The July magazine is live! And it’s our 70th magazine issue! WOW! Thank you to all of you wonderful artists out there that have been supporting our magazine since 2015. Our magazine is made for you and you’ve made our magazine possible. Our hearts are full. <3
This month we have lots of interesting topics for you, especially if you love using Instagram to grow your business. Instagram is one of our favorite topics because it’s such a great platform for artisans. In fact, Dani (founder of the Handmade Seller magazine) launched her IG account for stained glass art last October and is already at 7,600+ followers. Which is why this month’s magazine has a heavy emphasis on artists who have grown their business through Instagram (and how they’ve done it!) Enjoy! 🙂
“I saw other artists just starting out like me, and I watched as their following grew…” -Mary Ann
Our first featured seller, Mary Ann, made it her mission to grow to 10,000 followers on Instagram. She accomplished that in 2 years, but then gained another 10,000 in the next 7 months, showing that the larger your account grows, the faster you gain more followers.
“In following other artist’s careers and their growing followers, what I noticed was that once they reached 10,000 followers, their exposure on Instagram really seemed to take off. I assume it has to do with the algorithm, but I think when you reach that number of followers, people also look at you like you are an expert in your field, and so they want to follow you for that reason.”
– Mary Ann Testagrossa @maryanntestagrossaart
“I do believe that you are always where you need to be in life, even if you don’t know it yet.” – Emma
Our second featured seller, Emma, jumped into this magazine issue with hardly any notice from us and was a total champ in getting her story in on time. And guess what she talks about? Instagram! She applied to be featured and made comments in her application about growing her IG account to 36,000 people. Her secret? She’s a people person!
“I try to be as authentic as I can, posting about my failures as well as what went well. I am very much a people person and I always try to word my posts like I’m talking to my best friend.”
-Emma Hall @thesilverspot
“Over time I absolutely fell in love with helping my grandparents.” – CJ
CJ is not your typical teenager. He started helping out his grandparents with their business when he was just 9. Then, at age 14, he went off on his own to start his entrepreneurial journey. Now his business is growing every year and he’s already got a plan in place for his college days!
“I worked with my Grandparents from age 9 to 14, doing craft shows with them and selling on their online stores.Then, my Grandfather encouraged me to branch out on my own and create a name for myself.”
– CJ Allen @cja__designs
Magazine Question of the Month
Last month we asked sellers how they make their return customers feel special. Read their answers in this month’s magazine! Click here to answer next month’s question and get featured in our August magazine! Product by @mikaharmony.
The Journey to 26,000 Instagram Followers
Mary Ann set a goal of reaching 10,000 IG followers. But once she achieved that, her momentum picked way up. Read how she grew her Instagram account and uses it to promote her art business.
Can You Be Successful Without Social Media?
Not everyone likes social media, in fact, many don’t. So the big question is, can you still be successful in this modern age without it?
Being Herself Got This Artist to 36,000 Instagram Followers
Emma started with ceramics as a hobby, but when her Instagram account took off, she went full-time. Here’s how she got to 36,000 IG followers just by being herself and building relationships with her new friends.
Entrepreneurial Stress Eating
Running a business comes with a lot of stress triggers, which can easily lead to bad habits like snacking. Most of us do it, especially when working from home. Here’s how to get ahead of the habit as an entrepreneur.
A Teenage Jewelry Designer
CJ began helping his grandparents with their jewelry business when he was just 9. Then, at age 14, he branched out and created a name for himself.
Finding Your Tribe – The 1,000 True Fans Technique
Learn why 80% of your sales come from 20% of your actions and you only need 1,000 true fans to succeed. What are the characteristics of a true fan? Why do you only need 1,000 of them? Let’s dive in!
The June Newsstand
Get updated on the latest industry news, shopping trends, social media changes, and more!
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