Is a good product not enough?!

[JoArtyJo]

Hi all, I am hoping for lots of opinions on this issue I am debating at the moment....

I am a stay at home mummy and newbie etsian. I really want my shop to be successful, and I am spending literally every spare minute doing something etsy related.

Everywhere I turn on here it seems we are being advised to network and promote pir socks off. From facebook to twitter to blogging to making treasuries to posting in promotions teams and so on.... All of which I have tried and all are soooo time consuming.

I have 54 items in my store and my instincts are telling me to spend the time I have creating and improving tags, photos etc etc. Does anyone else have this take on things? Are any of you successful just on the back of your product being fabulous and not because you spend hours on the Internet?

Basically I would like advice on how best to prioritise my time as I can't do it all!

I keep thinking back to lord sugar in the apprentice saying "a good product sells itself" is this true??!!

[AnnaSiivonen]

The depressing thing is that even with great products it takes a lot of marketing to let people knows it exists

[Former_Member]

I hate to say it but in business a good product has never been enough I wish it were trust me but it's just not. Nor has it ever been. Having a good product helps but it's not enough.

[Former_Member]

I think it's a mix of both - you can have the greatest product ever, but if people can't find it, they can't buy it.

I notice the days I spend more time online promoting are the days I get more views, likes, put in treasuries, newsletter signups, client calls, etc.

[SeventyThreads]

I think its about finding a balance.

I would say though that instincts are usually the best things to go with.
If something, even promoting distracts you from making then thats no good either! Ive been there myself...
And sometimes it can lead to feeling low because you spend time searching for sales and then wondering, why arent I getting many after all of this promoting?
So I have concluded for my business that apart from very quick updates on FB (which tweets automatically) and blog posts when Ive made something new (a batch anyway) I just concentrate on making new items for my shop.

Thats the beauty of Etsy and what we pay our 3.5% fees for, its for them to do the promoting for us!!!

Hope this helped in some small way.
Best wishes, Ren x

[EvesLittleEarthlings]

I agree, a good product is not enough for etsy. You also have to have great photos and tags.
I am a member of a few teams and that is mainly how I promote inside etsy. I rely a lot on team treasuries. I also have a facebook paqe, but it takes time to get followers.

[Former_Member]

Jo,

No, a good product is not enough!

Etsy is a huge ocean of beautifully crafted items, and each of our shops is but a drop in that ocean. You're an artist when you create, but you have to be a strategist and business-minded when you list your items. If you want sales, people have to find your item when they are searching. In order to find your item, your titles and tags need to be relevant, and your photos need to be eye-catching.

I've looked at your shop, and although you sell "good products," there are some things you can improve.

Titles. Title your item the way someone would search for it in the search box. If I wanted an illustrated flower card, I would search, flower card, illustrated flower, outline flower, flower drawing, orange flower, rainbow flower, etc. I would NOT search zentangle, zendoodle or "original drawing." Your first few words should say what the item is (these are weighed most heavily in searching), with other descriptors following. Try "Flower Illustration Card, Original Ink Drawing, Bright Red and Orange with Lotus Leaves and Spirals." That way, you can possibly get hits for a few more search terms.

Tags. You are tag stuffing, which is against Etsy rules. Read this: http://www.etsy.com/blog/en/2011/putting-your-shop-on-top-etsy%E2%80%99s-most-relevant-search/
Again, think of the things that people would type into the search box if you wanted them to find you. Go to Your Account (top right) and Shop Stats (left hand side, or just hover your mouse over Your Acccount). Click on "This Year" or "Last 30 Days" or whatever time period. Scroll down and look at your most searched terms. If your most searched term is "red flower," make sure you include that whenever possible. For example, I noticed that people were searching "Harry Potter," so I added more of those items to draw people into my shop. On the other hand, if you do not see something like "illustration" at all in your search terms, that means that so far, no one has really been finding you through that word.

Photos. Your photos are nice and clear, however, the ones with the colored background look really different. Also, some of your photos can be slightly zoomed in more because in the thumbnail shots (or in a page with many different search items), it's hard to see the detail. Also, you have 5 photo spots, so use 3-4 at least! For some people, $3 plus shipping is a lot; use photos to convince people to buy!

Finally, your banner is bright and eye-catching, however, it has nothing to do with the detailed yet clean items in your shop. From looking at your banner, I would expect tie-die t-shirts, not delicate card designs.

You have a good product, but that is simply not enough to get noticed in a congested category like paper products (believe me, I sell cards, too, and I know it's hard to get noticed, especially when so many people can crank out large volumes by printing their graphic designs versus drawing or crafting by hand).

Hope that helps,

Aman

[Former_Member]

I will say this. I also don't have time to do all that and I outsource as much as I can to other people or I automate. I spend most of my time creating and making. There is a LOT of out of the box thinking and planning. I have my computer read the forums to me so that the only time I am not crocheting is when I am typing out a response

[JaneStaufferPaperCo]

Hi Joarty,
Many of us are feeling like you too...

Looked at your site.....
My first thought was "what was for sale here."

You might consider grouping cards with cards and art with art, etc.

Your coloring in with pencil are really cute. I am going to add them to a favorite.

I saw you sold your cute cards.....great.

Can you somehow tie your white envelopes in with a design that compliments your cards? Then photograph cards and envelopes together.
A simple scroll that you do so beautifully?

On your "to be framed art" a sample photo of how it looks in a frame
in a setting would help a buyer imagination more.

I do find there is a lot to read in your descriptions before I could get to what makes your product special...and it is.

Who knows what the magic answer is. I spend a lot of time tweeking my site...I drive myself batty

Hang in there!

[Former_Member]

Thats the beauty of Etsy and what we pay our 3.5% fees for, its for them to do the promoting for us!!!
-----
no that's not what the fees are for. Those fees are for shopping cart hosting. I've never gotten a call or email about etsy promoting for me.

[JoArtyJo]

Thanks everyone for opinions- I do find it a little depressing that so much extra is needed, guess that's the arty me just wanting the fun bits- not realistic I know! Maybe I should do the facebook and auto tweeting thing- I had forgotten about that lol!

Almondcrafts and FiFiFoFunFairyTales, thanks so much for the comments on my shop, it means a lot for people to take the time to take a look and comment :-) You have both given me lots to think about and work on! Do you think my shop wpuld benefit from being split in 2? So I have a shop for 'paper supplies' and a shop for my 'art'? The art side of things (drawings to frame and ACEOs) is what I would really like to be successful in.

I never realised when I joined Etsy but I do now realise that this really is starting a small business and there is soooo much to think about!

Thanks again for your time lovely people :-D x x

[BelindaSaville]

I've spent a few years blogging and networking on Facebook BEFORE I opened my Etsy shop, so when I officially launched my shop in February this year, people already knew me and my work.

I can't stress the importance of networking!!! The amount of business I have received through Facebook alone (both business and personal pages) continues to snowball. A client posts a photo of their purchase from me and then their friend sees it and wants one too, and so on, and so forth...

I'm a mummy to two little rugrats so I totally understanding the whole lack of time thing! LOL There are only so many hours in the day so you need to prioritise and perhaps try and get into some kind of routine (well, as best as you can manage with your little one!) I jump on the computer and reply to messages over my coffee every morning, and do the majority of my creating at night when the kidlets are asleep. The rest of the day is all about them :-)

You have some fabulous products so I'm sure with time and a bit of tweaking, you will do great!

Wishing you every success :-)

-xo-

[Former_Member]

If good product was enough Mercedes Benz would never advertise. That's business - the problem with being a one-man-band is you have to do it all yourself, the fun parts and not so fun parts.

But I'll bet you one thing: once you start seeing some success from all the hard work, you're gonna start to think that all that time-consuming businessy stuff is actually kinda fun after all.

[Former_Member]

I look at it this way, the internet is like the vastness of space and my product is like a tiny planet waiting to be found by as many astronomers as possible. Maybe every once in a while everything goes right (relevency, tags, etc) and the astronomer finds my planet. The problem is there are so many to look at most astronomers don't see that tiny, dim one way, way in the back. The difference between the large, very popular planets and mine, they have been around longer (established buisness), they have many maps that lead you to them (web presence, blog/magazine write ups, wholesale orders in real stores, craft festival curcuit), and have already learned where to find many atronomers (never neglect the importance of knowing your niche, explioting your market, establishing a customer base). For now, I must work everyday to make sure that as many astronomers find maps to my little planet (the greater the web presence with links and images, the higher the odds that someone who likes and is willing to pay for your item will).

[SeventyThreads]

Ooops!
I didnt realise the 3.5% was just for the shopping cart hosting! I thought it was also for SEO promoting and for the press kit promotions etc, which although may only benefit a few who are included, sort of benefits us all in the long run.
How silly of me!
Sorry...

[GemSourceCorporation]

No

A balance of good products and promotion is required.Even if you have good products noone will come to know unless you market it.As simple as that.

[Former_Member]

Jo,

To answer your question, I DON'T think you need to split your shop up. Your items are all art on paper and basically in the same style. Plus, don't set up a second shop until you get your first one going, or else you'll feel doubly frustrated! You can simply categorize by cards and by larger art.

Aman

[JaneStaufferPaperCo]

Hello again JoArty,
I agree with Almond...a 2nd shop at this time will be frustrating not to mention that it will rob you of your creativity.
I think what you are doing is cohesive.


My suggestion is to group like items together on the visual page.

2nd: Make sections. ei, greeting cards; aceos; 5 x 7 original art; prints, etc.
I am referring to the section area up at the upper left.

Keep plugging.....you are not alone.

[JaneStaufferPaperCo]

PS....
I know you have sections....sorry.
But perhaps the titles on the sections can be more understandable to a buyer.
Just straight forward 'what it is.'
Separate cards and tags....
Am I picky...naaaaa.

[EraDansLherbe]

Take a breath. Get paper and pen. Write down all the things from start to finish you should and would do on Etsy. Check off all you have done correctly. Then half check off the ones that need fixing. Fix them first and finish off with the ones you haven't done. Take your time, relax for this is the only way to get something done right the first time. No hurry JoArtyJo. I too did not do this before I started and I pretty much stuck with what I have cuz I want my store to have ' that ' look, I wrote what I could-I mean it is common sense to 99% people. Some get my look , some don't. I don't care for it is MY shop not theres. Just breath, take your time, hug your lil one and it will all come together - just start that list when you can/want and you will see.
Good luck!

[Former_Member]

AlmondCrafts - what a thoughtful critique of Jo's shop. I am reaping the benefits of JoArtyJo's question and everyone's caring and useful responses!

[Former_Member]

I started out thinking that I could set up shop and the world would beat a path to my door, but the fact is that no matter what I make, lots of others do too. I work the blog and facebook thing and spend every spare minute online and it's not really enough.

As far as your titles and tags go, others know much more about this than I do. What I know is that as a shopper who likes cards and loves pen and ink, I have no idea what an ACEO is. I'm not going to type it in as a search term. I'll look for pen and ink drawing or card (how many thousands of hits is that going to get me?) I know what a zentangle is and might type that in, but I don't know how many shoppers do. Worth using as a tag, though. So is ACEO, but I wish someone would put a definition in somewhere. What does it stand for?

Do what you have time for and work teams and treasuries. Use your circle. I always check out who puts me in their circle and haven't yet not put them in mine. I also check out the circles they are in and, especially, look for people whose favorites are similar to what I make. If you're included in a treasury promote it and comment, click and heart.

I'm hoping that as I have more contact with other Etsians, I'll get more sales and have to spend less time pounding the e-pavement. I'm a bit of a hopeless optimist.

--Carol

[StitchKnit]

What great responses. My TO DO list gets longer each time I spend time reading here!

Back to work!

[marylandquilter]

This is a really great thread. thanks to all of you for helping and inspiring me.

I love the comparison with planets, springmontes, you really combine art and science in a wonderful way!

[Zuparoo]

AlmondCraft, you always give such great advice!
Springmontes, love the astronomical analogy.
JoArty, just think how many of us have been helped by your question today. Stick with it!