Some Secrets of My Success

Since I consider myself a successful Etsy seller, I'm taking the opportunity of my 2nd Etsyversary to share some thoughts. While I know everyone finds their own path and my experience won't reflect everyone's experiences, I hope you find this interesting or even helpful.

When I started making jewelry based on molecule shapes, I expected it to be a hobby. I was planning to work freelance writing jobs for a living and sell jewelry to produce some retirement savings. Yet within a year the jewelry became my full-time job that pays the bills. The freelance writing I do is extra.

I believe much of my success comes from having an unusual offering. At first, I thought my jewelry would appeal to a very small niche. I was uneasy about joining Etsy because I thought people interested in my stuff would not find me here. I was wrong. First, my work appeals to a wider audience than I suspected, and, second, people found my stuff through searches and - more importantly - through other people. Despite my expectations to the contrary, having such a narrow focus in my work has been a benefit.

I'm a generalist and I love making all sorts of things, like textiles, sculptures, and paper goods. But in my Etsy store, I've largely remained focused on just the jewelry. Every once in a while I'll throw something else in, but I think having a focused inventory looks professional.

Since this is my job, there are things I love to make that don't make money, so I can't offer them in my shop. I don't like that this is true, that I need to pay attention to profit margins. But it is necessary, especially since my extra time has been dwindling.

I love what I do. I have even found ways to enjoy the more business-sided aspects. It's important to have passion about your work when you work for yourself. I work long days [disclaimer: I still need to figure out work-life balance!], but often it doesn't feel like all I do is work when my hobby and my work are one and the same.

Every day I am thankful to have stumbled upon this way to make a living. I'm also very appreciative of Etsy and the Etsy community. Through Etsy forums I've learned the importance of great customer service and how to sell in person. I also appreciate the camaraderie in the Forums and in the street teams.

Thank you all, and good luck in all of your Etsy ventures!

My Etsy Shop:
http://www.molecularmuse.etsy.com

My Newsletter:
http://www.madewithmolecules.com/list.html

My Blog:
http://www.madewithmolecules.com/blog/

 

 

Twitter Tools

I've just discovered two websites that make using Twitter far easier - and can help you reach the right people.

The two sites are:
http://search.twitter.com/
http://tweetbeep.com/

Here's how to use them to find your audience:

It sounds obvious, but the people you want to connect with on Twitter are those who are likely to buy the sort of thing you're selling, right?

Right.

So you need to figure out what these people are likely to talk about (that relate to what you're selling) and then search/set up alerts for those keywords.

This sounds simplistic, but the trick is to really narrow it down and get the most likely prospects.

Here's my example:

I sell art featuring 'quirky, flirty big-eyed girls'. Here are some of the keywords I considered and reasons why I used/rejected them.

♥ ART: (rejected) this is far too broad - people who like Picasso or abstract art aren't likely to like my work.
♥ LOWBROW ART: (unsure) this is far more specific but is still a bit too broad - I'll probably use it when I have more time to search!
♥ FAFI: (accepted) she's a famous artist that my work is sometimes compared to - people who like her art are likely to like mine so this is a perfect keyword to look for.
♥ BLYTHE: (accepted) my work looks a bit like a Blythe doll, so people who love Blythe may be interested in the kind of art I do.

Etc, etc, etc.

The hard bit is really thinking about the right keywords to search for.

If you're an artist, a great way to find the right people is to think of a famous artist (anyone who's likely to be talked about) who does similar work to you.

I'm not sure how it would work in other categories, but I'd love it if you'd share your keyword tips here.

Good luck!
xxx scarlett

 

My Shop:
http://www.scarlettcat.etsy.com

My Blog:
http://scarlettcat.blogspot.com

My Flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/people/scarlettcat

 

Advice on Building a Strong Business

I have been on Etsy for 6 months now and just celebrated my 500th sale. I have achieved this in part due to the awesome advice I have found on the forums, and feel that it is my turn to share 10 points that have made a difference in my shop.

1) Treat your shop as a business.
If you treat your shop as a hobby, you will get a hobby's worth of results. Be dedicated to creating new products, filling out your shop, taking excellent pictures, knowing how to work with the Etsy system, and promoting in as many ways as your are able. Search the internet for business topics, read the forums, learn as much as you can. It is not as simple as creating something and listing it.

2) Know your target market.
Knowing your target market and providing a product that they WANT is the foundation for a successful shop. You can make beautiful things, but let's face it, if you targeting the wrong people, or if your beautiful things do not fulfill a need or want in your market you are not going to sell anything.

Ask yourself a few questions and gear your descriptions, or even your products to speak to your market. BEING a member of your target market helps tremendously with putting yourself in their mindset.
-Why would my market be interested in my products?
-What aspects of my product would be the biggest selling point?
-Where does my target market hang out on the internet? (What is the best place to join in the community and quietly promote)

3) Search your key search on Etsy every day (or multiple times a day).
A large percentage of people are going to find you simply by searching on Etsy. It is important that you show up in this search, that you show up early, and that you show up often.
-Think of all the possible search words that you think of someone might type in to find your item and tag your items accordingly.
-Create new items or renew items frequently so that you remain present in the searches. The more times you show up, the more chances you have of someone falling in love with your products. If you drop down too far, it is time to renew, or list a new item.
-Get to know your competition through this search. Analyze their style, how prolific they are, how frequently they list, their success, etc. Use this information to make your shop stand out next to them.

4) Make the most of your tags.
Use ALL of them. Tag colors, your shop name, key selling points (free shipping, eco friendly, etc.), important materials (sterling silver, cashmere, etc.) and descriptive words (soft, shiny, classy, funky, retro, etc), common misspellings, and alternate phrasing.
-Look at your competition's listings for ideas on other tags that you could be using.

Your buyers find you through these tags, as do treasury makers. Treasuries help bring more exposure to you, thus increasing your views, and hopefully sales.

5) Visually stand out from the crowd.
Make your items stand out from your competition. This is about branding. You want your buyers to see your items in the search and know that it is yours.
-Have a unique style that shows up in your photographs. This may be the style of your products themselves, or simply the way you photograph them.

6) Continually improve your photography.
Your photographs will make or break you. Your customers can't hold your items, so the photographs need to be clear, informative, and visually stunning all at once.
-Read tutorials online, and in the forums to improve your shots.
-Use natural light, or a light box.
-Tweek your shots in photo editing software to make them the best they can be.
-Take LOTS of pictures of each item at many different angles. Choose only the best 5 to keep.
-Search around Etsy for another seller who's product photographs you admire. Emulate their style and adapt it to fit your items and your shop. DO NOT copy their style exactly. You want to stand out. Use their style as inspiration on how to pose items, or how something looks best.
-Use all 5 picture slots that Etsy gives you.
-Select 1 shot that is artsy, alluring, and visually stunning that will draw your customers in. Make them want to click on it to get a better look and to see more of that stunning piece. Make this your first shot.
-Give at least 1 shot of the full item. You may loose a sale if your customer has to piece together all your shots to figure out what the whole thing looks like.
-Show important details such as the clasp, patterning, etc.
-Have a shot showing your item in scale. It is difficult to tell in a picture how big, or small an item is. Dimensions in your description are important, but it is difficult to visualize dimensions. Show a necklace or purse on a model, your stuffed toy in a person's hand, or your artwork on the wall next to a piece of furniture.

7) List more
You can't sell it if it isn't in your shop.
-Creating and listing more means more choice for your customers.
-More listings spaced out have your shop show up more frequently in the searches, bringing more people to your shop.
-More variety means more choice for your customers. The more items you have, the more likely someone is to fall in love with a piece and take it home.
-Shops that are filled out have a more professional appearance, like you are running a business rather than a hobby.

As you list more, use your shop sections, so that your buyers can easily find everything in your shop.

8) Diversify your product line
Variety is the spice of life. Additional product lines allow you to list in multiple categories, which allows you to draw people to your shop from multiple searches. If your products are complimentary, it encourages people to find something in your shop they didn't realize they wanted when they typed in the original search. Consistently look at your products and ask yourself:
-Is there a complementary line of products I can also sell?
-Can I make this product in more sizes or colors or patterns?
-Can I offer more products in different price ranges?

9) Make a high quality product
If your customers are delighted with your products they will come back for more and refer more people to your shop. This is free advertising, and the more people they send your way, the fewer you have to find yourself.
-Pay attention to details
-Use materials you are proud of

10) Provide excellent customer service
Each customer that you take care of well and comes back, is one customer you don't have to find.
-Treat your customers as you would like to be treated.
-Check your email and convos at least once a day, if not more often
-Be professional, polite, and kind.
-Ship quickly
-Maintain communication. If something is taking a while, keep them updated. Let your customers know when their items have been shipped.

I hope that this helps you all in your shops and here's to each of you reaching 500 sales :D

My Online Shop:

http://twiceshearedsheep.etsy.com

My Twitter:
http://twitter.com/nairtseuqe

 

Twitter Tips

hi...

by now most of you have heard of Twitter. and if you are not using it yet, why not?!

of all the social networking sites I use (Flickr, blogs, etc), I have seen the biggest results with Twitter.

I can count about 10 sales so far (of my 75 total) from customers who found me via Twitter. In fact, I just got one the other day :)

here's why Twitter works:

you can reach a LARGE amount of people with minimal effort! (be sure to not "protect" your updates, or else they will not appear in the public timeline).

and actually, a large number of those Twitter sales came from people who had never even heard of Etsy before! they saw my items, liked them enough to sign up, and made a purchase! isn't that wonderful?! :)

I spend most of my time "promoting" more on Twitter than anywhere else. a lot of people may frequent the forums here on Etsy, or chat, or take out ads on sites like CraftCult. here's the thing though -- mostly it's just sellers who know about these. and we all know that we are usually looking to sell, not buy! ;)

Twitter reaches soooo many different people. and who knows, one of them might like something enough to make a purchase!

a few quick tips:
-- participate! @ reply to people and get talking!
-- don't "spam", i.e. posting nothing but link after link. people are less likely to click on anything you post if it's ALL you post
-- follow people back! you don't have to follow anyone you don't feel comfortable following, but a lot of people DO unfollow those who don't follow back
-- follow @Etsy and check out who they are following and who's following them!
-- ask questions of your followers! tweet something like, "what are you working on today?" or "what did you have for dinner?" anything to interact and get the ball rolling!
-- be sure to post a link to your shop in your bio page, and also use keywords. I have had a lot of people on Twitter find me by searching Twitter for "jewelry" or "photography".

basically, Twitter is a wonderful marketing tool! it's quick (only 140 characters allowed!) and it's fun too. a great time-waster ;) and hey, if you make some sales with it, fabulous! also, it's free. :)

you can follow me here:
http://twitter.com/worksinprogress

I look forward to tweeting with you all! :)

My Etsy Shop:
http://worksinprogress.etsy.com

My New Etsy Shop:
http://akingdombythesea.etsy.com

My Blog:
http://worksinprogress-etsy.blogspot.com

My flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/works_in_progress/

Newbies, Here's Why You're Not Selling Yet

When you're new to Etsy, you're desperate to make that first sale (I know I was!) and I remember that it seems to take forever. I know plenty of you think it's your store, your prices, Etsy customers etc, but here's one set of events that applies to every new seller. It's all about connections and connections take time. It could go a little something like this:
♥ Day 1 ♥
When you first open your store, nobody can find you. You may as well have opened on Pluto. You will not sell anything.
Connections - 0*
♥ Day 2 ♥
Then you list a product. It appears first in the Time Machine and puts your shop at the top of the Seller list. But it will quickly move down that list. If you're lucky a couple of people may stumble across you in these places. You probably still won't sell anything!
Connections - 4*
♥ Week 1 ♥
You list more products (hopefully over a period of days). More opportunities for different buyers/sellers to visit your store. Maybe some of them will 'heart' your store. If so, you'll appear in their favourites list.
Connections - 20*
♥ Week 2 ♥
You start making forum posts. Now you're building relationships with other buyers and sellers. Hopefully they're starting to visit you. As you build up these relationships, you'll find more and more people put you in their favourites lists. The more favourite lists you appear in, the more likely it is that people who visit another sellers store will wind up in yours.
Connections - 80*
♥ Week 3 ♥
Now you've built up a decent number of connections on Etsy. Maybe someone will pop you in a treasury (more connections), you're now hearting people (they check their hearts and bingo! more connetions), you're regularly posting in the forums (connections), and you're listing regularly (you guessed it - connections).
Connections - 300*
♥ Week 4 ♥
Finally all these connections and links to your store pay off. Someone buys something. Now your store also appears in the 'Sold' Time Machine and in 'feedback'. Plus the buyer will start talking about what he or she bought from you - so now you're also getting word of mouth outside of Etsy.
Connections - 1200*  You can see where this is heading. The connections build up exponentially, which explains why nothing happens for 4 weeks or 8 weeks or 12 weeks and then all of a sudden you're rushed off your feet! So if you're new, don't panic. Just build up as many connections (on and OFF Etsy) as you can. xxx scarlett

* number of connections example only and based on nothing more than my fertile imagination.

 

My Shop:
http://www.scarlettcat.etsy.com

My Blog:
http://scarlettcat.blogspot.com

My Flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/people/scarlettcat

 

Treat Your Shop Like a Business part 1

TIPS:

1) Creating new products is key to your online selling success.

2) Try to have a full shop, take excellent photographs, and promote in as many ways as you can.

3) The internet has a wealth of information about business topics. Do a Search, and learn as much as you can.

4) When creating descriptions for your items, ask yourself...Why would people be interested in my products?
What aspects of my product would be the biggest selling point?

5) Social Networking:
Where does my target market hang out on the internet?
Where is the best place to join in the community and promote?

6) Make the most of your keywords. Use ALL of them. Think of all the possible search words that you think someone might type in to find your item and tag your items accordingly. Tag colors, your shop name, key selling points (free shipping, eco friendly, etc.), important materials (sterling silver, cashmere, etc.) and descriptive words (soft, shiny, classy, funky, retro, etc). Watch your spelling when tagging your items.

7) Create new items and renew items frequently so that you remain present in the searches. Don't get buried in the Searches. The more times you show up the more likely potential customers are to find your shop.

8) Shops that are filled out have a more professional appearance, like you are running a business rather than a hobby.

9) Don't list all of your items at once. More listings spaced out have your shop show up more frequently in the searches, bringing more people to your shop. And you are less likely to get buried in the listings.

10) More variety means more choice for your customers. The more items you have, the more likely someone is to fall in love with an item and take it home.

11) Utilize those categories. Title your shop sections well, so that your buyers can easily find everything in your shop.

12) Diversify your product line. Variety is the spice of life. Additional product lines allow you to list in multiple categories, which allows you to draw people to your shop from multiple searches. If your products are complimentary, it encourages people to find something in your shop they didn't realize they wanted when they typed in the original search. Consistently look at your products and ask yourself:
-Is there a complementary line of products I can also sell?
-Can I make this product in more sizes or colors or patterns?
-Can I offer more products in different price ranges?

13) Make a high quality product. If your customers are delighted with your products they will come back for more and refer more people to your shop. This is free advertising, and the more people they send your way, the fewer you have to find yourself.
-Pay attention to details
-Use high quality materials

14) Provide excellent customer service. Each customer that you take care of well and comes back, is one customer you don't have to find.
-Treat your customers as you would like to be treated.
-Check your email at least once a day, if not more often
-Be professional, polite, and kind.
-Ship quickly
-Maintain communication. If something is taking a while, keep them updated. Let your customers know when their items have been shipped.

It is not as simple as creating something and listing it.

I hope that this helps :)