A Note on Contest Entries....

Hey eveyone! Just as a note on contest entries, you get one entry per comment so it's best to leave multiple comments if you are entering multiple ways! I guess I didn't make that 100% clear for the Marketing Guide Giveaway, so I'll count the items up for this one ONLY but please remember to leave individual comments next time for maximum entries!! :)

The BusinessMinded giveaway winner will be contacted tomorrow by 12pm CST and will be given 48 hours to respond indicating their desired guide before a second winner is choosen.

I will give Jordan at BusinessMinded your email once you contact me and she'll email you your prize!

♥

Marketing Guide Giveaway Ends Tonight!

Hey everyone! Just a reminder that the BusinessMinded marketing guide giveaway ends tonight! Visit the link below for last minute entries (DO NOT enter here if you want your entry to be counted). Good luck to all!!

http://bisoubisoubeads.blogspot.com/2009/03/business-minded-marketing-guide.html

Business Minded Marketing Guide Giveaway

Business Minded on Etsy has some of the most wonderful marketing guides that I've found anywhere on the 'net! I stumbled across the owner, Jordan, on Twitter and I was instantly drawn to her guides. She has several different versions available including the Etsy Seller Success Kit which is my favorite. I've purchased all of her guides and they are simply packed with great information to help build your Etsy business. While her guides are written with Etsy sellers in mind, the information you'll learn can easily be applied to all aspects of online selling, no matter where you're items are listed.

I asked the owner of Business Minded, Jordan, to tell me a little about herself to let you all get to know her a bit better.

Please tell me about yourself. I live in Southern California with my husband, our 2 year old son, and our cat Ruby. I have been passionate about supporting small businesses for as long as I can remember. Both my parents and my grandparents owned their own businesses, and I know firsthand about the struggles that these small companies face. I feel that supporting my friends and neighbors in their own business endeavors helps me feel connected to my own community and is the most patriotic thing that I can do for my country.

Please tell me about your business. I am a work at home mom who opened up an online toy store in June of 2008. In my original business plan, I relied heavily on friends and family spreading the news of my business and helping to get it off the ground. I was shocked and disappointed to find that although they had good intentions, their email chains didn’t get far and sales were very weak. I quickly learned that it was going to take much more than word-of-mouth to get my sales where I had anticipated. So I had to get creative—and fast! I immersed myself in Internet and library research. I went to workshops and chatted up strangers. In the end I came up with a simple and effective method of marketing and publicizing my store that has brought me tens of thousands of shoppers looking for exactly what I am selling.

Can you share any general secrets to having a great shop? Branding is a huge key to making your shop look professional. Try to take all of your pictures against the same background if you can. Make it either plain white, or a "signature color" that you use over and over again. This is an easy trick for a seller who doesn't feel that they are a goood photographer; it will give the sense that the photos were taken professionally.

The Giveaway

Business Minded would like to offer one of my readers a marketing guide of his or her choice to one lucky winner. There are multiple guides to choose from so there is sure to be something for everyone!

To Enter:

*REQUIRED* Visit Business Minded and choose your favorite guide- comment back here to tell me which one you would like to receive if you win (you can always change your mind).

Bonus Entries:

1. Subscribe to my blog.

2. Follow my blog.

3. Blog about the giveaway and send me the link.

4. Follow me on Twitter and give the giveaway a tweet (I check!).

5. Grab my button and put it on your blog (I check!!).

6. Visit my Etsy shop and tell me your favorite item.

Open to all.

The giveaway will end on March 23, 2009 at 11:59 pm CST. Winner will be selected by random.org, notified by email, and will have 48 hours to reply before a new winner is selected. Please remember to leave your email address so that I can contact you if you win. Good luck!