Your Questions Answered

I hope you've learned from my previous posts on Growing your Home Business.  Please feel free to comment with your questions on the posts I've created so I can answer those.  Here are some questions that have been asked and my answers:

Q: In making a website (for my farm) how do I get into search engines that will get my page out to knitters and spinners?
A:  You probably don't need to worry about this.  The internet updates itself, and your website is already included.  Check out this article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Search_engine_submission - But if you'd like to do it anyway, check out the following link: http://www.google.com/submityourcontent/

What you need to focus on is getting more traffic to your website.  If you want to get more knitters and spinners to your website, provide resources for them.  Update your shop and blog once a week, write some patterns, share your blog posts on Facebook.  Join Ravelry and join in discussions with knitters and spinners.  Upload some video tutorials to YouTube.  Pin items from your blog or your shop on Pinterest.  Include your blog link in your email signature.  I spend about 2 hours a day networking.  But this is my full-time job so that's part of the territory. 

Q: Networking and time management! I haven't even explored Ravelry because I'm busy already with facebook.
A: Time management is key.  There have been many days where I have been so involved with goings-on online, that I haven't carded a single batt or spun a yarn.  Then my fiber projects get piled up and I stress out about getting it all done.  Set a timer on your stove for an hour (or two) to get all your networking done, emails answered, shop updated, etc.  When it goes off, step away from the computer and start making inventory for your shop.  You can always come back once you've made the inventory you need to make for the day.  I set a weekly goal of how much product I want to make and add to my shop each week.  Sometimes I get all that product done in a couple days, so I can lollygag online more.  

Regarding Ravelry, I am not on there that much either.  But I do have a group for my fiber business and I try to update there whenever I have a sale or a shop update.  It is hard to balance everything.

Also, find out where your traffic is coming from by submitting your site to Google Analytics and then focusing your networking and time into the websites bringing you the most traffic.  I noticed recently that I don't get much traffic from Ravelry, but I do get more traffic from Pinterest and Youtube.  So I started making more video tutorials and photos that people would enjoy on Pinterest.


Q: My stockpile of handspun (well, spinning wheel spun) yarn hasn't been moving. Had a flurry of sales just before Christmas, then nothing. :(
A: Try taking new pictures!  Summer is here and if your yarns in your shop are stale, maybe your pictures from last winter are looking a little drab.  Take some fresh outdoor photos on neutral backgrounds, change the name of your yarns and re-add them to your shop.  Summer is the slowest season for fiber art business so you could also use your yarns in knit projects for your customers to purchase.  If a yarn doesn't sell in a year, I will put it on clearance or knit something with it for myself

Q: Does one HAVE to be on Ravelry, fb groups, blogs, twitter, Flickr, instagram, etc.? 
A: Nope.  I'm on Ravelry, but barely.  I'm on Facebook post, and I have my twitter automatically update when I post a new status update on my Facebook business page.  I blog because it's fun.  I put my photos on Flickr as a backup in case my hard drive dies.  I don't have a smart phone.  So what works for you.  Try submitting your site to Google Analytics and seeing where your traffic comes from.  That will help you figure out where to focus your networking energies.

Q: How much energy is spent networking on these places v. actual work? 
A: Depends on the business.  I personally set a weekly goal of the retail $$$ of product I want to make each week and add to my site.  Once that is done, I can spend as much time online as I want.

Q: What are different ways to both bring and keep customers? 
A: To keep customers you could offer repeat business discounts.  Perhaps 10% off their next purchase.  Or free goodies when they purchase something in your shop.  New customers are brought by online marketing and networking.

Q: How to set realistic goals would be great, too. 
A: I live in a constant state of delusional grandeur.  I forget there are 24 hours in a day, and I often forget to eat because I'm engrossed in my work.  I guess all I can say on this is: do your best and forget the rest.

Q: Setting up my own site to sell things without going through places like etsy and such.
A: Check out Big Cartel, Goodsie, or Storenvy!

Q: Any tips on website design would be wonderful.
A: We all have different tastes and opinions on what looks good.  I try to make my pictures look like they belong in Martha Stewart Magazine or Pinterest.  People love pretty pictures.  Also, when I don't have the skills/know-how to do the HTML coding or programming - I purchase layouts.  I've purchased a layout for my blog from Cinnamon Girl Studio Design and a layout for my shop from Tonka Park.  Those have saved me hours of DIY programming (ie: stress) and made my website/shop look great!!

Q: I already have a website - I'm a painter. I've been trying to work out how to combine my newfound love of spinning with my already-established (though still largely undiscovered) identity as a visual artist.
A: I recommend opening up an ETSY shop where you sell both your paintings and your handspun yarns.  That way when people search for paintings and find your shop, they'll see you make yarn as well.  And people searching for yarn, when they visit your shop will see your paintings!  If you want people to know that you do both - then put both in the same shop.  


Q: I would be interested in how to price my fiber from my alpacas and maybe learn about different places to sell my fiber.
A: First decide if you're wanting to sell your alpaca fiber raw or clean.  Is it processed?  Search ETSY for similar listings to see the price range and what the market is bearing.  Remember: just because it's priced high doesn't mean it will sell.  Fiber is only worth what a buyer is willing to pay for it.  From what I know about alpaca, the price varies greatly depending on the quality of the fiber, vm, cleanliness, 2nd cuts, etc.  And not all online shops are honest about these factors.  Some people don't like buying fiber online because of negative/dishonest experiences.  If you don't want to open an ETSY shop - try posting your fiber for sale in the Raw Wool for Sale group on Facebook.  Take great photos and provide great customer service and you'll be selling fiber in no time!!


Q: How to choose what to sell, variety vs. specialization.
A: Sell what you love.  Don't spread yourself out too thin.  Start with what you absolutely love and work from that into what you fall in love with next.  Eventually your niche will come.  It took me 8 years to find my niche (locally grown wools) and that was after I was transplanted to New England where I have several amazing small fiber farms in my backyard.  Focus on your favorite colors and textures.  If you love sock yarn, spin and sell sock yarn.  You have to love what you sell, or else it won't sell.  

Q: Price vs. time spent and how to get what you think is fair
A:  What I think is fair may not be what I end up getting.  I either do { cost of supplies x3 } or I do { $10 per hour + cost of supplies }  If you get two totally different prices when doing that math, price it in the middle.  And look online to see what similar products are selling for.  Yes $10/hour is not a lot of money, but I'm spending my time doing what I love and right now pricing my items like that is putting them fair and square into what others are selling as well.  I would rather get paid minimum wage doing what I love from home, than $100,000 a year in a job that I hate. 

Q: How to focus when so many aspects of fiber art calling. Where to start, is there a natural progression to a fiber business?
A: If you're brand new into the fiber art world, I don't recommend spending $2000 on a wheel and a carder and a picker.  Save your money and buy a bump of merino top from Ashland Bay or RH Lindsay Wool.  Then buy some dyes.  I use Jacquard, but I've also enjoyed Country Classics, Wiltons cake dyes, kool-aid, food colors, easter egg dyes, Dharma Trading dyes.  Greener Shades dyes don't have any heavy metals in them if you've got kids in the house.  Anyways, start with dyeing wool top.  It's easy to learn, creatively inspiring, fun, and has a good profit margin.  Once you're comfortable with dyeing wool top, start dyeing other fibers.  As your business grows, you can purchase a wheel and spin yarn.  I didn't get my wool picker until 5 years after I started spinning.  I've only had a drum carder for 2 years.  So work your way up to the equipment.  If you want to support small family farms instead of commercial mills, buy raw fleeces with no vegetable matter and wash them yourself.  Then dye the locks and sell them.  It's a lot more work for not much more profit, but if that's what you love then run with it.