24 Mar 2007 09:41 PM

Learning about Marketing

I'm having my best month so far at Etsy.com.  (I need to put my new pictures up here too. . .) I don't know if it's just the time of year (I've heard that retail sales are generally slow everywher in Jan. and Feb.) or if I'm just starting to get established there. 

I've really been trying to market myself - a brand new and scary arena.  I've joined three street teams, and feel a real sence of community from them.  It is very exciting - now I just wish it didn't take me so long to creat each new item for sale.  My daughter has decided to give up napping, so my "work" time is harder to come by.  I suppose it's really good though.  I need to learn how to continue to be efficient, and get things done while still being a good mama if I every hope to make the move to completely working from home - and of homeschooling her to boot.

Lots of adjustments to make.  May as well start easing into it now.  Having the controll and flexability to work whatever hours I need to each day is very invigorating.  As is doing something because I love it and want to - and not because I'm on the clock and someone else says so.  Not that I didn't love my day job - I did - and do - but I can't stand being a part-time mommy. 

I just got the book "Duct tape Marketing", and am only part way into chapter one - but it soulds so helpful already.  I originally bought it so I can help with the marketing of my husbands IT/Computer Networking business.  He's so great at what he does, and the clients he has love him to death - but we need to get the word out more so he can expand or he's going to have to keep his part-time job too.  But there is so much unfamiliar territory in starting a business.  I can see why so many fail - it's one thing to be good at what you do - it's another to also be a good businessperson.

In the great scheme of things I think we're making great progress toward our dreams.  And at least we're doing it together.  And we're willing to learn and change.  I hope that's what it takes in the long haul.

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