Bird Charms Take Flight!

Wow, kids!  Bird charms are so darn popular lately!  And it's no wonder, with all the super adorable bird charms available right now.  We've added quite a few fabulous feathered friends to our sterling silver charm boxes this week.  From swallows to hummingbirds all the way to the wise old owl, our range of bird charms is now top notch. Here is a quick preview of some of our newest...

Peace Dove, $6.00 at Bead World

Asian Bird Cage charm, $10.95 at Bead World

Disc with Bird Cut-Out, $10.95 at Bead World

Bird on a Perch, $7.20 at Bead World

Owl Pendant, $14.25 at Bead World

Hummingbird, $7.80 at Bead World

Leaf Chains Hit the Big Time!

If you've been reading this blog for awhile, you might remember a post I wrote back on February 19th about my love for leaf chains.  (Click here to take a peek at that blog.)  It's easy to use, cost effective and very stylish.  Apparently, I'm not the only one who feels that way.  Alert reader (and good friend) Lyn Gottlieb recently brought a hot jewelry line to my attention after noticing their heavy use of our own favorite chain! 

Buddha Soul jewelry has been featured in InStyle Magazine, and is a favorite of starlets of every variety.  Sarah Jessica Parker even wore it on the cover of InStyle!  New mom and supermodel Gisele Bundchen has been photographed wearing several Buddha Soul pieces.  Kelly Ripa, Eve Longoria and Beyonce Knowles are also big fans.  Their amber serenity necklace is shown above right.

It's terribly fun to make jewelry on par with a "Stylist to the Stars," don't you think?  (Bead World's leaf chain sample is show at left.)  Check it out, and see if you think our earrings compare!  I'd love to hear what y'all have done with this gorgeous chain!

Marketing with Technology

I am a crafter, not a tech person.  (Anyone who knows me well knows that I am NOT being modest here.)  That being said, in the interst of promoting our stores, communicating with our clients and sharing fun beading ideas, I've learned to embrace technology.  It has been a surprise to me how much the computer can help me in my various artsy pursuits.  Even more shocking has been my enjoyment of the process!  Three scant years ago, the Bead World web site was a one page blip with a couple of photos, and map and basic contact information.  The range of media we now use to spread our message is, in my opinion, pretty impressive.  More important, though, is that anyone could use the same systems to promote their own projects.  Everything we use is inexpensive, widely available and user friendly.  Here's a rundown of our growth:

• http://www.beadworldinc.com/ We completely redesigned the site in 2007, adding interactive maps, class schedules for all of our stores, detailed information about our inventory and lots of gorgeous photos.  We added even more in 2009, including free downloadable projects.  The addition of our web goddess, Brittany, to the executive team really made the continuing expansion of the web site a joy.
• Beading Your World  Bead World's monthly e-magaine was launched in 2007.  It features informative articles about gemstones, new materials, techniches, classes, events and a letter from our executive team.  We include a fun coupon inside every e-magaine, too!  As an e-magazine, it is emailed out to every client who has opted in by signing up on our web site.  We use http://www.constantcontact.com/ for this service, and I would recommend them to anyone.  Their program is inexpensive, easy to use and very professional.
• Email Coupon Program  Launched in early 2008, we piggy-backed this fun coupon program onto our e-magazine program, sending out emailed coupons to everyone on our opt-in list.  This has been a hugely successful program.  After all, who doesn't love getting discounts and advanced notice of sales?!
• http://www.facebook.com/ Did you know you can be a Fan of Bead World on Facebook?  In 2009, we built our company its own Facebook page.  We update our status to show info about sales, new products and beading trends.  We also have great discussions going on about dream materials, new store locations, busting "beader's block" and more.  It's a wonderful opportunity to interact directly with the people who love Bead World and want to help us make it even better!  Facebook is a no-brainer: it's easy, it's free and almost everyone you know is already using it!
• http://www.twitter.com/  Yep, we tweet, too!  We use Twitter to let our clients know when a new blog entry has been posted, when great coupons are in their email in box and all kinds of great updates. 
• Beading the Bead World Way  You're already reading our blog, so you clearly know all about it!  Launched in February, 2010, this is our newest foray into digital communication.  If you can't get enough of beading, or of Bead World, we'll keep you inspired with fabulous ideas!  We currently publish two posts per week.
• Desktop Publishing with Microsoft & Adobe:  We've really utilized our desktop publishing programs, using them to design and create class instruction hand-outs, jewelry kit packaging, our employee manual and lots of marketing materials for the stores.  More recently, we have published (in-house, of course) a series of six instructional books.  Doubtless, more are on the way.  Next on the horizon: publishing those books as ebooks on http://www.amazon.com/ so that everyone can enjoy learning to bead the Bead World way!

I know that, for a lot of crafters, jumping onto the computer can be a bit of a departure.  But there is no better way to share your message!  Customers and fans are not going to wander into your craft room -- you have to go find them.  Get out there and try it.  I promise, you'll love it!