How to Make Your Etsy Shop a Success - A Beginners Guide

I'm learning. I'm a new shop owner, only starting this past October having only been a buyer before. I always had this weird fear in the back of my mind that if I branched out and started selling my photography, I would lose my passion for it. I was wrong. So wrong. If anything, putting myself out there and sharing my work has reignited my love for this art and seeing others enjoy what I do... that's a huge bonus.

From the beginning, I knew it wouldn't be as simple as posting my listings and having instant success. What I didn't realize though is that you HAVE to put as much time and effort into marketing as you do into creating your merchandise. People need to know that your shop exists. You have to find your niche and connect with them. You have to take advantage of social media, SEO, word of mouth... all of these things. It sounds daunting and scary, but it's not. It's a process. Just like creating your art is a process, marketing it is as well. It's all about learning and if you stick to it, you will find your place in this giant Etsy sea and success can be yours.

There will be highs and there will be lows. That's just life and being a small business owner is no different. Believing that you can succeed is the first step and while I still have days that I doubt pretty much everything, I keep at it because I want it to work.

Some tidbits of advice to new shop owners that I, as a new owner myself, believe can be monumental in having a successful Etsy business.

• Be persistent. Don't give up. There will be ups and there will be downs. There will be weeks where you don't sell a thing and then find yourself wondering, "Why bother?" Believe that you will be successful. That's the first step. If you don't believe in yourself, nobody will. Push yourself to learn all you can, adjust your SEO to see what clicks best with your products, play with your prices, strive to improve your product. Just keep going!

• Quality. Is your product something that YOU would want to shop for and purchase? Is the quality of every component used to create it something you can be proud of? Customers are spending their hard earned money on something that our name is on. Don't disappoint. Make sure they are getting their money's worth and I promise you, they'll return and purchase again.

• Post often! Keep those listings coming. If a potential customer sorts their search by "most recent" you have a greater chance of your product being seen. Don't get lost in the sauce. 

• Great Photos. Would you purchase something that was depicted in a way that was dark and grainy, on a dirty work surface or a messy home? My guess is no. Make sure the photos that you use in your listings are top notch. Clear. Well lit. On a clean background. Add as many photos as you can too. Show all aspects of your item. Show it being used or worn if possible. What I specialize in is primarily photo note cards and greeting cards, which are pretty difficult to show in different ways. I mean... they're cards. I always post a photo of the front of the card on it's own, another showing the card, envelope and a pen to show how it is used (obviously) and as a size reference. 

• Spread the love! Have you made a purchase from a fellow Etsy maker that you are just in love with? Tell the world! I did this very thing in a recent post and the shop owner was over the moon. (check that post out here) Not only did I let her know how happy I was with my purchase, but I'm letting my readers know as well in hopes that they may check her shop out as well which could potentially lead to more sales for her. If you have a blog, blog about the things you've bought and loved. Being featured on a blog is a great way to gain new customers, a new audience, and grow your brand.

• Quantity. Add, add and add some more. Inventory is key. If someone has wandered into your shop, there's a reason why. They were looking for something specific. If you only have 5 choices though, chances aren't too great that they'll stick around and actually buy. Give them choices. Keep their interest. From what I've heard, it's very important to have at least 100 listings in order to be successful with an Etsy shop. I've worked my way up to over 200 listings, so time will tell if this is indeed the case!

• Customer Service: be excellent at it. Be kind and courteous. Express gratitude. Work and communicate with your customer. Make sure they are satisfied with every part of their buying experience. A happy customer will not only return, but they will tell others about the great service they received. 

• Coupons, Sales and Special offers: These can all be great ways to pull in new customers as well as reward the loyalty of return shoppers. I've run several sales along the way as well as providing every customer with a special coupon code on their order invoice for a discount on their next order. 

• Speedy & Honest Shipping: Who likes waiting forever for something they've ordered online? Nobody. People appreciate fast service. Make sure your shipping policies are accurate about the time it will take for you to get their order shipped out. I personally have mine listed as "1-2 Business Days" and in all honestly, I have every order out either the same day or the next morning. Be sure to charge a fair amount for shipping too. Read up on shipping costs and methods. Don't overcharge. People will appreciate this.

• Find Your Niche: What makes your product unique? I feel that with my art, each piece is unique because they are original photographs, etc. that I took myself. There isn't another piece of art or a card like it out there because everything was created with my original works. People can't just run out to their closest mass-merchandiser and buy exactly what I'm selling. You want to stand out. Be different. Play around with your items and see which ones click with buyers and go from there. Again, it's a learning process... If something isn't working, tweak it. Rework it. Update your photos and descriptions. Change your tags. Never stop thinking about ways to improve.

• Keywords: This is paramount. The words that you use to describe your items are so important. I cannot express this enough. A great tip I have learned is to start out very basic and then get more and more descriptive. For example: If you are selling a card, start out with something like Birthday Card. Make the first couple of words count. Then, become more descriptive: Birthday Card for Mom, Sunflower Birthday Card, Handmade Cards, etc. Use up every space they allow. If you are stumped, a great way to find other keyword phrases that pertain to what you are selling is by utilizing Etsy's search bar. Start typing what you would use to search for the item that you are selling and see what Etsy's auto-populate feature shows as similar searches. This will show you how other people have already been searching for products such as yours and you can add these phrases to your titles, therefore being found more easily. Always use proper punctuation, spelling and spacing. Also, use your keywords from your titles in your tags as well as in your descriptions. This offers an even greater chance that someone will find your shop and items in a search.

• Packaging: It matters! You've taken the time to create something beautiful. You've put all the effort it takes into listing it, promoting it... you must put the effort into packaging it as well. Make sure your item is properly protected so it gets to its final destination in one piece, free of damage. Add some personal touches too! Every card I make has a pretty little sticker on the back with my shop logo on it, making it uniquely mine. It is then placed inside a clear, cello envelope to protect it and then a natural cotton twine is tied in a neat little bow around it with a "Thank You" kraft paper tag attached to let the customer know that I am just that... thankful. I also always include a handwritten note on the invoice and a cute little thank you sticker is place on the outside of the rigid mailer. It's these simple, little touches that let a customer know that you truly do care, not only about your product, but about their experience with your shop. 

• Etsy Forums: Utilize them. Read. Ask questions. I've found that there are many very successful shop owners on the forums who are more than willing to help you out. They have a wealth of knowledge all gained through experience. 

• Be True to Yourself: Stick to your passion. Do what you love. Sure "trendy" things may be hot sellers at the moment, but it's temporary. That's why it's called a "trend". You will find your market and your customers will be grateful for the product that is uniquely yours. If you don't love what you are doing, it will show in your products.  

• Grow: Don't be stagnant. Always strive to learn more about the process in which products such as yours are created and how small businesses are run. Try new methods. Think of new variations. Learn new skills.  Stay true to who you are but there is always room for improvement. 

• Have Fun. You probably started your shop because you simply wanted to have some more income, but unless you are enjoying yourself, you will find that in short order, you are miserable. This is YOUR shop. Make it fun. Enjoy creating your products. Enjoy your customers. Enjoy the process. Loving what you do shows in your final product. Take pride in it. People dream of loving their jobs... you can live that dream. 

I hope these bits of advice have made you stop and think a little. Maybe implementing a few of these ideas will be helpful to you and your Etsy venture or maybe they've given you that extra little push you've been needing to get out there and start up a shop of your own. I'm just 3 and a half months into this journey and I've learned so much... but I won't stop here and I hope you don't either.