Going Mobile -- Finally!

Did you see this blog post in our "other" blog on our farm web page, just posted today?  It is our sister blog to this one, with the posting focus passed back and forth between blogs!  To avoid missing anything, bookmark both sites -- or better yet, Follow / grab the RSS feed of both. Copy / paste this to your browser to see, or save into your bookmarks directly. http://www.autumnsunalpacas.com/blog/219/0/autumn-sun-alpacas

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Maintaining a Mobile Presence...

We are now a mobile world. Well, at least I am. I know that the world has been using smart phones for years, tote around iPads and other tablets, and live-and-die by their ability to communicate quickly by text messaging and emails.

I just got my first smart phone in January 2012 (collective gasp!). Yes, I finally succumbed to the phone envy watching Michael use all his functions on his Droid phone. I went from defiant to weak-willed as if it was covered in chocolate.

At first, I was not as as impressed as I should have been. It wasn't giving me all the benefits and ease that I thought it should... Why? [click here to learn how to be more mobile]


We love giving you info and will try to keep both blogs interesting... If there is anything you are curious about alpacas or fiber/spinning, or network marketing -- contact Autumn Sun Alpacas with "I have a blog question" in the subject line!  If we don't know already, we will RESEARCH it for you to help you get started.

Don't forget to see more blog postings at our farm website blog!

Warmer Economy Along With the Warmer Weather?

Is our economic future looking up?

They say that economy is part perception, fed by the buyers and their own comfort level....

Among the masses, as a small business owner and an "average joe" I have certainly felt the affects of this uncertainty.   However, lately, I feel reassured by the media that feeds me the data that I allow to shape my perception.  For instance eye-catching post titles cannot help but inspire... 

Business Successs in a Crowded Market?

Did you see this blog post in our "other" blog on our farm web page, posted on 12/15/2011?  It is a sister site to this blog, with the focus passed back and forth between blogs -- like a hot potato!  To avoid missing anything, bookmark both sites -- or better yet, Follow / grab the RSS feed of both.

Copy / paste this to your browser to see, or save into your bookmarks directly.

http://www.autumnsunalpacas.com/blog/219/0/autumn-sun-alpacas

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There are tips and advice that tell you what you already know, but do you remember to employ them?  Do you really think how you can incorporate them into your business model? 

For instance, I saw a link to this site's article in a business newsletter that I receive [That's another trick right there!  SUBSCRIBE to all those FREE business newsletters!  They consolidate links to the multitude of blogs and websites out that there are available] and followed it to the site to read the full listing....

It told me things I already knew... boring, right?  But, then, I started to consider exactly how I AM already using these or how I am NOT using them and what can I do to change that.  That's the a-ha moment, when you leave the "classroom" and enter the "real-world" environment.  Apply and/or reinforce the tenets that you may 'already know'!

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Here's what the blog said in a nutshell versus how I applied it to my business (alpacas!) model:

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5 Ways To Thrive In A Overcrowded Industry Katie Morell Contributor, OPEN Forum Contributors

See the actual blog posting for the full story, as I am only listing the bullet points with my comments below.

1. Focus on a niche
2. Study the market and fill gaps
3. Network, network, network
4. Diversify your offerings
5. Focus on customer service

Don't forget to see more blog postings at our farm website blog!

Washing Alpaca Fiber...

Cleaning alpaca fiber is not as hard as it seems...  It is always nice to have your fiber processed at a mini mill into clouds, rovings, top or yarn!  But  sometimes you need to wash it yourself, and it certainly is good to know how. 

Cleaning alpaca fiber in the kitchen sink or a basin is easy to do in small bunches if you have only a couple or even a few pounds of fiber, such as bought from the fair or online. This is also a flexible method if you urgently need a small amount for a spinning or felting project.  But, if you have literally pounds and pounds (and pounds) of this to wash,

How should one write without annoying others?.....

So, I say "I'm back" as if I was somewhere great!  Part of me thinks I should leave it as that, and add mystery to me, that layer of intrigue and glamour!  But, at the core I am actually a realist and frankly sometimes too honest.  That's me - honest, frank, loyal, a tad judgmental -- a Capricorn.

For a bit if interest, did you know that 'they' say the horoscopes are all wrong and that millions of people are 'not the sign they think they are' -gasp!  Not me, I don't care what they think, I'm a Capricorn.  (Now if you know anything about the descriptions of Capricorns, you find that statement funny!).

Anyway, though I did go to Amarillo, Texas and Shawnee, Oklahoma for two alpaca shows, I really didn't go anywhere.  They were great fun and we are glad we attended them.  But shows take a lot of time (& money) so we are taking a brief hiatus on them.  I also had some time off (forced vacation) at the end of the year; that should have been great fun.  But, the family brought home their own colds and shared liberally.  So I managed to get some required graphics done for the 2011 GWAS showbook, but no fiber sorting. Sigh.  That mountain of fiber has to get done! I just missed a discount special at Zeilinger Wool Co. but I think they have anther in Feb.  But that's okay, I just found another processor that looks promising.  That's when I reminded myself that there is often a 'silver lining' to every negative you experience if you remain open and flexible.  Do you not appreciate your warm alpaca socks that much more because you just got in from the freezing cold in the barn?

Well, I digress, again.  So, why was I suddenly inspired to write on the blog?