DIY your marketing material...

I hope you had a great 2013 business cycle.  If so it would be an awesome idea to send out Thank you Post cards to all of your customers.  ALONG with a coupon for them to return in 2014 to shop with you.  DON'T send a email or a PM...SEND a real note.  THIS ALSO WORKS FOR YOU FOR BOWCARDS...

If I have designed your logo you have all of the tools you need...If you are a bow business and I have designed a PDF of your bow cards.  then that is what you use...

If you didn't add on that card...then you need to make your own with the logo I made for you...
You can find free tools online to assist you...I personally use photoshop..

Avery has EASY online templates (cards, labels anything you need) anyone can use you can find them here...
http://www.avery.com/avery/en_us/Templates-%26-Software/Software/Avery-Design--Print-Online.htm?int_id=templatesandsoftware-adpo

1.  Choose postcard template...8387 choose the one you want Horizontal or Vertical..

2.  Next choose which style you want...if I have created a logo for you choose blank...or choose something fun...it is up to you...You can add text but only choose what they have..

3.  Now make your design...you will find all of the tools on the left hand side of the page...

4. When you are finished...click print on the top right hand side of the page it is green...It will set it up so it is spaced evenly.  and ready to print...

Print it at home or take your Pdf to OfficeMax, staples or any other office supply store.  You can email the file to the for the best quality.  It is about .14 cents a copy to print on your choice of cardsotck....Or if you want to print in color it can cost $.49-$1.29 per copy but you have 4 per page.

It is super super easy..you can make anything this way...lables...gift certificates and more....and NO you don't have to purchase the paper...but if you wanted to you could...

IF YOU HAVE MICROSOFT WORD YOU CAN USE MICROSOFT TEMPLATES..
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/word-templates-FX102825522.aspx
but you can also go to word and you have to the tools to make everything at your fingertips

Just open Microsoft word....OR ANY OFFICE software and click on FILE....NEW....and you will see all of the templates...to make bow cards or thank you cards....Just Use post cards...

To compose your thank you note thank them for their business, let them know what you have in 2014 (photos are awesome), then offer an incentive to return (a discount with expiration date so the don't forget).

Happy Halloween Advertising

I love Halloween.  BIG SURPRISE I KNOW...

If you cater your handmade business toward children this is a great time of year to drop a business card in those Halloween treat bags to reach out to some new local customers.  Make sure you have some sort of contest...OR incentive for moms and dads to come to your store site, or Facebook page. Keep your wording clear and not to busy.  Don't make it ADVERTISING that is cold...Make it a note or something personal from one mom to another.

Here is my ramble of ideas...I hope it makes sense....

Pack a small bag of candy and drop your business card in. (make sure each piece is wrapped and safe)  If you are out with your kids....ask a friend who doesn't have kids if they wouldn't mind helping you out.  They will be grateful to not have to purchase candy....or half the price with you.  If you live in a neighborhood where you don't get very may trick or treaters...you can always volunteer for a trunk or treat event...they are always looking for more people to join.  Check your community...local elementary school, church, community center???? .  

IF you don't have a business card OR if you don't want to waste yours......I have some suggestions. It is going to be a little work on your part but you can do it....

I would go with either a post card size which fits perfectly in a small sandwich bag.  OR a business card size design.  Here or some tips on how to make some quick advertising.  

1.  Try not to spend to much money on this. The return maybe low....You can save money.  Don't print in Color...Take to a local copy center and print on bright colors.  You can bring your file on a disk as a PDF file and get a clean image.  Each copy is about 10 cents...and you get 4 images on a page...that is not bad....If you print at home....try not to put to much color..1 great photo of what you sell is AWESOME. 

2.  IF YOU WANT....partner with a AVON, SCENTSY, or other business...You can print in full color on one side....they can print in color on the other....and split the cost...

3.  I am busy this week to make designs but you can DIY...

Here are some fun Halloween designs...click the link below to play around with how easy it is...AND FREE..Just add your information and print out.  http://www.avery.com/avery/en_us/Templates-%26-Software/Avery-Design-%26-Print-Online-Halloween-Templates.htm  

These will eat up some ink...but they are cute...select the design you want....then choose if you want post cards....template 8577 or business card size and avery will automaticlly set it up for you...like this one below

Then just type your info....

then in the top left...PRINT This ..you can prit to a PDF file and save it for later or to print whenever you want it....or take it to a local copy center

This is how you make bow cards as well Bow Cards as well...Just print VERTICAL post cards...but same instructions.  

4.  FOR POSTCARD SIZE with your own logo go HERE type product 8577  even if you don't have the avery paper choose it anyway..

It is super easy to customize just look on the left side...

This works for ANYTHING you need for your business.  Just think about how and where you are going to print it.  You may have to cut and trim images from a sheet of paper...It saves money but it is a pain.  You can purchase the avery paper but it will cost more.

5. Print 4x6 photo image colleges with your photos....take to your local photo center to make little advertisements for your business.  Pretty inexpensive...but it could really make an inpact. 

6.  If you have word microsoft has fun and easy templates that you can use as well.  here is a link to them.  http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/word-templates-FX102825522.aspx

Whatever you decide to do...make some sort of incentive for folks to come see you.  Make sure you get the to follow you on Facebook.  Have a sale or a giveaway.  The wording depends on your business and what you have to sell.  

Here is a quick idea.  Take a photo of your KID in your best products and ...OR take a photo of a product you will give away....

My Mommy Sells Handmade Hair-bows and fun accessories in all sizes.  Like us on facebook, and ???????? get 25% off ??? enter to win a free????  After X# of Likes I will give away...

I rambled...but I hope this makes sense.  

Watermarking Your Photos

UPDATED August 2013
There is a chance when you publish your images online that your images will be stolen, or used without your permission.  Don't think because you are not a published professional your images don't deserve the same protection.  When images are taken from your small business, or personal blog it is a huge violation of your rights.  It will also ruin your day.  One simple way to protect yourself is to watermark your photos.  It depends on your logo..but you don't need a traditional "watermark" for your image.  Meaning it doesn't need to be see through unless it your particular logo doesn't work unless it is.  There are no rules.  JUST PROTECT YOUR PHOTO.

When most folks think watermark they think the need this super special graphic image for their photos, and that is a huge process.  But it is not.  It can be as simple as just typing your website or name on your photographs.  I just used Photoshop and added text to my image.  It was easy.  I have to crop my image anyway so it was no big deal.

This is my submission to an online Design Team for Scrapbooking.
This is my little girl if someone took this image and passed it off as theirs I would be PISSED.  

There are a few FREE online places that you can use to watermark your image.  Here are two.

http://www.watermark.ws/  super easy.  You might want to have an account don't worry about going pro unless it is something you really need.

http:/picmarkr.com/  also super easy.  Works well with your Flicker account.  You can add an image or a text to your image.  You can also do multiple photos at once.  Perfect if you are doing old photos from your album.  It also allows you to do tiled text, which mean the entire photo is covered in your watermark or copywright.

Also you THERE is an app for that.  Whatever phone you have there is an app you can use to take photos and add a watermark...I have a Android phone and I downloaded "Add A Watermark" they have a free verison that just adds text....and a app for $1.99 that you can add your own watermark...It is awesome and super easy to use.  ( I get nothing for saying so..)
here is the results...

Next, is if I have designed a logo for you use that on your photo as a watermark.  Just place or insert your logo on top of your product photo.  this was super easy...but there are tons of apps...and software programs...

Here is an old logo of mine on one of my crafts.  

Here is an old logo of mine on one of my crafts.
I have change d the opacity of my logo to 70%

THE BEST ADVICE!!
To watermark your photos with a more permanent and easy solution I recommend investing in a photo-editing software program called Photoshop elements.  It is just like the professional photoshop I use but so much easier to use.  There are tons of FREEBIES on line for you to download for future projects, and it has a watermark button function. HERE IS A HOW TO

It is $99 for a new version 11 but I know lots of folks who just purchase older unopened verisons.  Ebay is the best place.  Just search photoshop elements.  I have had about 20 customers follow my advice...and so far everyone is happy.  You can find an older unopened box for $99 cents - $20.  Make sure you look at the seller and see if there are any complaints.  You can find some on AMAZON as well.  Here is one..  It is not as cheap...but...

I used a version 3.0 for many years until I earned enough money to purchase photoshop about 2 years ago.  Any version is great.  The newer ones have the fun tools.

You can download a free trial...just google photoshop elements to check it out.  And if you need any help once you get it uploaded...just ask and I will be happy to help.

There are free photoediting software but they are not as easy as having one of your own.
Here are two
http://www.picmonkey.com/ (I like this one the best)
http://www.gimp.org/

Any digital camera you have purchased, or printer has free software you can use...it isn't the best but it is better than..nothing..

QUICK TIP:  Save your images no higher than 150dpi.  There is no need to do any higher for the internet.  It makes it so much harder to alter your images, and pass as theirs   Anything below 150 dpi is just for looking.  Keep it on your desktop for your records as a higher file. This is how I protect my graphics.  The look great on your screen but when you try to save them and alter them on your desktop....IT DOESN'T WORK...  HaHa... Here is my etsy shop.  It is a little fuzzy, but worth it to protect my hard work....  http://www.etsy.com/shop/VampireCraftin