Team Work

I have been studying up on my Inbound Marketing. You can see the books I am reading on the bookshelf to the right of this post. The basic is simple you DON'T need money to do great advertising just a little know - how and time. When you get right down to the nitty gritty it is just about how many inbound links you have coming to your shop or blog ( present count 4/09/10 729 and a WebsiteGrader.com score 89.3/100) and how important they are to a search engine. As I learn more I want to share my learned knowledge with you.

Part 1 of my plan is: to do joint in Etsy Marketing.
When deciding to do this it is best to join a team with your point of view. My point of view is natural toys. I am a member and leader of the NaturalKids Team on Etsy. I have picked a few members to do joint projects with. To make a toy that can be matched or paired with another members items. There is no way on etsy to place an "ad" on you website but you can featured each other's items in your photos and give links in your listing to there items.

Example one: Party Time Playset for  Bendy Dolls

My listing at The Enchanted Cupboard

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=42386257

Dannielle's listing at Princess Nimble - Thimble

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=43085721

The Bendy dolls and Playset sold very quickly. I can also see on my GA how many views are coming from her shop by her website set up to be a launch pad to her shop.

Example two: Rainbow Sorting Bowls featuring matching sorting felted acorns.

My listing at The Enchanted Cupboard

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=44541937

Donni's listing from FairyFolk

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=44551411

Both items sold with in hours of listing (same customer followed the link). Since in both cases I am a team member and friend I can keep in close contact with the other shop.

Key points:

• I found this worked best if I bought the items that I would be featuring and then asked the other party to do the same.
• Links will only be live if you add the whole URL shop name.
• Keep good records so that you can see if this works as good advertising for both shops.
• Keep the photos simple and beautiful.

Business Wednesday:Be an Internet Litterbug

Don't think you have money to put ads up all over the internet, not in the budget.Well then start being an internet litterbug  
 ! What if I told you about a way to advertise for free, and it was better then any 125 X 125 ad out there. How? By your words! Everytime you read a blog remember to leave comments and sign with your links!

People love to read comments and if they like what you say they will check out the links you left behind. Make sure you are writting about the subject you are reading, DON'T use the comment area as a place to market yourself or put a commercial. Just let your links do the work. I have been experimenting with this for a while and my Google Analytics service tells me my comments bring in larger amounts of views then any paid ad. I try to go read 5 blogs/ online newsletters a week and leave my comments and links.

Leaving your links around is also good for your Google Analytics (GA). Everytime you leave a link behind it is like "raising your hand" to be seen by the SE (Search Engine), the more times your link is posted the more you move up in the Google search, it is great free advertising for you. Think of the Search Engine as a scene from an old 80's movie where they would show shots of the floor of Wall Street. All those people yelling and holding there hand up. The tallest and loudest trader got the best trades. The same works for the SE, the more your links are seen the higher you will be listed on Google, Yahoo, AOL, etc.

Go see where you are now in a SE, search for you shops or blog name. Where did you come up in the SE listing? First listing, first page or did you have to search many pages? Next search for items you make, or for a blog topic you wrote about. Use this information to know where you are now and as a foundation for where your hard work will take you. Start doing the work and check back in a month to see if you links are moving you up. Follow these tips and you will start to see an increase in your clicks and sales!
Good Luck!