Name of your website?Embroidery Secrets
Your name?
Dawn
Your Location (city, etc)
Shropshire
Please give us a short summary of your website?
Embroidery secrets is a website all about machine embroidery. If you embroider for fun or profit your will find something there for you from tips to free designs to download.
What inspired you to launch your own website?
I love embroidering but enjoy sharing designs and tips even more.
When did you launch your first website, and what was it?
Our first website was our Embroidery Business one. We sell garments in a small niche all over the world and get lots of repeat business. It's not price sensitive and that means we make enough money on each one to provide great customer service and keep expanding our range.
How did you decide on a name for your website?
I wanted to share some of the secrets not only of getting great looking embroidery, but also for those who do it for profit, a way of actually making some money from your hobby.
What makes it different from other, similar offerings?
We add a personal touch, honest reviews of machines we have owned or used and a mailing list letting people know when the next free design becomes available.
What is your eventual goal? (To sell it, keep it for income, secure a book or other mainstream media deal?)
To grow the site steadily and be able to offer a new, exclusive, free design each week. Hopefully sell a few design packs too!
How does your investment of time and money balance against your success?
Good question. Our income from the embroidery business susidises Embroidery Secrets, but hopefully this will change. We are in it for the long haul. Nothing good is easy.
If you had an unlimited development budget for development, how would you change your site?
I wouldn't. Well, not that much! Maybe a little more advertising.
If your site got really big, really quickly, would you be able to keep up with the demand?
Yes, Thats the plan. In the first few weeks of launch we added 700 to our mailing list. This has now grown to over 1300, but it's not rocket science. The more promotion you do the better it gets.
What unexpected costs and headaches have you had to deal with?
People getting shirty over not being able to log in to download their FREE designs! You'd hope people would be a little more polite when we are giving stuff away!
What has been your biggest challenge?
Dividing time between the income generating business and the Embroidery Secrets site.
What method has been most successful for promoting your website?
For embroidery secrets there have been two ways. Recommendation from exisiting members who have enjoyed the free designs, and search engines.
How has running your website differed from your expectations?
It grew very quickly initially which sprurred us on. Lots more members from the US than expected although we have members from all corners of the world. Thats whats so great about the internet!
How long have you run the site already, and how long will you continue to keep it up if you don't enjoy big gains in traffic, income or popularity?
Just about a year now. It's a resource so while they make machines to embroider, we'll keep it going!
Why embroidery rather than print?
I love the quality of embroidery, you can feel the work that has gone into a garment.
What is your website address?
Embroidery Secrets
