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Friday, August 20, 2010

GIVEAWAY

This is it!  Today's the day!  It's time for a GIVEAWAY!



This book is perfect for anyone interested in getting their craft business off the ground.  

Publisher Comments:
It's an exciting new world for crafters. Handmade is hip, creativity is what the market wants, and there are many profitable sales opportunities that didn't exist a few short years ago. For crafters who have more confidence running a sewing machine than setting up a Web site, The Handmade Marketplace breaks down and makes sense of the global possibilities for marketing and selling crafts. 
First, determine the right price for every item — not too expensive and definitely not too cheap. Whether the product is beaded jewelry or felted slippers, illustrations or tote bags, author Kari Chapin helps crafters determine cost of goods, market competition, and the pros and cons of wholesale and retail sales. If the price is right, customers will buy.
Then it's on to selling. The boom in indie craft fairs and sites such as Etsy (Your place to buy and sell all things handmade) is providing artisans with an ever-expanding marketplace for handcrafted items. Chapin demystifies every venue. She explains the guidelines that craft fairs impose on exhibitors, the typical yearly calendar of shows, and how to start a new craft fair. 

For the crafter interested in online sales, there are tips on styling and propping crafts for photographs and technical explanations of how the most popular Web marketplaces run. Traditional brick and mortar consignment stores are still very good options for many crafters. Chapin explains how to approach shopkeepers and build strong relationships. 

Wrapping everything up with media advice and tips on how to get the word out, The Handmade Marketplace is the sales and marketing bible that today's crafters need.

Reader Reviews:
By isabellawhitney
The Handmade Marketplace is an excellent source of information for the independent entrepreneur. Chapin touches on all the necessary information for anyone interested in starting their own handmade/craft brand from home. I am currently working on a high-school senior independent-study program where I am crafting my own brand. The Handmade Marketplace could not be a more perfect book for my project. I have read through many similar books, but this is by far my favorite. Chapin somehow makes what could seem like an overwhelming task manageable. The book also provides advice and interviews from so many successful, talented people who have made strides in the online indie world. As an added bonus, the book is pleasing to look at. The illustrations are beautiful and inspiring in themselves.  

By ML Risley
Beyond being a super cute and attractive book, Kari's Handmade Marketplace will no doubt be the craft/indie business bible for at least the next 10 years. Questions about business cards? Social marketing? Selling wholesale or consignment? Using Etsy, Artfire or other online venues? It's all there, plus cute illustrations, stories told in the first person by today's most promising artists and crafters, and bits of information crammed into every nook and cranny. I get bored easily and rarely read a reference book cover to cover, but this one I did and have gone back and read parts twice. Highly recommended for those starting out in the business and to those with experience (I've been selling for over 5 years and found loads of good tips in Kari's book). This book should be on every crafters bookshelf. 

By Holly Becker
A must buy small business book! Kari helps readers who are looking to launch their crafting business in several areas from how to determine cost of goods, handling market competition, the pros and cons of wholesale versus retail sales, tips on styling and propping crafts for photographs, technical explanations of how the most popular online marketplaces work, how to approach bloggers to get your work featured (the section where I stepped in with my own ideas), how to approach shopkeepers and build strong relationships, record keeping, showing your work at craft fairs and more - 218 pages of current concrete advice from Kari and her 30 contributors. I must reveal that I am one of these contributors, I wrote 3 pages of the book (pages 125-127) about how a business can attract attention from their favorite blogs.  Kari did a beautiful job organizing a myriad of topics from so many voices and created an easy to follow small business book that is not at all boring (most business books can be a real snooze-a-thon) or overly technical (yawn) - instead it's smart, fresh and easy to digest and most of all, gives small business owners the tips and tools that they need to either get started or to keep going strong and forward with their business.  The best $10 you'll ever spend!

To enter:
Please leave one comment for each entry.
  1. Be or become a follower.  This is worth 2 entries.
  2. Tweet about the giveaway.  This is worth 1 entry.
  3. Post on your blog about my giveaway.  This is worth 5 entries.
I'll have Hannah pick a random number on the morning of Friday,  Sept 3rd, and I'll announce the winner later that day.

GOOD LUCK!! 

Linking to:
Frugal Friday @ The Shabby Nest 
New Friend Friday @ The Girl Creative
Frugalicious Friday @ Finding fabulous
Met Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch 
Making the World Cuter 
Giveaway Directory @ Someday Crafts

95 crafty peeps said:

  1. Im a follower here already. :)
    esgutierrez4(at)msn(dot)com

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  2. Im a follower here already. :)
    esgutierrez4(at)msn(dot)com

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  3. Me..me..meeee!! I'm a follower! And I need all the book learning help I can get!

    Suzy

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  4. I am a follower and would love to win this book! :o)

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  5. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  6. I would love to win this book! I just opened an Etsy shop and could use all the help I can get!

    I'm a follower.

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  7. I am a follower :)

    theresa.dargis@gmail.com

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  8. I am a follower :)

    theresa.dargis@gmail.com

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  9. I'm a follower!
    larissaesq@gmail.com

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  10. I'm still a follower!
    larissaesq@gmail.com

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  11. Tweeted here: http://twitter.com/ReefBotanicals/status/21675682122
    larissaesq@gmail.com

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  12. I am a follower and I would love this book! Thanks for the give away!

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  13. im a follower! ps thanks for the tip on the french fries :)

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  14. I'm both a follower and interested in getting a business going! Please include me in the giveaway. Thanks, Connie

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  15. I'm already a follower!

    karrcrystal@yahoo.com

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  16. I'm already a follower!

    karrcrystal@yahoo.com

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  17. I am following via GFC. Entry #1

    christinaalmond at gmail dot com

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  18. I am following via GFC. Entry #2

    christinaalmond at gmail dot com

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  19. I tweeted this giveaway:

    http://twitter.com/calmond/status/21792144476

    christinaalmond at gmail dot com

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  20. Hi! I am now a follower and I am going to tweet about this. Thank you!

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  21. Just signed up. Your blog is SUPER (found you through FB). I signed up to blog, so maybe this will be a way for me to be inspired! Who knows? Would sure love to win the book.

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  22. I'm a follower!! What a great book ! Would love to read it :)

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  23. SO HONORED TO BE A FOLLOWER QueenLondonsCarriage on etsy

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  24. Posted your giveaway on my twitter LondonsCarriage

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  25. I'm now following your blog, which I discovered via the Graphics Fairy on Facebook. Would love to win the book. I'll also post on Twitter @Nettie06

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  26. I am now a follower. Would love to win the book. Found you through the Graphics Fairy.

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  27. I already sell on etsy, but I don't think I know everything! The book sounds like a great resourse. Thanks for the opportunity! ::Jill

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  28. Now a follower, even though I'm not quite sure what that means! ;-) Graphics Fairy sent me.

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  29. Blogged on my sad, neglected blog:

    http://makesomethingeveryday.blogspot.com/2010/08/book-giveaway.html

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  30. Tweeted this @pleasechoose

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  31. Count me in! Watch out! I am officially following you.

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  32. Cool site. Count me in your give-a-way and I will be following! Kerrie @ http://kerrieskorner.blogspot.com

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  33. This is awesome! Glad I saw your link on FB...became follower, tweeted your link, FB'd your link & requested as friend (not just for the giveaway). I gotta say, you're blog is awesome! Super excited to read more ideas :)
    Tweet: (at) Nspyrd1jbs
    FB: Jessica Snowden
    Blogspot: Inpired Mama Designs
    :google JessieBizzyBee

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  34. follow 2

    misaacmom at gmail dot com

    thanks for hosting this - I am thinking of opening an Etsy shop

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  35. https://twitter.com/misaacmom/status/21845965822

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  36. I am a follower!

    ccminor AT yahoo DOT com

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  37. I'm a follower!

    ccminor AT yahoo DOT com

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  38. I am a new follower - following you back!
    Entry #1
    ~Kimberlee
    www.TheSpunkyDiva.blogspot.com

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  39. Second entry for being a follower!
    ~Kimberlee
    www.TheSpunkyDiva.blogspot.com

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  40. Posted on my blog: http://thespunkydiva.blogspot.com/2010/08/giveaway-at-speckled-dog.html

    ~Kimberlee
    www.TheSpunkyDiva.blogspot.com

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  41. ooh, this is a great book! i have it! good luck to everyone entering.. don't pick me! lol!

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  42. I've been wanting to read this book for weeks... :)

    I'm a new follower. :)

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  43. I'm a brand-new follower (came by link from Someday Crafts). I just checked out your daughter's room re-do - wow! I'm just getting set up with etsy and a blog - this book sounds like *exactly* what I need. Every new undertaking is an excuse to get more books!

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  44. Oh this is lovely!
    I am your new follower.

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  45. What a generous giveaway and so relevant to all budding crafters !

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  46. Tweeted!
    http://twitter.com/ditamaulani/status/22224901373

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  47. I posted in on my blog:
    http://handmadenest.blogspot.com/2010/08/friday-fun-no-sew-hair-clip-and-brooch.html

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  48. I'm a new follower!

    ameliab555[at]gmail[dot]com

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  49. I tweeted here:

    http://twitter.com/BedeliasSpot/status/22229378143

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  50. I blogged here: http://ameliab.blogspot.com/2010/08/giveaway-alert-handmade-market-place.html. :) #1

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  51. I blogged here: http://ameliab.blogspot.com/2010/08/giveaway-alert-handmade-market-place.html. :) #2

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  52. I blogged here: http://ameliab.blogspot.com/2010/08/giveaway-alert-handmade-market-place.html :) #3

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  53. I blogged here: http://ameliab.blogspot.com/2010/08/giveaway-alert-handmade-market-place.html. :) #4

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  54. I blogged here: http://ameliab.blogspot.com/2010/08/giveaway-alert-handmade-market-place.html. :) #5

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  55. I'm a new follower! 1

    rebekah[dot]diehl[at]gmail[dot]com

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  56. New follower. I'm always looking for thrifty ways to be creative.

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  57. I am a follower! So excited about this giveaway!

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  58. tweeted about it https://twitter.com/DPat81 dbpatrick.81(at)gmail.com

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  59. Not only am I follower, but I'm a new one to your blog :)

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  60. I tweeted about it (My twitter SN is southerndollie)

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