Successful shop without FaceBook etc?

[TarasArtHouse]

Does anyone on here have a successful shop without using social media like facebook/twitter?
I'm finding it very difficult to get my shop noticed without any form of social networking. It's getting kinda discouraging. :(

How do you guys attract customers to your shops? Any help would be appreciated
Tara

[CalicoBloomVintage]

Hi Tara,
I can say that I've made a conscious effort not to use social networking in my real life or here on etsy. So far, so good. I try to stay active in teams and renew items regularly and it seems to work. Your shop is well put together and your artwork is gorgeous. You're so talented, so don't get discouraged!
Good luck,
Katie

[Former_Member]

Why don't you want to use facebook? :(

I just got a $30 sale off of facebook the other day, and it was my first sale in a couple weeks. It can help!

[Former_Member]

I welcome this discussion. Thanks for posting it. I, too am trying to decide if I really have to do FB. I've looked at other etsy sellers on FB and it looks like most followers are etsy sellers. If that is the case, what is the benefit if you're not growing outside your own walls (so to speak)?

[Former_Member]

You can find any number of people to "Like" you on facebook. . .not just Etsy sellers, but Etsy sellers buy too. . .

[TarasArtHouse]

thanks for the responses :)
I'm just personally not 'into' facebook.. but I feel like I'm having a hard time branching out & finding customers.
But i'm trying not to get discouraged! I need to start renewing items & adding more stuff to my shop.
Thanks, Tara

[Former_Member]

I don't use Facebook at all. As a matter of fact, I really don't have time for all the stuff online.

I'm active on many forums outside of Etsy. However, someone on FB must like my work because I've had quite a few sales from people who have seen my work there.

[MaidenJane]

Facebook can be very powerful, as can be Twitter. FB is a little easier if you are already on it, but I know that many people have a hard time with it. If it really isn't your thing, then I understand. It took me a long time to get a footing on both of them. But there is a lot of potential to reach many people if you do it right.

[Former_Member]

Well facebook is a good tool but if you don't get connected to the right people then....I do have a facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jamieson-Designs-JD/134714679917040
Am still new so I'll see....

[Former_Member]

i blog. and make personal connections.

i started doing twitter but then heard from an etsy advice article that it is actually kind of bad for business. and i created a facebook fan page and invited all my family/friends to see and only two of them "liked" it, leaving me feeling very unloved. and it seems that no one else has seen my facebook page at all because it has gotten only 6 views since i started it a year ago. my shops are taking a while to get going, but i think i'm doing just fine without social media, since it is not helping me AT ALL.

as i said before, personal connections and recommendations are a slow, but good way to go. and you will build up a friend base that will support you.

[Former_Member]

Hey I WORK the social media pretty well, and still only a few sales. SO, I guess it can go both ways! :-)

[Former_Member]

I agree with all those "non-facebookers." I too went back and forth about opening an account, just to further promote my etsy shop, but I don't feel it's necessary. I know you can reach people further, but I just don't see the point, since you already have a site on etsy. Just ask your friends who are on facebook to create a link to your etsy shop. Two of mine did that and I didn't even ask them to.....

Just because everyone else uses it, doesn't mean we all have to. :)

[Former_Member]

The bottom line is, if you don't already use and like facebook and twitter, learning how to use and leverage it may be a waste of your time. If you're already there, more power to you!! It can work for people but you shouldn't feel like those are the only options.

There are lots of other traditional marketing techniques that can work, like email blasts, newsletters, starting a blog (ok that one isn't traditional lol) craft fairs etc.

You might be interested in picking up a book on marketing?

[Former_Member]

Don't be... It only get's better keep on pushing...Valerie Valentina

[TheSnapDragonsLair]

A far as FB, I think all of my real friends and family have blocked me since I started adding Etsy stuff. Now, I don't know how to make all the Etsy stuff go away! I've added an Etsy page, but still some Etsy stuff gets on my main page.

I agree that learning FB has taken way too much time.

As for Twitter, well, I joined, I tweet, I retweet, but I have no idea if that's making any difference.

I also started a blog but don't have the time or the interest to blog about my life. So, that probably won't get me much either.

All in all, though, I'm not doing badly selling without FB and Twitter...

[BeadsByBev]

I also have been wondering how to get more people to view my shop and have been hesitant to join facebook. I am not a computer wizard and sometimes I feel like I already spend to much time on the computer! I have been successful at local craft fairs but it is a lot of work to set everything up,sometimes the vendor fee is expensive, and then you have the weather to deal with! I was hoping that Etsy would be the answer. Hopefully, the market will pick up. I'll keep trying and good luck to everyone else!.

[SummersBreeze]

Does anyone know about getting the 25 'likes' on fb and what it means exactly?

[CarolynCochrane]

bennykay - When you first set up your facebook fan page there is a long line of numbers and letters in the fan page url. Once you get 25 likes, you can shorten and personalize your page url address. For example, you could have

http://www.facebook.com/bennykay (if it was available) :)

[SummersBreeze]

CarolinCochrane....ok thanks alot I see now!

[CarolynCochrane]

You're very welcome bennykay! :)

[CopperLeafStudios]

you don't need social media to market your shop. But you do need to find some form of marketing that you can use successfully. It can be doing shows and passing out business cards, it can be joining organizations and networking with other professionals, it can sending out press releases to magazines or blogs, or even paid advertising. The bottom line is that you need to figure out who your customers are, then make them aware of your work. Social media is only one way to go about it.

[Former_Member]

Not only is it possible it is HIGHLY doable.

I am ordering a set of super customized 7 crochet hooks made to my exact specifications for only $120 not including a case from

http://www.turn-of-the-century.com/hooks.htm

As far as I know this very modest website is their ONLY online presence. They do a lot of shows however. But you can not be online only and not do social networking unless you spend a fair amount on ads.

[Zehland]

OK, well posting in teams and forums is social networking, so you are already doing it!

You really need to find out where your customers are online or off and be there. If they are at craft shows, that's a good place to be. If they are in craft forums, that's a good place, if Facebook, then that is a good place. Are they on the Etsy Success Team? Be here! It all depends.

I'm still trying to figure out where all mine are. Some are on Facebook for sure so I have a couple of pages there and have gotten multiple sales from Facebook posts. Newsletters are very successful for me as well.

You have to do some kind of marketing to stay in front of customers. Everyone is so busy, but if you are there just to say hello and how are you every so often, they will think of you when they are looking to buy.

[Former_Member]

Not me

[Former_Member]

etsy is just so massive its desperate to get noticed! I make my own design fabric but there isnt even a category for designer fabric so I just melt into all the rest of the mass produced michele miller and amy butler kawai crap its a disaster. I have emailed and ranted about the need for our own category but rather then fix all these sort of kinks etsy focuses on creating algorythyms and fake taste tests I've given up completly on hoping for sales I really worked on my shop renewing adding new items and promoting and it didnt make a bit of difference. The only reason I keep coming back is because I love the teams and seeing all the other creative work people are doing but it has cost me more being on here then I have made all I can say is dont quit your day job unless of course you make super overpriced cookies or something :)