4/26/2013

How to Increase Your Sales

DESIGNER TIP
If you have a customer newsletter, it is important to look at your mailing statistics. You can look for trends in open rates for different subject lines and time/date of mailings. You can examine click rates for different types of offers: new releases, coupons, sales and freebies. This can help you fine tune your mailings for maximum impact.

An extremely simple way to use your newsletter metrics to increase your sales is to resend important mailings a few days after the initial mailing – but ONLY to the segment of your newsletter subscribers who did not open the first mailing. For example, if your regular newsletter goes out on Thursday morning, on Saturday afternoon, log in to your email provider account and create a duplicate of the Thursday newsletter. Segment the recipient list to include only those who didn’t open the previous mailing. Then change the subject line to something that shows it is a reminder – “Did You Miss the Weekly News?”

Another sales-building segment tactic is the send a reminder on the day before a sale or special is ending. The subject line can contain info about your time sensitive offer such as “Sale Ends Tomorrow – Open Now to Save 50%”. This reminder email can be sent to anyone who did not CLICK in your previous mailing about the sale/special offer/coupon.

Don’t have a newsletter? You can use these same techniques on your Facebook page, Twitter, blog and forum ads too! I don’t recommend reposting the same thing day after day but I ALWAYS get additional clicks and exposure when I post things like “Last day on this deal” – not all your customers see/open/click everything that you post and send so it’s important to provide additional opportunities to view your products and specials!

If you start doing this, I’d love to hear from you – are you increasing your sales, post views and clicks?



4/19/2013

SnickerdoodleDesign - Featured Designer, Sales and New Products

FEATURED DESIGNER
I am pleased to introduce you to another one of the wonderfully talented designers at CUDigitals. If you missed last week’s feature, be sure to go HERE to learn about Ann Plantier of StartSongStudio.  (Scroll down past the blog train)
Her freebie and sale are still going on through April 26.
NOW LET’S MEET SNICKERDOODLE DESIGNS
Karen_SnickerdoodleDesigns
  • What is your real name?  Karen Schulz
  • Tell us a little about yourself
  • I live with my husband in Orange County, California, USA. We have 2 adult, married “children,” and 2 grandchildren. I love the creative expression that crafts provide, and I always have some type of project in the works! I am passionate about digital design, but in my “spare” time, I love reading, photography, and quilting.


How long have you been designing CU products and how did you get started?
I began designing word art in June 2009 and PU digital kits in January 2010. I am utterly fascinated with Photoshop Styles and began designing CU styles in 2010 also. I enjoy creating overlays and other CU products, but styles are my first love. I love nature, so gravitate toward styles with texture and realism.
Here are some of my favorite products that Karen has in the store at CUDigitals
Patterns Set 2 Damask Transparencies {CU/S4H} by SnickerdoodleDesignsPatterns Set 3 Damask Transparencies {CU/S4H} by SnickerdoodleDesignsPatterns Set 4 Damask Transparencies {CU/S4H} by SnickerdoodleDesigns
Wood Transparencies {CU/S4H} by SnickerdoodleDesignsMosaic Stone Styles {CU/S4H} by SnickerdoodleDesignsShabby Chic Styles {CU/S4H) by SnickerdoodleDesigns
Do you design PU products as well? I do design PU products as well as CU products. I enjoy creating kits and would describe my style as eclectic.
What programs do you use to design your products? I work mainly in Photoshop CS6 Extended, and am learning to use Illustrator. I also use Art Rage, RepperPro, FilterForge, and Topaz Lab Filters. And I couldn’t do without my camera (Nikon D7000) and my scanner (Epson Perfection 6000 Photo).
What is your favorite time of day to design? I always wake up early, usually around 5 a.m. I love to work in the wee hours of the morning, while it is quiet and still. I love seeing the sky lighten, as the sun comes up. But I also love to work very late into the evening. When I am up alone, with the lights out, and my earphones on, listening to instrumental music, I can work for hours without realizing it. My problem is that staying up late and then waking up early aren’t a good mix!
Can you give us a great tip for using one of your products to create digital scrapbook kits? I love to use layer styles as a “starting point” on an element (or paper), then tweak the options in the Layer Style panel to meet my needs. It makes any style more versatile, giving it more value for the purchase price. I also know that many designers use Photoshop Elements as a design tool, but that installation of Styles can really slow down the software. I include in all of my Styles products a PSD layer strip, which allows anyone to use my Styles without having to “install” them. This is extremely helpful for pre-PSE11 users. (PSE 11 has a “load” option, just like CS does!). If anyone wants to see how this works I have a 59 second video on YouTube that can be viewed here: bit.ly/17kUNXh (Credit: Priscilla Steelman)
What are a few of your favorite products that you’ve made? I really love my Calligraphy Collections, Textured Overlays Collections, and Patterns Collections because they offer so much versatility. My favorite Styles are the Glass Styles – Christmas; Stained Glass Collection; Wire Rim, Silver, Luxurious Marble, and ABC Teach Me Styles.

4/12/2013

HUGE POST–Blog Train, StarSong Studio Featured Designer and MORE

Squee!! I have so MUCH to share with you today. I hope you have a few minutes to look through everything because we are bringing you a lot of awesomeness today!
BLOG TRAIN
We have 13 designers offering a commercial use digital scrapbooking freebie on their blogs today! Have fun visiting each designer’s blog, downloading a free sample of their CU designs and checking out their sales and specials in the store.
Blog Train Starter
Here is the master list of designers in case you get stuck somewhere along the way. Please be patient with designers posting from different time zones --
ABCreations
http://AnmarieBowdenCreations.blogspot.com
bymurielle
https://bymuriellescrapdigital.blogspot.com
Courtney's Digiscrappin'
http://www.courtneysdigiscrappin.blogspot.com/
CU by Day
http://cubyday.blogspot.ca/
Eirene Designs
http://eirene70.com/blog3/
Kathryn Estry Designs
http://kathrynsdigitaldesigns.blogspot.com/
Kim Cameron
http://kimcameron.blogspot.com/
Kristmess Designs
http://kristmessdesigns.blogspot.ca/
NBK-Design
www.nbk-design.com
Pati Araujo
http://patiaraujo.com/blog/
Queen Bee Scraps
http://queenbeescraps.blogspot.com
SnickerdoodleDesigns
http://snickerdoodledesignsbykaren.com
StarSongStudio
http://starsongstudio.blogspot.com
FEATURED DESIGNER – StarSongStudio
It’s time to meet another talented designer at CUDigitals!
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What is your real name if different than your design name?  Ann Plantier
Tell us a little bit about yourself and your family.  I live in the United States just outside of Philadelphia with my husband and a very spoiled King Charles Cavalier Spaniel, Vinnie. I have two adult daughters and two grandsons. StarSongStudio has become a family business with my husband, Clemens, taking most of the photographs that I use for backgrounds and extracting elements; and my daughter Dawn (Morning Sun Designs) collaborating on a number of PU and CU kits. When I’m not designing I’m busy wearing my other career hat: professional astrologer, which I’ve been doing for over 30 years.

How long have you been designing CU products and how did you get started?  My daughter introduced me to digital scrapbooking in 2009 and I started designing CU products in 2010.
Here are some of my favorite products that Ann has created
CU Rose Mix 1 by StarSongStudioCU Old Study by StarSongStudioCU Castle 1 by StarSongStudioCU Blue Poppy by StarSongStudioCU Long Stemmed Roses by StarSongStudioCU Vintage Frames 2 by StarSongStudio

Do you design PU products as well?  Yes, I design both.
What programs do you use to design your products? Photoshop CS5 and Adobe Lightroom are my stand-bys.
What is your favorite time of the day to design? I’m definitely a morning person and I often wake up at 4 or 5 am filled with ideas I want to try out.  It’s 5 am as I type this at my computer, my dog curled up sound asleep at my feet.
Can you give us a great tip for using one of your products to create digital scrapbooking kits? I love elegant table settings where china cups, teapots, and plates are filled with a variety of fresh floral bouquets and ribbons.  My CU Tea Party kit is perfect for this.  Try erasing the back of the cup or pitcher, for example, and fill them to overflowing with flowers.
What are a few of your favorite products that you’ve made? Two of my favorites are my photographic backgrounds series, since I’m reminded of all the wonderful places I’ve visited when I see them; and my pocket watches, which are photographed from my own collection.
CU Backgrounds Bundle from StarSongStudioCU Fantasy 1 by StarSongStudioCU Autumn Streams by StarSongStudio
CU Spring Paths by StarSongStudioCU Stairways by StarSongStudioCU Winter Paths by StarSongStudio
CU Autumn Stairs & Paths by StarSongStudioCU Mountain Scenes 2 by StarSongStudioCU Mountain Scenes 1 by StarSongStudio
CU Pocket Watches by StarSongStudio
What is your best-selling product? My tattered books series
CU Tattered Books Bundle by StarSongStudioCU Tattered Books 1 by StarSongStudioCU Tattered Books 2 by StarSongStudio

CU Tattered Books 3 by StarSongStudio

Do you have plans for your next set of CU products? My favorite used book store just had a wonderful sale and I picked up some wonderful old music books from the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. 
What do you love to do when you are not working? I love reading and usually have 4 or 5 books, fiction and non-fiction, going at once.
What is your favorite beverage? Coffee, especially flavored or fancy coffees with lots of frothy foam on top
If you could learn anything what would it be? This is always changing but at the moment I think it would be fun to learn magic tricks
During Ann’s feature – she is offering a FABULOUS SALE
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and a wonderful freebie!
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GIVEAWAY
You can enter to win $10 worth of Ann’s great CU products – just leave a comment on this post before Thursday April 18 at midnight. One winner will be drawn and announced on the April 19 blog post. Good luck!
LAST WEEK’S WINNER
The winner of last’s week $10 giveaway for Stargazy Creations is Mary89. Mary has already gotten an email and ready to shop for some fabulous goodies! Congratulations!
randomMonika

NEW RELEASES
Photoshop Actions
Solace Actions-ButtonSolace Actions-BirdSolace ActionsSolace Actions-UmbrellaSolace Actions-TreeSolace Actions-Tag
Solace Actions-SwirlsSolace Actions-FrameSolace Actions-FlowerSolace Actions-CloudSolace Actions-Butterfly
Embellishment Templates
Trading Card Template KitSpring ButterfliesCU Cruiseship Layered Template
Solace Template - CloudSolace Template - ButtonSolace Template - ButterflySolace Template - BirdSolace TemplatesSolace Template - UmbrellaSolace Template - TreeSolace Template - TagSolace Template - SwirlSolace Template - FlowerSolace Template - Frame

Embellishments
Oh My Ribbons (03)CU Craft Flowers 3CU Fancy Frames
Solace Set - UmbrellaSolace Set - TreeSolace Set - Tag
Solace Set - SwirlSolace Set - FrameSolace Set - Flower
Solace Set - CloudSolace Set - ButtonSolace Set - ButterflySolace Set - BirdSolace SetButtons N Beads
CU Wings 1 - Emo - StitchedCU Wings 1 - EmoCU Wings 1 - Stitched
CU Wings 1
Papers and Paper Templates
CU Layered Paper Templates - ButterfliesCU Dream Papers 5 by AneczkaWAdd a Splatta' Vol. 1
Deco Grunge Page Borders (1)CU Dream Papers 4 by AneczkaW


Photoshop Styles
Photoshop Styles 8ABC Teach Me Metallic Styles {CU/S4H} by SnickerdoodleDesigns