getting a buzz

[2008.06.19 19:01:14] Welcome to the CafePress Chat Room
[2008.06.19 19:01:14] shopa again has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
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[2008.06.19 19:02:20] Skully has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.06.19 19:02:37] Sag has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.06.19 19:02:46] matisse has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.06.19 19:02:58] nanwrightart has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.06.19 19:03:06] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2008.06.19 19:03:14] BrittaCP: Greeting and salutations everyone
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[2008.06.19 19:03:33] BZ has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.06.19 19:03:44] BrittaCP: welcome to another (what i hope to be) inspiring, informative, and just plain fun Shopkeeper Discussion
[2008.06.19 19:03:50] shopa again: hi everyone
[2008.06.19 19:04:26] BrittaCP: Today I thought I would round us all up to discuss "finding buzz"
[2008.06.19 19:04:49] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2008.06.19 19:04:53] BrittaCP: meaning what, where, and how ideas for designs come from and sell
[2008.06.19 19:04:56] shopa again: (hands out bottles of wine)
[2008.06.19 19:05:01] BrittaCP: glug glug
[2008.06.19 19:05:22] BrittaCP: Since this is a Shopkeeper Discussion, there is no set agenda
[2008.06.19 19:05:39] BrittaCP: sit's really about you guys sharing your thoughts with each other and learning from one another
[2008.06.19 19:05:55] BrittaCP: Really quick, the chat rule
[2008.06.19 19:06:00] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2008.06.19 19:06:25] Tanith has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.06.19 19:06:41] BrittaCP: This is a moderated chat. That means any comments you send will go into a queue where it will be reveiwed by a moderator and later pushed out
[2008.06.19 19:06:53] BrittaCP: If you don't see you're comment right away, that's why
[2008.06.19 19:07:05] BrittaCP: Transcript will be posted in a few days
[2008.06.19 19:07:11] BrittaCP: end of rules
[2008.06.19 19:07:14] nanwrightart: ok I'm all ears
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[2008.06.19 19:07:55] BrittaCP: I think there is always something to talk baout in this world
[2008.06.19 19:07:59] BrittaCP: something to make fun of
[2008.06.19 19:08:04] BrittaCP: something to take a stand on
[2008.06.19 19:08:12] BrittaCP: something to put on t-shirts
[2008.06.19 19:08:12] Juna D has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.06.19 19:08:25] Karen has left the room (logged out)
[2008.06.19 19:08:27] BrittaCP: and i'm sure all of you agree... but where do those ideas come from
[2008.06.19 19:08:47] Karen has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.06.19 19:08:52] BrittaCP: one thing that we use a lot around here is Yahoo! Buzz report: http://buzz.yahoo.com/buzz_log/?fr=fp-buzz-morebuzz
[2008.06.19 19:08:55] Gandalf Parker: First and foremost would probably be Buzz.Yahoo.com which is on my morning tabs
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[2008.06.19 19:09:44] BrittaCP: how many others are currently tapped into this?
[2008.06.19 19:09:54] Juna D: not me.
[2008.06.19 19:10:12] Sag: I am
[2008.06.19 19:10:13] nanwrightart: never heard of it
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[2008.06.19 19:11:09] NiftyGaloot: Sorry, I don't get a morning Buzz. ;)
[2008.06.19 19:11:36] Sag: depends on how time-sensitive the buzz is that determines if I use it.
[2008.06.19 19:11:40] Gandalf Parker: buzz.yahoo.com reports on the top searches of the day. good for knowing when a new interest is bursting on the scene
[2008.06.19 19:12:02] tshirtfort: I've done some buzzy type shirts here and there, but they don't sell that well. I do check yahoo buzz but it doesn't inspire me that much, honestly.
[2008.06.19 19:12:09] BrittaCP: it's all a matter of finding ideas
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[2008.06.19 19:12:29] INTERESTED has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.06.19 19:12:31] BrittaCP: something that may be all the rage, or a hot topic, can take a bit of thinking when it comes to translating it into a t-shirt
[2008.06.19 19:12:35] nanwrightart: :-D
[2008.06.19 19:12:37] nanwrightart: ohhhhhhhhh I will have to tap into that!
[2008.06.19 19:13:23] Gandalf Parker: if a persons shop is specific to a theme, then you might use news.google.com to make a long extensve news search with lots of "any of this" and "none of this". Then have google email you daily if news breaks on that
[2008.06.19 19:13:37] nanwrightart: I'm really new to this, but so far I have found in my shop that humorous sells faster than serious.
[2008.06.19 19:13:53] BrittaCP: humor is always a great way to go
[2008.06.19 19:14:08] BZ has left the room (logged out)
[2008.06.19 19:14:32] BrittaCP: but tell us... where does the humor come from? are you filled with random one liners? do you take ideas from the pop culture? poke fun at the news?
[2008.06.19 19:14:39] nanwrightart: I have done a lot of serious paintings, but the funny ones are the ones they like.
[2008.06.19 19:14:52] nanwrightart: I only have 10 minutes I can spend with you guys, so I had to speak up early. I get most of my humorous designs from dreams.
[2008.06.19 19:15:04] Uncle Frog: Is "Baby Cha-Cha" still all the rage?
[2008.06.19 19:15:12] BrittaCP: hmmm... think i missed that one
[2008.06.19 19:15:16] Juna D: I follow entertainment news. TV, Movies, Music.
[2008.06.19 19:16:04] BrittaCP: There is always juicy content there. Trick is how to take those ideas and "happenings" and not break the rules
[2008.06.19 19:16:16] Scarebaby: For me, it's a little heavy on the celebrity stuff, names we can't use, things like that. But I check it regularly.
[2008.06.19 19:16:40] INTERESTED: I AM INTERESTED IN STARTING A SHOP, BUT WANT TO MAKE SURE IT IS A LIGITIMATE WAY TO GENERATE MONEY???
[2008.06.19 19:16:46] sdfsdfsd has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.06.19 19:16:49] BrittaCP: sure, it is.
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[2008.06.19 19:17:34] BrittaCP: if you'd like, habg around after the chat in the lobby where you can talk to other shopkeepers
[2008.06.19 19:17:41] Juna D: I like to check other t-shirt shops for ideas. I don't copy their ideas but I get inspired by them.
[2008.06.19 19:18:10] Message sent to moderator(s)
[2008.06.19 19:18:13] Gandalf Parker: for humorouis you should join forums on your subjects. Lots of good stuff breaks out in conversations there. Plus you get to occassionally get away with "you might like this tshirt"
[2008.06.19 19:18:16] Juna D: Pop culture
[2008.06.19 19:18:18] INTERESTED: WHERE DO YOU GUYS GET YOUR IDEAS?
[2008.06.19 19:18:24] nanwrightart has left the room (logged out)
[2008.06.19 19:18:25] BrittaCP: that's what we're talking about now
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[2008.06.19 19:19:27] Shannon (hazeleyes7): my humor comes from my own home, family, and life in general
[2008.06.19 19:19:31] Juna D: We just did a design on the Salmonella Tomatoes.
[2008.06.19 19:19:33] BrittaCP: sweet
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[2008.06.19 19:20:00] Juna D: hey brev
[2008.06.19 19:20:17] Juna D: Can we name what shops we get inspired by on this chat?
[2008.06.19 19:20:35] INTERESTED has left the room
[2008.06.19 19:20:49] BrittaCP: because many are protective of thier shops, I would prefer not to... since this will be a transcript. however, feel free to sahre in the lobby later
[2008.06.19 19:21:01] shopa again: watching videos on youtube insires me too
[2008.06.19 19:21:45] Uncle Frog: Sam & Ella's Tomato Stand?
[2008.06.19 19:21:53] BrittaCP: exactly
[2008.06.19 19:22:31] BrittaCP: while news items may be quick, they definitley can inspire lots of great designs, and you can cash in on them while thye last
[2008.06.19 19:22:59] BrittaCP: This is one of the reasons why you want to make sure that your cintent is always fresh
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[2008.06.19 19:23:19] Kate @ LittleLizzyLou has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.06.19 19:23:55] BrittaCP: of course, you could turn a tomoato scare design into a commemorative design as a way to squeeze a few more sales out of it
[2008.06.19 19:24:17] shopa again: i get inspired from online chat rooms watching thos epeople insult each other can be hilarious and giv eyou some great one liners
[2008.06.19 19:24:49] BrittaCP: so here's a question... how do you take something that you find funny, and make it funny to the rest of the world?
[2008.06.19 19:24:56] Sag: Yeah, Juna and I want to star in the re-make of the Salomnella Tomatoes. It was awesome design!
[2008.06.19 19:25:31] BrittaCP: omg... will a new theme song be written and everything?
[2008.06.19 19:25:34] Juna D: I think some of the funniest stuff comes from things we all know about but changed just a little.
[2008.06.19 19:25:39] brev87: pay close attention to lyrics in songs as well
[2008.06.19 19:26:02] BrittaCP: right... lyrics, poetry all inspiring. just don't use the actual lyrics ;)
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[2008.06.19 19:26:37] Scarebaby: Seeing what customers are searching for, using statcounter or google anaylytics, is always inspiring!
[2008.06.19 19:26:45] brev87: Uncle Frog that is a great shirt idea
[2008.06.19 19:26:48] Sag: Or the Real Killer Tomatoes!:-D
[2008.06.19 19:26:52] Uncle Frog: The Soup on E! is wonderfully satirical.
[2008.06.19 19:27:08] Juna D: I agree with being fresh. We do a new T-Shirt every Tuesday.
[2008.06.19 19:27:16] Scarebaby: and, by the way, I just sold a Snakes on a Plane design, so never think the buzz is completely gone LOL
[2008.06.19 19:27:21] Dooni Designs: i sold 20 happy tomato hats today... wondering if people are celebrating GOOD tomatoes LOl
[2008.06.19 19:27:26] Shannon (hazeleyes7): or the great flood of 2008 in the midwest
[2008.06.19 19:27:29] NiftyGaloot: 'I survived the Tomato epidemic!' kinda thing.
[2008.06.19 19:27:30] Karen has left the room (logged out)
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[2008.06.19 19:27:42] Uncle Frog: how would I take something I find funny and make it funny for the rest of the world? Easy! I'd slip in the f-bomb into it and there you go.
[2008.06.19 19:28:13] Gandalf Parker has left the room (logged out)
[2008.06.19 19:28:16] Juna D: I try to stay away from F-Bombs.
[2008.06.19 19:28:22] brev87: Im starting to get into the 1970 and 1980 movie thing
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[2008.06.19 19:28:29] Sag: Don't forget the big buzz about gas prices. People are looking for ways to voice their opinions about the situation and the funnier the better.
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[2008.06.19 19:28:37] Uncle Frog: (omg .. you were supposed to mod that f-bomb comment)
[2008.06.19 19:28:58] Shannon (hazeleyes7) has left the room (logged out)
[2008.06.19 19:29:06] Kate @ LittleLizzyLou: i just figured you meant f like frog!
[2008.06.19 19:29:22] Uncle Frog: lol
[2008.06.19 19:29:43] matisse has left the room (logged out)
[2008.06.19 19:29:57] Juna D: That would be a funny shirt. F-Bomb but put a frog on a bomb.
[2008.06.19 19:30:21] BrittaCP: man you guys are just full of the ideas... this is why it's great to get you all together in a room!
[2008.06.19 19:30:31] Skully: Don't forget: Just because YOU wouldn't buy it / wear it...Doesn't mean others won't. Was that too many double-negatives? :*-/Sorry.
[2008.06.19 19:30:33] Juna D: I think brainstorming with other people gives you some good funny ideas.
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[2008.06.19 19:30:56] shopa again: britta you should see us unmodded in the after chat
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[2008.06.19 19:31:07] BrittaCP: he he... i do :P
[2008.06.19 19:31:16] shopa again: skully i agree - i would not wear 90% of what i have - it took me 2 hours going thru my shop last night to find 3 shirts to buy for myself to wear
[2008.06.19 19:31:21] Uncle Frog: some form of funny include: exageration ... just blow it out of proporation. satire ... the snarkier the better. the "not" joke ... from Borat of course. sound bite ... grab a short memorable phrase.
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[2008.06.19 19:31:58] BrittaCP: So here's a question, how do you create buzz about something you've created? we see a lot things come out of nowhere around here, and blow up
[2008.06.19 19:32:25] Uncle Frog: I like the Frog-Bomb idea ... I'm gonna run with that
[2008.06.19 19:32:35] brev87: i create buzz through emails and pure luck lol
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[2008.06.19 19:32:50] Juna D: popular saying can make funny ideas. make sure you tag them correctly.
[2008.06.19 19:32:52] shopa again: i think mine is all luck
[2008.06.19 19:32:55] Uncle Frog: create buzzzzzz ... get someone to write a scating review. There's no such thing as "bad" exposure.
[2008.06.19 19:33:17] Juna D: I creat buzz with a blog or website.
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[2008.06.19 19:34:29] Skully: I'd like to hear Sag's ideas on creating a buzz. She's a good brainstormer.:bow:
[2008.06.19 19:34:33] shopa again: Froggie i write my own bad reviews on forums:-x
[2008.06.19 19:34:43] Juna D: Social marketing site can probably help if you have enough friends.
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[2008.06.19 19:34:54] shopa again: i use facebook
[2008.06.19 19:35:26] Sag: There are tons of ways to market a product and turn up the heat.
[2008.06.19 19:35:31] Uncle Frog: I think bad reviews are better than good reviews. People love a train-wreck. They dont want to look ... but they just HAVE to. Hehe.
[2008.06.19 19:35:34] Juna D: Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, YouTube if you can make a cool video.
[2008.06.19 19:35:40] brev87: Sag does have an ear to the street
[2008.06.19 19:35:42] NiftyGaloot: Stumbleupon
[2008.06.19 19:35:49] Sag: Twitter, yes
[2008.06.19 19:36:00] Sag: social networks yes!
[2008.06.19 19:36:03] brev87: wth is twitter?
[2008.06.19 19:36:07] Sag: blogs yes
[2008.06.19 19:36:11] Tanith has left the room (logged out)
[2008.06.19 19:36:15] Tanith has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.06.19 19:36:16] Sag: featured product on shops yes!
[2008.06.19 19:36:29] tshirtfort has left the room (logged out)
[2008.06.19 19:36:32] Sag: articles and news releases - yes!
[2008.06.19 19:37:01] brev87: I actually find that the Cafepress newsletters create buzz
[2008.06.19 19:37:03] Juna D: SEO
[2008.06.19 19:37:09] Sag: post on blogs that entertain the same topic, amazing results there - yes!
[2008.06.19 19:37:20] Tanith has left the room (logged out)
[2008.06.19 19:38:03] BrittaCP: right... being able to talk about your product, or design, tell a story about it... let the world know why it's relevant, and entertaining, and why a person would be super cool if they had it
[2008.06.19 19:38:05] Juna D: any good humor blogs or forums?
[2008.06.19 19:39:05] brev87: I've noticed the more you blog, the more Google loves you
[2008.06.19 19:39:08] Sag: a lot of great humor blogs, Juna
[2008.06.19 19:39:10] brev87: Juna, create one
[2008.06.19 19:39:17] Scarebaby: Don't spam though! Use forums you already belong to.
[2008.06.19 19:40:05] Scarebaby: (Ten years ago would anyone have understood that phrase? Google loves blogs. LOL)
[2008.06.19 19:40:07] brev87: The key is creating a following
[2008.06.19 19:41:02] BrittaCP: yes... keeping people interested and always having something to say that people can relate to and want to come back for more
[2008.06.19 19:41:05] brev87: once you get that cult following, there's nothing that can stop you
[2008.06.19 19:41:07] Juna D: Yes please follow me.
[2008.06.19 19:41:09] brev87: Scare, LOL
[2008.06.19 19:41:17] Sag: I use Comment Kahuna to find blogs that fit with the design and share my comments - don't just spam them - and many times they ask you to write an article for their blog or blog something about your t-shirt. Make great friends and it's fun.
[2008.06.19 19:41:21] Juna D: Twitter says I have 850+ followers but I don't believe them.
[2008.06.19 19:41:23] yogaspeak has entered the room "CafePress Chat Room"
[2008.06.19 19:41:59] brev87: Juna, I believe it. You have some good designs. seriously
[2008.06.19 19:42:51] Uncle Frog: The Frog Cult ... wants you!
[2008.06.19 19:42:54] Sag: Twitter is awesome and do it all day long. Share 24 hour specials and lots of fun stuff and comments with friends.
[2008.06.19 19:42:58] brev87: Sag, can you PM me that Kahuna site?
[2008.06.19 19:43:05] Juna D: Comment Kahuna thanks I like the name.
[2008.06.19 19:43:13] Sag: sure brev
[2008.06.19 19:43:46] NiftyGaloot: Comment Kahuna is PC only - Sorry Mac people.
[2008.06.19 19:43:51] BrittaCP: d'oh
[2008.06.19 19:44:00] brev87: lol
[2008.06.19 19:44:05] Juna D: I'm on a Mac.
[2008.06.19 19:44:19] BrittaCP: no kahuna for you
[2008.06.19 19:45:13] NiftyGaloot: You can search for 'CommentLuv' blogs to comment on.
[2008.06.19 19:45:51] Scarebaby has left the room (logged out)
[2008.06.19 19:46:04] BrittaCP: here's another question for you trend n' bizz hunters... when do you know that it's over? and what do you?
[2008.06.19 19:46:08] brev87: thanks Nifty
[2008.06.19 19:46:17] BrittaCP: *buzz
[2008.06.19 19:46:49] NiftyGaloot: Plug "Enable CommentLuv" + "your keywords" into Google (With the quotes) and see what you get
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[2008.06.19 19:48:47] shopa again: britta i have one from like 3 years ago that still sells but the others that stopped selling i removed - especially consdiering the new limtis
[2008.06.19 19:48:49] shopa again: some of them i moved to free shops to make room in my premium shops
[2008.06.19 19:48:51] Uncle Frog: it's over when you quit selling the items ... then what do you do? I suggest eating ice cream
[2008.06.19 19:48:59] Sag: Comment Kahuna for window users here: http://tinyurl.com/5etmjj
[2008.06.19 19:50:40] electricgreen has left the room (logged out)
[2008.06.19 19:52:01] BrittaCP: this of course, all comes back to the idea of keeping your content fresh. So again you can redesign, scrap, or bury away. or you could create a "hey, remember that..." section. not sure how well that would do... but it's a funny though
[2008.06.19 19:52:07] BrittaCP: *though
[2008.06.19 19:52:15] BrittaCP: *ugh... thought
[2008.06.19 19:52:20] Sag: ice cream is good!:-D:bow:
[2008.06.19 19:52:26] Juna D: I tried the Enable CommentLuv thing just now. Pretty neat.
[2008.06.19 19:54:08] brev87 has left the room (logged out)
[2008.06.19 19:54:25] Uncle Frog: Speaking about buzzzz ... we all saw the photos from the CPV/mod event and all you CP workers are mighty attractive people.
[2008.06.19 19:54:27] Juna D: I take old designs of the front page of our site but keep it in the CafePress Marketplace.
[2008.06.19 19:54:48] BrittaCP: The green walls around here, keep us fresh and young looking
[2008.06.19 19:55:13] BrittaCP: all right gang... i apologize for having to cut this one a few minutes short.
[2008.06.19 19:55:27] Uncle Frog: I'm going to buy another CP green shirt to see if that works
[2008.06.19 19:55:29] Sag: *** runs out to buy green paint for walls ***
[2008.06.19 19:55:36] Juna D: My first chat and it all done.
[2008.06.19 19:55:39] BrittaCP: really?
[2008.06.19 19:55:45] BrittaCP: your first?!?!?
[2008.06.19 19:55:54] Juna D: yup.
[2008.06.19 19:55:59] BrittaCP: congrats for surviving
[2008.06.19 19:56:18] BrittaCP: i shall now throw you to the lobby, and see if you sink or swim