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Dear Diary
Listed under: One Voice
Published: Friday, October 12, 2007
Craft businesses need to wake up and realise the potential of the web log, says independent scrapbook designer June Schutrups
The advent of the internet and the rapid speed at which it evolves has impacted on most of our lives, not always in a positive way. On the upside, it does offer businesses an endless number of cost-effective ways to push their ideas and products into the public eye. The blog is one of the resources that has been sadly neglected, although that could all be changing. Personal use of a blog has been warmly embraced as a method of communication, but the business world is only just becoming aware of the potential it may hold for them.
As a new digital designer lacking a large advertising budget, I faced the dilemma of finding a way to bring my designs and ideas into the arena. In late June, I decided a blog would be the ideal opportunity to increase my profile and establish contact with potential customers to little or no cost. Cen’s Loft was born and has proved to be a wonderful idea. It has allowed me the opportunity to have direct customer feedback and deliver great customer service in an informal atmosphere. An internet shop is not interactive whereas a blog is and they work well together. My readers learn a little about me and lots about my work. I often provide them with a free item to download which allows them to test the quality of my work before they purchase. It also gives me the chance to do some market research; if an item is a popular download I will develop it and produce something on the same theme for the shop. These new products are then advertised with a direct shop link for purchase. It has worked well.
Understanding more clearly what people actually like gives an insight into what they would potentially buy. The theory that people take anything that’s free is untrue; the majority only take what they are interested in. Blogging has helped extend the range of people who have experienced my designs and I am constantly amazed at how kind and involved people become. My readers’ interests cover a wide range of crafting hobbies and I have contact with crafters I may not have reached with traditional advertising. I hope that in future the blog will flourish and be recognised by businesses large and small as a worthwhile additional tool to add to their kit.
June Schutrups' website http://censloft.blogspot.com/ is one of the UK's most popular crafting blogs with an average of 390 visitors every day.
As a new digital designer lacking a large advertising budget, I faced the dilemma of finding a way to bring my designs and ideas into the arena. In late June, I decided a blog would be the ideal opportunity to increase my profile and establish contact with potential customers to little or no cost. Cen’s Loft was born and has proved to be a wonderful idea. It has allowed me the opportunity to have direct customer feedback and deliver great customer service in an informal atmosphere. An internet shop is not interactive whereas a blog is and they work well together. My readers learn a little about me and lots about my work. I often provide them with a free item to download which allows them to test the quality of my work before they purchase. It also gives me the chance to do some market research; if an item is a popular download I will develop it and produce something on the same theme for the shop. These new products are then advertised with a direct shop link for purchase. It has worked well.
Understanding more clearly what people actually like gives an insight into what they would potentially buy. The theory that people take anything that’s free is untrue; the majority only take what they are interested in. Blogging has helped extend the range of people who have experienced my designs and I am constantly amazed at how kind and involved people become. My readers’ interests cover a wide range of crafting hobbies and I have contact with crafters I may not have reached with traditional advertising. I hope that in future the blog will flourish and be recognised by businesses large and small as a worthwhile additional tool to add to their kit.
June Schutrups' website http://censloft.blogspot.com/ is one of the UK's most popular crafting blogs with an average of 390 visitors every day.
