I’ve been selling my art online & in person for several years. These are the things I’m dying to tell people about their etsy shops. Ten quick tips for your etsy shop and online sales in general:
1. Niche thyself. Your shop should have a consistent aesthetic or product line. Don’t try to be everything to everybody. A shop full of cohesive work that connects with a potential buyer is a powerful thing. Nail your niche.
2. List it! If you sell it, list it– don’t make people ask for it. As a photographer, I offer prints in various sizes. Since I’ve started listing my larger prints in my shop and not just mentioning in the descriptions that large prints are available, my sales of large prints have risen dramatically.
3. Smile. Be happy. Always, always, always have a positive attitude about your business. Everyone loves a success. Never complain about lack of sales. Never. Always find something positive to say. Success creates buzz, creates excitement, makes people wonder what they are missing & they visit your shop looking for the fabulous things they’re missing.
4. Photos. Photos. Photos. They can always be better.
5. Build your brand. Be in it for the long haul. Buy the advertising that you can afford to do for 3 months or more. If you can only afford an ad on a particular site or blog for a week, look for another place to advertise. Work to make your name & product familiar to people; they need to see your ad over & over. When people are familiar with your name & product, they will think of you when they are ready to buy.
6. Price for success. Low prices may be killing your business. People may think your product is cheap. The people that are buying from you may be buying only on price– those are not the buyers you want to cultivate for the long term success of your business. See Jodie Otte’s How Should I Price my Photography.
7. Make the things you love. Then find the market. Put your heart & soul into your work & people will know.
8. Answer your buyers’ questions. Write full descriptions. The number one reason online browsers don’t buy is they don’t feel that they have enough information about the product. (Info from Etsy’s usability testing.) Give your browsers plenty of information on your product. See this great thread on the etsy fora: 20 Questions Your Buyers are Asking
9. Give your buyers confidence. Tell them they can return it if they are not happy. You might get a few returns– build that in your cost model. The increased sales will be worth the cost of a few returns.
10. Know thyself. What is your mission? What are your goals? What do you want from your business this year? Next year? in 10 years? Getting clear on your goals will help you focus your efforts in your business. Should you pursue wholesale opportunities? Licensing? A larger studio space? Should you branch into another media? A vision of your future will help you make these decisions.
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
great advice… i should read this every morning :) thank you!
.-= kim´s last blog ..Felted Acorn Holiday Ornaments (Set of 3) =-.
Great post! I wish I had found your blog sooner. Will be back to read more (and catch up!)
Great tips! Thank you and good luck everyone!:)
.-= lily´s last blog ..Oxidized Sterling Silver Stack Rings- made to order in your size =-.
Here’s another tip: follow your own shop policies!
Thanks for the great post!
Some great advice and I am going to try to follow it. Especially the one about not complaining about the lack of sales, because in the end, we all want and can use more sales!
Love this!! Thanks for shaing:)
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