Connections

          It doesn't seem to make any difference where you turn on the internet, there something there telling you that the way to sell more product is to make more connections, get more people looking at your web site, reading your twitter posts, your blog, looking at all your stuff on Etsy, or at photos on Flickr.

            While I agree, if more people were looking at my stuff I would be selling more, what those places have in common most of the time is that they want money to help you get those connections. Only 35 cents per day or $11.99 a month, etc. etc… So what if you are a new, starting business or have a Very specific market that is not touched by the connections they offer? Not their problem, they are just selling you Names.

            What I know can happen is that my many friends can help me make the connections I need if they will just pass my posts along, like and follow my blog, take the two seconds needed to click on the Share button on Face book or to ‘re-tweet” my notices about my blog being updated.

            So my friends, are you willing to help a new business get the word out? Are you willing to click the share button, the re-tweet button, or go above and beyond and call another of your friends and tell them I’m out there and that I make some fantastic products?

            For all of you that do, I thank you in advance! For the rest of you, Shame on you, it costs you nothing but a few seconds of your time and could help me out a bunch!

Pinterest

            How many of those of you reading this are doing Pinterest? I find that I do things in bursts. There are days when I get sucked into the search feature on Pinterest and all of a sudden several hours have passed with me looking at all the great things others have posted to their Pinterest boards that they like.

            Most of those things are simply things I like myself or are things I think could be future projects. The list is long and I already have many note books full of ideas.

            What I’m wondering is this: are there others that use Pinterest in this way? Would you ever consider using Pinterest as a way to find someone to make a project for your or to purchase an item you find on Pinterest?

            There are places I know that are marketing their work via Pinterest, but it takes either time or money to market no matter the way it’s done. Since like most of you, I have more time than money, it’s one of the ways I’m looking at marketing my work, or potential work.

            To that end I have put up a board on Pinterest that is labeled, “My Stuff” http://www.pinterest.com/llamanter/my-stuff/ and one for “Lynn’s Artwork” http://www.pinterest.com/llamanter/lynns-artwork-wife/ as well. While there are many other ideas on the other boards on my Pinterest page, I can only make something that is similar to those items, I can’t make it exactly the same or I’ll be infringing on someone else’s design and I won’t do that.

            The fun thing with wood, is that it is nearly impossible to make something exactly like what someone else did. And since I can seldom leave things as they are, it’s not too much of an issue. There are always things I think need to be done differently or I can’t do the same way because I don’t have the same type of wood or the same piece of equipment needed to make it like someone else.

            So, for now, go to my Pinterest page; http://www.pinterest.com/llamanter/ Take a look at what’s there and let me know what you might be interested in having made or purchasing. While you are there, don’t forget to Share the link with all your friends and family!

            

Division is Work

            And No, I don’t mean math. I’m talking about dividing my time between Llama Hardware, Rock Rabbit Enterprises and Life! I know I KNOW, sometimes you have to burn the candle at both ends to make a new business profitable, I have no issues with that.

            However, I Do want a bit of time that is not related to work and don’t want to make the wood working, which I Love, a drudgery type of work. There are too many projects floating around in my head that I Have to get either onto paper or better, out of a block of wood!

            The slabs that I purchased a couple months ago from the Glacier Woodturners Association are starting to come to life, and I have to get those done soon. The desire to see them in a finished format is good motivation to spend my evening hours working on them. Here they are in Rough form, but sanding to 120. Already set up with a friend who is a professional painter to get them shot with multiple coats of lacquer so I need to get them sanded to at least 320 and the bases built for those that are not going to be hanging on a wall.

Sorry the photos are so bad, the sunlight was bright and I was too lazy to set up the photo booth for Rough work.

           

I have a couple more small orders to get out for Llama Hardware and then I’m going to get started with a redesign of the web site. It will take me a few weeks to get it up (at least) but I want to get started. No, I Have started on it, I spend a couple hours today scanning photos into my computer so that I’ll be able to put photos of my trips on there, making it my web site.

Look for changes to happen a bit at a time, but they will happen. Unless I get swamped with orders, then this has to take a back burner. So, the time is being divided between the businesses pretty well, but my “free” time is suffering. This week I also have to spend All day Thursday at the Western Montana State Fair in Kalispell. I’ll be one of many members of the Glacier Woodturners Association showing the public how easy it is to turn a block of wood into something useful or at least pretty. We will also be making tops for the kids that are attending the fair as well. The only issue is that the other guys in the club have a fit if I bring in my “flat” work to display! It has to be turned at least Partly on the lathe to be shown! However, I CAN carve on them after they are turned!