Etsy - Being My Own Boss !

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

Hi !

Well, my Etsy shop 'Little Photo Hut' is finally up and running and stocking the shop is well underway. I treated myself to a new Apple Macbook Pro to help give my shop the best possible start. To be honest with you I've spent more time learning how to use my new laptop than anything else! Hahaaaa..  

Anyway, I am loving it.. I know this sounds silly as it's just a tiny new online shop but having to think about advertising and PR, as well as preparing my photo's to ship is wonderful.  I love being my own boss.

It certainly takes motivation and time but hopefully I will soon be rewarded with recognition as my shop grows (and hopefully my sales do too).

It's forcing me to think outside the box a little more and research the work of others. It's all about being competetive with my prices and watching trends... however, it's about being true to myself also and not changing my work to "fit in" too much with current trends.  

I think Etsy shoppers like originality and a personal story behind each item, so I'm choosing my work to sell carefully.

I'd like to share a few *new* photo prints added to my shop recently and give you my personal set up tips for anyone thinking of joining Etsy (or any other online shopping marketplace out there)

Etsy Tips:

1. Choose your BEST photographs that would look good framed and hung in a home.

2. Describe your items accurately, in detail and add as many tags as possible to help in search criteria.

Purple, Daisy, Flower, Nature, Wild, Outdoors, Pretty, Photo Print, etc.

3. Choose items for your shop that will stand out in a crowd... think eye catching colour and shape.

4. Photograph you goods in great light (natural where possible)

5. Offer different sizes / colours in your shop but make sure you have the goods ready to ship when ordered!

6. View other shops on Etsy, read the wording of successful shops and understand the postage and delivery times for international shipping.

7. Design yourself a banner and a thumbnail to show off your shop.

8. Research the 'hidden' costs of Etsy... the price per unit to advertise, the cost of wrapping paper and shipping labels, cost of sacrificing some 'homelife' time - can you spare it?

9. Have another way to promote your new Etsy shop... have business cards printed (just a few dozen initially), tell your friends and family on Facebook... or like I have done - set up your own FACEBOOK page to advertise your goodies.

http://www.facebook.com/LittlePhotoHut

Please visit my Facebook page and Like / Subscribe for daily photo tips, link ups to competitions and photographs from around the world. 

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Let me know your thoughts... feel free to add your own tips in the comments box below. It's still quite new to me too, so I would be interested to hear your thoughts on my shop or Facebook page! 

Keep smiling - it will soon be Christmas.

Jennie. x