I attended most of the Etsy Online Symposium yesterday (awesome!).
It was a lot of stuff you should know if you are at all a seller of your product. It was like a big reminder kick in the rear to get you pumped up and have some order to renovating your shop to market it to "your ideal customer". Which in essence - is yourself - if you make your art because you LOVE it.
So I thought, hmmm. I've been selling a lot of silk strands through my Etsy shop (Thank God! And yes that is a link to my sold items. I'm nosey too and look at what you've sold - see what is hot in the market) in knot bundles. I need to romance my listing more.
Today I updated one listing, and will spend tonight or tomorrow night most likely copying and pasting, for hours I'm sure, to update the rest.
I also saw a link to Lindsay Whimsies Shop shop that listed multiple custom items, and she commented shared how she did it. And I thought. Hmmm that could work for my custom color palette silk knot bundle listings too… They were also updated and romanced a bit too.
Darn… Got Valentine's Day on the brain I guess. I'm "romancing everything". Maybe just the thought of the milk chocolates (focus: tight jeans, pancake belly, uncomfortable feeling). Ok I'm over it now…
Leave me a comment back her on this post about:
1. What you think of the new "romance description". Be honest really...
2. What your favorite color palette is and why from my Silks Etsy Shop Section
And I'll pick a random winner on Saturday. Will ship you your favorite palette out to you on Monday (if it happens to be one of the OOAK, I'll pull something similar for you).
*This kind of interactive Etsy to Blog to Etsy Giveaway was also talked about in the Etsy Symposium.
You know that I am all about the romance copy. My new pendants all have some similar copy in the bulk of the description, but they each have a slightly different opening paragraph. If that grabs them and they read on that is great! If not, I hope I catch their attention. I would love to have your feedback on mine! Thanks for the good tips!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the day!
Erin
Love it!! You seem really psyched about this new found info...LOVE the greens, was a blues person, have been green for months...not feeling another just yet...possibly reds but that could be 2/14 influence, hope all is well, love keeping up with you! Also love the rustic pieces you've been posting lately!!
ReplyDeleteThe Seashore bundle is my favorite...really wanna be there right now....The description is clear and informative....nice to see the person behind the strands described~Will share the giveaway~good luck!
ReplyDeleteVery romantic. I wish I would take the time to write like that about my ceramic beads and pendant. People love to feel them when they see them in person. Maybe I could convey that in my descriptions. Hmmm. Color palette? Anywhere from Moss to Gunmetal!! By the way, what happened to your Fairy Ribbons?
ReplyDeleteFabulous Marsha! I like reading about how you came to have the silks in your shop. I'm never sure how much people read, so I try to grab the viewer's attention quickly. As for my favorite palette, I'd have to go with random # 28 ~ I'd describe them as jewel tones ~ I find them to be very rich, yet soothing! You are so talented!!!
ReplyDeleteI like all of your color palette, but really like your blues. I do like the romance description, it is a more personal touch.
ReplyDelete1. Honest opinion ... for me personally it is too much. I'm more for clear facts myself, not too much text. I get suspicious if someone talks too much around the product, kind of "what are they trying to cover up and hide?". On the other hand a slight emotional/romance touch is very nice, and could add the little touch that would make me go for that one if I would be choosing between two very similar listings. But that should be at most one sentance. I am probably typical Swedish and manly when I shall choose my products. I wanna know WHAT I get, clearly described and pictured, how MUCH as in measurements and so on (both inches and millimeters), and what it COSTS. The quality is of great importance also.
ReplyDelete2. Choosing bundle I think #20 is the most attractive in itself, but for me the most likely to buy would be #8, simply coz the colours in that one would be the most useful for me at this time. I would also like to see a picture where all the colours in that bundle are laid out side by side.
Sorry, hope you don't find me too demanding. I know it is also most likely a cultural difference between Swedes and Americans in how we like to have things described to us, although I might be
even more like that than the average Swede.
I think the description is awesome. I think people enjoy reading where an individuals creativeness and thinking originates.....
ReplyDeleteYou did a great job. This is a great post. Wish I had been in on the symposium...
Can't wait to see what you do with the rest.
I love all of your ribbons...have ordered in the past and they are great!!! The purple/orchid catches my eye. Thanks!!!
I have to tell you I like it because people do like to read about an item's history. I sold a necklace made from plastic beads once because I described where they came from. (they were cut from vintage curtains in a house in our area that was abandoned and when people came and took down the curtains they cut the beads off and I bought them, handknotted them and added a handmade charm from Green Girl Studios.) How much better was that then they are green plastic?!
ReplyDeleteSo I like it and how great to be able to repeat it pretty easily.
If I win I want you to pick my colors for me. I would love it to be a surprise because I always like the ones I don't pick myself the best.
Thanks Marsha and you are doing a great job!!!
I like the new "romanced" version better. I personally always like to know where items come from and how they are made, etc. but concise, cause sometimes I get tired of all the reading. I really need to revisit some of my listings.
ReplyDeleteMy fav color palette is either the blues or seashore, these are the colors that I work with most:)
I just want to add something. I don't wish to come across as a grumpy complainer.
ReplyDeleteMarsha, I really think you do the most amazing and fantastic things! I am a big big fan of your work! And I will keep buying from you, because of your great style, your artistic sence, the quality of everything you do, and so on. I just love your work!!!!
My previous answer was on the question on what we think of the new text for your silk bundles. You asked us to be honest. I was honest. Perhaps a bit blunt, although it wasn't my intention. Too Swedish maybe ... we are known internationally for this feature.
It is clear we have a cultural difference in preferance here. Obviously everyone else thinks the opposite of me. I find it interesting, and I am learning something. I should probably take a look at my own texts on Etsy ... very soon ... gosh I will need some help with that ...
Thanks for a great post, and all answers.
All my best,
Malin,
Hi Everyone! I just wanted to follow up with a HUGE THANK YOU for all of your honest comments - long and short. I like hearing what everyone thinks - and I too have various opinions in my head about certain listings, the economy, how wording can help or hurt. I think I'll make a blog post about it.
ReplyDeleteMalin, I loved reading your opinion. You repeated what my brain was telling me while I was writing it. I personally can zone out after just a few sentences. And I was a bit unsure about these particular listings because I think I am on a roll of sorts with all this reorganization and refocusing. I tend to get very wordy.
Bravo for giving your opinion. And then for really thinking about things too as to how others may perceive it. I think we could all use some work on our listings and photography - well - most of us.
I got zero listings updated - I think my brain and eyes hit a wall last night - which I am SO happy about because I really needed the sleep. First time I was asleep before 1am in over a week. But now I am up early because my body is used to 6 hours.
I consider you all my friends and your being honest with me will never change that. We are all here to help support each other. We all grow through communication and thinking a lot about things.
Can you imagine how much fun it would be if we all got together? Holy cow it would be LOUD and fun!!!
i just read another post about someone who had attended the symposium - food for thought and very important... with so many choices and listings on etsy, this is absolutely critical - i like what you wrote... it is honest, not deceptive, but evokes the senses and heightens interest...
ReplyDeletebeautiful job - i need to look at mine some more...
Well, guess what I just spent the last hour with. Reading on the Etsy community about these things. I wish I could have attended that symposium. But hey, I have this blog, so ...
ReplyDeleteThis has started a process for me. Soon you hopefully will see some changes at my shop.
Thanks again!
I like the new descriptions. It adds a lot to have a sense of history about a purchase and how an item came into being. Knowing that the strands are hand-sewn along the length gives a lovely, clear image to mind and that your friend hand-paints the silk is a great piece of information. This type of personalization helps customers envision something they cannot hold in their hands to make a decision.
ReplyDeleteYeah, sure, make it easy! How to select a single favourite colourway out of that bounty? Sea Shore and Woodland Realm are two of my all-time FAVOURITE colour combos; I use them both very frequently in my beading. *sigh* Only one? I'll say Sea Shore since I wear Woodland Realm six days a week! (gotta shake things up somehow!).
***WINNER***
ReplyDeleteRandom.org = Commenter #2 Vicki Watson! Congrats!!!
I'll get some silks pulled for you and sent in the mail...