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4 Posts
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Wednesday, August 10, 2022 at 10:54 AM
Hi there,
the new newsletter arrived today with suggestions on the topic of “knitting.”
I really enjoy reading these newsletters, and I sometimes find a pattern I’d like to buy.
Lately, there have been a lot of suggestions in the newsletter about “knitting dishcloths.” My personal opinion on this: I don’t need them.
They’re squares with pictures on them, made using knit and purl stitches. You can also create a pattern yourself very quickly on the computer. That’s probably why there’s been such a flood of these.
Don’t take it the wrong way—as I said, that’s just my personal opinion.
My suggestion: Users should be able to select subtopics they’d like to see in the newsletter—baby knitting, shawl knitting, dishcloths, women’s fashion, men’s fashion, children’s wear…
Not everyone wants to see and recreate everything.
the new newsletter arrived today with suggestions on the topic of “knitting.”
I really enjoy reading these newsletters, and I sometimes find a pattern I’d like to buy.
Lately, there have been a lot of suggestions in the newsletter about “knitting dishcloths.” My personal opinion on this: I don’t need them.
They’re squares with pictures on them, made using knit and purl stitches. You can also create a pattern yourself very quickly on the computer. That’s probably why there’s been such a flood of these.
Don’t take it the wrong way—as I said, that’s just my personal opinion.
My suggestion: Users should be able to select subtopics they’d like to see in the newsletter—baby knitting, shawl knitting, dishcloths, women’s fashion, men’s fashion, children’s wear…
Not everyone wants to see and recreate everything.
2091 Posts
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Wednesday, August 10, 2022 at 7:06 PM
Hello Inselschick,
thank you for your honest opinion.
As one of the many authors who offer patterns for dishcloths and washcloths, I’d like to comment on this.
For more than two years, I’ve been designing and creating motifs for accessories using various handicraft techniques (double-faced knitting, simple knit-purl patterns, tapestry crochet), including dishcloths and washcloths. And as long as I continue to receive such wonderful feedback from my customers and can make many users happy with my work, I’ll keep doing it with great pleasure.
Where did this sudden craze for knitted dishcloths come from? I don’t know. Presumably, many people find joy in beautiful motifs, especially in strange and uncertain times like these. A motif like this isn’t just fun to knit—it also looks really nice in the kitchen or bathroom afterward. Perhaps many of the cloths are being made as gifts—after all, they’re quick to knit. Beginners are probably happy that they can easily knit items that don’t look like beginner projects at all. Many people likely enjoy using their leftover cotton yarn for this, too. And the trend toward sustainability probably plays a role as well.
It’s totally fine if you don’t like the cloths. Everyone has different tastes and preferences.
What I do find a shame, though, is that you don’t see the work that goes into creating such a pattern. It’s not something you can just “quickly throw together on the computer.” Maybe there are designers who do it that way. I’m not one of them, and I know from other authors that they don’t just “quickly throw something together” either. I design all my patterns myself and draw them stitch by stitch in Excel. Depending on how detailed the motif is, I spend many hours on it, trying things out, making changes, discarding ideas, and starting over—until I’m truly satisfied with every single stitch.
You can think what you like about knitted dishcloths and washcloths. But given the many hours of work, the attention to detail, and the passion that we designers pour into such a pattern, I’d like to see a little more respect.
At Crazypatterns, you’ll find a wide variety of patterns of all kinds, as well as incredibly creative designers who conjure up the most diverse creations and offer them as patterns for others to recreate. I hope you’ll be able to avoid getting annoyed by patterns that bring joy to others, and instead focus on the patterns in the newsletter that suit your taste 🤗
Warm regards, Sonja from a-mano
thank you for your honest opinion.
As one of the many authors who offer patterns for dishcloths and washcloths, I’d like to comment on this.
For more than two years, I’ve been designing and creating motifs for accessories using various handicraft techniques (double-faced knitting, simple knit-purl patterns, tapestry crochet), including dishcloths and washcloths. And as long as I continue to receive such wonderful feedback from my customers and can make many users happy with my work, I’ll keep doing it with great pleasure.
Where did this sudden craze for knitted dishcloths come from? I don’t know. Presumably, many people find joy in beautiful motifs, especially in strange and uncertain times like these. A motif like this isn’t just fun to knit—it also looks really nice in the kitchen or bathroom afterward. Perhaps many of the cloths are being made as gifts—after all, they’re quick to knit. Beginners are probably happy that they can easily knit items that don’t look like beginner projects at all. Many people likely enjoy using their leftover cotton yarn for this, too. And the trend toward sustainability probably plays a role as well.
It’s totally fine if you don’t like the cloths. Everyone has different tastes and preferences.
What I do find a shame, though, is that you don’t see the work that goes into creating such a pattern. It’s not something you can just “quickly throw together on the computer.” Maybe there are designers who do it that way. I’m not one of them, and I know from other authors that they don’t just “quickly throw something together” either. I design all my patterns myself and draw them stitch by stitch in Excel. Depending on how detailed the motif is, I spend many hours on it, trying things out, making changes, discarding ideas, and starting over—until I’m truly satisfied with every single stitch.
You can think what you like about knitted dishcloths and washcloths. But given the many hours of work, the attention to detail, and the passion that we designers pour into such a pattern, I’d like to see a little more respect.
At Crazypatterns, you’ll find a wide variety of patterns of all kinds, as well as incredibly creative designers who conjure up the most diverse creations and offer them as patterns for others to recreate. I hope you’ll be able to avoid getting annoyed by patterns that bring joy to others, and instead focus on the patterns in the newsletter that suit your taste 🤗
Warm regards, Sonja from a-mano
4 Posts
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Started
Wednesday, August 10, 2022 at 7:23 PM
Hi a-mano,
I also want to thank you for your honest opinion.
But what has happened is exactly what I didn’t intend. I have respect for every designer who posts their patterns on crazypatterns. I don’t want to belittle, mock, or disparage their work in any way.
The reason for my post is that not every user likes every type of craft. And even if they like knitting or crocheting, they might not like everything related to it. Some people don’t like crocheting shawls or knitting children’s clothes. For whatever reason.
That’s why I suggest that when subscribing to the newsletter, users could “narrow down” their selection further. Embroidery… women’s, men’s… but no children’s items or socks. Crochet… only shawls… no doilies and no clothing.
I also want to thank you for your honest opinion.
But what has happened is exactly what I didn’t intend. I have respect for every designer who posts their patterns on crazypatterns. I don’t want to belittle, mock, or disparage their work in any way.
The reason for my post is that not every user likes every type of craft. And even if they like knitting or crocheting, they might not like everything related to it. Some people don’t like crocheting shawls or knitting children’s clothes. For whatever reason.
That’s why I suggest that when subscribing to the newsletter, users could “narrow down” their selection further. Embroidery… women’s, men’s… but no children’s items or socks. Crochet… only shawls… no doilies and no clothing.
4464 Posts
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Started
Wednesday, August 10, 2022 at 9:18 PM
Hi Inselschick,
I think that “going into more depth” regarding the selection of patterns in the newsletter would involve additional organizational effort.
On the other hand, this might cause you to miss out on one or two patterns that—unexpectedly—might actually be of interest.
I think that “going into more depth” regarding the selection of patterns in the newsletter would involve additional organizational effort.
On the other hand, this might cause you to miss out on one or two patterns that—unexpectedly—might actually be of interest.
13182 Posts
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Started
Wednesday, August 10, 2022 at 9:23 PM
Hi Inselschick,
First of all, I think it’s generally a good thing that you’re voicing your wishes here in the forum. That’s what we authors want from customers, and I’m sure the Crazypatterns team feels the same way. It’s the only way we know where there are problems and where something can be changed.
As a fellow author, I have to agree with Sonja. I only have a few washcloths with motifs in my shop. But they took me just as much work as Sonja’s. I painstakingly designed them myself and test-knitted them first, so many hours of work went into them before they were added to the shop as a pattern.
As an author mainly of doll and children’s clothing, I fulfilled my daughter-in-law’s wish with the washcloths/dishcloths, and I’m also surprised myself by the demand. And of course I’m happy about it. At the moment, they’re simply doing better than the other things I offer. I think there are also many beginners looking for simple motifs for leftover yarn. I’m noticing that especially right now.
As for the newsletter, the subject line is never identical to the complete content. Today, too, I noticed that there was a wide range of choices in the newsletter. The subject line or main topic always only refers to the first row. So my question to you is: Did you look at the entire newsletter today? There was something for babies and also clothing for adults. I even saw amigurumi.
So it would be very advisable not to look only at the newsletter topic, but to go through the full content. It’s always a mix of all sorts of things. There’s definitely something in there for you, too.
Something you may not know is that we authors pay a fee for our spot in the newsletter. For CP to be able to send out a newsletter with a single theme, there would have to be enough authors booking their advertising specifically for that. And that apparently isn’t the case.
Maybe you now understand better why the newsletter is designed this way—with a headline for the first spot, which is more expensive by the way, and a colorful selection of other lovely offers.
Best regards
from Monika
First of all, I think it’s generally a good thing that you’re voicing your wishes here in the forum. That’s what we authors want from customers, and I’m sure the Crazypatterns team feels the same way. It’s the only way we know where there are problems and where something can be changed.
As a fellow author, I have to agree with Sonja. I only have a few washcloths with motifs in my shop. But they took me just as much work as Sonja’s. I painstakingly designed them myself and test-knitted them first, so many hours of work went into them before they were added to the shop as a pattern.
As an author mainly of doll and children’s clothing, I fulfilled my daughter-in-law’s wish with the washcloths/dishcloths, and I’m also surprised myself by the demand. And of course I’m happy about it. At the moment, they’re simply doing better than the other things I offer. I think there are also many beginners looking for simple motifs for leftover yarn. I’m noticing that especially right now.
As for the newsletter, the subject line is never identical to the complete content. Today, too, I noticed that there was a wide range of choices in the newsletter. The subject line or main topic always only refers to the first row. So my question to you is: Did you look at the entire newsletter today? There was something for babies and also clothing for adults. I even saw amigurumi.
So it would be very advisable not to look only at the newsletter topic, but to go through the full content. It’s always a mix of all sorts of things. There’s definitely something in there for you, too.
Something you may not know is that we authors pay a fee for our spot in the newsletter. For CP to be able to send out a newsletter with a single theme, there would have to be enough authors booking their advertising specifically for that. And that apparently isn’t the case.
Maybe you now understand better why the newsletter is designed this way—with a headline for the first spot, which is more expensive by the way, and a colorful selection of other lovely offers.
Best regards
from Monika
13182 Posts
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Wednesday, August 10, 2022 at 9:29 PM
Hi inselschick,
I have another tip for you that might help you find a selection of patterns you’re interested in.
There are topic-based promotional threads here in the forum where we authors showcase our offerings. Feel free to post which topic you particularly like and that you’re looking for patterns related to it. Then it will definitely be included.
There’s also the search function on the homepage. There, you can enter any topic and will be shown a wide selection.
And if you’re looking for something new—there’s a link for the latest additions. They’re a colorful mix, and you’ll enjoy browsing through them.
I hope you have fun with it.
Best regards again
Monika
I have another tip for you that might help you find a selection of patterns you’re interested in.
There are topic-based promotional threads here in the forum where we authors showcase our offerings. Feel free to post which topic you particularly like and that you’re looking for patterns related to it. Then it will definitely be included.
There’s also the search function on the homepage. There, you can enter any topic and will be shown a wide selection.
And if you’re looking for something new—there’s a link for the latest additions. They’re a colorful mix, and you’ll enjoy browsing through them.
I hope you have fun with it.
Best regards again
Monika
4 Posts
Recent
Started
Wednesday, August 10, 2022 at 9:46 PM
Hi Monika,
of course I looked through the entire newsletter. I always do. I also counted the number of dishcloths. Four out of 21 offers were on this topic alone.
Your suggestions for finding relevant content are great. I regularly browse the site for patterns and also purchase them regularly. It’s no problem for me to find what I’m looking for.
My thread was simply… about the newsletter—specifically, how to reach the right audience more effectively, so that both users and sellers can be more successful.
of course I looked through the entire newsletter. I always do. I also counted the number of dishcloths. Four out of 21 offers were on this topic alone.
Your suggestions for finding relevant content are great. I regularly browse the site for patterns and also purchase them regularly. It’s no problem for me to find what I’m looking for.
My thread was simply… about the newsletter—specifically, how to reach the right audience more effectively, so that both users and sellers can be more successful.
13182 Posts
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Wednesday, August 10, 2022 at 10:03 PM
As for its success, I’ll admit that the first offer with today’s main theme was mine, and I was thrilled by the huge response. I’m actually surprised myself that the cloths are more popular than anything else I usually offer.
The newsletter has a different theme every time, so I’m sure one of the upcoming issues will appeal to you.
The newsletter has a different theme every time, so I’m sure one of the upcoming issues will appeal to you.
9955 Posts
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Wednesday, August 10, 2022 at 11:16 PM
Hi Inselschick,
I also think that your wish for more specialization in the newsletter can’t be fulfilled. Because then a different newsletter would have to be put together for every customer. With the number of subscribers, that would be a task that would be practically impossible to manage.
I receive a newsletter every day, since I’m subscribed to crochet, knitting, and sewing. So the knitting newsletter arrives on average twice a week. With 18 to 20 patterns featured per newsletter, there’s already a certain amount of variety. And as Creat Owl already pointed out, this way you might also come across one or two interesting patterns that you wouldn’t have noticed otherwise.
By the way, you’ll also find “Recommendations for you” on your dashboard, which are put together based on your browsing activity on Crazypatterns.
I also think that your wish for more specialization in the newsletter can’t be fulfilled. Because then a different newsletter would have to be put together for every customer. With the number of subscribers, that would be a task that would be practically impossible to manage.
I receive a newsletter every day, since I’m subscribed to crochet, knitting, and sewing. So the knitting newsletter arrives on average twice a week. With 18 to 20 patterns featured per newsletter, there’s already a certain amount of variety. And as Creat Owl already pointed out, this way you might also come across one or two interesting patterns that you wouldn’t have noticed otherwise.
By the way, you’ll also find “Recommendations for you” on your dashboard, which are put together based on your browsing activity on Crazypatterns.
4 Posts
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Started
Thursday, August 11, 2022 at 11:13 AM
Hey ruthk,
do you really think the daily newsletter is put together by a human?
Users enter their preferences in their settings: “Interested in knitting/dishcloths, knitting/socks, knitting/shawls, crocheting/shawls.”
The provider sees that there are 876,786 people interested in dishcloths, and can target them specifically with their ads.
Creating a newsletter... Launch the program. Cron job. It runs every morning at 1 a.m. and automatically sends the emails to interested crafters.
Up to 21 offers are possible. The selection of individual offers depends on the recipient’s preferences and the ads purchased by the providers.
It’s the same principle as displaying ads on websites. On one hand, recipients’ interests in specific topics on the site; on the other, the advertisers. 5,000 ad impressions have been purchased. These ads are displayed on a website until the quota is used up.
The site operator specifically selects which advertising topics they want to see—just like the newsletter recipient here.
But okay, I don’t want to spark an endless discussion here. If it’s not possible and/or not desired, then things will just stay the way
they are.
@Mods: The thread can then be closed :)
do you really think the daily newsletter is put together by a human?
Users enter their preferences in their settings: “Interested in knitting/dishcloths, knitting/socks, knitting/shawls, crocheting/shawls.”
The provider sees that there are 876,786 people interested in dishcloths, and can target them specifically with their ads.
Creating a newsletter... Launch the program. Cron job. It runs every morning at 1 a.m. and automatically sends the emails to interested crafters.
Up to 21 offers are possible. The selection of individual offers depends on the recipient’s preferences and the ads purchased by the providers.
It’s the same principle as displaying ads on websites. On one hand, recipients’ interests in specific topics on the site; on the other, the advertisers. 5,000 ad impressions have been purchased. These ads are displayed on a website until the quota is used up.
The site operator specifically selects which advertising topics they want to see—just like the newsletter recipient here.
But okay, I don’t want to spark an endless discussion here. If it’s not possible and/or not desired, then things will just stay the way
they are.
@Mods: The thread can then be closed :)
2851 Posts
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Thursday, August 11, 2022 at 11:23 AM
Hello Inselstrick,
Products that make it into the newsletter are there for a reason and are likely justified, or demand for them seems to be high.
What you want are recommendations tailored specifically to your clicks and/or interests. You can already find exactly that in your dashboard under “Recommendations for you” or “new patterns from authors you follow.”
A newsletter should be a varied mix so that it appeals to all customers. You just have to live with the fact that not everyone likes everything.
Best regards
Products that make it into the newsletter are there for a reason and are likely justified, or demand for them seems to be high.
What you want are recommendations tailored specifically to your clicks and/or interests. You can already find exactly that in your dashboard under “Recommendations for you” or “new patterns from authors you follow.”
A newsletter should be a varied mix so that it appeals to all customers. You just have to live with the fact that not everyone likes everything.
Best regards
13182 Posts
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Thursday, August 11, 2022 at 11:32 AM
Hi Inselstrick,
the reason the newsletter doesn’t work the way you describe is simply because we authors have to book and pay for the ads. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be included at all.
I do believe that the CP team puts it together themselves.
Best regards, Monika
the reason the newsletter doesn’t work the way you describe is simply because we authors have to book and pay for the ads. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be included at all.
I do believe that the CP team puts it together themselves.
Best regards, Monika
Saturday, August 13, 2022 at 11:44 AM
I think the subtopics are a very good idea. I often look at the newsletter, and there are hardly any patterns in it that I’d want to try myself because I’m simply not the target audience—if I could specify what specifically interests me, the newsletter would be much more interesting to me. In general, I think the newsletter could use a major overhaul. There are certainly a few things that could be optimized so that more patterns are seen and so that more patterns are featured that interest specific users, rather than a jumble of everything. Of course, this would mean publishing many different newsletters instead of just one—and yes, that would require extra effort—but it might pay off, and I suspect it would also result in more patterns appearing in the newsletter that otherwise wouldn’t find a place in it at all. This way, patterns would be found specifically by users who are much more likely to buy them, and patterns that would otherwise get lost in the crowd would still have a real chance. I see so many patterns here that are of very high quality yet still have hardly any sales—probably because they didn’t “catch” people’s attention right from the start, or simply weren’t seen by the right people, or because the author isn’t promoting them excessively (not everyone is a natural salesperson). Couldn’t a more targeted newsletter help address this?
I definitely don’t mean to disparage designers’ work in any way—this is purely about personal preferences. For example, I don’t have children and don’t really care for children’s clothing, but I’m constantly shown a lot of it in the sewing newsletter. Of course, these patterns have their place and are very popular with many people—it’s just that I personally have no need for them.
I do think these newsletters are generated to a certain extent automatically. Maybe a human gives the final approval or makes last-minute corrections, but I do believe the bulk of it is put together automatically. When you book an ad, you simply get added to the queue and then the system includes what you paid for.
This thread got off to an unfortunate start, with a kind of pattern essentially having its “legitimacy” revoked simply because the thread starter personally doesn’t see the point in it. Yet, in the background, this is about something that, in my opinion, could potentially benefit all of us. Maybe we could talk about it again and start over? :)
I definitely don’t mean to disparage designers’ work in any way—this is purely about personal preferences. For example, I don’t have children and don’t really care for children’s clothing, but I’m constantly shown a lot of it in the sewing newsletter. Of course, these patterns have their place and are very popular with many people—it’s just that I personally have no need for them.
I do think these newsletters are generated to a certain extent automatically. Maybe a human gives the final approval or makes last-minute corrections, but I do believe the bulk of it is put together automatically. When you book an ad, you simply get added to the queue and then the system includes what you paid for.
This thread got off to an unfortunate start, with a kind of pattern essentially having its “legitimacy” revoked simply because the thread starter personally doesn’t see the point in it. Yet, in the background, this is about something that, in my opinion, could potentially benefit all of us. Maybe we could talk about it again and start over? :)
13182 Posts
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Saturday, August 13, 2022 at 1:05 PM
@Refugium_Creativum
I’d like to highlight this paragraph of yours:
"I see so many patterns here that are very high quality and still have hardly any sales, probably because they weren’t “caught” right at the beginning, or simply weren’t seen by the right people, or the author just doesn’t advertise excessively (not everyone is a born salesperson). Couldn’t a more targeted newsletter help counteract that?"
I fully agree with this statement; as a fellow author, I see it the same way. I find your thoughts very worth considering. I hadn’t looked at it that way before. The only remaining question is whether enough authors would even book advertising for a topic. Because there are selection criteria there too that we authors have to meet. New items, for example, that don’t immediately have at least 10 sales cannot be booked and then also won’t be seen in the newsletter. Many lovely offers quickly get lost that way, which I also find very regrettable.
At least the suggestion here already makes sense.
Best regards
Monika
I’d like to highlight this paragraph of yours:
"I see so many patterns here that are very high quality and still have hardly any sales, probably because they weren’t “caught” right at the beginning, or simply weren’t seen by the right people, or the author just doesn’t advertise excessively (not everyone is a born salesperson). Couldn’t a more targeted newsletter help counteract that?"
I fully agree with this statement; as a fellow author, I see it the same way. I find your thoughts very worth considering. I hadn’t looked at it that way before. The only remaining question is whether enough authors would even book advertising for a topic. Because there are selection criteria there too that we authors have to meet. New items, for example, that don’t immediately have at least 10 sales cannot be booked and then also won’t be seen in the newsletter. Many lovely offers quickly get lost that way, which I also find very regrettable.
At least the suggestion here already makes sense.
Best regards
Monika
9955 Posts
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Saturday, August 13, 2022 at 1:14 PM
But we also have to consider that the newsletter’s reach would then be smaller, which in turn would have to affect the price of these ads.
I think the newsletter is a kind of showcase, and it should feature a variety of different patterns. I wouldn’t see that as a “mishmash.” And I still believe that this variety could spark interest in patterns that people wouldn’t necessarily search for themselves. (Example: I’m not interested in baby items because I don’t have a baby. But maybe a friend will have a baby, and I could make something for that baby?)
Perhaps it would help if, when putting together the newsletter, we made sure not to include too many patterns from a single category in a single issue.
I think the newsletter is a kind of showcase, and it should feature a variety of different patterns. I wouldn’t see that as a “mishmash.” And I still believe that this variety could spark interest in patterns that people wouldn’t necessarily search for themselves. (Example: I’m not interested in baby items because I don’t have a baby. But maybe a friend will have a baby, and I could make something for that baby?)
Perhaps it would help if, when putting together the newsletter, we made sure not to include too many patterns from a single category in a single issue.
13182 Posts
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Saturday, August 13, 2022 at 1:21 PM
Ruth, you’ve got a point there. I hadn’t thought of that either. There’s so much to consider, and I’m sure CP has given it some thought too. But the idea of not having too many similar offers in there does make sense. Then again, it also depends on whether enough designers book advertising at all.
I like it the way it is now, anyway. Especially because it has a variety of patterns, where almost everyone can find something.
Well, you just can’t please everyone. I guess we’ll have to accept that. :)
I like it the way it is now, anyway. Especially because it has a variety of patterns, where almost everyone can find something.
Well, you just can’t please everyone. I guess we’ll have to accept that. :)
Saturday, August 13, 2022 at 1:28 PM
@Mowi: But that’s exactly the point—“new items that don’t immediately generate 10 sales.” In my opinion, that would be put into perspective because, for example, if I can explicitly indicate an interest in doll clothes, then a new pattern might still be featured in the newsletter, or the author might be able to advertise it, even if it doesn’t become a hit on the very first day. That specific newsletter would naturally tend to reach fewer people, but it would reach those who are genuinely interested in my product—not just people who click on a link at random to take a look—because that actually ruins the conversion rate. The advertising might even become cheaper, or at least easier to book, because the requirements for getting a spot in the newsletter would likely be lower; after all, there would simply be more different newsletters reaching a smaller but more targeted group—more spots available, so it would also be easier to secure a spot for my own pattern. That’s how I imagine it. You could also offer this as an option and run it alongside the traditional newsletter, so people would have the choice of what they prefer. There are many possibilities; you’d just have to try it out.
9955 Posts
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Saturday, August 13, 2022 at 2:12 PM
But you can find exactly these specific recommendations on your dashboard, right? Just one click is all it takes!
Saturday, August 13, 2022 at 2:17 PM
@ruthk - Just as I find most of the other patterns that appear in the newsletter under “New Arrivals” and “Recommendations.” But that’s not the point. The newsletter is targeted advertising, and it works best when placed where the people who want to buy exactly those products are. Besides, I might not visit CP every day, but I do see the newsletter when I check my emails. That’s a different matter altogether. Otherwise, there’d be no need for a newsletter at all if it were based solely on what a user sees on CP. I don’t see what’s wrong with just trying something new. It could be beneficial, right? And there’s no reason to get rid of the traditional newsletter just because of that.
2851 Posts
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Saturday, August 13, 2022 at 2:23 PM
@ruthk,
that’s exactly right, which is why I mentioned it above. The newsletter is simply meant to showcase a wide range of patterns that, of course, are appropriate for the current season—and naturally, CP then selects those that have already had good sales or have been promoted before and performed well. And I think they often include patterns that have really only sold 10 copies, giving them a chance to become “bestsellers.”
Every author can influence their placement in the newsletter, whether through extensive promotion elsewhere or by purchasing a spot in the newsletter.
that’s exactly right, which is why I mentioned it above. The newsletter is simply meant to showcase a wide range of patterns that, of course, are appropriate for the current season—and naturally, CP then selects those that have already had good sales or have been promoted before and performed well. And I think they often include patterns that have really only sold 10 copies, giving them a chance to become “bestsellers.”
Every author can influence their placement in the newsletter, whether through extensive promotion elsewhere or by purchasing a spot in the newsletter.
2851 Posts
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Saturday, August 13, 2022 at 2:24 PM
And:
There’s also the search function on CP, so anyone looking for something specific can find it quickly there.
There’s also the search function on CP, so anyone looking for something specific can find it quickly there.
347 Posts
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Saturday, August 13, 2022 at 8:11 PM
Hi everyone. After following this discussion, I wanted to weigh in as well. It seems to me there are two perspectives. On the one hand, there are authors who’ve likely been around for a while and have many followers. This gives them a large initial reach. When they release a new pattern, they probably get off to a flying start just because of their followers and promptly meet the requirements for the newsletter.
For the “newcomers”—or for creators with only a few followers—it’s much harder to generate many sales right from the start. I count myself among those creators.
I offer patterns featuring a specific technique. The technique doesn’t seem to be very widespread, but I really enjoy it. I doubt anyone is actively searching for it. When I publish a pattern, I might get a few sales as long as it appears under “New Releases.” Some people add it to their watchlist. After that, it’s quiet. None of the patterns have reached 10 sales so far. So far, I haven’t had a chance to present this technique to a wider audience.
So from my perspective, I would naturally support the idea of diversifying the newsletter.
On the other hand, when I look at the patterns in the newsletter, I see a lot from the same authors. It’s no wonder, really. The requirements are getting stricter and stricter, and the fees are getting more expensive. Fewer and fewer authors can qualify or afford to be featured in the newsletter. Diversity suffers enormously.
I understand that CP focuses on the quality of the patterns and their marketability. Which is the right approach, in itself. On the other hand, a certain degree of flexibility must be maintained. Otherwise, the gap will keep widening—just as Inselschick has observed. The patterns for dishcloths are currently doing very well, so they’re being heavily promoted.
One idea might be to send a premium newsletter to all subscribers (it could also form a main part of the newsletter).
At the same time, a customized newsletter (or a supplementary section of the newsletter) with less stringent requirements could be distributed only to interested subscribers.
As I said, this is just my personal opinion based on my own situation.
For the “newcomers”—or for creators with only a few followers—it’s much harder to generate many sales right from the start. I count myself among those creators.
I offer patterns featuring a specific technique. The technique doesn’t seem to be very widespread, but I really enjoy it. I doubt anyone is actively searching for it. When I publish a pattern, I might get a few sales as long as it appears under “New Releases.” Some people add it to their watchlist. After that, it’s quiet. None of the patterns have reached 10 sales so far. So far, I haven’t had a chance to present this technique to a wider audience.
So from my perspective, I would naturally support the idea of diversifying the newsletter.
On the other hand, when I look at the patterns in the newsletter, I see a lot from the same authors. It’s no wonder, really. The requirements are getting stricter and stricter, and the fees are getting more expensive. Fewer and fewer authors can qualify or afford to be featured in the newsletter. Diversity suffers enormously.
I understand that CP focuses on the quality of the patterns and their marketability. Which is the right approach, in itself. On the other hand, a certain degree of flexibility must be maintained. Otherwise, the gap will keep widening—just as Inselschick has observed. The patterns for dishcloths are currently doing very well, so they’re being heavily promoted.
One idea might be to send a premium newsletter to all subscribers (it could also form a main part of the newsletter).
At the same time, a customized newsletter (or a supplementary section of the newsletter) with less stringent requirements could be distributed only to interested subscribers.
As I said, this is just my personal opinion based on my own situation.
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Saturday, August 13, 2022 at 8:42 PM
Unfortunately, experience shows that very few patterns that aren’t initially successful go on to become successful after appearing in the newsletter. I tried this a few times with a pattern highlighted in gray to promote it: It never worked. There were maybe 3 or 5 sales, but otherwise no interest.
Even though I knew I wouldn’t recoup the advertising costs with a gray-highlighted pattern, I had still hoped for a bit more.
To gain some visibility and followers, I can only advise you to consistently use the free promotional threads here in the forum. I’ve noticed that many newcomers try this at first, but then give up very quickly when they don’t see immediate results. You really need patience to be successful.
Even though I knew I wouldn’t recoup the advertising costs with a gray-highlighted pattern, I had still hoped for a bit more.
To gain some visibility and followers, I can only advise you to consistently use the free promotional threads here in the forum. I’ve noticed that many newcomers try this at first, but then give up very quickly when they don’t see immediate results. You really need patience to be successful.
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Saturday, August 13, 2022 at 8:58 PM
So I always find the “We, the Newcomers” argument a bit tricky. Even the old-timers started out at some point and had to figure out how to make headway on their own. I’ll just count myself among them now. In my first year, I really worked my butt off to finally make it into the newsletter. Of course, that takes hard work, ambition, and above all, PROMOTION. I have to handle all of that myself first and foremost, whether through posts on Facebook, Instagram, or paid ads wherever they may be. Nothing is handed to you on a silver platter; you have to work for it yourself first. And so statements like the one above—“not everyone is a natural-born salesperson”—are, in my opinion, out of place in a discussion like this. If you want to achieve something and are running a business, you have to deal with advertising and sales, whether you like it or not; otherwise, you’re simply in the wrong place here as a “seller” and should just treat it as a hobby.
Sure, I’m not going to make any friends among the “new authors” with this comment, but that’s unfortunately the reality. At first, I also wondered why it’s always the same people getting promoted, and so on.....But once you understand how things work, you eventually gain a different perspective.
There are many help threads and guides in the forum; you should simply spend a lot of time going through them and try to put everything into practice. See how the “old hands” do it—how they write their texts, how they create images... No one could do all of that right away.
Regardless of CP, you should build up a “fan base”—maybe offer a free pattern so customers can see how everything is set up and whether they can figure it out. Be present everywhere, answer questions, and make a name for yourself.....
And once you’ve established a solid foundation there, the path to the NL isn’t far.
Personally, I think offering even more NLs is unnecessary. I’ve only activated the crochet newsletters on my end, and a new one comes out every 2–3 days. Customers get annoyed quickly, and if you also activate the knitting or English newsletters, you’ll get a flood of newsletters every day—which will just lead to them unsubscribing entirely.
I think there are enough options here to find patterns tailored to everyone’s preferences.
Have a nice evening, everyone
Claudia
Sure, I’m not going to make any friends among the “new authors” with this comment, but that’s unfortunately the reality. At first, I also wondered why it’s always the same people getting promoted, and so on.....But once you understand how things work, you eventually gain a different perspective.
There are many help threads and guides in the forum; you should simply spend a lot of time going through them and try to put everything into practice. See how the “old hands” do it—how they write their texts, how they create images... No one could do all of that right away.
Regardless of CP, you should build up a “fan base”—maybe offer a free pattern so customers can see how everything is set up and whether they can figure it out. Be present everywhere, answer questions, and make a name for yourself.....
And once you’ve established a solid foundation there, the path to the NL isn’t far.
Personally, I think offering even more NLs is unnecessary. I’ve only activated the crochet newsletters on my end, and a new one comes out every 2–3 days. Customers get annoyed quickly, and if you also activate the knitting or English newsletters, you’ll get a flood of newsletters every day—which will just lead to them unsubscribing entirely.
I think there are enough options here to find patterns tailored to everyone’s preferences.
Have a nice evening, everyone
Claudia
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Saturday, August 13, 2022 at 9:02 PM
Yes, that’s necessary—I have to agree with Ruth on that. I can say from experience that using the free advertising threads pays off in the long run. That’s because it also helps you get found faster on Google. I often notice that products I’ve just posted in the advertising threads end up selling afterward.
As a designer, patience is absolutely essential here. And, on top of that, a lot of hard work.
As a designer, patience is absolutely essential here. And, on top of that, a lot of hard work.
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Saturday, August 13, 2022 at 10:32 PM
Sometimes it even takes a lot of patience, Ruth.
How many times have I wanted to throw in the towel?
I haven’t even counted.
How many times have I wanted to throw in the towel?
I haven’t even counted.
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Sunday, August 14, 2022 at 9:37 AM
With my post, I actually didn’t mean to complain or diminish the work of other authors. Claudia, I have a great deal of respect for what you do. But I’m also not just sitting around doing nothing and waiting for my patterns to sell themselves. Of course I do things both within and outside of CP to make myself better known. But that wasn’t my point.
What CP is aiming for is to generate as much revenue as possible by providing users with diverse, high-quality content. CP’s primary concern is not to reward one author for their efforts and punish another. What I had written about, or what I was trying to express, was how well the newsletter works in relation to this overarching goal. Since this discussion was started, there was apparently a need for discussion. I don’t think one should try to talk away a customer’s open and honest feedback or talk them out of their opinion. Feedback should be accepted gratefully, and then you can see what to do with it.
Of course we as authors can express our opinion here, but ultimately CP will make the decisions.
I would also like to note that the fact that I am active within or outside of CP does not directly make my patterns better or worse (I’m talking about myself here because I’m the one writing, but I also mean many other authors). You really can’t objectively derive from that how good my pattern is. But if you bring revenue in from outside to CP, then I wonder what you need CP for. Wasn’t the idea to be a platform that brings authors or patterns and users together? That is a rhetorical question from me, though. I don’t want to start a heated discussion with it. Of course I realize that theory and reality don’t always match up.
What CP is aiming for is to generate as much revenue as possible by providing users with diverse, high-quality content. CP’s primary concern is not to reward one author for their efforts and punish another. What I had written about, or what I was trying to express, was how well the newsletter works in relation to this overarching goal. Since this discussion was started, there was apparently a need for discussion. I don’t think one should try to talk away a customer’s open and honest feedback or talk them out of their opinion. Feedback should be accepted gratefully, and then you can see what to do with it.
Of course we as authors can express our opinion here, but ultimately CP will make the decisions.
I would also like to note that the fact that I am active within or outside of CP does not directly make my patterns better or worse (I’m talking about myself here because I’m the one writing, but I also mean many other authors). You really can’t objectively derive from that how good my pattern is. But if you bring revenue in from outside to CP, then I wonder what you need CP for. Wasn’t the idea to be a platform that brings authors or patterns and users together? That is a rhetorical question from me, though. I don’t want to start a heated discussion with it. Of course I realize that theory and reality don’t always match up.
Sunday, August 14, 2022 at 9:55 AM
Well said, Haekelhakenhamburg.
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Sunday, August 14, 2022 at 10:01 AM
@ haekelhakenhamburg,
my post was meant for everyone, not specifically aimed at you (except for the sentence → "For the new people..."). Of course no one is just sitting around doing nothing, but anyone who wants to grow or become better known has to work on that themselves first and foremost.
Of course I also take customer feedback very seriously, but what was requested above already exists on every dashboard; many people probably just don't know that.
Quote: "But if you bring sales in to CP from outside, then I wonder what you need CP for "
Very simple: you can't achieve CP's reach on your own!
And logically, CP always picks a few "lead horses" for the newsletter, or patterns that look promising. It's not as if new authors aren't promoted at all. And if, as is the case at the moment, there are many dishcloths in the newsletter, then there is certainly a reason for that, or the demand for sustainability has simply become very high by now.
I certainly didn't mean to put myself above others; I was a beginner once too and know how hard it is to build up a customer base at first. And just because someone is a "beginner as an author" doesn't mean the patterns are worse either. I wanted to make that clear. There are always all kinds of people.....
I was simply reacting to the comments here.
Best regards
my post was meant for everyone, not specifically aimed at you (except for the sentence → "For the new people..."). Of course no one is just sitting around doing nothing, but anyone who wants to grow or become better known has to work on that themselves first and foremost.
Of course I also take customer feedback very seriously, but what was requested above already exists on every dashboard; many people probably just don't know that.
Quote: "But if you bring sales in to CP from outside, then I wonder what you need CP for "
Very simple: you can't achieve CP's reach on your own!
And logically, CP always picks a few "lead horses" for the newsletter, or patterns that look promising. It's not as if new authors aren't promoted at all. And if, as is the case at the moment, there are many dishcloths in the newsletter, then there is certainly a reason for that, or the demand for sustainability has simply become very high by now.
I certainly didn't mean to put myself above others; I was a beginner once too and know how hard it is to build up a customer base at first. And just because someone is a "beginner as an author" doesn't mean the patterns are worse either. I wanted to make that clear. There are always all kinds of people.....
I was simply reacting to the comments here.
Best regards
Sunday, August 14, 2022 at 10:45 AM
From my perspective, this isn’t a question of new versus old authors, nor is it a distinction between those who are already successful and those who are less so. In my opinion, everyone would benefit from this—especially those who are already successful. The patterns wouldn’t be promoted any less; the advertising would just tend to cost less, and there would simply be more space for patterns. In addition to the topics selected by the user, you could also include a section like “Also Interesting” and perhaps feature three more patterns there from other categories, randomly selected by the system (so the customer has the chance to look beyond their usual interests). There’s so much you could do with this ^^''. Aside from that, as I said, a newsletter—just like a Facebook post—is meant to bring people to the platform who aren’t here yet—you don’t need to draw the attention of people who are on CP every day anyway with the newsletter (just because of the dashboard argument). Someone who’s already logged in here and sees the patterns doesn’t need the newsletter at all ^^'). I was surprised by the vehement rejection of this suggestion, since I actually think it could be worthwhile for everyone—especially for people who are already successful—because the advertising would then be more targeted. But okay, I do see that this would be a change, and since you only know if it’s really worth it once you try it, there might also be a fear that, in the worst case, it could backfire—especially since it would also be quite a bit of work for CP. I can certainly understand why people might be hesitant to go ahead with it. I’d still be in favor of giving it a try, though, because I believe that authors, customers, and CP would all ultimately benefit from it, and I also think there’s a real demand for it among customers. In marketing, the goal is always to become more specific and address customers as precisely as possible to avoid wasting reach. And the internet offers the greatest opportunity to do just that. Just some thoughts :)
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Sunday, August 14, 2022 at 11:16 AM
Advertising would certainly not cost any less, because if only 3 out of 20 featured patterns sell well, it’s not profitable for either CP or the authors of the “patterns that aren’t selling well.”
If you can’t manage 10 sales on your own, you can’t hope for miracles in the newsletter either. These are simply based on experience; otherwise, CP wouldn’t require these conditions.
An unknown musician is also rarely booked by major promoters, because they, too, need the assurance that they’ll sell their tickets and not incur a loss.
Incidentally, this isn’t the first time—and it certainly won’t be the last—that the NL has been discussed here in the forum, and I actually think that’s a good thing.
A few years ago, I thought similarly and didn’t understand why things work exactly this way and not differently. But as I mentioned above, over time you gain a completely different perspective, and the success of this platform speaks for itself.
Try running ads on other platforms—in some cases, it’s simply unaffordable, just as a side note. To make a profit, you have to invest—how much you invest is up to each individual to decide.
If you can’t manage 10 sales on your own, you can’t hope for miracles in the newsletter either. These are simply based on experience; otherwise, CP wouldn’t require these conditions.
An unknown musician is also rarely booked by major promoters, because they, too, need the assurance that they’ll sell their tickets and not incur a loss.
Incidentally, this isn’t the first time—and it certainly won’t be the last—that the NL has been discussed here in the forum, and I actually think that’s a good thing.
A few years ago, I thought similarly and didn’t understand why things work exactly this way and not differently. But as I mentioned above, over time you gain a completely different perspective, and the success of this platform speaks for itself.
Try running ads on other platforms—in some cases, it’s simply unaffordable, just as a side note. To make a profit, you have to invest—how much you invest is up to each individual to decide.
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Sunday, August 14, 2022 at 12:42 PM
As a “reader only” of the newsletter, I use it as a starting point when searching for a specific pattern.
If I like one, I then look to see who offers something similar that I might like even better, or where the price suits me more. Sometimes that has also led me to discover something completely different in the seller’s shop that I ended up liking even better. That has worked well for me so far.
Along the way, I’ve often found offers in the broad-ranging newsletter that I wasn’t even looking for. Even if it was just to put them on my favorites list for later use.
Personally, I don’t necessarily see the newsletter as advertising. Designers can advertise with free patterns.
Before I buy a pattern, I first check whether something free is offered. That lets me see how the patterns are structured and whether I can get along with the style. If something appeals to me, it can easily turn into an “ongoing relationship.” But it can also be that I chose a pattern because I was totally enthusiastic about it, and then I couldn’t get along with the free “sample item” at all. Then I skip the purchase, even if I thought the product was great.
On this occasion, my thanks go to all designers who offer free patterns and thereby bring buyers a lot of joy, or at least provide help in making a decision. I appreciate your work!
Whether such a specialized newsletter, as requested here, is feasible is something I personally dare to doubt. To me, that sounds like so much effort that CP probably cannot manage it.
Best, Marlies
If I like one, I then look to see who offers something similar that I might like even better, or where the price suits me more. Sometimes that has also led me to discover something completely different in the seller’s shop that I ended up liking even better. That has worked well for me so far.
Along the way, I’ve often found offers in the broad-ranging newsletter that I wasn’t even looking for. Even if it was just to put them on my favorites list for later use.
Personally, I don’t necessarily see the newsletter as advertising. Designers can advertise with free patterns.
Before I buy a pattern, I first check whether something free is offered. That lets me see how the patterns are structured and whether I can get along with the style. If something appeals to me, it can easily turn into an “ongoing relationship.” But it can also be that I chose a pattern because I was totally enthusiastic about it, and then I couldn’t get along with the free “sample item” at all. Then I skip the purchase, even if I thought the product was great.
On this occasion, my thanks go to all designers who offer free patterns and thereby bring buyers a lot of joy, or at least provide help in making a decision. I appreciate your work!
Whether such a specialized newsletter, as requested here, is feasible is something I personally dare to doubt. To me, that sounds like so much effort that CP probably cannot manage it.
Best, Marlies
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