Ok. So you've got your website done and stocked with your crafts that you have put your heart and soul into. So you sit back and just wait for all those millions of people out there to come and buy. You check your email, check your stat counter and still nothing. Then, you start checking your competitors sites, and look at how many you have to compete against. It just makes you want to scream. Now it's time to get some of the world to look at your site. There are plenty of internet shoppers to go around.

We all know people love getting freebies. I do, I know that. Now you could put some kind of promotion on your site but it still will not drive them there why, because they do not know about your site. My suggestion would be to do a sweepstake. Now I know, we don't like giving things away for free but it will attract visitors and that is what you are looking for isn't it? It does not have to be anything expensive, believe me people are drawn to just about anything just so it is free. Find something you think you can part with. Try one of your less expensive items and put it on a sweepstakes website. These sites are totally free to the person hosting the sweep and you decide the rules. 10 days, 30 days, over 18yrs etc?

Remember draw them to your web site. When you fill out your form for the sweep, don't just say "Send and email and the winner will be drawn at random" Make them be redirected to your site, and then at that page in your site you can have a link to your email.

Now before you do that make sure your site is ready. Pick your item that you will be doing a sweep with. If that is the only one in stock, PLEASE make sure you take it off the catalog page. You don't want to have the item in both the catalog and sweep and find out one day low and behold someone else wants to buy that item and unless you can make another one in record time it's not very good customer service. The next thing is to make a page on your site just for the sweep item. Remember again, draw them to your site.

Set up a contest page. Make sure in that page you have a picture of the item and your rules of the contest as discussed earlier. Don't forget to put a link to your email, sweepers do not want to go hunting around your website to look for a contact page. If you have any other specials running, (example) 25% off your first order, or free shipping, try to include that in your contest page so they are aware you have specials running on stocked items. If they like your item and realize there are other specials they might want to shop while they are there.

Now find some system that will work for you on how you will handle the emails coming in. Can your server handle 500 emails? If not, maybe you should print or write down all the names every other day or so, that way it won't take much of your time each day.

All depending on the time of year (Christmas is best of course) and how long you host the sweep will depend on how many people will visit. I really don't suggest a sweep longer than 30 days.

Good Luck! Happy Sweeping! And many sales to come.

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Stained Glass crafter Marie Sylvester is the author and can be reached for comment about this newsletter or any of her items from her website at marie@enchantedstainedglassart.com