I’ve been on Etsy just a little over a year and like so many other people, I wanted to run a successful shop. Some things worked well for me while others did not. I hit my obstacles head on and learned a few things along the way.
Now this isn’t a ”magic formula to Etsy success” type of blog post. In fact, there is no magic formula for Etsy success. You will have to work if you want to do more than fulfill a hobby. I’m sharing some of my own big difference-makers that will hopefully help you look at your shop differently.
Time Fine Art Photographic Print by ZigNineDesign
Establish Time Management Skills
Time management is really about prioritizing. Do you need to spend less time on Twitter and more time answering convos? Do you need to create X number of items per day or spend less time hanging out in the forums? Are your items piling up, waiting to be photographed?
Figure out what important things you need to do to keep your shop moving forward on a day-to-day basis. Write down a list of your essential tasks. Having a physical list will help you stay the course. If you easily lose track of time like I do, use your alarm clock or oven timer and allocate certain periods of time to creating, photography, answering convos, tweeting, etc. You may be surprised to learn how much time goes waste each day!
Write, Fold, Mail Stationary Set by maleaab
Write Copy the Right Way
Language is a powerful tool. Use it wisely in your shop and it can sell you, your brand, and your creations. Writing specifically and succinctly can do wonders for search engine optimization and item tagging. Need some resources? You can review a short list of my favorite resources. Daily Writing Tips gives helpful hints covering areas like punctuation, spelling, vocabulary, expressions, and grammar. If you’re new to creative writing, check out these tips from Lisa Lippert.
My recommendation? This book: Storytelling for Creative Business Success by Tara Gentile. I took the e-course this book is based on and started seeing results before the course was over!
Reusable Twitter Sandwich Snack Eco Bag by EvelynFields
Befriend Social Media
Whether you love it or hate it, it’s hard to deny the potential audiences that await you in the social media realm. But don’t think for one moment that you have to sign up for every medium out there. There are social media outlets that fit all kinds of personalities. Love to write? Give blogging a try. Does your wit shine through in few words? Twitter is waiting for you. Perhaps your photography skills will draw admirers on Flickr. If you’re a master at finding links to just about any interesting thing, StumbleUpon would be just your thing! Those who like to connect one-on-one would find a Facebook fan page their best route.
When you do find a medium that suits you, don’t just promote your shop listings. Interact with and engage other people. Share interesting photos and links that have nothing to do with your craft. Social media about making connections with other people and letting them get to know you. It’s okay to share a link to your shop every so often. Just don’t be ”that” person!
Money in Your Lap Cotton Napkins by Me2Designs
List and Renew Regularly
When money is tight for so many people, keeping your shop listings fresh can be a tough sell. I’m discovering that it’s also an effective and relatively inexpensive marketing tool. Buyers buy the things they see on the first few pages. You could have the coolest item in the history of handmade, but if it’s buried on page 217 of Etsy’s search results, then no one’s going to see it.
I’ve heard the arguments about prices and not selling enough to renew or list often, or that your prices just don’t allow you to afford such fees. What if you raise your prices a little to help cover your marketing fees? If you list or renew five times a day, that’s only around $30 a month for advertising. That’s less than what many of the well-known handmade blogs charge and you’re putting your item right in front of your buyer more often.
And forget Project Wonderful. In my experience, the click-through rates aren’t really worth the money you pay. That money would be better spent on listing fees anyway!
And don’t spend all day promoting all over the place. That time is better spent creating what you will soon be selling!
There are a number of other things that can be done to boost your Etsy shop, but these are just a few things you can start today. Don’t hesitate to start small with a few new habits. Building up your business does take time and persistence will pay off. Think about what strategies suggested from above best suit your needs and go forward.
On a final note, let me know what tactics have you already introduced into your business model that worked really well? What about the things that didn’t work so well?
Great Tips! Will start implementing these today!