Although there are THOUSANDS of fantastic scrapbooking businesses online – not all of them are really doing the BUSINESS THING – so much as they are doing the show and tell thing.

It’s a fine balance. I understand that. You don’t want to be a sales person, you don’t want to be pushy, you don’t want to alienate people from your site ….etc. etc. etc. I totally get it.

HOWEVER…you will never be able to keep your scrapbooking website or scrapbooking alive and keep sharing freely unless in some way shape or form you are earning some revenues for the time you spend on it.

Now, you do not need to earn DIRECT SALES revenues from your website/blog. (Meaning, you don’t need to direct people to a shopping cart page where you TRY to sell them something – as soon as they visit your site).

IN FACT: You don’t even need to have publicly visible pages showing that you have any products or services to sell at all. This is a choice of course…but if you are really finding it difficult to SELL and TELL on your site, this may be what you need to do.

So lets talk about the TELL not SELL option first.

If you have a list of loyal subscribers who get regular email updates from you…you can share your sales links with them and only them. There are ways to “exclude” pages from the search engines as well as regular visitors. There are ways you can simply direct the chosen traffic you want to the pages you want.

First you must determine how you need to exclude. If you have a blog type of site, chances are there is a good “exclude pages” plugin for it. Once you install yours – then you can create your new page and select the EXCLUDE PAGE from navigation feature. Then you simply copy and paste the URL of that page into an email that you are willing to share the link in – that then directs your subscribers to the sell page.

If you have another form of site, such as one that is designed from scratch using a program like Dreamweaver for example (that is not a content management system as well)…you may need to edit your ROBOTS.txt file to “dissallow” search engines from crawling that page. (If they don’t crawl it – they can’t send direct traffic to it). Here’s a page with more info on editing this file: http://www.robotstxt.org/robotstxt.html.

Whichever method you choose, it should keep you out of the drivers seat when it comes to leading COLD visitors directly to sales pages.

You may never make sales from those visitors. **That’s not to say you cannot – because you can, but if you are uncomfortable with that type of relationship with new visitors – sometimes its better to get them on your email list first and then work your comfort level up to it – as they warm up to you as well.

Happy Business Planning to You!

Perhaps you are just getting started with your scrapbooking business and want to do it RIGHT from the get go…or perhaps you have had your own scrapbooking business for quite some time now and need to take it to the next level now?

Why not?  The economy is unstable and we can all benefit from a little more cash in hand.

So…Scrapbooking Directions has come to the rescue.  We are launching for the very first time…a Scrapbooking Entreprenuers Club!

This is BRAND new Scrapbooking Business Product and best of all IT’S A SERVICE to YOUR BUSINESS.

When you enroll in this exclusive and VERY UNIQUE Scrapbooking Business Club, you will get one month free in our “BUSINESS SCRAPS” Scrapbooking Entreprenuers Club!

• It’s NOT a scrapbooking kit of the month club!
• It’s NOT a technique of the month club!
• Nor is it a newsletter of scrapbooking products discounts !

With the Business Scrap’s Entrepreneurs Club – You get 1 free group call per month (all about building your Scrapbooking Business into a MASSIVE success).  These calls will be hosted by our exclusive Business Expert(s) – with years of experience in traditional business, business coaching AND scrapbooking business opportunities!

PLUS you will also receive an all access pass to our “Business Scraps” Membership/Newsletter Center (educating you about how to MAKE MORE MONEY with your business (online and offline)…as well as any additional updates we decide to add during the month!

This is a $97/month value FREE for one month!

This offer is ONLY available for a limited time!  So please act now. All you have to do is complete the form below and we will send all details to you by email.  *There is no obligation to stay on with the Club after your free month.

You need scrapbooking business cards that tell your audience what you do!

Afterall – the most classic home for a business card is a drawer or roladex somewhere.  Your card might sit there for MONTHS before someone takes a REAL good look at it. Why would you simply add a cool logo, business name and your contact information if that’s the case?

You need to design your card wisely! Design it for results!

You should design your card to PULL customers in for YEARS to come – and make it measurable!

Did you know that you can TRACK the success of your business card through to sales!!!!????  That way you know that your money is well spent?

Amazing huh!?

You need business cards that SELL your products and services for you!

They aren’t just calling cards so that you have to do the selling later!

If you are serious about your scrapbooking business, your cards MUST be designed right!

For tips and ideas….please inquire via our comment form below or send an email to (cijaye – @- scrapbookingdirections.com)  and we will gladly share what you need to know.

1. Share your business name/contact info in your email signature?
2. Have a business card and disperse it WIDELY?
3. Have letterhead or promo pieces for special occasions?
4. Boot around town with your business details in vinyl lettering on your car?
5. Frequent scrapbooking events all over town and network like there’s no tomorrow?

If not…you should..definitely.  You should do all of the above and so much more.

But don’t underestimate HOW MUCH and HOW STRATEGICALLY you should take advantage of these opportunities either…if you use them wisely and creatively – there will be NO STOPPING YOU!

For example…a business card should never just contain your business name and contact details!  NEVER!

It should also contain a list of your products/services (even if you have to summarize them).  Remember…someone who gets your card and is too busy to look at it and store it in a special place immediately after getting it – is ALSO going to be to busy to remember who you REALLY are and why they took your card in the first place!

And that’s for the people you have met!

Then there is an entire arena of opportunity to get your business cards off to qualified strangers too.

For example…have you ever thought about slipping your business card in to the BEST pages of your favorite scrapbooking books in the library (so that when someone ELSE borrows the book…they will find out about your business)?

What about leaving your business card on counters at local book and craft stores?  Or in local restaurants or coffee shops?  WHY NOT?  As long as you get permission to do it – only the people who WANT to pick up your card will right?

So – just like the people who have met you – they too will need a reminder as to WHY they picked up your card?

It does NOT cost that much more to print on BOTH sides of your business card!  Trust me; I have helped people market their businesses since 1995!  I also designed business cards AND printed them FOR my customers.

All you have to do is plan ahead for the RIGHT strategies and that business card will bring you MORE BUSINESS than you could have EVER IMAGINED possible (of a business card).

Feel free to comment if you want more info.

I will provide more tips on the other 4 marketing strategies mentioned later too!

Happy Scrapping for now.

Cijaye.

But you do need the RIGHT promotion.
Every business does!

Here’s where we can help.  ScrapbookingDirections.com would like to work with you.  Possibly even at NO COST to you.

We are offering everything from referral marketing to joint ventures.

If you are interested in any of the following – we invite you to contact us:

• Featured business promotions (on our website, newsletters, podcasts or other media)
• Collaborations (digital scrapbook kit packages, information product etc)
• Advertising (on site, off site)

Etc.

Site owner/primary scrapbooker , Cijaye DePradine can be reached by email: cijaye[@]scrapbookingdirections[.com]  or phone: 1-778-840-9673.

All you need to do is make contact and tell Cijaye that you are interested, provide her with any pertinent contact info to respond to you by as well as your business name, location &/or website URL.

We will then contact you in return and initiate conversation directly with you.  We need to know what your business needs most FIRST.  Then we can determine a mutually beneficial way to make that happen.

We are looking forward to hearing from you. Please call today!