The BLING is back!

Don't miss out when we return in January 2016.

Many of you may be wondering why we've been away so long. I suffered an injury to my dominant hand and have been unable to create. (insert super HUGE sad face here) I have missed my shop and all the pretty girls that get to enjoy the items I made. With a lot of help from others I've decided to reopen my shop because I just can't stand being away from all of you awesome people for one second longer!!!

SO....Bloom & Bling is back in January. And because I think you're all SUPER awesome VIPs and deserve to get an extra treat, if you are currently a member of our VIP Club or if you join our VIP Club you will get a coupon for 20% off of your purchase (before shipping) in our shop! Super cool, right? I know! Anyway...here is the info and link where you can get your REALLY awesome deal on our Grand Re-Opening!

Just give the coupon a click and you're on your way to VIP status!

And don't forget as a member in our VIP Club you'll also get SUPER COOL sneak peeks into what is coming up in the shop next AND on occasion even VIP exclusive items. Why wouldn't you claim your VIP awesomeness????!!!

I can't wait to get to know you all and send you lots of BLINGY goodness soon! See you in January!

Improving Your Etsy Shop Week 8 - Pinning Tips for Your Business

First thing’s first: If you haven’t already set up a Pinterest account it is pretty important to do so. It really helps with shop exposure and hopefully this workshop will give you an idea of how that works. Hop on over to www.Pinterest.com and sign up.

WARNING! You WILL become addicted to Pinterest after using it. Trust me. It’s amazing how much fun it is to create little collections of all of the neat stuff you find on the web.

OK….let’s get started.

Sure, Pinterest is cool, but how are we going to use this to promote our business? 

We’re going to use my shop as an example. I make bows, sleep masks, jewelry and, all things girly right? Well I don’t necessarily want to go in and follow a bunch of boards of people that do the same thing as I do…but I DO want to go in and follow people who are pinning items that would be of interest to someone that my items would also be of interest to, or shop owners that would go along with my items.

Following Businesses

So let’s start with businesses that would go well with the kinds of items I have to offer.

Photographers, people who are in the wedding biz (caterers, planners),  these people are going to interact with people who have a demand for the types of items that are in my shop.

Following People

People with kids, grandkids, nieces and nephews….these people are looking for my type of product. If you see them pinning cute things they find on the net, chances are, they are (or will be) looking to buy things for those little cuties.

The best part of this is, that when you follow someone, a lot of them tend to follow you back…which will help you reach a larger network of people with your fabulous items. 

If you missed any of our posts in the Improving Your Etsy Shop Series you can find them here:

Scheduling

Creating a Cohesive shop

Photograhy

Tagging

Twitter

Facebook

Repeat Business

Don't forget to join us next week for week 8 where we'll discuss Organizing.

As always don't forget to follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and Etsy. Sign up for our Newsletter and don't miss any of our blog posts, shop updates, or exclusive Newsletter subscriber discounts and offers.

Improving Your Etsy Shop Week 7 - 4 Ways to Foster Repeat Business

It is proven that it's easier to get an existing customer to come back than it is to get a constant influx of new customers. It is also proven that repeat customer spend more when they come back than a new customer.

But how do we keep those existing customers coming back for more?

The answer may be a lot simpler than you think....

  

A customer that gets excellent service from you is likely going to tell everyone what a great experience they had. This not only helps your shop, but the Etsy community as a whole.

How can we make a customer a repeat customer?

Here are some great ways to keep them coming back for more.

Brand and label your items

This is something our fellow Rock Star Kelly is an expert in. Branding is a big BIG deal...you need a branding plan. It's more complex than just slapping a giant logo on everything you sell. It's a balance. A simple tag on all your items, a business card, your shop header, you need to make your mark, but not in an over bearing way. And everything should have a cohesive theme.

Customer service

Maybe ship the package a day earlier than your ship times indicate...your buyer will be surprised. Or if you know the item is a gift, maybe you can make it look cute for them with a little extra effort in your packaging so they don't have to worry about that when it gets to them. Include a sample of something as a sweet little surprise! or even a handwritten note to thank them. These are all things you can do that will surprise your customer and make them think of you again, without breaking the bank.

Social Media

 Be sure to add your Twitter and Facebook to your Etsy page so your buyers can easily follow you. Interact with your customers on those pages. It doesn't have to be all business ALL the time, but you should discuss topics in your target audience. Give shout outs to great customers. You don't have to mention their names, just an acknowledgment that you think they ROCK and hope they love what they ordered is enough. Remember...the best part about buying from an individual is that it's a more personal relationship than mass produced items they can get. Make it a fun and unique experience.

Advertising

 Need help spreading the word? Ask your customers to help out. You'd be surprised how many of them would be more than happy to sing your praises to their friends, family, and colleagues. Get them involved and let them feel like they have helped out their new friend that just happens to sell them some really awesome stuff!

If you missed any of our posts in the Improving Your Etsy Shop Series you can find them here:

Scheduling

Creating a Cohesive shop

Photograhy

Tagging

Twitter

Facebook

Don't forget to join us next week for week 8 where we'll discuss Pinterest.

As always don't forget to follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and Etsy. Sign up for our Newsletter and don't miss any of our blog posts, shop updates, or exclusive Newsletter subscriber discounts and offers.

Improving Your Etsy Shop Week 6 - 7 Tips for Your Biz Facebook Page

Using Facebook Pages for your small business (whether it's on Etsy or not) is a SUPER important part of any marketing strategy.

As of March of 2013 there are over 1.1 BILLION users on Facebook. Approximately half of them are logged in on any given day. That's a lot of potential customers and people that need to know about your general awesomeness!

So if you don't have a Facebook Fan Page...PLEASE sign up for one! And link it to your Etsy Shop. On Etsy, you can add your Facebook page to make it really easy for anyone stopping in to your shop to also like you on Facebook, and likewise from Facebook to Etsy.

You will need a coordinating cover photo that goes along with your branding in your Etsy Shop. If you don't have a ton of dough (trust me, many of us starving artists are right there with you) you can always make a sweet simple cover photo over at PicMonkey 

Now...what to post? 

✩Pictures of your work space. (People love seeing where you create!)

✩Pictures from events or craft fairs that you've attended.
            (And invite them to upcoming events)

✩Pictures and links to your items in your Etsy shop.

✩Ads for any specials or promotions for your shop.
             (You can create those at PicMonkey too)

✩Articles of interest to your target audience from various outside sources
            (Become an authority)

✩Don't forget to THANK people for following you on Facebook!
            And thank your customers!
             

✩Don't be afraid to ask questions and get people engaged! 

All of this Social Media can get a tad overwhelming. So if you find yourself getting overworked with it try out a program like Hootsuite or FanChimp that will help you scheduling posts so that you don't fall off your customers and fans radar by neglecting to post on your Facebook and Twitter.

Be yourself. Let your personality and your products shine and you will do just fine!

If you missed any of our posts in the Improving Your Etsy Shop Series you can find them here:

Scheduling

Creating a Cohesive shop

Photograhy

Tagging

Twitter

Don't forget to join us next week for week 7 where we'll discuss Repeat Business.

As always don't forget to follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and Etsy. Sign up for our Newsletter and don't miss any of our blog posts, shop updates, or exclusive Newsletter subscriber discounts and offers.

Improving Your Etsy Shop Week 5 - The 5 Things You Should Be Tweeting

Using Twitter to promote your shop is a great way to reach new and existing customers. But what should you be tweeting? 

I have been trying to work on my Twitter voice a little more and engage people in conversations. When other people see that you interact and do more they are more likely to follow your tweets more closely and really check out what you're saying. I have found that since I've been doing this, I get lots of new followers every day.

Here are 5 ideas on things to tweet:

     ✩Your progress on a new project.

     ✩Something neat you found outside of Etsy

     ✩Respond to those that RT your tweets, thank them

     ✩Ask someone about their new items or comment about their treasuries

     ✩General ads and attention getting slogans for your shop in general.



Tell them what you've got and why they need it, but also let a little of your personality shine through. Afterall, part of the greatness of buying handmade is that someone making the items cares about them...and is a person, not a machine.

And I can't stress this little tip enough...BRANDING! Make sure that your branding for your Etsy shop and your Twitter account match. It's really important to be consistent so that customers recognize your brand.
✩What have you found that brings you new followers on Twitter?

If you missed any of our posts in the Improving Your Etsy Shop Series you can find them here:

Scheduling

Creating a Cohesive shop

Photograhy

Tagging

Don't forget to join us next week for week 5 where we'll discuss Facebook Pages.

As always don't forget to follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and Etsy. Sign up for our Newsletter and don't miss any of our blog posts, shop updates, or exclusive Newsletter subscriber discounts and offers.

Improving Your Etsy Shop Week 4 - Tagging to Get Found on Etsy

Etsy's Relevancy Search

The way that relevancy search (which is the default search on Etsy now) works has changed vastly over time. There is a greater importance put on what words are together in your tags, as well as your titles.

Where before if someone searched for “pink tutu” anyone with “pink” and  “tutu” as tags would show up in the order latest listed. Now, those who have “pink tutu” all in one tag will show up first in the search.

The example Etsy gives here http://www.etsy.com/blog/en/2011/putting-your-shop-on-top-etsy%E2%80%99s-most-relevant-search/ is this:

**We have also added an additional search feature that gives exact word pairs more weight. When your search includes two or more words, we prioritize results that have those exact words next to each other. For example, if I search for “pink unicorn,” results that contain “pink unicorn” in the title or tags will appear higher than those who title an item “Pink Flowers and Unicorn.”**

How Will They Find Me?

We need to think about how a customer would search for our items and what descriptive words would likely be put together, and the order of those words.

If you have not already done so, go through revamping your tags and making sure to include relevant multiple word tags, put them together in the order that a customer would naturally search for them. It will really help to improve your views by customers searching with Etsy’s search. 

If you missed any of our posts in the Improving Your Etsy Shop Series you can find them here:

Scheduling

Creating a Cohesive shop

Photography

Don't forget to join us next week for week 5 where we'll discuss Twitter.

As always don't forget to follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and Etsy. Sign up for our Newsletter and don't miss any of our blog posts, shop updates, or exclusive Newsletter subscriber discounts and offers.

Improving Your Etsy Shop Week 3 - 8 Tips for Awesome Product Photography

Photography

There’s always room for improvement where item photography is concerned. There’s always something that can be changed or improved upon.

The most important thing to remember when doing your photos for your items is that the customer cannot hold the item, they can’t touch it, or smell it…they have no reference for the object other than what YOU as the shop owner give them.

You have to convey texture, size, shape, all in the expanse of a few photos. This sometimes seems like a daunting task. But we’re going to break it down into a few important tips for today’s workshop.

Camera 

Any camera will do the trick. Of course the higher the resolution picture it takes, the better. Also, if you have a tripod, use it, if not, think about getting a tripod. It really helps to make sure your photos don’t come out blurry, especially considering you won’t be using your flash 

Lighting  

Avoid using your flash! It creates glare and heavy shadows, plus, it can wash out the color of your fantastic items. You’ll want to try and use either sunlight (indirect morning sunlight is the least harsh) and/or a light box if you can. And don’t worry, a light box is not an expensive investment. In fact, you can make one really cheap and there are a ton of tutorials around. Just google search “light box tutorial” and I’m sure you’ll find a ton of them.

Clarity

 Crisp clear photos are a must! We want all of the potential buyers out there to know that our items are well made and the only way we have to show them is through our photos. Make sure that your photos aren’t blurry, and that they’re well lit. Natural light works well for some, while others, prefer a lightbox. If you need to adjust the colors run them through a photo editor and play with it to see how you can get the best crisp looking photos you possibly can. You don’t need fancy equipment.

Point of view

 Angle your photos. Make them interesting. Crop them down, play around with different props. Show your customers every angle of your gorgeous piece.

Show them your goods 

NO NO…not THOSE goods…the items you’re trying to sell. Make them look as good as possible. Show them how they look on a live model if it’s something that can be worn. If it’s housewares…show it in the setting like it is about to be used. You get the point. Make them say, “OH! I have to have that!!”

Don’t Overdo

Keep it fairly simple. Use a prop or two if you wish, but don’t crowd the area in frame. The focus should be the item you’re trying to sell. Also, if you want your items included in treasuries with the potential of being on Etsy’s front page, you should keep in mind that most of the items featured there have a white, neutral, outdoor, or black background. And, let your items speak for themselves, no need to add text or borders.

Composition

 Show everything! Since your customer can’t hold the item, you need to show a variety of angles, play around and have fun with different backdrops and angles. (For backdrops plain or neutral are best. You need at least one good close-up and one good shot of the entire item.

Editing  

Once you’ve taken these lovely photos, chances are they’re still going to need a bit of tweaking. If you don’t have Photoshop, then GIMP is a free to download program that works rather well (It’s what I use) Crop your photos. If you crop them to a 1000x1000 pixel square you can be sure of what will show on the preview of the item.


The main question to ask yourself on photos is “Does this photo look like the ones on Etsy’s FP?” If it doesn’t…don’t worry, keep working. That is one thing that I am constantly trying to improve is my photography of my items. I don’t think it can ever really be perfected. It’s a constant process and learning experience for us all.


Here are a few helpful links:
✩How to Make and Use a Light box to Improve Your Product Photography
www.handmadeology.com/how-to-make-and-use-a-light-box-to-improve-yo...

✩Studio Quality Photography With a $12 Setup
www.handmadeology.com/studio-quality-product-photography-with-a-12-...

If you missed any of our posts in the Improving Your Etsy Shop Series you can find them here:

Scheduling

Creating a Cohesive shop

Don't forget to join us next week for week 4 where we'll discuss Tagging your items.

As always don't forget to follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and Etsy. Sign up for our Newsletter and don't miss any of our blog posts, shop updates, or exclusive Newsletter subscriber discounts and offers.