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Promote Your CafePress store on Squidoo

December 22, 2008 by John Dilbeck
Filed under: Affiliate Marketing, CafePress, Marketing, Poll, Squidoo Lenses, Squidoo Marketing 

I was just updating my Promote Your CafePress Store lens on Squidoo and started wondering why someone would add a link to their shop, but would neglect to reload the page and vote for their own shop so it would rise closer to the top of the list.

What would be a valid reason for this behavior?

Could it be a basic lack of understanding of how the Squidoo Plexo modules work? On most of my lenses with a Plexo module, I have it set to add the link right away and send me an email message. When I get time, I go through those messages and look at what has been added to my lenses. If something is off-topic, I delete it.

Usually, I click on the link to see what was added. If I like it, I’ll click the up-arrow on my lens and vote for it.

The more up-votes, the higher the link will appear in that list.

Now, I’ve been remiss in looking through the CafePress shops in this lens, but I’m going to rectify that omission in the next few days by visiting those shops and voting for the ones I like.

I made some changes to the lens this evening. Instead of showing just the top 25 lenses (based on vote count), the lens is now showing all of them. I also removed the option to vote down a store in the list.

Still, I wonder why someone would build a store at CafePress, want to sell their merchandise, would add a link to their store on my lens, but would neglect the simple act of voting for their store and asking their friends to do the same.

Lack of understanding? Being too scattered in what they’re doing? Lazy?

I’m not going to make that mistake.

If you visit my Promote Your CafePress Store lens, I hope you’ll take the time to click the up-arrow next to my store, John Dilbeck – Shirts, Mugs, and Hats : CafePress.com. Currently, it’s at the top of the list with only two votes! Hopefully, after writing about it, my store will stay at the top of the list, or at least near the top.

If it doesn’t, that’s okay, too. I created the list with the anticipation that CafePress shop owners would list their store, and ask their friends to vote for it. I’m hoping other visitors to the lens will look at the stores in the list and vote for their favorites. Maybe the best stores will rise to the top, eventually.

Helping my friends promote their shops

Originally, I created the lens because I had friends with CafePress shops who were not selling their merchandise. Some of them had some high-quality designs, so the lack of sales must have been due to the lack of proper marketing.

Now, I know that one link on a lens will not create an overwhelming rush of customers to your store with their credit cards outstretched as they join in a mad frenzy of shopping, but it is a start.

Promote your shop

Have you taken that first step? If you have a CafePress shop, have you added a link to your store on this lens? Don’t forget to reload the page and vote for your shop.

Have you promoted your shop anywhere online? How are you attracting visitors to your shop so they’ll buy products with your designs?

Squidoo Marketing Community

A few months ago, I started the Squidoo Marketing Community so my fellow lensmasters could share ideas, help each other, and do a better job of marketing using their Squidoo lenses. There’s even a CafePress Shops group there so we can focus on discussing ways to promote our CafePress designs.

CafePress Affiliate Marketing Program

Did you know that CafePress has an affiliate marketing program managed through CommissionJunction.com? They do, and it pays pretty good commissions.

As a shop owner, I welcome sales by affiliates and I’m happy to provide part of my profits to them for any sales they make.

As an affiliate, I’m happy to accept a commission for helping to sell someone else’s items through my marketing efforts.

As you may know, my CafePress shop is located at Shirts-Mugs-Hats.com and I welcome anyone who would like to purchase my designs and/or any affiliates who would like to earn a commission by marketing my designs to your readers.

Do you have a CafePress shop?

What are you doing to promote it?

If you don’t have one, did you know that you can open your own shop for free?

An even better deal is opening your shop and upgrading it to a premium shop. You’ll be able to do much more with it. Considering all that CafePress provides, the low monthly fee for a premium shop is a real bargain.

How satisfied are you with your CafePress store?

I know everyone isn’t as satisfied with CafePress as I am.

So, what’s your experience?

What do you think?

Tell us about your CafePress shop and what you are doing to promote it.

I’m interested in your experiences with CafePress, learning more about your shops and the designs you sell, and how you’re marketing your products via CafePress.

How can we work together to help each other increase our sales and make more profits from our CafePress stores?

Act on your dream!

JD

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19 Comments on Promote Your CafePress store on Squidoo

  1. Dennis Edell on Mon, 22nd Dec 2008 8:46 pm

    2. I’ve never created a store. Don’t you have to create all the products yourself?

    Dennis Edells last blog post..UPDATE: Free Permanent BackLinks: Are You A Subscriber Or Following Me On Twitter?

  2. Sire on Tue, 23rd Dec 2008 3:26 am

    3. I actually do have Cafe Press Stores, but on my blogs, not on Squidoo. In fact I didn’t know that you could install them on squidoo.

    As for promotion, other than them being listed as a page and the initial post that introduced the store to my readers I haven’t promoted them at all.

    In regards to those people who do not vote for their own store, I reckon it is more ignorance than laziness.

    Sires last blog post..Finding The Right Blog To Comment On

  3. John Dilbeck on Wed, 24th Dec 2008 12:00 am

    4. Good evening, Dennis.

    No, you don’t have to create the products yourself. CafePress has about 100 products that they can print your designs on.

    Basically, you create a design or use a photograph and then upload it after creating a shop.

    Then, you can pick which products you want to sell with that design.

    They have a base price for each item. If you want to make a profit, you add it and the sum of both determines the selling price of the item.

    You can also sell your own books, music CDs, and data CDs, in addition to the other items.

    I started using CafePress just to advertise my blacksmithing business while walking around town. Now, I’m selling dozens of items most months using their service.

    It looks like my sales will be down this year, compared to last year, but I’ll still get a nice check in a few weeks.

    CafePress probably offers too many items and options for most people, unless you’re into it full-time, but it’s easy to work with a sub-set of products that apply to your design.

    Some people earn a few dollars and others earn a full-time income, all without having to deal with inventory, printing, customer service, staffing, and so forth.

    I have over 100 designs I haven’t had time to add to my store, but I’ll be adding some over the next few weeks.

    Give it a try when you get a few hours. It’s free, and all you need is a design of your own (be careful to read the restrictions) in order to get started.

    The design doesn’t even have to be artistic, if it is clever and original.

    Of course, it isn’t for everyone, but it works well for some of us.

    Act on your dream!

    JD

  4. John Dilbeck on Wed, 24th Dec 2008 12:34 am

    5. Good evening, Sire.

    Do you sell anything in your CafePress stores?

    I just looked on the WassupBlog and didn’t see any links.

    Yes, it may be more ignorance than laziness.

    All I know for sure is that I always reload a Squidoo lens if I add something to the Plexo so I’ll be sure to vote for it. Don’t know if anyone else will vote for it, but I will.

    On the other hand, if the lens is set so the lensmaster has to approve new links before they show up, then I can understand why we may forget to go back and vote.

    Act on your dream!

    JD

  5. Sire on Wed, 24th Dec 2008 2:48 am

    6. What! You missed my Cafepress shop? Perhaps I should rename it? Mine is in the WassupMall page.

    As for sales, now there is an interesting question. I just had a look and my shops, of which I have three, have produced close to 6000 clicks but I can’t for the life of me find where it shows the sales?

    Sires last blog post..Finding The Right Blog To Comment On

  6. John Dilbeck on Wed, 24th Dec 2008 11:06 am

    7. Good morning, Sire.

    I swear to you that I looked all over your blog page and did not see the WassupMall page! Did you just add it, or am I that unobservant?

    I see that you’re using PrestoGifto to market the items on your mall page. Are you promoting items in your shop(s) or are you promoting as an affiliate?

    I looked at PrestoGifto earlier this year and decided to promote items directly, even though they do offer an easy way to build a shop.

    Do you have three PrestoGifto shops or do you have three CafePress shops?

    I don’t mean to be dense, but I’m still on my first cup of coffee this morning. ;)

    Act on your dream!

    JD

  7. Dennis Edell on Wed, 24th Dec 2008 2:35 pm

    8. Sorry, I didn’t mean to imply that I would have to stitch the shirt or kilm (sp?) the mug myself lol, but the design part as you described…..man is that NOT me. LOL

  8. Sire on Wed, 24th Dec 2008 5:25 pm

    9. Three CafePress Shops Dennis and it’s always been there mate. Still can’t work out if I’ve made any sales though. Merry Christmas mate.

    Sires last blog post..Finding The Right Blog To Comment On

  9. John Dilbeck on Thu, 25th Dec 2008 6:11 am

    10. Merry Christmas!

    Dennis, I just wanted to make sure that we (and anyone who reads this) are on the same page. A lot of people don’t understand how CafePress works.

    Even if you don’t want to have your own shop, you can still earn commissions via their affilite program or by using CafePress modules on your Squidoo lenses.

    Sire, you can go to CafePress.com and log in.

    That should take you to a page that lists your shops. At the top of the page, there is a row of tabs. Click on Sales Reports.

    That should show a report of all sales you made this month.

    If you click on the summary tab, it will give you a snapshot of your current earnings status.

    Act on your dream!

    JD

  10. Dennis Edell on Thu, 25th Dec 2008 1:00 pm

    11. I’ll definitely look into the affiliate program, as well as the modules once I start Suidooing. :)

  11. Sire on Fri, 26th Dec 2008 12:38 am

    12. Nothing like that on my page. Doesn’t even list my shops :(

    Sires last blog post..Finding The Right Blog To Comment On

  12. John Dilbeck on Fri, 26th Dec 2008 2:17 am

    13. Good morning, Sire.

    I may be wrong, but it sounds like your shops aren’t CafePress shops, but PrestoGifto shops.

    Did you create the designs in your mall and upload to CafePress, or did you go to PrestoGifto and select designs from their huge list?

    Act on your dream!

    JD

  13. Sire on Fri, 26th Dec 2008 2:38 am

    14. Damn, after looking into it I found out that you are right, they are PrestoGifto stores. Something I have to look into my friend.

    Sires last blog post..Finding The Right Blog To Comment On

  14. John Dilbeck on Sun, 28th Dec 2008 12:02 pm

    15. Good morning, Sire.

    Did you see that PrestoGifto is closing shop?

    Apparently, they are turning their attention towards PopShops.

    Did you get any warning from them about this?

    Act on your dream!

    JD

  15. Sire on Sun, 28th Dec 2008 11:29 pm

    16. Nope, the first I saw of it was when I logged on after this post. Reckon that means I have to update my shops now. As if I didn’t have enough on my plate.

    Sire´s last blog post..Blog No Evil,The Fourth Wise Monkey

  16. Kimberly at Squidoo on Mon, 29th Dec 2008 11:51 am

    17. Sounds like a great opportunity to educate lensmasters and shopkeepers on how to use the Plexo modules! :)
    ~Kimberly
    Community & Charity Organizer
    Squidoo.com

  17. John Dilbeck on Mon, 29th Dec 2008 7:15 pm

    18. Good evening, Sire.

    I know what you mean.

    If you’re anything like me, there’s always more to do than there is time to get it done.

    Act on your dream!

    JD

  18. John Dilbeck on Mon, 29th Dec 2008 7:32 pm

    19. Good evening, Kimberly.

    It’s always good to hear from you, and welcome to our discussions.

    I agree. This is a good opportunity to educate people on how to use the Plexo modules, but I’m a bit at a loss on how to do a better job.

    On most of my lenses with a Plexo module, I tell them to add to the list and then come back and vote for what they added.

    Hardly anyone does this.

    I’m wondering if Squidoo can post a reminder when a link is submitted.

    Act on your dream!

    JD

  19. Passive Income With Your Own Online Store | WassupBlog on Sun, 19th Apr 2009 2:11 am

    20. [...] been too slack to do anything about it. I remember that John Dillbeck wrote a post on Promoting a CafePress Store On Squidoo, so I feel that would make a good start. It’s times like these when I wish I didn’t [...]

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