So, you have decided to open an Etsy shop? OK, well there are several things you should know before you actually open up shop.
1. Photos - This cannot be stressed enough. Have you ever looked for something online, and when you finally think you've found what you are looking for, the photos are so bad, that you feel you need to see it in person before you buy it? Well, think of your Etsy shop in the same manner. People, just like you and I, want to KNOW what they are getting, before they buy it. Need to take close-ups of your item, or is your item small? Make sure you have the Macros setting turned on for your camera. Angled photos provide another view of your items. Taking good pictures, from what I have learned is a matter of taking the picture at the same exact angle your item is placed in. So, you can turn your camera in different directions to get different angles, BUT, at the same time, your camera needs to be tilted in the same angle as your item is. Lighting is another issue some have in taking pictures. I personally prefer a black background, so my pendants kind of "pop" out at people. The best pictures I have taken, I had a lamp, with no shade on it, sitting about 12 inches from my item, black background, and let the camera decide whether to use a flash or not. Most times it did, and I got some very nice photos!
2. Commitment - Opening an Etsy store is not just listing some items and waiting for customers to find you. It's a constant daily system that you must develop, and be committed to doing on a daily, every day basis. Unfortunately, the web does not take a day off, so if you skip a day, you may be skipped in a google crawl, or not as well seen on the web because of it. If you are not willing to put in the work, you will not reap the benefits, and I don't mean to sound crabby, but it's just as simple as that.
3. Sections - This is important, titling your sections with just the word "sale" or "clearance"...well, it's ok, but, for instance in my shop, My shop name is superioragates, I actually have a section for JUST Lake Superior Agate jewelry, this gives a tie to my shop name. So, HAVE a sale section, by all means...but title it something like "jewelry sale", or "necklace sale", or maybe "scarf sale", tie it to your shop name if and when at all possible.
4. MUST haves - There are several things I consider to be MUST HAVES for marketing online. As I have said before though, I have not yet figured everything out, so if I miss something, I just have not found it yet.
Blogger
Facebook fanpage
Twitter
Stumblupon
Kaboodle
Myspace
Bebo
Google buzz
Orkut
Tumblr
These are all places to post your links, to your shop, and to your items. I do it every day, no matter what.
5. Another thing that is a huge help to you...is helping others promote their shops. If you follow someone on Twitter, and they post a link to something they have made, hit the retweet button, it's a simple thing to do, I know, BUT, did you know the more you tweet and retweet, the more followers you will gain, and faster? People can actually look at how many retweets you have done, and if you have a bunch, they will follow you right away, because they want you to retweet for them as well. (does that make sense???)
This is another tool I use for twitter:
Twitterme
I suggest signing up, to help build your follower base.
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