After reflecting on my business journey recently, I started to think of the time I spent hours researching everything I could get me hands on about selling on Etsy. I invested my time, money, and energy into being successful as an online seller. However, after 3 years of selling on Etsy, I’ve noticed that there a few things that people just don’t talk about when it comes to being a successful Etsy seller.
1. Your First Products Won’t Be Your Last
In fact, your first products are most likely going to suck.
When we first started Amma Rose Designs, we threw together photos for our planners and slapped them on Etsy. Let’s just say they were not the most quality and well thought out designs that properly showcased our planners (and hopefully they never resurface on the Internet ever again..yes, they are THAT embarrassing!).
All that to say, when you first get on Etsy, you’ll most likely be so excited to post a new listing that you’ll post just about anything…which is okay! Take those beginning moments to learn your brand, find your niche, and get in the groove of being a new Etsy seller!
It’ll take some time, but one day everything will just click for you!
2. Social Media is Not Important in the Beginning
Now, I know you can relate to this one.
Just about every article out there is screaming at you to get on social media right away and that it is the key to all of your success. And while they may be somewhat right about that, as a new Etsy seller you have more things to focus on! You have to worry about creating new products, taking eye-catching photos, cracking the SEO code, and so much more…there’s barely enough time to eat a meal, let alone post on social media.
Well, I’m here to put you at ease. While social media is a great marketing platform, it’s absolutely useless to you if you don’t have a fully stocked store, a well defined brand, and some social proof to back you up.
In the beginning, I did as every article said and got on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter (at the same dang time!) and was left feeling overwhelmed and didn’t put 100% into those social media accounts. Most of all, I wasn’t putting the energy needed into my Etsy shop to create new products and define my brand.
Being on social media was doing me more harm than good!
After realizing it just wasn’t going to work for me, I cut out everything except Pinterest. And I have to say that was the best business decision I’ve ever made. Right now, with over 17K followers on my Pinterest account, the traffic to our store is through the roof.
Why? Because we put all of our focus on one social media account – enough that we could handle – and we worked on building that account until we had a solid system down. The rest of our time and energy went into making the Etsy shop as good as it could possibly be.
Now that our Pinterest account basically runs itself, we’ve only just started to focus our attention on Instagram. We neglected Instagram for Pinterest, which reflects in the number of followers we have, but now we can put that needed energy into it to grow our following.
Psst! Want to help us build? Follow us on Instagram!
My point is: take those precious moments in the beginning to focus on building your Etsy shop, and when you’re ready, take on one social media account at a time.
Related Post: How to Double the Traffic to Your Printable Planner Etsy Shop
3. Success Doesn’t Come Overnight
I see people promising 6-figure incomes in the short time frame of a few months way too many times on the internet. I cringe every time I see it in fear that people will actually expect those numbers in such a short amount of time and quit when they don’t reach it.
To be clear, yes some people make those numbers in a short amount of time, but it is NOT the norm. In fact, what is the norm is people starting online businesses and not making money for years.
I believe it’s good to create concrete goals that make you push yourself farther than you think you can handle, but I also don’t want people setting unrealistic expectations on themselves!
I’ve seen more people quit because they didn’t met a certain dollar amount more than I can count and I don’t want that to be you!
Take some time this week to analyze the goals you’ve created for yourself. I encourage you to have one long-term goal, which I often define as the “shoot for the stars” goal, but don’t put a time limit on it! You deserve more than rushing your success.
Create more short-term and mid-term goals that are putting you in the position to slowly work towards your long-term goal.
Related Post: Beyond S.M.A.R.T.: Goal Setting for Online Sellers
Are there some lessons you’ve learned since starting your Etsy shop or things you’ve noticed that no one ever talks about? Do me a favor, and comment down below and let me know!
Thank you so much for #2, Kayla!
I always wonder how people manage to keep their shop updated while blogging and posting on Instagram and Pinterest and Facebook and, and, and.
Is there a secret to sqeeze more hours into a day? Mine has only 24 and sometimes I simply need to sleep and do other chores.
Reading that Social Media isn’t THAT important – or at least a little bit less important than the shop – really is a huge relief. It shows that I’m not doing anything wrong, because others, like you, also struggled with “time management” in the beginning.
Thank you again! This article really made my day. 🙂
Thank you so much for your comment, Ella! I’m so glad I was able to touch you in such a positive light, especially when it comes to socia media. I can’t wait to see what you accomplish!