One Year on Etsy: unusual success tips.

Today I am celebrating one year on Etsy and one year of opening my business Little Sloth. As you may or may not know, I design, produce, and sell handmade greeting cards. Now hopefully I can bypass all the usually tips that most people on Etsy give like photography, SEO, changing tags and titles, filling out policies, international shipping (if do-able), direct checkout. I think all these things are super important. The last two espically. The more people that can buy from you (international or through direct checkout) the sales you will make. Now why I do think all of these tips are an absolute most! Photography especially. I am gonna give a few other/non conventional tips that I have found useful over my first year.

Think of yourself as a real business
One thing I have been trying to do a lot more of over the past few months is thinking of my business as 'Little Sloth Co." and not just "my Etsy business." I have a feeling this is a key mindset. If you want to be successful you have to think of yourself as a real business. Which you are and I am. Most people that are on Etsy aren't just on Etsy. They probably have there own website, facebook page, twitter, instagram.. epscially for there business. Now this doesn't meant that everyone does. I don't have all of the things I mentioned above. But what I am saying is you have to think of your self as a business owner of "Your Shop Name" instead of just a person who "runs an Etsy shop." I have noticed the really successful Etsy shop aren't just Etsy shops they are businesses. Google one of your favorite successful shops and you'll probably see then same thing. Now I am not saying that you need to go out and have your own .com website right away. The mindset is the first and most important step.

Give yourself credit
By this I mean, when people ask "what do you do?" tell them you run your own business. Because it is true. My business isn't a top seller on Etsy or anything but I realize that if I want other people to take me and my business seriously I first had to take myself serious and treat Little Sloth like a real business. So when friends, family or former aquanince ask "what do you do?" Instead of my answer being, "oh you know the usual. A little here and there. Whatever I feel like." My answer needs to be the truth. "I spend hours designing and producing greeting cards. Also researching ways to expand my business. Working SEO, changing titles and tags. Working on product photography constistently. Packing and Shipping Orders" This goes with the bullet from above. Give yourself credit and treat your business like a really business/company and other people will to. (Maybe not right away, but if you don't then no one will.)

follow on instagram @carleewengel for sneak peaks

Have a cohesive product line
Now this doesn't mean to only sell one thing. I just so happen to only sell greeting cards (for now). What I mean by this is to have a product line that goes together and looks like it all belongs in one shop. For example I see a ton of card shops on Etsy that also sell pencils, stickers, art prints, and stamps. These things all seem to go together because they are paper goods and the business owner has branded the products in a cohesive away. That is just one example. When I look at a shop I want to know what you are selling and have it look nice.

Join teams and make treasuries
Now this might be a pretty basic tip. I didn't really know what I was doing at first with teams and treasuries. I pretty much just applied to a bunch of teams that I fit into and posted my stuff on the boards saying "post new listings here." And to be honest that is still what I do. I go into my teams and post new items when I have them. I don't over post as I would find that annoying. But this helps a new item to get views and favorites and be found higher in the search. Make sure to follow the team rules and not troll the pages. (Not a good look.) Now about treasuries, make pretty treasuries that are cohesive in some way. Like the ones you see on the front page. Now your treasuries will probably never be featured on the front page (mine definitely never have) but by making them you can gain connections with the people you feature. And hopefully be featured in future treasuries of theirs. (But don't expect that.)

So yeah, that was some of my unusual tips for being successful on Etsy. Now that doesn't mean following these tips will make you successful it just means that they aren't gonna hurt and maybe like me you should give them a try. I definitely think my first year on Etsy was a success (by my definition.) I had over 700 sales which is actually well over 1,000 cards (for those of you know how Etsy works, you'll get this. Multiple sales on one item.) Anyways I hope for bigger and better things in 2014 and continuely growing and expanding my business.

Also to celebrate my one year anniversary of Little Sloth. There is FREE SHIPPING on all USA orders, today only. (January 27 2014) Enter code FREESHIP1YEAR at checkout to get free shipping. This is a really good deal. Saving almost $1.50!! Remember today only. So pick on your favorite greeting card for Valentine's Day! Have a wonderful Monday.
love, Carlee