GCU Forum - In serious need of help

Jane_144775

Ex Member

In serious need of help
Mar 18^th, 2011, 6:20pm

I hope I didn't post this twice - this is my first post so Im new and the first attempt didn't go through. So here goes:

Hi! I'm a real newbie here, I work full time plus and I need serious help with my store front and cards. I see so many other stores that look great. Can a few of you please look at my store and give me honest feedback and how to improve my store front and cards. I'm not getting any sales either embarrassed

Also, I have a Facebook account so I am clicking "like" on each store I visit here so you get more exposure - can you please return the favor? Thank you in advance for your help

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JMDykstra Photography:
http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/JMDykstraPhotography

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Susan_142450

Gold Member
artist

Posts: 522

Re: In serious need of help
Reply #1 - Mar 18^th, 2011, 6:32pm

I think your shop looks great! And your cards and the photography are lovely too.
Do you twitter? Do you have a "business" FB account? I think it helps to gain some exposure and network. It can be time consuming though. I've been doing this I got home from work today - so about 2.5 hours - updating, tweeting about the new cards that have been approved, posting stuff on my FB business page.
I think all of this, like anything else, does take sometime to catch fire. There are a lot of cards and artists on the site.
Maybe others have some advise too.
Best
S

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Karen_137659

Senior Member
artist

Posts: 333

Re: In serious need of help
Reply #2 - Mar 18^th, 2011, 6:38pm

Hi Jane,
You have a lovely storefront. I like your banner,it's very attractive. I think that you should include the name of your store in the banner, I am sure you already thought of that. It will be tricky to make the font/text stand out on that background, but work with it, I think it characterizes your store. Do you work in PhotoShop? You may try adjusting the opacity of the banner to be able to showcase the font. Don't make the font too fancy, you don't want it to compete with the those pretty flowers. Try placing the font in the center to balance it out.

Your cards are great! I work full time as well and it's not easy balancing work and your passion. You have a fair amount of cards since Sept., way to go! Don't worry the sales WILL come!!!

Everyone here is very helpful and friendly and never be afraid to ask anything.

Welcome aboard!
All the best
Caryn

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Caryn's Corner Boutique:
http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/kabras

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Jane_144775

Ex Member

Re: In serious need of help
Reply #3 - Mar 18^th, 2011, 6:45pm

Wow, can I just let out a sigh of relief? It does help to know someone can see you and you're not alone

I do work with PhotoShop and I know how to change the banner in photoshop so I'm thinking I need to do that first then reload it? Someone mentioned giving my store a name - I did but maybe it doesn't show up? Am I able to change it? I also have a Zazzle store, which hasn't sold since Christmas and even then very little. How can I show my Zazzle store on my GCU storefront?

Thank you all for the kind words and gentle advice Wink

Keep it coming if you see something I can change. Oh and BTW, I just figured out how to reply Grin

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JMDykstra Photography:
http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/JMDykstraPhotography

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Karen_137659

Senior Member
artist

Posts: 333

Re: In serious need of help
Reply #4 - Mar 18^th, 2011, 6:57pm

Hi Jane,
Yeah you can still give your store a name and change it. You will have to reload your banner image. You can provide an HTML link to your Zazzle store in your artist profile. http://www.w3schools.com/html/default.asp - bookmark this link. I took an HTML class a few years ago and every now and then I need a little reminder.
Hope that helps

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Caryn's Corner Boutique:
http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/kabras

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Randall_140313

Gold Member
artist

Posts: 1013

Re: In serious need of help
Reply #5 - Mar 18^th, 2011, 7:08pm

Jane,

You have some very lovely cards. I like the 'fishing town' and all the horses. I had to laugh at the one in regard to something to crow about, I have chickens and that looks like a hen, but maybe it's a young rooster. No problem, to city people a chicken is a chicken. lol

Looks like you're getting some advice on your banner. That would be my only suggestion, to get your name up there. Otherwise a great store and some fantastic cards!

Best always, Randy

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Kind Xpressions:
http://artist.greetingcarduniverse.com/KindeXpressions

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Jane_144775 Ex Member	Re: In serious need of help Reply #6 - Mar 18^th, 2011, 7:09pm Thank you Karen, I am heading to that site now to see if I can add my Zazzle. And then working on my banner
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Jane_144775

Ex Member

Re: In serious need of help
Reply #7 - Mar 18^th, 2011, 7:15pm

Thank you Randy and that is a Isa Brown hen Wink

We also have chickens - egg layers. We started egg layers 2 years ago and added meat chickens to raise for meat. We had a couple roosters but they were younger than the hens and the hens would beat them up so I felt sorry for them and gave them away. We've learned so much since having them!

Thank you for your help and advise and I so much appreciate everyone's help. Now I need to get off the forum and get busy Wink

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JMDykstra Photography:
http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/JMDykstraPhotography

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cindy_139896 Senior Member artist Posts: 327	Re: In serious need of help Reply #8 - Mar 19^th, 2011, 8:49am Hi Jane, Welcome to gcu! I think your store looks great and your cards are beautiful. You are a very good photographer and with patience I'm sure you'll sell lots of cards. I've been here a year now and have not had great sales but they are better than the very beginning! Good luck-cat
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Rebecca_140932

Gold Member
artist

Posts: 624

Re: In serious need of help
Reply #9 - Mar 20^th, 2011, 1:15am

Quote from Jane_144775 on Mar 18^th, 2011, 6:20pm:

I hope I didn't post this twice - this is my first post so Im new and the first attempt didn't go through. So here goes:

Hi! I'm a real newbie here, I work full time plus and I need serious help with my store front and cards. I see so many other stores that look great. Can a few of you please look at my store and give me honest feedback and how to improve my store front and cards. I'm not getting any sales either embarrassed

Also, I have a Facebook account so I am clicking "like" on each store I visit here so you get more exposure - can you please return the favor? Thank you in advance for your help

I did like your store like you requested. It doesn't look like you need any help at all. Your store looks better than mine. Wink

Cindy, I liked yours as well. I felt privileged that I was the first.

Randy, sorry I neglected you for so long. I also liked yours.

Karen and Susan, your stores have been liked too. Good luck to all of you!

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Grant Greetings:
http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/GrantGreetings

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