I Need Some Serious Marketing And Pricing Help

[DoubleC]

I am getting between 250-350 visitors a month at my Etsy shop but other than my Mare Stares I haven't sold anything. I know some of my prices are too high and I think probably all my ads are pretty bad because my eyes glaze over when I try and describe these things in a new and different way. I've thought of Etsy more as a way to advertise my things than I have being about selling, thought I'd keep that local. I've suddenly realized I'm letting a ton of potential customers leave my shop with nothing. If anyone's willing to give me some advice on these things I'd be happy to hear it.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/DoubleCCowgirl

Plus I'm getting around the same amount of people at my website I just found out tonight because I dislike this side of the business so much I haven't been there in so long I couldn't remember my sign in. Now that's bad. I know I have to find a way to make this as important to me as creating and any pointers would really help. Thanks so much, Cheryl

[Kustom]

Start by making a nice "about" page. That matters to etsy shoppers. They want to know who they're buying from. Work on making more items and take better pictures.

[DoubleC]

Thanks Kustom, I will. I'll play with the about me page off and on over the next couple days. I've made more things but locally. I'll see if I can get pics of them too. My pictures I'm kinda stuck with until my grant goes through. My camera just won't do close ups, and I don't have a light box yet but I know that's a real problem with my stuff. Thanks so much for taking this time to help me. Cheryl

[lightingale]

The photography will really help you there. You can make a lightbox out of a cardboard box and white tissue paper (the dollar store kind you use to stuff into presents). If you google it, there are several guides on making one. Or, you can get a lightbox on ebay for around $15.

You don't even need a lightbox if you take your pictures in a well lit area and are able to get good detail shots. Outside on a patio stone could work. I take mine on a mossy rock in a wooded part of our yard.

You also have some blanks in your shop... you haven't written up your policies, you have no about page, no banner... potential customers really do care about that. While they're a pain to put together, it's expected of a serious Etsy seller to have all this.

A helpful application to identify parts of your shop that need work is http://etsyshoptimizer.com/.

[EquusCustomLeathers]

I have had trouble in this department with my small business too. I'm too busy actually working to pay much attention to marketing. It's one of the most important aspects of any business, whether we like it or not:)

I did find a great way to get the marketing aspect up and running properly, with no cost at all, and no headaches for me. I called a local high school, and community college, and asked if any of their marketing students were looking to upgrade their portfolio. I had quite a few responses, and these kids really know what they are doing!

It was a win-win situation for all..I got the website and Google Adwords stuff up and running, and they got "real world" experience in their chosen field.

Just a thought for you.

[DoubleC]

Thank you both, great suggestions. We have a local college here. And I do need to work on an about me page, didn't even know etsy had that. Unfortunately the light box won't work much until I get a camera capable of closeups which I'm working on doing. and I have a thread saved here about light boxes and also tripods bookmarked. thanks so much for helping. Cheryl

[Kustom]

Make sure your pictures have a white background. Treasury makers want white backgrounds, and you want to be included in treasuries.

Etsy labs have tons of great advice.

[DoubleC]

Thank you Kustom, I can at least do that. A friend and I are going to redo everything. And I bookmarked the link above and trust me, my grades weren't good :-( Cheryl

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

Any way to determine how many of the site visitors are just LW memebers checking out your site?

I was going to also suggest contacting a local school for web, and photography help. Check your local Meetup.com for photography groups, there are several in the Las Vegas area. One of your local members may help you out. Shoot, contact a local camera store, if there is one around-they may know someone.

Now for marketing, check out Dave Ramsey's website. Dave is a financial guru, and also has the EntreLeadership program for businesses; book,programs, seminars,,, He has lots of good advice.

Do you have a Facebook page for your leather items? I have a friend who is killing it with her jewelery sales, and she moves a lot with FB. I also know an artist that has sold several paintings off FB.

You need to up your site hits. 200-300 a month is only around 10 a day. To make some sales you want to see more like 100 a day. Now, how do you do that you ask? You need to start developing a network of customers. My jeweler friend gets emails instead of handing out business cards. Every time she is going to be selling at a local event she sends everyone an email, and posts on FB the night before, and the day of the event. Too soon, like a week before, and everyone forgets by the weekend. She now has regular customers that contact her asking where she will be selling next. The main thing is just getting your name out there, and that will take a lot of work in the begenning to get that initial base built up.

On the guitar straps, start hitting up music stores, contact bands , and any other place where musicians may be.

On the horse related items, have you tried a local feed & tack store? Contact all of the local riding facilities, arenas, and again-any other place where horse folks hang out.

You need diversification in where you sell as well as in what you sell. A constsnt change of inventory on the site wll give people a reason to keep coming back to it. If they see the same items every time they look, they quit looking. If something doesn't sell, pull it down, and put something new in its place. Then post on FB every time you make a new item. Some of my artist friends post progress pics of paintings on FB, and have them sold when completed. You need to find ways to engage with the customers, to keep them interested in Double C, because after all is said and done Double C is actually what you are selling here. ALL of this, is to build up the brand Double C.

Edited September 22, 2012 by BIGGUNDOCTOR

[DoubleC]

Wow, that's some great advice, some of which I'm doing locally but not online. I am copying all of these things into word so I can just go through and check off what I've done to market, starting with the worst, and then the 'better' things that I'm not totally lousy at. You folks are being such a big help. Cheryl

[DoubleC]

Any way to determine how many of the site visitors are just LW memebers checking out your site?

Hey biggun, I just went and checked and in the last 7 days I've had 175 visitors and 49 were from LWs. It breaks it down really well for you like that if it's direct from my link here. Not if they went to my site first then to Etsy though or direct traffic.