Five Rules for Etsy Success, Part I

Anyone attending the Virtual Labs when I'm in there being an opinionated buyer has likely seen some version of my Five Rules for Etsy Success:  1) Don't sell crap  2) Have great photos  3) Make your tags, titles and descriptions work hard  4) List often  5) Promote, promote, promote.

This time I'll ramble on about Rule 1. It's true that "crap" on Etsy is very much in the mind of the beholder.
I often see stuff that makes me wonder what the heck the seller was thinking, but then I'll also note that they've made sales of items I wouldn't have in my house. That serves as a useful reminder that one person's crap is another's wonderfully creative or useful thingie.

So, how to avoid trying to sell crap? First, love what you make. If you don't think it's awesome, why should anyone else? If it's just out there because you think it will sell, you're not being true to yourself, or respecting that potential buyer.
Then, ask yourself some questions:

  • Is it the best quality it can be for the price?
  • Would you buy this item if you couldn't make it?
  • Who is your competition? Does anyone else sell this item?
  • If it is a commodity product, such as jewellery assembled from standard components, what is it about your product that makes it better or more interesting or more appealing? Think about materials, technique, design, and of course YOU.

Great photos, brilliant tags, titles and descriptions, strategic listing and relentless promotion can take a shop a long way toward success, but it all starts with the items.

If you're feeling stuck, try brainstorming some ideas alone, or with friends or Team mates. Ask your customers or readers of your blog what could make your items better, or what they're looking for that you don't have. Research your competition. And of course subscribe to the Etsy Success newsletter and read the monthly Etsy Merchandising Desk articles for timely information about current and upcoming trends, features, and events or occasions that can spark fresh ideas.

Virtual Lab Highlights

Since we can't all make it to every Virtual Lab session, we thought we'd start alternating the Ask-A-Rat column with highlights from some lab sessions. This week the questions and answers come from the Newbie Chat lab that was held on Wednesday, September 14, hosted by HeyMichelle and anee. There were lots of great questions and answers, both from our lovely hosts and the crowd gathered in the lab. Links were shared and one and all had a great time. Here's a smattering of questions and answers from the lab...Read and enjoy!

1. I've had my first sale, and am listing more and more, but I feel I've hit a wall. Any ideas?
This is a common question for lots of newbies. First of all would be congrats on that first sale! We all know how it feels to wait and wait for that very first one and then get it! One of the links that was shared by jswrites was a forum thread started by HeyMichelle about "Getting Views and Sales". Also shared in answer to this question were the links "Tips on Tagging", "How To Take Feature-Friendly Photos", and an Etsy help guide to "SEO: Search Engine Optimization". Both of the hosts recommended adding more items to the seller's shop, and raising their prices. In the case of this particular artist's shop, in which original artwork is sold, it was suggested that they look into selling prints as well as original pieces.

2. What's a good amount of inventory?
Anee mentioned that the answer to this question largely depends on what kind of items you are selling...it's all about having a shop that is full & beautiful, one that will give the buyer a place to explore once they get there. Shops that sell smaller or simpler items should have at least one full page of items, maybe two. Supplies shops may have thousands of listings, which works well for them. The main thing is to make sure you are listing regularly. One tip that was given was to check out other successful shops in your category and see what kind of inventory they have. This can give you an idea for where you want to shoot for.

3. Do you think having more people favoriting your shop helps with sales & marketing or is it just a feel good measure?

It was mentioned that alot of people, sellers and buyers, will use their favorites as a kind of bookmark. They may be items that they want to return to buy, shops that they really like, or they may use them to mark shops/items that they want to feature somewhere. Hearts can be used to help tell how popular an item is, and also if something in the listing needs adjusting. For example: if an items has lots and lots of hearts but no sales, something may be off with the listing. Maybe the price needs to be adjusted, the description or title may need to be tweaked.

Those are just a couple of the many questions that were asked and answered at yesterday's Newbie Chat. Our hosts did let us know that more Seller's Chats are in the works, which excited many of the not-so-new people in the group. Hope you enjoyed these highlights!

Etsy is jam-packed with helpful information for every seller who wants to learn the skills and strategies to have a better shop. Most of my time in the Virtual Labs is spent tossing out URLs to support what the Admin and others say in the room during the Shop Critiques and Newbie Chats.

In these occasional guest blogger posts I'll add more of the links most often cited, as well as some hidden treasures of information found around Etsy, and beyond.

The Basics. Start here for the big picture:
Etsy Seller Handbook 
Etsy Success for Beginner Sellers
Searchable Help
Getting Views and Sales NEW by Admin and Team member HeyMichelle

News and Things To Expect

Happy February, Rats! Instead of Mosaic Monday, I'm going to give every a run down of upcoming events, and team links that you may have missed.

In case you missed our last virtual lab meeting, we discussed things we would like to do/see more of in 2010. As some of you know, we already have a team forum thread on etsy, feel free to post whatever you'd like, whenever you'd like!

Are you on Twitter? Follow us, and even better, want other rats to see your tweets? Include #sqk in them, it's our team hash tag on there!

How about Flickr? It's a photo sharing site, and we have our own group on there. Just request to join, and you'll be approved, usually same day! Once your there, you can upload your photos to the team for other members to see.

The team also has a Facebook Fan Page, post any thing you'd like - photos for critiques, exciting news, questions or ideas.

And lastly, I started a google group specifically for the rats, where you can, more privately, discuss things that you may not want in the Etsy forums.

Our NEXT virtual lab meeting is scheduled. It will be Tuesday, February 16 at 3:30pm EST! This meeting's topic is Tag and Title help/critiques and improving your SEO (search engine optimization). Come by for help or to give help!

Now, as for 2010. We have lots of awesome things in store!

First up, our Spring Giveaway! I have already notified those who will be participating this time around, but thanks to everyone that applied! I'm so thrilled that people were so eager to help out and have a little fun. We have 8 shops that will be giving almost $200 worth of free swag! How awesome is that? In two weeks, we will start revealing who they are, with mini-interviews with the artists, too.

We will also be having another challenge in the summer. Feel free to contact me with any ideas you have for  the challenge, including theme or prize. This won't begin until mid-spring, so back of the mind it ;-)

Also look for more How-Tos and craft tutorials this year. If you would like to make a video or write an article (or both!) on a specific technique that you have down, shoot me a convo or e-mail and pitch your story! I'd LOVE to have other people teach how to do things (even if it's something like properly utilizing twitter, or sewing a button, I'm open). Should it be really involved or super neat, I may even ask for you to hold a Lab meeting!


Speaking of pitching stories, I am also opening the Lab Rat blog to ideas for articles/ghost-writers. If you have an article related to Etsy, creating, promotion, crafting, etc, send a rough draft to our team e-mail and we can discuss.

Finally, remember our trunk show? We will be having another one near Christmastime this year, but I am planning on contacting other team leaders to see if they would be interested in holding a multi-team trunk show, allowing more, fresh eyes and potential customers to see what each other's teams have to offer! I will begin contacting them in the summer and want to make this big, organized and tons of fun!

 A big thank you to lushboutique (Jenni) and nightowlcraftworks (Sally) for being amazing co-leaders! Without them, this team would never be as on top of things (or successful!) as it is right now. You ladies are amazing :-)

 

First Meeting of 2010!

Hello hello, my good friends!

Just a quick reminder that we have a lab meeting TOMORROW afternoon (Thursday) at 3:30pm EST.

We will be discussing goals for our shops, as well as goals for the team, and I'll  happily take any questions people have on, well, anything!

As always, if you can't make it, I'll just kill you..... kidding. It's not a big deal, just feel free to e-mail/convo me any ideas you have for the team in 2010.

Alsoooo, I will be contacting people for the spring giveaway sometime next week! We have had lots apply, but you still have time to send in an entry for selection for our Spring team giveaway! Just fill out these questions, and leave a comment:

1) Your name & shop name(s).
2) What you create, how long you have been doing it, if Etsy if full time or a hobby and your inspirations.

3) Where are you located, how do you enjoy your free time?
4) What item would you like to offer for the giveaway?

Trunk Show Information

This was sent out as an e-mail, but I'm posting it here, too!

TRUNK SHOW
Gallery in the Virtual Labs
7pm (EST)
Monday, November 23

A trunk show, in real life, is when a group of crafters get together and have a small show for people they invite or whoever happens to come by and see. It works almost the same in the virtual labs, only... well, it's virtual!

I'd advise coming around 15-30 minutes early, and getting settled, and start chatting up your deals and what you will be offering. Invite EVERYONE. The more eyes, the more likely a sale.

Which brings me to my next point, think up some kind of discount or sale to offer to people in attendance. Free shipping, BOGO, 10%/15%/25%/however much percent off. It'll be a great way to encourage multiple sales and make people want to stay and buy more.

What will you actually do? Well, I will be allowing other members to to on their webcam (but PLEASE REMEMBER to wear headphones, you get horrible echo if you don't!). If you don't have one, that's totally ok, you don't need one. I just feel like it makes it a little easier to communicate! We will be taking turns, probably in a 5-10 minute frame, of showing off items (via item cards) and you will explain what sale is being offered, who it would be a great gift for and if there are any other items in your shop that would go well with it.

If you're offering discounts in the trunk show, I don't really advise against changing the listing, in case other buyers are in your shop and they might get a deal on not knowing. If someone is interested, my best advice, is just to refund them back through paypal. If you're offering BOGO, either select an item everyone will get (a free gift sort of deal) or tell them to pick out an item and reserve it for them.

Feel free to announce in your shop the Lab Rat Trunk Show, I will be! I WOULD wait until maybe Saturday evening or Sunday afternoon to announce it, or else people may wait and get a discount rather than just buy the item. I've gone ahead and typed up and example, if you'd like to just copy and paste:

LAB RAT TEAM TRUNK SHOW
Looking for some great holiday gifts, along with some holiday sales?
Come to the Etsy Virtual Labs Monday, November 23 at 7pm (EST)
Art, jewelry, baby items, paper goods, crochet, vintage and so much more!
Everyone is welcome!
Look for the Gallery, in black.
http://www.etsy.com/virtual_labs.php

Here, is an example, of what you might do, should you attend:
- prior to, talk it up with everyone (in person, on twitter, on your blog, facebook, in your shop).
- Enter room, about 20 minutes early. Chat with everyone about the 15% off all items you have going on tonight.
- itsa turns cam on, selects you to go.
- you annouce your sale, give a link to your shop, and soon, people start putting in item cards from your shop.
- you mention something would make a great gift for those ever elusive teenagers or a Mother In Law.
- someone sees something they want, they purchase it. (yay!)
- you (after doing the happy sale dance, it's required) refund them the 15% back through paypal.
- you pick the next person to go!
- No sale? Bummer. But you still get to pick the next person.

If you have any other question, don't hesitate to ask! Nothing is too silly or stupid.

Can't wait, hope you can make it!

Lab Rats In The Storque!

Hey guys! I was so proud and excited to see our team made it into Etsy Find's: The A-Team, which showcases a few teams and some upcoming events/discounts they have going on.

We will be having a trunk show in the Virtual Labs on Monday, November 23 at 7pm, so be sure to come by, as this is FANTASTIC promotion for it! Sure to be some buyers in the house (myself being one of them).

Congratulations, team!

Notes From The Meeting: Social Networking; Facebook

Continuing with our notes from our last Virtual Lab meeting, this week we are going to review Facebook. I consider facebook to be the inbetween step of twitter and a blog. It's a little more in-depth than twitter, but not as much as a blog. It allows you to upload photos into albums, and give direct updates about your work/life to your fans.

First things first, you will need a personal account before you can have a business fan page. If you already have a personal page, you're good to go. If not, click on that picture and get started on your personal page! If you prefer privacy, just sign up but don't load any pictures/info.

Alright, you have your personal page - now onto the business!

This is what the top of the business page will look like, click on the picture to go write to the page to create one. This page has an overview, and steps on creating the page. It's super helpful and easy to understand.

MichMade (who has over 200 fans) gives this tip on gaining fans: Friends, friends friends! Add your friends as fans, have them comment on your photos and page, so their comments will appear in their friend's feeds, allowing more people to see you. Soon their friends will fan you, and so on and so on. To turn fans into buyers, MichMade gives a code to all new fans for a 15% discount in her shop - she says this has worked great for her.

Now you have some fans, it's time to upload some pictures! Decide what pictures you are going to upload, and make some albums. My recommendation is to choose the best photos you have and upload those.

If you can, take alternative photos to what are in your shop. Give them something additional to look at. If not, choose the absolute best photo of your item and post those. Make sure your captions link to the item it shows or your store.

Having a business page allows you to send an update to all of your friends. This is a wonderful feature to use when you are having a sale, giveaway or are going to be at a local show. It alerts everyone you sent it to, it's basically a newsletter for your fans! Extremely useful. Just don't go overboard with sending them out, you'll lose fans.

SimplyInvitingCards shares the love and uses her fan page to list an item she loves from etsy every Monday-Friday. Doing this is not only quite nice, but she says more often than not, the seller she features will become a fan of her page and other sellers will fan her in hopes to have their items featured, too!

Use your photos to show exclusive views of new items you will be adding, and having photos of your works in progress is a great idea, too!

Don't be shy - if you are in a gift guide, front page, the storque, or a gorgeous treasury, show your fans! Everyone loves to share your excitement.

I would recommend keeping your personal and professional pages separate. Feel free to upload pictures of you wearing your creations, at a craft show or making things, but I would keep photos of you at a party or your cats on your personal page - it could turn off potential buyers.

Use those note to buyers! I include links to my blog, twitter, and facebook. I have gained fans this way, saying they were interested in future deals I may have.

Keep it professional, and update frequently without spamming. Have nice photos and interact!

Have more tips? Tell us in the comments! And feel free to link to your facebook fan page's there, too.

IMPORTANT!

 *I know I just e-mailed this to everyone, but I wanted to put it elsewhere too, just in case*
Hello wonderful members!

I had to reschedule our meeting. It will now be at 12pm EST tomorrow (instead of 9pm!).

We will be discussing how to fully utilize twitter, facebook, flickr, blogging for your etsy shop. We have lots of great advice and tips picked out, as well as people who know their stuff when it comes to these venues.

Please come by if you can, and invite anyone in - it's not a private meeting and there will be lots of great advice. If you can't make it, there will be a blog entry later this week on the same topic.

Hope to see you there!

Next Meeting

Hola! Just posting a little update to remind everyone of our meeting tomorrow. These will be shop critiques and I will be choosing from people in attendance!

Meeting is at 1pm EST in the Sky Room of the Virtual Labs.

Just come on in the room - no password is required. I (itsa) will be hosting the lab via webcam. Hope to see you there!

Reminder!

Don't forget! Tomorrow is our first Lab Rat meeting in the Vlabs!

Where: Moon Room in the Virtual Labs
When: 7:30pm EST
What's being discussed: We'll be chatting about each other's shops (introductions)!
How long?: My predicition is about hour-hour and a half.

Looking forward to chatting with everyone!

Annoucements and Such

Just popping in to say a few things!

• Our very own rctees is in the Etsy Voter! Please be sure to vote for her Mighty Oak Tee!
• Our meeting is next Thursday! Please be sure to come by the Virtual Labs' Moon Room at 7:30pm on the 24th to get to know members AND discuss preparations for the holidays.

Stop by tomorrow for some great items in Wishlist Wednesday!

Shop Live with Paste Magazine Lab, Sept. 2nd

Allysattic here - this afternoon, Georgia based Paste Magazine shopped live in the Virtual Lab, sharing some of their favorite animal-themed items on Etsy. Some common creatures included birds, sea critters and woodland friends!

Instead of listing everything out, since close to 30 items were shown in the Virtual Lab session, itsastitch and I have decided to each list some of our faves. Click on the item to go to it's listing!

Here are my top 5:

-------------------------------------------------------------

Here are itsastitch's top five:

For more adorable animal finds, check out the post in The Storque or the Gift Guide with all of the selections from the lab.

What are some of your favorite animal items on Etsy?

Annoucements & Such

Hey Rats, just a couple of notes:

• We (itsa and Ally) have been asked over and over again about a team tag. Yes, we have one! Please tag at least 1 item in your shop with "labratsteam", you can do this for every listing or just one, so long as it's in your shop somewhere.
• I have scheduled our FIRST Virtual Lab team meeting! It will be held Thursday, September 24th at 7:30pm EST and be an hour-ish. I know not everyone will be able to make this due to location and schedules, which is why the meetings will shift month to month, allowing different members each time. If you can make it, come by! Judging by the poll, we will get to know members and discuss holiday preparations. It'll be fun! It's being held in the Moon room in the labs & yes - there will be video.

Thanks!

In The Making

I, itsastitch and Allysattic found ourselves in Etsy's Virtual Labs over and over again - then it was suggested someone make a Vlab team - so we thought WHO BETTER than us?

The team will be called Lab Rats, and if you've been to the labs once or 100 times, you're welcome to join. This blog will be used for featuring member's shops, hosting giveaways, updating any member events, posting the Vlab weekly schedule, and any other goodies we can think up! So welcome, and hooray for Lab Rats!

It is in the process of being approved, but we do have a twitter!
@LabRatsTeam

Cheers!
itsastitch