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Anyone got any thoughts they would like to share regarding advertising? It's something that's relevant to all of us bear makers/sellers, so I thought we could share a cuppa and gather our internationally collaborative thoughts in here.
There must be many of us who wonder whether it's necessary to advertise and in which case, where is best to spend our hard earned money, which type of ads work well, etc etc ... so, if you have an advertising related comment, please feel free to share it here. 
Rufnut Teddy'sPaula, this is a great topic, I have only just begun advertising locally in Australian magazines, so I am still waiting to see benefits.
C.W. Huggley BearsHi Paula,
Here is my opinion but I think my situation is kind of unique. I have not made/sold bears for over a year due to my personal situation. Previously, I sold all the bears I made and had a little reputaion going on. But now, a year later with no activity, no one knows who I am and it is like starting from the beginning again. So once I made up my mind to get back into bear making, I decided to take advantage of the TB&F offer for advertising in their Sept/Oct. issue. I thought this would be a fantastic way to kick off my "reborn" passion.
As far as investing in advertising if you have a wonderful thing going already...I am not sure and would love to hear from established artist their take on it. 
Back Road BearsWell, in my limited experience:
I've advertised in one of the US bear mags 3 times. Very expensive every time.
All three times the ads have just paid for themselves through orders. But no profit. Perhaps it's exposure, getting my name out there, and in time folks may buy one of my bears? I didn't advertise in EVERY consecutive issue. Perhaps that would make a difference?
I've advertised in programs at local activities... such as a huge American Girl Doll event in the city here. Over 500 girls AND their mothers attended. Not one lead came out of that.
Exposure is SO important but at what price? I get more sales by physically putting myself in front of collectors - in other words doing SHOWS. It costs less to do a local show than to advertise in a US bear mag.
I also gain exposure right here on TT - at no cost, just time, which some will argue is money. I won't disagree on that!
My website is also a great advertising tool. In tracking the number of hits I get I'd say that my website is viewed more frequently than any printed ad I've done. I have a link to my site on all major teddy bear search websites, have swapped links with many bear artists, have links on the bear making suppliers websites, etc.
Lastly, I've found that I get more interest in my bears when I've been written up in an editorial... whether in a bear mag or a local newspaper. I'm thinking that an editorial says a lot more than an ad possibly can and therefore sparks more of an interest.
Oh, and when I teach a bear making workshop at a quilt shop..... all of my contact info is in the class schedule which the shop I'm teaching at puts out. I've sold bears to potential students that way too!
I just can't afford to pay for a huge ad campaign every year, and given the results of my magazine ads, I don't see how it would pay off anyway!
It will be interesting to hear what others say......
I used to advertise regularly in the UK mags, but became disillusioned with the cost and what I considered at the time, to be not enough reward. That said, it did help to establish my name over the years. Eventually I stopped advertising altogether simply because finances were tight and yes, sales did suffer!
Like Daphne, I believe a website is great exposure for a bear maker, but it still needs promotion. Having the website address in magazines and online facilities definitely helps direct collectors to the right place.
I've started to advertise in a small way again. I decided which magazine I felt most comfortable with here in the UK (www.teddybearscene.co.uk), worked out that I could afford a small ad and now I run bi-monthly ads with them. It's not too expensive and it helps to keep my name in the bear buying public's minds.
I've also taken adspace in the TT TB&F offer, which sounds great! I'd love to be able to advertise with the US magazines, but unfortunately it's just too expensive for me to do regularly and I think the key is to advertise regularly. Here in the UK we also have the 'Hugglets Teddy Bear Guide' which is published annually. They are really helpful because they offer free lineage so you are guaranteed an entry and you can upgrade to a paid advertisement if you want to. The guide is in the form of a book and covers all aspects of teddy bear marketing. It also has a section for overseas entries. See: www.hugglets.co.uk
These days the focus of my advertising has changed. I'm more interested in getting the website address across, than selling a particular bear for example. So advertising as a banner sponsor with TT has been a really useful, reasonably priced way of achieving that.
Editorial promotion is always beneficial, but not necessarily always achieveable. I have found that some mags work really well at supporting artists through editorial and if they offer me coverage, I'm more inclined to place ads with them when I can! Over the years I've had articles in all the UK magazines and they've been worth their weight in gold! This year I'm very excited as I've been approached for inclusion in a book, which is a real honour!
Well, I have been creating my bears full time for just 4 years... and only recently started really advertising.
I've had ads with TB&F... and yes they are expensive. I have gotten orders from each one... like Daphne it about pays for the ad... (so far) but I look at it as gaining new collectors. In fact... I've gotten repeat "adoptions" from one collector from that one ad. I'm doing a 3 month advertising campaign with them right now...and will probably take a break after that... and start up again.
I've finally started sending editorial submissions in and getting in the mags... but man that is a lot of work to keep up on! I usually make my Christmas bears in Dec if ya know what I mean LOL!
I do love doing shows... but as I don't like to travel because of my back...(and strange beds in the hotels) I only do the ABC show in Schaumburg -- that is $400. Yes, that sounds high, but it is expensive to put on a show like this in a hotel in the Chicago area. My hubby and I have been in charge of things like this for our not for profit tropical fish club...and the hotels are EXPENSIVE!! They charge you for the ballrooms based on how many hotel nights you book.... so it's very hard to know what your final costs will be until AFTER the event 
They don't discount for not for profit clubs either...
I feel that ABC does a great job of bringing in the teddy collectors!!I did a show at a doll/teddy show at a local fairgrounds for $75 and just barely covered my table cost.... as they did not spend money to advertise to the teddy collectors... only the doll.
I also have an artist gallery on North Country Teddy Bears. Nancy is doing magazine advertisement for that site... so I wanted to jump in there for the exposure that she is paying for
I have a gallery on Bearpile. The more often you get bears on the front page... the more your bears are seen. I have been very successful over the years with Bearpile. Sometimes it just takes time. I've had several collectors tell me that they've been watching my bears on Bearpile for a while and had been wanting one... and have now been able to do it.
Yes, I sell on eBay! I consider that advertising as well as a selling place (like Bearpile)
I am hoping to start teaching like Daphne in my area too!
And yes, I have a website! My website is my "shop". Almost all the advertising I do is to bring collectors to my "shop" (website)
Great Topic Paula!
Its about seven years since I advertised.Funnily enough Paula I was looking through some old mags thta I am featured in and saw an old advert of yours.The bears was lovely.I would like to try a U.S magazine.I am still too annoyed with TBand friends over their article by Dee Hockenberry to use them.I don;t know which other ones are any good.I never buy magazines now and only read the ones I get as pressies from pals who are featured in them.Mean or what???
I have sorted my website out and should perhaps advertise it???
Iwill call back and check for pearls of wisdom.
Diane xxx
Posts: 1,836I haven't advertised yet, but plan to in the near future. These are a couple small ideas, but they won't cost you a whole lot.
I used this first one with my other home business and it's not uncommon to see done in my area. I live in a well trafficed touristy area outside of a major city (Philadelphia) and people around here take advantage of their cars for advertising. I've used a clear window transfer for my other home business and I'm going to replace it for a while with my bear info. Anywhere my car goes the ad goes; gets people curious. I use the top of the back window and the 2 side window areas that are stationary and do not roll down. You could go all out and have a professional/permanent ad done on the side of your car as well, but I lease so that ain't happening!
I've also seen home based businesses use an internet tool at http://www.constantcontact.com. If you're constantly collecting email addresses (mailing lists, guest books at shows, etc) and want to send out monthly news letters, hellos, and a "what's new" to your buyers this looks like a pretty cool service.
Hope those suggestions weren't too green, me being a newbie and all! :)
~Chrissi
ebay, ctcatherwoods
coming summer2006...www.CatherWoods.com
I only know of TB&F and Teddy Bear Review in the States Diane ... maybe someone will enlighten us if there are any more US mags. I often wonder which mags are favourites in different countries - for example, I've sent bears to Australia, but don't really know anything about advertising over there.
I like that the UK mags are now offering banner style adverts for website promotion. I think they are quite reasonably priced and are probably cheaper than standard advertisements ... you could take a peek at Teddy Bear Scene (I mention that mag because I have a subscription to it and so have seen the ads!) and see what a web banner ad would cost.
I used to buy all 3 UK mags and 2 from the States, but have whittled down my subscriptions to just TBS and TB&F. The UK mags were getting too 'samey' and I thought the other two mags were focusing heavily on new bear makers and not really giving featuring much in the way aspirational work. I think TBS covers all aspects of the teddy bear world quite successfully and doesn't patronise its readers. Now that TBCI and TBT have merged, maybe their focus will change ... I haven't bought a copy yet, so don't know what their new format is like.
Past Time BearsI do a lot of advertising in both USA mags. As you can imagine, advertising is my major expense, but I believe it's probably the main reason bear people know who I am . . . or sort of know who I am. I don't do enough shows/year to get that kind of recognition. Way up there as a reason, also, is the fact that a lot of my bears are in Intercal's Photo Gallery. Thank you SO much, Intercal! :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: 
I get e-mails because of it and people mention it frequently at shows. That is promotion at its best! I may have to cut back on advertising soon . . . hubs and I are old retired people and drawing social security . . . money is a lot more scarce than it used to be, so budgeting is in order. I, however, definitely do not regret the amount of advertising that I've done in the past because it has kept my work out there pretty consistently.
I must give teddy bear review a lookie Paula.If I thought Teddy Bear scene was bought a broad I may go back to them.It is years since I had an ad in there.How much is a picture one now roughly???I am being lazy asking you,I will go look on their site.
My problem is I don't do editions and I don't take orders.I am trying to speed up to keep up with demand but maye if I was famous I could sell for a bit more and not have to make more,lovely thought isn't it????
Hugs Diane xxx
I must give teddy bear review a lookie Paula.If I thought Teddy Bear scene was bought a broad I may go back to them.It is years since I had an ad in there.How much is a picture one now roughly???I am being lazy asking you,I will go look on their site.
My problem is I don't do editions and I don't take orders.I am trying to speed up to keep up with demand but maye if I was famous I could sell for a bit more and not have to make more,lovely thought isn't it????
Hugs Diane xxx
It surely is a lovely thought! I've just been taking 16th page ads in the 'pawprint' section at the back of the mag and each one of those costs me £47.00. 16th page in the main body of the mag is dearer ... not sure how much though. I've just been invited to take advantage of a special rate for an ad too because I'm doing Hugglets in September and that will cost me around £65.00 (can't remember the exact figure ... I think including VAT it might be £68.something!) There are bigger ads to be had, but obviously bigger prices for those! Don't forget you can have free lineage in the Hugglets UK Teddy Bear Guide Diane ... you could advertise your website address in there and because it's a guide, it's available all year round.
Sue Ann, your Intercal bears certainly do the job! I love looking at those pics! Keeping your name 'out there' is definitely important.
Melanie, I've noticed the hits on website have increased when I advertise ... they've also increased with my TT banner! Thanks Intercal!!
Chrissi, I love the proactive advertising solutions you've come up with! Really innovative! :clap:
Irenours-bearsHi. Ididn't advertised yet, because it's too expensive for me at the moment.By now, i have a website, TT, Ebay and Bearsandbuds as "advertising places. But i have a full of bear magazines and i realised that there are some artists who advertise very often. My thaught as a reader is the fact that sometimes, too much advertising can kill the advertising because if i often see the same advertising, finally it will not keeping my attention. That said, it's necessary of course to let people know that you exist.
I agree with you Irene ... advertising too much, or using the same advertisement all the time, can work against you. I like to vary my advertisments as much as possible, using different bears for example.
Taking advantage of internet facilities to promote yourself is important. I think website link exchanges are a good idea too, although I know some people don't like to introduce their customers to competitor's websites! I think anything that keeps collectors interested in teddy bears, is a good idea.
Back Road BearsI think anything that keeps collectors interested in teddy bears, is a good idea.
nettie wrote:I must give teddy bear review a lookie Paula.If I thought Teddy Bear scene was bought a broad I may go back to them.It is years since I had an ad in there.How much is a picture one now roughly???I am being lazy asking you,I will go look on their site.
My problem is I don't do editions and I don't take orders.I am trying to speed up to keep up with demand but maye if I was famous I could sell for a bit more and not have to make more,lovely thought isn't it????
Hugs Diane xxxIt surely is a lovely thought! I've just been taking 16th page ads in the 'pawprint' section at the back of the mag and each one of those costs me £47.00. 16th page in the main body of the mag is dearer ... not sure how much though. I've just been invited to take advantage of a special rate for an ad too because I'm doing Hugglets in September and that will cost me around £65.00 (can't remember the exact figure ... I think including VAT it might be £68.something!) There are bigger ads to be had, but obviously bigger prices for those! Don't forget you can have free lineage in the Hugglets UK Teddy Bear Guide Diane ... you could advertise your website address in there and because it's a guide, it's available all year round.
Sue Ann, your Intercal bears certainly do the job! I love looking at those pics! Keeping your name 'out there' is definitely important.
Melanie, I've noticed the hits on website have increased when I advertise ... they've also increased with my TT banner! Thanks Intercal!!
I was in the hugglets guide for six years Paula without one phonecall.The last couple of years I didn't even bother to fill it in.Lazy lump.I think in my mind I have just written the U.K off for sales.I used to go to Hugglets every year and only sell a few bears.I got home and sold them all overnight to the U.S mostly.As they say in the U.S go figure???I just don't appeal to the natives ha ha.I may give teddy bear review a go.
Thanks Diane xxx
Chrissi, I love the proactive advertising solutions you've come up with! Really innovative! :clap:
