Archive for the ‘Announcements’ Category
New Blog-Site For KC Bead Designs!
Hello Everyone! I am introducing my brand new Blog and 2nd online Shop with my brand new website, kcbeaddesigns.net. I have been working on this new site for several weeks off and on to get my blog ready for publishing again. I have upgraded to a self-hosted wordpress blog and setup a new osCommerce shopping cart after lots of reading on the net and more trial and error than I want to admit. Did I mention the trial and error part? With my limited working knowledge for writing html code, css, and stylesheet language, I’ve been haunting the support forums and knowledge bases looking for help and answers.
I still have a ways to go to get the site where I want it to be, but I think I have a pretty good start. I’m using links from my old blog to this new one and hope everyone will find and follow me here. The inventory in my new shop is very limited currently, but I will be building it weekly, so check back frequently to see what’s new.
Chain and metal components are hot, hot, hot right now for summer and into fall fashion. Here’s a new design I have that fits right in.
Silver textured round disk pendants and hammered rings hang from large double link silver plated chain. The beads you see dangling from the rings are genuine 6mm deep purple amethyst round beads. More information on this necklace set is in my new Reflections Shop.
Browse around and subscribe to my new blog while you are here.
’til next time!
Tags: blog url change, new blog-site
KC Bead Designs Top 100 Artisan Jewelry Sites List
In the constant search for additional ways to promote, advertise and market my website store, I have created and am sponsoring a new Top 100 Site List.
Description: Browse and find Artisan Jewelry Sites featuring unique handcrafted jewelry, original lampwork beads and custom cut semi-precious gemstones by some of the finest artisan jewelry designers, handcrafted jewelry artists, lampwork glass artists, and lapidaries providing custom jewelry supplies online.
If you are interested in visiting my Top 100 Artisan Jewelry Sites List you can click here. Join and add your website, store, blog, forum, etc. related to artisan jewelry/designers, handcrafted jewelry/artists, lampwork glass artists/beads and lapidary jewelry design supply. I paid a yearly subscription fee to my Top 100 List provider to have my list be “advertising free” so there are no paid advertisement links appearing on my list to compete or draw visitors away from the sites added to my list.
For those interested in creating their own Top 100 List and for shoppers curious about what they are I have added this informational article:
What is a Top 100 Site List and how does it work? This is a list you create for a group of people to add (join) their website banner, description, and url making a directory of websites relating to the list topic. In exchange for adding their website to your list, the website owner places a link to your list somewhere on their website that contains their member code. When visitors to the website click on the link a vote is registered for the website on the Top 100 List. These incoming votes accumulate and move the website banner up in rank on the Top 100 List. When visitors browsing the Top 100 List click on a banner a vote is registered for the website as an outgoing vote. The more incoming votes a website receives, the higher in rank the banner will appear on the list.
So, what is the benefit of joining a Top 100 List? The most important reason to join a Top 100 List is to gain internet exposure for your website. The list provides “free” advertising promotion and increases traffic that may generate more sales for the website. If the webmaster for the list is promoting and advertising the Top 100 List and the list is growing, when the search engines crawl the list it will be indexed and included in their search results.
How do you create your own Top 100 List? There are several companies on the web who offer free Top 100 List templates for you to create and sponsor your own Top 100 list. You decide on a topic or group that you want to target for your list and fill out the template. You will need to complete a list of rules or facts for your list, create banners for the site to be placed somewhere on the joining website and then monitor the list to approve new members and keep the site neat and pleasurable for browsing visitors. Top 100 Lists are fairly automatic in operation but to be successful it is an ongoing process that will require time and commitment from the webmaster who creates the list the keep it growing and fresh to attract new members.
’till next time!
Tags: artisan jewelry, beaded artisan jewelry, handcrafted jewelry, lampwork glass artists, lapidary, Top 100 Artisan Jewelry Site List
Jacqueline’s Bookmark and Red High Heel Charms
This is a story about an author who lives in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, contacting an artisan jewelry website for a jewelry artist living in Missouri and red enamel high heel charms.
A few weeks ago I got an email from Jacquie Gum on the contact form on KC Bead Designs asking if I would be interested in designing a custom bead bookmark for her to use in her promotion packets for her newly published book, CONFESSIONS OF A CORPORATE SL_T. She gave me a link to her website so I could see the book cover art and check out her book. The book title peaked my interest and after reading her bio and the review saying the book was inspired by a true story, I decided I wanted to work with her if my ideas for her bookmark met any of her expectations.
I was interested in what she had in mind for her bookmark and its use for her book promotions. I emailed her back and said I definitely saw a bright red high heel charm dangling from beads for her bookmark. After sending my reply to Jacquie, I started seaching the web for “hot” red high heel charms.
When Jacquie emailed me back, I found we had similar ideas about the design of the bookmark and I went to work making a sample and taking pictures to email to her. After a few more emails (isn’t this medium wonderful) we agreed on the design, the components, and price. Now I had to order the beads, bookmarks, and charms to make a large quantity of the bookmarks for Jacquie and her schedule.
I was excited as each of the ”parts” were delivered and couldn’t wait to start putting the bookmarks together. Naturally, the most important “part” (the red high heel charm) was the last thing to be delivered. When I emailed the final picture to Jacquie her reply said “I love the bookmarks!”
The bookmarks are all finished now and sent to Jacquie and her publicist has sent out the press release packets for her book. Jacquie will be making book signing appearances and you can check out her dates here on her website.
What I love about this whole experience is how two people met through a virtual store and established a working business relationship. I enjoyed working with Jacquie and think I made a new friend as well. Jacquie and I decided to put links to each other’s websites on our websites and she has graciously put a link to the bookmark for sale on her site also. I wish her much success with her book, CONFESSIONS OF A CORPORATE SL_T, and hope to work with her in the future.
Jacqueline’s Bookmark (purchase)
’till next time!
Tags: beaded bookmark, red high heel charm
New Squidoo Lens - Personalized Name Bracelets
I have been working on my website doing a little maintenance and preparation for the seasons coming up after Christmas. I know, Christmas isn’t here yet and you don’t want to think past that date yet! We here online have to plan and think ahead to keep up with the internet.
In doing some rearranging in my Mother’s Bracelet category and after the orders I had for them for Christmas, it was time to update the pages and item descriptions to reflect current trends. While I was doing this, it occurred to me that this subject and content would make a good Squidoo lens. I have published a lens promoting my website and featuring items I sell on KC Bead Designs so this will be my second Squidoo lens.
I would like to invite you to check out my new Squidoo lens, Personalized Name Bracelets for Mothers, Grandmothers, and Everyone Else! and see what you think. While you are visiting my lens, please visit my Guest Book and leave me a blurb. If you have an online business, website, blog, or your own Squidoo lens there is a links list where you can add your own links and then vote for your favorites. I’ve added one of the new fun modules too. InStyle.com gives fashion, trends and celebrity news to keep you in style and on track.
I hope you check out my new lens.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to You All!!!
’till next time!
Tags: artisan jewelry, grandmothers bracelet, mothers bracelet, personalized name bracelets
Acrylic Crystal Gems - Sun Catchers / Tree Ornaments
I’ve added a new line to my Home Decor Jewelry category — Sun catchers / Christmas tree ornaments made from large acrylic crystal faceted gems, beads and shiny metal components. I had seen a collection of Christmas tree ornaments made similar to these in a store and they were so pretty I decided to try to make some of my own. I made several variations to draw attention to various displays during my show last weekend by hanging them all around on my jewelry displays. The sun catchers / ornaments gently swayed as people walked by my displays and really sparkled as they twisted and turned. People noticed them and I ended up selling most of the sun catchers / tree ornaments I had made. I decided to see if people would like them available in my web store too.
Acrylic Crystal & Rings Sun Catcher - Ornament - $5.00
Large acrylic crystal faceted gems with silver plated metal rings in twisted and smooth finishes drop from a non-tarnish silver wire spiral hanger. Total approximate length is 6″.
Clicking any of the titles/links will take you directly to the page on my website where you can view, read, and purchase the sun catchers / tree ornaments if you are interested.
You are invited to browse and shop in my store: KC Bead Designs anytime - 24/7. I hope you subscribe to “Reflections . . .” and enjoy sharing my passion for artisan jewelry.
’till next time!
Marketing, Promotion & Advertising Resources
Small businesses and self-representing artisans are always looking for and researching new and existing sources and venues for marketing, promotion, and advertising. Getting your name and products ”out there” on the world wide web is an important step to your business success. The old “build it and they will come” adage needs some additional steps for internet businesses and online promotion. After you build your website, you have to tell people where you are, what you have to offer, and provide links to lead them back to your site. How do you learn the when, what, and where to accomplish these tasks? One of the best resources I have found is sharing information and ideas through online forums. In this post I will share some of my best resources with you.
I am a participating member of the Jewelry Collectibles Small Business Forum. I would like to invite you to visit and join this forum. The purpose of this forum is to give small business owners a place to network, share ideas, brainstorm, ask questions, get answers, & promote their small businesses. This is a new forum that replaced another forum with resources for small businesses that I participated in for over a year. Most of the main topics from the original forum were migrated to the new forum which is now hosted on an owner’s server with a totally new updated format.
This forum contains valuable small business tips and resources for SEO (search engine optimization), discussions about eBay stores and other selling venues, information and shared wisdom on selling at shows and festivals, antiques and vintage collectibles, promoting your store or website, and as one of the members says, “work smarter, not harder” to grow your online business.
I can say personally that my own business and website has grown and benefited from information and ideas shared by people participating in this forum and I would like to pass this on to other small business owners, store owners, artisans and collectors. The current forum members are actively working to increase membership and invite new participants to visit and join Jewelry Collectibles Small Business Forum. Click my link and register to join today! I think you will benefit by participating in the forum and your knowledge and ideas will be welcome.
Along with the Jewelry Collectibles Small Business Forum, another resource available for promotion of your store or website is The Marketplace, A gathering of the small business community, provided and maintained by Jewelry Collectibles. This is a blog-site where you can post articles about your business, your products, promote your business/goods and create your own business page if you want. Even if you already have your own blog, posting here on The Marketplace gives you another link out to the web.
The last promotion resource I will write about today is Jewelry Collectibles Top 100 Shopping Site List. Sign up and join this list/directory today to promote your store, website, or blog. When you sign up you will be given a code to place on your site for people to click on and a vote will be registered for your site’s position on the list. The more votes you get, the higher your site appears on the list.
You are invited to browse and shop in my store: KC Bead Designs anytime - 24/7. I hope you subscribe to “Reflections . . .” and enjoy sharing my passion for artisan jewelry.
’till next time!
Cheryl Skeens,
Jewelry Artist/Designer
KC Bead Designs Website
KC Bead Designs Squidoo Lens
KC Bead Designs MySpace Page
Jewelry Artist Direct Gallery
