Have you gone niche already? All successful Etsy sellers have.
However, there’s more to it than meets the eye: you have to know precisely who in that niche you’re talking to.
Obsessing over your ultimate, ideal, perfect customer will help you align your shop to their specific needs. You’ll know EXACTLY who you’re addressing both on Etsy and on social media and you’ll know precisely how to position yourself for longtime success. Meaning… happy clients and lots of sales.
Excited? You should be! It’s time to stop pedaling in vain, hoping somebody will make a purchase. Here’s how to identify your ideal Etsy customer and make sure it happens:
How To Identify Your Etsy Target Customer
Step 1: Make Sure You Have A Niche
All this niche talk might be making you nauseous, but it’s all for a good cause. The reason why you see this step being mentioned very often is that it IS so important.
Really.
It’s time to do it: take 10 minutes and narrow down that pool of clients. Way down. Don’t just stop at words like “jewelry lovers”, “backpack travelers” etc. That won’t help your cause! Instead, go for sentences and even paragraphs. “young women with a minimalist aesthetic and a preference for neutral colors” is more like it. Or… “middle-aged men who love cooking on occasion and favor ecologically-sourced materials and personalized wares”.
Do. It. Now.
Done? On to step 2…
Step 2: Focus Obsessively On Who Your Client Is
Visualize, visualize aaaand… visualize!
Take the phrase or paragraphs from step 1 and start adding details to the context. What is your ideal client’s age? What about their income levels? What do they do in their spare time? What music do they listen to? What about TV shows or movies… what genres are they most likely to be into? What stores do they usually shop in?
Be specific.
All done? Let’s bump it up a notch…
Kick back, relax (close your eyes if you want) and imagine a day in the life of your ideal client. Yes, you should be basically daydreaming about your ideal customer. But! You’ll see how helpful it is. Give them a name, imagine what they look like. Then figure out what they do on a regular day. For example: wake up, put on a sharp suit and go to the office. Or… sleep in until noon, and hastily spend the rest of the day working on the couch in their pajamas. What do they do in the evening? Are they busy picking kids up from school and cooking dinner or are they more likely to hit a yoga studio, a cafe or a pub? At what time do they go on Etsy? Are they looking for fast shipping times, accessible prices or premium craftsmanship? What products are they interested in and what search terms do they use to find them?
Don’t you feel like you know PRECISELY who you’re talking to now? Onto the next step…
Step 3: Take All That You’ve Learned About Your Ideal Client & Apply It To Your Shop
Give your shop a quick look and see: is your ideal customer likely to be attracted to it? Is the aesthetic in line with their taste? Does it feel welcoming for them? Do your descriptions address their worries, questions or dilemmas? Do your photos speak to them?
And most importantly… do your products match their needs and wants?
From ethically sourced materials, funky colors or extravagant designs to multitasking, easy-to-clean or versatile items… how do your products fit in with your client’s lifestyle? If your answer is “seamlessly”, good job! If you’re hesitating… keep tweaking. Keep tweaking and adjusting until you have a perfect match between your products and your Etsy target customer’s needs, wants and preferences. When the all those are perfectly aligned, you’ll find it easier to come up with new product ideas, descriptions and social media captions. Surely their name, age and daily activities will never be identical, but the pattern will be surprisingly similar…
Good luck!