TEAM CHALLENGE: LESSON 1

[Studio11Charms]

Team Challenges are designed to help ALL of our members increase exposure to their shops and increase sales. Our team have new members enrolling everyday, so I have to design the team challenges in series of lessons. That way, the new members will not feel like they are falling behind. They can follow and catch up to the rest of the team by simply following these lessons in order. This is the 1st lesson so we all have a fresh start. Ok, here we go....

Starting a business is a difficult challenge and it is also an art. As business owners, we have to wear many hats and have to be a jack of all trades. I know how overwhelming it can be to start a new business venture. Even if you are not a new business, you can still benefit from our team challenge business series of lessons. The market is always changing so you have to make sure that you are adapting to the changes each season. Plus, there are always something new out there to learn. Now, since there are so many topics and lessons to cover, and each of our members are on different growth level of their business; I have to make sure that we are ALL on the same page so that we can move along together.

Now, keep in mind that we all have different business needs. So if the lesson does not pertain to you then you have no homework for the week. Treat these lessons like your weekly homework. Each week, you will be assigned new homework assignments. Your reward at the end of the semester (lesson series) is to see growth in your business and sales.

First off, like I have mentioned earlier, to move forward together as a team, we cannot be doing random things here and there online or in forums. This is extremely non-productive. So to move our team along, I have to make sure that we are ALL on the same page and we will be starting off our Team Challenges on a level playing field. That way, we will ALL be able to grow together. Even if you think that the lesson pertains to you, please don't discount the lesson entirely. Before you decide that the lesson is not advanced enough for you, please give it a try. There is ALWAYS something that you can improve on because the market is always changing.

LESSON ONE: Store Makeover
1. Make sure that you have a cohesive theme and look throughout your store.
1a. Make sure you have a banner with your store name and logo
1b. Make sure you have an eye catching avatar
Your Avatar should be something interesting. It should be eye catching. It should make you want to click on it if you see it in a forum, chatroom, or facebook.
It could be your best selling item. Something that screams You. I see some people putting their picture up as their avatar, but let me ask you this question: If you see someone's picture in a chatroom or forum, would you click on it? Does it catches your eye? Does it stand out among the thousands of other images online? Does it tell others what you are selling? Does it represent/fit in with the theme of your shop? Now do you see my point. It is up to you if you want to use your own picture as your avatar, but I do not think that it is a good idea.
1c. Make sure you have set your store policies: including Returns and exchanges. Many people do not have a return policy in place and then when something goes wrong, then it's just a big mess because you did not state your terms ahead of time. Your store policy is a place where you can state your store terms and what your customer should expect from you and your shop (especially if something were to go wrong). And it is where you can lessen your liabilities. You should state a clear return and exchange policy. Also include shipping and insurance info here too. Just in case, if something were to go wrong, you would be covered if you state it beforehand in your store policy.

2. Take Great Photos
Good photos are not enough...it must be GREAT!
Online shoppers do not have the luxury of feeling and touching your products in person. So your job is to be able to do that for them. You should create an experience for your shoppers by the way you portray your products. Suggest how it is used, but don't just say it, show it with pictures.
2a. Lots of lighting (use natural light, no flash).
2b. Use light color background
2c. Do not use distracting props
2d. Ask yourself if you were in your shoppers' shoes, would you buy your own goods by just looking at the pictures? If you wouldn't buy it, then chances are your customers won't either.
2e. You do not need an overly expensive camera to take great photos. This is a secret, but some of the pictures in my shop were taken with my cell phone camera...can you tell which ones...exactly my point! A good source of natural lighting is the secret to taking great photographs.
2f. You do not need to be a professional photographers to take great photos. Just practice practice practice. Also, another tip is taking as many photos of 1 item will give you a better chance of getting a great photo out of the bunch. A professional photographer once told me that his secret to taking amazing pictures is to take as many of them as you can...you might be able to use only 40 photos out of hundreds. But 40 amazing photos is better than hundreds of so so photos. Do you see my point.

3. Lastly, make sure that all items in your shop follow the same theme and color scheme. When you open an Avon catalog or some other store catalog, all of the items look like they belong to 1 collection. There is no single item that screams, "I don't belong here." Now, make sure your shop is the same way. Your store is like an upscale catalog...now it is your job to stage your product and use the right color schemes (use a light color background for your photos)

4. Write a good description of your products. Paint a story. Suggest some uses for your products. Many shoppers might admire your products but they are only lookers and won't buy because they don't know what they will use it for. It is your job to consult them on what they should should it for. Lastly, answer this question for each of your products (in your customers' point of view): Do I have to have this item and why?

Alright...you are done! See that is not so bad!
Once you have completed this assignment, post your store here and we will critique your shop (optional). By posting your store below you are agreeing to have our members visit and critique your shop. Doing so is extremely helpful for our members who feel that they need a non bias opinion. Please remember not to take our critique personally...remember it is just business! Ok, now let's all have fun and help each other out!

[Studio11Charms]

Wow...sorry for the long post...I didn't realized how long it was until after I had posted it...but the lesson isn't that long or hard to do.

[Former_Member]

wow thank you Captain!! =) I am constantly improving my shop in every way possible - which those you have mentioned. But I will take a second look again and perhaps take greater pics! =)

[Former_Member]

Cool. Coincidentally this exactly matches the goal I'd set myself for the next week or two. I'm planning on rephotographing most of my art. I'm also going to redesign my banner and avatar (along with my website graphics plus some graphics for twitter--so all these places will match). Although I like my current avatar and it matches, sort of, my art style, I didn't draw it. It's a commission of the Gothic Panda character I designed--I've never drawn it, but I made the costume for it. I'm planning on drawing different versions of the panda girl for it. I could take a picture of myself in the costume, but that doesn't really match what I sell--I wear it mostly at conventions at the art tables I run. If I do go the drawing stuff route, it'll probably be 2 weeks before I can get all of that stuff updated.

That was a bit rambly, but if anyone has any advice, I'd appreciate it.

[SockMonkeyBizzToyCo]

Great lesson 1...

Here is my shop url, http://www.etsy.com/shop/MonkeyBizz?view_type=gallery

Many thanks!!!

[Former_Member]

Thanks for the great lesson!
http://www.etsy.com/shop/oldchateau
Any suggestions welcome! Best wishes!!!!!

[Former_Member]

Monkey Bizz, you would definitely benefit from a banner. That blank space at the top is often the first place people look. The more professional-looking your banner is, the more seriously people will take your shop as a legitimate business that they want to buy from. You have great photos and variety, but that banner will put you over the top! (I just had mine made and would be happy to pass along the etsian who did it - she does GREAT work and her prices are really reasonable.)

[Former_Member]

Old Chateau, I love all the different colors you have available - they appeal to those who like brights, those who like pastels, the boutique crowd, and the practical crowd. My only suggestion would be to broaden your style. Your bibs are cute, but they're all exactly the same pattern. Perhaps try some longer ones (toddlers learning to feed themselves just can't use those itty bitty baby bibs - they need something that will cover their entire front.) Or maybe offer a few materials that aren't so "busy." While one bib in a busy pattern is cute, to see a full page of bibs that mostly are made of busy patterns is kind of hard on the eyes if you look at it too long. Maybe try some solid colors (both brights and pastels) with a patterned edge or an applique. If you can disperse that sort of photo in with your busy patterned ones, it might not be so hard on the eyes. (Forgive me if that sounds odd, but I am a very anxious and high-strung person by nature and seeing all the different colors and patterns all mixed together was kind of overwhelming for me. Maybe I'm the only one, but it's an honest observation, and I made it in an effort to truly help you.) You have a lot of cute stuff, though - I wish I knew someone who was having a baby. :-)

[threadsandthings1]

MonkeyBizz
I agree with loobielabels that you should have a banner. If you don't want to pay for one you could look at these: http://www.everythingetsy.com/free-etsy-banners/
Also most of you pictures are good, but there are a few that could be retaken. Like you polka dot modern teddy bear.

[threadsandthings1]

oldchateau
I think your pictures are great! I do agree with loobielabels that some of your fabric is a little busy. If you do make some with less busy fabric, rearrange them so that it will break up those busier bibs.

[threadsandthings1]

This is a great lesson. I am thinking of editing my banner, so I'll try to work on that. As far as getting my pictures to all look like they belong together, I'm not sure how to do that when I have so many different things. Any suggestions on that would be great. And anything else I need to change would be appreciated as well. Thanks!
http://etsy.com/shop/threadsandthings1

[Former_Member]

Great lesson...thank you :)

[SockMonkeyBizzToyCo]

Thank you so much for your input...I've been tweaking my shop all morning - my banner still needs work so I will continue to play with the program.

That is so funny that you mention the polka dot bear; the lighting was horrible that day and I never was happy with any of the photos I took of him. Next sunny day we get...it's photo shoot time!!

Again, thank you so so much for your feedback!!

[Former_Member]

Very good points. Policies are a bit difficult for me, what do any of you think of my shop's policies:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/picturestoportraits/policy

Any suggestions? I am retooling them for 2011.

[Former_Member]

GothicPanda,

I hope that you do not change your avatar to drastically. I associate it with your brand and it would take time to get use to the change.

[Former_Member]

@picturestoportraits. Thanks for the feedback. The avatar would be similar; it would be the same girl (brown hair, little panda ears). I want it to be my art though and not someone else's because I think that could be misleading for a customer.

[Former_Member]

Thanks for lesson number one, here is my shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/reiverknits

[Former_Member]

I am game, feel free to critique

[Studio11Charms]

This is AWESOME...Thank you to all of the members that are on board and have already started your lesson 1 homework. Don't feel overwhelmed if you have a lot of work to do. I constantly look at my shop and figure out more ways I can improve it...so lesson 1 is an ongoing thing.
It will take me some time to give each shop my analysis, so hang in there. And thank you to all of the members that have been helping out our other members and giving such wonderful advice! It makes me so happy to see our team working together as one and helping each other out! :)

[Former_Member]

Awesome! Thank you for this challenge. I actually hired an etsy graphic designer at the beginning of the year to help me with branding. I know I still have a lot of work to do, especially in my product description.

I have a beginner's guide to product photography on my blog:
http://elephunkstrunk.blogspot.com/2009/04/beginners-guide-to-product-photography_29.html

My product photos are not the best in the universe, but I figured I'd share what I have learned about taking better pictures.

[Former_Member]

http://www.etsy.com/shop/ChristasCollections?view_type=gallery

[DayShaLoo]

I just joined this team today and I think I am doing some things correctly, but I need help.
Please let me know what you think.
I will be adding more items daily.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/dayshaloo

Thank you so much!
Warmest regards,
~Cat}

[rippledesign]

Hi - I am excited to join this team!

[Former_Member]

i am new to the team and love the challenges. let me know what you think of my shop.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/VogueIllumination?ref=pr_shop_more

[Togs4tots]

I am a New Member and here is a link to my shop
http://www.togs4tots.etsy.com