Branch Out – Why Blog and Join Sites?

With all the websites out there for Etsians to take advantage of, many wonder if it’s really making an impact in the long-run on their Etsy shop sales.  For those of you questioning if a tweet later this afternoon will really cause a spike in sales, read a tip sent to us by April Monds (CreativeJewelHaven):

“I have more than one sales venue,” April writes.  “I have only been blogging for a couple of weeks and am finally getting the hang of it. I love to feature my artisan peers and their items in my postings.  My views in at least one venue have doubled in a week. Sales may not have, however we must all take into account the shape our economy is in.”

“I am currently working on stocking four shops. Not to mention the various social networking sights I have joined.  “Why so many?” some may ask, yet the answer is simple to me,” April writes.  “I do not believe in having all of my proverbial ‘eggs’ in one basket. The reason being that I feel one should disperse those eggs into several baskets, hand those baskets out to others to help distribute them and you can distribute those eggs more efficiently.”

“Now I am no mathematician,” April continues, “yet I am smart enough to know that if we all do our share of the work (i.e.; promote yourself, your business, your name, your items, and others’) we will all have a better chance of bringing back the age of handmade. Not to mention increase our sales, and make some profit doing what all of us artisans love to do! I also feel that we should all support the new and upcoming online venues, instead of considering them “competition”. In the end it is all up to the buyer, so we should join hands and make “handmade” an all inclusive community rather than a war of site stats and sales.”

Thanks April!

Need another reason to blog and join social networking sites?  We were excited to receive this sweet tip from Etsy newbie Rachel:

“Link your Etsy.com shop to places like your blog, Flickr account, and MySpace,” suggest Rachel.  “I have a blog and on it I have my Flickr link and Etsy link. I think having all of those extra places with you can feature your art on your own is very beneficial for sellers.  It just gives you more ways of seeing what people really enjoy of yours. And when you do get that new person to find your art and love it it just makes your day.”

Rachel is new to Etsy – have a look at her shop set up in January 2009 and her blog!

Although joining the sites, attending all the craft fairs, and participating in the Etsy.com forums may take time, remember that this is what Etsy sellers love to do!  Sellers are very fortunate to have a passion that can produce some cash – many are not so lucky.

Utilize the Internet to get the work out about your Etsy shop.  Shop promotion can be easy when done on a blog or social networking site – these sites are made for you to talk about yourself!  Like Andrea Salmon (Etsy shop SamAndrea) says, “Toot your own horn!  Because if you don’t do it, no one else will either!”