Announcing
Many of you are already members, though you may know it as the BOC Etsy Team
Last year we saw great growth and success of the Etsy team store. We wanted to build on that success and offer more to the team at the same time.
We found that much of our success was due to Yolanda’s constant listing, posting and promoting actions?
We will be continuing to buy ads but we are really going to push for more of what got us the most results.
We want to list more items in the store, but without demanding more donations from you. After all we are all working at selling our creations, not just giving them away.
So here is what we came up with... the new plan, and a new name for the team.
We are excited about the plan and hope you are too!
Every BOC Etsy team member who participated in 2011 is automatically approved to be on the Beads Of Clay Professional Artisans Team this year.
The dues are just $5 per month (discounted if you want to prepay for the year)
Here is what you get in exchange:
Members are no longer going to donate beads, they will instead list beads in the team shop (at least 5) and share in the income. 50/50
Each listing in the team shop is not only is a potential sale, it also acts as an ad for your own shop, so put your best beads forward!
You also get a front page ad on the web site and a listing on the BOC Professional Artisans page of the blog.
Then with all of the tweeting, face book posting and ads driving customers to the store, to your items and the blog and website. we all win!
below is the more detailed explanation:
Two sides to BOC.
1. BOC general membership group - free to anyone that wants to:
Learn about ceramic bead making
Talk about ceramic bead making
Take part in charity events
Take part in bead swaps
2. Beads Of Clay Professional Artisans Team
This is the group that are in the business of selling their ceramic beads
It has dues and its purpose is to increase sales for its members and promote the shops of its members.
Outlets for the Beads Of Clay Professional Artisans Team
BOC Etsy, BOC Website, BOC Blog, BOC Twitter, BOC FB, etc
1. The dues are $5 per month (Discounted to $50 per year for those who wish to pay in advance for 1 year) the year or month starts for each member the day they sign up and renews automatically unless they cancel ahead of time this is done with paypal subscriptions (a page with buttons to make payments will be set up on the web site to make this easy to do)
2. Members must list at least 5 items in the Etsy Store. More may be listed at the members discretion.
(Members who do not have Etsy stores are still to list 5 items. Rather than linking to their etsy store the link in the item description can link to their profile at Beadsofclay.org or to a non shop blog or web site upon approval by BOC, but can not link directly to a non etsy shop due to Etsy rules)
3. The income from BOC Etsy shop sales will be split 50/50 with the listing member.
4. BOC reserved the right to refuse any listing, and request a replacement listing
5. BOC reserves the right to request an improved photo for a listing (we will help with guidance on improving listing photos)
5. In recognition of continued support and to ease the transition to the new system.
All 2011 BOC Etsy Team members dues are covered (you do not have to pay) for the first 3 months of 2012
Which means 2011 members start paying monthly or annually on april 1st 2012
6. All listings in the shop as of 1-1-2012 will qualify for the new 50/50 split.. including any that sold between January 1st and the announcement of this plan
7. All members still need to list 5 new listings for 2012 year in addition to any listings still in the shop from last year.
Benefits to being a member:
1. Ad on the front page of the BOC website and on the shop listings page / Shop listings on the web site will now only list team members.
2. Listing on the Blog’s Professional Artisan Team page
3. Qualify to have items from your Etsy shop being favorites by the BOC Etsy team, which can be used in Etsy minis that will be featured on the website and blog.
3. Participation in team promotional events through various social media outlets.
4. Qualify to be Featured in Artist spotlights.
5. Participation in monthly events on the BOC blog such as First Friday Art Walk on Etsy.com, Open Studio events, State of your Studio, BOC giveaways.
6. Your business will be promoted under the Beads Of Clay Professional Artisans Team umbrella through your ad being on the BOC Website which is promoted by classified ads in trade magazines, blog sharing links, website links, social media outlets, etc.
7. Access to the private BOC website forums which will discuss Beads Of Clay Professional Artisans Team upcoming events.
And much more...
Who can be a Beads of Clay Promotional Team member?
If you make and sell handmade ceramic beads for at least 50% of your business, you may apply to become a member of the BOC promotional team. (2011 BOC Etsy team members are already in)
Keeping in mind that the primary goal of the Beads Of Clay Professional Artisans Team is to promote handmade ceramic beads. We will also be promoting things related to making handmade ceramic beads, pendants, cabochons, and the various ways they are used in the world.
NOTE: We reserve the right to change the rules , but we will only do so if it is needed to help the team. And we will give you as much notice as possible if we think the change might adversely effect you.
We don’t think this will be an issue but had to include it here just in case something comes up.
WHAT TO DO NEXT?
Existing members get your new listings ready and send them in
New members submit a sample of your work (photos or a link to your shop) to
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