With Christmas just around the corner, now’s the time I break out my knitting needles and start dreaming up homemade gifts. So even though my nephew said he’d really prefer the new Star Wars Lego set for Christmas, I couldn’t help poking around one of my favorite knitting sites: Mochimochi Land.

While there, I realized that its creator, Anna Hrachovec, is a marketing rock star.

Seriously. I don’t know why I didn’t notice it before, but this woman has been featured on the Martha Stewart Show, published two books of patterns – and that’s not all she’s doing right. Below, I’ve listed a few marketing tips to be gleaned from Mochimochi Land.

Check back on Monday for Q&A with Anna about her marketing techniques.

1. Give stuff away.

I first stumbled across Anna’s website several years ago, via a free knitting pattern on Ravelry. She offers more than a dozen free knitting projects, from tiny bunnies and baby gators to candy corn and knitted hearts.

Like most marketing techniques, giving stuff away can have its drawbacks. But when done thoughtfully, it can entice people to become paying customers.

2. Be responsive.

As an amateur knitter, I often get confused. And when that happens, I don’t always know where to go for help. When I was knitting a pattern from Anna’s book, Knitting Mochimochi, I got hopelessly lost on the baby gator. So I asked her about it on Twitter. She responded within hours, and I got to finish my knitted gator.

3. Have different price points.

You could cater solely to high-end clients, but let’s face it – not everyone can afford high-end prices. Creating a variety of products takes work, but it can help you win sales from a wider audience. Anna does this well by offering a selection of hand-knitted originals and low-cost patterns – plus package deals to encourage bigger purchases.

4. Get customers involved.

Mochimochi Land could just showcase Anna’s creativity. After all, she’s got a lot to go around. Instead, she encourages other people to build upon her patterns, and showcases them in an annual photo contest.

Anna also sponsors an occasional caption contest, where visitors to her Mochimochi Land can comment on her latest photos for a chance to win a free pattern.

5. Get personal.

I love checking out Anna’s blog, where she takes readers behind the scenes of her latest knitted toy installations, and documents the things that inspire her. Plus, how can you not love this photo from her “About Me” page?

Who’s inspiring YOU lately? Let me know in the comments section below. Maybe you’ll see them featured on a future blog post!