Craft a Creative Business by Fiona Pullen - review and giveaway

So earlier this week I got my hands on a copy of Fiona Pullen's book, out today, Create a Craft Business, which is the only craft-related book you will need buy this year or next year. 237 pages JAM PACKED with information, tips, advice, suggestions, ideas and plans for your crafting business.    And that could be any crafting business at any level at all, whether you're the biggest fabric shop in Europe, a small Etsy retailer, a fabric printer, a market crafter or one small blogger starting out.  You can get hold of this book here right now,  from Amazon next week or from Amazon in the US in January or you can leave a comment below to win one of four copies I'm giving away.

The most useful crafting book I've ever bought

The book covers six main areas, each in huge detail.  Those areas are Where do I start? Legal matters, Presentation, Social Media, Selling online and Selling offline.  Within each of those chapters, there is a wealth of information presented in an easy to digest way.  Fi herself says this book  is "designed to be dipped into so that you can go straight to the aspect you want to learn about at any given time."  Each page is filled with bite-sized chunks of information such as tips on post-it notes, activities to complete, useful links, information from people in the know, regulations you need to know about etc.  I knew how hard Fi had worked on this book but had no idea how much information would be packed into it.

Hundreds of little post-it note tips give you advice throughout the book. 

Areas I instantly found of particular interest to me for example included how to improve the traffic to your website, taking great craft photos, getting started on new social media such as a blog or twitter, how to get started on doing you own accounting and many many more.

Advice for all kinds of craft businesses

This is the kind of book you need to carry around in your handbag (or briefcase), leave on your bedside table or leave in the car door so that you can dip into it at any time and pick up a few more snippets of information and advice to help build and expand your business.

Fiona Pullen shares her wealth of knowledge on SEO in this book

A lot of the advice comes from Fi herself who I regard as the pivot around which the whole British sewing community revolves.  Her website The Sewing Directory brings together every element of this community in one place and she is always the person I go to for good, sound advice in relation to my business with Lily's Quilts.  She is also a lot of fun and is THE source for all information sewing-related in the UK.

 
Six useful chapters each contain endless detailed chunks of information within them. 

It is her own experience and knowledge in setting up and running this business that she draws on  principally in this book but she also draws on advice from all sorts of other figures in the crafting community including for example, advice from Nel Whatmore on licensing, Kristin Link from Sew Mama Sew on community building, Alex Veronelli from Aurifil on Social Media and many many more.

Packed full of tips and advice from industry insiders

To win a copy of this fabulous and indispensable book, just leave a comment and I will pick four winners a week from today. 

Comments

  1. Ohh I would love to win, I need all the help I can get :)

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  2. This sounds like a great resource! Maybe it'll kick me into gear to start up a business.

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  3. Sounds very interesting. Thanks for hosting the giveaway!

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  4. I'm on the cusp of kicking off a crafty business, so this would be invaluable I'm sure! Thank you :)

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  5. Would love to read this book. Thanks for the giveaway

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  6. Sounds like a very interesting book, would love to win. Thanks, Shelia

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  7. This look like a very interesting book!

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  8. That sounds like a great book! I'm having trouble selling my little quilts- people don't seem to realize how expensive it can be to make a quilt!

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  9. this would be awesome - my mom and i would devour all information provided! thanks for the giveaway

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  10. sounds great for me - thanks for the chance

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  11. What a generous give-away. Would love to win...keeping my fingers crossed...thanks for the chance to recieve what looks like it's going to be an inspirational read/resource. val from myplvl.blogspot.com

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  12. Wow - great giveaway. Thanks for hosting! I would love to win!

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  13. As someone who seems to have fallen into running a mini business, I need all the help that I can get! This book sounds like just the thing! Thanks for the chance to win.

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  14. This looks like a book full of invaluable advice!

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  15. Looks like an invaluable tool. Would love to win a copy and put to good use. Thanks for the chance to win.

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  16. Yes, please! Been wanting to sell things but haven't sat down to really think through it and plan. Thanks!

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  17. Lovely give away! Looks like a great book

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  18. Sounds great! I've bought books on this subject before with minimal success. I may have to add this to my Christmas wish list!

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  19. I would so love to win this book! Thanks for having this great giveaway.

    Kristin

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  20. Looks great! I could do with all the help I can get!! Thanks for the giveaway! Jxo

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  21. This looks like a sensational book, and is something I wish I had 10 years ago when I was still just in the planning stages, and definitely something I still need today!

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  22. Looks very interesting. Fi is absolutely lovely as well so I hope the book is a big success. I'd love a chance to get my hands on a copy :)

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  23. Looks like a wonderful resource. The question for me is always ," Where do I start?" Thank you for a chance to win. Janita

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  24. Nice giveaway. I would love to read this. Thanks.

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  25. Looks like a good resource!!

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  26. I have this book on my wish list...how great would it be to win a copy. Thank you for the chance to win.

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  27. Amazing, sound advice for a novice and experienced too.
    Fabulous go to book. I love it already from your recap.

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  28. I would love to win this book since I am just starting in on this part of my life, trying to figure out how I am going upsell myself in Blog and sell items that are made also.

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  29. the book looks amazing! Thanks for the opportunity!

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  30. Thank you for the giveaway; this would be very useful. sarah@forrussia.org

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  31. Looks like a very helpful book. Thanks for the giveaway.

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  32. Oh please let me win! This book looks so incredibly helpful - - - I dream of starting my own business and get too overwhelmed just thinking about it :) someday!

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  33. This book looks great. I'd love to share this with my sister.

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  34. Great giveaway - I'd love to get my hands on a copy!

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  35. As I have recently started my own small craft business this book is exactly what I have been looking for, everything in one place, I would love to win a copy. Thaks for the chance.

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  36. The book sounds fascinating. Thanks for the giveaway.

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  37. Sounds fantastic - well done to Fiona. Thanks for the chance x

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  38. I would love to win your giveaway book. I create and sew everyday and it's the sharing and selling I need help with, this looks like a good book in the right direction. Love visiting your blog too!

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  39. Sounds like it has lots of useful information to act upon.

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  40. Thanks for the review and the give away, sounds like a very informative book. May help me develop a little bag business.

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  41. I love, good, sound advice, thanks for the opportunity to win a copy of the book :)

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  42. Would love to win a copy. Certainly looks like a "must have"!

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  43. It sounds such a fabulous book, I'd love to win a copy. Thanks for the chance Lynne & Fiona!!!! x

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  44. Sounds like a great book, and I would certainly love to read Alex Veronelli's tips on social media!

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  45. Looks like a really good read, thanks for the chance to win a copy!

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  46. Ooh I'd love to win a copy - it's not available here in the US until 2015. Thanks!!

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  47. Thanks for the chance to win. I'd love to see what people who have had success have to say about setting up shop.

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  48. I started an Etsy shop a few years ago and still have so many questions. I would love to see what this book has to offer!

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  49. This is wonderful ! I am hoping to start an etsy store after the first of the year this would be great!

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  50. This sounds like a great resource! Would love to win😃

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  51. what a great book to have...would love to try this out

    erin2470@hotmail.com

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  52. Please help me make my dream a reality!

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  53. It sounds like a great resource :)

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  54. Having failed to make a folksy shop work few years back, and after a long lunchtime conversation today with a work colleague who is having her work hours cut...this book may be just what we need to get going!

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  55. thanks for the chance to win. :) i would love to read this and improve my crafting business.

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  56. Oh wow, definitely looks like a great book to keep around!

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  57. Looks like a great book! mumbird3atgmail.com

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  58. Sounds like a very interesting read. Thanks for the chance to win.

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  59. Hi there,
    This would be such a great resource for me. I write a small blog and have some great ideas for hand crafted products and want to open an Etsy store.
    I enjoy reading you blog very much!
    Thanks so much for the giveaway,
    Jacqueline in Pitt Meadows

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  60. This book needs to wing its way to my house - there is a space on my shelf for it already...

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  61. Looks like just what I need.

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  62. Looks like a great book. thanks for the chance to win.

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  63. Would love to learn how to sell crafts

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  64. Wow! What a fabulous source of information for us newbies! It is continually amazing how generous the sewing community is in sharing their knowledge. XX!

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  65. Sounds like some good info thanks for the chance:)

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  66. I actually have a friend starting an etsy store I'd pass this onto if I won, so thank you for the giveaway!

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  67. What an informative book. A great giveaway too.

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  68. Hmmm...I certainly need to learn to take better craft photos! I like the idea of the post it note tips; little snippets is often so much easier to implement than big chunks.

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  69. I would love to have a copy of this book for my sister who is embarking on her own craft business ��

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  70. Fiona's book sounds really useful; I'd love to win a copy!

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  71. I'd love to win a copy to help me get started with my quilting business.

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  72. Yes please! Yes please! Yes please!

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  73. Thanks for the chance to win!

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  74. That book sounds fantastic and just what I need. I've owned a business before and am an accountant so I know all about those things but the social media part and some of the other topics would be very useful. Thanks for the chance to win.

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  75. That looks fantastic! Even if I don't win, I'll definitely pick up a copy.

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  76. Sounds like a must read! Thanks for the chance!

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  77. This book definitely has me intrigued! The social media stuff I know and can do, but it's definitely the "business" side of things that has me scared!

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  78. Such a great book! Thanks for the chance!

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  79. It looks like a great book, Fiona really knows her stuff and is so generous with her knowledge!

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  80. not sure if the week is over!

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  81. Looks like a wonderful book! Would love love love to win!

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  82. I LOVE to craft - so this would be perfect for me!

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