Selling On Etsy Tip #10 Create a Buzz 10 ways to advertise, cheaply.

Photo Courtesy of Keepitmagickal

Great Card!

Its not up to Etsy. While I think Someday Etsy will be as well known as Ebay it is still a well kept secret for many. This means that you cannot sign up with Etsy and expect them to sell your stuff for you. Etsy is a venue, a place to show the world what you make but not a place where the world will find you, yet. If you are ready, if your photos are good, your sales are picking up and you are making enough stuff to really have a "shop" feel it is time to advertise.

Tip 10. Spread the word. Most of my buyers joined the day they bought from me, which tells me that the majority of my sales are from outside marketing. Craigs list is one of my favorite places & I've compiled a list of other things to try. Please let me know how they work for you!

1. Make a Poster of your work, add shop URL & a mini bio in word or text edit, print it on nice paper & hang them in grocery stores, send them to magazines (with samples), leave them in coffee shops & around town. Its almost free and can create a very vivid catalogue of your Etsy shop. Read more about it Here
2. Find a small online venue that offers inexpensive advertising such as trunkt.org or buy a space in the etsy showcase. Its $7.00 and will give you 24 hours of increased visibility.
3. If you sell on Ebay be sure to mention your Etsy shop in every auction
4. Make tags, business cards or stickers and include a few in every package you sell, give your customers a way to spread the word.
5. Start a blog or create a website (or both) If you don't know what to talk about just take photos of your work and post them often.
6. Flickr.com Its a free photo hosting site where people can share photos, I know I have made at least one sale from it and now I have a portfolio of work that I can send my customers to. My flickr
7. Get Moo cards from flickr, these are 1/2 size business cards with your photos & shop information on them. They are adorable, inexpensive (around $20. for 100) and an easy thing to pass out to family or leave behind at restaruants.
8. Join Etsy Teams . Teams are popping up everywhere and having lots of sales, meet & greets and events. Find a team that works for your location or product & get involved.
9. Buy add space on your favorite design blog. I recently purchased a spot for the holidays on Modish for about $50 a month, I'll let you know how well it works.
10. Of course the best advertisement is word of mouth. Be a great seller, communitcate with your customers, ship quickly and sell only the best quality product. If people love what you make, they will rave about it and bring their friends.