Just starting out on Etsy?
Here’s what you need to keep in mind as you start working on your shop…
There are 3 steps to a successful Etsy store kick-off:
STEP 1 – THE SET UP:
In this first phase, you’re going to have to do some serious brainstorming.
Think about:
A) What You’re Going To Sell
What do you like to create? Which of the items you’ve made garnered the most compliments from friends or relatives? Do you see a pattern there?
Consider your past creations and how successful they were to the public (even if that means just your family for now). Putting the most successful ones up for sale means that you won’t be shooting into the dark.
B) Your Shop’s Name
Figuring out your shop’s name is a key step, so take the time to get it right. A few pointers to consider:
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Make it unique, memorable and relevant. Don’t go for “Mary’s Designs”, you can come up with something better than that.
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Google it: are there any other existing shops with the same or similar name?
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Go for the catchy route: a name that sticks in your customer’s mind is more likely to draw them back to your shop. For example, “The Fine Cactus”.
C) Your Client Base
In other words… who’s going to buy what you’re creating? What do they like? Why do they like what they like?
Do these questions sound meta to you? Check out this article about how to find your Etsy target customer for tips, tricks and clarifications.
STEP 2 – CREATE & SHOWCASE:
Now that you’ve got your basics down, it’s time to populate that shop!
In this phase, you’ll have to:
A) Actually Create Your Products & Listings
Break down what you want to sell into categories and write them down in a spreadsheet.
Use three categories: “to do”, “in progress” and “future ideas”.
This way, you’ll be able to hold yourself accountable for your progress and have a mind-map of what’s going to get listed next in your shop.
Don’t spread yourself thin, though: start off with a handful of high quality products and see which ones perform better.
B) Set Up Your Pricing System
Here comes the intimidating part!
As artists and creators, properly pricing your work will take some guts, especially if you’ve never sold anything before. Nevertheless, it is doable. Check out this formula for pricing your work to get started.
C) Focus On The Visuals
As a new shop, it’s crucial to draw in visitors aka potential customers.
And how better to make them stick around than with some jaw-dropping visuals?
Don’t fret: even if you don’t have the means to hire a professional photographer to do the work for you, you can still put out some kick-ass shots all by your lovely self. Check out these Etsy photography tips for guidelines.
STEP 3 – GAIN MOMENTUM:
Success doesn’t come easy – you’ll have to push and work for it. This is what you’ll have to do to get things going:
A) SOCIALIZE
Yes, it takes time.
No, you won’t see any immediate effects.
But if you take your time to reach out to other sellers, collaborate, join a community or even start gathering your own tribe on Instagram, things will pick up their own pace pretty quickly.
Remember that the key to successful interactions is to offer value to others. Experiment and, most importantly, have fun with it!
B) RESEARCH
Perform a quick search from time to time to see what other shops are doing, what products they are offering and whether there are any underserved markets.
How?
Well, for example, the easiest way to go about it is to type one of the main products that you’re selling and see what pops up in the search. Is your listing in there? If yes, congratulations! You’re in a prime spot for clicks. If not, consider working on your item title and descriptions or even place an ad.
Rinse, repeat, optimize.
C) PULL EVERYTHING TOGETHER
As your shop grows, ensure your vision stays cohesive.
This means that everything from you shop’s name to the products and their descriptions reads from a single, distinctive point of view.
When you’re ready for it, make that POV official with a matching logo and, why not, custom packaging. Here’s a list of Etsy shop supplies you can purchase directly from the marketplace.
Good luck and happy selling!