. When others ask, “How is your business going?” it usually takes me back a moment. Business? Oh ya. It is a business. That might sound funny to you, but I still think of myself as an artist who happens to sell what I create, which of course means I have a business. Gosh, that sounds obvious. But the word business tends to intimidate me at times, and if it weren’t for Startup Princess, I wouldn’t have the tools I need to grow.

This next event is in Utah (lucky for me!) and I am thrilled about the the guest speakers: particularly Heather Bailey whom I completely admire and look up to. I have watched her growth for the past 3 years and she blows me away. She must be my age there about, has two children, and has basically created her own little empire with her incredible designs. She will be speaking on “Creating products that sell” and “Creativity in life and business.” Sounds yummy. I can’t wait!

If you are in UT or can come out for the event, the early bird registration ends on August 1st. And if you are new to Startup Princess, check out the site now, and get involved! It is a GREAT way to network and build relationships with people that can support what you do.

If you are coming, let me know! It would be just peachy to meet up to chat and meet face to face. Treat yourself to a day away and come on over. It’ll be a party!

I have been wanting to start a discussion here for some time, but have been deliberating how to post about it as it seems to be a subject that isn’t talked about much: Protecting your artwork from being copied or closely replicated. Unfortunately, this is happening a lot in the online art world. How close it too close?

So, Question of the day: How do you protect your art?

First, let’s chat about what you can do to protect your art from being out-right stolen. This should be your first concern.

PROTECTING YOUR IMAGES:

1) Watermark your images.

So many people treat the internet as an image gallery for free use. With a WATERMARK over your potentially downloadable image, you are telling people that the image is yours should not be used for personal or commercial use. You will also prevent people from stealing the image and selling it elsewhere.

2) Post your images as small as you can without losing resolution. As long as your art is not vector art, you should never be saving your images to the web in a size that could be reproduced or used by another person/party.

3) Register your image(s) with the U.S. Copyright office (if you are in the U.S of course). Here is the link to get started.It is easier then ever, and less expensive than it used to be. http://www.copyright.gov/eco/index.html

4)Educate yourself on intellectual property: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intellectual_property

5) Disable Downloads: if you can, disable your images from being downloaded on the internet. On ETSY, there isn’t control over that, thus the vital importance for your image to be watermarked and protected with a copyright notification.

These steps should be taken First. But what about the fuzzy lines that surround borrowing, adapting and copying? Let’s chat.

PROTECTING YOUR ART, IDEAS, COMPOSITIONS AND STYLE:

1) Doesn’t copyright protect my idea and composition? No. Art and craft is so subjective, and ideas really can’t be copyrighted. Here is what the US copyright office has to say:

“Copyright does not protect ideas, concepts, systems, or methods of doing something. You may express your ideas in writing or drawings and claim copyright in your description, but be aware that copyright will not protect the idea itself as revealed in your written or artistic work.” http://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/faq-protect.html

2) What can I do when I see someone else coming up with creations obviously similar to mine?

I would love to here your reaction to this, but here is mine. Contact the artist if necessary telling them you are noticing some copying going on. If they still persist, contact them again if you feel you need to. But for me, this is where I stop. You are an ARTIST! You are not a huge million dollar company protecting your branded and patented products. You are just one person with a ba-jillion creative ideas constantly going through your brain. To waste your creative energy by going after a copycat is a waste of that creative energy.

Why?

You are the original creative idea, and have power to always rise above the competition. Competition is good and will most always be there. You can spend your time getting angry, or you can spend your time staying ahead of the game by keeping your art fresh, lively and cutting edge. Most likely if someone is copying you, it isn’t going to be as good as yours nor will it have the LIFE of the BREATH of your creative-from-your-own-gut creation. So leave them alone, and focus on how you can make your creations new and fresh and always ahead of the market.

This leads me to another point:

Keep your own sources fresh and honest. Never let yourself copy another artist’s style unless of course you are using that as a way to learn new techniques and educate yourself. Copying is a good thing for learning how to verse your hand in various art forms and styles. But your work should then take what you learn to a new level, always allowing your own voice to come through. When you choose to copy art as your primary resource, it will be FLAT and will lack the LIFE that really great images require. Don’t let yourself fall into that trap! The moment you are trying to make your creations look like someone else’s, your art will most likely be easy to copy itself. Remember, there was only ONE Rembrandt. He had MANY students, and to this day, experts can’t tell which was a true Rembrandt and which is a student’s hand on a select few paintings. But regardless, there was only one Rembrandt. Do people remember the copycat? No. They never will. Be fresh and mark your own path. Don’t let yourself be a follower.

I love this quote below. It hangs in my studio always reminding me to stick to my own instincts and not be tempted to ride on the coat tails of others:

“You must give birth to your images. They are the future waiting to be born.” - Rainer Maria Rilke

So, there you have it!

My experience is very limited however, and I would love to hear your take on this topic.

What have you done in these situations? What have you done to protect your artwork?

Do tell.

In the mean time, happy art making!

For more GREAT articles on this subject, read here, here , here and here

There are so many different ways to promote your business in this day and age. Too many ways it seems. But making a clever video and accessing the audience on YOU TUBE is a super smart way to go. Check out this music video from Nichole of Little Brown Pen. Has me re-thinking the way I use social media.

Nichole Robertson’s arsty shop video

Ok. Aren’t you seriously inspired? I met Nichole on TWITTER and fell in love with her ETSY shop and her BLOG. Nichole is an American living in Paris, and sells PDF’s which is brilliant…I am thinking of all the paper I cut and print each day and am thinking she has it good!

In the mean time, check out her shop: darling, darling.

And for a trip to Paris in February, visit her AMAZING blog: you will feel like you are there.

Have any of you used video to promote your shop? Thanks Nichole for getting me to think outside the box!

OK. It has been too long since I started a dialogue about the nuts and bolts of having a creative business. Sometimes I don’t really feel like I have much to share, since I learn so much everyday myself. So really, today I want to share some great blogs/write-ups on the topic of PRESS KITS AND PRESS RELEASES.

I am currently working on getting a press kit out, so this has been on my mind lately.

So here is the PR 101

What is a PRESS RELEASE? A written release of news worthy information sent to journalists or media personnel to encourage a story or a write up about the product or event. The release features the who.what.where.why and how of your company in a compelling way and should have some kind of urgency to it. (”my company teaches kids how to make their own dolls” vs. “Teach your child to make their own christmas gifts!”)

**An elevator pitch will help you here!

What is a PRESS KIT? A packaged set of merchandise for members of the media for promotional use. Things to include in your Press Kit:

• Background info on your and your company
• Fact Sheet listing specific features, statistics, or benefits
• Biography of you and other key executives in your company
• Past Press Coverage
• Photos of your products and people involved (high res photos)
• A press release (mentioned above) detailing the current news the media kit is sent in reference to
• Media contact information
• A CD or DVD if it is appropriate for your company
• relevant advertising material, such as: postcard, flyer,etc.

WHY ARE THESE IMPORTANT?

• enables press coverage in a wide variety of magazines and newspapers
• reaches diverse readerships
• possible to get you into really big features

Jaime Lentzner wrote on her blog today about the very topic: PR. She has some great tips about getting your products out there in magazines and other media. It is too good to sum up. read it here:

Bell and Boo mentioned yesterday about how she is busy getting press kits out and mentions to make sure you always follow up, and make phone calls to ensure your products are getting seen.

Startup Princess is chalk full of great marketing resources for Press Releases.

• Here is a fantastic article with inclusions you need to consider in a Press Kit.

At the last Startup Princess Retreat, I learned some new ways to get your Press Release out on the web. Here are THREE big ones:

PR WEB: get your Press Release out to the WWW. Here is more about how it works. It costs a bit, but allows for Maximum distribution to major newspapers, magazine, online distributers, etc. Have yet to try it, but I have heard nothing but rave reviews.

RAMBO:(stands for Reach a Mom Blogger) allows you to pick a category and see if companies have posted an interest in featuring a product and/or service similar to yours. Great way to send samples to magazines and blogs that will feature and your product! Feature of Twittermoms.com

BLOGS/TWITTER/FACEBOOK: Social media outlets there are so many blogs that feature new products daily. Find blogs whose readers would be a good match for your product and offer to send a free sample or offer a discount to the readers. One of the best ways to get your name out there to people who buy online. TIP: blogs run by real people with real interests. Don’t oversell yourself. Twitter and Facebook are a great way to mention updates in your shop that can potentially reach more people than your normal readership. Find the medium that works best for you. I am big on reducing excess computer time. Blogging is my thing, but I am dabbling in others and have been able to make contacts with people I wouldn’t normally get to!

Well folks, there is more. Oh so much more. When I get my press kits done, I am happy to share how they look. Details are everything…and so I am taking my time. But in the meantime…if any of you have anything to add to the discussion, please do! There is so much out there on PR for business, but not a lot on PR for CREATIVE business. Any other tips? Make a comment! Have questions? Leave a comment!

Happy press making!

I have been waiting for this weekend for a long time…Startup Princess is having an all women entrepreneur retreat in Park City Utah this weekend, and I am ready to soak it all in like a dry sponge. The weekend’s topics: Learn the Magic of Marketing to Women Online. Speakers include Gabrielle Blair from Kirtsy and Design Mom, Holly Buchanan and Michelle Miller authors of the Soccer mom myth , Janet Meiners Thaeler and expert on internet and affiliate marketing. I am also so excited to meet some attendees there: Gwen Bell from Kirtsy, Marie LaBaron from Make and Takes among others. I plan on coming back with LOTS and lots to share! And if you are in Utah, email me. It may not be too late to come and join up!

OK. Here is the chance of a lifetime. Mark your calendars and sign up for the Startup Princess Academy retreat featuring classes, workshops and networking with some of the most inspiring women entreprenuers. Here is what Kelly, founder of Startup Princess has to say about this event:

Women influence over 85% of all purchases, and they need to be communicated with in new ways–one size does not fit all. Please join us to Learn the Magic of Marketing to Women Online with TOP EXPERTS in a way that translates into MORE Consumers and BIGGER Profits! Be on the cutting edge in your campaigns to maximize your marketing budget for 2009 and learn how to create effective and free word of mouth campaigns.

Sounds perfect right? Well add meeting these FABULOUS WOMEN to the mix:

Barbara Jones, Holly Buchanon and Michelle Miller and my personal favorite who I can’t wait to meet in person:Gabrielle Blair (aka Design Mom). Now picture that with 3 gourmet meals, slumbering in an amazing resort, and a chance to rub shoulders with women as passionate as you are, and voila! A perfect getaway. But more than that: Much inspiration and information. And from personal experience, these retreats are 450% better than just reading a blog or book. Trust me.

To view the agenda click here

To register click here

See you there!