PICTURES
To get a good picture, you have to consider lighting, the background, and your camera equipment. I am by no means a professional photographer, so figuring out how to get a good picture was no small feat for me. I set up a mini photo booth with a fold up table, an ivory tablecloth, pushpins, and my back porch. It's been two weeks and I still have a tablecloth pinned to the wall out there, because it was so convenient having it all set up! Now it has rained and the cloth is probably starting to mold, so yet another chore awaits the next photo session. But I think the pictures turned out okay!
Sunshine shadows. I never thought I would be cursing a sunny day!
I took this picture the next day, when it was overcast. I think it turned out much better!
For my pottery I think a simple white background is best. Sometimes I see interesting backgrounds for jewelry, but in my opinion it's best to limit the wild background to one picture. Customers want to see exactly what they are getting.
GETTING NOTICED
The first few days my shop was open I anxiously awaited any sign that it was visible. Etsy allows you to track how many people visit your shop, how they found it, and what items have been seen. From there people can favorite items, favorite your shop, add something to a treasury, and of course they can purchase something. NOTHING HAPPENED! It was so anticlimactic. Then, slowly, a few people visited, and then someone added my mugs to a treasury. I was so excited! And from there I got a few favorites, those lovely little hearts. And after two weeks I finally had a sale! It was a fun little bowl that I didn't really think that much of, but it had actually gotten a lot of attention in my shop.
Goodbye, little one!
So if you have the time, really go through what Etsy has to offer. Build a treasury list with items from other shops that you like, you never know who will be your next customer! And there are lots of groups and teams on Etsy that are all devoted to cross promoting things. I just joined one that is for the Olympic Peninsula, so I'm hoping that I can make some connections there and maybe do some craft fairs this next year. Also when I was stumped about something, I searched the forums and found discussions that covered it. It's never too early to start eavesdropping on the forums and learn from the pros!
PACKAGING
I opened up shop expecting to not sell anything right away, which was good because that's exactly what happened. After I got some good pictures I could make my business cards, and then because I was cheap I went for the "sometime in the next month" shipping. Suddenly I was left to send off my first sale without a business card! Oh well, people usually just throw those away anyways, right? Still, I was scrambling to pull together the right size box and safe packaging for my little bowl. I have some gift boxes I've used for art shows, but they aren't tough enough for shipping. In the end I wrapped the bowl in soft foam and tissue, then put it in the gift box, decorated the box a little, and then spent a few extra dollars at the shipping store for them to put it in a shipping box. I ended up spending about seven dollars more than I expected for shipping due to not being prepared.
So, before you post something in your Etsy shop, think about how its going to be packaged.
Supplies you might need:
-bubble wrap
-tissue paper
-gift box
-business card
-note card
-shipping box
And if your going to ship from home you will need:
-printer
-blank labels for shipping info
-postage scale
-packaging tape
What else can I call a tax write off? Markers, ribbon, stamps, whatever else you want to do to make your item a present for the customer. I've bought quite a few things off Etsy, and its always a treat to get it in the mail. Even if its just in a simple little box, usually there's a sticker or stamp to make it feel like a gift. I put a little charm on the box and tied it with embroidery thread. I also made a little heart sticker with some scrapbooking paper I had. I have a lot of craft supplies, so it's fun to actually use it all! I was in a hurry to ship it off before the shipping store closed, so I sadly did not take a picture of the packaging. Next time, just for you blog!
Now I have my second sale to mail off, and many glazed things ready to go into the kiln. I can't wait for this next round, I made some fun garden decor that I think will go well on Etsy. Pictures coming soon!
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