Join in our “Spring for a Deal” contest for a chance to win your choice of advertising on Indiesmiles! 

THE PRIZE

You can choose from our Smiles Coupon Campaign, our Indie Finds Directory, our Big Smiles Ad Space, or our Showboat Feature. Read more about each advertising program by clicking on their respective links.

This month, our Coupon Campaign will feature our new “Spring for a Deal” theme where stores will offer our IndieSmiles coupon for $5.00 off with a purchase of $25.00 or more.

THE RULES

First, if you haven’t done so already, join our IndieSmiles Facebook group. If you for some reason cannot join the group, add El and / or Sue as your friend (that’s us!) and request that we add you.

Then, leave a comment on our Facebook group! Entries are accepted daily so leave a comment once a day to increase your chance of winning!

Enter before March 10!

Its that simple

Instructions are available here.

Get to know your customers by finding out where they come from. If you have a store on Etsy or Artfire, you can get this information by installing Google Analytics to your store.

If your store processing does not allow you to insert Google Analytics into your store or if you’re just not getting the detailed information you want, you will just have to ask your customer where they found you. Many customers will spend the time to tell you. However, if you want to give them an incentive, why don’t you offer them a 10% off (or any other deal) coupon if they let you know where they found you. You’ll have to give them a coupon code and track the code so it is not used more than once. Not only will this get you the information you desire but you will give them another incentive to return to your shop!

In Your Google Analytics Account

To insert Google Analytics into your store, you will need a Analytics account.

• If you don’t have one already, go to Google Analytics and create an account.
• Login to your Google Analytics account by visiting http://analytics.google.com and hitting the Access Account button.
• Once logged in you should be directed to an Overview of your account. Scroll to the bottom and click on “Add Website Profile.” See screenshot.

• You will then insert your url (for example http://tantalizingstitches.artfire.com ).
• Click finish.
• On the next screen, you will be given your Google Analytics Tracking ID. Copy this down so you can install Analytics to your Etsy or Artfire store. See screenshot.

Etsy Shops

To insert the Google Analytics code into your etsy shop, follow the Tech Update.

• Login to your Etsy account.
• Click Your Etsy.
• Scroll down to Web Analytics. The following screen will show.

• Insert your Google Analytics Tracking ID (This starts with UA- and you include the UA- in the code). You should get the screen below (except it will include your tracking ID).

Artfire Shops

To insert the Google Analytics code into your Artfire shop, follow Behind the Beta.

• Log in to your artfire shop.
• Click My Artfire (unless you were already redirected there).
• Scroll down to My Studio Stats. See screenshot below.

• There will then be a space for you to place your Google Analytics Tracking ID (This starts with UA- and you include the UA- in the code).

A great way to boost exposure to your store is to get your store featured on blogs.

Many blog authors offer this for free. Take a look at these bloggers:

• The Studio at Crow Haven Farm features Etsy artists and crafters as well on her blog. Contact this author by email or leave a comment on one of her blog posts. Provide her with your Etsy address and, if you have one, your blog address and / or website address. You should let her know what you specialize in and your name.

• The Cutest Shops Online is run by http://www.itsybitsybracelets.com. She would love to feature earth friendly or recycled products, items with proceeds going to charities or anything that is just plan unique and fun. Really anything goes as long as it’s family friendly! You can contact her by leaving a comment here or posting a comment on her blog. You can also contact her at Artfire and Etsy. No traditional “Blog Giveaway” please.

• If you are an artfire member, get featured on libertydoll’s blog by posting in this forum. You will be added to both libertydoll’s blog and kaboodle in the order the posts were received. Once you have been added, she will contact you through artfire!

• RougeRiverBeads has offered to spotlight inspirational items in her Get Inspired section of her blog at http://rougeriverbeads.blogspot.com. Just leave a link to your item in this Artfire forum.

• Nyblaque features artists on here blogs: http://nyblaque.blogspot.com/, http://myindielove.blogspot.com/, and http://artfiremoms.blogspot.com/. You can contact her through etsy or by leaving a comment on one of her blogs. She will respond by sending you a Questionaire, which varies depending on the artist. She will also ask for permission to feature some pics of you work and may ask for your shop minis and other contact info.

• Smokey Mountain Scents has a blog where she features artists as well. You can also offer to sponsor a give-a-way and send the item directly to the winner. You can contact her on etsy or email her at smokeymountainscents-at-charter-dot-net.

• Avie Designs maintains a blog and features artists. You can contact her on etsy or by email at avie.designs [!at] gmail.com. She typically asks you to provide her with the following information:
  •  Tell us about yourself? Name, age, where you live, do you have a spouse, kids, pets, education/training.
  • What do you make?
  • What inspires you & what is your creative process?
  • Where is your studio and how has it evolved? what is your plan for it in the future?
  • What tools & equipment do you use?
  • What else do you do? Is this your full time gig?
  • What do you hope to get out of this, what are your goals?
  • How do you promote yourself?
  • Any tips for fellow crafters/artists?

• TimothyAdamDesigns hosts bluefuse, which handmade features items for men. View here for submission details.

• Get your store / items added to Buried Treasure by following the submission guidelines here. 

• Littlewhims has a blog at Absolutely Delish indie shopping finds and design in general. Leave her your information in the We Love Etsy forum thread here and you may just be included in her blog. 

• The Creative Ark is also offering to feature artisan / crafters on two of her blogs: http://thecreativeark.blogspot.com  and http://perfectlychic.blogspot.com.

I’ll be adding more blogs to this list as I find them so check back often!

Welcome to Tweetips! A few weeks ago, we presented an article with an introduction to Twitter, this is the 2nd in that series. Surely you’ve at least visited Twitter, whether you’ve been addicted from the start or still feeling your way around; you can get some good tips here. You’ll probably want to read through them all, since some are great marketing tools for Indie shops and others are just plain fun!

I’ve spent the past couple weeks, using Twitter Tools to gain an awareness for not only this article but to improve my own knowledge of what is useful for business and personal twittering. (is there such a word as twittering? Hmmm).

Love to add buttons to your website, this site Twitter Buttons is a must!

One of the tools that I find we cannot live without in Twitter is
Twitter Karma, it was designed by a gal in NJ and quite simply put, it will allow you to organize your tweets! First of all know that once you follow 2,000 people Twitter will “shut down” your ability to follow more people until you have more people following you. What do you do? Easy, delete some of the people that you follow that just aren’t mutual, Karma will do that for you! It displays the avatar of the people you are following, the people that follow you and whether or not it’s mutual. So, just click on those you want to delete, and you’re off and running again. Is it shallow to stop following people that don’t follow you? That’s another article all together! When you visit Twitter Karma, make sure to click “Whack’! You will use your twitter account info.

Now, you will love this fun tool. It’s basically for twitters, it’s a Twitstamp (http://twitstamp.com) who also have a blog – now that would be a great poll! I would say that the majority of Indie shops also have a blog or a website. So if you are one of them, Twitter Stamp is so very cool. It provides you with a code to post on your blog and visitors will see your latest Twitter!

Here’s ours:

If you Twitter with any degree of seriousness, Twellow(http://www.twellow.com/) is a must! If you want to read about a twitter before you follow them, this website will be a great benefit. You can search various Twitters by category and key words. So as an Indie shop, for example, you are probably interested in following other independent shop owners that are into the arts. Reading through all the profiles gives you a better feel about the twitter you choose to follow. You must sign up and add your twitter account to Twellow to be included in the directory. Many new twitter tools will be powered by Twellow, so it’s a must have for any Twitter account!

This tool, Tweet Burner (http://tweetburner.com/)
is a must have if you want to post a url of an item from your Indie shop. First of all, it will shrink your url (like tinyurl) but it takes it a few steps forward! Imagine now shrinking and posting to Twitter in one website! Not only that, but it will let you know how many people have clicked on your link! For most Etsy sellers this is really important since we have no other way of tracking where are views are originating. So, shrink a link, post a link and then track a link. Nice!

This is the most exciting Twitter oriented website yet!! Twittad is one of those sites where, when you once visit you may be wondering “what exactly is this?” So, let me give you a couple tips. First of all you can agree to list your site and if someone wants to pay you for it, allow another twitter to advertise on your background. How much can you earn, well they have a formula for you. Now this isn’t one of those spammer websites that have gotten a bad name, this is only an ad on your twitter background. If you sign-up think of yourself as running your own billboard on the internet! So check it out, click here:

There are numerous tools and tips for Twitter that could take a mountain of blog postsl so check back with us monthly for a continuation of “Tweetips for Indie Shops” some are websites, blogs and there are tools that require downloads. I’ll be researching more of those and presenting them right here. So check back soon to see my next post on Tweetips!

Do you spend endless amounts of time promoting your online shop? Are you tired of running a sale and hoping someone will stumble upon the bargain? Imagine hundreds of customers finding your products and your deals while you spend your precious time creating.

 At IndieSmiles, you can leave the marketing and advertising to us so that you can create and delve into the artistic side of your business. By creating a happy and informative atmosphere filled with great deals, IndieSmiles will provide your store with the exposure you desire.

How? By offering deals to potential clients at one central portal and advertising on key websites throughout the internet highway, IndieSmiles is your matchmaker to indie-minded clients looking for a great bargain! Once your new clients experience first hand the quality and artistic value of your product, they are sure to come back.

Check out our low cost advertising. Get in the coupon Directory.

As low as $7.95!!

Our services at Indiesmiles are both simple and economical. Starting at just $7.95 (see our promotional rate below) for a 1/2 month period, all levels of service offer exceptional advertising, attractive graphics for your promotion, and step by step instructions to provide you with a professionally advertised sale.

Furthermore, by allowing you to add onto our Smiles Program, you can find the perfect level of service for your business.

Quite simply, all of the programs below will enroll you in our coupon directory for the time span that you choose! The Big Smiles and the Showboat programs afford you more exposure. Review the features of our 3 smile programs:

Our Smiles Program ($7.95) provides directory submission, an attractive coupon, and graphics for your shop and blog to be used during the two-week duration. For $9.95, you receive a the Smiles Program for a four-week duration.

Our Big Smiles Ad ($8.00): Add-on our Big Smiles Ad Space to your sales campaign for $8.00 spotlights your indie store on a 125px x 125px advertisement, first come…first serve, on Indiesmiles.com in addition to the Smiles Program. Our Big Smiles Program can be extended to a four-week duration for $11.00 add-on. So for a very low price, you can accept the coupon for your shop and advertise your shop on our front page!

Our Showboat Smiles Program (reg $24.95), you will have your store featured in our feature stores section during the 1/2 month duration in addition to the Smiles Program and can be extended to a full month duration (reg $30.95) for a full month’s feature.

Get your shop noticed with the optimum exposure. We will publish your feature on the front page, with a rotating feature…sure to get you noticed!

Our Smiles Program has been such a success that all our Free Smiles are gone! However, to continue to celebrate our Grand Opening we are giving away three two Big Smiles Ad Space and one Showboat Smiles Feature to our Smiles Subscribers.

WIN A FREE UPGRADE!
In celebration of our grand opening, IndieSmiles is giving out three free upgrades – two Big Smiles Ad Space and one Showboat Smiles Feature. All you have to do is sign up for our any of our programs by November 30 and you will automatically be entered to win one of the three upgrades. And yes, even our first ten customers who receive the Smiles program for free are eligible for this free upgrade.

Only Smiles Subscribers have a chance to win a free upgrade so sign up now! Even though all our free smiles have been taken, you can try out our Smiles Subscription at our introductory rate of $4.95 for our half-month campaign (regularly $7.95) or $6.95 for our full month campaign (regularly $9.95). Sign up here.

Add our Big Smiles Ad Space or Showboat Smiles feature to your Smiles Subscription. To increase your smile, we’ve set the introductory price of these programs at $5.00 and $15.00, respectively. You too will be eligible for the free upgrade (we’ll just refund you the difference between the upgraded program and the Smiles program if you win)! Sign up now for our Big Smiles Ad Space or our Showboat Smiles feature!

No problem! Just take a look at what we have to offer here and if you have any questions, either leave a comment or email us at info@indiesmiles.com.

Sign up