August S.M.A.R.T. Goals, Week 1 Update

Social Media Action Plan

August 1st I decided on my shop goals for this month.  If you didn't see that post, you can go back and read it here.  My next post focused on my social media action plan.  You can read all about my plan right here. Today, I am giving an update of how that's going.  I will also add the two other goals I had set for myself; retaking photos and adding items to my shop.

First, a recap of my social media campaign blitz. I had planned on sharing one post from each of six categories; humor, me (something from my shop or a blog post), a question or fill in the blank, an informational tidbit or link, an inspirational quote, and an item or blog I came across that I thought others would also like.  The sites I am focusing on are my facebook page, twitter, and google+.  I also have pinterest, but I am sharing different content there.

Did I mention I'm old school?  So here it is in all it's glory.(?)  OK, well, at least it's written down and I think I did pretty well with it.  I coded the categories with a letter (or symbol) and a number so I could chart them easier.  Below are close-ups so you see it better.

I decided to only share the humorous post on my facebook page.  I didn't think it was appropriate for google+ or twitter. My facebook page is more casuals, while twitter I tend to focus on helpful informational links and more serious posts, and google+ seems more professional, as well.

So this was my posting schedule, for the most part.  I did well with facebook and twitter, but not so much with google+.  Until I get my website up, my google+ account is not a business page, so I cannot schedule posts in advance.  (If anyone knows of a way to do it, please let me know.)  As you can see there is not as much green in my chart, nor are there many S's.  I did not schedule those (items and blog posts) because I thought I'd share them as I came across them, but you can see how well that worked...or didn't.  I also need to share more about me, which involves writing blog posts in advance, so I can focus more time on sewing.  Perhaps my blog should be my focus for September...

The results:

• My best post for facebook was a question I posed, with a reach of 59, 2 comments, and 3 clicks  (Definitely nothing to brag about, but it is what it is.)
• My best post for twitter was an inspirational quote, with 1 favorite and 3 retweets. (I haven't figured out how to find statistical information yet on twitter. If anyone can point me in the right direction, that would be great.)
• My best post for google+ was a fill in the blank question with 2 comments. (Since I don't have the business account, I don't have access to any real stats, like reach or views, so all I have to go on are +1's, shares, and comments.)

This week I am working on scheduling shares, but I am sharing different items on facebook and twitter to provide more variety and help more shops get exposure. I am also starting at 6am and not scheduling on the hour.  So that's it for the first week.  Scheduling does ensure I post more often and planning categories makes me aware of the content I am posting.  Stay tuned for next week's update.

70 listings In My Shop

I started the month with 54 items and my goal is to end with 70.  This means I need to make 16 items, with a mini-goal of making four new items per week.  I made this chart below and have it taped to the wall right next to my computer. Yes, it is basic, and again, old school, but it serves the purpose.  I have three columns which I am tracking; Make, Photos, and List.  By the end of the month I plan on having the whole chart colored in.  I also have a calendar so I can mark off the days.  ( I am one of those who works best with a deadline, so seeing the days pass gives me the push I need.)

Color codes...Blue--Make, Pink--Photos, Orange--List

So, I am on my way.  I have one more item that I'll be finishing up today and I'll be picking up my sewing machine from the shop this afternoon, so I will once again have that to work with, which will get me moving along faster.

Retake Photos

I know not all of my photos have the same look or feel about them, so I have decided that it's time to just get this over with instead of stewing on it.  My apron photos were taken when I lived in a different home, so I will be retaking those so they have the same background as my new photos.  I also want to retake photos of my cloth napkins in a table setting and also all folded the same way, and I want to show the checkbook covers in a real use setting.  I have not started with this goal yet, as I was focusing on figuring out my social media action plan, but here's the chart, nonetheless, just to prove that it's up and ready to be filled in.

How are your goals coming along?  Only 19 more days left this month. (No pressure.)