If you use Google Reader, follow the steps below. If not, sign up. (And subscribe to the Modern Homemaker while you’re at it!)

Download the MoC OPML file here.

If it doesn’t automatically download, click File > Save Page As in your browser, and select the file type XML.

(The rest of these directions are from the Marketing Over Coffee newsletter, and if you don’t subscribe, you should do that, too!)

In Google Reader,

Step 1: Go to settings.

Step 2. Click on Import/Export.

Step 3. Click Choose file. When the file box opens up, choose the OPML file you downloaded just above.

Step 4. Click Upload.

Step 5. You’ll know if you were successful if you see a big pile of blogs in your reader. If it looks good, click Back to Google Reader.

Step 6. Enjoy the blog goodness. If you already use Google Reader, this will add a bunch of folders below your existing ones. If you’re new to Google Reader, this will create a bunch of folders on different marketing topics that should provide you with tons of reading, insight, and knowledge.

Now you have lots of reading to do… Enjoy crafters!

Image Credit: new sox (And I’d like to state for the record that I really want that tattoo.)

Really?!? I completely disagree.

Here’s the thing. It’s called new media for a reason. It’s new. And sometimes, new is scary. But you’re crafty. Chances are you’re already doing it, and now you just need some guidance so you can do it well. Doing it well can benefit your business, and you’ll be ahead of all those guys that think social media marketing is akin to flannel shirts and Doc Martens – just a silly (grungy?) phase.

Although traditional marketing is still important and should not be ignored (think website, business cards, mailing lists, sample packs, forum participation, etc), new media marketing should be a part of your marketing plan. But before you jump in head first, take a moment to find out what your strengths are. This will be the foundation of your new media marketing plan.

Can you write regularly and compellingly? Consider a blog. Do you love to talk? Try a podcast.  Total camera ham? Video might be for you. Do you enjoy interaction? You’ll love Twitter and Facebook.

You don’t have to participate at every social media site to use social media to your advantage. Honestly, it’s much better that you don’t. Find out where your strengths lie and then figure our how you can utilize your strengths in your internet marketing campaign.

To get started, ask yourself these questions:

1. What am I really good at? What do I enjoy doing most? Am I a writer, a speaker, a performer, or a social butterfly?
2. Of the social media sites I already participate in, where does my personality really shine?
3. How open or transparent am I willing to be?
4. What knowledge or expertise do I have to contribute?
5. How many hours am I willing to devote to new media marketing per week?

Think these through and write your responses down. Your answers can help shape and develop your craftastic social media marketing plan.

When it comes to marketing, an effective and consitent brand is key. As our culture has moved online, we expect businesses to have a professional, visually-appealing brand. And yes, it’s even expected from the crafty folks.

But what is a brand? Basically, it is your reputation. It influences others to buy your products. If you’ve invested little in your brand, you are essentially investing little in your company. Your brand is your first impression and it leaves a lasting impression.

Because etsy is the largest venue to sell handmade items, I will focus on effectively branding your business for that particular platform. However, these branding concepts can be used in any venue, even offline. Here are a few shops that implement effective branding concepts.

These shops have a few things in common. First, their brand is clear and consistent. Consider little allouette, a shop that sells wooden toys for children. From their banner, you can see clearly that they sell wooden toys, and the overall feel is clean and adorable, fitting for a toy store. Their shop avatar compliments their logo, and the overall feel I get from the brand makes me trust them as a seller. I would buy from this shop, and the same can be said for pink lily press and lemon bird. Their clear, consistent brands make buyers trust them as a company and become more intrigued about their products.

Think about it… Have you ever visited an etsy shop with a less-than-perfect brand? How did it make you feel? Did you want to know more about that company’s products? Did it give you the warm fuzzies that these shops gave you?

Take a look at your shop from a buyer’s perspective and ask your friends to do the same. If you’re not getting warm fuzzies or worse, you wouldn’t buy from you, it’s time to reexamine and develop your brand.

To be effective, your brand should tell others about your company. From your banner, it should be clear what about your shop has to offer. It is more than your logo; it is your story. It should be clean and professional. In fact, if you have the money to invest in your company, work with a graphic designer to help you with your branding package. A professional can take your brand to the next level.

If you’re designing your own branding package, take a look at other shops on etsy and ask yourself, what is working for them? It’s great to initiate, but imitation is okay too. Just take this advice from Seth Godin: we need more guy #3′s. Watch this short video (it’s so worth it). Guy #1 was an initiator, but guy #3 started a movement.

Take a look at your favorite etsy shops and write down the traits of their brand that you consider effective. Then, work those traits into your brand.

Branding doesn’t have to be complicated. With a little time and effort, your brand will develop and you may see your traffic and sales increase. Good luck!

(If you liked this post, you’ll be happy to know that I plan to write more on the topic of branding and marketing in the future. Since my day job is in marketing, I think it’s fun to pass along the little tidbits to you so that you can grow your business and reach your goals. )

I listened to a Duct Tape Marketing podcast interview with Gary Vaynerchuck this morning, and I think Gary is the epitome of living the dream. He has built success for himself and his family doing what he loves. As creative-types, I think sometimes we undermine our contribution to the world because we believe, even just subconsciously, that handmade can’t be mainstream or crafting is not art.

Why?

We believe that we can’t build an empire on yarn and two pointy sticks. The end product might be more expensive if we have to hire help. There’s just no such thing as mass produced handmade products. Some people devalue craft remarkably. There’s only one Martha Stewart. And on and on…

We believe these things, yet we still dream of success.

So maybe the question should be, what is success to you? And once you’ve got that figured out, crafting your plan to get there is less complicated.

Image Credit: aussiegall