Sell Yourself
Kimberly Dawn Wells
Freelance writer
Medford, Wisconsin
Squidoo: What brought you to Squidoo?
Kimberly: I can't remember exactly, but it had something to do with CafePress. I either saw it on the forums or in the members section. I'm all for using new methods to promote myself and my businesses, so I hopped online and created my first lens as a CafePress-branded lens about my shop.
S: How long have you used CafePress?
K: About a year and a half ago, I created a T-shirt as a gag gift for my boyfriend. I didn't log into my account for a while but realized that I had sales from that shirt. I decided to give it a try at a real store and have been active since early 2006.
S: How did you promote your CafePress wares before you joined Squidoo?
K: I joined Squidoo the same weekend that I went on a huge marketing blitz for my CafePress store. I was previously relying mostly on the CafePress image search feature and Traffic Swarm, but I am now also on MySpace, have several blogs and am building my Google Base database. I'm working on a few web sites that will feature my products as well as affiliate products for gift giving to various niche groups.
S: How did you decide what to make your lenses about?
K: I started out using Squidoo to promote my CafePress shop, so all the lenses were based on gift categories or popular themes. As a writer, I quickly discovered the promotional value in Squidoo, so I started creating lenses that were tied to themes I had written about or am writing about and resources for writers. I also have created a few for fun, such as the OMG! I'm Pregnant! lens which is for a few friends of mine who finally got pregnant. Some lenses I create as one-stop bookmarks for myself, such as my Detroit Red Wings lens, which gives me a daily look at updated eBay finds and DRW in the news. Creating lenses is also a great way to share your knowledge, such as the Hybrid Car Hazards for Emergency Responders (I'm a firefighter) or Protect Yourself from Personal Fraud, Credit Card Fraud, and Identity Theft (been there, done that).
S: Do you maintain a web site or blog otherwise?
K: I maintain quite a few. I did web design for eight years before I decided to "retire" and become a full-time writer. I'm in the process of collecting resources to launch lenses marketing my book concepts. I like Squidoo over blogs for the topics that I don't feel need new information every day, but rather a frequently updated mini-site that has the power of marketing synergy.
S: What do you mean by that?
K: One web site is one web site out in the vastness of cyberspace. It's like a mini-mart in the middle of the desert with no roads leading to it. You're in charge of building all the roads and giving people enticing reasons to go down them. Using Squidoo is like having a store front at the Mall of America. People go there for many reasons, and the traffic from each store -- or lens -- feeds off of and feeds to other lenses. While your lens isn't the main focus and you often have to share or give up some of your traffic or commission, you have that much more power in being part of a group.
S: What have you done with your lenses that you can't do elsewhere?
K: The web designer in me loves Squidoo because it allows me to create mini-sites for free and I don't have to do nearly the marketing that I otherwise would. I've been looking for a concept like this for years. I tried the portal site idea, I tried the multiple blogs idea -- Squidoo really fits what I have been trying to do all along.
S: Did you consider doing so using a blog or similar web page?
K: After selling most of the web-based business I ran when I "retired," I had urges to do something on a smaller scale. Squidoo will let me do this.
S: Have you taken any cues from other lenses so far?
K: Two big cues I've taken are "less is more" and "more is more." Less is more when you're offering variety within a specific module. Only offer 3-5 books, or 3-5 shirts, for example. If readers want more listings, they can click on the link below those 3-5 items. If you have a long list of links, break it up by topic or relevancy. More is more when you're offering variety within a lens. Even the most remote topic can be broadened to add depth. For example, my seemingly simple lens on grilled cheese sandwiches got a little bigger when I found an 18-month-old "buzz" on the Virgin Mary grilled cheese auction. Another cue I've taken is that people can tell when you're full of it, so don't make up a bunch of lenses just for the rankings.
S: Once you've published a lens, what do you do with it?
K: Some lenses I just leave sit, and nearly all of them have generated their own value -- that is to say that most have climbed the LensRank quickly due to their theme, the way I've put them together and the content I've included.
S: What do you think accounts for that?
K: Hopefully it's because the content I've created is relevant to the needs of readers, the copy is entertaining and easy to read, the modules are varied, and the lens is designed to educate -- not just make money. If you have a genuine interest in educating others and sharing information for information's sake, rather than just throwing information at them hoping they'll buy, people will respect you as a professional and trust your opinions more. I also update my lenses frequently; some daily, all no less than once per week.
S: What advice or ideas would you offer other lensmasters?
K: Don't pick something just because it's popular and you think it will make a lot of money. Like any other career or venture in life, you'll soon become bored and your lens will suffer. People can tell when you're not passionate about your topic. On the other hand, if you're just in it for a hobby it's fine to make dozens of lenses that won't make you money, but as long as you're at it, try to sneak in a few things that people can buy. This helps them take action, which is what a lot of web surfers are online to do in the first place.
S: What one lens do you wish existed?
K: How to Become a Millionaire by your 25th Birthday.
S: How old are you?
K: I just turned 24.
