Trace Design's "Top 10"

Things I've learned during my First Year on Etsy

Hi! I'm Tracy of Trace Jewelry Designs and while I'm somewhat of a newbie here on Etsy, I thought I'd share the most valuable lessons I've learned during my first year.

1. Be Patient
Making your first sale is hard, very hard, making the second is even harder, and keeping momentum might just be the hardest thing you’ll ever do. Patience is your friend.

The marketplace on Etsy, especially in the jewelry world, is very competitive.  You’ll have to work that much harder to stand out from the crowd. However, do not get frustrated and do not give up! As they say "Keep Calm, Carry On”.

2. Be vigilant and never give up
This is very much related to point #1. Sales will happen! If your marketing strategies don't seem to be working, experiment! Try new things! Mix it up, just don't give up! Successful people sit back when things are slow, instead, they adjust, take chances, and use the opportunity to revise their thinking and experiment.

3. Create Often / Create Buzz

Keep your shop fresh and vibrant! Your return customers will appreciate a new selection the next time they pop in for a visit. You’ll not only remain relevant in search but will also end up in the recently listed feed on the Etsy home page.

That first sale is addicting. The more you create the more you'll be seen, the more you’re seen, the more word-of mouth buzz you’ll create, and in turn the more opportunity you’ll have to ensure potential buyers that you are legit because of the positive feedback you'll receive from customers!

4 Take Good Photos

Folks perusing Etsy are buying with their eyes. Many are there with an keen eye for aesthetics, quality design, and passion for beautiful things. They will only buy what they can see clearly.

Shoot crisp, focused photos with good light and no distracting backgrounds. Your piece should be the main event, should be shot showing as much detail as possible, should give a sense of scale, and should visually tell the complete story of your item.

Just think about how you buy. If you’re anything like me I make a purchase because it pleases my senses. For jewelry that sense is my eyes, for scented products it’s the nose and so on and so forth.

Take a look at the progression in my shops photography. Which would you prefer?

Earlier:

More recent:

5. Market, Market, Market

Pound the virtual pavement! Take advantage of all your marketing outlets even if they seem to you to be irrelevant. Use social media, reward friends who spread positive messages, treat your customers like kings and queens, wear your products every time you leave the house, always have business cards handy, leave business cards in local shops, and heck, even leave them on the table of a coffee shop or restaurant! You never know who will pick it up!

People are not just going to just find you unless you are marketing at least as much as you are creating. You must invest real time here. I know we’d all much rather be creating pretty thing but this is just a reality..

Make Sure You Come Back for tips 6-10! 

Thank you for reading!

Tracy