Lavender Heart - Needle Felted Wool Filled with Lavender

Moon Dog Farm

I opened my first Etsy shop 17 months ago. It has been a long journey to get to where I am now, having multiple sales per day…and I am proud that all my hard work is paying off!
I began my shop as a stay at home mama to two little girls, and wanted a way that I could do what I love (crafting) while not having to leave them. It was very discouraging at first…not having many sales for months and months. I didn’t give up, and really just kept giving it my all until I finally started getting noticed! Here are my 10 tips to success:

1. Don’t get discouraged! Do what you love, not what you think will sell.

2. Do your research! I spent (and sometimes still do) hours reading advice from other sellers, etsy forums, articles in the storque, photography tips (which I am still working on…and probably always will be:). I learned a vast amount from all of this, including how to optimize my shop for searches. I have lots of sales to first time Etsy buyers, so I think this has paid off.

2. List and renew AS OFTEN as possible! At first it may seem like a waste of money, but it is really the best way to be found by buyers. I also believe that the more items you have, the more you will sell.

3. Keep your shop fresh and updated. Don’t have old announcements that aren’t relevant anymore, and update your tags with the seasonal/holiday changes.

4. Offer items at different price points in your shop. I sell many more of my items (including supplies) that are under $15 than I do the more expensive items.

5. Have GREAT customer service, and it will pay off. I always contact my buyers after a purchase, and always ship as quickly as I can. I also take the extra effort to packaged my necklaces in awesome handmade boxes and bags. Because of this I get lots of repeat customers, and lots of referrals!

6. Support other Etsians! I am a firm believer in Etsy Karma:) If you support others in our community, then the support will come back to you too! I purchase a lot of my supplies through Etsy, my packaging materials, and promotional items. And of course the occasional treat for myself, my daughters, or my friends:) They may not be as cheap as if I bought from a wholesaler, but it makes me happy knowing I’m supporting someone who is working just as hard as I am!

7. Find a supportive network of other sellers. I didn’t have to look any farther than the team in my state. I am an active member of the Maineteam, and without them I don’t think I would be where I am today. Anytime I have a question, or need support, our chat thread is only a click away. And we help promote each others shops, which benefits everyone involved (and is what got me to the front page this month)!

8. Promote, promote, promote! I don’t do a lot of costly promotions…word of mouth is sometimes a lot better than buying an expensive ad spot! Facebook has been wonderful for me, as well as promoting in the Forums. I’ve also participated in several blog giveaways, which was awesome! I love making Treasuries when I have the time, and always let the folks I’ve featured know so they can spread the word about it too. I also dearly love just browsing other shops on Etsy, and have a huge list of shops and items that i’ve hearted. If you heart a shop, its more likely that that person will visit your shop and heart you too!

9. Find a niche. In such a vast market, it helps to be able to advertise towards a certain group of people. Mine happens to be other mamas:) Once I started selling, I soon learned that my nursing necklaces were my best seller. I started making and listing lots of necklaces, with lots of happy mamas finding me. I don’t think that everyone that buys my necklaces are mothers, but it helps to think along those terms when making items to sell.

10. Don’t forget to take some time for yourself too! It is easy when working from home to get caught up in always trying to accomplish something. I always have to remind myself to stop working and just be for a while. Read a book at night instead of list new items. Take my girls for a hike instead of take new photos. Take a weekend to visit friends instead of making new creations. Renew, rejuvenate refresh…and you will be better at what you do! I think I’m getting better at taking my own advice on this one:)

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