Yesterday and today I thought a lot about Little Blue Feather and new goals for 2012. I took a pad of paper, and started writing down one idea or goal per sheet of paper. Some of my goals are personal goals, while most are related to LBF.
Speaking honestly, something I tend to struggle with is numbers; how many page views, sales, "fans", etc. Just about every blog interview I read, the artist/shop owner always says to blog/create for yourself and do not worry about numbers or who is following you. Although I think this is great advice, I also think there is comfort in numbers. If you spend hours making a new item, photographing it, listing it to your website and including in your social networking sites, you hope that people are reading and sharing an interest. It helps validate all of your hard work and time. In the online world, it is so easy to compare. You can look at another blog and see that they might have 3x the amount of followers or sales, but the only healthy comparisons are to compare year to year, or month to month within your own blog and shop. If I compare LBF in 2011 to 2010, I can see huge improvements and changes in that year. I can see how far I have come and it encourages me to keep going; as opposed to comparing my business to someone else's. So the past couple days I have tried to reflect on that. How far has LBF come in the past year? Where do I want it to go in 2012? What are changes that worked well and what are things that failed? This is what's on my mind as I set goals for the new year.
What are my new goals and ideas for Little Blue Feather?!
- Focus more on content instead of numbers.
- Apply for at least one large indie-craft fair in 2012. You might remember my trip to the Renegade Craft Fair this past September. This show is at the top of my list.
- Make something new every week to list to my shop. This could be a completely new product, an old design in a new fabric, a new applique...ya know.
- Print pictures and create inspiration boards and photo journals instead of keeping them on the computer.
- Learn to sew something new every month.
This past year has been filled with so many new things. For example, it wasn't until Spring 2011 that I started this blog! I feel inspired and ready to see what happens in 2012. Because I am a visual person, I created a photoshop image with my favorite quote that I heard this past year. It is now printed and ready to hang above my workspace!
I hope you have great memories from 2011 and are looking forward to 2012.
Happy New Year Friends!
8 friendly comments:
You have inspired me to write down some goals for 2012!
i think your blog is doing great for just starting it this past april! i think you're amazing girl!!! xoxo
Beautiful print and wonderful frame of mind. I, too, get caught up in comparisons. Instead, I'll take my cue from you. Thank you!
Thank you girls! You are all so encouraging and pretty great yourself ;)
New follower from Casey's page. Happy New Year!! Love your blog.
I agree that it's so hard to balance caring about reaching people (numbers) and just getting caught up in comparisons. I had hoped to have 500 followers in GFC by the end of the year and ended up with around 150. But numbers alone cannot determine success. Thanks for honestly sharing about this struggle!
Hi Heather! It is hard to reach people sometimes but know there are so many others in the same boat. With time people will find us!! You said it perfectly with "numbers alone cannot determine success"
Cute post & great goals. Thanks for sharing. I am your newest follower and I am so glad I found your blog. I look forward to reading more. I would appreciate it if you stopped over at my blog and followed me back. Thanks! http://milliemorganmedia.blogspot.com
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