FREE & CHEAP ONLINE MARKETING FOR CRAFTERS & DUMMIES

[Serena Lee Pena]

So, now that we've established all the free marketing resources (See MARKETING YOUR JEWELRY ONLINE), we need to tackle free business plans, free financing referrals, free business templates and other free online and offline marketing tools. I also want to cover free Web-Based jargon tutorials, like HTML for Dummies, and also FREE NETWORKING online.

Let's face it, as crafters trying to make it online, we need to know not just the basics of such harrowing tasks, but we also need to gain a knowledge and skill of these feats, in order to make us better online business owners and marketers. The web is where we can reach the entire world from our sofa at home. So let's get started!

Did you know that you don't have to pay for vital business forms or even get a lawyer? There are free resources out there to assist you in breaking out into the online craft business world, without breaking your wallet...or purse! Here are some HIGHLY RECOMMENDED sites to find what you need to launch your business and keep it thriving......

FIRST THING'S FIRST: RESEARCH, RESEARCH, RESEARCH! You will not only create and produce the products, but you will be dealing with the business aspects of this as wels, such as marketing, selling, bookkeeping, purchasing and other minute details. If you will hire other people to help you produce your products, you will need to learn about managing and keeping personnel. I would seriously consider stocking up from your LOCAL LIBRARY, as well as maybe taking a course or two on Business Management and Accounting, and maybe even a Basic Computer course if you're not web-savvy, from a COMMUNITY COLLEGE. It will only help you, not hurt you, in your business venture.

BEFORE YOU START SELLING ONLINE OR EVEN AT CRAFT SHOWS, Find out about local state regulations. As the owner of your own business, you will have to understand and comply with local regulations, including licenses and permits that you need to operate your business legally in your state. Even if you intend to sell only at the local trade shows, and even certain ONLINE venues, you will usually be asked for your permit and/or will need to collect sales tax.

FREE BUSINESS FORMS, PLANS & SOFTWARE:

FREE BUSINESS PLAN GUIDE

FREE BUSINESS FORMS & TEMPLATES

FREE BUSINESS PLAN HOW TO ARTICLE

FREE LOAN REQUEST & FINANCIAL PROJECTIONS FORMS

FREE INS & OUTS OF BUSINESS PLAN WRITING ARTICLE

FREE BUSINESS STARTUP HOW-TO'S

FREE LEGAL & BUSINESS FORMS

CONFUSED ABOUT WHICH "BUSINESS ENTITIY" TO FILE AS? CLICK HERE

FREE BUSINESS FORMS & FORMATS

SUPER CHEAP BUSINESS FORM PREPARATION

FREE BUSINESS TAXES PREPARATION

FREE IRS GUIDE TO DOING YOUR BUSINESS TAXES RIGHT

FREE & CHEAP WEBSITE ASSISTANCE:

If you don't already have a website and plan to start one from scratch, I recommend you read this FIRST:

WEBSITE CREATION 101

FREE HTML TUTORIAL FOR DUMMIES

$3.99 A MONTH WEBHOSTING

$1.99 DOMAIN REGISTRATION

FREE & CHEAP WEBSITE TEMPLATES

NEED FREELAYOUTS FOR YOUR NEW BLOG OR NETWORKING PAGE?

FREE LAYOUTS & FORUM EDITORS

FREE MARKETING TOOLS & RESOURCES:

FREE CATALOG MAKER SOFTWARE

FREE POINT OF SALE/INVOICE SOFTWARE

FREE CD BROCHURE BUILDER SOFTWARE

CAPITAL CONNECTION FREE STUFF

ALL YOUR NEED TO KNOW ABOUT STARTING A BUSINESS

FINANCING SOLUTIONS:

DON'T FORGET TO Separate your business from your personal account. While this is not essential to your start-up phase, having a separate business account from your personal account can make life easier for you especially at tax time. You need to prove that your craft business is not a hobby - and that it is indeed a business - before you can be allowed to deduct your business expenses from your income. Getting a separate bank account under your business name is the first step.

STARTUP BUSINESS LOAN

FREE STARTUP CAPITAL ARTICLE--A MUST READ

STARTUP BIZ LOAN

FIND STARTUP CAPITAL & INVESTORS

BUSINESS STARTUP LOANS

CHEAP MARKETING SOLUTIONS:

FREE BUSINESS CARDS (JUST PAY FOR SHIPPING!)

$0.04 per BROCHURE!

1,000 BROCHURES FOR $52

5,000 BROCHURES FOR $599

1,000 CATALOGS FOR $1,033

5,000 BUSINESS CARDS FOR $125

$0.21 EACH TARGETED MAILING LIST POSTAGE SERVICE!

FREE NETWORKING & GREAT ORGS:

Hobby Industry Association


National Craft Association

INDIEPUBLIC

MYSPACE

CRAFTSTER

CRAFTBUDDY

TWITTER

NING

FACEBOOK

YAHOO360

BEBO

MEEBO CHAT

YUWIE

FREE CRAFTMARKETING ON NING



RECOMMENDED READS:

HANDMADE 4 PROFIT

CRAFTING 4 DOLLARS


MARKETING YOUR HANDCRAFTED JEWELRY (OR OTHER CRAFTS)

So you finally started your website. You've obtained your webhosting service as well as a merchant account and have LOADS of handcrafted jewelry and other stuff to sell. You're all ready to begin marketing and advertising, right?

But where do you begin?? Did your know you can get FREE keywords to submit your website to search engines? Did you know that you also don't necessarily have to pay for advertising??

Check these sites out to search for FREE KEYWORDS:

http://try.keywordcountry.com/report/?gclid=CN3yzOi88pQCFQmdnAodCldHrQ

http://freekeywords.wordtracker.com

http://www.mikes-marketing-tools.com/keywords/

http://www.digitalpoint.com/tools/suggestion/

http://www.hittail.com/pricing/

http://free-keywords.com/

You can also Download this free keyword software:

http://www.goodkeywords.com/

FREE MARKETING TOOLS:

Keywords offers the top 500 searched internet keywords compiled from a database of over 350 million search terms extracted from popular metacrawlers.

http://www.startupinternetmarketing.com/pagelinks/tools.html

www.askjinger.com

www.SaleSpider.com/FreeAdvertising

www.marketingforsuccess.com/free-stuff.html

www.effectivefreemarketing.com

www.researchinfo.com

www.websitemarketingplan.com/Free/FreeMPRes.htm

www.planware.org

FREE LISTINGS DIRECTORY/ENGINE SUBMISSION SITES:

www.submitexpress.com

freewebsubmission.com

www.addme.com/

metanetpromotions.com/

www.evrsoft.com/fastsubmit/

www.addpro.com/

www.ineedhits.com/free-tools/submit-free.aspx

websitesubmit.hypermart.net

www.Kijiji.com

www.MerchantCircle.com

www.zananetwork.com

www.adgridwork.com

www.inetgiant.com

www.freeadvertisingforum.com

www.freeadvertising.com

www.stumblehere.com

www.usfreeads.com

www.adleaf.com

www.thefreeadforum.com

www.webclassifieds.us

www.adlandpro.com

FREE BANNER EXCHANGE:

www.freeadvertisingexchange.com

www.gimmelinks.com

www.neobanners.com/

www.1800banners.com/

www.linkbuddies.com/

www.showyoursite.com/

5000banners.com

bannersxchange.com/

www.lillysplace.net/bannerex/faqs.php

FREE BANNER GENERATORS:

www.AdverStore.com

www.banner-generator.net/en/bannergen.php

www.banner-generator.net/en/

www.bannersketch.com/

www.coder.com/creations/banner/

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, SOME PLACES TO SHOW OFF YOUR JEWELRY/CRAFTS FOR FREE:

http://indiepublic.com

http://craftster.com

http://FreeCraftFair.com

http://LinnCreek.com

http://YourCraft.org

http://www.undertherainbow.us/

http://AbsoluteArts.com

www.craftsitedirectory.com/malls/index.html

http://primitivecrossroads.com

www.artpatron.com

www.thecountrygallery.net/craftmall/

http://craftbuddy.com

LOW COST PRACTICALLY FREE PLACES TO LIST YOUR JEWELRY/CRAFTS:

http://www.Etsy.com

http://www.HandMadeCatalog.com

OR......JUST OPEN YOUR OWN SHOP FOR FREE:

http://eCrater.com

http://en.daWanda.com

http://FreeWebs.com

http://Vstore.ca

http://RealStores.com

NIFTY ARTICLES/HOW TOs AND RESOURCES:

http://www.squidoo.com/howtosellcraftsonebay

www.freecraftunlimited.com/

www.wisegeek.com/how-can-i-make-money-selling-crafts.htm

www.jewelrymall.com/selling.html

www.entrepreneur.com/startingabusiness/businessideas/article76936.html

www.squidoo.com/selljewelry

poetrynjewels.blogspot.com/2008/06/how-to-sell-handmade-jewelry-usi...

www.jewelry-marketing.com/

how-to-sell-your-handmade-jewelry-article

So....what are you waiting for?? There are sooooooo many resources and free tools out there to help you jumpstart your business and get your stuff noticed! With all the useful links I've supplied, you have NO excuse not to get off your butt and grab yourself a piece of the online business cake.

Check out my sites:

On eCrater.com

On Etsy!

On DaWanda!

On Absolute Arts

On LinnCreek.com

My IndiePublic Page


FOR MORE GREAT TIPS & TRICKS, OR JUST TO SAY HI, CHECK OUT MY OTHER BLOGS:
http://www.SapphireIce.Wordpress.com
http://www.SapphireIceStudios.Blogspot.com