Thursday 25 August 2016

How-To Classes on Skillshare

It has been a busy couple of weeks for me (okay, maybe three weeks - time flies). In my last post I told you I had just published my first class on Skillshare; well now I have two classes published! The happiest moment for me was when I checked my email yesterday and saw that my spinning class had twenty-five enrollments. Twenty-five is the magic number to start earning revenue, so I am very excited. It will only get better from here!

Class number two is How to Make Your Own Weaving Sticks. I walk students through the process, plus have a set of written instructions available for download so students can use their sticks right away. I have used weaving sticks for belts, coasters and totebag straps. The woven strips may also be sewn together to make placemats, rugs or bags. Once you get started, the woven projects may soon take over your house.

Both of my classes are kid-friendly, so don't be afraid to share them with the kids in your life. They both improve patience, coordination and a sense of accomplishment. Children as young as five or six can learn to spin and use weaving sticks, so a whole new world can be opened up to them.

If you have taken any of my classes, I would appreciate a review plus projects posted within the class. That way I will know if I need to tweak anything to make the classes better. Thank you all for your support!

Friday 5 August 2016

Now Published!

Hi Everyone!

My apologies for the delay in getting this post done, but I have been busy with my course on Skillshare. As I mentioned in the last post, I was invited to be a teacher there, and yesterday I finished and published my first course. I am so excited!

The course title is Learn to Spin Your Own Yarn, and walks you through the construction of a basic spindle, plus the spinning, making of the ball, plying and setting of the twist. I do have to say it was an interesting experience to get it finished, but I did it!

The link above takes you to the course, plus also gives you the option to sign up for 99 cents for three months for a Premier Membership. That's 33 cents per month for the first three months. It's a win-win, because with that package you can take my course, plus any other course on the platform you wish. Just think of all the cool stuff you can learn to do/make.

I have learned how to make a Amigurumi Jellyfish, mandalas and am in the process of learning how to make felt for felted cacti. I am also registered for both writing and craft classes, which will keep me busy for awhile. The best part is, the lessons are generally in the 3 - 5 minute range, so you can easily refer to different lessons if you need to watch something again. A new, easier way of learning.

And, if you have something to share with the world, you too can become a teacher on Skillshare. It has several benefits, with one being monetary compensation. And who couldn't use a little extra cash these days?

Below is a picture of the yarn I spun for the class. If you want to see how I did it, click here.


Tuesday 26 July 2016

Skillshare Opportunity

Have you ever considered learning online? What about teaching?

Last week I was given the opportunity to teach a class on Skillshare and am going for it. It is still in progress, but I am pleased with the results so far.

If you like to share your knowledge with others, as I do, then joining Skillshare as a teacher is a great opportunity. As I said, I haven't published my first class yet, but the earning potential is there. The first one is always the hardest it seems, because the platform is new to me, and I'm familiarizing myself with the process and how to structure the class.

I have also taken some classes, one of which is learning how to make the mandalas. That may or may not have been one of the reasons I didn't start filming my class until yesterday.

If you are interested in learning anything online, Skillshare is the place to do it. The beauty is the lessons are  2-5 minutes long, which makes them easy to digest; and easy to refer back to should you want to watch it again. I have enrolled in classes from other sites and it has been one long video. I'm not saying the content wasn't good, as it was, but it was difficult to find the spot I was looking for when I wanted something repeated.

The photo below is what I learned to do in the mandala class. Enjoy and have a great day!


Tuesday 19 July 2016

5 Ways to Sell Your Digital Products

Do you create digital products?

For those who do, getting them into the hands of others is easier than ever. I have compiled a short list to show you just how easy it is to earn money from your products. Before I get to the list however, I will go over what digital products entail.
Firstly, digital products do not necessarily have to be eBooks. If it can be created on your computer or your smartphone, it can be sold as a digital product. Photography, eBooks, patterns, audio and video can all be created digitally. Plus, using your computer’s drawing program you can also create pictures and other works of art. The possibilities are endless, and the revenue potential is high.
Secondly, it is wrong to assume that you will make a sale the minute you put it online. As with any product or business, you have to let others know it is available. You must do some marketing, or you products will sit there gathering virtual dust. You can start within your circle of social media contacts, then branch outward.

Now for the fun part!

1. One of the best ways to sell your digital products is to upload the files to a platform such as Sellfy. They take a small fee (five percent) when a sale is made, and the rest is deposited into your PayPal account. The nice thing about this platform is you don’t have to wait for your funds.

Sellfy also lets you share your products via social networking links directly from your product page. Plus, you can easily embed a code they provide and paste it onto your website or blog.

2. Another way to sell your digital products is to open an Etsy Shop. The files are uploaded and automatically sent to buyers once payment has been cleared. I have sold several of my crochet patterns this way. There are thousands of shops selling everything from patterns to eBooks to printable pages for journals, calendars, planners and papercrafts. Quality images are also sold, which gives the buyer the rights to use them in their own projects or print them to display. When selling images, it is wise to include a policy which explains where the images can be used. Not all images have the same rights, so be sure you are clear.

3. Selling directly from your blog or website is also an option. Using a payment processor such as PayPal works, or you can integrate a shopping cart. I find linking to my Etsy Shop or directly to my products in other platforms works best, as shoppers have an opportunity to see what else is available. Plus, it cuts down on the time you will need to manage orders. Why spend time on the administrative tasks when you could be creating instead? Yes, there is always some bookwork to be done, but let another platform take care of the order processing. That is essential when you are unable to be at your computer full time because of other commitments.

4. If you have created eBooks, selling them on Amazon will put you in front of a global market, should you choose to be. Yes, there is a lot of competition out there, but by producing a quality product that will educate or entertain others, there is great potential. The nice thing about Amazon is they have a POD (print on demand) service through CreateSpace, which allows shoppers to purchase a print copy of your book. Here again, it is a global market.

5. Another option for eBooks is Kobo. They also reach a global market, so your books can be purchased almost anywhere in the world. Once again, a quality product is necessary if you want to earn royalties. I do believe they have also partnered with a POD company, but at this point I do not know which it is.

As you can see, getting your digital products into the hands of others is relatively simple because there are so many options. The main thing to remember is to produce a quality product, be clear about how the products can be used, do your marketing and provide customer service. If there is an issue, try to resolve it as quickly as possible.

The digital age is here, so why not cash in on it?