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I see most of y'all have a website. How important is that to establishing yourself as an artist? I see some also have blogs. Do you think its absolutely imperative to have a website in order to sell bears and network into the bear world. I do admit when I see somebody has a website it leads me to believe the person is serious about their craft and a dedicated artist. Even though somebody without a website could be just as dedicated and talented. Its just one of those human nature reactions. Sort of like seeing a red price tag...you automatically think its on sale.
What about a blog? People ask me if I have a website and I say no, but I have some photos on flickr. However its prohibited to sell from flickr. Most people like to make one click and not have to search for anything. Which leads me to think I should get a website.
And what am I looking at ($$) in order to have a simple (static), clean website created (no free hosting) with one click ordering? I don't think blogs have that option to sell. My husband also said, "Is a blog going to eat up more time since you'll be blogging all day?" (haha, but I do see his point).
Posts: 3,540I was drug kicking and screaming into the new technology era. However, even I have created a website and with freewebs it was, well FREE!!! http://members.freewebs.com/
I was able to dip my toe in and give it a try, and see if I liked having a website. It gave me braindrain the first two days I was setting it up, but the more I used it, the more fun I've had. Eventually I switched to having my own domain name so I could get rid of the advertising, but I still have two other freewebs sites that are freebies.
As for the selling aspect, I've sold quite a few of my bears with having my website. People can browse around and contact me if they're interested in adopting one. I've gotta be the world's slowest bearmaker, so for me, having the website is just the right speed. I can place the bears on it when they're ready. For me, the website has definitely been a big step up with being viewed as a professional, someone truly committed to making bears, even though I'd made and sold for several years without a website.
Chowlea BearsI've gotta be the world's slowest bearmaker,
NOPE - that's my crown Thank You :crackup:
No one's been tempted by my website so I guess ya pays yer money and .......................
Drea's BearsGood question Jennifer, I also do not have a web site but have been considering it for the same reasons. I know the collector side of me gets frusterated when an artist doesn't have a web site because I want to know more about them. I have a web site for my dance studio, which confuses and frusterates me to no end!!!!! ( So Debbie i hear you on the kicking and screaming bit) I think, if I'm remembering correctly, it came close to $450.00 after all was said and done. Don't forget that's Canadian $'s so if i did my math correctly that would work out to $5.00 US :crackup: :crackup:
I'm sure you can get something less expensive thought, if you only want one or two pages.
I'd really like to hear others opinions on this too!
Thanks for putting this question out there.
hugs,
AndreaM
I personally think it IS important. Course... that's because most of my bear adoptions are done thru my site!
I started out very basically... in fact... if I want to embarass myself... I saved a copy of my very first webpage:
http://teddiesbylauralynn.com/oldpages/firstpage.html
You just have to start SOMEwhere... and slowly change things. Think of it as many small projects instead of one big one and it will be a lot easier :)
You could also make it easy on yourself if you made up one or two pages to talk about yourself and the bears... and then you could link to either Bearpile or ebay (if you have an ebay store) for bears that are currently for adoption.
It is really easy to add a bear to either of those two sites... (an ebay store or Bearpile)
I got that idea from Deborah Stewart... she does have a website... but has to pay someone to update it (and also wait for them to get to it) so for immediate "updates" she has an eBay store and lists them in there...
If you choose to use this method....Cost wise... Bearpile is cheaper - $10 per month and no listing fees or final value fees. Ebay's costs for a basic store are $16 a month, small listing fees but they do have final value fees. I believe the benefit of an eBay store is more traffic... at least if you list a bear in a regular auction on a regular basis....
Just some thoughts....
What about a blog with links to ebay and/or bearpile?
I do have a blog on my website... (which is in need of updating LOL!) And yes, you could.... hmmm...
Actually you could buy your own domain name thru Yahoo ($10 per year) and have it redirected to your blog.... and so for a fairly low fee you can do it and have your own domain name too!
PaI've been thinking I need a web site too, for the same reasons as you. I have my domain name registered and have been sitting on it for a year now. Between my pathetic computer skills and The $$$ to have one professionally done, I'm still mulling it over. Some people sell alot and others nothing thru their website. I've heard both. I think I'm really going to try and at least do a simple one this year. Good luck with whatever you decide.
Kathleen
It takes a lot of marketing work to sell from your website!
When you belong to ANY chat boards... be sure to include a link to your website in your signature. And I mean ANY chatboard! I've gotten several collectors who I met on candle making chat boards!
Find the yahoo groups that allow you to announce new bears. MANY do not... but there are some that do.
I have to say that I built the majority of my collector list (love you guys!!) on eBay. After anyone won one of my auctions, I would ask them if they wanted to receive emails of when new bears were born.
Now I often give my mailing list collectors first dibs on my bears before I put them on ebay.
Have a give away in conjunction with signing up for your mailing list. If you can.... do it while you have an ad running in a teddy magazine. I did that...and added quite a few new names to my mailing list.
The marketing & maintenance of your website can take almost as much time as bear making!
I remember emailing with Sherry Marshall a long time ago.... she mentioned that there was SO much more to doing bears as a business than making bears!
Hope these suggestions help!
When you belong to ANY chat boards... be sure to include a link to your website in your signature. And I mean ANY chatboard! I've gotten several collectors who I met on candle making chat boards!
So true! I have had several friends make remarks about my creations from my cycling board. I've been a member there for over 5 years. I just include the link in my sig line.
Hey Ladies! There is an easy, for computer illiterate people (like me) way to do it...trust me, I do it now all by myself!! I have absolutely NO computer smarts!! Its call 50megs.com. You can get free space, but it has advertising at the top, or you can pay a small fee to get rid of that. My site is upgraded quite a bit so I have more space, but thats not necessary when you are just getting started. The best part....I can edit my site all by myself! it has these wonderful little "edit" buttons and thats all you need!!!!!!
I have never understood all the html stuff...acckkkk (Shelli, stop laughing at me!!!)
Good Luck to you!
Bear hugs,
Kim
I love those interesting creative type blogs.. and I have to admit I was disappointed to see you don't have a website- I did look the other day- I'd love to see more of your work Jennifer...
Ashamed to say, my website is the last thing thats updated so I can't vouch for its effectiveness lol. Karen
Patsy Lake BearsI use freewebs for my website ... very easy to use .. I have up graded to the premium by getting my own domaine name.
Bears by JodiJennifer I use free webs also. And I know nothing about building one but they made it easy . I am doing the free one but you can upgrade later for a fee, but do the free one first like me. I am satisfied with mine and I can controll what I add and subtract. And can do it very easily now. So just look at mine.
Jodi Falk
I love those interesting creative type blogs.. and I have to admit I was disappointed to see you don't have a website- I did look the other day- I'd love to see more of your work Jennifer...
Ashamed to say, my website is the last thing thats updated so I can't vouch for its effectiveness lol. Karen
Well, I know what you mean. I hear about something interesting and the first thing I do is try to look them up. If I can't find them...I usually forget them. Sad but true. But hey...thanks for trying to look me up!
And for those of you using free webs I think that will suit me just fabulous! Everybody's looks very nice. Patsy, yours is exactly what I am looking for with all the buttons and features. I think I have myself a new project this week! I think a blog is just one more thing to keep me away from cleaning my house! 
Just today I had to finally vaccum up the chew toys my poodle has devoured. It looks like he tore up a mattress all over the house. I can't keep up with him. At least he is destroying his own toys.
Patsy Lake BearsJennifer I am glad to help... if you need any help at all just pm me and I will do what I can to help you..I am no computer wizz but I can only try...
Mohair CircusHey Jennifer!
I really think you should consider a blog! Especially for your style! It totally goes along with the anime type collectibles. A lot of gals who blog, link their blog to an etsy shop. Etsy is only 20 cents to list ea item and it stays on until it sells... or a really long time anyway. It's one click shopping for your customers too. I just recently started blogging and today alone, I had 500 hits on my blog. My website is lucky to get 50, and it's established. I've had it for 5 years and marketed it heavily!
If any of you gals want to look into blogging, I read a book called blogwild! and it's awesome. It really gives you some great tips about how to make your blog GREAT and market your wares using it. The cost is depending on what you go with. You can blog for free, but not have your own cute banners and such, or you can pay 10-15 bucks a month for the ability to customize it. It also is a really easy way to have galleries or archives of your work.... so don't write that off just yet!!!! 
And as far as blogging all day... nobody expects your blog to be updated every minute... your readers only wanna see the really good stuff anyway, so I try to blog about once a week... that way I can edit out what I did that wasn't worth reading about
So definately do a blog or a site, or both.... it'll be worth your while You are a very talented bear artist! I love your little bears!
Good luck, and LMK if there is anything I can help you with
and if you wanna see my blog to see what I'm talking about for archiving pics and stuff it's http://missyballance.com I promise that's not a shameless plug... just a sample of what you can do
Missy
Mohair CircusOoopss... one more thing and then I'm off my soap box! Everyone should have their own name as a domain name You'll want it someday, and you definately don't want someone else to have it when your big and famous right!? If you register a domain name at godaddy.com, it's about $8 year more or less, and you can point it for FREE! (pointing it means when someone types it in, it can go to where you are telling it to go... so for example, I have missyballance.com pointed to my blog. The real address to my blog is http://missyballance.typepad.crafty_carnival or something like that.... and it's hard to remember and long, so I pointed missyballance.com there, and now that's what I print on my biz cards, and that's what I tell my friends, and it's easy to remember and gets them where they need to go!!!!! AND you can point as many domain names as you want to the same place! in case you want to use your business name too!) K... off my soapbox... I'm sorry so long winded, I just really love this stuff! LOL!
Missy
Hey Missy...I graduated from Sac State!!! I am from California...Chico is my hometown (same as Potbelly Bears!)
And you are right, those blogs are GORGEOUS. I do have an etsy shop already actually. I could also link my blog to ebay too. UGH!!!! Decisions decisions. Good point about registering the domain name. Geez, so much I don't know. I need to make a list.
Your bears are absolutely gorgeous. Cutest things I have ever seen. Thank you for the compliments on my bears.
and if you wanna see my blog to see what I'm talking about for archiving pics and stuff it's http://missyballance.com I promise that's not a shameless plug... just a sample of what you can do
Missy
ah yes your blog is one in my favourites! I saw your link on one of your posts and checked it out- it's fabulous- plus one of the great things about blogs is the links you have to *others* blogs that interest you.
I'd love to blog something but not sure I could come up with enough interesting stuff! 
Mohair Circusawww Thank Karen! I do find myself taking pics of things I never would have taken pics of before, so I can BLOG it! LOL! But you can do it! If you ever have any questions, I'm always happy to help!
Thanks again! That was very sweet of you
