Clean Up Time

Every once in a while, I decide to clean up things. Today, I cleaned up my website and took off several things that no one seems to care exist. First thing I took off was this blog. I get about 5 views per day average, and I know who at least 4 of them are from. They aren't coming from my website, so I took that column off my menu. No sense in having it there if no one's looking at it!

Then I took off my Healing With Color free e-book page. Once again, no one seems to be looking at it, so why clutter the site with it?

I took off the news and events page, because I don't really have much news and events. I took off links on how I make my detailed beads, because once again, no one is looking at those. I then took a big step and took off my newsletter, which only one person has mentioned the entire time I've been sending it out. I might still do the newsletter every so often, but what's the point in taking the hours it takes to put that together if no one cares about it? My time can be better spent elsewhere.

And I took off the trunk show page on my site, because that is outdated since the show is over.

Now, my site looks "cleaner". There's not "too much" info on there, which seems to boggle people. Basically there's jewelry for sale, a little about me, how to order retail and wholesale and that's it. What more does there need to be? You hear all the time you need to have all this "extra stuff" on your website to get traffic. Well, I've had the extra stuff and it's not getting traffic. Maybe I didn't have the right extra stuff. All I know is it was looking cluttered.

Now I didn't delete these pages TOTALLY. I can bring them back up at any time, and if someone was looking and noticed they are gone, maybe they will say something.

I have learned something very valuable this past year - if you're doing something and it's not working for ya, then why do you keep doing it? Good question! So I've stopped doing the things or including things that don't seem to be working. Now I will keep doing my blog, because it's a way for me to express myself in journal form and I truly enjoy it. It's just not linked from my website anymore.

I started Leo Jewelry and the marketing of my polymer clay jewelry this past January. I have read you have to work at your craft and give it three years to see if it's going to work. I will continue this adventure for that time and continue marketing my business.

I am thinking of trying ArtbyUs auctions with some of my pieces. There are no fees at this point. So I might try it and see what happens with a few items.

I'm also going to continue my postcard marketing to former customers and boutiques to try to gain their business. It's colorful and inexpensive marketing...also short, sweet and to the point. I did finally make up some full color business cards this weekend. So I now have something in my purse to hand anyone who might happen to ask about my jewelry.

I just felt it was time to de-clutter and simplify things. I'll be doing my house and office this week as well, because I'm having company in town next weekend. Out with the old, in with the new! :)