I will start by answering about my online store called iAttire.net

1. I find myself doing less because I have streamlined my efforts in getting the sale accomplished (packaging, mailing, etc)... but also less marketing in 2007... due to apathy. My sales are directly proportional to marketing, so I am bringing in fewer sales than I could be.

2. I want to use blogs and YouTube as marketing tools for my store, but haven't gotten around to it.

3. I have bought fewer third party sales than I did at first. I basically weeded through those services that we didn't need afterall, and my experimental phase is over.

4. I am now interested in doing craft fairs, whereas I wasn't interested before. I would like an opportunity to "check in" with my customers and see in-person reactions to my products. I think that will help "recharge" my own interest in the store,and also help direct my future product and marketing decisions.

Well, since I put my business mainly on hold for several months - about 6- due to mom in law's illness, subsequent death, funeral, all that, I'm just realy getting back into it.

My website is vastly outdated - and is about to be trashed and started over.

I've put myself out there on MySpace on spousal recommendation thanks to a trade article he read about the selling power of MySpace. I have been doing some recruiting on there, and double plus my friend list in just a few days. I've got some orders coming off of that.
So I'd have to say helping.

I've always used email as a way to keep in touch with customers, so that's about the same.

I've got an Etsy store, but no sales yet, cause I just started it.

I'm going to more events this year, mainly because I've been invited, and at several I'm being paid to be a demonstrator of panelist. Plus I get to be a vendor - so that's all good!

I gave up on commission at one place because my work got ruined on two pieces and the store manager didn't give a crap. I have not gone out and marketed myself to others yet.

So, I'm doing more work to make online sales, but I'm makng more sales. This is year 4- and I broke even last year. I'm angling for a profit this year.

Things this year seem to be going along more or less the same as in past years, so far.

I've been blogging about my stuff, and posting on livejournal communities about it, for a long time. It does give me a little boost, though I find that I still get more sales through word of mouth and google ads than anything else. I also get a fair bit of sales off of being involved in various forums and communities online. I find a lot of people want to do business with somebody they know, so being part of a community helps. I've been thinking about getting into myspace. I might do that the next time things start slowing down a bit.

Google adwords is the only thing I've paid for, as far as third-party services go. They're pretty inexpensive and have given me a nice return on the money, so I'm happy with them. I've thought about getting a few additional ads, but have never gotten around to it.

I don't have much in the way of real world sales. I do a convention every year, and that's about it. So it hasn't really changed for me much.

1. Do you find yourself doing more or less work to make online sales in 2007?
I have not really made many sales as of yet. Im still looking to find my niche market for most of my crafts.

2. Are the new tools of the internet helping your sales... such as blogs, YouTube, and more?
I cant say that they are helping but they are helping me find out what does work and what does not.

3. Do you find yourself buying third-party services to help online sales, such as yahoo ads, email services, evite and others?
Not as of yet. I know you must spend money to make money but man....Im kind of broke right now

4. Have you changed your real world sales efforts because of online sales: going to craft fairs more or less? Selling on commission in stores more or less? etc etc

I have put my stuff up in some local faires and even a local shop. No luck yet.

I'm dying in terms of internet sales/interest. I try to visit peoples blogs and comment, I use blogmad and blogexplosion to hopefully drive some traffic my way.
I'm thinking about re -branding but then I'd have to start all over.
I haven't done 3rd party services yet but I'm starting to think about it.
I have decided craft fairs are not my cup of tea and after doing one I find I make better sales throwing a afternoon tea party near the holidays.
I have one commission store thats a 40/60 split and that does trickle in the money I'm not getting off the net. So I'm thinking of perhaps delving more into that area and spreading out a bit. ( i never did beefore because I thought I'd have problems keeping track of things).

1. Do you find yourself doing more or less work to make online sales in 2007?

More work: I take hundreds of digital camera shots of everything to find the best, most appealing shots. I've made more stuff so I can continuously upload new items to my Etsy store. I've done more shows in person to promote the Etsy store: kabaldesch.etsy.com

2. Are the new tools of the internet helping your sales... such as blogs, YouTube, and more?

Not yet, but I'm trying to be patient. I'm still learning about Internet advertising and self-promotion.

3. Do you find yourself buying third-party services to help online sales, such as yahoo ads, email services, evite and others?

No, not yet.

4. Have you changed your real world sales efforts because of online sales: going to craft fairs more or less? Selling on commission in stores more or less? etc etc

Yes, attending more craft shows in person and hosting more private shows/sales.

1. I opened my store on Etsy in September shijewels.etsy.com and I've had 6 sales so far, which I guess is good for there, but I wish it were more. Who doesn't :D I'm listing items either everyday or every other day, hoping that the holidays will bring more sales.

2. I've got a blog shijewels.blogspot.com, so far the traffic has been good. I've listed on youcraft.org. I have a Flikr account. I've also signed up on Talentdatabase.com and was actually a featured artist, so that was awesome. I don't think I've made any direct sales doing these things but I'll keep working them for the exposure.

3. I haven't bought any yahoo adds and such, but I may in the future.

4. I'm going to sell on commission in a store, it will be my first time so we'll see how that goes. I haven't done any craft fairs, didn't think I would like it all that much, but am now considering it for next year.

Well, regarding Kat's Jungle Treasures (www.ladyleopardess.com).........

1. I have not put enough effort into my work. I just cannot deduce how I could expand my exposure but at the same time not spam people. Second, I really have not worked much on continuing to find the niche market that would by the lampshades I make. As for my CafePress store, nil as well.

2. In all reality, my pieces do not seem like something made for YouTube or any of those other things. I have one single blog but that is for the overall website itself which is not 100% selling

3. Sadly I do not have the money for such things. I know that one needs to spend money to make money but I just do not make enough and only just got a new job. Maybe 2008 will be my year....

4. I have found myself doing maybe one exposure a year (regarding the lampshades only). Last year it was a craft fair for 4th of July and this year it is a gallery out in Colorado that has my lampshades featured. Hope something comes of it.

Kat

As 2007 ends Im looking into the past year of my business and what I need to do to modify and improve and grow

Ive had some interesting developments great highs and some lows

highs I started teaching jewelry classes, both in PMC and polymer clay
in June/July/August I had over $500.00 in sales from one vendor-- thats more that I did in all of 2006!
lows the store vending my stuff in Kentucky had a gallery "show" I was featured artist
no one showed up, also they decided to close their doors for good this wednesday

now to answer these questions because this is exactly what I need to do to plan for 2008 anyway....


1. Do you find yourself doing more or less work to make online sales in 2007?
about the same
I am making some moves to change this, i need internet sales to take off. So i will be working smarter in 2008 to increase internet sales

2. Are the new tools of the internet helping your sales... such as blogs, YouTube, and more?
no, I only blog within the confines of tribe, a friend of mine has been pushing blog blog blog, she uses hers for Cafe Press traffic specifically, I am now considering it, let tribe be therapy and blogspot be sales
I hadnt thought of youtube before but it can definately be a tool, i can see it for how-tos, current limitation is video equipment, or reality the lack thereof

3. Do you find yourself buying third-party services to help online sales, such as yahoo ads, email services, evite and others?
no, but i will be this next year. I have already targeted two advertising locations, and I will be preparing ads for them this next week
one is a specialty magazine, hopefully to drive traffic specifically to the etsy site

4. Have you changed your real world sales efforts because of online sales: going to craft fairs more or less? Selling on commission in stores more or less? etc etc
currently I dont have one influencing the other, I am upping my craft fair participation, just cause, but i make sure I pass out my etsy cards like crazy. My goal for those etsy cards is to have used them all now later than this summer and have to get more made
o joining some additional craft organizations, like craft mafia so I can participate in their local shows, and preparing slides for other big craft shows

Im hoping I will be able to partmer with an aquaintance who is a Ren Faire vendor, and into a semi mentoring relationship with her/work for/ with her. Im hoping i can some how get into a mentoring relationship type thing. I know i can learn a lot from her
there is also another craft/jewelry intructor who I will be taking lessons and workshops from since at this last set I took with her she already started with the extra guidance and mentoring type help
I will sponge as much as I can

I will aslo be submitting my jewelry to as many "call for entries" and our reader galleries as I can, also with submitting aritcle ideas to a few DIY magazines