Heidi's Tips & Tricks for 6/27/12

This post, I'm going to talk a little bit about PACKAGING and how it can enhance your store and product.  When you put a little extra thought and effort into this final stage, it can make a big impact!

We all put a lot of work into our items.  From the initial design to the sourcing of quality supplies to the creation of the product to the photographs and listings themselves.  When those sales come in, it gives us a sense of accomplishment and pride that all of our hard work has been seen and appreciated.  How you proceed with the next and final step, the packing and shipping of your creation, is an opportunity to both thank your customer for supporting you and show them that you put just as much care into every stage of the process, even after the money has come in.

What sorts of things can you do to make your packaging special, without adding too much to your costs?  Here are some suggestions of what I've seen or heard people use:

- Wrap item in tissue paper.  Economy tissue can often be bought at a packaging store for a very low price and in colors that match your brand.

- Once wrapped, tie the item with twine, scrap strips of fabric, or yarn... perhaps something you already use for the product itself!

- Protect fragile items with clean packing paper.  You can get it from moving supply companies, or go to a local newspaper office and ask if they have any roll ends they don't need and are willing to sell or give you!

- Get thin organza gift bags for small items.  Ebay is a great source for stuff like this at very low cost!

- Muslin is a lovely material that you can purchase in a couple different "weights" suitable for your items.  Muslin bags are stronger and a natural material that can be great for small toys, anything with multiple parts, teas, jewelry, soaps... all kinds of things! 

- Even clean, white paper folded neatly and professionally and with an attractive sticker can be a simple packaging that just shows a little bit of extra care.

Other ways you can use packaging to make your store and products stand out including tying your brand into the "extras" you send along.  For example, your business card should go with every package to remind your customer of who you are.  You might consider including a hand-written note on the back or possibly a coupon code for future purchases.  In any case, a quick hand-written thank you note is always something that is appreciated to show that you are a real person!  Return address labels are another thing that you can use your brand image to "fancy up" your packaging a little bit.  Also, make nice, professional-looking product cards if applicable.  If you need or want to include information like washing instructions, how-to's, or other information, make sure you do it on quality paper with a font or colors that match your brand... don't just print it out on 8.5x11paper in boring old Times New Roman and stuff it in the box.  Use card stock or heavier weight paper, consider color, and perhaps invest in a pair of fancy-edging scissors or a shaped hole-punch.  Use stickers with your brand image on them.  There are LOTS of ideas you can use to make your packaging special, show you put thought into it, AND showcase your image so you are remembered.  

And finally, use quality shipping materials.  Consider how you package is going to look when your customer receives it.  While there is of course nothing wrong with reusing packaging materials, make sure they are clean and rip-free.  Ensure they are strong enough to protect your products.  Make sure address labels are legible and affixed properly.  Consider the safety of the items inside the parcel should it get wet or be handled roughly.  Use packaging the appropriate size.

Remember, the packaging is the last thing that you will see of your item... but it is the first thing that your customer sees.

~ Heidi

Heidi's Tips & Tricks for 6/20/2012

This week I'm not so much sharing tips, as I'd like to just offer up some ideas you might want to try for Etsy's new "ABOUT PAGE".  This page was just rolled out on June 7th, and I really hope that many of you have had an opportunity to explore what it is about, read some that may have been completed by some of your favorite shops, and possibly have tackled creating your own!  This is a neat new feature that, I feel, is a positive move on Etsy's behalf and in this article I'm going to share why I think that, and some thoughts on what you might consider including in YOUR About Page.

One of the reasons I think that this is a great addition to Etsy, is that as a customer, I love to feel like I know who I'm purchasing from and have something of a connection with the people behind the shops I buy from.  I've bought many many things on Etsy.  Some experiences have been amazing, and others just nothing special.  It's the ones that I feel I was treated well by a real person though that I remember, and recommend to others.  As a shop, therefore, we should use any opportunity we can to shine and connect with customers so that WE are the ones that stand out!  The About Page will give us another opportunity to do that.

Another reason I like it, is that it will set a standard that some of the less-honorable shops will fail to meet.  This isn't an all encompassing statement, just a very general one, but resellers generally have a hard time faking the personal side of their shops, and by using our common sense, we can choose whether we want to use the About Page to help us determine who really deserves our business.  Personally, I will feel more comfortable trusting a shop that is willing to share with me a small glimpse into their shop.  Trust in the online world is not always easy, and I'm willing to take the extra step of putting together a page that will help my customers to know they can trust me.

So what exactly IS this About Page thing anyway??

The About Page is a place for you to share with customers a little more about your shop.  Notice that I'm suggesting the focus be your shop, and not you as a person.  This is, I think, an important distinction.  While it is perfectly fine if you truly wish to share about you as a person on your About Page (it is your page after all!)... my recommendation would instead be to try to focus on your SHOP.  We all still have a "profile" as well... which people can read if they click on our name on the lefthand menu... and that is a better place to talk about yourself as a person now that there is this separate place that to talk about your shop.

 So what sort of things can you talk about?
- How and when did you get started in your particular medium?  Who taught you?
- When did you first launch your shop?
- What is the inspiration behind the items you make or your unique designs?
- What keeps you going every day?
- What is the story behind your shop name?  (This is the approach I took to my page)
- Are there any funny or special stories behind a particular item?
- If you have people helping you, how do you work together/share the load?
- Talk about the process for making your items
- Describe where you like to do most of your creating.
- Talk about your stash of fabric, ribbon, notions, paints, yarn, or whatever materials you use.

Brainstorm about what goes into everything you do... somewhere in there is something you can share on your About Page!

Now... on to the photos.  I LOVE that we can now share photos to bring people inside our shops and processes.  However, I can certainly see how this is making many people balk!  First, there is the image on the righthand side of the About Page... the little round picture that (gasp!) seems to be asking for a photograph of ME!  Don't panic!  I think a lot of us are not the type to really want to put a picture of ourselves up for the world to see... and you don't HAVE to!  But, before you say "whew" and dismiss doing that, consider what it might do if you DO.  It was hard for me to find and post a photo of myself.  One, because there aren't that many of them out there as I tend to be behind the camera.  And, two, because I'm very critical of photos of myself!  I did find one and post it though... because I have been really enjoying being able to put a face to a name of my favorite shops!!  If I'm enjoying that so much, I'm sure others are too... and that makes it worthwhile.

If you really really don't want to put up a picture of yourself though (and I will admit that it is better not to if the only picture you have is not good quality or makes you look non-professional - ie. be careful about the image you are presenting of yourself)... some suggestions of what you might put in that little round photo are:
- a photo of you hands actually making your item (obviously you'll need help for that).
- a photo that reflects your shop graphics, similar to your avatar but bigger.
- a photo of your shop space (be it a brick/mortar storefront, your workstation, or your desk)

Now, for the five BIG photos... again, don't feel stifled!  Explore examples of what other shops are doing and see if you get any ideas for what you can do.  I know a lot of us don't have nice, neat, attractive craft areas that photograph well... so don't do it then.  :)   No one is saying you have to.  Again, better to go with photos that look professional and crisp than show off something that doesn't reflect back well.  Some other suggestions:
- a collage of your creations (especially if you make a variety of of items).
- an image of you working... you don't have to show your face if you don't want to!
- an image of the process you go through for your items
- a collection of materials or tools you use
- a small sampling of your inventory all set up nice and neat
- a pile of packages all ready to be mailed (again, set it up nice and neat!)

You are all, of course, welcome to check out my About Page found here:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/LittleTadpoleDesigns/about/
to see some of the images I chose.  I still have one blank space I haven't decided what to fill with yet!  I have an image of our pond (relates to my story), an image of some of my inventory and some of the materials I use for my creations, and an image of my own hands crocheting with some yarn and part of a fishing set in the background.  And of course, you can read my story and see if it gives you any ideas for your own.  Plus, explore other pages!!  Check and see if any of your favorite shops have done theirs yet and see what you can learn about them. 

And remember, your About Page isn't set in stone!  You can tweak and play with images and text as much as you want... or ask for help or critiques or proof-reading from someone you trust.  The point is... give it a try!  You put a lot into your shops... use this page as an opportunity to tell potential customers a bit more about that!

One final word of caution.  It's pretty easy to over-share personal information if you focus too much on yourself.  Remember that anyone can read what you post, and it is important to be cautious about what personal information we are sharing.  Since we are moms, often our inspiration is going to come from our kids.  Be careful though about talking specifically about your children's names, ages, or even genders.  Don`t post pictures of your children on so general a page.  Don't get too specific about where you live or if you work outside the home or what school or church you go to.  Just use common sense... people want to know you, but they don't need to know THAT much!  Remember to be safe with your online presence.

And last but certainly not least... PLEASE share with us here on the team if you have put together your About Page!  I`m loving reading about shops I`ve come to recognize and admire on my various teams and it would be fun to have a bunch of Etsy Mommies shops to get to know a little bit more!

- Heidi

Heidi's Tips & Tricks for 6/13/2012

This weeks topic is... DESCRIPTIONS

I think the first and most important thing to remember about writing descriptions is that this is the part of your listings that is taking the place of the customer being able to pick up your item and examine it, AND consider why it is something they want to buy. Therefore, approach your description as if you were telling them all of the different things that they would observe had they the opportunity to do that and point out what is so great about YOUR item.

Writing descriptions needs really a two-fold approach. First, you have to be the creator of the product and describe in detail what it looks, feels, smells like. You also have to be the customer though and think in terms of what makes YOU buy something and translate that into your listings. That's the tricky part so I'll start with the layout and details of items and then tackle how to write to/as a customer.

LAYOUT

Finding the balance of "just the right amount" of information might take a bit of trial and error. Basically, you need to include all pertinent information, but not overwhelm your customers. If you need to include a lot of information, make sure you are organized and logical. The very first thing your descriptions need is a brief one or two sentence introduction. This is very important because this intro has weight in searches both through Etsy and search engines AND it is what will capture and encourage a customer to keep reading. To optimize this, you need to include all your most important keywords in sentence form and make sure a summary "what is it" of your item is made. You will expand on it later... this is just to "punch it out there" so to speak.

Here is an example from my shop:
"Snap Belts keep your lean toddler or preschooler's pants up in style! Simple to use... just snap the elastic through the back belt loops for a snug waistband"

This tells people right away whether or not this item is what they might be looking for. Do they have a preschooler that needs a belt? Easy to use. Elastic and snaps. Answers the question "what is it" briefly and includes vital keywords (which are mirrored in titles and tags... as a side note, doing this increases the weight your item will have in Etsy searches!)

When you write your first few lines, look under the "description" box while in edit mode and take note of what appears in the google preview. Does that include all your keywords and could stand alone to catch a customer's attention?

The next thing that should come in your description is a quick rundown of the item specifics in order of what would be most important to your customers. Don't be afraid to use bulleted lists and spacing to make sure things are organized and succinct.

End your description with a quick conclusion. This might include whether or not you do customs, how to contact you (perhaps a link to the conversations feature), or other information that isn't vital to the specific listing but you feel is important to share.

DETAILS (the middle of your descriptions - in NO particular order... you should rearrange these details according to the most important info for your item and combine them of course when possible to keep things as concise as possible... this list is just to get you thinking of things you might have missed or could add)

You can't rely on your photos to describe your item for you. The two need to go hand in hand. You description should still include things that might seem obvious to you from the photos.

Size. Include actual measurements if possible, and certainly general size if it is a clothing item. You may also want to include weight if, for example, it is a heavy pair of earrings or with have to ship at an "overweight' rate.

Color. Remember that computer screens may show color differently to different people (even our desktop and laptop show colors slightly different). Use adjectives whenever possible. If you aren't familiar with how a color might generally be described, there are so great color charts on wikipedia when you search more general colors, or go through your kid's crayon box and see if you can find something similar! For example... is your item Kelly green, Sage green, Emerald green, Grass green, Mint, Pistachio, Forest green...

Type. Is there a "proper" word for the item? If it is a girl's outfit for example, is it a pillowcase dress, peasant dress, tunic, romper, bubble romper, bodysuit (do not use "onesie" as a decription or tag unless you it is Gerber brand, this term is protected by trademark), kimono style, wraparound, etc.

Material. What is it made of specifically? Silver plated, silver, pewter, stainless steel, nickel, etc. Acrylic, oil, latex, watercolor, etc. For my nursing necklaces, instead of just wood I specify hardwood, instead of just oil I state that I use Organic Sunflower oil, instead of cord I say black nylon, and in each one, the stone bead is described by type of stone and color.

How is it made? Serged, french hemmed, woven, quilted, hand-tied, etc. If there is a process to how it is done that makes it unique, include that so that your customers know what you've put into it to make it so wonderful.

Care instructions. Is your item machine or hand washable? Include specific details such as "wash on cold, lay flat to dry". Will it need or might it be desirable to treat it later on (can it be polished or rubbed with oil to maintain the beauty?)

I'm sure there are lots more things that can be included in the details of specific items... if there are any you want to share please do so!

NOW THE TRICKY PART

How to use your descriptions to hold-on to a customer and convince them that YOUR item is the one to get! A professional description and photos says a lot about yourself as a designer/creator and about your items. I think most, of not all of us, have competition here on Etsy that makes similar items so how do we encourage people to buy our product?

Well, first I want you to forget about competitive pricing (and if you haven't already read it, please read the post from several weeks ago on pricing to find out why!)... and I want you to think about what makes you buy one thing over another. We buy Campbells soup. Why? It's thicker, has better flavor, I like the recipes on the back of the can :) , and I like actual chunks of veggies in my soup rather than tiny shreds you get in some kinds. What makes you buy one type/brand of diaper over another? What makes you like a specific pair of jeans? What would sell you on a set of sheets or new towel? What do you like about your car? (I liked how in our old car there was a cover over the mirror behind the sun visor... our current car doesn't have that and it's something I'll be looking for in our next car! Sometimes, it's the little things!) :) We are all customers, so it's just a matter of shifting gears from be maker, to thinking about what appeals to customers.

You should also talk about the craftsmanship that make your item special and stand out from others. Are your wooden toys cut, sanded, and sealed by your own hand? Did you dye your own wool for those knitted overalls? Do you use organic products to make or treat your products? Are the edges of your ribbon heat-sealed or stitched to prevent fraying? Are your materials fair-trade or local? Do you include special packaging for your items? Is the material you use designer? Think about what made you choose certain materials or processes and tell your customers about it! They won't otherwise know what goes into your product unless you tell them.

Describe how your item can make their life easier or better. Is your design more efficient than others for some reason? Can it save them money or is it better for the environment and how? Does the materials you use offer a stronger or more long-lasting product? Why did YOU design it the way your did??

AND FINALLY...

There is one more thing I want to mention... while using the copy feature is fantastic for saving time, make sure when you do so, that you read over your description again and just make sure that all the information you included is still accurate. You may accidentally copy a mistake and taking a quick minute to review when you copy or renew an item will ensure that you don't accidentally make yourself look bad by reposting something that isn't accurate. :)

I hope that this has given you something else to think about in terms of writing descriptions that you might not have thought of. For some of us, we ramble too much or our descriptions could use some more organization... for others, more details are needed to really express completely what we have to offer.

Heidi

Weekly Tips & Tricks for 6/6/2012

This week I'd like to give you all a quick little rundown on a topic that is small... but mighty!... CUSTOMER SERVICE.

When you think about customer service, you might picture large companies.  But really, it's just a couple big words that really mean something very simple... connection.  This is not going to be a long article in the way that you may have come to expect from me, but it is no less vital to your successful business due to it's relative brevity.  Basically, the approach you take with your customers says more about you as a crafter than you might think and because of this it is important to consider what you can do to be the very best you can be!

Communication

- Respond to each and every contact a buyer or potential customer makes with you.  Most of our communication will be virtual through email or Etsy convos.  While that means it is unlikely you will be responding to someone's inquiry immediately, you should do so at the very earliest you possibly can.  If it takes you a day or more to get back to someone (unless you have a good reason such as being out of town or your computer broke down), that is too long.  At the very least, return their message to say you received it and will respond in detail by such-and-such time.  Remember, the longer you take to get back to someone, the more likely they will continue to search for a similar item from someone else!  Delay may cost you a sale.

- Use proper grammar and sentence structure!  This may be more important than you realize.  Many people will paint you in an unprofessional light if you neglect to use proper punctuation, capital letters where appropriate, and format.  Even if your answer is "no, I don't do or have that", take the time to say it the right way!  

- You should always start and end your responses with proper greeting and a sign-off.  If you communicate back and forth several times, you can drop the greeting/signature... but not until you have developed a good communicative relationship with the other person.  And at the end of all the messaging, once again sign off to complete it.

- Be honest.  If you aren't able to mail something right away, tell them.  If you experience unforeseen delay with finishing a custom item, tell them.  Never forget that the customer on the other end of the transaction are real people and are likely excited and anxious to get their package!  A little honesty goes a long way to encouraging patience and creating loyalty. 

- Be FRIENDLY!  If someone has taken the time to find, buy, or ask a question about your items, it means they already consider you to be worth their time!  Don't disappoint them by being short.  Take the time to respond to the effort they put forth and let them know that you appreciate them checking out your shop.

When Problems Come Up

- If someone has an issue lets say with a delayed package or damaged item... address it promptly and make sure they know you are trying your hardest to fix it!  Tell them what you know.  When was it mailed exactly.  How was it packaged.  What does the post office say about delivery estimates.  Can the item be fixed themselves?  What is your policy for returns and, in the individual case, are there any exceptions (such as if you failed to protect it properly with packaging)?  Ask for pictures if necessary.  Double check they gave you the correct address.  Check the calendar in case of holiday delays.  Sometimes, people will be unreasonable... but until you are certain of that, make sure they know you are taking their concern seriously and giving it prompt attention.

- Make sure you have your policies spelled out regarding returns, exchanges, etc.  This speaks to your professionalism and gives you somewhere established to direct them.

 Remember, most people that shop on Etsy are expecting to get a higher level of quality than they would at some box store... and that does not only mean in the items themselves!  People are looking to make a connection to an individual through their craft and their service, and YOU are that individual!  Make yourself stand out... take the time to prioritize all those who reach out to you and you may be surprised at the difference it makes in helping your business grow and succeed!

- Heidi

Heidi's Tips and Tricks for 5/30/2012

This week I'm going to try to tackle some of the intricacies of Shipping.

This is a wide, varied topic and of course with shops spanning many countries there is going to be some things that will or will not apply to everyone.  I really encourage you to read through all of this though... because it may help open up your view on what other shops do and help you understand shipping as both a shop owner, and an Etsy customer!  I am going to focus a little bit on shipping specific to US and Canada, as those are the countries I am most familiar with, though most of this post can be applied to everyone!

One of the most important things to consider when figuring out shipping, is what your TRUE costs are.  It's important to make sure you are covering all your expenses, and that usually involves more than simply the postage.  Some shops choose to charge only actual shipping cost in their "shipping prices" and include shipping materials and fees in their product cost.  Other shops will have a more Shipping and Handling approach and include all those costs relating to shipping in the designated "shipping prices".  How you choose to do this is completely up to you.  The "other" costs you need to keep in mind are:
- envelopes/polymailers/boxes
- taxes on postage
- address labels
- possibly insurance
- any "extras" you include such as business cards
- AND your fees.  Remember, Etsy doesn't charge fees on shipping, but paypal does as it is part of the total payment received.

The next thing you need to figure out is how much to charge.  Of course there is differences in shipping costs when you ship international, but there may also be variation within your own country!  Many people take the approach of choosing somewhere close to home and somewhere across the country and going with a rate in the middle... others go with the higher rate and refund for all overpayment of a dollar or more.

It is very important to figure your shipping costs accurately and not make assumptions.  Remember, your customers WILL be considering shipping in whether or not they want to make a purchase.  If they have a concern, they are more likely to walk away than to ask you why your shipping costs appear high... so either take the time to explain right in your listing, or double check with comparable items to make sure you aren't appearing as if you are overcharging.  This is especially important for international sales, but more about that later.  In some cases, you may be better off shaving a few dollars off your shipping costs and including it in the price of your actual item.  People would rather pay more for an item than for shipping... trust me.

Another thing that I'd recommend regarding shipping, is to explore your shipping materials options.  You may find you are able to save on costs simply by changing what you use to ship!  Polymailers are a very inexpensive and waterproof way to ship soft, non-breakable items.  There are even bio options for a little more cost if you want to maintain a fully "green" method.  Bubble mailers offer a little more protection for very little added weight but may cost a little more.  Boxes are the most expensive option both to purchase and often to ship with because of the increased weight.  They should be reserved for items that need the support and protection of a solid container.  Often your post office will offer supplies and perhaps a pre-paid envelope or box is a good method for you... but in most cases these will add significantly to your cost.  There are many options for buying shipping materials in bulk and at significant discounts... search Ebay and other online shipping suppliers for options.  If your items need extra protection, tissue paper and bubble pads are a cost effective and light-weight addition that can help to protect your items in transit.  Make sure you are taking the care needed to keep your product safe.

I'm going to shift gears a little bit here and talk about some US and Canadian shipping specifics.  I do encourage you to read all of this as you may find that it helps you understand what goes into the shipping costs of shops that you might like to purchase from as well!

United States:
As a Canadian, most of this information has been gleaned from friends in the States, as a customer, and from things I've been told.
USPS is the least expensive shipping method.  If you print your shipping labels through paypal, which is simple and easy, and (as I understand it) it can/does include DC for domestic shipping. Domestic rates are something I'm not very familiar with, but I believe that the USPS website has an option for finding a rate based on location and that should guide you in how much to charge.
As for international shipping, I'm going to talk specifically about shipping to Canada, as that is likely where most international orders will come from.
If your items are under 4lbs, you have the option of shipping First Class International.  This means significant savings vs. Priority or Flat Rate and will likely make a big difference in whether someone will make a purchase, or walk away because of too-high shipping cost.  Even a heavier order that can be split in two shipments is often still less expensive with First Class than with other methods!  The trouble with First Class is that DC is not possible across the border.  Paypal will also side with the buyer if a claim is made, because there is no DC.  HOWEVER, don't let this discourage you!  In my experience (and I literally have ordered hundreds of packages from the States) things getting lost is VERY rare!  Not only that... you have another option!  Consider an insurance provider such as U-Pic.  For very minimal added cost (less than $2 in many cases) you can add insurance to First Class packages.  I've heard very good things about U-pic from sellers who use it and the claims process is smooth and easy... and, as a Canadian customer, would absolutely pay the extra to have this service added if a seller requested/offered it.

This is a great chart that can help you figure out accurate costs for shipping lightweight items to Canada... please use it to make sure you aren't losing sales by inadvertently overcharging for shipping.  http://pe.usps.com/cpim/ftp/manuals/dmm300/Notice123.pdf

And one more thing, when shipping internationally, I do not suggest using a courier service.  Your customer will be charge extremely high handling fees on arrival, and while that isn't your responsibility, they may hold it against you and complain.  If someone insists on courier, just make absolutely sure that they understand that.

Canada

As a Canadian, I know that talking about shipping and Canada Post can open up a huge can of worms!  Yes, Canada Post has some crazy postal rates and is behind the times regarding tracking packages.  That said, it is STILL the least expensive option out there and there are a few tricks you can use to try to get more reasonable rates.

If your items can be made to fit into an envelope less than 2cm thick, you can ship them as lettermail domestically (no insurance though!) or as Light Packet Internationally.  This can make the difference between costing $10 or $2 domestically, or $6 or $3 to the US.  (And yes, for those reading this from outside of Canada, it does cost more to ship domestically within Canada than it does to ship to the States... crazy huh?!)  So, it is certainly worth trying to get your items to fit between that 2cm "slot of doom".  If you can't though, consider your other rate options and what is included.  Insurance and DC in many cases and this is a good thing.  You might consider stating right in your listing what is included in your chosen shipping rate so people will understand the cost.

Canada Post also uses a "bundled" approach to their rates.  If you can stay under 250grams, your parcel will ship for less than if you go over.  Again the rate goes up at 500grams.  Sometimes, if you play around with your shipping materials, you can get this to work in your favor.

Every Canadian shop should also get a VentureOne card.  This card is a free program offered by Canada Post and can save you 5% on some shipping rates.  It will also give you access to the Canada Post online shipping functions and can save if you purchase pre-paid envelopes (such as ExpressPost) or other shipping materials through them.  (In most cases though, you are still better off purchasing shipping materials elsewhere).

Domestically, make sure you check shipping rates both regional and national... as there can be significant differences.

One final note that applies to ALL INTERNATIONAL shipping... is customs.  You should have in your policies that customs fees are the responsibility of the buyer.  This is generally accepted, but always good to mention just in case.  When shipping international, you will have to fill out a customs form.  These are simple (and in the case of US forms, will have a barcode that can be tracked as far as the border!).  You will need to fill out what the item is and it's value.  Please be accurate as there may be taxes applied to this parcel and increasing the value means that your customer will be taxed more... this has nothing to do with insurance, it is merely for tax purposes.  Also, you should be marking customs forms as "other" or "merchandise" and not as "gifts" to be truthful... items marked gifts under a certain dollar value will be exempt from taxing if they are delayed at the border, and while your customers WILL appreciate that, it is your responsibility to declare items honestly.

Okay... so that is a LOT of information for you again!  I hope that some of it has been helpful though.  Shipping is just part of what we have to do in our businesses... there is really no way around it... and as such it is worth taking the time to know how to approach this somewhat tedious but very neccessary part of running your shop.

Heidi

Heidi's Tips & Tricks for 5/23/2012

This week's post is a big one, and an important one for all of us... PRICING

This is a hard topic and one that I think we all struggle with. There are a lot of factors to consider with pricing your items and I'll try to address as many of them as I can.

One of the first things you need to implant in your mind is that YOU are not necessarily your own target customer. Asking yourself "what would I pay" is not going to give you an accurate measure of what to charge because, well, you are NOT buying it, you are making it! :) The proper place to start when pricing your items is to get an accurate picture of your costs.

Costs include the obvious things like material used of course, but it's a LOT more than that too!
- time to create
- paypal fees
- etsy fees
- shipping materials cost
- time to package/mail
- time to photograph & write online description/listing

AND... you want to ALSO make a profit!!

Then there is the added pressure of finding your spot among the competition and wanting/needing to make a sale in order for any of it to be worthwhile. It's a difficult balance to find!

There are a few different approaches to make. My own opinion is that you must absolutely cover your material costs, the time to make it (you can choose how much $/hr for yourself), and cover all the associated fees. Some of the other "costs", you can decide for yourself how you want to handle that. At the end of the day... if you feel content and not like you are burning yourself out for minimal gain, well, that matters.

There are a lot of theories on how to appropriately price your times. Some take the costs (as listed above) and double them for wholesale price, then double again for retail price. Unless your item is in huge demand, that model doesn't usually support itself for handmade items! The theory is also that you pay yourself the amount you would have to pay someone else to make the item. For most, that would be at least minimum wage and possibly much more. Again, I don't think this works for most handmade items. Personally, I make more "per hour" on some of my items than I do on others. On some though, I get a significant amount of personal enjoyment and satisfaction from and I place a value on that as well. It may be a very personal decision in some cases.

And don't forget... a profit is not supposed to be included in paying yourself for your time... it is supposed to be over and above that. I will admit that for some of my items, I don't do that and it is a personal struggle for me.

So, why is it so important not to undervalue your items??

- You are helping set the standard. If you price too low, it drags all the other sellers down too. Some techniques already get very little recognition as an "art" and there is a stigma that in order to sell you have to be priced low. So, that's what people do and then it is a cycle that you can't get out of. As a crocheter, I know this first hand. If you look at items you are familiar with the process of making, you can easily see how underpricing is a real issue.

- People WILL pay for quality! If you have an item that you are proud of and deserves a reasonable price (and I think we all do!), then price it that way! Yes, some of the people looking for items will be "bargain hunting"... I admit to being guilty of that myself... but those people are only a part of who is here. I would rather pay more for something that looks more professional and has good customer service than always taking the cheapest one. I will also pay more for something that is exactly what I want... and so will others.

- If you price too low... you'll get burnt out. This is a very important thing to remember. If you find yourself working like mad, possibly at the expense of family or home, and then peeking into your paypal account and being disappointed at the amount you see there... then burn out is a real possibility. You need to value yourself and what you are giving in order to do this.

- You may find you aren't making ANY profit!! And this one is scary! If you forget to include the standard fees (always 50cents for etsy and paypal PLUS the percentages for EACH of them), or forget to include your shipping costs (envelopes, wrapping, labels, business cards... of yes, and the taxes on the shipping rate you pay)... you may actually find that you are making no profit at all! That is one of the reasons it is important to calculate your profit separately from your hourly rate.

- You are labeling yourself with your prices. This is one of the things that I know is a constant to-and-fro for me. I want to be competitive... but I also believe that I offer among the BEST of similar items! I don't want to be the highest priced... but I do think I deserve a certain price for my time and costs. I want to catch all the sales because I know people will be satisfied with my items... but I don't want to lose sales if people think I'm over priced. So, back and forth I go! For most of my items, I'm content being on the high end of the range of prices for similar items. I KNOW my products are quality and I'm comfortable with the profit I'm making. But I'm also lucky because I offer a few items that sell really well and that balances those that are slow sales. This struggle is even harder for those who are in a category with LOTS of competition. For those of you... that's where it is even more important to have photos, titles, and descriptions that are second to none so that the quality of your items speaks through all aspects of your listings, including price.

Having a plan for pricing that you are comfortable with is the best place to start. Try this for starters:
... Take your material costs and the cost of paying yourself for time it takes to make the item.
... multiply that number by 1.5. Add pp/etsy fees and shipping material costs. This might be your "wholesale" cost.
... take that initial number again and this time multiply by 2 before adding fees and shipping materials.

How does that fit in? You can play around with your "hourly wage" and see what happens. It's a place to start anyway... and a place to start thinking about what should be going into your prices. 

Something else to consider... what have you bought from another seller that you have just been WOW'ed by? I got some booties for my daughter from a seller that I had looked longingly at her items for quite some time. The price though had me hesitate because, like I said, I'm a bargain kind of girl. Anyway... when I finally got them I was just blown away at the quality of workmanship! I WILL be buying more and now I'm okay with the $30 price tag because they are worth it! If you feel that way about the quality of your own items there is no reason to believe that your customers won't also!!

So... I hope that that has brought to light some of the mysteries of pricing. Like I said in the beginning... this is a HARD topic! If you have any other tips or questions about pricing, feel free to comment here. There are still items in my shop that I feel pretty clueless about pricing... and I think we probably all feel that way so don't be shy to ask people's opinions. Just remember... there are a lot of different customers in the world! :)

Heidi

Heidi's Tips & Tricks for 5/16/2012

This week I'll be talking about... Policies.

Every shop here on Etsy has a section to include their shop policies. While it may seem that this is an area that never gets looked at (when was the last time you checked someone's policy page?)... but it is really important that you still do put some thought and effort into writing out a good set of policies for yourself. Even if only 1 in 100 customers check them... that one customer may be one that might later on have a problem and your policy section might save your some headaches.

Etsy very sweetly divided the Policy section into different categories. This makes organizing your thoughts a lot easier. I'll go through each section and include items that could be included. Check your own policies and make sure you've got it all covered.

WELCOME
The welcome section is a place to expand on your little introduction blurb. You can explain more about yourself, but also take the opportunity to stipulate any specifics related to your shop or policies themselves. Things you may wish to include are:
- is your home smoke/pet free?
- when can you be contacted about questions or concerns? or, when will you get back to people who contact you?
- who are you as a person?

PAYMENT
The payment section may include basic information such as the currency your shop prices are in (especially if they are NOT in US dollars), and whether taxes are charged on your items and to whom. You should also include:
- how long you will wait before canceling an order if payment is not received.
- steps you will take to contact non-paying customers.
- when payment is expected for custom items.
- what forms of payment you accept (paypal, money order, local pickup, etc.)

SHIPPING
This will likely be your largest policy section. There is a lot of information that can be included here.
- where do your items ship from? (this could alternatively go in the Welcome section)
- when shipping will take place from the time the order is received (both for in stock and custom items)
- who you ship with (post or courier)
- what rate you use/offer (least expensive, priority with d/c, etc.)
- do you include tracking or insurance with your shipments or is that an option at additional cost
- what do you do if you receive an order from an unconfirmed Paypal address or request for an item to be sent as a gift?
- what if a buyer's paypal address is incorrect (who is responsible for correcting the situation whether the items is returned by the post office or not)
- How long does shipping take to domestic or international locations (generally... your postal service should provide an estimate based on the rate you choose)
- who is responsible for customs fees for international shipments.
- do you ship with new or recycled/reused materials
- what if there is an overpayment in shipping cost

REFUNDS AND EXCHANGES
- do you accept returns of instock or custom items
- do you offer exchanges and if so do you refund/recharge, or only charge the difference?
- do your items have any quality guarantees? (this could go under Additional)
- who is responsible for the cost of returning items? Is that different if it is a flaw in the making of the item?
- Is there a "restocking fee" for returned items? What about for customs?
- If you have someone pay for an item in installments to cover something like special material costs of a custom order (you may want to mention if that is an option in your Additional policies as well), what happens if they change their mind and don't pay the full cost? Do you charge a fee to cover expenses of refunding/relisting?

ADDITIONAL POLICIES AND FAQ

This section is for anything that you want to mention that doesn't quite fit into the other categories. You may include information such as policies regarding the use of your items for personal/resale use (such as if you make/sell patterns for example). You may include copyright information or statements regarding whether your designs are unique or used with permission from another source. You may include statements regarding pattern variations or changes in materials. You may include details regarding promotions if you run them often (duration, "while supplies last", etc.) There are a lot more things, I'm sure... but if it doesn't fit somewhere else and you think it should be mentioned (especially if it is a question you have gotten from one or more customers!), this is where you can post it.

So... I hope that that has given lots of ideas of things you may wish to include in your policies that you might not have thought of. Basically, your policy is to cover your own butt in case you run into a difficult customer or if someone has a lot of questions. You can direct them to your policies and save yourself a bit of scrambling to think of things. Policies can be adjusted and added to as needed and are stored for you for later... which is nice because you know exactly where to find them! It is when you are faced with a problem that you can be grateful that you took the time to fully complete your policies... so make an effort this week to look yours over and see if there is anything else you might include.

Heidi

Heidi's Tips & Tricks for 5/9/2012

This week's topic is all about Branding...

As consumers, branding is all around us.  Think about the brand images that you are flooded with on a daily basis and what some of them say to you.  Branding is everywhere, from big corporate labels like the red and yellow of McDonalds or the white and blue of Facebook.  For the small Etsy business, branding plays just as vital a role in helping to define your product and make you stand out as a professional.  This article will discuss some of the ways to help develop your brand, and how to use it effectively.

I suppose one of the first things to explore is where branding can be used.  Likely the first things that come to mind are your shop banner and avatar.  These are one of the first things that introduce customers to you and your products, and using them for effective branding is one of the first things you should do.  Your banner and avatar image represent you in the same way that a storefront does on a street.  You want it to be attractive, professional, and present an image of who you are and what you do to encourage-  shoppers to "come right in".  There are MANY way to approach this.  You can choose to present images of your most popular products, you can go with a graphic design in colors or patterns that are representative of your style, you can use simple lines and bold contrast if that suits your product line... there are SO many way to make this work for you and I will discuss some questions you can explore to help you discover what will be effective for you later on in this article.

You should use your banner and avatar in sinc with one another.  They don't need to share an image unless you want them to... but they should absolutely coordinate with one another.  I've chosen some examples for you to have a look at how these two important images can be used together to create an effective brand:

- Cute Crochet Creations ~ Andrea uses attractive graphic design with a simple whimsical feel to brand her shop and mirrors the two graphics with eachother.  This case illustrates how an avatar can be just as effective branding without words and as her crocheted designs are geared toward children it totally suits her product line to have the simple design and colors.

 

- Just 4U Wearables ~ Rosemarie uses her banner and avatar for branding in that she presents clearly the medium she works with... yarn... without too narrowly defining her target customer base since she makes a variety of items for all ages..

 

- Gretel Creations ~ Tami showcases her products in both her banner and her avatar, and the result is a clear picture of what she offers.  Her shop is also a great example of how a banner and avatar can ALSO mirror the look of the entire shop, thereby creating a seamless flow!

  

- CuttinUp Custom DieCut  ~ This shop uses a great example of simple contrast to brand their shop as well as present a crisp feel that is totally suited to their product line.

 

There are of course sometimes reason to have some variation in images and you need to find what works best for you.  If part of what you are selling is yourself, you might consider using your avatar with a good quality, professional photo of yourself such as if you are in graphic design or photography.  You can still use color schemes to coordinate and make this approach work for you! 

So, aside from banners and avatars, how else can you use branding to really stand out from the crowd?  Well... seriously, those two items are just the beginning!  You should also be mirroring your shop brand outside of Etsy!  Places you can and should consider doing that are on social media sites just as facebook, or blogs.  For example, my own shop uses the same basic avatar image for my Etsy shop, blogger avi, and my business facebook profile picture.  I also use the same color scheme and parts of my banner image in my FB timeline photo.  You don't have to have everything the same... but it is important to consider how you can coordinate because this will quickly become how people think of you and your shop.  

My Etsy Banner

My Facebook Cover Photo

In other media, you can also use this mirroring technique to ensure consistency.  Business cards, return address labels, product cards, packaging stickers, and email signatures can be used to further your brand recognition.  Using the same font for titles and a color scheme that flows can be a very simple way to get yourself recognized across a wide variety of marketing and advertising venues.

Okay, so time to shift gears a little bit.  HOW do you come up with a brand image you want to use for your shop?  There are professionals on Etsy that you can purchase "Branding packages" from and this can save you a lot of headache if you aren't graphic-savvy!  For a small investment, you can ensure that your shop is represented professionally if this is not one of your strengths.
If you are a DIY type, some of the things you should be thinking about are:

• What sort of "feel" do you want for your shop?  If you  make things for little girls, you might want a very girly brand image with colors and designs suited toward girls.  If you make things for professionals, sleek and simple might be a way to go.  If you sell vintage, something that showcases your collection style be it rustic or country or whatever.  How do YOU feel about your products?  Whimsical, sophisticated, dreamy, fun, nurturing??
• What sort of shops do you admire for what they've chosen to do with their brand?  It's important that you like and be proud of the image you are presenting of yourself and exploring other shops is a place that you can start gathering ideas and then use those ideas to come up with your own unique vision.
• What will work for your product line?  If you are constantly changing what you make, you might not want to use actual product photos because it may too narrowly define you.  On the other hand, if you stick to a specific medium, one or two examples of your work might be just the right thing to draw in customers. 
• Do you have something in your shop name or story that you would rather use to help brand your shop?  For example, my brand images have everything to do with what inspired my shop name, and the illustrated image rather than realism gets across a childish feel that is consistent with my products.
• What is your target audience?  There is no reason to try to come up with a brand image to appeal to everyone if you have a narrow customer base.  If you make things for children, by all means you can choose to make a child-friendly brand... but you don't have to.  There is a lot of freedom for you... but knowing what might appeal to your target customer base is a good first step.

Branding is something that deserves some thought toward how to make it work for you.  Once you have established your brand image, it becomes "free advertising" in a sense because the more people come to see a consistent image from you, the more they will remember you.   Using consistent images in your shop, advertising, and packaging can really make you stand out as a professional and sets you apart from your competition.

:) Heidi

Heidi's Tips & Tricks for 5/2/2012

This week's topic is... NETWORKING

Never underestimate the value of networking with others for bringing more success to your business. You want your shop to stand out from others... and to reach your target customer base. This thread is going to highlight some of the ways you can do that through networking.

Social media these days allows for interaction with both customers and other shops. This can be used to spread the word about yourself and your products. If opportunities come up to be featured on a blog... have a look at it and see if the history of the blog relates to your shop. That should give you a good sense of whether or not the blog followers would be interested in coming by to check out your shop. It's also a great way to get to know the blog owner... and they can become customers too! One tip though... don't get sucked into offering a giveaway unless you want to. Giveaways might drive traffic to your shop... but don't often result in sales. DO however consider strongly offering a coupon code to the blog readers... if they like your product, coupons are a great way to both encourage a sale AND let you know where the customer came from!

(As a side note... if you get requests for giveaways and don't want to participate... a suggestion for how to handle it is to say "thank you for your interest in my shop/product... I am not in a position to offer a giveaway at this time. However, I would be glad to offer you a discount of XXX if you personally would like to make a purchase! Should you like my item once you have tried it, I would be honored if you would consider promoting it on your blog/facebook". This is a nice way to weed out those who are just looking for freebies and give those who are actually liking your product a chance to try it, you make a sale, and you may get promotion out of it too. Either way, you don't lose. This has worked for me in the past and the happy customer went ahead and promoted my shop many times on her Facebook link page... which in turn brought me fans and a couple sales.)

 Okay... back to more networking tips!

Facebook is another way to use networking. The "tagging" feature means that you can share other shops that might be promoting you... or you can promote them and hopefully have fans of theirs stopping by to check you out too! It's a back-and-forth way of sharing the handmade love! I'll talk more about how to effectively use facebook in another thread... but from a networking standpoint it is a good tool to explore!

The Etsy community is one of the best places to network! You are already part of this team, and many of you are part of many more teams... this is GREAT! Being and active part of a team means people will get to know you and your items and when they think, "hey, I want a..." they will have someone already in mind! It is important though to remember that this is really the most effective when you put in the effort to BE recognizable. Posting your new items and promoting your sales and whatnot is great... but the more personal you are the better. When you join teams, make sure they are ones you feel passionate about. We're all mommies here... so we share that in common! Look for other teams that you share something with. Try location, or interests you have, or type/style of products you make... you may be surprised at the different types of people you can connect with through teams!

Make treasuries! Treasuries are a fantastic way to network AND potentially reach target audiences! Often, people who make certain items do so because they have an interest in that. For example, people who make items for children often HAVE children! If you make children's items too... using themes that relate may bring in people who will promote on your behalf by favoriting your shop! This doesn't mean you need to stick to themes related to your shops though... any kind of treasury will network for you as long as it is beautiful and professionally done. When you feature a shop... don't be surprised if they come check you out! And with treasuries and "favorites" showing up in people's circles... you have the potential to be seen by MANY new faces!

Use your shop address... people won't know about it unless you show them! Have business cards and don't be afraid to hand them out if the opportunity arises! My husband and mom have probably handed out more than I have... but I've had opportunities too! I've given them to moms at mom & baby groups I've participated in... they asked about me so I gave them one. I've even given a card to the lady at the fabric shop who asked what I was going to be making. When you check your shop stats and see that line "direct traffic"... those are people who either typed in your shop address from having seen it somewhere, or clicked on it. :)

Don't forget to also use your shop in your online communication! If you are part of any outside forums, check the rules or ask admin and see if you can include your shop in your user profile or signature. Keep it clean, small, and professional and you will find that humans are curious creatures and it will get clicked on! (Keeping it small and tasteful is better in most cases as some people, including myself, find large or flashy self-promotion to be in bad taste).

Most email providers also have "signatures". Create one to go out on all your outgoing emails. I have had this happen that I email with someone from Kijiji or something, and don't even think about my signature being there, and they have emailed back and asked about my shop. Yay, new customer! :)

Friends and family are GREAT for helping you to network... so make sure you have provided them with the information they might give to others. Business cards, or having your shop "bookmarked" on their PC, is another way to network THROUGH them (obviously with their permission of course).

I'd love to hear some more ways that you network to promote your shop!

:) Heidi

Heidi's Tips & Tricks for 4/25/2012

The topic for this week is... TAGGING

Your tags are what are used to find your items in Etsy searches. They are also valuable in being found by search engines such as google. Essentially, these are the words that describe your item to someone who is looking to see what is available in a certain category.

Sometime shoppers only have a vague idea of what they are looking for... but MOST of the time, they really want something specific. Even if they start out looking really broad... chances are they will narrow the search when the results are overwhelming. This is where effective tagging comes in to help ensure that your items are found.

There are several guidelines for using tags effectively that I hope will help clear up some misconceptions and help you figure out the best way to approach this somewhat tedious but vital part of listing your items.

Use all your tags. No excuses... every tag has the potential to bring in a customer and if you don't use them you miss out. If you can't think of what to use, examine your item and consider putting "handmade" or "vintage" (they aren't automatically included and people do search for them!), include colors of the item to assist in being found for treasuries (which can also mean sales and hearts). What size is it? Who is it marketed for (kids, moms, boys, etc.)? are there common alternative spellings of other tag words? What about different terms for the same item (hat, tuque, beanie, etc.)? Texture? Material? Theme (rustic, chic, bohemian, etc.)? Search for similar items and see what other tags your competitors are using... doesn't mean they will be effective, but it might help you think of ones that didn't occur to you! Oh yeah... and include your shop name in a few! Sometimes people will search for your shop but forget to change to "shop search" in the dropdown menu. Tagging your shop name means those people will at least get a result.

Perhaps you have the opposite problem and 13 tags is not enough! (This is me, I'm always wishing for more!). Etsy will now allow short applicable phrases in their tags! This is very useful AND effective because (and this is the best part!)... all words are ALSO search-able separately even if you put them in a phrase! YAY! So, for example, you can add a tag "security blanket" and another of "baby blankie" and you will also get results for "security blankie" or "baby blanket". This means you can use two tag spots rather than the four you would need to put each word separately. If you do this though... it is vital that you ensure your phrases are VALID... not just "stuffing". You can also use this method to get specifics... such as a tag of "kelly green" would catch those looking for that narrow a color AND also catch those just searching for "green".

Make sure your tags ARE what the item IS. Some categories are huge and it is easy to feel like your items are getting lost. You may be tempted to add a tag that isn't quite descriptive of your item to hope to end up in a narrower category. However, this doesn't work. People searching for silver earrings are not going to look at a bracelet... and chances are they are going to be annoyed that you tried to "pull a fast one" on them and may put a negative taste in their mouth about your whole shop. Doing this also clutters up the categories and, effectively makes your properly tagged items HARDER to find. Plus, it's against Etsy rules and you can very easily be reported. Bottom line... respect your own items and the community and use tags the way they are meant to be used.

Many teams have team tags. You can include these to help your items be found by loyal team shoppers AND for use in treasuries! You don't have to tag all your items... but a representation of them is a good idea. If you have the space though, the more team tags you use the easier it is for people on your teams to find and favorite your items... and this can be a very effective networking tool!

With the new algorithms Etsy had in place with the change to relevancy search... there have also been some effect on tags. Tags and titles now work together! This is great because it essentially means that you have the ability to "add power" to your tags by mirroring them in your titles. SO, (I'll use an example from my own experience) what this means is that when I have the exact phrase "Crochet Doll" in BOTH my title and my tags, it is given a higher weight in search for those terms than if I separate the phrase into "crochet" and "doll" tags. This has taken some trial and error, but in a category that has a lots of results it can help improve your ability to be found by your target customers.

There is also another approach you may wish to explore. Some categories are so huge that it is just impossible to be found if you don't have a lot of inventory. You may choose to not focus so much on the MOST common searched terms and instead try to capture those customers that use alternatives. For example, "pacifier clip" gets 8860 results... but "soother clip" only gets 841. While it is true that more customers are searching for pacifier, I can't compete with those stores when I only list a few clips in my shop because my preference is for customs... so by using my tags (and titles) to target the fewer customers that are looking under "soother", I get sales where I didn't before. While this may be an unconventional approach... it is working for me. (Shhh... don't tell anyone!)  :)

Tagging is tricky. It's important to remember to reevaluate your tags occasionally, and to make some changes to them on similar items (don't just copy) to try to find which ones are the most effective. You can use tools like Craftopolis or your Shop Stats to see which terms are being used to find your items... but don't be afraid to branch out and try something new! One of the best things about tags is that they are editable... so if something isn't working, switch it for something else and see what happens!

So... I hope this has been helpful and perhaps you've learned something you hadn't thought of before!

Heidi

Heidi's Tips & Tricks for 4/18/2012

This week we're talking about... PROFILES

It may seem like your shop's profile is a secondary consideration when you are setting up shop.  There are so many more "business-y" things to cover, and it may seem that your profile is sort of "hidden" behind your name so it's easy to forget to put thought into writing your profile.  BUT, there are some good reasons to take some time this week to invest some time into this area of your shop!

When you look at your shop analytics through Google or Shop Stats, you may be surprised to note that your profile IS one of the pages that gets viewed on occasion!  This is a great thing.  It means that people are interested not only in what I can make, but also in who I am as a person.  It's wonderful that Etsy provides this area for us all to share a little about ourselves with customers, wholesalers, bloggers, and more.  And, of course, it works the other way too and we can take the opportunity to learn about other shops and team members as well!

So how to you make your profile engaging and informative?

Let's face it, I think most of us struggle with writing about ourselves.  However, with some simple ideas of how to approach this task, it can become less daunting.

First of all, I think it is important to use the first person when writing your profile.  Doing this personalizes what you are writing and makes it less "rehearsed" to read.  The only exception to this might possibly be if you operate your shop with someone else.  If that is the case though, still use "us" and "we" and it might be a good idea to devote at least one paragraph to each shop owner individually to introduce themselves.

Another important piece of advice... don't focus on your shop!  This is of course an important element, but your profile is supposed to be about YOU so step outside your shop for a moment and explore some ways to share who you are as a person and a crafter.  While your profile can include things like your facebook, blog, and other shops or web locations... this should be a footnote, and not a focus.

Okay, on to the fun stuff!  What sorts of things might you consider including in your profile to make it more engaging?

- We're all moms here on the team, but your customers might not know that about you!  Being moms is a HUGE part of who we are, so it would absolutely be appropriate to talk about that in your profile!  If you are concerned about privacy, you don't need to share your children's names or ages unless you wish too.  You might talk about them by nickname or gender for example.  You can talk about whether you are stay-at-home or not, or if perhaps you are a homeschooler or a blended family.

- Perhaps you'd prefer to talk about yourself from a more "historical" perspective.  You might talk about what started you in your particular craft and how you came up with the designs that you use.  You can talk about your education if that helped inspire what you do (perhaps an art course that started your journey into illustration or a craft class that got you hooked on knitting).  Perhaps it was a family member that got you sewing at the age of five, or a friend that you used to make macaroni necklaces with and your talent grew from there!

- Besides the items in your shop... what are your other hobbies or activities you enjoy?  If you are an avid outdoorswoman, that can be a fun thing to share with customers!  Perhaps you enjoy making wine, baking, reading classic novels, running marathons, etc.  There is always more to us than just being moms and crafters... and those unique interests should also be celebrated!

- How did your first or your most popular item come to be?  Is it something that came from meeting a need of your own child(ren)?  Maybe a friend really encouraged you to develop your design and start your shop.  Maybe there is a funny story or a touching tale behind one of your items?

- Do you offer special services like gift wrapping or custom orders?  This is something that can be included in your profile if you wish.

- Why is this your passion?  Why do you enjoy what you do?  Is it the colors, the textures, the variety of materials, the satisfaction of offering something unique and stunning or practical and functional, the community of crafters that you are a part of, etc.?

- What are your goals?  Would you like to simply see your item on a stranger someday?  Would you like someday open a store?  Will the growth of your shop allow you to stay home with your kids?  Would you like to sell at local or regional craft shows? 

Now for some more "technical" stuff again...

- Your first paragraph is what is going to "grip" people.  Remember this from high school essay writing?  It's  good idea to bring our your warmth, humor, personality right from the start to draw customers into reading more.

- Don't be afraid to use headings or bullets to make your profile more organized.  Large blocks of text encourage scanning rather than reading... so try not to ramble and make your profile visually appealing.

- An example of how you might lay out your profile, consider this:
           - Introduction - grab your audience and draw them in to your shop
           - About You, About your shop, About your product
           - How to contact you, other web locations, and/or where to find policies, sizing, etc.
           - Conclusion - wrap up with a thank you or "how to order"
And using titles to define these sections might also be something to consider.


Think of your profile as a chance to toot your own horn a little (we DESERVE it!), welcome and thank customers for coming to your shop (this takes the place of the greeter if you were a brick-&-mortar store), and sell yourself in order to gain that customer!

Remember, the items you make take your time and passion... and every aspect of your shop should reflect the quality and effort that goes into the items themselves. 

Heidi

Heidi's Tips & Tricks for 4/11/2012

The topic this week is... PHOTOS!

First, a question... how do you "shop" Etsy? I'm guessing you likely search for a certain type of item and then glance quickly at the photos and see what grabs your eye. Well... that's what most people do! As a show owner therefore, it makes sense to do everything you can do to make sure your photos are the ones that are eye catching.

There is a lot that can be said about taking good photos. The main things are that your items need to be true representatives of the item you created. You want it to be true to color, in focus, and attractive. Etsy has some good basic photo-taking tutorials already... so I'm going to use this thread to share some of the more unique tips I've found.

 

Natural light is your friend. It is the best way to get brightness without the harsh effect of a flash and it ensures that your colors are accurate. You don't want the shadows of being in the sharp sunlight... but you can play around with angles to avoid shadows, or you can diffuse the natural light with a few tricks like the time of day, slightly overcast days, or making a frame with a sheet of tissuepaper or translucent plastic to use as a "block" that still allows some sunlight through. Play around a bit with taking pictures in natural light... because when you find the "right" spot for your items... they will really look amazing!

Another way to play with light is to use a "bounce board"... and this can be done inside or outside! Get a sheet of bright white bristol board or two and set it up to reflect the sunlight back onto your items. This can soften shadows and brighten up the backside. In some cases, a piece of cardboard lined with a FLAT (no crinkles) piece of tinfoil can also work as a bounce board.

There are also two types of "lightboxes" that you might want to consider investing in. A quick search for them online will give you some very inexpensive DIY ways of making a lightbox... or you can get a box & light setup already assembled from an online supplier.  A lightbox is basically either a box lined in white paper that you shine a couple bright lights into, or a translucent box that you shine light into from the outside.  These boxes give your items consistent, bright lighting. If you make very small items like jewelry... you can also get a box that is constructed of lights itself which can really make for some amazing photos and can also be found on Ebay. You need to make sure that the box you use is sufficiently larger than your items... so this isn't always reasonable for everyone.

Some other things to consider when thinking about photos is that you want your shop to look cohesive. One of the easiest ways of doing this is to use the same background for all your photos. For some items, this means a white or same-color background... for some, their items look amazing taken outside or on a prop of some kind. The main point though is to make the items in your shop LOOK like they belong in your shop! When you go to a store... it is more aesthetically pleasing when the shop has a consistent look/feel. You want to have that with your Etsy shop too.

You also want you items to be what SHOWS in the photos... they shouldn't just BE in the photos. In most cases, this means you want a plain, subtle backdrop and one of the best is plain white. If you do decide to use props (which can add interest for things like jewelry, soaps, teas, etc.)... make sure they don't overpower the photo. You want it to be obvious what you are selling. Clear glass, white ceramics, a tiny bit of greenery, rustic frame... those are some examples of props that can work really well in some cases.

Don't be afraid to think angles and crops. Your first photo is to "grab" the customer... it doesn't have to show the whole item. Tilting the camera or taking the photo from a unique vantage point can make your item really stand out.

Whenever possible, use ALL your photos! Need ideas for how to use them up but not have five that look the same? Try two or three different angles. Take a close-up of some unique detail or a section of especially fun colors. Take a photo of the item when all or partially packaged (if you do anything special like wrap in tissue or ribbon). Take a close crop just for something "different". Or how about this? Take a full item shot... then, use the exact same photo but close crop it and use THAT one for the first photo and the full one for the second photo.

The best advice? Do a search for your same or similar item and see which items grab YOUR attention! And, have a look on Etsy's main page and see what grabs THEIR attention. That can give you an idea of what you might aspire for.
(And, a small side note, also notice the types of photos that get chosen for top ranking treasuries... in most cases they will not have watermarks, frames, vignetting, or dark backgrounds... so those might be some more things to avoid).

I hope this is a helpful starting place if you are thinking your photos might need some work. I know I myself have spent hours taking and retaking my photos and many of them I still want/need to do more work on! Once you do find something you are happy with though... it's a very satisfying place to be!

Heidi

Heidi's Tips & Tricks for 4/4/2012

Today's topic is TITLES.

Titles are a quick way of introducing your items to prospective buyers. As such, they should be informative and to-the-point. However, titles are also very important for getting FOUND in searches both on Etsy and through search engines such as Google and there is a "right" way to do them.

With Etsy's search default being based on relevancy, titles are given a high weight in where (and if) your items are going to be found when people look for something using the search bar at the top of the page. Luckily, the way that Etsy searches for item titles and the way that Google does is very much the same... so when you've got the best you can do for one, you also improve your searchability for the other! Two birds, one stone... yay!

If you get nothing else out of this thread... I hope that you will absorb this:
The first two to three words are the MOST important and need to describe what the item is as if you were searching for it yourself.

Here is an example to illustrate what I mean...

Let say you make sock monkeys. A fun title might be "Geoffrey the Silly Monkey". When you break it down though, in order to be considered "relevant" in the first several pages of results, a customer would have to actually search for Geoffrey the Silly to find you... plus, you wouldn't be found "relevant" in a "sock monkey" search. There are other factors of course, like tags and descriptions, etc.... but if you really want to get the most out of your titles, some tweaking for this example is needed. Especially when you start your search and find that there are nearly 10 000 hits for "Sock Monkey". Use your titles to FIRST grab the customers and then offer more details.

Try this, think like a customer. If I were looking for a sock monkey myself, I would search for "Sock Monkey". Seems simple enough... so put that in the first couple words of the title. Maybe try something like "Sock Monkey Toy Upcycled Wool". If you really want to see this in action (keeping in mind that Etsy does like to throw in a few random items now and again just to mix-it-up)... search for an item and glance through the parts of the titles you can see on page one and two... then, click on the "last page" of results. Notice a difference in the titles?

If you are in a category that has a TON of results, use your titles also to give MORE opportunity to be found when your customers (as they often do) get frustrated by having hundreds of pages of results and start to narrow down their searches. Lets say you make flower clips with headbands. Instead of a simple (though relevant) title of "Flower Headband" where you are competing with over 100 000 hits... think of what else people might search for. How about:
Pink Flower Headband Daisy
or
Flower Clip Yellow Infant Headband
This way, if people are looking for something more specific, the search will still consider your item relevant.

How do you know if your titles are on the right track? Have a look at your Shop Stats and the keywords that are getting you the most results. Those are the words that people are actually using to find your items. Notice any trends? Need ideas to capture MORE results? Start typing in the search box and some "suggestions" will pop up based on popular search terms. Do people search for your item but seem to include the color or gender that they are looking for? Try editing your titles and see if your views go up! The great thing about it is... if something doesn't work, you can edit it and try something else!

Another suggestion... make your titles a bit different if you can too... capture more results this way and you can always link back to your shop section in the description to catch those "other" customers. Like, if you make soft baby shoes, call some "Baby Shoes Soft Soled", some "Infant Shoes Soft Soled" and some "Crib Shoes Soft Soled". Then you can repeat all those terms in your tags (which is another topic all together!)

What about punctuation? For the best searchability, avoid it. Also avoid things like "connectors" such as "and", "with", "in" unless you need them. If you want to separate words, try using spaces and a dash or use commas. It's not searchable, but it doesn't take up as much space. Grammar in titles isn't important. Most customers just glance at them anyway... you can (and should) redo your title in proper grammatical form when you start your description anyway. But, more about that another time too!

Want one more quick tip? Look at your shop in Gallery Mode. See the titles and how they are cut off?? Imagine that those are the only words that count. Do your titles look "relevant" to you?

Want to still have "fun" titles? That's okay! Just move the fun part to after the first few words.

I hope this has helps some of you look at your titles in a different light! Now, lets all tackle some of our titles!!

Heidi