Tips From A Pro – Etsy Bag Team (Post #1)

At HandmadeMarketing.org we believe strongly in team success.  We think Etsy’s idea to have “Etsy Teams” as a feature on the Etsy.com site fosters both individual shop growth and the growth of the Etsy community as a whole.  What’s better than succeeding on your own?  Succeeding while being surrounded with others!

We contacted Carried Away, an Etsy Team centered around bag making, to ask the top five things every Etsy Team should be doing to increase success for their Team.  The Team’s Leader Krystal, from Etsy shop Solsisters, gave us wonderful insight.

Tell us a bit about your Etsy Team.  How did it start?  Who can join?  How has communication evolved?

“I started Etsy This team in November of 2007 when I realized there was no existing Street Team for Etsy handbag makers,” Krystal said.  “You might think we would all be in competition for the same buyers, but that is far from true. There are as many kinds of things to carry something in as you can possibly imagine and we all make different styles of bags.”

Krystal’s marketing background as a professional graphic designer helped her see the potential for an Etsy Team.  “I understand the power of well-managed groups to raise all the members up. I figured with over 6,000 sellers on Etsy alone who made handbags/carry bags, it was high time someone started a team,” Krystal told us.

“Being a “doer” kind of person, I started a blog for the team and sent Etsy convos to bag makers I found in the Etsy forum, Etsy Treasury, or were already in my favorites. Once I had about 10 members, I sent in to Etsy to become an official Etsy Team. We started a Flickr invite-only pool and a Yahoo group.  At the suggestion of one of our very active Team members, we have since moved over to ning.com. The site allows more kinds of communication among Team members,” Krystal explained.

Why the Team’s name?  “Well it seemed natural that bag makers were all getting “Carried Away” with their creations and of course our customers are carrying away our bags,” Krystal said.  Very clever!

“My Etsy Team is open to all bag makers of any skill level,” Krystal told us.  “If you make things that can carry something else, regardless of what materials you use, we’ll welcome you with open arms. You need only have an online store somewhere (on or off Etsy.com) and a valid email address. There is no fee to join and no jury or acceptance process.”

Thank you for telling us a bit about your Etsy Team Krystal!

In the next Etsy Team post, Krystal and her Team members will let us in on what works, and what doesn’t, for their Team.