What is your name?

Louise Verity

What is your Etsy shop name and link?

Wall Envy Art http://wallenvyart.Etsy.com

What type of items do you make?

Ink and water colour illustrations on vintage book pages in eco-friendly handmade frames. Each one is individually inked and framed by hand. I use off-cuts of picture frame moulding from my brother’s workshop, which keeps everything good value and reduces the environmental impact.

Who is your target market?

I try to make sure there is something for everyone in my shop, although I know that Etsy’s main market is female. I did very well in February by listing designs for guys – it’s sometimes hard to buy Valentine’s presents for men! Some designs are romantic, some a little bit geeky. Some of them have a little French twist, and I have lots of new ideas to add!

What are some of the hardest things about selling on Etsy?

I have found photography to be one of the hardest thinks to get right in my shop. I am always trying to improve my pictures. It’s so important to have a consistent and professional look, and this can be hard to achieve on your own. I would love to be able to have pictures professionally taken. There is a tonne of advice available on Etsy to help out though, and it’s just a case of ‘keep trying!’ Photos are key to branding, so I really want to get it perfect.

What do you do to get people to your shop? Do you advertise? What type of marketing do you do?

My main method of marketing at the moment is Twitter, and I am just getting in to Facebook. I haven’t started advertising yet, but I do plan to soon. I’m just working on my banners. I have also been involved in the indiehandmade.com April market which is fun!

Is this your full time job? Would you like it to be? I have a full-time day job, and don’t plan on giving up in the immediate future. I love selling on Etsy, but at the moment it is a side project. I really hope that one day it could

be my full time job. I’ve got lots of plans and ideas that I would love to put in place, and I really think it could be a big success. I think it’s really important to think commercially and focus on creating a product that people want. Obviously Etsy is all about art and creativity, which is crucial to the process, but there’s no point in trying to sell something that no one wants!

Do you sell anywhere outside of Etsy?

Being a UK based seller I also use Folksy.com, which has been pretty successful for me. I also have a few wholesale customers, and I’m looking to expand this aspect of my business in the future.

What inspires you?

I am inspired by all of the great artists I have found by being a part of this community. I met a good friend of mine though Etsy; Hayley of Ruby Wren Designs (http://rubyrecycled.Etsy.com) makes amazing hand cut greeting cards. She actually lives in my town and went to the same school as me, but we didn’t know each other until we met on Etsy. We even had the same art teacher! It didn’t take us long to realise that her cards would look amazing in my frames so we now have a collaborative project on sale in our shops.

What advice would you give to new crafters on Etsy?

The first piece of advice I would give it to get on with it! List items and get selling. You can revise and improve things all the time. Immerse yourself in the Etsy community and you will pick up loads of tips. You need to work on a commercial product and a brand, but this all comes a bit later. Also, I wouldn’t sell anything that wasn’t profitable for me. I know this is personal preference, and some people do it for the love of creating.

It’s really worthwhile doing everything you can to reduce the environmental impact of what you do. Not only is it a good thing to do, and a great selling point, you’ll also find it’s better value too. I only use recycled packaging, and all my pictures come gift wrapped in old road maps. My friends and family are always saving boxes and bubble wrap for me – that way I don’t have to charge my customers for packaging.

What do you do when you get in a rut?

I don’t get too worried by slow sales. I have years of experience working in retail so I am use to ups and downs in sales patterns. I use slow periods to think about new designs or approach new wholesale customers. It’s important to think about what holidays are on the horizon (Christmas, Valentine’s, Mother’s Day etc) and use the time in between to prepare for the next one. I haven’t run out of ideas yet – it’s difficult to find the time to get them all made at the moment. I have a notebook of ideas that I am working though, it grows faster than I can make up the designs!

What would you say the most satisfying thing about being an Etsy seller is?

The idea that literally hundreds of people have my work hanging on their wall is hugely satisfying to me. I would never have been able to achieve that without Etsy. They provide such a great service, and it’s a wonderful thing to be a part of.