Saturday, May 31, 2014

Networking Saturday; Free to Promote Your Shop, Social Sites, or Blog 12

Many of us have Etsy accounts and use them as our primary shop.  I myself find that while their pricing is quite prohibitive at times, my best success is maintaining my Etsy shops.  I receive a much higher pay off for the time I put in on Etsy vs Artfire.  But with that being said I still have moved most of ButterflyInTheAttic to Artfire and plan to some how get this turtle moving.

A couple of weeks a go we started to talk about the psychology of marketing.  One of the most basic methods of using marketing psychology is to create a brand.  This is so very important and if you have any doubts think of all the products that we use everyday and how we misname them by their brand names rather than their actual name.  Example: how many people ask you for a facial tissue?  Not many, they ask you for a Kleenex, it doesn't matter what brand you hand them a Kleenex is a Kleenex in the American mindset but in actuality Kleenex is a brand.
How about Band-Aid?  most of us ask for this rather than the correctly calling it a bandage.  These are all evidence for the strength of Branding.  Where is your Branding?  While having a photograph of yourself is nice and friendly, are people going to ever ask for a Debra or Lucy?


Most Mondays I do a meet and greet for my Etsy team the Pacific Postcards Team.  I like to show off our team members' shops and will copy their Leader Board, the Seller Picture and their bio that they write.  While using these does make it easier for me to quickly write the post, it is a way for them to also sell themselves on my post.  But what I have noticed is how many people do not complete these key areas of their shops.  I am not sure why, time is limited but if you are going to be successful invest the time.  If you are a serious seller you must have your brand out their and be consistent with it across all of your materials and advertising. 

When Etsy just recently took away the control of our shop appearance I was devastated.  I use my headers, logos and how I arrange my shop to advertise me, my store, my space.  Without this distinctive look I am just another lady selling postcards.  I think of my shop as an actual physical storefront; I have my store signs to draw people, I try to have my shop isles neat, tidy and friendly and I am their to greet my customers (my bio.)
From http://imgfave.com/view/1536915
So now use your imagination and pretend that your shop is an actual physical brick and mortar store; Does your sign say "Come on in, We're Open" "Sit a spell" etc or does it say "I'm a junk store that is full of dust, debris and cobwebs (we've all have experienced one of those at least once in our lives and personally I walk out as soon as I walk in.)  I ask those of you that really intend on staying in the race to create your banners and branding.  Also for Etsy shops please let Etsy know that while there were some features we liked about the new format, they need to let us keep control over our shop's appearance.


**********************************************************************************************************************************
Post any of your family friendly sites (blogs, shops, FB, etc.)  What ever sites you would like to share. 

Please help promote this post using your social networks.  Here is an easy one:


**********************************************************************************************************************************

4 comments:

The Gossamer Tearoom said...

I completely agree with you, Colleen. I think after those of us with Etsy shops have worked so hard on our branding (encouraged by them!), I do wish they would not play around with not letting banners be seen. They keep saying that only a small number of shop owners are part of the test, but our banners are how our shops are identified, just as a sign would identify a brick-and-mortar shop! I hope they will decide to stop experimenting with this.

Betty

Unknown said...

Hi Colleen, I just opened my own shop on my blog and am in the process of moving everything away from Etsy. So many fees, so many shops. I felt lost there and having to pay to be found in searches! I linked up my shop and will be back again. Thanks!

Butterfly In The Attic said...

Thanks Carmen for stopping by. I tried my own website too but didn't get anywhere but I think I was trying to design it too fancy for the platform or maybe it just takes that long to get it to start up. Who knows I gave up and went back to Etsy.

I do that off and on but usually find myself crawling back. It is so sad. Keep me posted on how it goes. Also I would be willing to do a featured post here or giveaway if you are interested. Let me know how I can help.

Many Blessings
Colleen

Butterfly In The Attic said...

Thanks for stopping by Betty! Same offer goes to you of course. Let me know if you would like to do a feature or giveaway

Your Friend
Colleen