With roughly 7 weekends to go until Christmas, it is quite literally around the corner, if this year is anything to go by it will be here in the blink of an eye.
As many of you already know, the website had a few problems back in August which left it offline for 2 weeks while repairs were made and the website brought back online. I've yet to put the Guilds page back online, but great progress has been made with the markets and events and also the shop, which is also online and for those who have a paid listing, the use of the shop to sell their products is free for the duration of the listing, there is no cost per sale, it is completely free.
The number of subscribers to the fortnightly newsletter has been slowly increasing and the newsletter itself has been changing and developing over the past few months to include all kinds of interesting information, events, businesses and more.
The exciting news lately has been that the website itself has broken through the 1,000 views per day mark, which is no easy feat and certainly makes all the hard work worthwhile. To top it off, the website is being shown on 3 search engines, to have 3 search engines leading viewers to the website, it must surely be ranking well on the first page.
On top of the website, I've started making chain maille jewellery, with some god results so far, items can be viewed and purchased in the online shop. I've found it is a great creative outlet and also helps me to connect more with other handmade businesses.
Can't really say there is a lot more to tell, only that if you are still looking for Christmas gifts, then keep checking back on the website, especially the showcases as more and more are being listed and with Christmas not too far away, there are bound to be some Christmas themed showcases starting soon. For now though, it's Halloween.
~Sarah
Monday, 26 October 2015
Thursday, 6 August 2015
Was July Achieved?
I attacked July with a list at the ready along with pen and paper close by. Although a little later than I had planned, the secret I had been working on is now online. It's a page where guilds from all around Australia are being listed along with contact details. Listing more than this information would take away from that guild's website, which I think would be unfair, so I think it is best to simply stick to contact details and have those who are interested, easily able to contact the guild and find out more.
The amazing 500 Likes or Less competition, which is held twice a year on the Squnches Craft Network Facebook page and then on the website, has been a wonderful success with voting closing at midnight tonight with winners announced tomorrow. Holding a competition for handmade businesses with so few likes is a way for Squnches Craft Network to help the up and coming handmade businesses connect with other businesses and customers and also to help get their name and products out into the world, a bit like a helping hand up you could say.
Back to normal with the markets and events now and regularly updating and adding new markets and events to the website. It's fantastic to see so many taking place all around Australia. The last task I had hoped to achieve for the month of July, unfortunately a little behind schedule, was a fortnightly newsletter to help all craft minded people keep up to date with the website, markets and more. Hopefully, all going to plan, the first newsletter will be sent out in the coming days.
As for August, the aim is to populate the guild page so that anyone interested in learning new skills, crafts or just wanting to get out and have a cuppa and chat with like minded craft people can do so. These days it seems more and more people are keeping to themselves and all these wonderful crafts and skills are slowly fading away, which is a great shame.
~* Sarah
The amazing 500 Likes or Less competition, which is held twice a year on the Squnches Craft Network Facebook page and then on the website, has been a wonderful success with voting closing at midnight tonight with winners announced tomorrow. Holding a competition for handmade businesses with so few likes is a way for Squnches Craft Network to help the up and coming handmade businesses connect with other businesses and customers and also to help get their name and products out into the world, a bit like a helping hand up you could say.
Back to normal with the markets and events now and regularly updating and adding new markets and events to the website. It's fantastic to see so many taking place all around Australia. The last task I had hoped to achieve for the month of July, unfortunately a little behind schedule, was a fortnightly newsletter to help all craft minded people keep up to date with the website, markets and more. Hopefully, all going to plan, the first newsletter will be sent out in the coming days.
As for August, the aim is to populate the guild page so that anyone interested in learning new skills, crafts or just wanting to get out and have a cuppa and chat with like minded craft people can do so. These days it seems more and more people are keeping to themselves and all these wonderful crafts and skills are slowly fading away, which is a great shame.
~* Sarah
Friday, 3 July 2015
Coming in July
Half way through the year and I firmly believe I got on the wrong train at New Years, I got on the bullet train through 2015 instead of the sightseeing train. I thought the year was going fast back in April, now I think someone found the accelerate pedal. Nevertheless, I am managing to make good progress with Squnches Craft Network.
June saw many new markets added to the events calendar and many others updated with new times, dates and locations. There was a bit of a go slow on contacting the usual amount of handmade businesses, this was done to provide more time to updating markets. Hopefully in the next week or two, all markets will be updated and this long list I am working my way through will be completed. There is a wonderful support group who let me know of markets I may not have listed, otherwise, I stumble across markets while stopping by business pages.
So for July, the aim is to have this list of markets entered in so I can more easily keep on top of them and continue to add and share upcoming showcases and any other events. For the website there is a little something new happening, I'll be adding a social share to all of the listed businesses allowing people to share straight from the website to other media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Google+. Daily, my aim then is to stop by around 50 businesses a day (Mon - Fri) just to keep in touch. There is one other plan I have which I will announce once the markets are all up to date, so stay tuned.
Once I am again on top of everything, there is the thought of sending out fortnightly newsletters as an easier way to keep in contact with people and businesses. While my list of contacts is growing daily, it is making it harder and harder to keep in contact with everyone.
Despite all the work I have lined up, it is still a joy to get out of bed every day to work on my business and take another step closer to achieving my dream.
~*~ Sarah
June saw many new markets added to the events calendar and many others updated with new times, dates and locations. There was a bit of a go slow on contacting the usual amount of handmade businesses, this was done to provide more time to updating markets. Hopefully in the next week or two, all markets will be updated and this long list I am working my way through will be completed. There is a wonderful support group who let me know of markets I may not have listed, otherwise, I stumble across markets while stopping by business pages.
So for July, the aim is to have this list of markets entered in so I can more easily keep on top of them and continue to add and share upcoming showcases and any other events. For the website there is a little something new happening, I'll be adding a social share to all of the listed businesses allowing people to share straight from the website to other media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Google+. Daily, my aim then is to stop by around 50 businesses a day (Mon - Fri) just to keep in touch. There is one other plan I have which I will announce once the markets are all up to date, so stay tuned.
Once I am again on top of everything, there is the thought of sending out fortnightly newsletters as an easier way to keep in contact with people and businesses. While my list of contacts is growing daily, it is making it harder and harder to keep in contact with everyone.
Despite all the work I have lined up, it is still a joy to get out of bed every day to work on my business and take another step closer to achieving my dream.
~*~ Sarah
Wednesday, 17 June 2015
What's new to Squnches Craft Network
Hi, hope you are having a relaxing and enjoyable day.
It has taken months of brainstorming and adjustments here and there to bring to you the website that is Squnches Craft Network, I hope you enjoy my website and that it helps you to find new fantastic businesses and markets. There is much more still to come which will benefit Australian handmade businesses and suppliers better than any current handmade craft directory or network site.
The aim is to have Squnches Craft Network as the place to be for all Australian handmade craft businesses, the latest additions and changes to the website include:
It has taken months of brainstorming and adjustments here and there to bring to you the website that is Squnches Craft Network, I hope you enjoy my website and that it helps you to find new fantastic businesses and markets. There is much more still to come which will benefit Australian handmade businesses and suppliers better than any current handmade craft directory or network site.
The aim is to have Squnches Craft Network as the place to be for all Australian handmade craft businesses, the latest additions and changes to the website include:
- Cheaper listing prices.
- Month by month payment option.
- Shop available for all listed businesses to use to sell their products.
- 'In The Spotlight' features a snippet about the history of listed businesses and how they came to be, it also features on the Home page of the website which makes it a great way to introduce a business.
Every day there are more and more markets being added to the Events Calendar for all to see and to make it easier for the rest of Australia to find local markets in their area and even in other states on their travels.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this post, if there is anything you would like to see added to Squnches Craft Network, please send me an email at squnchescn@gmail.com
Sarah
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