How To Market Your Leather Business

[savvydreambuilder]

Really cool and so on the money.

thanks Daniel.

[randyandclaudia]

Right on! enjoyed your post.

[Chit]

Appreciate the great advice, especially for someone like me who is starting out with leather works. Thanks!

[veedub3]

I can agree with everything except #3. I think the decision to build your own website, depends greatly on if you have the skills to do it. Just because you are pounding leather does not mean that that is your only skill set and that you can not create a great functional website. If you have no idea where to begin, nor the desire to learn, then by all means yes farm it out, but how can you just say "Don't build your own website"? If you use that logic then why craft handmade goods out of leather, why not just farm it out? We weren't born leather workers we learned and honed the skill and the same would be true for building websites. Comparing root canals and building websites is like comparing bananas to mangoes. A bad analogy IMO, and I like how confident you are that anyone that attempts to build their own website will "screw it up" as you stated. That statement couldn't be further from the truth. As a web Designer myself, I have seen a lot of horrid sites done by beginners, but I have also seen a lot of really great ones, also done by beginners. I am a Moderator on Web Design Forum and I get asked daily to critic websites. I tell them how they can better the site, and for those that are way off, I simply suggest they farm it out. You have to know your limitations. Building a website is not nearly as hard as people think as long as you understand and follow the simple rules.

As for elance, and the other gazillion similar sites offering those types of services, make sure you do your due diligence. I have had several occasions where sites I made for clients were copied by members of elance. They copied the design layout, even lifted the images off my clients site, but what they did not know is that I hide tracking info in my images and if they are stolen and used elsewhere, I will know it!

Karina

oops...didn't realize this was an old thread when I posted.

Edited January 28, 2013 by veedub3

[WinterBear]

oops...didn't realize this was an old thread when I posted.

It may be an old thread, but you've grabbed my attention. How does one hide tracking information in one's pictures, and how does one trace those marked images? And what does one do when one finds that someone has stolen images?

[Sylvia]

Thanks Ray: I'm also a marketing person. I'd like to point out one thing you didn't include. "word of mouth" Be good to your customers and they will be good to you and tell everyone they know about your service, products,etc. Alternatively... they can give you bad press as well.

Anyway, thanks for sharing. While I don't fully agree with everything you've listed, I think you have provided some great information.

[veedub3]

It may be an old thread, but you've grabbed my attention. How does one hide tracking information in one's pictures, and how does one trace those marked images? And what does one do when one finds that someone has stolen images?

I use a a service called Digimarc. Click the link and you can read on how easily it's done. I am also a Web Designer/Photographer and it is very important for me to protect my images, so using a service such as this is essential to me. There are several other sites similar to this one, but this is just what I choose to use.

When I find one of my images being used without my permission, the first thing I do is contact the company who designed the site. This info can usually be found in the footer somewhere. When I contact them the excuse I always get is that they got the image off Google but that does not fly with me. I demand they remove my image immediately and they have always complied. They know they stole it so they don't put up a fight at all, and the last thing they want me to do is to contact their client about it.

Karina

Edited January 29, 2013 by veedub3

[prc77ro]

The violators would be reported to the copywright office as copywright infringement is violation of federal law. Also keep in mind that, as I understand it, even if you have not formally registered a copywright for a photo, literary work etc they are all STILL copywright protected. Technically it is copywright infringement to copy and paste original photos that you like or think are cool from one website to your Myspace/Facebook/etc. page. Oh and copywrights are good untill 70 years after the originators death.

If the works are in the public domain ( basically historical designs such as Bowie knife blade patterns, and I would guess western belt patterns, holsters and carvings) then those are not copywright protected.

[JMazone]

You can disable copy and paste functions for pictures sometimes. You can also do a reverse image search on Google to make sure your photos are not being used. If they are being used without permission you can send a cease and desist letter and ask the owner of the site to take down the photos in an email. If they refuse go and find an attorney because it is copyright infringement. As a full time blogger, I can attest that many laws have been created to protect images online.

You can add a watermark to your photos via Photoshop. I hope this I helped.

[leder arbeit]

Hi, Great advice! And especially on the you tube. I will try it soon. How I make an alligator belt. www.alligator-belt.com. Or Edgemon crockett alligator belts.