Hey guys- we've got another awesome giveaway! If you've ever thought of setting up your own online shop, The Craft Business Handbook - The Essential Guide To Making Money from Your Crafts and Handmade Products is an excellent read. The author, Alison McNicol, is offering 5 free Kindle copies of her book to Feeling Stitchy readers!
Alison was kind enough to share a Kindle copy with me, too, and I have to say it is definitely worth your time. She answers all kinds of questions, from the basics of naming your business, photographing your products, and setting up your home office to pricing your goods, marketing them, the pros and cons of advertising, and how to decide to take the next step and expand.
The entire book is written in a really friendly, conversational tone, so don't worry about your eyes glazing over at the technical bits - Alison's book is concise and detailed, but always interesting and inspiring. The final section of the book contains interviews with crafty business people like Liesl Gibson (Oliver + s), and Emily Peacock (yes that Emily Peacock who creates the beautiful updated needlepoint patterns).
I think this book would be super-helpful to anyone thinking of opening an Etsy or online shop or even anyone considering a booth at local craft fair. The best part is, all of her advice is given based on her own personal experiences, and she doesn't flinch from sharing her failures right along with her successes. Reading it was kind of like settling down for a long talk with your older, wiser craft buddy. (Ok, I'm not saying Alison is old, but you get the idea). :)
So, all that said, are you ready for a giveaway? Again, we are giving away 5 copies of the Kindle (or PC) version of The Craft Business Handbook. If you don't have a Kindle, it's easy to set up a free Kindle reader on your computer or smart phone.
To win, I want you to leave a comment with.... a weird business name. Strange, fun, cheesy - use your imagination and make up something nutty. I'm sure you guys can do that. :) Top 5 names win! Please include your email address so we can contact you. Leave a comment by 9 PM Central Time, on Sunday Feb. 26. Winners will be announced on Monday, Feb. 27.
Edit: 9 PM, Sunday night - comments closed - winners will be announced on Monday. Thanks all! :)
