Positive Yarn

As I drove around my piece of heaven this morning — and somehow managed to keep my car from sliding on the undersalted back roads that received yet more snowfall this week — I couldn’t help but notice how many folks still have their Christmas lights and decorations on display. Granted, it’s been mighty cold since Dec. 25, and the few days that could have been tolerable for de-decorating outdoors were soaked with rain instead.

Handmade is always good — especially when it's made with love from your preschooler!

But the issue seems mainly limited to residential areas. Retailers are definitely over the holidays and looking ahead to all things Valentine. In fact, just a quick search on BusinessWire.com turned up some interesting trends:

• Less lavishness. According to PayPal’s fourth annual “Can’t Buy Me Love” survey, nearly half of shoppers plan to spend less than $50 this Valentine’s Day, compared to 2008, when 75 percent of shoppers planned to spend more than $50 on gifts. Forty-two percent of couples surveyed say their partner spends too much money year-round. (Whoops — I bet you’ve helped a few of them on their binges, too, haven’t you?). You can learn more about their survey from this release here. What can this mean for you? Educate your customers’ sweethearts on how you bring value to the table, whether it’s via a shop gift certificate that will automatically make their cherished ones happy or the practical side of what their significant other does at your shop (”Look at this warm sweater she made you! She’s one in a million!”).

• Social media plays a part. PayPal also announced it’s hosting a virtual scavenger hunt on Twitter: You “follow” them and get updated clues to get in on some giveaways. Macy’s is also using the social medium, for better or worse: “The ’sweetest tweets’ will be showered with diamonds daily between Feb. 1-14.” So if you can squeeze a profound declaration of love into 140 characters or less, read Macy’s release here for details. If Facebook is more your thing, Cost Plus World Market is running a “Sweetheart Sweepstakes” for fans of their Facebook page, with a trip for two to Greece as the prize, according to their release. What can this mean for you? It’s doubtful that European trips or diamond ring giveaways are in your budget, but you could do something fun like a “secret word” promotion, where only those who are following you on Twitter are privvy to the Word of the Day that you post like clockwork at 9 a.m. During shop hours, any customer who plays along and tells you the word gets a 5% discount on her total purchase. Twitter is free, and it’s giving you a more-or-less captive audience — why not take advantage of it?

• It’s better to give than to receive. All right, this one is not a retailer — but it can still translate to your shop. Dr. Scott Shamblott, a Minnesota dentist, is throwing a “Dentistry from the Heart” event where his office does free fillings and extractions for those in need. The release is here. What can this mean for you? People everywhere are feeling the economic pinch, but it does their heart good to see those who may be even less fortunate get helped by others. (Hopefully, there’s the “pay it forward” effect at play, too.) Maybe Feb. 14 is the right day to host a stitch-in at the shop, where everything that is worked on — be it a prayer shawl, a preemie’s hat, a bookmark for literacy, a quilt for the homeless — is meant to spread the love and donate to others. One event that serves as a great example is the Sixth Annual Pittsburgh Knit & Crochet Festival, coordinated by Barb Grossman and held over Valentine’s Day weekend. It includes several charitable endeavors, including a Warm Up America! lounge sponsored by Pat Catan’s Craft Centers; coat check with donations going to Hog Heaven Rescue Farm; fabric donations being accepted by the local Salvation Army chapter; and I’m certain I’m forgetting others!

So will February bring more than just red paper hearts around the shop and an excuse to eat more candy? Will it mean a re-energizing to your market plan? Remember, this month also celebrates Black History and Go Red for Women Day (Feb. 5), as well as Groundhog’s Day and the birthdays of Charles Dickens, Thomas Edison, Abe Lincoln, Susan B. Anthony and George Washington (Feb. 7, 11, 12, 15 and 22, respectively). Throw in the Super Bowl on Feb. 7 and Mardi Gras on Feb. 16, and you should be busy all month long.

Maybe things will thaw out soon and all those holiday lights will finally go into storage. Thank goodness it’s not leap year: We’re one day closer to spring!

Maybe you can't turn every reporter into a fiber enthusiast, but it never hurts to try!

You’ve been putting your shop’s name out there for years, and it all comes down to this moment: The local newspaper’s business reporter wants to stop in for an interview. Is it a dream come true, or the start of your worst nightmare?

It’s all in the preparation. While you absolutely want to be yourself, not overly rehearsed, it’s important to keep in mind the key points you want to get across to the interviewer each time you open your mouth. It’s equally important to know when to not “overshare,” as it were — an off-the-cuff remark that could send your conversation hurtling in a direction in which you’d rather not take it.

What follow are five basic tips I’ve culled from my professional experience of picking business professionals’ brains for print, as well as from other media masters.

1. Learn all you can about their intentions beforehand. Is this article going to be about your business specifically or the industry at large? Is it an overall profile, or are they focusing in on just one thing — your upcoming charity event, for example? Just about any coverage is good coverage, of course, but it will help you decide whether you need to grab your scrapbook to remember things like whether you were founded in 2002 or 2003, or if you need to take a gander at some industry association Web sites to bone up on such factoids like, according to the Craft Yarn Council of America, an estimated 38 million consumers enjoy knitting and crocheting. In addition, find out when they plan to run the piece so that you can be prepared for a little extra attention from new and existing customers alike when it hits the streets (ah, the power of the press!). Of course, also be prepared to be bumped from the 11 p.m. newscast because they had to make room for wall-to-wall coverage of the unexpected snowstorm headed our way.

2. Dress for success. Will the interview include a photo session? Or are you going to be seen as you speak, on TV or online? Even if it’s for a no-frills radio interview, clothes can make the man — and woman. As this helpful article on Media-Training.info thoroughly explains, your best bets include:

• Solid pastels or bright colors: White washes everyone out; navy or black loses detail; patterns are a no-no.
• Clothes that fit: You’ll be nervous enough as it is. There’s no need to add discomfort to the equation.
• No shiny jewelry: The article recommends keeping your glasses off, too, but professional photographers and videographers can usually work around that with their lighting choices.
• A good night’s sleep beforehand: “Mommy, does knitting really make your eyes get all puffy like that lady on TV?”

3. Assume everything is on the record. I could write a book simply based on the secrets that have been shared with me during the course of interviews over the years. But boy, would I be in trouble. While I try to get my sources back on the record as quickly as possible, so as not to have any gray areas about what is and is not fair game, I can’t say that’s the reaction of every reporter. If you have a good rapport with the local media (and by all means I strongly suggest you develop one, so that you never find yourself on the wrong end of a reporter’s notepad), that’s great. But no matter how buddy-buddy you are with them, pay attention to what you’re sharing during the course of your conversation. A casual mention of your ex-husband, for example, might be the peg on which the reporter hangs the crux of the story: “Fueled by the independence her divorce gave her, Smith opened her shop in 2003.” (”But that had nothing to do with why I opened the shop! And it was in 2002! Arrgh!”)

4. Never say “no comment.” This is especially true in crisis management situations, when a microphone is shoved in your face after your best employee was just charged with embezzlement, your business just burned to the ground or some other horrible event has just occurred. You can say “I’ll have to look into that and get back to you” or “I’m still trying to collect some more information myself before I am able to comment” or something similar that will buy you some time, but simply sticking to the terse, two-word phrase is going to do your public image no favors. Consultant Karen Friedman has a great article that discusses this particular subject in more detail, and in fact has a wealth of great media relations advice for entrepreneurs at her own site, KarenFriedman.com.

5. Remember, you’re the expert! One trick reporters often use is to ask a leading question and then pause, assuming that you’ll say something, anything to fill the dead air. (Yes, I use it, too. Don’t judge.) Don’t be intimidated. If there’s a point to make, make it, but don’t ramble. You have your key points you want to make, you have the expertise to elaborate on them — so go for it. The reporter is there to find out information that you have and he or she needs to both interest and enlighten the readers. Seize this opportunity to get some great publicity and share your knowledge about something you love: your business!

Cheryl Geschke has been the successful proprietor of Soft N Sassy in Broadview Heights, OH, for nearly six years. It is nestled in a warren of rooms of an old house, and is known throughout Northeast Ohio as a destination for fiber fans of all stripes. When the lease came up on her location this spring, Geschke considered her options — but ultimately decided to stay put. After all, her clients seemed to like the ability to meander through the rooms, examining the yarns and accessories at their own pace. They also like taking classes (or just stopping to knit and chat awhile) in such a homey atmosphere.

And while Geschke likes it, too, she’s not afraid to step out of the box now and then, as her retail-focused Web site can attest. But she really took things to the next level the week before Thanksgiving: She opened the Soft N Sassy kiosk in the Westfield SouthPark Shopping Center mall in nearby Strongsville, OH, and leased a storefront at Parmatown Mall, in Parma, OH.

All three spaces are within about 20 minutes’ driving distance of one another. The kiosk, which only ran from mid-November until Dec. 31, was set up mainly to attract passers-by looking to buy a ready-made, handknit shawl or sweater, or perhaps a set of knitting needles or other yarn accessory. It also strongly marketed the message of “Don’t forget to check out our store in Broadview Heights!”

The Parmatown store, however, has a completely different name — Creatively Yours — and vibe than its siblings. Geschke sees it as an opportunity to bring lessons on all sorts of crafts, not only the fiber arts, to the masses. That includes jewelry-making, glass etching, bead-making and even a cartooning class, in addition to such pursuits as knit, crochet and pin-weaving. It also gives her the room to hold space-eating classes like felting.

Because Parma is an older suburb of Cleveland, and the mall is near the public transportation lines, she finds that Creatively Yours is attracting a lot of seniors who otherwise might not have had a way to get to the Soft N Sassy shop. She’s also getting a lot of families, whose frequent mall-crawling means they are hungering for a different alternative to the food court and say, the Build-A-Bear Workshop. (Believe me!)

“We have jewelry classes geared for kids, and I’d like to get a birthday party concept off the ground soon,” she says, noting that the bigger space means she has room for such events. In addition, Geschke says, “I’ve partnered with the JCPenney portrait studio where we present kids with a certificate for a free sitting — bring the project you have made with you and get your photo taken with it. They’re also handing out information about our store at their studio.”

As if jumping into the fray of the holiday season with two new retail outlets wasn’t stressful enough, it certainly didn’t help matters that Geschke’s mom, Vera — a beloved fixture at the Broadview Heights store — had quadruple bypass surgery in December. The situation forced Geschke to not be as hands-on with the endeavors as she would have liked to be, although she reports that her mother has since come through with flying colors.

Setting up shop at the malls did take some adjustments. Both sites required Geschke to stay open during mall hours, which during the holiday season meant some workdays were 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. She compensated by hiring two college students over their winter break to help out her existing staff.

The Creatively Yours space was stark at the onset, and as Geschke points out, it’s “hard to get a homey feel to a rectangle.” Eventually, she filled the space to her liking and found she enjoyed the flexibility: “I can move merchandising units anywhere, anytime I want to emphasize certain sale items.”

Inventory overlaps for both stores, but Geschke can take special orders at either location. Creatively Yours is situated between the food court and a major department store, so a lot of traffic passes in front of the shop. As she did with the kiosk, she is spotlighting a few consignment artists to put already-finished baby blankets, purses, hats, and other items for sale.

“We show them off a bit, because this location lends itself better to that,” she explains, adding with a chuckle, “Let’s be honest: Men shopping for a Christmas or Valentine’s Day present for their wives are more likely to stop by a shop in the mall than drive all the way out to a store called ‘Soft N Sassy.’”

The fact that most of her inventory is American-made and -distributed seems to be yet another big attraction for today’s consumers, she says. “I want them to realize that little companies make great things, too, and that we can build on American companies. People don’t need to purchase things made overseas from a big box store.”

Geschke is glad she took the plunge, and is still processing the experience in the new year. “I’ve learned a lot, and I’m still learning,” she says. “And if the stars continue to align, I’ll keep it up!”

If one of your goals for 2010 is to bring in more customers through classes, here are five tips to help you meet it:

1. Make it a party. If it costs $15 for the class individually, make sure that your prospective student knows that if she rounds up four of her friends, there’s a discount for groups of five or more. Also let her know that discount doesn’t come into play until after the class, so she knows all five students have to come through. Position this as a great way to celebrate someone’s birthday or as an after-work alternative to the bar.

2. Feed them. It’s true that cheese curls and Merino wool make a bad combination, and no one wants overdyed thread courtesy of a spilled can of soda. That said, there’s no reason why you can’t have a “wine, stitch and groan” night at the shop to celebrate the end of another great class session (although your local alcohol laws may mandate that the wine be of the sparkling grape juice variety). Just make it clear that the eating and drinking stays in the designated area — preferably a corner that gives them a full view of your latest inventory, so they can discuss among themselves what they want to buy as soon as they finish just one more egg roll. To keep it easy on your budget, make it a potluck: Let loyal customers who want to show off their latest recipes vie for a chance to win a small door prize, for example, by having everyone at the party write down their favorite dish. Or, if it’s pretty obvious that your local Julia Child is going to win every time, just draw one of the participants’ names from a hat.

3. Leave the shop. Offer to teach a class at the local senior center, the library, the coffee shop. Everyone who shows up receives a coupon to your shop and a schedule of classes there. The same goes for the numerous sewing guilds, garden clubs, women in business meetings (position needlework as a stress reliever!), etc. Think outside the box a little: Swap teaching a felted bead class at the local bead shop for them coming to show your regulars how to do Viking knitting, for example, or teach some crazy patch techniques at a quilt shop in return for them sending someone over to show your students how to piece together their redwork efforts.

4. Delegate. If you’re just too overburdened with other responsibilities to try to set aside time for a class, and if your employees aren’t quite ready for teaching, look to bringing in outside teachers. The cache of having the designer stopping in not only for a trunk show, but a class, can bring in new faces to the shop if you spread the word to local guilds and clubs. Plus, there are teachers for-hire like Julie Turner, Fiber Trades, who get the designer’s permission to go to shops specifically to teach a pattern. These strategies can expand your class schedule by offering techniques that perhaps you weren’t well-versed enough in to teach before.

5. Celebrate. Whether it’s a fashion show to display their finished pieces at the end of a multi-week class, or a new twist on an anniversary celebration (”We started in March, so we’re making a project in our ‘birthstone,’ aquamarine”), give your classes a personality unto their own. Make 2010 the Year of Education, where you reach out to young and old and equip them with skills to enjoy the art of needlework. They’ll come back to your shop again and again for knowledge, fellowship — and supplies.

I received this question regarding my recent column, Have yourself a merry little email:

Heather-

I’m working on a monthly targeted email and was wondering what other dates are best, not just the ones around Christmas. I find that I get turned off by businesses that send me emails more frequently. I was thinking monthly is a good timeframe. But is there a better time during each month to send? Fridays? Day before holidays?

Thanks. I enjoy your column.

Linda Listing

UrsulasAlcove.com

Linda, thanks for a great question (and a topic for today’s column)!

While you could likely find people to support any certain day and time as “the best,” the general consensus — and my personal experience — is to send it Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday. The prevailing wisdom is that sending it on a Monday runs the risk of it getting lost among all the clutter sent over the weekend, and Friday — well, too many people are thinking about their weekend plans to be bothered with a call to action from their inbox.

Based on my experience, mornings seem to do better than afternoons, although don’t make it so early that it’s trumped by the flurry of 9 a.m. work emails. Some people target 10 a.m., but it’s truly a case-by-case on what works best for your audience. Personal experience tells me that sending at 7:30 a.m. EST works well for my audience because the business owners I’m reaching tend to open their email while still at home, or perhaps check it on their phones on their way to work. (Let’s hope this latter category is during a bus, train or shared ride!) My message provider shows me the times the email is opened, and there are always a lot before 10 a.m.

Of course, if your main call to action is to get them to a holiday weekend sale, for example, perhaps a mid-Friday email is appropriate. I still think a Thursday would be better, just to give them time to think about who they want to invite along on their excursion.

I agree that monthly seems to be the gold standard — quarterly risks giving them time to forget about your message in the ensuing months; weekly can be intrusive, unless you truly have something new to tell them about week in and week out. Every two months is an acceptable alternative if you’re concerned about perhaps not having enough news to bring to their attention, or if your budget isn’t comfortably stretching to make the monthly commitment.

The important goal to set, however, is to make it consistent. “Train” your audience to expect to see something from you on the first Tuesday of the month, for example, even if it’s little more than “Big announcement coming up — details in two weeks!” (As an exception to rather than the rule of monthly mails, of course.) I realize this is a huge task, one that even I’m guilty of shirking at times, but to formally set an editorial calendar for your newsletters will make the process become more integrated into your routine.

Now’s the perfect time to set aside a few minutes and sketch out what you want to cover in the next 12 months. Do you have to adhere to it exclusively? Heck no. But I can attest to the fact that it feels a lot better to see something planned for a given issue rather than having to start from scratch every 30 days. Here’s an example of single-themed newsletter topics, month by month:

• January: Fond farewell to retired patterns
• February: Valentine’s sale (be your own sweetie and buy something you love!)
• March: Come see me at these spring events
• April: New pattern is here! Order now
• May: Spring cleaning: Clearance sale
• June: What’s new from Market
• July: Mid-Summer Night’s sale
• August: Curl up with a book (all of which are on sale)
• September: Come see me at my booth this fall
• October: Shorter days, longer yars
• November: Last chance to buy at 2010 prices
• December: Thank you for your patronage this year

Another little tidbit I’ve learned carries over from my newspaper editing days: The email’s subject headline should have a hook whenever possible. Much of your “trained” audience might be pleased to see that “News from XYZ” is in their in-box, but you’ll definitely increase their likelihood of opening it if in the next issue they see “Free, exclusive pattern for XYZ News readers enclosed!” You don’t have to give away the store every issue, but a little treat now and then to reward their loyalty for not unsubscribing — even an occasional coupon at the bottom of the newsletter, for example — can help bolster readership.

Last but oh so not least, I strongly recommend using an email provider who adheres to best practices regarding spam, so that your offerings are never associated with junk email. Companies like iContact (which I use, and recommend), Constant Contact and others can give you a comprehensive tracked listing so that over time, you can see what is and isn’t resonating with your audience. If the majority of your customers are opening your Thursday emails Sunday night after 6 p.m. in your time zone, for example, maybe it’s smarter to give yourself the weekend to put it together and mail late Sunday afternoon!

In addition to wishing happy holidays to everyone in this last column of 2009, I also wish the best of luck to Linda and to other entrepreneurs who are venturing into the digital marketing fray in the new year. A new Ad-ology study finds that about one out of every four small businesses plans to increase the digital side of their marketing in 2010. I notice that the public is responding favorably to the online video, social media and other efforts by voting with their … PayPal accounts. Are you ready?

Online handcrafted retail giant Etsy.com was a focus of an article today in the New York Times ("Hobbyists Use Etsy to Trade Day Job for Hard Work"). As someone who quit an office job for the trifecta of being home for the kids/being my own boss/setting my own hours, I can sympathize with many of those interviewed for the story — the sometimes 18-hour days, the challenge of work/life balance. I can also see the critics’ point that the whole quitting-a-day-job-and-livin’-the-dream scenario is more fantasy than fact for the majority of crafters on the site, and to promise them anything that gets their hopes up without arming them with some major small business knowledge is simply cruel.

I am curious, however, about what my readers think of Etsy (and similar sites like Indiepublic and American Craft Guide Community, all three of which I actually belong to, but am not very active in). Is it something that your customers love to discuss, or even buy or sell from? Is it something that you use yourself, to unload old inventory, to buy great deals on supplies, to sell your own creative offerings or just to peruse to get ideas and inspiration? Is it passe at this point, or even something that has never really touched you or your customers? Please let me know by dropping me a line in the comments below or email positiveyarn@goochandgooch.com.

And in case you haven’t seen it yet, check out Regretsy.com, the site that cheekily rounds up the somewhat eccentric (and let me warn you, often mature content) items available on Etsy. It is quick to point out that art is subjective, and that it’s just having a good time poking fun at some of the more offbeat offerings (and perhaps justifiably so, copyright infringement!). There is even a page that shows items that people have purchased from the respective shop owners as a result, lending credence to the old adage there is no such thing as bad publicity. Unless, of course, you’re a respected sports figure…

I say promotional items; you say… what? Logoed pens? Stress-relieving squish balls? Wall calendars?

These trinkets have their place at community fairs or by your register, for example, but there are a host of other — still affordable — items that you can use to get your business name out there. Here are just a few ideas to think about incorporating into your 2010 marketing plan, and if nothing else, perhaps I’ve just made your holiday shopping for your team and favorite customers a little easier!

Please note that the links are just representative of what’s out there; they’re not an endorsement of any specific promotional product providers:

• private-label hand sanitizer: These 2-oz. bottles can be a welcome addition to your customers’ pockets or purses as they run their errands (including a stop back at your shop, of course). Pass the out before a class, for example, so that everyone’s hands are clean before they pick up their needles. A 1-oz. keychain gel version or pen-sized version on a lanyard are also popular.
• flip-top mirrors: Using a mirror can be helpful when trying to get a quilt design just right, for example, or when doing other crafts. If an upcoming project includes using a pocket mirror to help map out the design, why not use the kind that has your name, address and Web site on it, too?
• water bottles: As a modern alternative to the coffee mug, this product also encourages your customers to not only drink healthier, but also cut down on the risk of spilling coffee or soda on a project or merchandise (that is, if you even allow drinks in class to begin with!). If you have a core group that’s thinking about getting in shape, why not try the gallon-size bottles: The average person is supposed to take in 64 oz. of water per day, and these bottles are designed for you to fill in the morning and have them empty by evening. Make it a contest — who can lose the most weight by the end of a given period simply by substituting water for their lattes?

T-shirts and tote bags are perennial favorites, especially when they’re used to commemorate a special event. Zazzle.com not only lets you design your own, but its member “community” has uploaded a number of items ready-made that might be appropriate. Do a search for “Knitting Gifts,” and among the many gifts you’ll find T-shirts asking “If I knit fast enough, does it count as aerobics?”; mugs that warn “You can make fun of my knitting but remember…. I’m the one with the pointy sticks!”; and a tote featuring a humorous cartoon about what happens when a guy says knitting is for old ladies. There’s even a knitting-themed Christmas card! All of these items can be furthered personalized with your business information, or purchased as-is if you prefer.

Crocheters, cross-stitchers and needlepointers, you each have plenty to choose from as well (my favorites include a “Real Men Crochet” T-shirt, a poster that says “Never trust an acupuncturist whose license is in needlepoint; and an apron that asks “To cross-stitch or not to cross stitch… What a stupid question.”) After all, what student wouldn’t want a hoodie that shows her graduation from “Needlepoint University”?

So now it’s your turn. What promotional items have you used with success? Are you stocking these items as merchandise in the shop, or are you using them strictly as prizes for participation in a loyalty program, for example? Have you seen a genuine return on investment, or do you see it more as an investment in relationship-building? Sound off below or send me an email at positiveyarn@goochandgooch.com.

Happy holidays, and here’s to a great 2010!

When real life intervenes, the blogging life suffers as a result. Don’t worry, everyone’s (relatively) happy and healthy around here, but the holidays and other factors have prevented me from devoting the scheduled time for online media that I have been trying to preach to you all.

For those of you who subscribe to my Positive Yarn Tips & Tricks enewsletter, rest assured your issue will arrive in your inbox early next week. For those of you who want to subscribe, it’s both free and easy. Just click here. And by all means, please browse the archives here.

In the meantime, I’ll leave you with four interesting articles I’ve collected recently as they relate to needlework and its positive impact on so many different communities. The best thing is that I know these are just representative of all the good stuff going on out there — the creativity unleashed among people who didn’t think they had it in them; the bonding that occurs in a group setting; the good will brought about by doing something for others; the feelings of satisfaction, contentedness, relaxation that occur with needle in hand. I could go on, but you get the picture:

Akron Beacon Journal: “Grant helps teacher sew up knitting program”

Times Online: “A stitch in time helps mend prisoners’ lives with Fine Cell Work”

The New York Times: “Artistic program provides therapy for mentally ill”

KTKA.com: “Ben’s People: Topeka Crochet Guild”

It does indeed make me thankful that in an age of blogs and pings and all sorts of faceless interaction on a daily basis, that so many people see the value in something as old-fashioned as needlework.

iContact is the absolutely fantastic permission-based email marketing provider I use for sending my monthly e-newsletter, Positive Yarn’s Tips & Trends, as well as for several client email newsletters and announcements. iContact recently announced its compilation of the Top 10 Days for sending holiday emails in 2009.

This handsome snowman stood guard in front of Studio Knit's shop in Medina, OH, during the city-wide 2008 Candlelight Walk weekend. The 2009 Weekend festivities start tomorrow, and I look forward to seeing what Anita and her crew will do to celebrate it this year!

Nov. 2 has come and gone, of course, and Nov. 25 is coming pretty darn quick. But the other days are worth considering as opportunities to reach out to customers with news of your holiday sales, ongoing charity programs, in-shop events and classes, etc.:

1. Monday After Halloween: Nov. 2
2. Day Before Thanksgiving: Nov. 25 (let your customers know what you’re thankful for this year — including them)
3. Black Friday: Nov. 27 (great time to give them a coupon to keep them in the shopping mood)
4. Cyber Monday: Nov. 30 (appeal to their high-tech side… maybe invite them to become a fan of your Facebook page)
5. First Friday of December: Dec. 4
6. Second Friday of December: Dec. 11
7. Friday Before Christmas: Dec. 18
8. Monday Before Christmas: Dec. 21
9. Day After Christmas: Dec. 26
10. Monday After Christmas: Dec. 28

So what do you think? Do you agree with these send dates, and are you planning to target those dates with your own online efforts? I want to know! Drop me a line at positiveyarn@goochandgooch.com or comment below!

I recently came across an article whose headline alone — “Social media is like a gym membership” — reeled me in. It’s an apt metaphor for many small-business owners, including myself. After all, you may notice (or you may not) that this column is being posted on Friday, after several weeks of “training” my readers to look for updates on Thursday.

I can only offer up the same excuse that I give for why my gym bag is allll the way back in my closet, neat and undisturbed: Life intervened. There was no family emergency or crazy project deadline; it was just the everyday routines that I happened to not work my blog update into this week.

I suspect that many of you fall into this trap, too. You’re so busy with the day-to-day dealings of your professional and personal responsibilities that things like regularly logging into Twitter, Facebook and other technology wonders is pushed down to the bottom of the priority list.

The article’s author, marketing expert Paula Pollock, explores the similarities between the gym and social media further by profiling three archetypes: “Chatty Cathy,” “Pushy Pete” and “Multitask Mary.”

She ends by applying the 80/20 rule: “At the gym it means you can chat and socialize 20% of the time, but you better be working out the other 80% or you will not get results. Online, you should be engaging others, offering information and building relationships 80% of the time. If you do that, 20% of your participation can warrant invitations to your events or to check out your new offer.”

Less talking, more doing
Unlike the typical “I’ll hit the gym more” pledge solemnly sworn on New Year’s Eve, now’s the time to hit your online marketing resources, especially with the upcoming holiday season:

• Blog, tweet and otherwise tell about not only your sales, but your current charity projects, too. Encourage your online audience to participate. (For the record, mine is Jen Funk Weber’s Needle & ThREAD program, which actually continues through National Children’s Book Week May 10-16, 2010.)
• If you’re planning to raise prices soon, send out an email reminding customers that’s now the time to make purchases at the 2009 prices — and to take advantage of all your clearance items you offering to make room for inventory in the new year.
• Make friends and network online. My personal online hero is one Jenna Magee, owner of One Star’s Light Needlework Supplies and author of a pretty fabulous blog. My chapter-level EGA teaching debut this week wasn’t perfect by any means, but the fact that Jenna gave me permission to adapt her detailed photos and instructions for finishing a biscornu project into a handout made everything go much more smoothly. A week ago I didn’t know anything about her; a Google search and a couple emails later and I feel blessed to have made her online acquaintance.

How are you making online marketing work for you? I want to know! Share below or drop me a line at positiveyarn@goochandgooch.com.