Let’s get one thing clear – Etsy is a pretty competitive marketplace. Selling your arts and crafts here, you’re playing against plenty of stores offering equally fabulous products. That’s why it’s not enough to just open an Etsy shop and wait for customers to roll in and make a purchase. You need to develop a smart sales strategy to make it on this platform. Here are 5 easy tips to help you do that and seriously boost your sales on Etsy.
1. Research your market
Selling your product without knowing your target market makes no sense. You need to find out as much as you can about your niche. Who are the people interested in buying your product? What are their needs and preferences? What are their problems? Developing a detailed profile of your ideal customer, you’ll be able to strategically market your products.
But that’s not everything. Look at your key competitors as well to check what works for them. See whether there are shops on Etsy which sell similar products. What is their pricing? What kind of tags are they using for their products? How do they attract buyers’ attention? Perhaps they offer special color sets? Don’t mindlessly copy their tactics, but learn from them and apply all these insights to your sales strategy.
2. Build a strong brand
Do it both inside and outside Etsy. Pick social networks where you know your target audience hangs out and create a strong presence on these platforms. Grow your email list and include a link to your Etsy store and social media profiles in your email signature.
Consider setting up a blog too – it’s a great help in building brand credibility and interacting with customers. Make yourself easy to find and develop a consistent brand image. But don’t be present everywhere at once – focus on 1 or 2 areas, improve your strategy and get traction. If you try to ace all platforms at the same time, you’ll get overwhelmed and possibly become a little too much for your audience to bear.
3. Optimize your written content
Sure, visuals are key when it comes to attracting consumers to your products – but they need to be paired up with quality copy. Share everything you think is fantastic about your products, but be strategic about it – your content needs to be optimized for SEO. That’s how you get noticed on both Google and Etsy search results.
Choose unique keywords which describe your offer and have a look at your competitors to check for related keywords. Include these keywords in your store title, as well as store announcement – that’s where niche-specific ones work best. Finally, make sure to use clear relevant keywords in your sections. To kick-start your SEO strategy, check Google Adwords Keyword Planner to find keywords people use to search for products in your niche. To make sure that your copy is well written, you may consider hiring a professional copywriter on Gumtree.
4. Boost sales through advertising
This is especially important if you’re in a competitive niche. Invest in Etsy’s Promoted Listings and social media advertising – they both cost money, but can potentially lead to a positive return. Review advertising options available on different platforms (Facebook, Pinterest, etc.) to see which ones offer segmented and targeted campaign plans that match your target. Picking the right place to advertise your products is challenging, but if you do it right, count on great ROI.
5. Be quick in answering customer questions
Nothing works better for sales than top-notch customer service. Etsy store owners are often oblivious to the importance of promptly replying to customer messages. Consequently, many of them lose on sales which only require a little bit of engagement from them. Sometimes customers are in a hurry and willing to make a fast purchase – if you’re able to reach them in this moment, you’re practically guaranteed to make a sale.
Follow these tips and you’ll be on your way to seriously boosting your sales on Etsy and building a strong brand messaging that resonates with your target audience.