This giveaway is in conjunction with Reader Appreciation Week here on Papernstitch. Thank you so much to everyone who reads this blog and has made it what it now is!
Move your creative business goals forward right now with the Track This giveaway!
Ive personally found with my own business, that biz owners (and small business owners especially) need to set very specific goals in order to succeed with their business and begin crossing these accomplished goals and tasks off of their list. Accomplished goals means money in the bank for you.
So, I am giving away FIVE of these goal guidebooks to get you moving in the right direction when it comes to your creative business. Each of 5 winners will receive their own 33 page digital copy of Track This! Creating and Tracking your Business Goals over the Next Year to help you get on track and stay on track not just this year, but forever because you can use this goal workbook year after year, not just in 2011.
*Watch the video sneak peek that takes you inside Track This now.
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Here’s how you can enter to win one of 5 Biz Goals Guidebooks:
There are 3 ways to enter this giveaway (so you can enter up to 3 times). Each entry should be a separate comment (international entries welcome, as always)”¦
1. Leave a comment below and tell me your biggest struggle with your business thus far. This can be brief.
2. Leave a comment below and tell me your number one goal for your business for the remainder of 2011.
3. Twitter, facebook, or blog about this giveaway and leave a link in the comments. *You can use the handy buttons below this post to link via facebook and twitter.
**Giveaway will end on Friday, June 24th at 11:59 pm eastern time.**
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**For additional Reader Appreciation Week discounts, giveaways, and more visit the R.A.W. page for the full list. Thank you so much to everyone who reads this blog and has made it what it now is!
59 comments | Click here to reply
I have surpassed my financial goals for the year already, of which I am so proud! I would love to add another shop to my wholesale clients and am working hard to make that happen.
MeganThanks for the giveaway!
Time, time, time, time, time! I am a full time mama to 2 young girls, including one who keeps me employed 40+ hrs a week nursing. I sneak in time to work on my business when I can, but long for the days when I can devote more time to it.
MeganMy Biggest goal for 2011 is to maintain stock in my etsy shop, but continue to sell at shows and potentially a store.
JamieBecause I am a new business and I work by myself, my biggest struggle is time! Working full time does not allow me to create and produce what I would like or need to!
JamieToday’s new challenge is how to track my actions and see what is bringing in the views/sales, etc.
Linda BTime management! Working from home is great but I’m not a very organized boss! Setting goals, especially specific deadlines, is very hard for me. I have a hard time seeing the forest through the trees when it comes to goals and the long term success of my business (hand-sewn home decor).
CharityMy number one goal for my business in 2011 is coming up with a solid marketing strategy and packaging for my product (photo DVDs mostly). If I can nail down my marketing, I should be able to start getting more clients!
LaurenMy biggest struggle with my business is setting up standardized pricing (photography and graphic design) that is both consistent and reflects the value of my work. I undercut myself too much. I know my work is worth more than what I charge, and I need help with that!
LaurenMy biggest struggle is overcoming my fear (of failing, mainly) and simply starting one! I want to put up my own design (invitations, illustrations, mostly) business. This would help me out a lot!
PatchiMy biggest struggle is in motivating myself to keep going when the going gets tough!
Serene TeresaMy goal for 2011 is to get my business plan all finished and to get my shop set up.
CathyMy biggest struggle is knowing where to start. I’m so new that it’s a little overwhelming at times
CathyMy biggest goal for 2011 is to actually start selling. I’ve been thinking about doing it long enough, so it’s finally time to start.
Clare @ Clare Cooks!My biggest challenge has been trying to figure out how to start. I’ve been making aprons and placemats and giving them to friends as gifts, but I want to take it up a notch and start selling them. I’m still trying to figure out the best way to go about it…
Clare @ Clare Cooks![…] Win one of 5 Biz Goals […]
5 Links for Saturday Afternoon | papernstitchMy biggest goal for the remainder of 2011 is to revamp my entire website and figure out a way to successfully incorporate both the textiles I make and my graphic/web designs into it.
Cati think my biggest struggle is constantly needing to remind myself that what i like and what i like FOR MY BUSINESS don’t need to be the same. in other words, i guess i sometimes feel like i struggle to “weed out” the things that don’t best align with my business goals, my branding, my philosophies, etc.
julie greenGoal for the remainder of 2011 …
Ms Muffingood question!
Usually I would say grow my business … but to be completely honest I just realized a bit ago that I would not be able to handle it right now if it would grow ALOT. So I guess my goal would rather be to actually gain more money from my little shop than I have expenses due to it!
I tweeted
Ms Muffinhttp://twitter.com/#!/MuffinsnMore/status/81804344059625472
Biggest struggle – finding enough TIME! 🙂
Ms MuffinMy biggest goal for the rest of the year is to really tighten up my line sheets and press kit to apply to trade shows.
JillkdavisjewelryI posted on FB and Twitter
http://facebook.com/linorstore
Linda B@lindab142
No 1 goal is to focus on target market and create and sell to them.
Linda BBiggest struggle is staying on top of pre-holiday creating and promotions, e.g, Christmas in July prep should be almost done.
Linda BI have too many goals. My heart belongs to art, but writing pays the bills. So many product ideas and no confidence to get them off the ground. Want peace and meaning–struggle with overwhelm. Enjoy paper’n’stitch because of the community you’re creating. Thanks!
TrishNumber 1 business goal for 2011 … participate in a craft fair 🙂
Shasta Feltmananything relating to graphic design …. erg! My branding/marketing/design skills are rather pathetic.
Shasta Feltmanmy biggest struggle, actually, is making concrete goals. i have never been one to write out goals, and i know that is so important for a handmade business. so this would be perfect for me!!
Megan LaneHi Brittni,
First of all, Brittni, thank you for all the awesome giveaways-
Annamaria PotamitiAs for business struggles- yes, time management- hmm- family,housekeeping,painting,blogging,managing the business- definitely the toughest issue-
As far as business goals, absolutely one: promotion,promotion,promotion!
And to be honest there is one more thing generally:just building this backbone- not wilting away to criticism, not letting anything stop me from just ‘doing it’! When I feel myself ‘wither’ I pick myself up by saying ‘focus-do-promote’-
Have a good one!
Hello Brittni,
My greatest struggle would be on how to focus on the products that I plan to sell. It’s hard for me since I am interested in so many things but have not specifically decided what I stand for.
Thanks once again for an awesome RAW!
ElleNumber 1 goal for 2011 is to promote my work and open it up to a new audience. I have tried to do this via ads on blogs and participating in shows.
{beth}My biggest struggle is promoting my work and finding time to promote my work. I can create and make my items but finding the time and ways to promote my work and get new exposure is a challenge that I am not sure how to tackle.
{beth}My biggest struggle has been deciding on what to start with. I love creating so many things I can’t quite seem to focus on one to get started. My ultimate goal would be to figure out how to focus so I can begin the career I’ve always dreamed of!
Jenniferas for my biggest business goal for the remainder of this year–I would like get email subscribers and send out a monthly newsletter (i’m working on this now!) and finish updating my blog to make it look amazing!
aprilMy number one goal for the rest of the year is to find a venue to provide my creative service- and also to reach new audiences.
AncaMy biggest challenge has been to find time to be creative and also manage the business side of it. I find it easy to either get sucked in creative mode- read dreamy, up in the clouds, or to get practical with details but then the creative part suffers. Its still a challenge to switch back and forth between them.
Ancawhat a great giveaway!!
aprilmy biggest struggle has been finding the time to do everything I want. I’m finding it difficult to juggle a full time job, a part time job, family, sleeping…
2011 has become one of the hardest years for me ever! I have lost my perspective in the academic career I was pursuing because my supervisor wouldn’t support me anymore. She just kicked me out with not so much as a second chance. And I didn’t even do anything wrong – I was already writing my doctoral thesis!
Well, I had some deep, deep valleys to walk trough. Now, I’m in the middle of legal procedures to get a somewhat satisfying closure to the whole mess.
Fortunately, I started to get back to my creativity last year and I’m busy knitting and crocheting (and also some creative writing). My blog is also a new development in the direction of being more myself again.
As for a business goal: I actually want to figure out what I want to do with my life and my creativity. I won’t be able to live from it in a long run, but I would like to start up an etsy shop later this year. I’m sure this give away would help me tremendously.
Greetings!
ChisaMy biggest struggle is with keeping accounting records. Worse, I really feel awkward chasing up money people owe me.
CarolynMy own personal struggle has been a lack of focus as I have far too many ideas. Part of that is trying to avoid being stuck in one particular niche, but having some direction would be kind of handy 🙂
EllaOh no Beccy. I have no idea why that is happening?! I just emailed you to get more info. I’ll get to the bottom of this. 🙂
papernstitch-Brittni
Hi again.
Brittno, is there any reason papernstitch has emailed me 16 time in the last ten minutes asking if I want to manage my subscriptions?! I always love getting mail, but the same mail 16 times is a bit much!
Just thought I’d let you know there might be a glitch somewhere.
Thanks.
Beccy ParsonsBeccy
Therefore, my goal for the remainder of 2011 is to get the site live, and fill it with my products. Then I will work on advertising and creating a following of people who share similar passions to me.
Hard work, but I think it will all be worth it in the end!
Beccy ParsonsMy biggest struggle with my ‘business’ is two fold. Firstly it isn’t nearly where I want it to be – I’m having major trouble getting the site up and running, let alone thinking about branding and image, which leads on to the second issue: I don’t really see it as a business yet. It is in the sense that I devote time to it and I have a plan, but it doesn’t feel like anything yet.
Beccy ParsonsMy number one problem I struggle with is not being business minded! I just want to make stuff and not worry about everything else. Unfortunately, that is not reasonable. This book would be a good place to start and might help me be more organized with the left side of my brain : ).
SarahMy goal this year (I just started this venture this year) is to continue working towards an image for my business. This includes business cards, products, blog posts, etc. I think it is coming along at just the right pace but a little help is always appreciated.
Anna (sixtyfourcolorbox)My biggest challenge in starting off my business is creating a specific image for the business. There are so many things I want to try personally that I have to decide what to use for the business and what to keep personal.
Anna (sixtyfourcolorbox)My number 1 goal for the remainder of this year (and even writing it down I know I have to reframe it) is to prove to the naysayers in my life (aka family) that all my dreams are not pipedreams. I can follow through and achieve.
I know my goal should be personal and not to try and apease anyone else.
LauraMy biggest struggle is to get over the first hurdle (FEAR) and get started.
LauraMaybe I have too many ideas and I need to focus on fewer at one time.
I think my biggest issue right now is narrowing down just exactly what my products will be; I have so many interests and things I love making that this has proven difficult.
DKI tweeted it (handle = mangomerle)
DKHence, my biggest goal is to find the venues that my ideal customer hangs out (online or offline) and let them know about my store and work!
MeenooMy biggest struggle so far been finding the right venues in which to market my jewelry. I know who my ideal customer is but where to find them?
MeenooMy number one goal is to have money to invest in a new professional lookbook ……
Evelyn P.Just this last week, I matched my revenue from 2010, so the rest of the year it’s my goal to see how much I can improve on it!
jenKeeping the focus can be a struggle, you want to remain flexible but new ideas can send you off course and down the wrong path.
LoriMy biggest struggle is keeping up with adding new items.
jenAwesome! It’s pretty tough to narrow it down to *just one* business challenge, but I would say doing it all yourself, and juggling the art of “wearing many hats.” To be a successful creative entrepreneur, you seldom get to simply create things and sit back to let the sales roll in. You are Customer Service Rep Extraordinaire, Marketing and PR Guru, Supplies and Inventory Manager, CEO, Research and Development Team, Packaging and Shipping Department, Quality Assurance Control, AND Creative Genius all-in-one. Sometimes, the weight of these responsibilities can be a little overwhelming. Afterall, if your biz is going to succeed, no one else is going to make it happen (or care as much as you do.) I think a guide like this would be an excellent resource to help small businesses keep their various (and weighty) responsibilities organized.
MaiHi Brittni
I’m an invitation designer and this year I’m planning to exhibit at my first bridal fair. Fingers crossed!
Alicia Parsons | Akimbo