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Welcome to the April 2009 issue of the LumberJocks eMag:
From the Editor
February 2009 Issue #22
April showers bring May flowers - oh wait, that's gardening lingo! But, it does also bring perfect weather for working in the shop! And that warm weather definitely does inspire us to get busy creating something new!
With our 9,000+ members (can you believe it? 9,000!!!) we are never without an inspiration for something new to build. One of the many things that I like about LumberJocks.com is watching members get inspired by someone's project and then making their own version, often trying a new skill for the first time. Around here you just never know what you might be building next. Sometimes those priority lists have to take a backseat to an inspired project!
With the inspiration of springtime and the postings of our members I can't even imagine what is coming our way in the next month. Perhaps we will even hit that 16,000 projects milestone!
~Debbie
LumberJocks Connect
Interested in connecting with fellow LumberJocks located in your area? Check out the "LJ's Connect" list in this and in previous eMag issues. Also, if you want to initiate an event, just start a posting and I'll add it to the new "LumberJocks Connect" section of our eMag.
(Note: even though our LumberJocks are honourable people you never know who might be lurking around our site. Please be cautious about sharing private information with others.)
Other LJ Events
Pen Turners' Swap
The Pen Turners' box has traveled around North America and plans are in the making for Round #4. Check out the Swap summary here.
- 391 Challenge: Participants of the Pen Turners' Swap had the opportunity to participate in a spin-off challenge - to make a pen from Karson's special wood contribution. Read more here.
Site Upgrades
Martin's always busy doing something and this month there are a couple of changes
- The New Ultimate RSS Feed
- your personal homepage link
AND.... LAST BUT NOT LEAST....
It's somebody's birthday today. Yes, our CEO, Martin, is celebrating a birthday. Happy Birthday Martin. Best wishes for a grand day and spectacular year!
Focus On...The Woodworking Business
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Focus on "The Woodworking Business"
The economic state of our times has many people looking for extra sources of income. Some people are lucky enough to have a hobby or skill that they can use as the basis for this side (or primary) business. Woodworking, with its many forms, opens a variety of doors to opportunities.
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| Some of our members already have a woodworking business and are focusing on maintaining or increasing their client base, while others are contemplating how they can use their skills to bring in a little extra cash. We have cabinet-makers and roofers ready to work on big projects and we have artists creating wood products for private sale, craft shows, and online sites. |
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Regardless of the direction the business will take, a business plan is an important element of success. Knowing what your goals are, what your costs are, and what you will charge to make a profit are just some of the key points to consider. Also, as discussed in recents blogs, creating an image is also important. Knowing your clients, even before you find one, is a great way to take two steps forward. Once you know what your potential clients will be looking for and what will catch their attention, then you can build your promotional materials around this vision.
Your image and your basic business plan are just the beginning. Looking for more information? Well a great place to start is right here at LumberJocks.com because, as always, our members are ready to lend a helping hand. Many of our LumberJocks have already posted blogs about their business plans and tips for success. Check out these blogs tagged as "business" and our forum "Sweating For Bucks", of course.
Perhaps, rather than looking for tips you have some to share. Add your input here at this discussion. You might just have that piece of information that makes a difference for one of our members.
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Tutorials & Other "How To's"
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From our last eMag
Building Tips
Carving
Finishing
Joinery
Lathe Work
Miscellaneous
Projects (Note - some projects series are still at beginning stages)
Safety
Tools & Equipment
Shop Space
Looking for something specific? Try our "tags" |
LJ Projects
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It's Very STAT-ifying
Look at us! We are 9,014 woodworkers making 403,370 comments on 15,401 projects,
7,856 blogs, 666 reviews and 7,220 forum topics.
As of April, 2008, we had "only" 3,873 members, with 6,469 projects. Oh how we have grown!
Milestones
- 400,000 comments - Mar. 27/09
- 9,000 members - Mar. 30/09
Sister Sites
Promoting LJ
Why Promote?
* more activity means more advertising potential
* more advertising = site maintenance fees covered
* more advertising = more "perks" and services for the members
How To Help
* word of mouth: talk about the site with woodworkers and woodworking companies' managers/employees
* distribute press releases, flyers, etc as they are provided, for special events
* place a link to LJ.com on your personal websites/blogs
* use your LJ profile as part of your business website
* use the badges and widgets provided, on your sites
* let potential advertisers know about our advertising information
* make a personal donation to the site
* purchase items through the LJ Store
* and of course, don't forget to wear your LJ t-shirt or LJ Hat!
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New Features
Sponsors
More Shop Talk
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