HOW WE DRIVE TRAFFIC TO OUR WEBSITE.

By Kirsten Mesch

There are a number of ways that Happy French Gang drives traffic to our website and blog. There is direct access, referrals to the sites, social media (Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, etc.), and organic web searches. We use these to drive traffic...but how exactly are we managing to do that?

OVERALL TRAFFIC SOURCES

Notice on the above graphic (thank you Google analytics) that our social media brings much less traffic than the others. Because social media is a very effective way to drive traffic to our site, we could definitely utilize it more. A good way to do that would be to post frequently and at multiple times a day. The more you post to social media, the more likely someone is to see it at any time of day. Along with posting more frequently, it has also been proven that more people are willing to click on your tweets if there is a photo or video attached, so it would be helpful to include lots of photos!

DIRECT ACCESS
Direct access is pretty straight forward. People hear about the product and they go directly to the site to order or read the blog. Most of direct access comes from word of mouth, or from other websites or advertisements, and people write down the website to visit at a later date.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Social media is one of the most important ways to drive traffic. There are a number of social media outlets that we use:

1. Twitter is used to post product photos, exciting things happening with the company, and general life events happening. Whenever we post a new blog, we link to it via Twitter that way our followers are always up to date. 


2. Pinterest is something that we are focusing a lot on. Anytime we post a blog, there are always photos on the blog, which we then pin to our Pinterest page. That way if people see a photo they like and they go to the site, they are directed to our blog. It is also good to pin a lot, and to pin often. The more one pins, the more likely they are to gain followers, and thus, the more likely they are to gain traffic to their website.

ORGANIC WEB SEARCHES
Organic web searches are search results listed on a search engine results page that appear because of their relevance to the search terms, as opposed to their being advertisements. This may seem like something we can have no control over, but that's not true. With every post that we make, we give them keyword tags. This helps improve our SEO. The more keywords we have, the more likely our website is to show up on Google. For instance, this post has the tags 'small business,' 'social media,' and 'analytics.' If someone were to Google "small business analytics" there is a greater chance that this blog will be on the Google results listing page because of the tags. Another way to increase SEO is to post a lot. The more content you have on your site, the better your SEO and the greater your chances of showing up in web searches. We also make sure that our posts are tagged with similar keywords, and then use those keywords throughout our other social updates. This consistency helps to build up brand image and tie all of our social media outlets together - after all, we do have two Etsy stores, this blog, and the Happy French Gang website, so it is important to keep things consistent through each.

REFERRALS
Referral traffic is used to describe visitors to your site that come from direct links on other websites rather than directly or from search engines. Referrals are great, because it means that other websites have mentioned us. Whether it be a stockist, a blogger friend, or just someone that likes our products, we get mentioned by them and that draws people to our site. It is essentially free publicity, which you really can't beat. However, our referrals also come from advertisements that we place on Sunday in color, Chloe Fleury and Body Chemistry (click the links and check them out!). Happy French Gang is also always on the lookout for events to participate in in order to meet new people and spread the word about our product. More referrals come from:

1. Instagram is great for posting photos of products and every day life. Our Instagram is linked to our Twitter account, so every time a photo is posted, it is also tweeted - again, just another good way to catch people's attention and bring them to our site.
2. Happy Morning Blog is used to draw web traffic in a number of different ways. First, we post plenty of blog posts and give each post photos and labels. This will help to increase search engine optimization (SEO), and allow our site to show up in more organic web searches. We also feature local artists and store owners on the blog - interviewing them and showcasing their products. We also have a product video for the Zipillow. All of those things add content to the site and allow for greater search ability, therefore increasing the amount of hits the website will generate. 

Over the last six months, our referrals primarily came from our blog and events that we participated in. Very few referrals came from other blogs, Instagram or advertising.

Over the past three months, our referrals primarily came from Happy Morning Blog. Unlike over the past six months, where the majority of referrals came from events.

In the past month we haven't participated in many events, so our blog has been getting us the most referrals, however, we are also seeing a boost in referrals from other blogs.


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PUBLIC RELATIONS & WEST COAST CRAFT

By Paulina Nassar, co-founder of West Coast Craft. 

Could you tell us about your experience with the WCC? Can you explain how did you end up hiring a PR team and how deep into the project you've actually hired them?

We use the incredible team at The Adventure School to help us plan our events. They were recommended to us through a mutual friend and after our first meeting, we knew that it was a perfect fit. They have been on board with WCC since the very beginning and are an essential part of our event and success. The Adventure School operates from a similar ethos as WCC: doing things a little differently than what’s expected and always with heart and spirit. As amazing as the team at TAS is, we still kept open the idea of hiring someone to specifically do PR for the show but had no recommendations to work from.  

How did you pick your team?

In what would prove to be a wonderful twist of fate, I struck up a conversation with a woman who mentioned that she did PR. I jumped at the chance to speak with her about hiring her for WCC and quickly set up a meeting. Alexis Cohen of Morning Sky PR ended up being the perfect addition to the WCC crew and her efforts to get out the word about our inaugural show and guide the PR strategy were and continue to be invaluable.  

In which circumstances would you recommend to use a PR team?

Before hiring Alexis, I had very little experience with professional PR and was hesitant about having someone manage that aspect of our show, especially considering how hands on we are as a team and how much we like to do ourselves. But the fantastic thing about working with Alexis was that she not only handled the more traditional PR routes that she is expertly schooled in, but also encouraged and helped us develop the more “guerilla” marketing techniques we did ourselves.

What did she do that you couldn't do by yourself?

The best thing Alexis brought and brings to the table is knowledge of how PR works: who to reach out to, when, and how often. She fluently speaks that language and has a great sense of how to promote yourself in a way that is authentic to your brand and your work. 

What are the positive / negative aspects? Your tips!

Our experience has been completely positive. We found someone who totally understands and supports the mission of West Coast Craft and is thrilled to be a part of it. 
 

How much work relies on you even after hiring a PR team?

I think that all depends on how much you want to do. In our case, we are very much hands on in every aspect of putting on this event, so we worked side by side with Alexis to achieve our PR goals. That also can help when it comes to staying within your PR budget. Under Alexis’ guidance, we took on those tasks we felt capable of and she was able to focus her energies where they were most needed. 

Finally do you think that small businesses, like the one who participate at your event, should hire one if they want to grow? At what stage of the company would you suggest it?

Of course, it comes down to budget and finding someone that you trust representing your business, but if you can find a way to allot some funds towards it and you find that person who really gets your business and understands your vision, then it is absolutely worth it. I’ve always felt strongly about hiring people trained to do a specific job to do that job. Alexis brings a valuable skillset to the table that has helped us achieve what we want for WCC and everyone involved in it.

Before hiring someone, I would absolutely make sure you know 100% what your goals are for your business- who do you want to reach? How often? Why? This will really help whomever you hire get you towards your goals in a way that is line with your vision.   

The West Coast Craft is a craft and design show featuring carefully selected designers, artists, and craftspeople inspired by the mood and aesthetics of the West Coast lifestyle. The next West Coast Craft will take place December 6 & 7, 2014, in the Herbst Pavilion in the historic Fort Mason Center on the San Francisco waterfront.


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BEGINNERS.

By Isobel Schofield founder of Bryr Clogs


“Practice isn't the thing you do when you're good. It's the thing you do that makes you good.”

― Malcolm Gladwell, Outliers: The Story of Success

There’s been a lot of talk lately about experts, and the ten thousand hours of practice and what makes us masters of our field. But how do we tackle hour two, or twenty or two hundred of amateur hour? How do we stick with it when the things we make just aren’t as good as our ambitions? Let’s be honest, being a beginner sucks. We live in a world that promises instant mastery... from being an instant photographer to an instant web designer, to an instant pop star. We’ve not comfortable staying in the beginner zone for long. As Veruka Salt so aptly put it, I want it now, daddy! 

About 10 years ago, I ran a little sewing school out of my studio. Each class comprised of about ten 30-something women who had dreams of making their own clothes. In the year that I taught those classes, I learnt a valuable lesson that I’ve tried to keep with me. I would often have a student who was overly harsh with herself. She would want to do things perfectly; She wanted to know the perfect way to cut the fabric. She wanted to know the perfect way to press the presser foot. She wanted to know the perfect way to sew her hem. At some point during the class, she would freeze. The rest of the students would be sewing away, chatting happily, but she would be sitting stone cold, starting at the needle, terrified to go forward because she might make a mistake.

Invariably, I would have another student who dove right in. She understood that the first thing she made was probably not going to be very good. She would laugh about her mistakes, happily reaching for the seam ripper when she’d messed up, again. By the end of the class she was confidently running her little sewing machine like she was out for a Sunday drive. She was right in thinking that her first effort was not going to be a Chanel jacket, but there was much more chance that she would get to there eventually.

I try to take this attitude with me towards my own studio practice. It doesn’t take being a perfectionist to become a master, it takes being a prolific maker. As Ira glass so puts it, “It is only by going through a volume of work that you will close that gap, and your work will be as good as your ambitions.” Last summer, I decided I wanted to be able to actually make the shoes I was designing. I took a wonderful shoe making class in the mountains of Arizona. Foolishly, I imagined that after that one week-long class I would be a master cobbler. I’d forgotten my own lesson. 

This Spring, I’ve set myself a challenge that I hope will force proliferation and fight against prefectionism: To make 50 pairs of sandals in 50 days. It’s sort of a marathon shoe-making project, with the hopes of building my skill level, creating a space for creative flow and raising some money for charity. I’m calling the project The 100 Soles Project, and with each pair I design, make and sell, I’m going to donate a portion of the proceeds to The Shoe that Fits.

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

The 100 Soles Project launches May 26, with the goal of raising money for The Shoe that Fits. Follow the project on Instagram @bryrclogs #100solesproject

TIPS FOR WORKING WITH RETAILERS.

By Hello!Lucky

Working with retailers is a great way to expand your creative business, as retailers will make larger purchases than individuals and can result in long-term relationships (e.g. re-orders!) that don't require too much effort to maintain.

How do you get your products into retail stores? Here are some tips!

* Successful retailers have a strong point of view and buy what they love

- Visit their stores to understand their taste and what sells

- Only send them samples of products that are a good fit for their store

* Don't be afraid of retailers: you're on the same side!

- While it may seem intimidating to approach retailers at first, remember that they are small business owners just like you.  You're both on the same side, working together to bring great products and a great shopping experience to consumers.  Don't be desperate and realize that you have as much power as they do. If your product catches on, retailers will be clamoring and even competing with each other to carry your product -- they need you as much as you need them.

* Retailing is about relationships

- Boutique retailing is all about relationships. Retailers love to know the people who make their products so they have a story to pass on to their customer that makes shopping at their store a more unique and personal experience. Do you best to get to know the retailer personally; often small boutiques are slow during weekdays - make an appointment to stop by and drop off a sample and chat with the owner or store manager. Types of questions you might ask:  what are customers looking for / what products are popular?  Are most of your customers tourists or local?  Are their any gaps in your assortment that I could consider in developing new products?   Be careful not to sell the same products to retailers who are competing with each other directly, e.g. on the same block; instead, if both retailers want your product steer them towards different items in your line to minimize overlap -- after all, in order for you to succeed, they need to succeed!

* Retailers always want what's new

- Keep your product assortment fresh and when you contact your retailers, always be ready to show them "what's new."  

* Retailers need reliability and variety

- Retailers are small businesses and are often just barely making it financially. They may be reluctant to take a risk on a new vendor who might not deliver orders on-time or go out of business.  Be courteous and professional in all your communication, and make sure orders are always delivered on time.  Provide references if they seem hesitant about taking a risk on a small business.

* Get to know the retail buying calendar

- Most retailers buy at least 6 months ahead of the next season, so for seasonal items be sure that your products are ready well in advance. If you have a Christmas item that won't be available until October, don't bother releasing it -- most retailers will have already planned their purchases and maxed out their budgets. Save it until next year when you can reach buyers in the Spring / Summer and take advantage of their excitement of seeing something new.

* Get a sales rep

- Sales reps typically represent 10 - 20 different manufacturers in a geographic region and take a 15% cut of sales.  They have deep, long-standing relationships with retailers, so having a rep is a great way to increase your distribution quickly.  To find a sales rep, find out who reps lines that are similar to yours and contact them. Be personal, courteous and send them samples (no impersonal form e-mails!). Show that you are eager, earnest and understand the other lines they carry. Reps are often willing to take a chance on one or two very small lines to add interest and variety to the assortment of lines they represent, but as with retailers, it's all about relationships.

* Exhibit at a trade show

- Although trade shows are declining in importance due to the availability of most products online, they are still a great way to meet store owners and build relationships. Before exhibiting at a show, visit it and "walk" the show to understand the different "neighborhoods" and where you might fit in, and to get ideas for booth design and product trends. 

- When it comes to exhibiting at a show, keep it simple and keep costs low! If you're just starting out, consider forming a co-op with complementary vendors and sharing a booth space.

* Approach big retailers with caution

- While it may seem tempting to go after big chain retailers due to the volume of their orders, be aware that they often have steep discount requirements, onerous shipping and labeling requirements (which, if you don't follow them, result in heavy fines and could completely erode your profit margins), and may even have expensive testing requirements (e.g. if your product can be classified as a "children's product").  Also note that large retailers may decide to cancel an order if it's not fulfilled on time or for any other reason, meaning that you could take a big loss if you have investing money in creating inventory to fulfill their demand. While it can be great for top-line sales and brand awareness, the profit margins can be extremely slim, not to mention the stress of comprehending a 100-page vendor manual!

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WHAT COLORS ARE REALLY SAYING.

By Kirsten Mesch

When I was younger I went through a pre-teen angst phase. I painted my room dark grey and black, and only wore subdued colors. I loved it at the time. I felt that it truly represented who I was at the young age of 13.

It didn’t take long, however, for me to start feeling sad all the time. I couldn’t figure out why, but I just felt depressed. This is when I decided to paint my room yellow; a happy, cheerful color. I immediately felt better.

Colors impact our emotions in a big way. They evoke feelings and moods without us even realizing it.

Blue and turquoise are the color of the sea and sky, and closely associated to tranquility and calmness.

You may have notice that most social media platforms chose a blue color scheme and this is because shades of blue represent trust, loyalty, and confidence – which are what their brands want to portray.

Purple typically represents royalty. It used to be the color of kings. Along with royalty, it symbolizes luxury and extravagance, and can evoke feelings of romance and nostalgia.

Orange and yellow both evoke similar feelings. They are the colors of sunshine, and associated with joy, happiness, and success. Both colors have high visibility so they can be used to call attention to something in a pleasant and cheerful way.

Grey has multiple meanings. If dark grey is used too much without adding pops of color, it can be drab and depressing. However, if used in moderation and with other colors it can create a sense of calming. Using light grey accents in bedrooms, through blankets and pillows, can make a room feel comfortable and quiet. Grey/silver has been chosen by Apple as their new brand color. It is a big change from the rainbow of colors they used to have. The grey/silver color of the logo is sleek and modern, which is what Apple wants to portray be.

Pink symbolizes love and nurturing. It is feminine, romantic, thoughtful, and comforting. It tones down the passion of the color red, and replaces it with a gentle, loving energy. Typically, pink is the color of makeup brands. If you think of Mary Kay makeup, everything they do is pink from the packaging to the labeling -- everything is ultra feminine.

Green is the color of growth and spring. Green has been known to restore a sense of well being, and is considered to be one of the most relaxing colors on earth. It is a natural color that is considered to be one of the most pleasing colors to the human eye. Even if you don’t particularly like green, the color itself should still possess a calming quality.

Happy French Gang uses all of these colors in their products: pink, blue, purple, orange and mint. All of the products are hand-dyed in cheerful pastel colors and are stitched with bright colors, which shapes the identity of the brand.

Other brands, such as Sunday In Color use very bright colors for their products, that really pop out at you -- particularly because they are set against a stark white backdrop. The way the color is used and photographed give the brand an identity that's easy to recognize amongst many pictures on Pinterest for example. They stay true to their brand and it has proved successful.

Even though there are set theories to what emotions color evoke, many colors mean different things to different people. So what do colors mean for you?

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TIME MANAGEMENT.

By Bonnie Joy Dewkett of The Joyful Organizer

If you are a busy mom or the president of a company, managing your time is a critical skill that you need to master in order to be as successful as you want to be.

Here are some easy to implement tips that you can adopt in your daily life.

1.  Keep a time journal.  You don’t have to write things down every minute of every day.  However, it is important to really know how long you spend doing things.  It is also important to compare how long you think things take versus how large a piece of your day they actually consume.

2.  Say no to one thing.  Really evaluate what is important to you and only take on new tasks that meet your life and business goals.

3.  Don’t be afraid to walk away from things.  If a project hasn’t been profitable, or isn’t turing out how you had imagined, don’t beat yourself up. Instead, realize that the time you have invested is gone and that you have learned valuable lessons.  Then, walk away with your head held high!

4.  Plan your day.  Instead of simply doing what comes up during the course of the day, plan ahead and know what you need and want to accomplish.

5.  Make time for you.  There is no shame in scheduling time for self care, working out and spending time with friends.

6.  Pick a priority and stick with it.  This may mean you do your hardest tasks first.  It may mean you do the most profitable things first.  However, you need to set some guidelines and then prioritize your tasks that way.

7.  Clean up at the end of the day.  Take ten to fifteen minutes at the end of your day to clean up your office, kitchen or emails.  Doing so gives you time to decompress from the day and allows you to come back to a clean work space the next day!

8.  If you have tasks on your list that have been sitting there for ages…there is probably a reason that you haven’t done them.  Many times we put off things we don’t know how to begin.  Stop and think about the smaller tasks that need to be completed in order to accomplish the larger task.  Then, schedule these smaller tasks on your schedule.  Keep appointments with yourself just like you would keep an appointment with your boss or doctor.

9.  Limit the number of distractions you allow.  While you can’t stop urgent matters from coming up or keep the kids from getting sick, you can schedule time each day to close the office door, stop answering the phone or turn off the internet.

10.  If there are tasks you can afford to outsource or tasks you should be delegating, do it!  Take the time necessary to train those around you to help you.  So often, people are thrilled to have more responsibility!

Time management is about learning what works for you.  It is a constantly changing process.  Being a good time manager is about paying attention to how you spend your time and realizing that it is up to you to take control of it.  Know that it is your most precious resource, and focusing on the here and now, instead of the future, can really help you accomplish more.

Bonnie Joy Dewkett, CPO® is a nationally recognized organizing expert, author, motivational speaker, and internet radio personality. She began organizing as a child, and she has been organizing ever since. Her company, The Joyful Organizer®, creates and implements organizational systems for the home and office. These changes allow her Customers to create calm from chaos at work and at home. Bonnie is passionate about helping her clients meet their organizational goals, and loves to see the positive impact that getting organized has on their lives. You can contact her at bonnie@Thejoyfulorganizer.com. Her blog is updated daily with free tips!  www.thejoyfulorganizer.com/blog

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LEARNING.

Learning some social media & PR tips online this week end. There is so much to do for a small business! By the way, I started to invite business owners & independent consultants to write a guest post on the blog about one or more topics: social media, marketing, shipping, time management, advertising, manufacturing, SEM, working with retailers, etc... This new rubric should be on the blog this week! If you're interested to participate drop me a line at sandra@happymorningblog.com


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