Comments on: CraftyPod #108: A Podcast About Free, with Paul Overton

By: Kim Werker: Free vs fee in the crafter’s scene - Flattr Blog

Kim Werker: Free vs fee in the crafter’s scene - Flattr Blog — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 11:50:34 +0000

[...] sales of for-fee content, and how it might fit into a business model. (You can read more about the conversation here and here: That Woo-Woo Money Thing.) A knitted Dalek, straight out of Doctor [...]

By: SisterDiane

SisterDiane — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 18:56:24 +0000

Thank YOU, Brandy! What a beautiful way to think about custom work. We crafters really are blessed to be able to create meaningful things for people who'll be able to use them. All the best with your new life, and with finding that niche!

By: Brandyllewis

Brandyllewis — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 08:34:44 +0000

Remarkable discussion you and Paul had here. This is only the 2nd pcast Ive listened to and I feel as though Ive stumbled upon a gold mine. I really admire the honesty you express on the importance of authenticity and transparency. I am a recent college graduate, a mother of 2, and a relentless crafter. I am still searching for my niche, however I nearly always gain such gratification from creating a custom piece of work for someone. Not because the sale puts some cash in my pocket, but because of the process. The experience of forming a relationship with someone is delightful. I literally get giddy when sharing with my husband about how so and so from Callamazooo who bought my whutchamacallit…Knowing that the item will go from my hands and onto a new life into the hands of another is what motivates me to continue creating.

So, thank you for this *free* podcast. A great deal of useful and enlightening info here~

By: SisterDiane

SisterDiane — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 05:59:47 +0000

Thank you, Klay! These are indeed rather brave new times for
marketing. :-) It's so interesting watching the new forms begin
replacing the old.

By: Klay

Klay — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 02:28:57 +0000

As a semi-ex-corporate graphic designer I used to go to lectures from people who supposedly have a ton of insight and experience when it comes to marketing yourself or in most cases marketing your brand so that it seems more real or approachable. I think that during all those lectures I never once heard someone talk about being genuine or transparent. I guess it's harder in the corporate world of brands but I think it's great advice for anyone who wants people to buy into whatever it is they are doing. Open up, show us what you're doing. I'm really going to take this advice to heart. Finally some marketing advice I can use and not feel bad about myself next day ;) Thanks!

By: SisterDiane

SisterDiane — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 19:39:55 +0000

You know, Christine, the question of "what kind of things should be
given for free" is a tough one to answer. It's entirely up to each
individual to decide that. I think you should give away things that
reinforce the story of you and your business. And they can be physical
or digital.

I'm working on a show now about "items vs. ideas" and how Free relates
to each, so if you don't mind, I'll wait on your questions about this
until that show comes out. But one thing I will say is that tangible
goods can only reach so many people at once. Digital goods can reach
many, many more. So from the standpoint of Free being a tool for
building your good reputation, I think digital wins.

If you need to build the skills to participate more in the digital
economy, then it's probably a good investment of your time. But do you
need to hire and pay someone to help you participate in Free? No, I
don't think you do.

I still remember a blog post you did a long time ago, in which you
showed how you work with vinyl records. There were images of you using
a heat gun, and wearing a gas mask. The post didn't mention any of
your products directly, but it gave me a fascinating glimpse into your
process. It made me more interested in you and your business.

That post was a great example of Free. You were giving away a gift of
information. You can do that anytime without hiring a pro.

In terms of looking like a copycat, this is an extremely murky,
emerging subject in our community. I do think any of us can recognize
an idea that's a direct copy. So all you really have to do to avoid
looking like a copycat is to share original ideas. This is more easily
said than done in a community that shares so much every day, but it
isn't impossible.

As I said a moment ago, focus on what makes you and your business
unique, and create some Free gifts of information or inspiration from
that. Make them valuable for your readers, and don't make them
outwardly market-y. This will build you reputation.

Based on your comments, I'm thinking you might also want to read this
post: http://makeandmeaning.com/2010/02/04/free-is-no...

Hope that helps!

By: SisterDiane

SisterDiane — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 13:39:55 +0000

By: Christine

Christine — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 23:36:31 +0000

So many comments...this has probably come up already, but I am just wondering about doing giveaways of tangible stuff, like having a buy one, get one sale in the Etsy shop, or offering free shipping, stuff like that...how does that fit in? It's different from giving away free tutorials for how to make projects. I have done that a bit on my blog and I'm happy to do it but what about giving away actual stuff?

I've produced tons of "sample" items to go into goody bags for craft shows but have no way to measure whether that has been effective.

I would LOVE to offer free downloadable screensavers/wallpaper with my mandala designs but I'm not sure how to go about that, I think it is out of my techie range at this time. Do I hire someone to create it?

I feel like it is really spammy to be posting on twitter and facebook that I am doing a giveaway. I usually ignore those types of posts from other people.

I always include free mandala bookmarks and window decals with orders that I ship out...but is that enough? Obviously, the person receiving the freebie has already purchased something from me.

Also, I feel like the community is still kind of small enough that I don't want to look like an obvious copycat if I see someone has come up with an awesome idea for a free item and I want to do something similar, you know? Not that I would copy the item, but just the idea...if I see that one of my peers is getting a lot of attention because he/she has something available for free, and then I start announcing that I have a freebie too, then it will look like I am basically stealing that person's thunder.

I'm really interested in this topic. I'd like to hear you cover more of WHAT types of stuff should be given for free instead of just the reasons why free is cool. Since I'm not the type of crafter that has a ton of different projects, I can't really post a lot of tutorials about how to make stuff. So I'd love to hear more about how free applies to a regular artisan entrepreneur as opposed to a crafty blogger who knows how to make a zillion different things in a zillion different media.

Thank you!!!

By: SisterDiane

SisterDiane — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 01:35:53 +0000

Thank you so much, Patricia, and I wish you all the best on this journey. Just be open and curious, and the best fits for you will emerge.

By: patricia66

patricia66 — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 23:50:25 +0000

Thank you both for this thoughtful discussion of Free in the context of making a living out of craft blogging. I've had a blog for almost two years now and am mulling over what direction to take it in. I'm in this in-between space right now where I'm just happy to have crafting play a central part in my emotional and spiritual life, with Free tutorials a big part of that. But I am also thinking about how my writing and crafting could be a full-time supporting job, and so I definitely will be delving into your archives here and at Make+Meaning to guide my journey.

By: SisterDiane

SisterDiane — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 19:13:03 +0000

Definitely, Flickr groups are a very nice sharing mechanism. I have
one as well – and I think Paul does, too.

By: cottageinds

cottageinds — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 17:48:53 +0000

One way that I've seen bloggers cultivate community is through Flickr groups.
For example, Amy Karol over at Angry Chicken host photo groups where readers can post pictures of their creations.

By: SisterDiane

SisterDiane — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 23:45:07 +0000

Thanks for chiming in, Cynthia. It's definitely true that it takes some effort to identify the most impactful opportunities to participate in Free. Giveaways came up elsewhere in these comments, and yes, they are tricky, because in the end, only one person (the winner) really benefits.

But, if you have a blog, you can give away how-to's, ideas, links, and inspiration to way more people, and bring far greater benefit to your business that way.

There's a lot of discussion emerging about the difference between Free digital content and Free physical content, and I think this is an interesting theme to watch.

By: SisterDiane

SisterDiane — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 19:19:21 +0000

Thanks, Megan!

That question is a little outside the scope of this podcast, but I can
offer you some resources:

First, I've written a whole ebook about the subject: Creating a Blog
Audience: http://shop.craftypod.com/audience

Another surefire (and simple) way to get people to visit your blog is
to read and actively leave comments on other people's blogs. There are
just so many blogs in the world these days, most people will visit
bloggers who've visited them first.

And finally, you might enjoy this article: http://www.problogger.net/archives/2006/02/28/1...

Hope that helps!

By: ruedesign

ruedesign — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 18:59:52 +0000

Awesome stuff. I've been wondering how everyone can share their info and still make a living. I do have one more question that wasn't answered. How do you get people to find your blog and tutorials without annoying friends and family to visit your blog? Are there places you should submit your blog to?