Message to Clients: Internet and Imagination

I originally wrote this for our blog during the spring of 2006 when we first realized that we were making a living through web sales. This is dedicated to all of you who've found us on the net by using your imagination and surfing skills.

A Hearty Thanks To You From Us!


"Internet and Imagination"

I’ve been banging on Sandy’s Mountain Scene Jewelry website for 5 years now, reading, taking advice, updating, etc. What I have not done is much linking - a small links page for friends in business, 2 links on the home page that were required for reciprocity, and I’ve put us in a few link farms whenever I’ve stumbled across one that’s relevant and easy.

As we all know, linking is supposed to be the deal, pretty nearly the whole deal.

So, how are we (almost completely) making a living from web sales when I’ve ignored the issue? First, we live well within our means, usually, and in a place where it’s not easy to go shopping and spend - a middle of nowhere. Second, linking seems to be secondary to defining your niche well and making all your coding/content relevant and redundant. Third, and most interestingly, is that folks find us. This is wild because I’ve been yapping about our unique marketing problem: no one knows that mountain jewelry exists. I’m not a marketer or business person by inclination or training, so this has been like an insurmountable wall for me. I search for relevant info (hard) and refuse to implement the ideas I do find (easy).

So how is this working?

I encouraged Sandy to ask our clients. The essence of their answers - imagination and desire.

This got me thinking of the present (and very new) state of the Internet as similar to the time when medieval map makers symbolized uncharted territory with dragons and scary monsters. Sort of. Yes, there are many very capable and imaginative folks working to create and understand the architecture, the structure and dynamics and the extent of the net, not only presently, but also with a keen eye to the future consequences of our present decisions. And only a set of folks see scary stuff along the edges (or the middle, or everywhere, depending on their general knowledge and fear levels).

It’s the uncharted territory idea that I’m going for. Anything could be out there in cyberspace, and our clients are like explorers. This is phenomenal. They wonder, “Might someone be making wedding rings with mountains on them?” They use their skills and find us. And then we begin a relationship based on stories: theirs, ours and the new ones we create together through a relationship based on creating wearable art objects that symbolize our mutual values and loves.

If you’re a client reading this - cheers to you and your way of thinking!"