Have you thought about using Google AdWords, the boxes containing links that appear on the right hand side, and sometimes at the top, of Google’s search engine results? If you know what you are doing, Google AdWords can be a successful part of your marketing plan.

In the Winter issue of The Professional Quilter, Gloria Hansen interviewed her business partner Derry Thompson about Google AdWords. Derry has a great deal of expertise in this area. Here is an excerpt from the article:

Google AdWords are not natural search engine results, but rather they are paid-for advertising. Every time someone clicks on those links the company or individual that placed the ad pays Google a certain amount of money. Hence it’s referred to as pay-per-click (PPC) advertising. AdWords are the foundation of Google’s revenue stream. It’s what makes them money. The goal with paying Google for advertising is hopefully attracting new business to your site.

Using Adwords can make makes sense if your site is new and you want to establish a decent search engine ranking. They can also help you compete directly with others in your field. Here are three tips from Derry on using AdWords:

1. Make sure the price per click you are bidding is economical relative to the products you are selling. It’s fine to bid $20 a click for a product that sells for$100, but not if the product sells for $10. Remember that not all clicks will result in a sale, hence you need to monitor the AdWords carefully and make sure that you aren’t wasting money.

2. Pick your key phrases carefully. The AdWords default is set to what’s called a “broad match.” Thus, if you bid on “quilts” and it’s set on broad match, your results will display for any search that contains the word “quilts,” not just quilts itself. It’s much better to focus on a few phrases and set them to use an exact match. You do this by entering the key phrase within square brackets, so entering a phrase such as [quilting widgets] will only show if someone searches exactly for “quilting widgets.” Once you’ve entered your key phrases you can later adjust them as needed.

3. Set your geographical area. If you aren’t selling worldwide, there’s no point in advertising worldwide. In AdWords you can set your ads to only appear in certainly geographical areas. Thus if your market is the United States, set your ads to only appear in the United States; if your market is California, set your ads to appear only in California.

The International Association of Professional Quilters offers resources and networking opportunities for you to create a success from your quilting business. Learn about all the benefits of IAPQ membership here.

When we advertise our products or services, it’s often easier to talk about the features as opposed to the benefits. Features characterize the product; benefits are why we buy the product. Benefits answer the question, What’s in it for me? When you buy products, you don’t buy because of a feature, you buy because of a benefit. Features are easy to describe; benefits less so. Benefits, too, can be intangible.

The most compelling benefits are those that deliver emotional or financial rewards. This is what struck me as I looked at those magazine ads. The Twinings Tea ad that says “With my cup of Twinings, even a rainy day feels brighter” is selling an emotion. My favorite ad that pulls the emotional heartstrings is the Michelin ad with the baby sitting inside the tire. Michelin is not selling tires; it is selling safety. Good use of selling a benefit.

Looking at some quilting examples, you don’t buy a new design rotary cutter because it’s described as ergonomically correct, you buy it because the manufacturer says you will have pain-free cutting. If you are selling a pattern, instead of just saying it includes rotary-cutting instructions, say that you can save time with easy-to-follow rotary instructions. Saving time is a benefit we can all appreciate. A finished quilt isn’t just a valued piece of art, it’s a collector’s item that will increase in value. Do you think people are buying those Kinkaid prints because they are pretty? No, they think they are making an investment in something that will increase in value.

Also consider how you’ll package your product. You might find a benefit there. For example, patterns are packaged in bags with vent holes so they pack more easily. Or a kit could be in a resealable packet to keep the work clean.

One way to look at benefits is to consider your products from the consumer’s point of view. You might even survey them. What examples do you have that sells the benefits of your product or service?

The International Association of Professional Quilters offers resources and networking opportunities for you to create a success from your quilting business. Learn about all the benefits of IAPQ membership here.

I spent several days last week with my mastermind group, part of the Smart Women’s Institute of Entrepreneurial Learning. This was a decision on my part to play bigger in 2010. I decided if I wanted to grow my business to the next level, I would have to take a big step and play with bigger people. And the people in my group are big players. That’s part of why a mastermind is, as Martha says, a good thing. People who want to play big often have bigger ideas. I came away from this group with one big idea that I never considered – and it was right in front of me the whole time. If you think about it in sports terms, if you are a tennis player, you want to play with someone who is better than you are, so that you improve your game. It does take courage to take that leap. If you remember, one of my words for the year is challenge, and this will do just that for me. And, my group reminded me not to get so wrapped up in my challenges that I forget the joy (my other word for 2010) as I move forward.

Here are some tips to help you take the leap and think bigger this year.

1. Take action. Is there something big you want to do but haven’t taken the plunge? What are the big things on your goals list? This could be entering your quilt in a big quilt show, sending your patterns to a large distributor, contacting the local gallery about a show or getting your teaching proposals to a major show promoter. You won’t be able to get bigger if you don’t take action. So, put aside the “what ifs” and go for it. You can’t win if you don’t play.

2. And, speaking of action, be bold and daring. Remember our goal is to think bigger. Don’t take safe action, take action that scares you a bit. I have the following quote from Eleanor Roosevelt on a magnet on my refrigerator where I can see it every morning: Do one thing every day that scares you.

3.  Act as if. I learned this many years ago. Act as if the situation is as you want it. Exude confidence and success. You’ll be surprised at how often when you “act as if,” you get “as if.”

4. Toot your own horn. Many times women are reluctant to share their successes. I know, many of us were raised that way. It’s time to put aside that attitude and pick up that horn. If you don’t blow your own horn, who will?

5. Schedule time to grow. This can be with a mastermind, such as mine, or networking with a small group of like-minded quilt, art or business professionals. It can also be setting aside time to read, learn new things to either build your business skills or work on your mindset. Here’s a book I like that will help you utilize the power of thinking big: The Magic of Thinking Big by David J. Schwartz, Ph.D.

Good luck with your big, bold action as you move forward. Personal and professional growth happen when we are willing to take that leap and think big.

The International Association of Professional Quilters offers resources and networking opportunities for you to create a success from your quilting business. Learn about all the benefits of IAPQ membership here.

This week we have a teleclass with Marcia Hoeck on working with a virtual assistant. I began partnering with my virtual assistant, Terry, about 16 months ago. I know some of you have had occasion to work with her. Why did I make this decision? I wanted to grow my business and knew I didn’t have enough hours in the day to accomplish everything. I also knew I wasn’t as skilled at some aspects of the business as someone else might be. And, I knew I got a better return on my time investment working on other projects.

How did I first learn about virtual assistants (also know as VAs)? That I’m not sure about. In 2004 I began working with a VA on my husband’s behalf and quickly realized the benefits. Dawn, his first VA, started by taking over his e-zine, something I had been doing. Today, she has another business and he has another VA. Partnering with a VA left him with more time to work “on” his business, rather than “in” his business. I was sure it would do the same for me.

How can quilt professionals use a VA? First get clear on why and how you can use some help. Are your books woefully behind? Some virtual assistants specialize in bookkeeping. Do you want to grow your business online with a monthly newsletter and don’t know where to start? Many VAs are skilled at html, so they can handle lots of online tasks. Here are eight ideas to get you started:

1. Start with the bookkeeping mentioned above. If this is not one of your skills, look for a VA who is skilled in this area. She can bill your clients and follow up on overdue invoices, keeping you abreast of a situation that you need to handle. She can pay your bills and balance your books.

2. If you are a quilt teacher, you can have your VA manage all your bookings. She can keep your calendar, handle inquiries for teaching, know when you need to be where, get your handouts prepared and shipped to your event. She can even book your travel.

3. If you are a pattern designer, your VA can handle your back-office support activities, including order processing, delivery confirmation and follow-up.

4. Most quilt businesses have a web site and/or blog. Your VA can handle posting, linking, site updates, etc.

5. If you are a longarm quilter, your VA can handle initial inquiries and schedule your work. She can keep track of your supplies and order them for you when you are low.

6. If you are coming out with a new product, you can find a VA to work with you to develop a marketing plan.

7. If you’re an art quilter and preparing for a show, your VA can send invitations, contact the press, help you create advertising and publicity materials, etc.

8. Many quilters today have online newsletters, or e-zines. Your VA can manage your database and work with you to get your newsletter sent out in a timely manner.

I’m sure as you look at your business, you can find tasks that a VA could do. As you go through a typical week, track the tasks that you handle. Many of these tasks, particularly those of an administrative nature, are ones that your VA could do. Sure you could hire someone locally, but you’ll find advantages to having someone do them virtually. The big one is that your VA owns her own business just as you do, and she’s committed to building her business. She’s also responsible for her own taxes, insurance, sick or vacation pay.

I found in the time that I’ve worked with my VA that I’ve been able to build The Professional Quilter into the International Association of Professional Quilters. I could not have done this without the help of my VA. Not only does she handle some of my administrative tasks, she’s a good sounding board for my ideas. A bonus is that she’s a quilter. Regardless of whether you choose to work with someone virtually or hire someone to come into your office, when you turn over some of your work, that lets you spend time working on your business not in your business. And that’s when your business can grow.

The International Association of Professional Quilters offers resources and networking opportunities for you to create a success from your quilting business. Learn about all the benefits of IAPQ membership here.

The Winter issue of The Professional Quilter includes a profile with Matt Sparrow by Mindy Caspersen. Mindy originally met Matt on Facebook and when her attempts to connect at MQX (Machine Quilters Exposition) didn’t work out, she took the opportunity to learn more about Matt. Here’s an excerpt from the profile.

How did you get involved with longarm quilting?
Shortly after I basted and quilted my first quilt on a domestic sewing machine (DSM), I realized that it wasn’t something I wanted to be doing over and over again. I loved piecing but hated the quilting part of the process. After researching the price of longarms, the only way to justify the purchase was to take in customer quilts to recoup the investment. I had no idea it would explode into a full-time career in a short few months.

What is ManQuilter and how is it separate from the rest of your quilting business?
ManQuilter is the essence of my quilting business. I created Manquilter.com to market myself as a longarm quilter. It is my “brand” that I continue to grow every day. I am very committed to building my brand to a point that it is familiar with a large portion of the quilting world. Read the rest of the article nd share your thoughts here.

Tell us about your studio and machine.
I converted my front living room into my studio and run my longarm quilting business out of my home. I am the proud owner of a 2009 APQS Millennium and am one of the newest sales reps for APQS. I have had my hands on every major brand of longarm quilting machine and can tell you without blinking an eye that nothing comes close to the feeling I get when I start stitching on my Millennium Falcon (my pet name for my machine). The horizontal wheels and electronic stitch regulator allow me the joy of precision quilting that my customers demand.

How did you get started teaching quilting in general and also longarm quilting?
I went to MQX in April to take several of Karen McTavish’s classes and was fascinated by her teaching style and the energy she brought to the class. I became certified to teach her quilting technique and came home and approached a local shop about teaching a class. Several months, seven classes and two open house presentations later, I am now officially a competent and confident teacher.

Do you have any business tips you can share with us?
The most important tip I can give is that the sooner you realize that this is your business you are running the better. You are not only a longarm quilter but a business owner as well. Quilting often requires loads of emotion. You need to remove that emotion from the business side of it and make decisions based on a profit model not an emotional response to how you (de)value yourself.

You can read more about Matt and how he and his wife, Bradie, support thier family of ten from quilting in the Winter 2010 issue of The Professional Quilter. The Professional Quilter is one of the benefits of membership in the International Association of Professional Quilters. Learn about all the benefits of IAPQ membership here

Did you make resolutions a few weeks ago? Were they the same ones you made last year and the year before? You know, lose weight, exercise more, get out of debt, get organized. I use to make some of those, too, and, if truth be told, probably still do.

For the past several years, though, I’ve tried something new. I’ve picked a word to reflect on and act on for the year. I started this practice in my yoga class. At the first session of the year, Kathy, our instructor passes around a basket with words and we draw one. A couple of years ago I selected “openness.” Pat, the woman next to me picked “love,” and I thought that was a much better word. I asked if I could draw again, and Kathy told me that I didn’t pick the word, it had picked me. OK, so openness it was. I took the paper home and taped it to the top of the computer screen where I looked at it each day. Something really magical happened. I began to look at opportunities in both my business and personal life in a whole new light.

So at yoga class on Saturday, it was time to draw this year’s word. Knowing how powerful the word as an intention was for me in the past, I had already selected a word for 2010. That word was “challenge.” I wanted to challenge myself each day, whether that was challenges I sought out or those that came to me. I put the word challenge on a post-it by my computer.

The word that I drew in yoga class was “enjoy,” and I look at it as a perfect complement to challenge. I tend to get highly focused on something and need to see it to completion, easily neglecting the joy of the journey. With both these words, I see a great 2010 ahead for me.

Another thought on resolutions: Often we tend to try to correct those things that are weaknesses in ourselves. This year instead try to focus on your strengths and build on them. Some good resources for learning your strengths and how to capitalize on them are Now, Discover Your Strengths by Marcus Buckingham and Donald O. Clifton; StrengthsFinder 2.0: A New and Upgraded Edition of the Online Test from Gallup’s Now, Discover Your Strengths by Tom Rath; and Go Put Your Strengths to Work: 6 Powerful Steps to Achieve Outstanding Performance by Marcus Buckingham.

One way you could put this into practice is when you find a weakness,  look for a way for someone else to handle it. Here’s just one example: hire a bookkeeper instead of struggling to do your own books, if that’s not one of your strengths. Your time will be spent more productively on those tasks at which you excel, and you’ll make enough money doing those tasks at which you are better. A bonus is that someone else is able to put her strengths to work. Remember you have power in your strengths.

Please share your thoughts on selecting a word or building your strengths.

The International Association of Professional Quilters offers resources and networking opportunities for you to create a success from your quilting business. Learn about all the benefits of IAPQ membership here.

We are about to start a New Year. I’m excited about some of the things I have planned. I’m working with a coach to expand the business, and I have some new business programs planned for later in the year. As I look ahead, I can see that I have a lot to accomplish, and I need to stay focused to do that. A lot of you know one of my favorite planning resources is Your Best Year Yet by Jinny Ditzler, and following her process helps me focus. You can read some of the questions she asks on a previous blog post.

I wanted to share three and a half tips to keep in mind as you start the New Year.

1. Set time for yourself in your calendar. I’m sure I’m not the only one who doesn’t take enough time for her or himself. This fall I had knee surgery and was sidelined from my yoga class. I plan to get back in class this winter. And, I want to also set aside time each afternoon for a little self care. It’s important to find a little time here and there to care for ourselves. We’ll feel happier and stronger inside and this will in turn make us happier and stronger business people. One good reference on self care is The Art of Extreme Self Care by Cheryl Richardson.

2. Remember to allow adequate time for marketing. For many, the production is the fun part and the marketing takes a back seat. I’ve had more than one person tell me that she spends two to four times as many hours marketing herself and her product as she does producing the product. Marketing is an ongoing process; you are always marketing. I love this quote from actress Carrie Fisher, “There is no point at which you can say, “Well, I’m successful now. I might as well take a nap.” This keeps me focused on marketing my product.

3. Keep on top of your financials. I know, most people do not enjoy bookkeeping, and if you can hire someone to take it over, that’s great. But watch your numbers. You need to know what’s coming in and what’s going out. What is your ROI (return on investment) for your activities? Your business can’t grow if you aren’t aware of the financials.

3.5 Remember why you got into business. For many of us, it was our love of quilting or fiber arts and wanting to share our gifts with other quilters. Sure, we work hard at it, and we are rewarded. When times get tough, step back and remember what got you in the business. Maybe use some of that self-care time to make something for yourself. Another quote I like is from Thomas A. Edison. “I never did a day’s work in my life. It was all fun.”

The International Association of Professional Quilters offers resources and networking opportunities for you to create a success from your quilting business. Learn about all the benefits of IAPQ membership here.

Have you considered holding an open studio to educate the public about your art and make a profit at the same time? While many such events are often held at a holiday time, they can be successful year round. In the Fall issue of The Professional Quilter, Eileen Doughty interviewed eight art quilters to get their take on how successful their open studios were and what was involved in putting one on. If this is one of the marketing ideas on your goals list for 2010, you’ll want to go back and read Eileen’s article to refine the notes you probably took when you were researching at local events this season. Following is an excerpt from part one on preparing your studio. Part two of the series is in the Winter issue of The Professional Quilter.

The most engaging studios tend to highlight the creativity and individuality of the artist. They are beautiful and inviting, inside and out. Consider including demonstrations, an artist talk, works in progress, photographic displays or even videos. Display samples of your work or process that you don’t mind being handled by a lot of fingers.

Whether your studio is in your home or a public place, it may take a few days to set everything up, and even more time if you are using someone else’s space and have to start from scratch. “Getting ready is a huge job – not just in terms of making and mounting my artwork, but rearranging the furniture, cleaning, preparing refreshments, labeling, pricing, doing the signage, arranging for helpers, printing and packing greeting cards, and preparing storyboards and displays of materials and equipment,” says fiber artist Susan Else, who participates in a tour sponsored by the Cultural Council of Santa Cruz County, Calif., each October.

Consider offering artwork in a variety of sizes and prices. Place neat labels next to each work with title, size, materials and price. Besides wall art, several artists offer hand-dyed scarves, books written by or featuring the artist, note cards, small gifts, jewelry, framed art and wearable art. Inventorying every single item can be time-consuming but will help you track sales patterns, and you’ll know if there was any shoplifting.

Have a guest book to build your mailing list and get comments. Also set out your business cards and postcards. Susan puts her sign-in book on the way to the kitchen, so no homemade apple cake until you sign!  Susan’s homemade apple cake is not the exception, as many artists provide beverages and non-greasy food.

To read more of Eileen’s article on Holding an Open Studio in Issue 109 of The Professional Quilter, your subscription or membership in the The International Association of Professional Quilters must be current.Learn about all the benefits of IAPQ membership here.

In the Fall issue of The Professional Quilter, Longarm Forum columnist Mindy Caspersen lamented about the year she was quilting for customers right up until Christmas Eve. For her that year was not as joyful as it should have been. She missed time with her kids, and says she let herself be cheated out of her holidays. Vowing never to let it happen again, she took four steps to insure that her future holidays were full of joy. Here’s an excerpt from her column:

Without a doubt, the most important thing you can do is to schedule properly. You must take into account the number of quilts you can reasonably do without overworking yourself. A lot of us just put the quilts on the list as they come in the door or as the customers call, but this method will really put you in a bind as the holidays get closer.

If this is your first year in business, it’s very difficult to estimate how many quilts you can do in a specific amount of time, and it will take you a couple of years to figure out how many quilts you can comfortably do in that specified time period. Just try not to overestimate. It’s better to underestimate than to book too many right now. Do not try to schedule more than you can handle. Most of us don’t work well under pressure; we become frustrated, and then we begin to resent the whole process and our customers. You must set limits for yourself and stick to them! Understandably, you want to be as productive as possible and take advantage of this extra earning time, but overworking yourself only produces poor quality work, which will cost you customers in the long run. If this is your first time for a new customer, it may be the last time if you return poor quality work. Returning customers may be more understanding, but that doesn’t mean they’ll be happy. It may end up costing you more than you bargained for by having to refund money or do the next job at a big discount.

You also need to allow time for yourself. If you have family that will be visiting for the holidays or kids that are out of school for a couple of weeks, you need to be able to spend time with them and enjoy that time without constantly feeling guilty or feeling the need to get back to your pile of customer quilts. If you don’t allow yourself this time to enjoy your family and friends, you’ll resent your customers, and it will show in your work and your attitude toward them.

Also remember to allow time for the unexpected. Never had to set the timing on your machine? You’ll have to do it in the middle of the rush season! Never run out of needles before? It’ll happen now. It’s the nature of the beast, one of those Murphy’s Law things – whatever can go wrong will go wrong at the most inopportune time! Maybe you don’t have that perfect color of thread and you’re waiting for your order to come in the mail. And guess what? The mail gets overloaded at this time of year and slows down too! Or family or friends unexpectedly decide to come visit, or the furnace dies or the dog needs surgery. A million and one things can suddenly come up and take you away from your work. You can’t deal with those things if you’ve overbooked yourself with customers and are already frustrated.

To read more of Mindy’s tips in her Longarm Forum column in Issue 109 of The Professional Quilter, your subscription or membership in the The International Association of Professional Quilters must be current. Learn about all the benefits of IAPQ membership here.