TPT Collaboration! NY Meetup, & GIVEAWAY!

Collaboration is one of the many things setting TPT folks apart from other entrepreneurs in the cybermarket. (Yes, I coined that). Our willingness to create interstitial bridges of friendly competition, pure collaboration for mutual gain is what makes us unique and raises high the flag that says "we all succeed together." 

I'm pulling the plug. BLOWING THE WHISTLE on myself. Let's get to to POINT!

Collaboration Extraordinaire- (Hurry before you MISS IT!)

The MAY 2  New York Meet-Up!

In case you have not visited forums, FB, and have been otherwise engaged in the tomfoolery and stuff-and-nonsense that we call life. . . there is huge shindig in Binghamton, New York where meeting, collaborating, learning and overall idea exchange will be taking place. This is IDEAL for those who cannot make the huge haul out to the VEGAS event, who prefer a smaller venue, or who want to do multiple events. While I most sadly cannot make it, I want to get the word out to the rest of you!  Here's the INFORMATION!

The above is a JPEG. Sorry folks, DON'T CLICK YET.  Rather, let me take a quote from Sherri's last FB notification... At last update, on the 7th, Literary Sherri says that:

"collaboration is not only invigorating but essential for TpT success. We're so much better when we flock together! So let's get together to exchange ideas, network, connect, collaborate and take home loads of effective tips and strategies to grow our TpT businesses!"  

I couldn't have said it better myself. 

 Organizers Include:

• Literary Sherri  
• Ellen Weber 
• Brain Waves Instruction 
• Kinders in NY 
• The Math Spot
• Selma Dawani 
• Yay for Pre-K

With sessions and expenses tax-deductible for business purposes, this makes the trip to Binghamton truly enticing. 
Sherri says some sellers are coming from Ohio and Michigan, and spots are currently 1/3 filled, HOWEVER  . . . 

SPOTS ARE AVAILABLE, SO FILL OUT the GOOGLE FORM HERE!!!!

PART ONE TAKEAWAY

If you would like to join in on a wonderfully helpful and inspiring day with other teacher sellers, my advice is this: GET a MOVE ON, SALLY! Click on the Google docs link above!

. . . 

Let's take a walk 

*PART TWO - GRAND GIVEAWAYS!!!!

Collaboration is really fun when you host giveaways, participate as a seller, or are buying in and get to learn about sellers. Of course it's great to win, too. I want to trumpet and laud the latest giveaway hosted by Julie Faulkner and the Language Arts Classroom.

                                                   

                                 Language Arts Classroom                  Julie  Faulkner

Though it is too late to enter as a seller AS a buyer, you have many options to win, So what is being offered? In THIS PACKAGE......

IF you teach at a lower grade... how about Middle School? 

And of course... let's not forget MATH. 

THE GOAL of this PROMO? Consider entering.

There are myriad uses for these products if you win, plus fantastic opportunities for you learn more about Teachers Pay Teachers, and if you are a seller, about your fellow sellers and the work they do. 

ENTER MARCH 15-29      http://languageartsclassroom.com/

ANNOUNCEMENT OF WINNERS  APRIL 1, 2015 

 The Second Goal?  If you're reading this, you probably are wondering "Gee wiz, I sure as sass would love to enter my resource in a giveaway." And then, you're probably wondering "How did I end up in a Lassie episode?" 

Well here's a question. . . 

Why give away a great product for free?  I was in the dark about "Giveaways" for a while. At first I knew nothing about giveaways. Then, I was skeptical. 

BENEFITS are that you may get: followers who learn about your store and actually realize they could use your products; a residual or secondary purchase from a few of those followers who looked around your store while "admiring the beauty therein;" and best of all you slowly meet others and become familiar with the TPT-seller landscape.  For all of this? and probably more, the free product you offer is a small price to pay.

Keep your EYES to the sky... or more accurately to the forums for giveaway opportunities that match YOUR products best. 

Julie Faulkner says to look our for "more collaborative blog hop opportunities in the next months and our 2nd annual, secondary Back to School Giveaway in August 2015."


HEY READERS - Remember this, in order to COLLABORATE you must PARTICIPATE. So Let's Get Going! 

God Bless!
Gina, PerfettoWritingRoom

P.S. MY PICK OF THE WEEK!!!

Let's Start the Shakespeare Feud! PowerPoint Icebreaker Game! 

Dontcha HATE when you REALLY NEED Something??

Hi Secondary Folks and English Teachers!

I missed Blogging something awful!

TeachersPayTeachers has had me working night and day, making products.

One of the best and worst things about summer is low sales. It is terrible because, of course, no sales. It is great because, when no one is buying, you feel motivated to get all those other, equally important things done.

Things to Do When the Store is Empty
FILL it up...with products
Start to pin again in preparation for Fall
Redo those old-school covers.
Rethink some of your failed strategies - and maybe repackage some things?
Actually get out and enjoy yourself - holy cow! What a great idea...recharge that battery!


**A QUESTION FOR ALL THOSE TEACHERS out there ***
What do you need. What would you never want to make, recreate, or what resources do you value but struggle with finding? 

The product I made that I love the very most is my literary term glossary because is was, hands down, exceedingly difficult to make. It was also a labor of love, compiled with care, and I know (or at least at hope) that it is very useful. More useful say, than a general dictionary, or a high level dictionary of critical, literary and rhetorical terms that would be exhausting for a teacher to use.

Every once in a while as a teacher you think, GOSH, I really wish I could find ....and fill in the blank. Because if you had this thing, you KNOW it would help you when you were teaching or planning, and you know you'd use it over and over.


So what are those products for you??

TpT Tuesday! #2: "THIS kind of Money for What I love?" and Why You MUST Be Yourself

 1.  "Getting this kind of money for doing what I love? I wouldn't have imagined it possible." (Yes, advertising is good, but not everyone is advertising like crazy).                                      

                                        Melissa Shutler. . .

(visit Melissa's shop by clicking her name above)

 VARIETY, they say, is the spice of life. I say it confuses you and give you indigestion. Especially if you are trying to be successful. With so much advice, who do you listen to?

Melissa Shutler, lovely woman, successful teacher and product maker is surprising because she flouts some of the rules we've come to expect about how to succeed.

There are many paths to greatness, success, love, or whatever your life goal may be at the moment. It astounds me that while Melissa Shutler admits on the one hand that "I don't know why I have found success here. I haven't marketed a ton. My blog is weak," she also adds that "I just pour my heart and soul into everything I make. I get inspiration for new products from my students. I also find inspiration in the nonfiction section of the library.  I constantly look for ways to bring math and nonfiction together."
          Anyone who's been on TpT knows how important marketing is or seems to be. Apparently, loving what you do and doing it well CAN be enough. Advertising will only help. Advice: make good products, and do what you can, WHEN you can.

2. Do YOU think that BEING on TPT has MADE YOU A BETTER TEACHER? (Yes - and if you have an idea that helps your students and fills a need, it can be a successful product that will help others). 

                                                 Work Smarter, Not Harder (Love that name!) 

Click on the live link to visit the shop!

     
 "Work Smarter, Not Harder"says that "selling here has changed and improved the way I teach and the emphasis I place on materials I use. This is my 9th month and I am thankfully 20 away from my first 1000 in a month.  It has been an amazing journey and just like teaching, I am constantly reflecting, growing, and learning. I think originality goes a long way. If you can find that something that is lacking in your room, attempt to design or create it.  If you need it, chances are others do too!!"

.

 3. So I Should Just Go Out and Follow Their Advice? And Then I Will Start to Be More Successful?

Not so fast! Every week I'll be bringing you absolutely wonderful, and ever more specific advice. Sometimes the advice will be contradictory - and that is ok. 

Did you ever need to get somewhere, but you asked too many people for directions? One person wanted to draw a map, another person kept pointing to indicate left and right even though you lost track five turns ago, a third person was very fond of McDonald's and other fast food markers, and the last person insisted on using north, northeast, southwest, and maybe mile markers? It is enough to make you pull over at the side of the road, cry, and not want to go anywhere. JUST LOOK at how different and varied the "directions to success" can be. 

       You may wonder, what do you do FIRST? And Who's RIGHT 

       (maybe they all are, so be calm as you read. . . )

Please consider the Following . . . 
Amount of Items
Some successful sellers have 27 items and made over $1000 dollars a month. Others needed over 100 items. And yes, some have over 250.

Advertising/ Promotions/Linkies
As we've seen above there are sellers who are making $1000 (and much more) who "dabble" a little in advertising. There are others who swear by it and aver that they wouldn't be making what they are if they weren't relentlessly advertising on "fill-in-the-blank."

Grade Level -
There are $1000-and-over sellers at the elementary, middle and high school level. I do believe that there are more elementary level "big sellers" though there are many more elementary sellers in general. It makes sense.
So much has been made about the Elementary versus the High School sellers. I teach high school, and I don't want it to feel like we are all going to "duke it out in the parking lot after school." But hey, I have an old-school metal lunch box, and yes, I'm from Jersey. But the FACT remains if you just read a little further, I'll illuminate you on my larger point. PLEASE, put the lunch boxes and pointy objects down. We are all adults here.
 
The ORDER of OPERATIONS
Imagine TpT like an giant and elaborate juggling performance. A juggler has ONE BALL the moment he joins TpT. The other balls one can choose to juggle with are:
the forum; the tutorials offered by Tpt sellers; the freebies offered by TpT sellers; the newsletter; the promotion option and other steps on Tpt like fixing up your store; pinning and Pinterest; pinning parties; rafflecopters, giveaways and blog hops or other collaborative ventures; starting a blogs; joining bloglovin; FaceBook; instagram; twitter and more. . .

**PLEASE KNOW that you should feel free to "juggle" all, some, or nearly none of these. The very successful sellers use these to different degrees, and they began doing them at different times in different order as they felt ready and comfortable! There is no judgement or pressure in how much or how little you do, what you start with, etc. In fact, as Melissa Shutler above will contend, you do NOT have to juggle every ball, all the time, and well, to be what you or others consider successful. You only have to be yourself....and . . .

3. **YOU CAN ONLY BE THE BEST YOU ** 

TIPS THAT YOU CAN USE WHEN YOU'RE UP TO IT

The most important thing you must realize, and then remember, is that YOU are on a very individual journey.

• You can't trick the Buyer.  Don't make what you don't teach or specialize in. Numerous sellers have said don't make Kindergarten products if you teach 8th grade because you've decided you would make more money that way. You know what? You won't make more money. Same thing goes for clip art or other really "hot," "trendy" or high-selling areas. People are experts for a reason. Nothing is more chafing than someone telling you your job must be easy. Hey you're a teacher right? You get your summers off. So why should any of us think we can do so easily what another seller does at a different level?

• Don't trick yourself either. You can spend hours researching what's hot and what's popular, but more likely, what will do well is something that you will think of that inspires and fascinates you. If you continually look outside yourself to what others are doing, you may really be selling yourself and your potential short. Ultimately you will less satisfied and fulfilled. The best new product you create can only come from your own head and heart. 

• Find out what you are specifically good at - then make more versions of it. You already know you sell high school social studies, or fifth grade specializing in geography. The fateful day will come when you make a "hot button product" that buyers can't get enough of. Sorry, but this is an organic process that you'll probably just stumble up. When it happens, Meredith Anderson (the first to mention this, who is another top seller) suggests that you use ideas in NEW and multiple ways ( take your simple product and expand it into a unit, a single lesson, as task cards, as a Power Point, a game, for more than one level, you get the idea) in order to maximize its reach and selling potential.), or make different volumes. (see final bullet).

Visit Meredith Anderson

                                                             
                                                                  
                                                               (click on the live Name link!)

• ONCE you Have Done That - you are in effect Building Your Store!

    It has been said on the thread too, do NOT add items to your store simply for the sake of it. If you put sub-par items in your store, you may get the reputation of not caring very much, or having low quality items in general. Every item should be your best. If it takes longer, so be it. Have good strong items that represent who you are, and what you are passionate about.

• The Bundle. One you have a Bigger store and items that are RELATED, (a little of this was tangentially touched upon by Meredith Anderson) make a SERIES out of them if you can and feel it is appropriate and fun to do. Then, bundle them. I will not say much more about this, except to say there will be more about this in another post.

4. SOME TIPS FROM THE HEART, By PerfettoWritingRoom

                                                               
                                                      You didn't know I have a new logo?
                                                       Stop by, pop in and say "Hi" 





1.  I WANT to talk about the following in the next few weeks:
Bundles (types and ways to do it)
Branding
Advertising (Copromote, linkies, pinning, FB etc. etc)
Blogging
And so much more

But I'd like to clarify that

2. The worst thing you can do is read a TpT Tips for Tuesday post, and then follow the advice "just because" you believes it will lead to success without any thought to your own personal gut instinct.
REMEMBER that this post is itself about "Variety" and contradiction, really. While everyone on the thread succeeded, they all did it using the tools of success in their own way, and they did it by being themselves. What worked for one person didn't work for someone else.
      You'll know it's time to take a new step on your journey WHEN you feel "excited" by the prospect. IF you feel NERVOUS or if you feel stressed out by it, then it isn't time to do it yet. I know that perhaps some of you might think "Oh this is so obvious." Actually it isn't. There are so many people that get overwhelmed by the many tasks required.
     My husband Gene says.
"How do you eat the elephant?"
One bite at a time."

3. Tpt Tips for Tues has the SAME problems as the problems you will find in any self-help book.  
You must remember to be yourself or risk being led astray. 
        Melissa Shutler, "Work Smarter, Not Harder" and Meredith Anderson are successful because they are themselves, and they did what they loved. You can't fake life, or your products. 

4. The little SECRET is this. Fiction writers always want to distance themselves from their work and say "I am not my book." This is the lie;  but it is this lie that enables them to plumb the horrors, the agony and ecstasy, the closets of their aunts and attics of their grandmothers to write with abandon and, if not without fearlessness, then at least without fear of certain kinds of retribution. Even fiction is a kind of truth.
(I accept the hate mail).

            *Authors are their books. And you are your products. Be yourself, and you will sell.*



And lastly let us go back to our very first sentences "VARIETY, they say is the spice of life. I say it confuses you and give you indigestion. Especially if you are trying to be successful.  With so much advice, who do you listen to?"

The answer is to Use TpT Tips Tuesday as a guide.... but LISTEN TO YOURSELF.



please join this blog!


VISIT US AGAIN ON TUESDAY - 
WE'll KEEP the Coffee Brewing! 

and Don't Forget that Feature Friday  . . .
                   is right around the Corner!


Gina - ThePerfettoWritingRoom
Do you want you join TpT but havent? Let Me Refer you!
Take a gander at PerfettoWritingRoom's Store   

TPT Tips Tuesday #1 - Own Your Progress

HI Everyone. This is me, Gina, of the PerfettoWritingRoom. I take only a wee bit of responsibility for the WONDERFUL

STORIES . . .
ADVICE . . .
TIPS . . .
And Guidelines
That you are going to read about. I am an award-winning reporter, I am a published fiction writer, and I've been teaching for a long time and now create full-time on TpT. I have a blog, and all the other usual outlets, but I love making writing products.

I started a thread on the Tpt Forum. . .

The clunky title - because I am not gifted at titles - is When did you hit $1000 a month? Advice, war stories and laughter here!

This one thread started what I'd like to believe was a firestorm of helpfulness and generosity on the part of some very successful creators, and a natural feeling of excitement and inspiration on the part of many folks who are already quite successful in their own right, but who perhaps want to grow some more.
     So many of you have commented that you appreciated it, that you found it helpful. Some sellers are nearly at $1000 a month, or were happy to announce ON THE THREAD that they JUST broke $2000. Others regularly make $8000. I'd like to think everyone received something from reading, sharing and visiting.
   
                   First Some Simple Advice:
                   OWN YOUR PROGRESS!

Do You Compare? Do You Despair?
    (You might find comparing leads to despairing) 

One of the most beautiful findings from the lengthy thread was how grateful visitors were. Comments that "it is in fact possible" to work from home, to increase one's income, or simply to improve! The idea is that TpT is wonderful because we help each other, we share ideas and we support one another. Teachers are a singular and wonderful type of people. And TpT is in many respects a singularly wonderful place.

One of the most upsetting realizations from the thread is something I find I do myself: comparing. There are many comments: wonderful, blessed, comments in which a person nearly rocketed to $1000 a month (and far beyond) within months. This led some readers to gasp in relief and awe, and many readers to compare in their follow-up comments. Even I, in some weak moments thought, "Oh gosh, my store is terrible, my products are not good, is it because I sell for high school?" etc.
      While I know that I can't prevent people from self-doubt or upset in the wake of a poor month or lagging sales, especially after redoubled efforts or high expectations, I will say that it is both human and understandable to feel disappointment when we

        Try
                  Try
                            Try

And it feels that others whiz on by...

Know also that comparison will not be a part of Tpt Tips Tues.

INSTEAD TRY THIS - OWN YOUR OWN PROGRESS - ADVICE FROM TWO WOMEN

Part ONE - COMPARISON IS THE THIEF OF JOY - SCIPI
It was SCIPI, a fellow TpT materials creator who once mentioned to me (and a sincere and warm thanks to you), for mentioning once to me that COMPARISON is the THIEF OF JOY. I HOPE we all remember it. No matter WHAT, remember what you do and can accomplish, and feel blessed by your forward movements in the world.

 Show Scipi YOUR Love and Support, Visit her Store today!


Part TWO
YOU REALLY DO GROW; MAYBE YOU SHOULD KEEP TRACK!!??

It took Teach-123-Michelle about 7 months before she made over 1K a month. Before anyone breaks the rule above and starts comparing again, lets look at what Michelle advises. She says that "the first year was the hardest. It is hard to stay motivated when you don't see the sales and you are spending . . .time and effort making . .  .lessons." Doesn't that sound familiar?

One thing everyone should keep in mind is that growth and success is not about money at all unless that is all you care about. In fact, I am going to argue that if all you care about is money, you probably are in the wrong field. Some of the greatest thinkers advise that money is love, and energy - well I could go on. What we do, and I am sure you will agree, is put our hearts into our jobs, into the products we create and into those people we want to delight, educate, and help (in all of the myriad ways we know that we can).

So instead of focusing on the dollar, let's focus on real benchmarks of success that will eventually bring abundance towards us.

Success can be seen in so many ways:

• number of products in your store;
• how many, or any, repeat customers we have this month
• number of positive reviews you get on your paid or free products
• what you have done this month (did you start a blog; open a FB page, pinterest, twitter, etc.)*
• the number of likes on ANY advertising outlet you have (do any of these numbers grow?)*
• Pinterest pins or repins, OR  likes/ comments on your products
• your store likes - has it improved since last month?
• the degree to which you are participating on TpT
• the degree to which you are collaborating or leading something on TpT
• If you "built your store" this month (even a single product is great)
• your sales in units
• your sales in dollars
• your freebie downloads
• MORE and other!

*Note that two of the above can be broken down even further. Can you see how REDUCTIVE it is to be sad and hard on yourself because you didn't make more money? There are SO many ways to IMPROVE on TPT!!! Many of your improvements are slow, but result in cash growth later.

Let's go back to Teach-123, (Michelle), who said that "finally, one day I decided to do data collection with my TPT'ing. I made a chart. Each Friday, I checked my numbers (number of blog followers, weekly page views, TPT followers, Pinterest followers, number of sales, sales in dollars, etc.).  Out of all the things that I looked at, I could count on at least one area I would see growth which would motivate me to work harder.  I also picked one area to concentrate my efforts for the next week.   It was like a weekly progress report." (Italics mine).

While no one is her, (selling like her, in her grade with her materials), and let's all be clear that making a chart doesn't MEAN you too will all of sudden make lotsa lotsa money soon   - there is a very valuable lesson. Making a chart helps for many reasons. Michelle is onto something and we thank her for this suggestion. Here is one more lesson:

The lesson is that progress is constant. And there is joy, pride and motivation to be found in that. 


Visit Teach-123-Michelle! See what she has in store!

GOALS for TPT TIPS TUESDAY

• Champion Success
• Learn from others
• Be happy for those who do well
• Visit others to see what they are doing RIGHT!!!

EACH TUESDAY . . .

1. I will CURATE comments into an ARTICLE
2. Creators from TpT and the TpT thread who are featured will have their store linked back
3. All readers are welcome to discuss and comment on the topic (agree or disagree - too)

please join this blog!


VISIT US AGAIN ON TUESDAY - 
WE'll KEEP the Coffee Brewing! 

Gina - ThePerfettoWritingRoom
Do you want you join TpT but havent? Let Me Refer you!
Take a gander at PerfettoWritingRoom's Store         

Prepare For TpT Tips Tues: Tales from the $1000 Dollar Club

Are YOU READY for TPT TIPS TUESDAY?

You May be Featured Here!

And All Are Welcome to Visit and Learn from the Best!

***The Great Sellers of TeachersPayTeachers.com***

WHO WE ARE:

Teachers and Home-School educators

  

Professional Educators at ALL LEVELS

                               Pre-K through lower grades!

                            Middle School - and you guessed it - 

                                 High School and University, too!

Women and Men . . .

Moms and Dads . . . 

Aunts, Uncles, Animal Lovers, Techies, Crafters, Geeks, Critical Thinkers, Wordsmiths

People JUST LIKE YOU

OH - HOW DO I PARTICIPATE  ?????!!!!

1. Everyone is welcome to please Join my bloglovin' blog and 
    read every Tuesday. We all learn and grow together

         Just click on the "bloglovin" icon to the right!
   
2. VISIT the TPT THREAD 
     "When did you hit $1000 a month? Advice, war stories and 
    laughter here!"

 Anyone can visit there, to learn, contribute or ask questions.
 Folks who contribute their success stories and advice may be  featured and will get a "link back" to their store!

3. Come here every TUESDAY and read a beautifully written and organized article that tackles a MAJOR issue from the advice given.

4. Are you NEW and considering joining TpT?
     Let me refer you!

5. STAY TUNED - TPT TIPS TUESDAY STARTS TOMORROW!!