Woulda Coulda Shoulda

There are so many things that I Shouda Couda Wouda done differently. Starting a business is full of pitfalls, many wrong turns, and several sharp corners. How much is my own fault?

Today I was talking to Jane, Jane does my website for me, she is an HTML guru. She is also my friend. We have known each other 4+ years. She is the one that I discuss all my big ideas with. My cohort in crime if you will say.

Today Jane and I were discussing all the things that we shouda couda wouda did differently if only we had known better. I know you have alot of those.

Its been a year now since I have decided to sell my one of kind hand crafted items to the mass market, and to be honest there are alot of things that I would have done differently, so many balls that I let fall, and just so much that I should have followed through on.

One of the things is Marketing. Gosh I HATE marketing. I hate going from place to place telling people to come buy my one of a kind hand crafted items. I despise talking about myself, promoting myself etc. Sure I have no problem telling my husband how brilliant I am, or my sister, but telling the world? Its pretty hard.

You can find yourself in a endless blog/site circle trying to promote, looking for new ways to promote, and just generally getting the word out there about yourself. I have easily spent full days going from blog to blog to site to forum.. hoping that possibly I might get a view or two.

*note to self.. People won't come and buy your crap .. handmade genuine one of a kind item.. if they CANT FIND IT*

Its an easy enough thing to say, but its another thing to fully understand. Its a dilemma I struggle with most days. Yes just because someone has bought my crap.. handcrafted one of a kind item.. doesn't mean the populace of the world is going to know about it.

Camera straps, were my bread and butter for a long time. I started making them for various reasons, but lets be honest.. I get email updates.. I'm not a fool .. there are 101 tutorials out there on how to make them now, and about 40 different people selling them on etsy.

So a year ago I was selling 6 to 7 of these a day, now maybe Im lucky if Im selling 5 or 6 of these a month. Part of that is its becoming a pretty over saturated market, but part of it is my own lack of marketing. Others are beating me out because they are more visible!

So I have made a few decisions. I am going to stop making these. I have a shelf full of precut fabric, and when its gone, its gone. I don't enjoy making them anymore, and if its not fun, well then its time to move on.

I have these in my store on sale, for 30% off right now. Maybe next week they will be buy one get one free. Once the fabric is gone, its gone. If you order you might just get an extra one to boot. I am getting out of the camera strap cover making business.

This camera strap is done in a cute Amy Butler print, with coordinating dotty back. There are 3 with lens pockets and 4 without.

I also have some new CD visors in the shop. I am loving these. I know you have tons of cd's laying around your car! I have one of these on my visor, for my music CD's, and another one on the other visor for the kids movies. All at my fingertips.