I’m promoting promotion again only because I’ve found another awesome opportunity for you to get your work out there and/or sample some wonderful products.

The Little Black Box is a site that collects and sells samples of handmade goods. Each month, they mail out more than 150 promo boxes that contain a handful of promotional and full size items sent in from independent crafters and artists (all profits go towards maintaining the site). With a mailing list of over 8,000 people, Little Black Box is basically a vehicle for free advertising. It works particularly well for artists who have online shops and rely solely on photos and product descriptions to sell their work.

It’s easy to sign up, though there are monthly deadlines. Simply send an email expressing your interest along with a banner ad which will be displayed during the month that you are participating. You choose the number of samples to send and from what I’ve seen they can be just about anything from bath and beauty products to magnets or postcards. Of course, the more you send, the better your chances of gaining some business. I can't speak from personal experience, but the site guarantees that if your samples really WOW the box buyers you are guaranteed sales.

You can see Who’s in the Box this month or visit their FAQ page for more information. Also visit their blog for Black Box Reviews by customers.