Best Promoting Tips {etsy}

While browsing through the Etsy forums this morning, we came across an interesting and informative thread in the "business" section. Several Etsians were discussing and sharing their Best Promoting Tips.



Knowing that many of our readers sell on Etsy, we just had to share some of the wonderful advice that we found over there. In particular, a statement by Karina, the owner of Kreated By Karina - Soap That Makes Scents. We are sure that you will find her tips helpful. Take a look...

Karina says: "My best tip is to figure out your target audience and promote directly to them.

Promoting to a wide audience is fine, but in the end you'll save yourself a lot of time, money and energy focusing your advertising strategies on those people who are more likely to purchase your products. Think about the ideal person who would shop in your store---how old are they? What sort of websites/blogs would they most likely visit? What kind of magazines do you think they are more likely to read? What areas of the city would they live in? You can expand to other brainstorming questions but those few should give you a good start in figuring out the type of people who frequent your shop (as well as the type of people you want to direct your items to). Once you've figured out your target audience, you can then take out ads on those same blogs/websites/magazines etc.

Another tip I have is to stop thinking like a seller when listing items/promoting and start thinking like a buyer. For instance...when trying to figure out how to tag your items, think of how YOU search for items when shopping. Do you search by color, or by certain keywords you find yourself using over and over? If so, use them in your tags as well. A great way of figuring out how to describe/tag your item is to ask friends and family. Let them take a look at what your selling (or give them a sample!) and ask what single words they would use to describe it to others. Pick out the most relevant and common ones and use those as tags if they fit, or incorporate some of their suggestions into your item descriptions.

Also---think about what promotional tactics work on YOU. Do you sign up for lots of newsletters? Maybe it's time you offered one of your own to your customers. Do you find yourself throwing away business cards, but keeping magnets and always reminding yourself "to check out that store" everytime you see it on the fridge? Invest in getting some promotional magnets made to give out with your orders or to people you meet. Things like that".

If you would like to share your tips for promoting an Etsy shop, feel free to comment here and share them with us. Also, be sure to join in the discussion over at the Etsy forums. There are many Etsians who would appreciate the info.

SALE - Sea Spring Earrings {and more}

These lovely Sea Spring Earrings are on sale right now over at Thoughtful Expression on Etsy. Look at the pretty acrylic and speckled beads! The shades of blue, touch of yellow, and hint of green create an almost "Caribbean Ocean" color mixture. How exquisite!

Head on over to Thoughtful Expression for more huge savings! Everything in their shop has been marked down and they are having a great sale on bracelets, necklaces, earrings, beaded flip flops, and more. (By the way, they are offering limited time FREE SHIPPING on all of their beaded flip flops!) This shop is definitely worth a visit.

Lip Rehab.

Are your lips feeling a bit dry and cracked? Scoot on over to Soap Rehab and turn those chapped lips into smooth, soft, supple lips with their Lip Rehab vegan lip balm. For only $6.25, you get two 15 oz tubes of this stuff and the best part is that you actually get to choose which flavours you want! They have Cherry Lime-Aid, Chai Tea, Grapefruit Smoothie, Pure Rehab, Minty Fresh, Chocoholic, Pomegranate Passion, Buttercream Frosting, and Cafe Latte. Mmmm....soooooo yummylicious!

Burst. Glam. Glisten. Glow.

When you think of summertime, what colors come to mind? Perhaps lime green? Aqua blue? Hot pink? Bright yellow? You'll find these colors and an abundance of others over at Plume Adore on Etsy. They offer a wide variety of handmade glam, vintage, retro, modern, swanky jewelry that would look great with any of this seasons fashions. Check out a few of our favorite pieces. "Burst", "Glam", "Glisten", and "Glow".....how lovely!


"Burst" - Lime Brass Earrings


"Glam" - Hot Pink and Gold Flower Ring


"Glisten" - Blue Crystal Necklace


"Glow" - Yellow Pearl Studs

To see more jewelry, please visit Plume Adore!

Motivational Quote

"Give the world the best you have and the best will come back to you" ~ Madeline Bridges

Bird On The Vine {mini notebooks}

We have at least 3 or 4 notebooks near the computer, near the phone, and scattered here and there throughout the office....at all times. A girl just can't have enough of them! We prefer notepads and notebooks with bright, pretty, pick-me-up colors and designs. Something that really draws the eye and can be found easily when you're in a hurry to scribble something down.

Just this morning, we found this gorgeous $6 set of 3 Bird on the Vine (mini notebooks) from Shalom's Cottage Home on Etsy. Look at the covers...in juicy lime, grape, and tangerine!



These stylish little notebooks are very pretty to look at...and are extremely handy too! Fact is, they are an essential part of every home office and every purse.

The Paper Cakes Shop {pretty new item}

Look at this pretty aqua tin from The Paper Cakes Shop, with its pearls, rhinestones, felt flower, and other embellishments. Nice, eh?



It's a new item in their shop and if you love the outside...wait until you see the inside! This baby is stuffed with over 50+ art supplies!!! (i.e. ribbons, bows, die cuts, chipboard, stickers, buttons, metal accents, trim, lace, vintage and new pieces, rhinestone brooch, eco friendly blooms, hand stamped scrolls, cabochons, handmade stickers, foam glitter accents) Wow! We're totally loving this.



We definitely consider this to be another "fabulous find" from Etsy!

ON SALE NOW - Divalicious Sample Boxes!

WoooHoooo! Ready to receive a box full of surprises in the mail?
Head on over to Sweet Delight Divalicious Sample Boxes and snag one before they're gone!

Remember, boxes sold out in less than a week during our last campaign. Don't miss out this time around!

The boxes are jam-packed with a fun variety of full-sized and sample-sized items. Jewelry, bath and body products, candles, fashion accessories, coupons, and so much more!

There are all sorts of goodies for you to enjoy inside the boxes this month and soooo many fab businesses to discover!!

Come on over. We're waiting for you!
Ready...set...GO...to Sweet Delight Divalicious Sample Boxes.

AND THE WINNER IS .......

Hooray! Hooray!
It's time to announce the winner of the Spoiled Silly giveaway!!

With a little help from the Random.org number generator, we have found a winner...

*Drumroll please*....and the winner is....
Brad and Stacy!!!

Let's give them a round of applause.

Congratulations, Brad and Stacy. You have just won a Spoiled Silly Original Baby Blanket from Spoiled Silly!!!


Please contact us at divasinbusiness@live.ca to claim your prize. We will send your name and mailing address to Robin at Spoiled Silly. She will then send the prize directly to you. Thank you so much for participating and have a "Divalicious" day!

Reminder: Sample Box Sale!

Good morning, lovelies! Just a quick reminder that the Divalicious Sample Boxes go on sale Tuesday, May 12 at 8:00am EDT. There are going to be even more boxes available this time around and we expect that they will be going fast. So, don't miss out. (During our last campaign, boxes sold out in less than a week!!)

Today, we will begin packing the boxes with all of the full-sized and sample-sized products....bath and body, candles, jewelry, fashion accessories, coupons, and more! To find out what companies will be inside the boxes, look HERE.

We have a busy day ahead of us and need to get started on those boxes now. See ya!

Featured Diva Interview - with Lori from Risky Beads!

*A Note From DDIB: This week, we would like to introduce you to Lori Ward from Risky Beads. This Diva creates the most fabulous, out-of-this-world-beautiful accessories!! They are "accessories with issues", as she says. Hope you'll enjoy reading more about Lori. (Psst...by the way...she is participating in our May Divalicious Sample Boxes campaign, so be sure to pick up a box when they go on sale - Tuesday, May 12!)

FEATURED DIVA INTERVIEW
- with Lori Ward from Risky Beads

Tell us a little about yourself:

I'm 40, single, have 2 precocious cats that I adore and conduct all of my creative adventures in a one bedroom apartment that on most days is ready to burst at the seams in Raleigh, NC. I grew up in NC, went to school at UNC-Chapel Hill and stayed in the Triangle area after I graduated with a BA in Education. I spent 10 years of my life working with children ages 0-5. I write constantly so when that pot starts to cool down, I switch gears to Risky Beads, and then back again. I quite literally play musical chairs in my head.


Give us a description of your business and the items that you offer:

Risky Beads, well, it's all in the tagline: accessories with issues. If my brain were a museum, Risky Beads would be the gift shop. I sell a variety of jewelry--mostly earrings, bracelets, and pendants, but they all come with 'baggage.' I often feel like I deal in permanent sentiment. When you purchase a piece from my shop, you get more than a piece of a jewelry, you get the thought or story behind it. I also do custom work for people who already have a sentiment in mind.

What are your bestsellers? Your specialty? Most popular items?

I sell nursing necklaces for nursing moms and designed The Nurse Purse in July 2008 for moms who are on the go. The final product is a collaboration between myself and Jenny Nguyen of jennyndesigns. She makes the bags for me. Each Nurse Purse comes with special offers from other Etsy sellers who cater to moms and babies!

My specialty is my Leftovers Series. It started a few months after I opened my shop in 2007 when I realized I had beads that when combined looked exactly like Sweet Potato Casserole. I made Potato Salad after that. After that, I just kept going because it was so much fun. The challenge is (in most cases) to see how close my piece can come to an actual dish. I get a huge kick out of that whether anyone buys the piece or not. I love it.

Here is an example of "3 Bean Salad"...

Are your items targeted toward a specific age group?

My nursing necklaces are targeted to nursing moms and I also have a children’s line called Risky KIDS. The rest of my inventory is for all age groups.

What inspired you to start your own indie business?

I didn’t really set out to start a business per se; I just set out to experiment a little and have some fun, but I’m a bit of an obsessive perfectionist, so it was a little impossible for me not to follow up with marketing and merchandising. In other words, I’m too afflicted to just have fun. LOL.

As an independent business woman, what keeps you motivated?

Well, it sure ain’t the economy. I think it’s new ideas. It’s cleaning up my studio and finding some beads that I’ve had forever and then realizing that they are perfect for lettuce!

What do you consider to be your greatest achievement thus far?

Launching the Nurse Purse. I took that idea from concept to fruition and my little purses are now sold in an online European boutique as well. That was pretty cool.

What has been your biggest challenge as a business woman?

Learning how to photograph jewelry. That took me a long time, and I’m still learning new things.

What do you believe makes a business successful?

Commitment, perseverance, and a sprinkling of insanity. I wrote a little book about my adventure if you want to know more….

Do you have any specific goals/plans for the future?

I need to go to the gym. I tend to keep the other goals to myself. I’m sort of a close to the vest person about things like that.

Do you have any words of encouragement or advice for women out there who may be considering starting their own business?

If you’re in this business, the handmade life, my advice to everyone would be focus on your photos and your shop appearance first and foremost. If your photos aren’t top notch and/or your banner is out of focus or pixilated, you’re shooting yourself in the foot and trying to limp to the finish line. Fix your foot!


Tell us the best way to relax after a busy day of work..

A strawberry/banana/raspberry smoothie, lots of liberal-media-biased news and cats zonked out next to me.

While growing up, who was your role model? Who impressed and inspired you most?

To be honest, I was a very solitary child by nature. I think that’s why my imagination is so, well, unhinged. I spent most of my time listening to the radio when I was little. I think most of my ‘role models’ were Elton John, Barry, Rod Stewart, Carly Simon, the Doobie Brothers, Fleetwood Mac, and the Bee Gees. Anyone who was on Top 40 radio in the seventies wove themselves into my psyche. Oh, and Steely Dan. I love Steely Dan.

Give us three (3) words that best describe YOU:

1. Obsessive.
2. Creative.
3. Determined.

Give us one (1) word that best describes your business:

1. Quirky.

What is your favorite quote, line or saying?

I can see clearly now; the rain is gone. –from the song by the same name, Johnny Nash

Cinco de Mayo......

Happy Cinco de Mayo! Check out this trendy and fun Paper Flowers Cinco de Mayo Clutch by Love Alisa. The pattern and the colors are so vibrant, flirty, and summer-ish. A great way to add some "Mexican Flare" to your outfit....whether you're wearing a fancy dress or just a simple pair of jeans.

This Mexican-style clutch is part of the EtsyOwls team Cinco de Mayo challenge. These people are just too creative. We love it!

Temporarily Unavailable!

* UPDATE * (May 6) - the site is now open and everything is back to normal again. Yippeee!

You've probably noticed that the Sweet Delight Divalicious Sample Boxes site is unavailable. Don't worry, it's only a temporary problem. We haven't shut down. LOL. It should be back up and running soon. For some weird reason, our webhosting payment has been delayed in the mail and the site will remain unavailable until it has been received. Ugh! Here's hoping that the cheque will arrive within the next few days.

If you have tried to contact us with inquiries, we will respond as soon as we are able to access our email account again. Sorry for any inconvenience.