Recently, I took time off from my Etsy shop to spend some time with my family. Also, it was way too cold here (below zero, most of the time) to keep the garage warm enough for me to make beads. So, I decided I would just take the holiday season off.
Yay for me, bad for business. Since I couldn't really control the weather, I had decided to invest in other means of making money. However, it seems to me that the only ones making money are the ones I was buying supplies from. lol
I realize times are tough, and a lot, I mean A LOT of people like to do-it-yourself. But I feel like I'm lost in a desert all alone! : (
Am I whining? Yeah, a little. Mostly because I have spent the last couple of months researching online articles on how to market the internet. Do this, do that, blah blah blah. Well, quite honestly, all I've done is waste a bunch of time which I should have been spending more creatively! So I'm whining because it's my own damn fault. Yeah, I said DAMN!!
I've also spent money buying those "GUIDES" that are supposed to tell you how to be successful on this site, and that site. Well, you know what? All they really do is tell you what they think you should be doing, not what you really should be doing.
Quite honestly, what works for one, never works for another! I've offered free shipping. Seriously...FREE SHIPPING! No raised prices, no additional rates. Has it helped? NEVER!
I even opened another shop to sell my oopsies on. Really cheap prices, with some beads that were not perfect. Did they sell, yeah, they sit there for a long time, but they eventually sell.
So, now what? Now it's time to get off my butt and do something and stop whining. I need to come up with a game plan that is going to work for ME!
People, trust me when I say...you can pay all the money in the world for self help and how to information. But the only way to really find out what works for you is to try something yourself!
Now here's what I've learned NOT to do:
~Free shipping will drive the majority of people away. Not sure why, I love it!
~Being invisible to buyers doesn't work.
~PIFs (pay if forwards) only give your stuff away, they don't bring you big KARMA sales.
~Buying guides for internet selling is money better spent elsewhere. I recommend that if you really want one then just buy one. They're all basically the same.
Here are my suggestions for corrective action:
~Have reasonable shipping to cover your costs. Excessive shipping drives people away just like free shipping does.
~Stay active in the forums and list, list, list!
~PIFs are great once in a while, to bring visitors in. But don't expect huge KARMA sales. Karma loves a good guy, but it's not going to give everyone a business boom.
~Trial and error is really the only way to learn what works. And remember, a case study isn't done by short term methods! Log, log, log what you do. Keep track of everything! It will come to you!
My COSMIC observations to make big $$$
~~~You really want to make money? You know what you need to do. Sell supplies, selling/marketing guides or tutorials. Seriously! That's what's selling.
Me? I'll just keep making beads and jewelry and let Karma take me where it may :P
Good luck! ~Jamie : )
1 comment:
This is very well written... and I have to agree with everything you say... which is why most of my beads end up in my jewellery and are sold through galleries....
Only thing that could be added is if you sell both online (& or craft sales) and through galleries make sure your prices are the same both places!
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