Starting a small business is a journey. I myself, have made tons of mistakes over the past 8+ years of running my successful jewelry business. Today, I’m pulling back the curtain and I’ll be sharing the top 7 things I wish I knew to pay more attention to when I first started my business.
One thing I will note – starting an Etsy shop is an amazing way to get started with your small business as Etsy will bring you traffic. HOWEVER, you need to do certain things the right way to get Etsy to send you that traffic. I have a mini-course called, The Six-Figure Product Page Blueprint where I teach you all about Etsy SEO, Etsy Keywords, Etsy Tags and Titles. Basically, I show you how to bring in traffic AND how to set-up your product page to convert once the traffic gets to your shop. I teach you the exact formula I used to create my product listings that have single handedly made me over six-figures (with just one listing!).
Here are the top 7 things I wish I knew sooner when I first started my business selling on Etsy.
- Keep Track of All Your Expenses.
Get yourself a business credit card or a card that is dedicated to just business expenses. This will be your life-saver come tax time. Remember, your expenses are tax write offs – so keeping track of these will save you MONEY.
2. Create Collections – Not Just New Products
Developing a collection full of new products will help increase your average order value as many shoppers will pick up multiple items within the collection. It also makes it more marketable to share a collection rather than a single new product.
3. Turn On Etsy Ads For Best Sellers Only
Etsy Ads can be great if you know how to use them. Pouring money into getting products seen that don’t covert already will not magically get them to become big sellers. Only promote items you know already have a track record of sales.
4. Remember That Sales Take Time
Creating a business and getting sales does take time. Time meaning… anywhere from 1-3 months before you start to get sales. Be patient. Test new products and keywords! Once you find out what is working – follow that path full force.
5. Etsy Facebook Groups Can Be Toxic Sometimes
Facebook groups are a little bit of a slippery slope. Yes – they can be a great resource for knowledge or tips. However, you don’t want to spend your precious time in groups reading or posting about negative things like bad customers, shipping problems, or insignificant Etsy related topics. If your goal is to grow your shop, focus on what will really move the needle in your business and be selective in the groups you join!
6. Focus On Pinterest For Traffic
Pinterest is an amazing tool that can get you tons of traffic to your shop by doing minimal effort. No crazy dancing videos, video editing or hashtag research. If you focus on amazing photos for your brand, you can repurpose them on Pinterest. Remember to post long images to ensure they are optimized for Pinterest.
7. Develop A Brand, not just an “Etsy Shop”.
When you start selling on Etsy, it’s not just an “Etsy Shop” – you’ve started a BUSINESS! For a long-term business that will make you tons of money for years to come, you need to get serious about creating a real brand and not just another “Etsy shop”. Branding can take time to figure out and can be very complex. Start with your brand’s logo, colors, fonts, brand’s voice and your mission (what your business stands for). Honing in on these few areas will help you get started on making your business stand out.
There you have it! The 7 things I wish I knew sooner when I started my business selling on Etsy. If you want more, get on the waitlist for my comprehensive online course for Etsy Sellers who truly want to grow their shops to six-figures.
Cheers!
Ashley
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