The Happily Handmade Giveaway: A Valuable Tool for Promoting Indie Business
Nashville, TN, March 14, 2009 --(PR.com)-- In today's tough economic climate, many small businesses are struggling to find creative ways to reach new customers. One surefire method to lure new clients is to offer them fantastic free merchandise. The Happily Handmade Giveaway builds off this precept, creating a cost effective tool for promoting small and independent businesses. This unique event brings together a wide variety of indie artists, designers and small business owners who contribute their handmade creations to the contest. Donated items are combined to create fabulous prize boxes filled with handmade gifts. Contestants enter the Giveaway by visiting the websites of participating vendors and registering for a chance to win one of prize boxes through a random drawing.
The success of the Happily Handmade Giveaway is built on its successful, twofold mission. First, to provide small businesses with an affordable promotional opportunity, allowing them to reach new customers and build quality mailing lists. Additionally, the giveaway aims to reward shoppers for their continued support of indie business–for making the conscious decision to purchase from an independent crafter and not a big box retailer.
The Happily Handmade Giveaway is pleased to announce that sponsorship opportunities are now available for the 2009 Giveaway. For a small fee and a donation to the gift boxes, Indie Shop Sponsors will be listed on the giveaway website as an official entry location. Contestants can enter the giveaway by visiting any of the participating sponsors’ websites; each website will feature a separate entry form. Multiple entries are encouraged, allowing entrants to increase their chances of winning by simply visiting more of the Indie Shop Sponsors. Each Sponsor will also have the full list of Sponsor links on their entry page, creating an active stream of traffic from one site to another. Businesses participating in the giveaway have consistently reported a large increase in traffic to their site and subscriptions to their mailing list, which the Sponsor has the option of requiring for entry into the contest.
“The Happily Handmade Giveaway resulted in direct sales and a six-fold increase in the size of my mailing list,” says Lilie Wells, indie jewelry designer (http://www.aplanet4creation.com) and giveaway volunteer. “Being a giveaway sponsor is a great way to connect with online shoppers, promoting my business to potential customers I couldn't have reached otherwise. I’ve done the Happily Handmade Giveaway three times now and I am hooked.”
The true promotional power of the giveaway is evidenced in the behavior of contestants, who often visit a business’ website for the purpose of entering the contest, but end up lingering and often purchasing items. “I have emailed all my friends and relations and demanded they shop indie,” says Lorinda, one of the lucky winners of the 2007 event. “Thanks for the delight that you have brought me! I am now the coolest, indiest chick in my city, and I’m proud to say it’s because of Happily Handmade.”
While it may be the opportunity to enter the contest that leads consumers to visit a website, traffic to Sponsors’ sites will discover so much more. Indie artisans offer something that big box retailers cannot: quality, one-of-a-kind craftsmanship paired with creative ideas and unique personality. The allure of winning is a powerful tool, driving traffic to the Sponsors’ websites, but once there, a new world of goods unfolds before them.
The Happily Handmade Giveaway (http://www.happilyhandmade.com) was founded in 2004 by Nicole Theis-DeMoss, owner of Funky Utopia (http://www.ShopFunkyUtopia.com), an online retail outlet for independent designer goods. In 2005 Lindsay Landis of Purr Design (http://www.PurrDesign.com) partnered with Nicole Theis-DeMoss to take the project to the next level. Today, The Happily Handmade Giveaway awards thousands of dollars worth of prizes to winners around the world. The 2009 Giveaway will officially open for entries beginning April 1st and run through May 13th, with winners announced on May 18th. Sponsors can sign up to participate in the event through March 20th.
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The success of the Happily Handmade Giveaway is built on its successful, twofold mission. First, to provide small businesses with an affordable promotional opportunity, allowing them to reach new customers and build quality mailing lists. Additionally, the giveaway aims to reward shoppers for their continued support of indie business–for making the conscious decision to purchase from an independent crafter and not a big box retailer.
The Happily Handmade Giveaway is pleased to announce that sponsorship opportunities are now available for the 2009 Giveaway. For a small fee and a donation to the gift boxes, Indie Shop Sponsors will be listed on the giveaway website as an official entry location. Contestants can enter the giveaway by visiting any of the participating sponsors’ websites; each website will feature a separate entry form. Multiple entries are encouraged, allowing entrants to increase their chances of winning by simply visiting more of the Indie Shop Sponsors. Each Sponsor will also have the full list of Sponsor links on their entry page, creating an active stream of traffic from one site to another. Businesses participating in the giveaway have consistently reported a large increase in traffic to their site and subscriptions to their mailing list, which the Sponsor has the option of requiring for entry into the contest.
“The Happily Handmade Giveaway resulted in direct sales and a six-fold increase in the size of my mailing list,” says Lilie Wells, indie jewelry designer (http://www.aplanet4creation.com) and giveaway volunteer. “Being a giveaway sponsor is a great way to connect with online shoppers, promoting my business to potential customers I couldn't have reached otherwise. I’ve done the Happily Handmade Giveaway three times now and I am hooked.”
The true promotional power of the giveaway is evidenced in the behavior of contestants, who often visit a business’ website for the purpose of entering the contest, but end up lingering and often purchasing items. “I have emailed all my friends and relations and demanded they shop indie,” says Lorinda, one of the lucky winners of the 2007 event. “Thanks for the delight that you have brought me! I am now the coolest, indiest chick in my city, and I’m proud to say it’s because of Happily Handmade.”
While it may be the opportunity to enter the contest that leads consumers to visit a website, traffic to Sponsors’ sites will discover so much more. Indie artisans offer something that big box retailers cannot: quality, one-of-a-kind craftsmanship paired with creative ideas and unique personality. The allure of winning is a powerful tool, driving traffic to the Sponsors’ websites, but once there, a new world of goods unfolds before them.
The Happily Handmade Giveaway (http://www.happilyhandmade.com) was founded in 2004 by Nicole Theis-DeMoss, owner of Funky Utopia (http://www.ShopFunkyUtopia.com), an online retail outlet for independent designer goods. In 2005 Lindsay Landis of Purr Design (http://www.PurrDesign.com) partnered with Nicole Theis-DeMoss to take the project to the next level. Today, The Happily Handmade Giveaway awards thousands of dollars worth of prizes to winners around the world. The 2009 Giveaway will officially open for entries beginning April 1st and run through May 13th, with winners announced on May 18th. Sponsors can sign up to participate in the event through March 20th.
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Contact
Happily Handmade Giveaway
Lindsay Landis
615-557-8135
www.happilyhandmade.com
Lindsay Landis
615-557-8135
www.happilyhandmade.com
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