Have a Wonderful Productive Sunday Everyone

Have a Wonderful Productive Sunday Everyone!

Good Day everyone! Glad to see you stopping by. A little bit out of the ordinary for me doing this I know on a Sunday. But, was thinking of my spot here, noting some ideas, and thought I would stop by with a quick Hi. Taking break from grand daughter just a bit, and from the tv.  Grabbing a relaxing drink quick too!

Hope ya'll are having a wonderful Sunday, and for those in this area that you are enjoying the wonderful sunny day....and a little bit more of the warmth in the air too! Thanks for dropping by with LilacsNDreams! See you all again soon!

What to Name Your Business or Existing Business

What to Name Your New Business, or Existing Business

Welcome to LilacsNDreams! Our topic is still about business, and kind of a building stepping stone version of some things to do, and consider. When we build our businesses we should do so with the intention of selling it. When doing this it will help you think of longer terms of your business. You might be considering what to call your business, or maybe planning on in the future of changing your name of your business you have now. 

As time has gone along you learn a little bit more of what to maybe consider when you choose a name for your business. Like is it keyword rich? Another thing to consider is if the domain is available for it as well. Many ask also if it a good move to give your business your own name. 

Using keywords, and a domain is important in helping your business to be found online. While considering names for your business you can also check the availability of a domain for it as well. There are many providers out there for services of having your domain with. I myself have used GoDaddy for years now. Remember, there are others to choose from, and it is something you will want to look into further to see which one will better serve you. 

Now, if the business is you then it is acceptable and understandable giving it your name. Now, if the business is to be of something you love, then it might be better to give it a name that reflects that. Doing this will be more workable for you to brand it as well. 

Using your name maybe could work for like a high end designer. An example would be like Michael Kor who has done well, and has a known name for his products. Maybe you will have a service for hire like a wedding planner, a local personality, or as a photographer too. You can also consider using your name for your photography, and of course many who are writers also will use their names too. 

If you would fall under some of the examples noted then you should use your name for your business. Me? I like the idea of choosing a name that you can brand for you, and your business. As you choose your name consider many things with it, and how you would like your business to be known too. 

When naming your business it becomes an exercise in doing so. Consider using words to describe your business, maybe how your products make people feel, and maybe reasons as to why you enjoy making what you make. Write some ideas down on a sheet of paper. Then, consider if you were to draw a picture of what your business is to represent what picture would you draw. Maybe what symbol do you consider with it, colors for products sold, and different things like that. 

As you come up with some sample names to use for your business consider if it will match your product, and your theme. Is it a universal name that you could use to blog with, and to also market with too. If you would choose to expand your business will this name work for it?

These are a few things to consider when naming your business, choosing a name, and hopefully will give you some ideas of what to consider as you do this. Remember to visit MarketYourCreativity as Lisa does well explaining things, giving you ideas, and is doing pretty good for her business she is building. 

Thanks for visiting with LilacsNDreams, and sharing some time with Me today. Wishing you all much luck with your business ventures. Have a Happy Day, and hope to see you again soon!

Gaining Business Perspective With Personal Attempt

Gaining Business Perspective With Personal Attempt

Welcome back to LilacsNDreams! Today is about some business perspective with personal attempts. 

Some of us might paint, glue, decorate, and create something for a friend or relative which is then our hobby. Yet, when you list that hobby of yours online to try and sell it is when it becomes business. This is something we need to realize when we are doing this. It will help us eventually with making our hobby into a business. 

You will often hear the term saturated market when discussing your passion, and don't let it scare you. This means there is a higher demand for what you enjoy doing. Sometimes this can create a problem because we might think about it, and scare ourselves with the issue of there is so many upcyclers and repurposers out there, so many painters, so many crafters, many hobbiests, many offering their services, and so on. Please, don't let this damper things for you, and get in your way of making your hobby a successful business. When you start your business around your personal creations, or your services it is natural to do this. It is only natural that your personal feelings, and thoughts will be involved with this as well. 

When you are in business you need to be open to feedback, or as Etsy calls it now reviews. If you take the outside views personally then you will be closing yourself off to critism, and taking them as insults. So, as hard as it can be, you need to be open to feedback. Remember these people are in their own way helping you to make them a customer, and maybe repeat customers too. 

When scoping out the market sometimes it is good to find some role model businesses. This type of business will be someone, or a business that does things similar to what you would like to do and achieve. The answers you sometimes seek will be within this gathering of the role model you have sought out.

Your role model can be an example of how you would like to turn your product, or your service into a business. Incorporating some of their ways into how you do business can help spark some ideas for you with the growth of your own business. 

Go to google, and do a keyword search for product, or services of your liking. Upon doing this you will see those that show within the first few pages of search. Within there you can find a role model that you like, or maybe you know of a business already that you would like to consider for your role model. 

Then, try to figure out what is working for them by asking yourself a few questions. 

• How do they present, or show their products online
• What are they calling the product that you make
• How do they describe it
• Review how their customer policies look
• What might they be doing better than you
• What are you maybe doing better than them
• Make sure to see how their about page reads too

Bigger businesses will often leave their marketing, copyrighting, and some advertising research out there for you. What you need to do is dig a little deeper, enjoy, and learn to use it to your advantage.

Yes, some of them spend a lot of money on their advertising. If you are like me you won't have many funds to begin with on this venture. So, you learn to do it in other ways like using Facebook. Learn how to use the curve in another way by applying it into something else that will work for you. 

To see more ideas, and what has been shared with you so far in this venture visit Market Your Creativity. Lisa sells on etsy also, and has done well for herself. She started out small like many of us, and has built her sales with what she enjoys doing. From this she has decided to share things to help others which I think is really sweet of her to do too!

Thanks for visiting, and sharing time with LilacsNDreams. Hope to see you all again soon. Take care, and have a Happy Day everyone!

Checking and Testing Your Chosen Product Marketability

Checking and Testing Your Chosen Product Marketability

Is what I want to sell good enough? Is what I want to sell marketable? Is what I want to sell even a wanted product? Many questions will flood you as you consider taking your next step with your passion. Don't worry if you do not have any kind of a storefront set up yet. That will come, but make sure to take some notes along the way. Get a few ideas of some things before you get started. 

There are ways you will learn that you can kind of test the marketability of your product that you have chosen. Also, there are ways to help with your visibility, and with the search of some of your existing products that you might have now too. 

One of the first common things to do when checking out the competition is to use google searches. Type in your craft, your product, or your service to see what comes up. Keep in mind this is something that your customers will also be doing when they search. When you see some of the competition come up as you search take note of some of those first hits you see. See through the customers eyes what is being advertised to them. Sometimes when you search like this you are going to see some direct competition, or maybe some of them might be business role models for you too. 

Besides using Google you will want to further your searches with maybe some of the other market places to see what similar ideas are being offered. Check with like Etsy, Ecrater, Big Cartel, Ebay, Store Envy, and etc. With some of your research among the search engines you used, you will also see different market places from them too. Make sure to make some notes to yourself. 

Do Not get discouraged when researching, and you find a lot of results for the same product. This is good because it shows you there is a market for such a product, and that it appears to be in demand too. Just remember that your individuality is what makes the difference. 

The key to overcoming such a saturated market place is that you must learn to advertise outside of all of that, and get people to see the individual brand that you are offering. See it as all those people not knowing about you yet.  

Another good thing is that with a trending product this will give you an opportunity to recruit some new customers for you. If you see something that explains what your product is, how it can be made, if there is some history with it, and etc. Use it to your advantage again. Try to find a way to incorporate that into working for you. Find a way to make it a commercial, or maybe an advertisement for you without violating any copy right laws or infringements. 

A few ways that you will see others mention that get used are as follows. 

• Cost Per Click Advertising you will often hear about. Many of us use Facebook, and we click to "like" someone, some thing, a page, or maybe some kind of trend too. So as you see followings grown maybe it is a time to consider the pay for click advertising to get some of that attention for you, and to grow customers for you too. 

• BLOG on your trend! This is one I myself truly believe in, and will talk about. Social networking is becoming bigger, and bigger. Predictions are for 2014 that it will be an advantage to use Social Networking with the things that Google does, some changes they will do as they normally do in the spring, and etc. You blog to get traffic, and it lets the customers get to know you a little better too. Therefore when someone does a search with Google, or maybe yahoo for certain keywords they can very well find something you blogged about. With blogging work on using some good keywords, and tagging too. This helps people to find you. Don't forget you can share links to your items as well too. If you use pictures from others on the internet make sure to give them credit, mention them, or at least link back to the place you got things from. 

• Tweet to people about things. This is where using that hash tag (#) on twitter works. The hash tags, like keywords, will help you draw the right crowd of like-minded people too. 

• Tagging your listings by remembering to do this. Make sure to use words like "inspired by" or maybe "styled like" and things like that. You don't want any kind of trouble, or to mislead people about how the product was made. These people are the customers you are hoping to be doing business with. Just be honest. Having pieces that are alike, have a similarity, and etc are common in the handmade world of things. You have your own style that you are trying to get people to see. 

Whew! Slow down a little bit, right? LOL:) Sorry, but sometimes I get a little bit passionate about some things when I share them, and I can carry on too. I am trying to share this in more of a break down, and carry it out over the next days, weeks, or however long it will take me. 

I appreciate you taking the time to visit with LilacsNDreams. Thanks for dropping in, and hope to see you again soon. Take care till the next time everyone. Toodles . . . . 

Building and Designing Your Own Creative Business

Building and Designing Your Own Creative Business

First week of a new month, and a new year is now past us. Many of us have done catch up with many things whether at home, in person, and with our Online Businesses that we have too. As we do these things along the way we have maybe made some lists, or made some notes to ourselves about things we want to do in this new year. We want to do things just a little bit differently, and maybe we want to improve on things too. One of those items on the list might be about taking your hobby, your creativities, something that you enjoy doing, and you want to take it to the next level. You have acknowledged that you enjoy what you do, and that you probably are doing it for free too. You also cannot imagine yourself ever tiring of this passion that you have. That is a desire that you will want to bring into your successful business. Something that you love even if it feels like you are the only one who is experiencing this, or seems to have this passion. 

Many times that creative spirit within you is over flowed with a lot of great ideas, and you get caught up in things as you plan to make it into a future business. Sometimes the uncertainties, and the unknowns become over powering that you decide to walk away from your hopes, and your dreams that you have been planning. 

Start out simple. First of all determine what it is that you like to do, or rather that you truly love to do. When you do this do not worry about marketing, profits, and all of those kind of details. Simply find your passion, and make this your starting point of the possibilities that can come from it. Hang onto that thought, think about it a bit, and let's start a new day with building our passions into something more fruitful. 

Hope everyone is off to a good start with this new year. I appreciate you visiting with LilacsNDreams, and hope to see you again soon. Take care till the next time as we progress with these creative business thoughts we will share together. 

Candles Candle Holders Stands DIY Family Photo Luminary

Candles Candle Holders Stands DIY Family Photo Luminary

Candles, Candle Holders, Glass Candle Holders, Painted Candle Holders, Upcycled Candle Holders, Repurposed Candle Holders, DIY Candle Holders, and . . . I like candle holders of all kinds, sizes, and colors. I enjoy buying them new, but mostly I enjoy thrifting for them and making them myself too. When I make changes with my home decor the candle holders will sometimes get a make over too. Although I have some wooden candle holders that were made from others, painted, came from old table legs, pillars, and etc that I will not get rid of. They just find different areas in the home to adorn. 

So, since I like diy candle holders I thought I would share something I had found. This is also on my list to play with, and see what I can create myself as well. What you are viewing is with some family pictures, but you know you could use other pictures as well. Maybe you got a pretty picture of some backyard scenery, mountains, sunsets, and you know. . . things like that. Well, those could also be used too.  Just use whatever images you would truly like to use with this project. You will enjoy this as it is much easier than you think too!

Sometimes you might have a special place in the home where you use only that special china, and where special memories are shared. Along with this sharing of things sometimes candles are lit for these areas. They are also used for special meals as well. How neat to add in these glowing photo luminaries, don't you think?  No matter how traditions have changed over time I still find it really neat to have those flickering lights on the tables during gatherings, when home by myself, and for the just because times too. 

So, find some of your favorite pictures you would like to use for this project. Then you will also need some vellum paper. I have some of that on hand myself, and some of it is colored vellum too. I lack stacking when I find sales with scrapbook stores. Never know when those things can be used, and now is a good time. You might have to experiment with your printers to make sure it will print onto vellum paper. Most inkjet printers should work for this. Now, print out a variety of photos you would like to use. Funny times, serious times, and some of those memories you so enjoy. Horizontal pictures will work best since you need the width to wrap with. 

Next make sure you have some glass jars, or vases that you would like to use for your candle holders. Try to avoid irregular shapes as that can get complicated to work with. Trim the photos to the proper height of the glass you are placing them with. Then, just apply a piece of double sided tape (easy peasy!) Just attach the photo to the tape. For larger containers you will use more than one photo. Apply some washi tape for decoration if you wish too. 

These little luminaries look great in the daylight, sitting on window sills, with table arrangements, and when the light pours through them it will make them naturally glow! How neat, right? 

So, start thinking about your own family memories that you could light up with. Then, follow over to ourbestbites.com for pictures, and full instructions of how to do this fun project. 

Hope you all brought in the New Year well, had fun, enjoyed, and were safe too. Time is flying already, isn't it? Our first weekend of the New Year is now past us, and here is our first Monday! Thanks so much for sharing time at LilacsNDreams, and hope to see you again soon. Toodles . . . . 

2014 Happy New Year From LilacsNDreams

                                             2014 HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Welcome to Wednesday, January 1, 2014 everyone! This is the beginning of a new year for us all, WooHoo! I hope everyone had a great evening, and is waking to a beautiful day. 

Time for new beginnings. Some will celebrate Father Time, and others will not. Maybe you celebrated by wearing party hats, used blow noise makers, or maybe you sipped some bubbly with a special someone. However you celebrated the beginning of the new year I hope you were safe, and enjoyed yourselves. Now, get the new year started off right, and relax by enjoying the day today. 

Some people make wish lists, some will make New Years Resolutions, and some choose not to do anything. It's the beginning of a new year with many possibilities ahead of us. Enjoy the beginning of this new day into this new year.

From LilacsNDreams I wish you all a wonderful day, and a wonderful new year. May it be filled with good health, many blessings, and may it be prosperous for us all.  May this new year be all you want it to be! Time for new beginnings!

Thanks for stopping by LilacsNDreams, and see you all again soon. Take care, and . . . . . . . .

                                    HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!