The Pursuit Of Etsyness

Struggling Jewelry Artisans Read Here- These Ladies Rocked My World!

noreply@blogger.com (Jewels of Saraswati) — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 20:46:00 +0000

For those following their dreams and working hard to sell their jewelry it can be full of struggle, joy, doubt, fear, wonder, and many challenges.

I felt I needed to share this with those who feel like they don't have a community, aren't making enough profit for themselves, or don't know what the next step is for them and their jewelry endeavors.

Just breathe..... I want to tell you about Flourish and Thrive Academy. These have been the most inspiring ladies that I have had the pleasure of working with.

The whole mala making and jewelry thing just seemed to blossom organically for me. Only until recently did this become something real and tangible....something that made my heart thump when I thought about all I could do. Something that allowed me to be artistic and authentic and create a profit.

But I realized I needed help. I was stuck swimming in my own set of limitations. I was so full of joy as I created, but I wanted to create something that would sustain me and my family. I wanted to move forward and to focus on what truly brought me happiness, to simplify and streamline, to have a supportive community where I could be open about my struggles and ask questions but I had no idea how or where to get this or even if it existed.

This is where Flourish and Thrive Academy came in. Tracy and Robin helped me in so many areas, including areas outside my business. (And the fact that they were both serious Yoginis made it clear that I needed to hear their message!)

I signed up for their free trainings (I never signed up for any trainings before) and listened in on their free calls. From the very first email I was hooked. Being a native New Yorker I have to admit I am skeptical about these things. But once I heard how genuine these women were, how much knowledge they had to share about their own business and how eager they were to truly put all that good energy out there and create a community, it felt like everything came together for me. So much that I signed up to be an affiliate. Something I never thought I would be doing at any point in my life. But man, these ladies truly rocked my world. I can't say enough about how generous and knowledgeable they are. Good karma is swirling around these women!

They showed me how to optimize my site, connect more with my clients, and create amazing newsletters. I learned how to create collections that would sell and stay true to my art and my vision. They also demystified pricing for me (a real biggie for me personally!) and helped me focus and identify my dream client to create abundance and more sales. There were videos, worksheets, 2 hour calls each week and an awesome online community that supported me and helped me through my struggles.

This isn't an overnight thing. But since taking their course two months ago I have launched brand new collections in higher price ranges. My most expensive pieces have sold already and I have more newsletter sign ups each week than I have had in months. I feel like I am being even truer to my voice and my passions. My income is steadily increasing and I am feel so much smarter about how I am conducting my business. And I am not scared of calling it a business! I have also begun the amazing journey of casting my pieces for mass production, something I had no clue about before. I would never have tried this without their support. I am literally jumping out of my skin with excitement when I think about my new projects, and I feel really confident about how to promote them and get noticed.

You can easily sign up for their free trainings by clicking below. Some serious knowledge and love will be sent to your inbox. And after getting the free trainings do come back and tell me what you thought of them!

They have inspired and helped me in so many ways, I hope they do the same for you!

Love and Light,
Lauren

The Difference Between Customer Service and Mail Fraud ~ Important Tips from Leal

noreply@blogger.com (Jewels of Saraswati) — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 15:11:00 +0000

Many of us who sell on Etsy have had this experience, and I think it's something that should be addressed so that those that are new to the world of Etsy and selling have a reference.

When you sell Internationally, as many of us do, you occasionally run across the odd customer who wants you to help them circumvent their customs fees by marking "gift" on the customs forms or by claiming the item's value as less than the purchaser's paid price.

This seems harmless, and because most of us are focused on providing exemplary customer service, you might even feel tempted to agree to this request. But, you might want to re-consider this decision because, contrary to your first instinct, this is not good customer service.

It's mail fraud.

Mail fraud of this type may seem harmless, but it's a felony. It carries a sentence of up to five years in prison and/or fines of up to $250,000.

Are you willing to go to federal prison for a sale?

One way to ensure your customers are aware you're not willing to participate in this is to add a note into your shop policies under your Shipping information. If you've had a request or two like this, or are concerned about getting these kind of requests, I encourage you to do this.

Here is an example from our shop - "INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING shipping is available at reasonable rates that are listed at the bottom of each item description. Please note that we are not responsible for any VAT/Customs fees that may be related to to your order nor will we help you in illegally circumventing these fees if they are applicable to you. Falsifying customs declarations or having an item marked as "gift" in order to avoid customs fees is classified as Mail Fraud and is a felony."

Although good customer service is everything in any type of business, please remember that stepping over the line from good customer service into fraud or illegal action is often a line that the unscrupulous can try to blur.

Be careful out there!

- Leal

This article was written by Leal Kim, a 21 year old full time college student and artisan that makes handcrafted jewelry and accessories. Coconspirator of Bits n' Beads by Gilliauna on Etsy ( http://www.etsy.com/shop/gilliauna ) and proud member of the Queer Etsy Street Team ( http://www.etsy.com/shop/queeretsystreetteam ).

Google Analytics For Your Etsy Shop by Leal

noreply@blogger.com (Jewels of Saraswati) — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 19:30:00 +0000

Google Analytics, if you haven't heard of it, is an excellent tool whenever you have a website or blog that you're trying to grow a following on. It provides a great deal of information about your visitors including what times of day are your busiest times, how people come to find your site and much more. It's well worth the time it takes to install it on your site and learn the ropes of using this terrific, free service provided by Google.

For many, installing this tool on your site is confusing. Especially so when you're working with a site that has it's own templates like Blogger/Blogspot.

I hope this will help you understand the process. Once you have it down, you can then adapt the process to get "GA" (Google Analytics) installed on nearly any online page or site you have.

First, if you don't have an account, now's the time to sign up for one. You can do that here...

Go into your Google Analytics account.

From there, look on the right hand side. There should be a link that says " + Add New Profile " Click it. The page that comes up will be titled "Create New Website Profile"

On that page select "Add a Profile for a new domain" Then, put your blog's address in the box where it asks "Please provide the URL of the site you would like to track." ( example: Ours is http://gilliauna.blogspot.com )

Click "Finish"

The next page that comes up is titled "Tracking Code". Scroll down and under "What are you tracking?" Select... A single domain (default)

To the right of that, there's a window with some code in it. Copy this code and then open your blog in a separate window. Make sure you're logged into your blog if you aren't already.

Go to your blog's dashboard (there should be a link at the top of the page that takes you there). From the dashboard, choose the link named "layout".

In the "Page Elements" tab, choose "add a gadget".

In the pop-up window that comes up, click the + button on the gadget entitled "HTML/JavaScript". It will open a box that asks for a title and content. Leave the title blank. Paste the code from Google Analytics into the "content" box then click Save.

Go back to the Google Analytics page you got the code from and click the "Save" button at the bottom.

It will take approx 24 hours (possibly 48 if they're bogged down) for the GA to start reading your site. Once it does, when you open your GA account, your blog will be listed and it will have a green checkmark under "status".

From there, you can click on "View Profile" to explore your site's statistics to your heart's content.

This article was written by Leal Kim, a 21 year old full time college student and artisan that makes handcrafted jewelry and accessories. Coconspirator of Bits n' Beads by Gilliauna on Etsy ( http://www.etsy.com/shop/gilliauna ) and proud member of the Queer Etsy Street Team ( http://www.etsy.com/shop/queeretsystreetteam ).

Organizing A Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Jewels of Saraswati) — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 14:55:00 +0000

I have to say organizing a giveaway is one of my favorite things to do! The excitement of running a giveaway can be contagious!

If you are new to giveaways here are a few basic tips to get the wheels turning.....

First, what kind of giveaway do you want to have? Will it be through your blog, your Myspace, Facebook, or Twitter? There are so many ways to do it! Although it is not imperative that you use social media, these are by far the easiest and the most successful platforms. If people are following and interacting with you already, they will surely want to be a part of your giveaway!

Choose an item (or two!) you think many people would enjoy receiving and spend time on creating quality photos of it.

Some ideas if you want to work through your blog:

Your blog is great place to make your official announcement, reveal your start/end date and explain the rules to participate.

You will need to decide how they will participate. One suggestion would be to have them follow your blog to enter, or leave a comment on the post. A really fun interactive way to do it is to have a theme. For example, say you are having a Valentines Day giveaway. Have participants tell you how they fell in love with their significant other in their comment to enter. This way your followers get involved and enjoy being part of the process!

Don't forget to post numerous lovely photos of the giveaway item and explain what makes it so special! If you can make more than one of the same item, post one for sale in your shop as well, and offer a discount during the giveaway period.

Don't have a blog of your own? Head to the forums and search for a blog looking to sponsor a giveaway. They sponsor it, promote it etc. and you are responsible for mailing the item. You can even post a thread in forum saying you are looking for a blog that will do this. It is great promotion for both parties!

Some ideas if you want to do a giveaway on twitter:

If you use twitter you have less space to explain the rules, so don't make too many!

One way to do it would be asking your followers to retweet a given text to win. For example, "Win this http://link_to_item, 500 to RT wins!"

You need to be careful and specify one RT per hour or other limitation. It is also some work to count them up in the end!

Some ideas if you want to do a giveaway on your facebook page:

You can ask your fans to post something on your wall to enter. Their favorite item from your shop, their favorite color, a story, just about anything. There is room to get quite creative!

Another idea that works well is simply tell all of your facebook (or blog) followers that they are automatically entered if they are following you. It is a great way to show your appreciation for their support and no one has to do a thing!

Other tips:

To be fair, use a random number generator to choose your winner or have a friend/family member pick the winners name from a hat.

Remind participants to leave a way for you to contact them if they win.

Once you have winner, contact and congratulate them and don't forget to ask for their mailing address. Assure them their info will not be used for any other purpose.

Have a deadline for them to respond if they do win.

Include a discount code with the giveaway item. They may want to share with friends or be encouraged to visit your shop and make a purchase!

With so many options, it is really up to you to find the best strategy for your giveaway. It all depends on what you feel is beneficial for your shop and your customers. Do you do it for the love of it and enjoy interaction with your fans and followers? Do you want to boost your twitter and blog following? Need more facebook fans? Just get excited at giving stuff away? It is all up to you!

Once you have it all figured out, promote it! Get into the forums, blog about it, tweet about it, post in on your fanpage, tell your friends or mention it in your newsletter/mailing list if you have one.

Have fun and enjoy the ride! You will be surprised at how excited your fans will get when they have chance at winning a free item from your shop!

Screen Shots! - Quick Tutorial

noreply@blogger.com (Jewels of Saraswati) — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 14:14:00 +0000

Even wonder how some sellers make a screen shot of their awesome treasuries? Or a section of a blog that they have been featured on?

Wonder no more!

On a Mac:

If you want to capture your entire screen- hold the command key (little apple) + shift + 3. It will be automatically saved to your desktop.

If you want to capture a portion of your screen- hold the command key + shift + 4. A little icon that looks like a target will appear. Click and drag the area you want a snapshot of. In both cases, the snapshot will appear on your desktop as a png file.

On a PC:

Use the [PrtScn] button on your keyboard then open an editing program and paste it in!

Use the crop tool to select the portion that you want.

That's it!!

Q&A with Valorie - Tax Basics For Your Shop!

noreply@blogger.com (Jewels of Saraswati) — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 16:45:00 +0000

Valorie, our resident tax specialist here on the blog, has offered some more great answers to very common questions sellers may have about filing with the IRS........just breathe and read further.

Gimme a Hug Necklace

Q. I just started selling in June and didn't make $400. Do I need to file?

Ok, this one I researched because I really wanted to see the answer. I have seen other websites and advice, forums etc mentioning a $600 filing requirement. There is no minimum requirement if you own a business. I think they confuse the magic number there with the 1099 issuing requirements (that’s a whole other ball of wax. Just because you don’t receive a 1099, it does not mean you don’t have to declare the money.)

According to IRS Publication 334, Chapter 5, “You must report on your tax return all income you receive from your business unless it is excluded by law. In most cases, your business income will be in the form of cash, checks, and credit card charges. But business income can be in other forms, such as property or services.”

I researched the databases I had access to and found no answer so I am assuming that you must indeed report all of it, even if it is just a little bit. However, by claiming the income, you also get to claim any expenses you had. If your expenses were more, then your business loss would be deductible from your income so it isn’t a bad thing! Just remember that your business needs to make a profit at least three out of the last five years or the IRS can rule it a hobby (this limits your expense deductions dramatically.)

Q. What else do I need to run my shop legally? I don't need and EIN- no employees, yes?

A. If you don’t have employees, you don’t need an EIN. You can get one easily online if you choose to. Some prefer to put an EIN on documents versus your social security number. Realistically, unless you have an LLC, Corporation or Partnership, your business return is filed with your personal one so it doesn’t matter if your SSN is used.

Q. If/when I file? Do I file under self-employed? Or is there another way I should be doing this? What next?!

A. Your sole proprietorship tax return (Schedule C or C-EZ) is due the same time your personal tax return is due: April 15. Your business return is part of your personal return and it all goes together to the IRS. Most Etsy jewelry makers will have to file the C because the C-EZ is not for use by those who have inventories, business losses, expenses over $5000, or business use of home deductions.

Q. Do I need to register? Get a license or is that only state?

A. You do not need to register with the government as a business for federal tax purposes unless you are an entity other than a simple sole proprietorship (corporations, etc.). You can register with your state Department of Revenue to file and pay sales taxes (all of which can be done online). You can also obtain an occupational license if your city requires one. Seriously, they are usually under $20 and worth it to just go get one for peace of mind.

*Please keep in mind that this blog is just to advise you that you should think about it before you act. Your best course of action is always to consult your tax advisor or accountant. I really hope this helps!

Waiting for Your Next Sale? Don't!

noreply@blogger.com (Jewels of Saraswati) — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 21:39:00 +0000

It is a helpless feeling.....putting all your love into creating and posting your items, only to find slow traffic to your shop, low views and no sales. But don't pout! Turn a negative into a positive!

Now is the time to get creative and revamp your shop!

Flowy Silverwire Watch Brooche

Photos

Have photos that don't seem to fit? Blurry? Dark? Now is the time to retake and experiment with new backgrounds and lighting! Even just adjusting them a little more in photo editing software can give it that something extra to encourage more views.

Maybe your photos aren't so hot to begin with? This does take a lot of time and practice, but with so many blogs dedicated to offering photo tips (including this one!), you can't go wrong! Try researching more in the forums on how to improve them. The better your photos, the more views you are likely to have.

Keep your shop looking fresh by arranging it every so often and featuring different items.

If you have an item that seems to get low views, try switching the photo with another one in your set of five. This can sometimes work magic!

Head to the forums for some critiques. Etsians are kind and will really help you!

Text

Why not try expanding on your descriptions? What makes the item special? Have you described the color, texture, size sufficiently? Who could use the item? Is there a story behind why you created it?

What about rechecking the spelling of your listings and shop announcement? Typos make your shop look less professional and are so easy to fix!

Are your policies clear? Maybe there is something else you would like to add to help your customer understand the checkout process?

Always keep your shop announcement current. There is nothing worse than a sale announcement for last month there!

Avatars and Banners

Try changing your avatar every so often. Choose your best photos of items that really stand out. You never know when a seller in the forums will get tempted to click!

What does your banner say about your shop? Are you using crisp photos and clear text? There is a great article on how to create your own banner on Etsy. But if you don't have the time or the graphic design skills, don't worry. There are shops that sell branding packages with banners, avatars, and business cards rolled into one! Just do a search on Etsy!

Free Exposure

Try submitting your work to sites like IndieSpotting, Craftgawker, Flickr......this list goes on!!!

Search the forums for blogs looking to feature shops.

Have a Blog? Host a giveaway! Tweet about it, tell your friends, post a promo thread in the forums!

And I am sure you know all about social networking on Facebook. Myspace, and Twitter!

But most importantly......keep crafting! Keep adding new items to your shop and enjoying what you love to do!!

*What do you do while you wait for your next sale?

Sold! Now What? - A Quick Walkthrough of an Etsy Sale

noreply@blogger.com (Jewels of Saraswati) — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 22:52:00 +0000

Your first sale on Etsy can be downright thrilling! It can also be bewildering...... Now that you have made your very first sale. What next?

Hopefully you have purchased on Etsy before. Knowing the process can be extremely useful to you as a seller so if you haven't yet, get going!

This is just a little post with very basic step by step guidelines on the selling process and is by no means definitive. Every seller has their own unique style when working with customers, shipping items etc. This article will hopefully give you a very basic place to start. Seasoned sellers- I hope you will chime in on your process too!

How do I know I even made a sale?

Oddly enough, there is no "you made a sale!" announcement when you are signed into Etsy. (You will notice, however, when you log in after you made a sale, you will be asked for feedback.) The main indicator that you have made a sale will be an email from Etsy and an email from Paypal. Etsy tells you that you have an order and paypal notifies you of your payment from that order.

After you do your happy dance:

Contact Your Buyer

To me, this is the most important step of the process. Many sellers do not, but I think is a great thing to do and it only takes a moment! First, you are letting the buyer know that you have received their order. Second, by addressing them personally, you are showing them that their support of your shop (and of handmade) is appreciated!

When signed into Etsy, head to "Your Etsy" and scroll down to "Sold(Orders)" on the left. Find the purchase and click on "View Receipt". Bask in your glory for the moment, then click on the buyer's profile and click contact if you would like to convo them on Etsy. Keep it brief. Thank them for their purchase and let them know when/how it will ship. If you want to email them directly, you can get that info from your Etsy receipt in your email inbox.

Print a receipt

Next, go to the printer friendly version of the receipt and print one to include when you ship the item. You may also print a receipt through paypal as well. (If you wish to print a receipt through paypal, you will need to sign into your paypal account first and click details there.)

Ship it!

Pack your item carefully for shipping, double check the shipping address to see if paypal and Etsy match, and get yourself to the P.O.! (If the shipping addresses don't match, it is always a good idea to contact the buyer for clarification).

Feedback

Immediately after your sale you can leave feedback for the buyer. Some sellers leave feedback right away with a thank you etc.. Others will wait until they are assured the customer receives the item and is satisfied. It is entirely up to you when you leave feedback.

So that's it in a tiny nutshell! Happy sales!!

Twitter Basics ~ Tweet Your Heart Out!

noreply@blogger.com (Jewels of Saraswati) — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 01:15:00 +0000

The social networking world can be confusing, even overwhelming to many who have not used social networking sites before. With so many choices, it is hard to decide which one to use to make connections and talk about your craft. Twitter is a great place to start!

What is Twitter anyway?

Twitter is a fast paced networking tool that can really spread the word about you, your love of your craft, and what's new in your Etsy shop simply by answering the question "What's happening?". Twitter offers the opportunity for "micro-blogging" with a short status update of what is going on at the present moment. Each user gets a profile, where all your tweets are shown. You follow other tweeters to see their tweets and vice versa.

Some Basics:

Status

Answer "What's happening?" as often as you like. However, you only have 140 characters to do it! There are several ways around this limit by using common abbreviations and shortening long urls. (Several sites that can help you shorten long urls are www.tinyurl.com and http://bit.ly.)

Replies

If you see a tweeter asking a question or want to comment on a tweet, click the reply button below their tweet. This will automatically put the user name in your status bar (@userwhomever). Whatever you write in your status will be then posted to your profile for all to see as well as the intended user.

Mentions

Wondering if anyone answered the question you just tweeted? Look to the right column. There you will find your username just under "home". By clicking your user name you will see all who replied to or mentioned you in their tweets. It is always nice thank some one for retweeting something and even better to return the favor and spread some love!

Direct Message (DM)

If you want to respond to a tweeter without it being posted to your profile, you can direct message a user. Think of this as a mini email- your followers will not be able to see this message. DMs are also limited to 140 characters so keep it brief!

Retweets (RT)

Want to share another tweeters tweets with your own followers? Just click the retweet button below their tweet to retweet their message. This will automatically mention the user and post it your profile.

Following

Following a user means you will see their status updates on your "home" page each time they update and those who choose to follow you will also be able to see your updates. There are many ways to find people of interest to follow. You can use the search bar in the right column for keywords and/or hashtags. Hashtags (#) make it easy to search twitter for specific topics and to tag your own tweets so they appear in searches. For instance, if you found a handmade item that you love on etsy (a common occurence!) then you might tweet- "Just found an awesome #handmade felt dog on #Etsy!" The next time some one searches "handmade" or "Etsy", your tweet will appear in that search.

You may also use a third party application or other websites to find tweeters to follow. There are many out there and more being added quite frequently. Some sites also allow you to bulk follow and unfollow. Just be careful as twitter sets limits for you on how many people you my follow. Once you follow 2,000 tweeters you need to have at least 2,000 followers in order to follow more.

Try these sites for starters:
http://twitseeker.com
http://www.twellow.com
http://wefollow.com
http://www.tweepz.com

If you have reached your limit you can choose to use a site like http://huitter.com/mutuality2 to bulk unfollow. This site allows you to bulk unfollow those who are bots (not real people!), spammy, haven't used their accounts in a while or are not following you back. Sounds a little childish, not following those who don't follow back, but in the twitter world there is not much loyalty in that sense. Don't take it personally! You are not obligated to follow all you follow you. Find people of similar interests and who you will enjoying chatting and making friends with!

Using Twitter:

I have made sales on twitter, and love to share what is going on in my shop. However, there is a line between posting links to your shop occassionally and being spammy. Twitter is fast paced, but only posting links to new items every few seconds won't be helpful to you or your shop. I have made some wonderful friends and connections there and enjoy promoting other shops, retweeting items that I like myself, offering inspirational quotes or silly things that happened during the day. To me twitter is about making friends and showing people what I am up to. If you use twitter only to promote your shop, you may find yourself being unfollowed for it. Keep it real and you will find yourself making some really great friends! :)

And if you want to tweet along with me join me @Saraswatijewels. Happy tweeting!!!

Forum Decorum, Or How To Get the Most from the Etsy Community by Laura of MAB Jewelry

noreply@blogger.com (Jewels of Saraswati) — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 22:49:00 +0000

The Etsy Forums can be found under the community tab on the main etsy menu. They offer a fantastic place to mingle and interact with other etsians, ask questions, get tips from pros, promote your shop, and just hang out and socialize. I’ve learned so much while grazing the Forums, and had a great deal of fun along the way. However, etsy does have a set of rules concerning posting in the Forums. Many of them are common sense, but a few can be a bit tricky when you’re new.

The Forums are divided into eleven sections:

Announcements, usually from Etsy admin on updates or problems with the site

Site help, a great place for advice on any questions you have about setting up shop, listing and selling

Business topics, discussion about running your small business, ideas, tips, etc.

CPSIA, discussion on the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act

Critiques, giving and receiving criticism and praise about yours and others’ shops

Techniques & Materials, talk about your art and what you use to make your art

Teams & Events, sections for etsy street teams and events

Ideas, have an idea that might improve etsy? Bring it up here!

Bugs, report a strange occurrence or error, and see if others are experiencing the same problem

Promotion, a great place to promote your shop, sales, listings or find something you’re looking for

Etc., the water cooler of etsy where you can socialize with a wonderful mix of people

As for the Dos and Don’ts:

Common sense: Etsy is basically your workplace. Don’t say anything that you wouldn’t say out loud in front of people in a work environment. There is no room for meanness, insults, harassment or general nastiness. These are real people you’re talking with. There’s no reason to intentionally say something hurtful. You have a bit more leeway in the Etc. section, and can play and debate a little more. But always remember that buyers can also access the Forums. Nothing you say is invisible. Everything you say becomes permanent record.

Calling out: Never reference or name a specific shop, listing or transaction. This includes sales, purchases, feedback and convos. If you have a problem with a listing or shop, flag it for etsy administration. If you have a problem with a buyer or seller, including feedback, convos or emails, contact support@etsy.com or abuse@etsy.com. Imagine if someone had a problem with you or your shop and started a thread discussing it for all to see?

You have to be eighteen to use Etsy’s Forums.

You cannot ask for charitable donations or link to a commercial website off of etsy, including auctions or other online sales sites.

Don’t create a fake or sock puppet account just to say something in the Forums. If you don’t want the comment attached to your name, then you probably shouldn’t say it.

Don’t promote a listing for your shop in a Forum thread that has nothing to do with promoting. Nothing turns people off faster than uncalled for spam, and a lot of sellers in those threads are also potential buyers.

If you start a thread, try and put it in the right section.

Now, go forth and communicate with this great bunch of people. There’s a lot of knowledge and fun to be had!
Click here for etsy’s official site dos and don’ts.

----------------------------

This post was by Laura from MAB Jewelry. She really hit all the essentials when it comes to the forums! Thanks Laura for your awesome input! You can check out Laura's lovely shop here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/MABjewelry

And please don't forget to search the forums for any topic before you post! More often that not some one has had a similar question! You might even find the answer right away without needing to post your own! :)

-Lauren

Tag You're It! - Maximize Your Tag Potential

noreply@blogger.com (Jewels of Saraswati) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 02:12:00 +0000

I have been seeing a lot of tag related questions lately and thought this would be a great topic to address, especially during the busy holiday season! Because we want our shops exactly that, busy!

Tagging does seem to be an elusive art but with a little thought and creativity it can be one of the most useful tools for driving traffic to your shop! I have compiled a few tips that you may find helpful when you are tagging your items on Etsy.

After you have tagged your items appropriately in the main categories and subcategories, you can move on to the more descriptive tagging. Some tips to consider.....

Be Honest- (Not only important in life but essential in tagging too!) Tag your items as relevantly as you can. Customers are looking for an item specific to their search and can be easily frustrated with mistagged items. If they are looking for a sweater and find your jewelry tagged as such, they are no more inclined to look at your shop. This is also against Etsy policy. :( Not clear on etsy policy? Check in here under "tagging".

Make sure to use ALL the 14 tags! - Each tag is a little path to your shop so don't waste them! The more tags, the greater the chance people will see your shop and the items you offer.

Get creative! - Etsy has some awesome suggestions on tagging. Read that here to get the juices flowing. Go ahead and use the thesaurus if you run out of ideas, just don't leave a tag blank!

How would you search?- Think about how you would search for an item like yours. What keywords would you use to locate an item?

To start try:

Using Descriptive Colors - bright red, aqua, beige, mauve, maroon, chartreuse, forest green, brown

Using Temperature- hot, cool, fiery, warm, frosty, cold

Using Texture- velvety, soft, feathery, rough, silky, luminous, cloudy, clear

Using Moods- dreary, lonely, happy, fierce, bold, dark, humorous

Using Styles- bohemian, goth, edwardian, mod, hipster, elegant, chic, etc.......!

You can even use your shop name in there or special promotion you might be having (BOGO, Free gift, etc.) The choices are limitless!

Still need more ideas?- Check out www.craftweasel.com. Craftweasel's Tagfinder a great tool to help you tag your items, generate graphs of popular tags, item views and more!

The added perk of descriptive tags is that is greatly enhances your chance of landing treasuries too! Sellers often search for a cohesive style, color, or mood for treasuries. So tag, your it!

How to handle a non-paying Paypal buyer by Laura of MAB Jewelry

noreply@blogger.com (Jewels of Saraswati) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 03:02:00 +0000

Sooner or later, when selling on etsy, you’re probably going to encounter a Paypal buyer who does not pay. There are several reasons for this:

They may be new to the etsy site, and not understand the Paypal paying procedure.
They may have committed to buy without knowing that they have purchased something and are required to pay for it.
They may have changed their mind after committing to buy.
They may even just forget to complete the transaction.

It’s best to have a statement in your shop policies clearly stating how long you will wait for payment. Mine says three days, but I usually give them a week. Here is one way to handle this situation.

After something in your shop sells, always check the etsy invoice to make sure your item was paid for. If the box says, Pay now with Paypal, the buyer has not paid. Also, check your Paypal account. Occasionally, etsy has had glitches where the customer has paid, but the payment hasn’t registered in the etsy system, so it’s best to double check. Never ship an item until it has been paid for.

If your Paypal account shows no payment for the sale, convo the buyer. Say something like, “Thanks for ordering the widget from my etsy shop. I will ship this item as soon as your Paypal payment posts. It hasn’t posted yet. You can pay now by clicking the ‘Pay now with Paypal’ button on your receipt. Please let me know if you have any questions, or if I can be of any help. I appreciate your business.” Include a link to the etsy receipt for them.

Wait a day or so, and send another e-mail to their direct e-mail account. Their e-mail address is on your etsy receipt that you receive as an e-mail. Sometimes, buyers don’t check their etsy account convos, and they may not know there’s a problem until they receive a direct e-mail from you. You can use wording similar to the convo above. You can also send a Paypal invoice to them through Paypal.

If you still don’t hear back from your customer, wait another day or so, and send a final e-mail and convo, stating that you will have to cancel the sale if you don’t receive their payment by a specific date.

If you don’t receive payment by that date and the customer doesn’t answer your requests, you’ll have to cancel the sale. Relist the item, and leave feedback if you’d like to. I don’t leave negative feedback for non-paying buyers if I don’t hear back from them. I figure that they’ve either changed their minds or are new to etsy and haven’t figured out the process yet, and give them the benefit of the doubt. Many sellers choose to leave negative or neutral feedback for non-paying buyers. Feedback is entirely up to you. Then, choose the “Cancel a sale” option under items on the Your etsy screen and follow the directions there for a non-payment transaction. Your fees will be refunded for the listing and the sale.

Unfortunately, this is a lot of work for a non-sale, but buyers occasionally make mistakes, too. Etsy can be a confusing place when you’re new, and people sometimes have legitimate reasons for not paying. It’s always better to approach any customer politely and patiently. They will remember any positive experience, and will be more likely to shop etsy in the future if even a non-paying experience is a relatively good one. Plus, it happens to most of us eventually. Yes, it can be frustrating, but try your best to use tact and kindness. We have all made mistakes. Take care of the situation, and keep on keeping on!

About Laura:
I've only been selling my jewelry on etsy for six months, but I've tried to research the most pleasant and efficient way to do things. It has certainly been a wonderful learning experience, and etsians are always quick to help out whenever you encounter something puzzling. I've met a lot of wonderful people here, sellers and buyers.

Here's my shop link:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/MABjewelry

Your Tax and Business Questions Answered! Tax Time with Valorie

noreply@blogger.com (Jewels of Saraswati) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:16:00 +0000

Hi there! It's coming up soon: tax time! Some look forward to it, some dread it. I thought it would be a good time to mention something to make you think.

We all know that owning a business puts a stress on us at tax time. We search and scrounge for deductions because every little bit helps us, right? The more deductions we have, the better! For most of us, this is absolutely true! What I want to address is a common deduction that you may want to reconsider: the Business Use of Home Deduction.

* Business Use of Home: This deduction is calculated on the square footage of your home versus the square footage of your office. A percentage is used to decide which part of your mortgage, utilities, insurance, etc are a business expense. The office space is also depreciated. For most people, this results in a nice tax deduction. Deducting the cost of a home office is a great way to reduce your income and resulting tax liability but you may want to consider this: Once you claim your home office or studio as a business deduction, it in effect becomes business property.

It means nothing much for now in that it's just a room in your home that you use as an office or studio. However, if say, 5, 10, even 20 years from now, you decide to sell your home, that room comes into play. For one thing, when you claim it as a deduction on your taxes, your basis in the home is reduced by the amount you depreciated. Please keep in mind that once you claim the space as business space, it doesn't matter if you refuse to depreciate it. IRS codes provide that you use allowed or allowable depreciation to determine basis. Basically this means that if it was allowed to be depreciated but wasn't, you still deduct the amount you would have taken. This adds to the profit by the sale of your home. Normally this wouldn't matter much because the IRS lets you exclude most or all of your profit from sale of the home on your taxes.

However, part of the home is business property. Even if you haven't had business in ages, that small part of your home is still considered business property. This means you get to fill out the lovely form 4797, Sale of Business Property and a percentage of your selling price is not excludable income. You are in effect incurring a business gain. Ouch, right? It's not something you think about at tax time but you really should. This same problem occurs when claiming auto expense deductions and you depreciate your vehicle. You can talk to your tax advisor before making any decisions or refer to the IRS website, http://www.irs.gov for more information or IRS Publication 587, Business Use of your Home. Here are some links :

Info on Business Use of Home deduction: http://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc509.html

Form 4797 PDF: http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f4797.pdf

Reporting Capital Gains: http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=170634,00.html

Pub 544, Sales and other Dispositions of Assets: http://www.irs.gov/publications/p544/index.html

Please keep in mind that this blog is just to advise you that you should think about it before you act. Your best course of action is always to consult your tax advisor or accountant. I really hope this helps!

Valorie

Pimp Your Facebook Page! Your Guide To Customizing and Applications

noreply@blogger.com (Jewels of Saraswati) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:03:00 +0000

So now that you have finally created that Facebook account....what next? How do you make your page stand out as your own?

Many of your questions have inspired this little guide to some of the most used applications and ways to customize your Facebook page. Here are few which allow you to promote your shop on your business page and/or personal page with shop widgets, pictures, links and more!

Promoting Your Shop:

My Etsy - A great way to promote your shop. When you use this application you can create another tab in your profile just for your Etsy shop. When a fan clicks the tab, your shop is there with your Etsy banner, a wonderful gallery view and direct links to your shop. There is even a "share" button beneath each item in case they are inspired to share it on their own pages!

My Stuff - A neat application that allows you to post html codes (like your etsy mini), video, music players, images and more to your profile page.

Etsy Shop - This application is very much like an Etsy mini or widget that you can add to your personal page and/or your fanpage. It shows up on your profile page in the column to the left. You can set it up to display your shop items randomly or by the most recent addition. When someone clicks on an item it takes them directly to the item in your shop.

*To install applications you need to click "go to application" and click "allow." Very often you need to revisit the specific application page and click "add to page" for it to show up.

Linking Your Blog To Facebook:

Have a blog and want it to automatically post to your facebook wall? Try importing your blog through networked blogs. After installing this application your blog posts will automatically feed to your profile page of your choice. People can follow you, comment, and you don't need to take an extra step to link to your blog posts!

Linking Your Facebook to Twitter:

If you love social networking and also have a twitter account, linking your facebook to twitter is a great option to share all your Facebook posts with your twitter fans. Each time you publish anything to your wall, a photo album update, a link, or a new status, it will automatically feed to your twitter. If your post is too long for twitter it will abbreviate it and add a link!

These are just a few of the useful applications you can find for your facebook page. So explore, promote and have fun!

How To Create A Facebook Fanpage For Your Etsy Shop

noreply@blogger.com (Jewels of Saraswati) — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 17:26:00 +0000

Putting off making a facebok fanpage? Or just finding facebook hard to navigate and can't figure out how to get your fanpage started?

Here is a quick tutorial to get you on your way!

The main confusion on facebook has been the business page vs. personal page. A fanpage for your business is completely separate from your personal page, although you can access both from one account.

Let's start at the very beginning.

Don't have a facebook account yet? Go to www.facebook.com and click "sign up" to create one. Follow directions from there to create your personal account, then check back here and follow the rest of this list.

If you already have a personal facebook page go to www.facebook.com without signing in. On the main page you will see "create a page for your band or business." Click!

Enter how you wish your shop to be categorized and make sure your page name is your Etsy shop name. Click "create page" and get going!

Now you can to fill in all of your info about your shop, your website links, upload photos of your items and much more!

Once your page is set up you will want to get yourself some fans by clicking on the "suggest to friends" link to your left under your avatar photo. (See below)

There you go! Good luck with your new page!

One more quick tip. Once you navigate away from your fanpage it can be hard to find again! Just look to the very bottom left of your personal page and click on the little blue icon to the right of "applications" (pages tab). There it is!

Join me for future posts about facebook and Etsy applications, importing your blog and linking your facebook page to twitter! Make sure to write me on facebook so I can fan your page!!

Treasury 101! Snatch your own!

noreply@blogger.com (Jewels of Saraswati) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 02:34:00 +0000

Are you finding the treasury to be an elusive torment? New to Etsy and not even sure what a treasury is? You are in the right place!

What is a treasury?

A treasury is a temporary gallery of items curated by Etsy sellers. Items are often chosen with a theme, color, or emotion in mind. You can enter the treasury section through Etsy's front page under "explore."

How do I get one?

Here is treasury 101 for those who want to snatch a treasury for themselves. You are going to love the rush when you get one!

1. Go to www.craftopolis.com and click on the "treasury clock." This is an awesome site where you can see how much time is left before a treasury opens. After a treasury is created, it expires in 2 days. To land a treasury yourself, you need to wait until the number of treasuries is below 333.

2. You might see that a treasury won't open for hours, or a even day on the treasury clock. So check back near the time the next opening is scheduled.

3. In the meantime, have fun preparing your item gallery on Poster Sketch, a useful tool that allows you to enter items just like the treasury! (Just bookmark the link and all your items are automatically saved when you come back to it.)

4. Come up with an interesting theme, favorite color, food, song, anything! Then search on Etsy to find items that compliment it. Once you find an item you like, find the listing number of the item (under stats) and copy and paste it into poster sketch. Rinse, repeat!

5. When you near the time the next treasury is to open, head back to Craftopolis and check the clock. (Have your poster sketch ready in another window.) Once the needle is in the red zone it is time to click on it. This takes you directly to the treasury list.

6. Now here is the important part.....don't refresh the page! Can you see when the lists expire? It will most likely be a matter of minutes. Your page automatically refreshes and you can loose your chance when you refresh. So hang out and wait patiently, it is worth it! Scroll down to the bottom of the page where is says "the treasury is full."

This is where the magic happens when the treasury opens so keep your eyes on it. As soon as a treasury has opened, it will prompt you for your title. I like to have my treasury title copied already so when it opens up I can just paste it in and go! Copy and paste your poster sketch listings in the treasury and there you have it!

Good luck and have fun. A word of warning- treasury highs can be addicting!

Now it is time to show it off in the forums once it is done. Do a forum search for "treasury" and share yours with others. And don't forget to take some time out to comment and look at other treasuries!

Your Tax and Business Questions Answered! Q&A with Valorie

noreply@blogger.com (Jewels of Saraswati) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:55:00 +0000

I am so excited to have Valorie Clifton as guest blogger today! She will be answering your tax and business questions on occasional posts in this blog. The first question today is.......

Q. What is a tax ID?

A. A state tax ID number is issued by your state's Department of Revenue when you register for sales tax and use returns. You should check with your state for specific rules since each state has their own requirements. This tax ID number identifies you to your state as a business. Registration is simple and free and can be done online. Your Department of State website will have their state specific rules concerning sales tax returns. Most small businesses online will use a quarterly format. This tax ID number comes on a certificate (my state has orange certificates) and you can photocopy them for use!! Keep the original in a safe place at home.

Let me explain: if you go to a retailer --let's say... Hobby Lobby for jewelers-- and present this signed tax certificate copy to their customer service desk, they register you in their little tax free book as a business. Sometimes they give you a little card with numbers on it. Now, each time you purchase a component- an item that is used in your jewelry such as beads, clasps, wire, etc- you can purchase them sales tax free. You can purchase supplies that are made for resale tax free because the state figures they will recoup the tax on your finished product. Consumables are not eligible for the tax free treatment. (ie flux for welders or consumable supplies that aren't in the finished product.). Neither are office supplies. Don't abuse the system or they will fine you! This means you can't use the certificate for personal use items. If buying beads for yourself do not use it or you will have to repay the State. You do not have to tell the state on your return which items were purchased tax free as long as it is used for business purposes. Keep a record for yourself because if you convert your business use items to personal use and you bought them tax free, you will have to pay a use tax on them later. We may delve into use taxes in another blog. Stay tuned! :)

About Valorie:

My name is Valorie Clifton and I own Valorie Clifton's Artisan Originals, and I make jewelry and sell photographic prints in my Etsy shop. I also have an Artfire shop and my own website which needs updating. I work for a major national tax preparation company as a bookkeeper and as a tax preparer. I perform corporate, business, and personal tax services. I'm doing this blog independent of my employer.

My websites are:

http://artisanoriginals.webs.com,

http://elderarc.etsy.com,

http://artisanoriginals.artfire.com

Want to ask Valorie a question? Post it here!

Part 3 - Crop til' You Drop - Better Photos, Better Sales

noreply@blogger.com (Jewels of Saraswati) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 03:22:00 +0000

Welcome to part 3!

Now that we have the general technical stuff out of the way, let's talk composition. Although this part can be very subjective, here are a few things to think about when setting up your photos.

Props and Background:

If you do choose to use props go for something relevant, simple and not distracting. Your beautiful work should be the focus of the photo, not a noisy pattern or detailed environment.

You want the colors of your background to compliment the colors of your item. It was once suggested to me to consult the color wheel. If my item was one color, I was to find a color on the opposite end of the spectrum to contrast it. Honestly, after great trial and error, I have found solid white, black, or neutral colors work best for me! My motto: keep it simple!

Other random bits:
When photographing dark items I tend to put them on a white background and vice versa for light items. For jewelry, I like to put gold on a white background with a little higher EV setting and silver on black or gray background with a slightly lower EV setting.

Angles:

This is the part where you need to get creative! Get as close to your item as you can and experiment with how many different ways you can take your photo.

Etsy allows you to upload 5 photos. Use them! All the photos need to be different and show your product from various sides. Show the back, front, top, bottom and inside if there is one. If you use a prop, have one with a prop and one on its own. Remember, customers cannot touch and feel your item. They will need to do this with their eyes and it is up to you to give them some eye candy (and a true representation of your product)!

Ok it is time to use your photo editing software!

Cropping:

One of my secret weapons for great composition? Crop close. Really close. Yep that's it! It works very well for photos of small items. If you used your macro setting, there should be wonderful crisp detail, so the closer you crop the closer you "zoom" into it.

Just like you need to experiment with angles, experiment with your cropping. If you have a photo of your item in full, try cropping part of the item to create interest and show detail- similar what I have done with my Halo bracelet below.

Adjusting Your Photos Further (a few more tips!):

If you feel your photo is a little dark, go ahead and lighten it up bit with the "fill light/exposure" and "highlight" option. You can also add shadow to overexposed photos and play with the contrast to find the right balance. Just don't go too far or your photo will look unnatural! Once again, if you need to adjust the photo too much, it is better to take it again.

I always like to bring up the highlights for a brighter sheen. I would rather increase the highlights on a photo that is slightly underexposed than begin with an overexposed photo. Sometimes neither works and I am back to the drawing board!

To perfect your photos further, find the "sharpness" option in your software. I always sharpen just a little bit to get crisper edges to my photos.

Very often on Etsy the photos tend to look washed out when you upload them. Want those colors to really pop? After you adjust your photo and like what you see, head over to "saturation". Increase the saturation a little more than you think matches the true color. When you upload it to Etsy you will find that eye popping color you were looking for!

Taking product photos is an ongoing process for all of us, including myself! I am still constantly experimenting to find new ways to take my photos. However, I do hope this helps you help you understand the basic ways you can improve your photos. There will definitely be more on this topic in the future!

If you have questions you would like to be addressed in the blog feel free to comment and let me know. Thanks so much to all who have given me so much feedback already. Keep it coming!

And stick around for our next posts on promoting your items, landing a a treasury, and tax info from a special guest blogger!!!

Part 2 - Crop til' You Drop - Better Photos, Better Sales

noreply@blogger.com (Jewels of Saraswati) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:48:00 +0000

Part 2- Your Camera

Ah, if only it were that easy to just point and click!

This might be obvious to some, but checking out that nifty little book that comes with your camera can be a great resource to the settings and functions your camera has! :) Because I want to keep these tips simple, I will address the two functions that I feel are most important when I take my photos.

Focus:

For those taking photos of jewelry or other small items with detail, macro mode is essential! Macro mode allows you to take photos very close to the item and with extreme detail instead of just zooming in. I always use macro when I photograph my jewelry in order to capture tiny components and subtle textures that would otherwise be blurry in the normal setting.

To find macro mode on your camera go to the "menu" of your camera. (Consult nifty book.) Macro mode is generally easy to find and most often depicted by a flower symbol.

Macro mode replaces the need to zoom in. Zooming in addition to macro can make your photo too blurry. Remember, macro already allows you to get very very close to your object. Try photos at various distances to see what works for you. (It is ok if you are a little farther away but getting a nice photo. We can crop it closer later! )

EV or "exposure value" has to do with how much light goes into the camera lens. With this setting you can adjust the exposure before you take your photo.

You will see the letters EV or a -/+ symbol for this function on your camera. Before you shoot, you may notice that your object is brighter than you would like it. Adjust the EV lower (minus sign) to darken the photo. If you find you are taking pictures on a rainy day and the object seems too dark, adjust it upwards (plus sign) to allow more light.

This is definitely a function you will need to experiment with, but you will begin to see how much you need to adjust in certain situations. Remember it is digital so feel free take numerous photos!

One more tip before you shoot! When you turn your camera on do you see a little square in the middle of your screen? Gently hold down the shutter button halfway and note the color of the square now. If you press the button half way before you shoot, you give the camera time to adjust and the light will turn green. Press down fully to take your photo. If you are not in an optimal setting, the little square will be red to warn you. Lift your finger, adjust your distance or settings and try again. Isn't technology great?!

Join me in my next post where we get into the juicy details of cropping, aesthetics and how to edit your photos to get those colors to pop!

Crop til' You Drop - Better Photos, Better Sales - Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Jewels of Saraswati) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:31:00 +0000

I am sure you have heard this one before- Improve your photos and improve your sales!

As many of us are not photographers, we can often struggle with the best way to take product photos. Do I need expensive equipment? A light box? A tripod? How can I take photos that are crisper? Brighter? Should I adjust my photos? With what program?

I would like to share with you what works for me. My suggestions may not work for everyone, but I have been successful with these methods and I hope it will renew confidence to those working toward better photos. I am not a photographer and it took me some time to figure out what works best. Keep experimenting and don't give up!

So let's start from the very beginning. What you need and don't need!

Equipment:

No you do not need an expensive digital camera! I have seen many fabulous photos taken on inexpensive cameras. It is possible! I use a Casio Exilim and it works well for me. I experimented a lot with lighting and different settings to find the best combination for the photos I wanted.

Tripods can be useful but not essential. I have a table tripod that I use for some, not all photos. Remember, the steadier your camera is, the crisper the photo. I bought a little tripod for 9.99 online!

Props and elaborate setups can often be distracting in a photo. Keep the focus on your product and keep the background simple. One prop or a solid color paper that compliments your item tends to work best. Try buying a few large (neutral or white) colored papers to photograph your item on.

Lighting:

Many sellers like to use a lightbox. I believe it is especially convenient if you are in an area where you do not get a lot of natural light or cannot take your photos during the day. However, I love use natural light for my photography.

I like to take photos indoors next to a bright window before noon or in the afternoon. (You can take photos in the direct sunlight, however, they can often be harsh and over exposed.) I avoid the direct sunlight on the object by closing the shade a bit. Some of my brightest and crispest photos were taken in a "shady" setting then brightened a bit in photo editing software.

Photo editing software:

There are a bunch out there! Once again, you do not need to buy expensive software like photoshop to edit your photography. Most computers have their own software, and there are many you can download online like Picnik, Gimp, Picasa. I use Picasa as I find it simple and fun to use.

Just remember not to adjust your photos too much. If the photo needs a lot of adjustment, I recommend trying to photograph the item again.

We will get into the nitty gritty specifics on how to use your camera settings, adjust your photos, and use your editing software to make your photos pop all in my next post! So stay tuned!

Social networking......get fearless!

noreply@blogger.com (Jewels of Saraswati) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 05:08:00 +0000

I know many have fears, even aversions to social networking sites but they are wonderful tools to get your shop noticed, make some friends and spread the word about what you do! And the best part, it is free!!
If you are completely new to this, fear not. I will have a mini tutorial of facebook, twitter and blogging basics in the next few posts.

Let's start with a few sites....

Facebook: A social networking site that (to me) is terribly voyeuristic and fun to use! Post photos, update your status, let everyone see your every move! However, make sure to set up a business fanpage for your shop. This will be completely separate from your personal account and, for obvious reasons, is a good idea.

Twitter: Another great site for making friends and spreading the word! Short status updates on twitter are a form of micro-blogging. Let people know what your working on, post links to your items and chat it up with other artists and creators.

Blogging: Fun, therapeutic and a wonderful way to promote your work and keep people involved in your daily craft routine, your etsy adventures and present projects. Blog giveaways are great and one of my favorite things to do!

Social networking does take time and some initial effort to set up, but many will agree that it can really boost your presence and help get your shop known to people on an off Etsy. If you are overwhelmed at which one to choose, go for one that you feel comfortable with! There is no rule requiring you to join several sites (or even any at all!). Experiment with one you feel fits your style and put a little time into it each day.

Have limited time? Like it short and to the point? Tweet!

Really into posting pictures, your shop info, commenting on others work? Set up a facebook page.

Love to write? Have items that take you a long time to make and like to talk about the process? Blog about it! Feature some Etsy shops and spread the love!

I hope this gets you inspired to take the plunge. Stay tuned for future posts on setting yourself up on these sites and how to create a positive presence!

Welcome to The Pursuit Of Etsyness!

noreply@blogger.com (Jewels of Saraswati) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 03:18:00 +0000

Welcome dear Etsians to The Pursuit Of Etsyness!

As a constantly developing artist and etsian, I thought it would be a great idea to gather all that I have learned in my short time on Etsy on a blog filled with thoughts, tips, tutorials and features. So many wonderful Etsy artists have helped me along the way, and I hope to be able to do the same by posting my adventures as I navigate the world of Etsy!

Future post topics to include:
-How to set up your social networks for more exposure
-Facebook, twitter tutorials
-How to take eye catching photos
-Blog success
-Finding your niche

I hope you will join me and take the time to post your own tips and comments! Guest bloggers are most surely welcome! If you might have an interesting tutorial, suggestions on how to improve shop traffic, or other Etsy related advice please contact me at jewelsofsaraswati@gmail.com. I would love to hear from you!