Shipping Suppliers - Small Business Tips

Tange Design

Over the last few weeks I've shared many tips for shipping your products. Today is the last installment of my Shipping Series and I wanted to share with you where I frequently get my shipping supplies.

Usps.com
One great place to get FREE boxes is usps.com. If your items weigh more than 13 oz., you can either ship them Parcel Post or Priority. Many times Priority is actually a cheaper or comparable option up to about 2 lbs. Usps.com has many sizes of free priority boxes that they'll ship right to your door! If you're not sure what size you need, they offer a sampler pack. Or choose packages of 10 or 25 of the size you know you need.

Bulk Boxes
Do your items weigh less than 13 oz.? Buying boxes in bulk may be the way to go. I've purchased from Uline a couple of times and love their fast delivery times and good prices. Roayal Mailers is another online option for bulk boxes. I've never purchased from them myself, but have heard great things about them as well.

Bubble Wrap
I recently purchased 2 BIG rolls of bubble wrap off eBay for about $22 with free shipping! I've also found good deals at Menards and Office Depot. The key is to do a square foot comparison with shipping added in. Bubble wrap comes in so many different sizes that I've found that this is the easiest way to see exactly what you're paying.

Recycle!
Luckily we have a large room upstairs that we use for storage...because I save every box and packing supply that comes to our house...LOL! And I have friends saving shipping supplies for me too :) My aunt works in the area that unpacks their supplies, so I get lots of great air pillows from her! Once you tell people that you're looking for packing supplies, they're thrilled to help you out. Most people throw them away and are happy to hand them over :)
I always wrap my items in new bubble wrap, but pack the rest of the box with recycled supplies if I can.

Do you have a great source for shipping supplies? Share it in the comments!

Thank you for stopping by the last installment of my Shipping Series. You can see the rest of the series here:
*Shipping From Home
* Shipping Internationally
* Shipping with UPS
* Shipping Suppliers
******************************************


Edi is the creative mind behind Memories for Life Scrapbooks (and Laser Engraving). She has been paper crafting for over 15 years and recently purchased a laser engraver that is keeping her creativity at an all time high!

Shipping with UPS - Small Business Tips

I had my first experience shipping with UPS recently and wanted to share my experience with you. After receiving a large order for 150 coasters, I started comparing rates online and found that UPS offered competitive rates for large/heavy packages.

Delivery Time Guarantee
One thing I really liked about UPS was their shipping time guarantee. My package cost $18.03 and was guaranteed to arrive in two days. In doing my research, I found that the same package mailed USPS Priority Mail would have cost $27.11 and would "generally" take 2-3 days to arrive but was not guaranteed.

via

Residential Pickups (and a fee)
One thing I do not like about UPS is that if you are shipping from a residence, there is a fee to have your package picked up at your house. I did find a drop off location that only charges $2 per package, but I had to bring the package to the location and pay the extra fee. One thing I love about the USPS is that they pick up almost all of my packages at my house saving me time and money.

via

Easy to Use
Overall, I like UPS as an option for large packages. It was very easy to set up an account and printing the label was much like using Paypal. And for some reason, I find UPS more "professional". Maybe that's just because my suppliers all use UPS? And I also recently found out that you can actually print a UPS label right through Paypal! There is a blue link right under the address area and above the shipping option to select another carrier and UPS is one of the options...makes it even easier!

Question: How do you ship your packages?

Stay tuned for one more installment in my Shipping Series and catch the first two as well:
*Shipping From Home
* Shipping Internationally
* Shipping with UPS
* Shipping Suppliers

*****************************************************



Edi is the creative mind behind Memories for Life Scrapbooks (and Laser Engraving). She has been paper crafting for over 15 years and recently purchased a laser engraver that is keeping her creativity at an all time high!

Shipping Internationally - Small Business Tips

Last week I talked about Shipping From Home and how it can be great for your business. This week is all about Shipping Internationally. I've been shipping quite a few packages out of the country lately and I encourage you to add International Shipping to your shop if you haven't already. You could be missing out on a lot of sales!

Do Your Research

My first tip is to do your research! Each country will have different shipping rates, customs fees and import laws. You are responsible for knowing whether your item can be shipped to a certain country.

Setting Your Rates

That being said, it is pretty easy to get a "general" rate for most international shipments. I have found that rates to Canada are pretty comparable to US rates when shipping First Class International. And all other countries are about double. Keep in mind that these are general rules and different weights will be different.

Choosing a Shipping Option

I use USPS First Class International for almost all of my packages. This seems to be the most standard and most cost effective option. I have shipped international packages with Priority and Express when the customer requests it and I just send them a paypal invoice for the additional shipping. There are only two problems I have run into with First Class International...There is no tracking information available after the package leaves the US. And you have to go to the post office to ship your package (unless paypal changes back to shipping through ebay). And keep in mind that shipping times may vary greatly from one country to another. I always tell my customers that shipping can take anywhere from 2-6 weeks. Depending on how long the item stays in customs can determine how fast your package arrives.

One main reason I use USPS for all international packages is because UPS and FedEx will charge your customers a brokerage fee upon delivery. If you use these services, make sure your buyers are aware of this fee ahead of time!

Update Your Policies

It is also a good idea to add a note to your policies that buyers are responsible for customs fees. Most buyers are aware of this, but it is a good idea to have a set policy. Buyers who have never purchased from the US may not be aware of this and you need to have a clear policy for them.

Custom Forms

There are two different customs forms depending on the size of your package. You can find this information at the usps website, or ask your postal clerk when you bring your package in. My biggest advice for customs forms is to NEVER mark a package as a "gift". The newer style of forms has a "merchandise" option...otherwise, mark "other". You can be charged a hefty fine for marking a sold item as a gift! And make sure to put an accurate description and cost on the form as well. This can help your package make it through customs quickly and safely :)

I hope you found these tips helpful and will consider shipping internationally if you don't already :)

Stay tuned for more articles on shipping tips for this blog -- Shipping Series.
* Shipping From Home
* Shipping Internationally
* Shipping with UPS
* Shipping Suppliers

******************************************************************************


Edi is the creative mind behind Memories for Life Scrapbooks (and Laser Engraving). She has been paper crafting for over 15 years and recently purchased a laser engraver that is keeping her creativity at an all time high!

Shipping From Home -- Small Business Tips

Memories for Life photo

When selling online, shipping is a big part of our business process. You want the best rates, the best service and the fastest shipping for your money. You also want your package to arrive safely!

Today I'll introduce you to the main way I ship my packages. In the coming weeks, I'll have posts on Shipping Internationally, Shipping with UPS and Shipping Suppliers.

When I first started selling online, I took every package to the post office. Luckily I live in a small town, so there weren't usually lines, but I didn't enjoy the 20 minute round trip every time I needed to ship a package. So I did my research and began printing my shipping labels at home with Paypal and having my mailman pick them up. I haven't looked back!

It really is easy to print your own labels at home. All you need is a cheap scale and a printer! I got my scale off eBay for less than $20. I recommend a digital scale just because they are more accurate, but even a kitchen scale will do the job. And you can either print your labels on regular paper and tape them to your package or purchase adhesive labels made specially for printing shipping labels. (Also another eBay purchase.)

Avery Shipping Labels

After you've got your supplies and you're ready to print your first label, simply follow the steps through Paypal and watch the magic happen :) Go online to usps.com and Schedule a Pickup so your mailman will know you have a package for him/her. My mailman is great and allows me to just leave him a note in the mailbox as to where my package is.

I encourage you to buy a scale and see how easy it is to print your own labels from home. You'll wonder how you ever survived without your scale before! And if you're a little worried at first, just take your first few prepaid packages to the post office to have them make sure your scale is correct and you've done everything right.

Postal Scale

Happy Shipping :)

Stay tuned for more articles on shipping tips for this blog Shipping Series.

*Shipping From Home

*Shipping Internationally 

*Shipping with UPS 

*Shipping Suppliers

******************************************************************************


Edi is the creative mind behind Memories for Life Scrapbooks (and Laser Engraving). She has been paper crafting for over 15 years and recently purchased a laser engraver that is keeping her creativity at an all time high!

Spark Your Business with Email Marketing

briberrie on etsy

We've discussed email signatures and using this free marketing tool to your advantage but how many of you have an email list? (You know, a way to keep up with your audience if your Blogger or Wordpress account goes wonky and you are freaking out and want to let everyone know you are still around and are having an incredible sale.)

An email list is not when you cut and paste from people that have purchased from you and begin sending them emails. That is spam and you don't do that because it is wrong. And unprofessional. But an email list is one in which you let folks sign up and you deliver content to their inbox once a day, once a week, once a month, or what ever time frame you think reasonable. But what do you send?

*Customize your Newsletters. Not everyone that reads your blog necessarily cares for all of your content so customizing newsletters allows you to send out something special for their needs. I have done this before and found it useful. Someone interested in my workshops or journals might not have any interests in my tutorials or recipes.

*Choose the Content Wisely. I made the choice to focus my newsletters on inspirational, get-your-rear-in-gear content because it was what people asked for and is something I am passionate about. I also choose to not send only links to my products (in fact, I hardly ever link to something in one of my shops).
Think about what you would want to see in your inbox.

*Have a Plan. Knowing what you want to accomplish with your email list helps with your strategy. Set up goals and map out the strategy of how you will reach those goals. I need to improve this with my list.


*Be Crystal Clear and Upfront. On my sign-up I mention what you are getting, how often, and why they want it in the first place.

Be mindful that it is not all about the numbers. Some people think they have to have a 1,000 followers on their blog and 10,000 email subscribers to be successful. If only five people buy from you or leave comments then that is not what I think of as success. If you only have 50 people on your list but those are 50 valuable customers then that is priceless.

QUESTION: Do you have an email opt-in?

 *******************************************************************************

Today's guest blogger is Erika. She is the creator of Artful Rising where she encourages you to get-your-rear-in-gear to Create. Inspire. Change the World. Join the conversation today via the weekly Artful Rising Newsletter and receive your own ebook on following your dreams.

Determine Your Target Audience

by Heavy Metal Picks on etsy

 Do you have a clear idea of your target audience? You may think this information does not matter but it is important to the growth of your business. If you don't have a clue about who is buying from you then how can you serve them better? Or grow?

I did a bit of research and discovered that the folks reading my blog, Artful Rising, are considerably younger than I imagined. They are also more likely to have a college degree, have at least one child, and are female.This is important to know if I thought I would start blogging about fixing up car motors or where to retire right at this moment--the reception would not be that great. It also might explain the positive response to the opening of my second shop -- with a focus on inspirational products which ties in with my blog.

 At the beginning of the year I completed worksheets created by April of Blacksburg Belle. (I tried to find her old posts but cannot find them on her site). The questions helped to narrow down my interests and what I wanted to accomplish with either my blog or a shop. In addition, etsy has recommended that you create fictional profiles of what your customer looks like (hair color, education, interests, job, hobbies) and this ties into your business.

Things to ask yourself:
*what is your intention with your blog/shop?
*what does your ideal customer look like? (grandparent, parent, teen, geek, etc)
*what is the best way to grab the attention of your ideal customer?
*what is the best way to keep their attention?

Please note that it is not recommended by marketers or by busy/successful etsy sellers to market to everyone. You cannot create a product for everyone and you will be much better served aiming for a niche audience. Example--a steampunk jeweler would not try to sell to my mom.

Read the follow-up post on the Artful Rising blog on how you can grow your business by giving your customers what they want.

QUESTION: Do you know your target audience?

Be sure to read the rest of our Audience series:
1.) Determine Your Target Audience
2). Be FANatical in Your Search for a Solution
3). Using Hootsuite to Grow Your Audience 

 *******************************************************************************

Today's guest blogger is Erika. She is the creator of Artful Rising where she encourages you to get-your-rear-in-gear to Create. Inspire. Change the World. Join the conversation today via the weekly Artful Rising Newsletter and receive your own ebook on following your dreams.

Reach Potential Customers with your Email Signature and a Winner

by Arosha Taglia

Do you have an email signature set up to automatically share your business name, tagline, and appropriate links? If you don't then you are missing a valuable (and free) opportunity to tell others what you do and how to find you.

A free marketing tool, email signatures that get my attention tend to have a call to action:
*Shop our holiday gift guide (add your link)
*Stay on top of specials. Join my email list (add your link here)
*LindaB142 has a great email signature in that she shares her different social marketing profiles:

Or email signatures have a memorable tagline:
*BeadedTail, Making Tails Wag One Bead at a Time

I tweak my email signature from time to time to see what gets the most response. Currently my shop email signature has both a tagline and a call to action.

~Create. Inspire. Change Your World.~
Artful Rising


AFRAID TO FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS? See how other creative entrepreneurs did it in a FREE ebook when you sign up for my Artful Rising newsletter. Receive weekly tips, creative inspiration, weekly challenges, and a free ebook.  Click HERE to subscribe or go to http://artfulrising.com to sign up there.

My tagline is followed by my site name and then I have my call to action. I have words linked and even offer my website URL spelled out for those of us that prefer to cut and paste. When I send out my customer emails I find that many times my call to action (sign up for my newsletter) is responded to and I get a new subscriber. Or, I get an email asking for more information about what I do which is also great.

And in this current market where every cent matters, shouldn't you do something that is easy and free? Get that email signature created!

QUESTION: What do you include in your email signature?

And I want to let you know that the winner for the first BBA hosted giveaway of personalized wine glasses by Memories for Life is.....

Which was the lovely

 Congratulations! Please be sure to check back for more team hosted giveaways!

Packaging Ought to be Memorable

From Sweetly Scrapped on etsy

We barely got through Halloween and the Holiday Rush is upon us. As a customer, I can safely say that the packaging of my order helps to add to the excitement and anticipation. If my package is nicely tied and pretty as a cupcake then all the better. If not, then it could leave an impression of the business.

Now, a full disclosure--I keep my packaging simple. My items tend to be large and I feel like I am tending to bulkiness and not wanting to add more weight to the cost of shipping (already seems high!). But a bit of ribbon, a tag, and a word of thanks tends to be all what people appreciate when spending their hard-earned money. And I can do that bit of customer service with a smile.

Le Animale shows off her packaging in her shop photos and it seems to work for her business. Thought and time went into this little bit of extra---can't you see yourself opening up these goodies?

Special Touches Matter

And if you are the creative sort (you are if you are on etsy!) then you can follow this easy tutorial by Melike and create an extra special sort of packaging.

Handmade Packaging Tutorial

And giving attention to the packaging of your products does not have to be expensive. BeadedTail wraps her jewelry in the cutest paw print tissue paper and she includes cute notes. I cannot find my photos but I have taken photos of her boxes because I almost don't want to open them they are so cute!

So, if I can find ways to wrap large blankets then I know you can take care of the smaller things. Get out there and make those packages extra special. Your customers will remember.

Things to remember:

1. Be memorable
2. Be timely
3. Be neat
4. Be consistent with your branding
5. Be prepared

QUESTION: Are you prepared for the holiday season?
 *******************************************************************************

Today's guest blogger is Erika. She is the creator of Artful Rising where she
encourages you to get-your-rear-in-gear to Create. Inspire. Change the World. Join the conversation today and receive your own ebook on following your dreams.

Craft Show Tips - Part 2

 Graphic Sign

If you're new to craft shows or would just like some tips on Preparing for a Craft Show, read Part 1 of my Craft Show Tips blog post.
I've been attending craft shows as a vendor for about 6 or 7 years now. Along the way I've learned a few tips that I hope will help you have a successful show :)

Checklist Time

*Make a list and check it twice! Before you even get to the show, make yourself a list of everything you will need and make sure you have packed it in the car. There is nothing worse than realizing you've left something important at home!

Mind Your Manners

*Be friendly and outgoing. Customers don't like to be stalked, but they do want to know that you're approachable. A simple "hello", "good morning" or "how are you today" works great. That way you break the ice and let them know that you're ready to chat if they have any questions.

 Look Busy But Approachable

*Bring something to work on, but don't let it occupy you. I'm one who doesn't like to be bored and during lulls in the show, I like to have something to keep me busy. (Otherwise I tend to fidget!) I don't suggest books or magazines, because I think they make you look unapproachable. Bring something that you can set down and pick up numerous times without messing up or losing your place. I usually bring a sheet of digital embellishments that are ready to be cut out.

Play with Height and Your Sight

*Use height to your advantage. I have a vertical display, but I've been using tables more lately with my glass and wood items. Using risers can give you more room on your table as well as draw attention. I put my Engraved Wood Photo on a tall riser in the middle of my table at my last show and it got a lot of attention :) Things at eye level will get more attention than things that people have to bend over to look at.

 Be Ready to Talk

*Have a couple "lines" prepared. When I can see someone looking at my Engraved Wood Photo, I tell them: "Those can be engraved from both a print photo or a digital photo." That gets the ball rolling for them to ask questions and get more interested. This also gets others interested. I usually have one person looking and 4 more come over to see what I'm talking about :)

Have an Attention Grabber

*And on that note, have items that draw people into your booth. I've noticed...the more people you have in your booth...the more people that want to be in your booth. They assume that if lots of people are there, there must be something great! A dead booth seems to remain a dead booth until someone comes over...and draws others with them.

Open Up to Custom Orders

*I encourage you to take custom orders. I take between 2-10 custom orders at each show. Decide which items you can/will offer in custom options and be prepared to take orders. Have order forms ready so you know exactly what information you will need to take down. Get sizes/colors/themes/etc. that you'll need to complete your order. Get the address and phone number and give them an expected completion date.
I require full payment up front for all custom orders as well as the cost of shipping. I have never gotten a complaint about this. (People complain more about shipping than the cost of the item...LOL!)

QUESTION: What has worked for you at shows?




Edi is the creative mind behind Memories for Life Scrapbooks (and Laser Engraving). She has been paper crafting for over 15 years and recently purchased a laser engraver that is keeping her creativity at an all time high!

Preparing for a Craft Show

As we get deeper into fall, the craft shows will be coming out in full force! Fall is a great time to attend shows as both a shopper and a vendor with Christmas just around the corner. I've been doing shows now for several years and I've learned a few things along the way that I thought I'd share with you today. I broke this into a two part post and today I'll talk about Preparing for a Craft Show.

How much product should I take?

*One question that gets asked a lot is "How much product should I take with me?"

My answer...have enough product to fill your table and have extras as things sell. I know this is a pretty generic answer, but it will really depend on how big your space is. I've done shows with a 7'x7' booth and the last show I did was a 5'x16' booth. Every show will be different.

Make a variety of items. Take my scrapbooks for example...I make my word albums in Family, Friends, Baby and a few other premade options. I make about 3-4 different color combinations of each word so buyers have a choice.

Booth Mock Up

*Another good tip is to set up your booth in your home before you go to the show. Mark a spot on your floor the size your booth will be and set up a mock booth. This way you will know for sure if you'll fit in your space and if you need more product or a different display idea. It helps to do this ahead of time so you're not scrambling the morning of the show trying to figure out how your want your booth to look.

Read the Fine Print

*Know what will and won't be provided for you. Some shows provide tables and chairs while others don't. Read your application and know what all you need to bring with you. Some shows even require a certain color of table covering (most don't, but read your application to know for sure.) Other shows require you to put down a drop cloth to protect the floor if you have a standing display.

Do Your Research

*Do your homework/research. Before attending a show as a vendor, it is a good idea to find out as much information about a show as you can. Talk to others who have attended and find information online if you can. How many years has this show been taking place? How well is it advertised? How many people have been in attendance in past years?

By doing your homework, hopefully you will save yourself from a bad show.

Be Knowledgeable

*Know your products. People will be asking questions all day and they expect you to be the expert on your items. Know what they are made of. Know what size they are. Know if they are waterproof, stain proof, etc. Know your product inside and out and be prepared for how you will answer questions about your work.

Show Me the Money

*Know how you will accept payments. I accept cash, personal checks and credit/debit cards. Most people come to shows with cash, but they may make a bigger purchase if they can use a card or write a check. Read my post on Accepting Credit Cards at Shows to read my review on the Square for your smart phone.

Also, know what information you will need from people if you do accept checks or cards. I also ask people to write their phone number on their checks. And each company is different for what info you will need for processing credit cards. Getting a phone number on these transactions is always a good idea.

I hope this helps you prepare for your next (or first) craft show. Let me know if you have any other questions you'd like answered and I can reply to those in the comments :)

Look for Part 2 of my Craft Show Tips next week!

                                         ********************************************

Edi is the creative mind behind Memories for Life Scrapbooks (and Laser Engraving). She has been paper crafting for over 15 years and recently purchased a laser engraver that is keeping her creativity at an all time high!

Blogging for Business

print by Jennifer Ramos

Some of us dream of making money from our blogs and hoping that we will be among the few that garner enough income to warrant quitting our day job. There are millions of blogs and websites we compete with and it may seem daunting or impossible to capture a bit of market share. And if you are like me, there are many questions you may have on what to consider in trying to make money from your online site.

Here are two helpful posts:

• Yes, I Make Money From My Blog by Beneath My Heart. She shares the different ways she makes money; perhaps one of these will work for you?

• Josh dishes on Homemaker on a Dime about worked and didn't for him. And he is honest that you need traffic first!

There are many more sites on this topic but this ought to give you a taste. What other articles should we check out?

QUESTION: Where are you traffic wise? Can you generate income from your blog?

Etsy's Relevancy Search

A while back, on my blog, I wrote a post about Etsy's default search feature changing to Relevancy instead of Recency. You can read the original post HERE. I have found out some new things about relevancy and I thought I'd share what has been working for me.

First, I'll start with a short recap:
*Think like a buyer - use keywords that you think buyers would use when searching for your items
*Use these words in both your title and tags
*The first three words of your title are the most important - Skip the cutesy titles and tell the buyers exactly what they're buying

One new thing I've learned is that Etsy now allows multi-word tags. You don't want to stuff your tags with unrelated words like "red green blue". But you can use words like "lime green".
Take this listing for example:
I have used the multi-word tags of: wine bottle stopper, bottle stopper and laser engraved. If someone is searching for "wine bottle stopper" they will find my item easier if I have this all in one tag as opposed to three separate tags.

That being said, I have also learned that it can be beneficial to repeat tags/words in different ways. Take this listing for example: I have repeated several keywords here...I have used both "champagne flutes" together and "flute" by itself. I also used "etched glass" together and "etched" by itself. This gives you more options to be seen when people search different ways. This is like covering yourself from all directions.

I hope this helps you understand Relevancy a little better :)
Have you learned anything about relevancy search? Let us know in the comments!

Edi is the creative mind behind Memories for Life Srapbooks (and Laser Engraving). She has been paper crafting for over 15 years and recently purchased a laser engraver that is keeping her creativity at an all time high!