Mentor Series – Share and Learn

Tara Shenson, from Etsy shop kMT graphic design, has a fantastic feature on her blog called the “Etsy Mentor Series.”  After the huge response to Tara’s blog step by step, we were excited to hear about how to get involved in the series!

“The Etsy mentor series was a response to a question I found in the forums by Susan Olan and Rachael Olan of Etsy shop SoRo Designs,” Tara tells us.  “The question was about if there was an Etsy mentoring program.  There wasn’t I could find, so I created one!”

From there, Tara looked to her blog as a platform for the series.  “I was already offering advice on how to use social networking sites and market your Etsy shop online,” Tara said, “but I had only been selling on Etsy for a few months.  Maybe I wasn’t the right person to be giving advice on selling success! The “Etsy Mentor Series” was the perfect way to include selling tips, while making the source credible.”

“So far, the response I have received about the series is overwhelmingly positive!” Tara tells us.  ”After all, we all want help and advice, but it means so much more when it comes from someone who has actually succeeded on Etsy.”

Another benefit from the “Etsy Mentor Series” on Tara’s blog is the encouragement sellers receive when they hear about Etsy success.  “It’s encouraging to be reminded it is possible to make 50 sales when you’re just starting out and feeling discouraged by the lack of traffic to your shop,” Tara said. “Sometimes you need to be told “don’t give up yet!” from other sellers.”

Interested in becoming a mentor?  Tara has two requirements for mentors for her series.  The Etsy seller needs to have been selling on Etsy for a least a year and have at least 50 sales.  “In my opinion, 50 sales is pretty successful, especially if they were made over the last year with the economy being what it is, however some of my mentors have over 100 sales,” Tara said.

To find mentors, Tara actively seeks out potential mentors by going “window shopping” on Etsy.  She looks for sellers that meet her criteria, and reaches out to them.  “I have also found two Etsy mentors on IndiePublic, which is my favorite networking site,” Tara said.

To keep the feature fresh, Tara tries to choose Etsy sellers that are different from each other.  That way the advice will be applicable to many different types of Etsy shops.

What can we expect from Tara’s upcoming mentors?  “My next mentor is primarily a supplier.  However, she also has five handmade shops on Etsy.  She is going to discuss the benefits of diversification and I’m really looking forward to her post! I think being diversified is incredibly important in all industries from a business standpoint,” Tara said.

Tara shares the same core philosophy as our HandmadeMarketing.org team – what helps you, can help others.

“One of the things I like so much about the handmade community is everyone’s willingness to help each other,” Tara tells us.  “I have found some of the nicest people during my journey on Etsy, and I think the “Etsy Mentor Series” is a true reflection of that.“

Tara continues, “I also firmly believe that the best way to climb to the top is by helping others along the way, not by climbing over them. We are all in competition with each other to sell, but at the end of the day we are all artists and we have to remember to support each other in our common goal of creating and inspiring!”

Thank your for sharing your feature with us Tara!

Have you been a featured mentor on Tara’s blog?  What do you think about the idea of an “Etsy Mentor Series” to help spread knowledge?  Do you know of another mentor series online that helps handmade sellers?

If you have a tip or two you would like to see on HandmadeMarketing.org, tell us about it.  Comment on an existing article or submit your own!  Share your ideas by Joining HandmadeMarketing.org – if our editors like your tips, we will cite you as a source in an article.