Three novel ways for crafters to use social media

If you are a crafter, you are no doubt pretty good at using the Internet to research your craft, buy supplies, learn new skills and ask questions. But there is probably a lot more you could be doing online. Here are some suggestions for making the most of your social media experience.

1. Like, Follow and Friend companies for special deals
It seems like just about every company has a social media presence these days. A lot of companies frankly don't seem to know what to do with it. But many others have found that social media lets them distribute special deals and sales to the True Faithful. At the very least, you can get notified of sales immediately - important when supplies are limited!

2. Find that thing you need
Every crafter has had the dismaying experience of running short on a specific supplies, just shy of completion. Whether you're a knitter who needs a skein of a particular dye lot that's no longer carried in stores, a seamstress looking for a matching button for your vintage set, or any other crafting emergency, the Internet is here to help!

Send up the Bat Signal to your group of online crafters. It may be Ravelry (for knitters), your Twitter followers, a popular blogger or even contacting the manufacturer directly. Crafters love to help, and a lot of us have a huge stash of supplies we're not using.

3. Get one-on-one classes online
I recently stumbled across an oil painting course that takes place entirely over Skype's videoconferencing feature. There aren't many such online-only courses available, but I predict that this is going to be huge in the coming years.

Ever wanted a lesson from a particular teacher, but couldn't make it to their studio or class? E-mail and ask if they would be willing to Skype you for a lesson! (Make it clear you intend to pay their usual fee for this service.) I bet a lot of teachers would be delighted to give it a whirl, if it's not something they are doing already.

Image courtesy Flickr/Kevin McShane