The California Crafters Club of Etsy (CCCOE) is a group of independent artists, crafters, & artisans from California who sell their wares on Etsy.com.

Monday, June 23, 2008

CCCOE July Happenings


CCCOE is a very active and diverse group. Here is some of what is going on for this
vibrant and fabulous group for the month of July.

*CCCOE July Challenge: Christmas in July. Entries need to be posted on the thread
(which will start July 1) no later than midnight July 18, since voting will begin
on July 19 and run through the 26th.

*Lauren of The ChainMaille Lady sells her gorgeously intricate designs weekly
at the Covina Craft Fair & Farmers Market, every Friday night from 5-9pm at
Civic Center Park 400 N. Citrus Ave www.covinafarmersmarket.com

*July 12-13: Wrenay of Shopwhimsy and Wrenphoto will be selling at the fabulous
RenegadeCraft Fair in San Francisco.

*July 12: Handmade Brigade in Cerritos, CA at TallMouse. Jen of Porterness
Miriam of MiriamDema and Amanda of AmandaKLockrowJewels will be there with 20 vendors
selling their wares.

*July 19:Elena of ElenaMary is participating in the GLOW Festival in Santa Monica
from 7pm to 7am. Visit the website:http://www.smgov.net/smarts/glow/

Dave Quick and Elena have created 7 assemblage structures mounted
on backpacks with huge glowing koi fish floating from each assemblage. They
will have a parade from Palisades Park to the end of Santa Monica Pier at
10:30 and at 11pm there will be a concert by Arthur Nakane a one man
band, who they have hired to perform for our project which is called SOLAR
KOI. Hope to see some of you there!

*July 19 & 20: Nina of PrettyCheap Jewelry will be at Pirate Days at the Ventura Harbor on behalf of the Buenaventura Art Assoc
for more info on BAA go to http://buenaventuragallery.org for more info on the Harbor and events go to http://www.venturaharborvillage.com/html/About.html

*July 26: Nine of PrettyCheap Jewelry will be at theVentura Mini Fair (next to the Farmer's Market) http://www.mainstreetminifair.com/

3 Winning Tips - How To Boost Sales on the Internet

Part 3 of 3

How’s your shop promotions going? If you’’re having fun it will show. If you want to key down a little and get serious, this is last tip is for you.

Subscriber Mailing Lists- I once read on a guerilla marketing article (yes, you can call me a frugal, money saving subversive now) that the 2 main reasons people use the internet are for (a) email; (b) news. If you get into a person’s email box you have it made! Why do you think there are so many spam programs out there?

So you need a mailing list for potential customers. How? Well, I do it without spending much of course.

Start your mailing list in person. Put out a sign up sheet at every craft fair you vend and get names by giving out small goody bags ('Free Goody Bag for Joining!') filled with samples of your work, candy, or whatever you ingeniously think up! Tell them what it’s for, “A once a month, or if I’m not too busy, twice a month email”. Most people will agree to that. Our team does a promo swap every few months, contact http://yolandasclay.etsy.com for the promo swap schedule. These items are really nice for goody bags.

Sale to Mailing List Subscriber

Collect subscribers on-line. Put an incentive in your Etsy shop announcement for folks to join your mailing list! (Free gift w/purchase for joining for example?). And every time you make an on-line sale, ask the customer if they want to be added to your mailing list. You can possibly post announcements to your new internet groups but only if they allow low key soliciting.

Now use that list! Send out specials to subscribers at least monthly, including coupons, Sneak Previews, where you are going to be for the next show and more. I do a simple, no cost email mailing without an attachment (many spam filters will see an attachment and into the junk pile you go). There are also fee programs that manage mailing lists.

Now go get ‘em and see you on Etsy!

Sunday, June 22, 2008

Say hello to your new secretary, LaveMeSoap!

Our wonderful secretary Nina of PrettyCheap Jewelry for the past year has passed the torch along to Angela of LaveMe Soap and I just wanted to take moment to welcome her to this position.

Angela makes every bar in small batches in a home that uses natural cleaners and recycles everything possible.


She is originally from Ohio and moved out to CA in fall of '06. She moved here to fulfill her dream of living in this gorgeous place...and when she accomplished that, she had to create another. She is a dreamer at heart.


To keep up on what's new and fabulous in her soap world you can always visit her blog.