"Why aren't my abandoned cart emails converting to sales?" So, this question popped up a few days ago in a small business boss group I'm in and I felt compelled to write about it.
Let's first address WHY people are adding products to their cart.
I know for myself, I like to "window shop". I like to go to websites, look at all the pretty things, add them to my cart {you know, just in case... for later} and I jump ship, because A.) I don't currently have the funds to purchase, B.) Don't NEED what I'm shopping for at the moment, or C.) I'm going to wait for a sale or discount (which is why having an email list is so important, so people can subscribe to your sales, etc. Read more about that HERE). You see, someone like me greatly appreciates those abandoned cart emails, so don't feel discouraged. I love when I get a little reminder that pops up because, if we're being honest, I window shop A LOT -- on several different sites. Aside from leaving 1,000 tabs open on my phone or computer, those emails are the only thing connecting me back to what I wanted to purchase {at a later date}. It's not so important to look at the number of sales missed that are tracked by abandoned cart emails, because people WILL come back when they are ready to make that purchase and it might not be by clicking the abandoned cart email, but that email may have reminded them, if that makes sense. 
How exactly do we get a higher conversion rate on abandoned carts?
The secret is simple. You raise the prices on your product and offer a more enticing incentive to come back, like a higher percentage discount or dollar amount off per sale. "But I can't raise my prices, I will out price my product and no one will buy." WRONG. This is the biggest misconception among small business owners. They are always so afraid to take this leap, but want to know where the sweet spot is. Well, this is it. This is the sweet spot. This is the difference between a business owner and a crafter. All too often I see small business owners with the crafter mentality. We all know what that is... They slash their prices in an attempt to undercut the competition, but end up underpricing themselves so badly they end up out of business in 5 years or less because they didn't understand how to "business".... or how to "math", for that matter. If you are making money with your craft, you are a business, therefore, a business owner, and you have to start thinking like one. If you are a handmade small business, you have even more of a reason to have higher prices being that you don't just buy and resell -- you actually make your own products. You have a lot more time invested than typical retailers. Not only is raising your prices going to raise your abandoned cart conversion rate, but it's going to increase your sales overall because now you have the flexibility to offer sales more frequently. What do buyers like? Buyers like a deal, even if they just think they are getting a deal, and we are all guilty of it. "I don't like playing mind games with my customers." Umm, OK. You do you, Rhonda, but this IS what works. It isn't a mind game, it is strategy based on extensive research and human habits. Your buyer wants what you're selling, but they want to think they received a deal, so you give it to them. Imagine going into your favorite brick and mortar store. I don't know if you do this, but I definitely do. I find something I love, check the price tag, walk around with it in my cart, then go put it back at the very end because my kids need the things more than I do, BUT -- if that product is on sale -- you've got me, and the higher the sale, the more likely I'm going to buy, because "What if these mauve sequin PINK Victoria's Secret joggers aren't here tomorrow in my size?" or "What if this sale ends tomorrow?". The sense of urgency has been created. Your virtual abandoned cart is no different. In addition to raising your prices, sweet spot #2 is: Create a sense of urgency. Your abandoned cart email should contain 2 things: an enticing discount {25% or higher} and a sense of urgency, like, "Complete your purchase now and use code 'XYZ' for a limited time, while supplies last!" OR make an expiration for your code. Make sense? A rule of thumb for retailers is to price products 4x or higher than the original price they purchased wholesale for. They bank off the few that pay full price during their initial release, have a 25% off sale a few weeks later, where they will still make a great profit, then at the end of season, they'll hold a 50% off sale, where they will still make double the money that they spent, so why in the world should your small business not be doing the same?
Did this blog post help you? Did you raise your prices and offer higher discounts to more effectively convert sales? I want to hear about what works for you in the comments below!
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If you need assistance opening your Etsy shop, designing an amazing logo, sale graphics, tips on running a small business and much more, find Liv & Co. Consulting on Facebook HERE. Full disclosure: We blog about an array of topics from recipes and our favorite products to small business advice and tutorials. We may receive a small commission from links in our posts to keep this blog running, however, we do not represent any companies or products that we do not absolutely love and stand by 110% because that's not how we roll. The opinions expressed are our own. Our blog is for informational purposes only and any information found on this site is not substitute for professional advice. Visit Liv & Co. to shop our baby, toddler and mama apparel and accessories and The Matriarchy Matters for our collection of apparel and accessories that celebrates women. Follow on social media: Liv & Co. Facebook Liv & Co. Instagram Liv & Co. Pinterest Liv & Co. Twitter The Matriarchy Matters Instagram Subscribe to our YouTube Channel HERE.
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Customers want to see your products in action and that's where Brand Fans, Brand Enthusiasts, Brand Reps, Brand Ambassadors, and Influencers come in. All levels typically require a contract of some sort; the most common being a 3 month term on a team with an option to leave, stay, or level up at the end of that term. A Brand Fan typically gets a small percentage off to promote a brand on social media. Brand Fans do not have purchase requirements. They are not required to send photos, but often do because, let's face it, if you're a Brand Fan, it's normally because you already shop with that brand, so why not take pictures, right?
A Brand Enthusiast is someone that gets a hefty discount from a brand in exchange for photos. Enthusiast photos aren't required to be professional quality, but they must be submitted whenever their discount code is used and posted to social media pages, tagging the brand. A Brand Rep gets free product in exchange for bright, well styled, professional quality photos. Brand Ambassadors are similar to Reps, but typically are known as the face of a company, and therefore, are not allowed to rep for other companies within that niche until their contract is up to avoid brand confusion. An Ambassador typically has a longer contract; most are 6 months to 1 year. Influencers receive free product and payment in exchange for social media posts. They generally have a large following and high engagement ON TO THE FUN STUFF It's been called to my attention that many shop owners are struggling to find reputable reps. Time after time I land in a small shop or rep group with owners complaining that their "reps" have ghosted them. I've been around the rep scene for 6 years now. I can honestly say I've only been ghosted once and that person will not make this list. Thus, this post was born. I decided to compose a list of highly reputable reps that will get you professional pictures of your products with quick turnaround. Most reps are versatile and can get you amazing photos for just about any product including, but not limited to, clothing, home decor, toys, shoes, etc. In this post I'm also going to include influencers. Influencers are paid and sent product in exchange for social media promotion, etc. Some influencers will rep for free for small shops because they love to support small businesses. If a rep listed below is also an influencer, I will note that next to their Instagram account so you are aware that you may be charged a fee to work with them. If you are a rep or influencer and would like to be included in this list, have no fear -- simply remit $5 (to maintain your spot on this list) to Liv & Co. on PayPal HERE (because I spend a lot of time maintaining and editing this list), then email your Instagram account along with 3 shop owners that will vouch for you, by emailing me HERE. If you are an influencer, you must include your media kit with your entry email. Note: these are all Instagram accounts.
Let's get down to business!
Kids: @elleryblake @miss_byanka_anastasia @londonkarter @ireland_and_colton @thedisplacedyankees @annistyn.and.rosalie @modernfarmhousefamily (influencer)
@ourlifeinasquare
@daphnie.pearl @njcruz_ @mrsjuliemunro @_ruffryder_ @hunterandsky @gleafulchildhood @a.sister.story @dear.november.days (influencer) 
@brittneyknudsen
@griffin.kovie.and.josie.too @juliegladki @mrslizlombard @texaswildfires @the.beebe.bunch @suzieqqq27
@ashley_hindt
@tyler.and.emma @kensington_elizabeth (influencer) @coop.and.pip @lexxajean @seven_wild_hearts
@the.becktriplets (influencers)
@boys_plus_triplets (influencers) @crayonsandcashmere (influencer) @ourlifeinrosegold @goodstuffhunters
@sarhopper
@rosiemaxhimer (influencer) @gracefulmommy (influencer) @candied_chocolate @ashliweatherby 
Adults:
@dear.november.days (influencer)
@mrsjennacide @texaswildfires @lexgleasonphotography (influencer) @___love.liv___ 
@onceupontwins
@bump.tobaby (influencer) @kensington_elizabeth @boys_plus_triplets (influencers) @oliviachronicles
@t.beaston (influencer)
@danettestoll @yolakin (influencer - Formerly Al on Step By Step. Current host of Moms In Cars & Worst Podcast Ever podcasts. Actress/Director/Choreographer/Producer.) @elevate.emily @crayonsandcashmere
@ourlifeinrosegold
@everydaywithember (influencer) @a.sister.story @hipmomma007 @rosiemaxhimer (influencer)
@mindyann1985
@candied_chocolate @bringinguptheburns @redwineandbluemom @mrslizlombard (influencer) 
Join us where content creators / photographers and small businesses collide: Brand Repping / Collabs / Affiliates / Influencers Central. Learn how to earn an income brand repping and tips and tricks for running your small business.
I periodically go through to see which accounts are no longer active and update this list accordingly. If you want to be removed from the list or you need to update any info, contact me HERE. Never miss a post or sale. Subscribe to our emails HERE
If you aren't ready to send apparel products out to Reps and Influencers yet, check out my blog post on how to make mock-ups online in under 3 minutes HERE. 
If you need assistance opening your Etsy shop, designing an amazing logo, sale graphics, and much more, find Liv & Co. Consulting on Facebook HERE.
Full disclosure: We blog about an array of topics from recipes and our favorite products to small business advice and tutorials. We may receive a small commission from links in our posts to keep this blog running, however, we do not represent any companies or products that we do not absolutely love and stand by 110% because that's not how we roll. The opinions expressed are our own. Our blog is for informational purposes only and any information found on this site is not substitute for professional advice. Shop the apparel in this blog post at: Liv & Co. Follow on social media: Liv & Co. Facebook Liv & Co. Instagram Liv & Co. Pinterest Liv & Co. Twitter The Matriarchy Matters Instagram Subscribe to our YouTube Channel HERE.  Setting up a business can be stressful. Investing capital with without guaranteed ROI (return on investment) is one of the biggest concerns for small business owners when launching a website. Well, lucky for us, Etsy takes that risk out of the equation and eliminates that burden for you with their 40 FREE listings offer. Now you can open an Etsy shop and earn us both 40 free product listings completely free by clicking HERE. Score! BEFORE YOU OPEN If you are considering opening an Etsy shop there are a couple things you need to have handy prior to clicking that 40 free listings link. Here is a rundown of the basics that will be required of you to open an Etsy shop:
If you need assistance opening your Etsy shop, designing an amazing logo, sale graphics, tips on running a small business and much more, find Liv & Co. Consulting on Facebook HERE. Full disclosure: We blog about an array of topics from recipes and our favorite products to small business advice and tutorials. We may receive a small commission from links in our posts to keep this blog running, however, we do not represent any companies or products that we do not absolutely love and stand by 110% because that's not how we roll. The opinions expressed are our own. Our blog is for informational purposes only and any information found on this site is not substitute for professional advice. Check out Liv & Co. and The Matriarchy Matters . Follow on social media: Liv & Co. Facebook Liv & Co. Instagram Liv & Co. Pinterest Liv & Co. Twitter The Matriarchy Matters Instagram Subscribe to our YouTube Channel HERE.  This day and age it is super important for consumers to know where and whom they are buying from. We are living in an era where people seem to want more things, but not regard the conditions or environments in which those things are made in (think Wish app).  In an "ISO" world where consumers are unknowingly soliciting crafters to knock off branded small businesses, and these online pop up boutiques that see a picture of a shirt design they like on Pinterest, send it to a China manufacturer, and have them mass produce it for pennies on the dollar (often times cheaper than an ethically based U.S. business can get their wholesale blanks for), it's more important now than ever to know, not only where your clothes are coming from, but where anything you purchase comes from. To most, a t shirt is just a t shirt, right? You have your run of the mill typical t shirt companies slinging all kinds of shirts with sayings, but then, there are your hidden gems. Then, there are your companies that are forging movements, your companies that have a unique message to send, and I don't know about you, but those are the companies I want to support. That's where Blue November comes in.   Blue November celebrates motherhood. Not just the fun, "pretty" parts of motherhood, either. They celebrate every mom, regardless of how she births, and every "flaw" that comes along with her.  Blue November isn't just selling t shirts, they are leading the virtual march to Normalize Motherhood with their #RockYourMotherhood and #NormalizeMotherhood campaigns on Instagram and Facebook.  What does it mean to Normalize Motherhood? Allow me. Each year, we as women waste millions of dollars on creams, lotions, and cosmetics that often times, don't work. We are targeted by huge companies, that prey on our weaknesses, that don't give a sh*t about us, to buy their products that don't work, that often contain cancer causing ingredients, for the sake of lining their pockets, when we could fix the "problem" for free by LOVING OURSELVES. Side note: Don't get me wrong. I love me some make-up, but I love it for ME, not because I want to cover me up because society told me I have flaws that I need to hide. The Normalize Motherhood campaign is a movement to normalize everything about motherhood that society tried to tell us was ugly. It is about reversing the thought process that we are flawed, about embracing your motherhood and encouraging all other mom's to do the same.  Embrace your c-section scar,  embrace your stretch marks,  and embrace your belly pouch.  Don't just embrace those "flaws" - OWN them. Love them. They made you a mom. "I have no idea how society turned these into ugly things over the years. We are an ever changing and evolving people, so why is it so hard to accept the changes with our bodies that come from housing human life? Why? Everything about growing another human being is like, superhuman-ish, if you ask me." -Liv; Blue November "We want every mom to feel comfortable with and love the skin they are in; to enjoy life as they are. It's OK to set goals and strive to be 'better'. In fact, we encourage it, but our main concern has always been being healthy and strong, both mentally and physically, and being strong doesn't always come flaw free. Actually, it seldom does, and being "skinny" does not equal being healthy. " - Blue November   Blue November shirts spark a conversation, and every time that door opens to a new conversation, it is another opportunity for one mom to pass this important message along to another mom. "The goal is to create a domino effect, so to speak. To empower. To not only make women feel empowered, but to KNOW they are."  If all that wasn't reason enough to love Blue November, you should also know that they are a handmade company, and I mean really handmade. A lot of consumers more than likely don't know that t shirt makers can purchase what are called, transfers, which are pre-made designs by someone else, iron them on a shirt, and still be called handmade. T shirt shops can have people design for them, order transfers made with those designs, press them on a shirt, and still be called handmade -OR- they can even design their designs and have a 3rd party company print and dropship their shirts for them and still be considered a handmade company. While I wholeheartedly support many companies that do this (those that support and spread positive messages), you should know that, at Blue November, everything is literally handmade by the company from start to finish, from their trendy t shirts to their rad snapbacks and everything in between.  You should also know that Blue November isn't just for mom's. It's not even just for women. They offer a lot of coordinating pieces for men and dad's, even kids.  If you love to support small businesses, if you love to support women owned businesses, if you love to support moms and you want to subscribe to receive occasional emails regarding new item releases, giveaways, and exclusive sale information for Blue November click HERE. If you want to shop the sweetest mom shirts and more, click HERE and use code IAMWOMAN at checkout to save! Blue November offers free shipping in the United States site wide. Not ready to shop? Pin this post to Pinterest for later. Don't forget to hashtag #rockyourmotherhood and #normalizemotherhood in your Blue November gear and tag them on Facebook and Instagram! How are you rocking your motherhood? What are your momlife struggles? Tell us in the comments below! Full disclosure: We blog about an array of topics from recipes and our favorite products to small business advice and tutorials. We may receive a small commission from links in our posts to keep this blog running, however, we do not represent any companies or products that we do not absolutely love and stand by 110% because that's not how we roll. The opinions expressed are our own. Our blog is for informational purposes only and any information found on this site is not substitute for professional advice.
So picture this: You open your Etsy shop and everything is going great. You're power seller status. This is your full time income, then BOOM -- light's out. Etsy shuts your shop down. What is your first thought? Probably, "How am I going to keep in touch with all of my previous customers that loved my shop? You'd probably scramble to update your profile page on Etsy so people will flood to your social media or to your standalone website, but the fact of the matter is, they aren't going to come. That's too much work to hunt a shop down.
Now, that is just a worst case scenario example of why you NEED an email list, but it is a very real reality. You can be shut down at any moment on Etsy and you need to prepare yourself for that from the get-go.
There are plenty of other reasons you need an email list. An email list is a direct line between you and your customers that love your shop the most. You have to capitalize on that. It takes far more effort to gain a new customer than it does to gain repetitive sales from an existing customer. 
Lucky for us, there's Aweber. Aweber is the best email marketing tool out there, in my opinion. They currently have over 100,000 small business clients worldwide and are growing. What's even better is you can integrate Aweber to your Etsy shop almost effortlessly. Aweber is SO easy to use! I run 9+ social media platforms, 2 standalone websites, 2 Etsy shops, I design and manufacture all of my own products, and on top of all that, I'm a mom and a partner. I needed something that was going to be easy to learn and easy to implement because obviously, I don't have a lot of time to burn (haha!).
Aweber isn't just for Etsy shops, it's an essential tool for all types of websites, including ecommerce and blogs. Basically, if you want to stay in touch with your following - you need an Aweber email list. What can you do with Aweber?
You'll be able to track the results of your emails and even zero in on specific email addresses and the content that makes them click so you can optimize further emails geared just towards their clicking habits to optimize conversions.
Perhaps the greatest thing of all about Aweber is that you can try it for free for 30 days. I started with the free trial myself and noticed it's worth almost instantly. You can try it for free HERE.
If you've been on the fence about opening your Etsy shop because of the listing fees, you can use my referral link HERE to receive 40 FREE listings so you're not out anything to try it.
In addition to our apparel & accessories, we also offer small business services. If you need help setting up your shop, flatlays & photography, product reviews, shop critiques, and more, you can find our services HERE.
Disclaimer: We blog about an array of topics from recipes and our favorite products to small business advice and tutorials. We may receive a small commission from links in this post, however, we do not represent any companies or products that we do not absolutely love and stand by 110% because that's not how we roll. The opinions expressed are our own. Our blog is for informational purposes only and any information found on this site is not substitute for professional advice.
Love our tees? Follow us on social media everywhere to keep up on the latest Liv & Co. and Blue November new releases, sales, and giveaways!
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 So, I've always used Brand Reps and YouTuber's for my business. I've worked with the best in the industry and I love them dearly. There is definitely still very good reason to work work with Brand Reps and Ambassadors because they do things that mock-ups can't, like promote your brand and help drive traffic and bring awareness to small shops that otherwise drown in a sea of big corporations. You can view some of the Brand Reps that I've worked with on my Liv & Co. Instagram page. On the flip side of that, I have spent TONS of money purchasing blank products for my Brand Reps making my products, paying for postage, and waiting to get pictures in return. To help ease the burden of cost and speed up time to get new releases out, I went on the search for other ways to creatively express my t shirts, because I'm not the type of girl that likes regular ole photos. That's when I came across PlaceIt. Be ready to take your small business to a whole new level! Not only does PlaceIt have the best mock-ups for t shirts, they also have mock-ups for hoodies, long sleeve tees, muscle tanks, tank tops, hats, coffee mugs, beer mugs, cell phone cases, bags, pillows, Facebook Ad videos, sale templates, computer screen mock-ups, presentation mock-ups, and much more. There are mock-up options that have people modeling your products or plain mock-ups with just a shirt or cell phone screen, etc., like the one below with our "Darlin' go make it happen." tee.  You may be thinking "Mock-ups? Ewe.", because originally, I did, too. I'd see these HORRIBLE mock-ups that just laid a word over top of a shirt that was all wrinkled up and you could tell the design wasn't really on it. Not with PlaceIt. Your designs flow with the template you apply them to. Like t shirts, for example. If the t shirt the model is wearing has wrinkles or is pulled a certain way, the design is applied to flow with it seamlessly. See below with these two girls in our Girl Power and Hippie Heart tees.  In addition to the financial aspect of having Brand Reps, I had a hard time diversifying my social media platforms and my website photos because I never had POC apply to be on my rep teams, even when I'd put a heavy emphasis on specifically looking for diversity each time I'd launch a search. PlaceIt has made this a non issue for me! There are people of all ethnicities, ages, styles, and sizes in all sorts of settings to choose from. If you need to add some diversity to your social media and/or product photos for your website, you need to get addicted to PlaceIt like I am!  At first I just ordered my photos individually, which was silly, because I was ordering so many and the monthly subscription is only $29 to download UNLIMITED mock-up photos AND mock-up videos (see the one below of our Girl Power tee!)! I was paying $8/ photo. After downloading just 4 photos I would have been at the membership cost. Since purchasing the membership I've downloaded hundreds of pictures in a matter of days for just $29/month! This way I can keep my social media flowing at a steady pace, filling in with these mock-ups while I'm awaiting Brand Rep pictures to come in! I bet you thought you needed Silhouette for Business to do amazing mock-ups for product photo's, but the good news is - you don't! Below I'm going to show you the 3 step process that takes less than 3 minutes to convert your files! This link will convert your .studio3 file from your Silhouette Cameo to an .svg file. Once you've uploaded your Silhouette design and converted it to a .svg file you will need to convert it to a .png so it will have a transparent background. You will need to visit this link to upload your .svg files (you can upload and convert multiple at a time), then select what you want want to convert them to, which will be .png. It will ask you an email address to send your converted images to. From there, you'll download those to your computer, go to PlaceIt, select one of the mock-ups you like and click "upload image". Size it to fit the way you need it to and explore the site options! Once you download your finished mock-up, it will email you when it is ready. From there you can download the photos to your computer or phone and share all over the place! Haha! Did you use PlaceIt? If so, tell us what you think in the comments below! Check out my other blog posts for small business tips and more! Love our tees? Follow us on social media everywhere to keep up on the latest Liv & Co. and Blue November new releases, sales, and giveaways! Blue November Facebook Liv & Co. Facebook Blue November Instagram Liv & Co. Instagram Liv & Co. Pinterest Liv & Co. Twitter Disclaimer: We blog about an array of topics from recipes and our favorite products to small business advice and tutorials. We may receive a small commission from links in this post, however, we do not represent any companies or products that we do not absolutely love and stand by 110%. The opinions expressed are our own. Our blog is for informational purposes only and any information found on this site is not substitute for professional advice.
 I've heard it time and time again since Etsy went public, shops that were once super busy had suddenly hit the skids with no hope of revival in site. They've done everything they did in the beginning to ramp up business again and nothing was working. I know because I was one of them. A 6 figure a year shop, suddenly halted. Etsy wanted to give every seller a piece of the pie, regardless of effort, rather than keeping those shops that had put their dues in, where they rightfully deserved to be. People who spent 12-16 hours a day on their shop, studying SEO until their eyes bled, bringing new products to the platform everyday, and social media-ing the hell out of their shops had been stopped dead in their tracks. Instead of being a person to Etsy, like it used to be before they became a publicly traded company, you are now just a hiccup in their algorithm. So, then the question becomes, "How do I fix this and work with the algorithm now that it is working against me?" Have no fear, I have implemented the following strategies and tested these theories to prove their accuracy and they work. #1. Use shop updates. I have no idea what the relevancy is to shop updates. Honestly, I find them quite silly, but the more I update, the more sales come flooding in. Then, I share them to my business Twitter, Tumblr, Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram accounts tag @Etsy and #Etsy in each post. I would think that shop updates would be photo's of you making your product or new releases you are working on that you haven't listed yet that you want to give people a sneak peak at, but you have to tag a photo from your shop, which leaves you limited on what type of updates you can actually post. Either way- use them. #2. Get your orders out before their ship by date. This may seem like a no - brainer, but to some, it is totally a thing. They ship their item's out way past their ship by date or wait right up to the ship by date to ship their orders. Not only does this hurt your ranking in a major way, Etsy can, and most likely, eventually will, put your shop on suspend should you become a repeat offender of shipping your orders out on or past your stated turnaround time. See, now you are just part of an algorithm, so it doesn't matter if you're a busy shop or not. If your orders ship late and the algorithm picks up on it, you're getting bumped down in relevancy. Even though I have a 1 -2 week turnaround on my personalized birthday outfit sets, I start noticing my shop dip after orders for them were open past a week. Sad to say, since my items are handmade, and it should be understood that they'll take time, the absolute fastest you can get your orders out, the better. It's like Etsy is trying to compete with Amazon and eBay now, except their uniqueness came from the fact that the site is supposed to be all handmade. #3. Respond to your messages within 24 hours, 48 hours - max. I have tested this theory on purpose and by accident. I do not work weekends - I have business hours, just as every other reputable business does. I also have a family, therefore, I do not respond to messages on the weekends and that hasn't proven to be an issue with ranking. During the week, I make sure to respond to messages in 1-2 business days. Being that I like to have a focus on manufacturing my products and getting them out quickly, I tend to put the messages that ask questions that are already answered in my FAQ and my listing descriptions, on the back burner. However, if I let them go too long, I notice a dip in sales. 48 hours seems to be the magic number. #4. Make sure you do not have any listings in your shop that violate copyright or trademark laws. Not just a scare tactic, it's actually true. If you're a shop that is flagged for infringement, you're going to take a hit in ranking. If you get flagged too many times, you'll eventually get shut down. Don't ever make the assumption that you're too small to be found out, either. There are all kinds of trademarks that people wouldn't expect, and with the Silhouette Cameo and Cricut SVG. files on the rise, people have been selling copied designs for some time now and the original owner's are really starting to crack down. Research your designs and products to make sure there isn't anything else out there like it and any sayings you use, run them through the TESS trademark database HERE. And for the love, if you are still using the term "onesies" or selling knockoff Disney products - just STOP. Because of the power of the Internet and Facebook groups, you should probably know by now that those are 2 of the biggest infringements reported on Etsy and if you take your business seriously, you don't need to be selling other's intellectual property anyway. #5. 5 star feedback. I know that feedback can be out of our control at times. Sometimes our products are just not everyone's cup of tea, and that's o.k. One 1 star feedback rating every so often isn't going to kill your ranking, but several at a time or several over time will. Strive for 5 star feedback. Encourage your buyers to leave feedback. It is against Etsy's terms of use to message people asking for feedback or offering a discount code in exchange for feedback (which is silly to me, because as long as the code is offered to everyone regardless of how many stars are left, I think it should be allowed), but you can put on the back of your business card or postcard that you include in the shipment of your package, a friendly little reminder on how to leave feedback for your shop. #6. Renew your listings. Anything and everything to stay relevant works and that includes renewing your listings. I have almost 300 items in my shop. Obviously, some of them are going to get lost in the pool of baby bodysuits and tee shirts and this should be considered in every product category. Just because you list an item once, doesn't mean it is going to take off, and the longer it sits there stagnant, the more it loses it's position in rank. Renewing the item brings life to it again, in a way. It puts it back in front of more viewers that have yet to see it. If an item sits from the time you list it for 4 months until it expires without being sold one time in between, how do you think anyone else has seen it if you aren't renewing it or advertising it? If you are one of those people that say you shouldn't have to renew your listings or, my personal faves, that you shouldn't have to pay for advertising, A.) It's $0.20 for crying out loud. You can renew 5 listings a day for $1. I hope you have a $1 a day to invest in your business, otherwise, running a business may not be right for you and B.) It takes money to make money. You need to either renew it, revise the listing, take better pictures, or evaluate the product's likability altogether. #7. Avoid having cases opened against your shop. I think we can all agree that we don't want any cases opened against our shops. Things happen and customers don't always come to us first with their issues, which sucks, but it happens. Stay proactive. I am human and have had cases opened against me. The longer a case stays open, the more I notice my shop dipping in relevancy, which can be quite discouraging in cases that you literally cannot do anything about. One time, I had someone open a case against me claiming her baby bodysuit arrived and that it wasn't boy colors. The listing photo was literally a purple and green design. She even included a photo of the bodysuit in her case and it was side by side with my listing photo, looking identical. She never responded to the case and it took some time for it to close. In the event that a case should be opened against your shop, resolve it quickly and professionally. There are my 7 tips to revive your existing Etsy shop or jump start your new one. Did this post help you? Let me know what you think or any tips you've implemented since the new algorithm in the comments below! If you haven't yet opened an Etsy shop yet and you'd like to try it out for free, use my link HERE to get us both 40 free listings. If you need help with your small business, head over to my Small Business Blog Posts where I help you with The Power of Pinterest, How To Come Up With A Name For Your Business That Will Withstand Time and Trends, Why Your Abandoned Carts Aren't Converting To Sales, and so much more. I also offer paid services for small business owners HERE. Whether you are a business or a small business shopper, come join us for some networking in our Facebook group for content creators, Brand Repping / Collabs / Affiliates / Influencers Central Want to advertise on the right column of this blog where thousands drop in to check out our apparel, crafts, small business tips, and more every single day? Click HERE to purchase space. We have single photo and slideshow ad space for as little as $10!  Disclaimer: We blog about an array of topics from recipes and our favorite products to small business advice and tutorials. We may receive a small commission from links in this post, however, we do not represent any companies or products that we do not absolutely love and stand by 110% because that's not how we roll. The opinions expressed are our own. Our blog is for informational purposes only and any information found on this site is not substitute for professional advice. Love our tees? Follow us on social media everywhere to keep up on the latest Liv & Co. and Blue November new releases, sales, and giveaways! Blue November Facebook Liv & Co. Facebook Blue November Instagram Liv & Co. Instagram Liv & Co. Pinterest Liv & Co. Twitter If you'd like to keep up with our blog posts, you may sign up via the sign up form directly below this paragraph. The sign up form at the bottom of the page is for our Liv & Co. t-shirts & accessories.  When beginning a small business, we all know the must - do's. The legal stuff, the tax stuff, etc. Being completely prepared to start an online business (or any other business, for that matter) is an area most small business owners lack knowledge in. We tend to jump in feet first and use a 'learn as you go' approach. Today, I'm going to outline 4 things you NEED to do before opening your shop or upon opening your shop that most don't normally think to do right away.  1.) Start an email list. This is completely essential to your business for so many reasons. I was already 10,000 sales in before I realized this (fail). If you are using a selling platform like Etsy or eBay, chances are strong, with all of the trademark and copyright hype going on right now, that your shop will more than likely be closed down at one time or another, and if that happens, you'll want backup. (To view a list of commonly used words/phrases/designs that are actually trademarked/copyrighted, view my post HERE.) Even if that doesn't happen, you will utilize your email list to stay in touch with customers that are interested in your product with a monthly newsletter, discount codes, sales, and more. I use Aweber for my email list and they've been amazing. They even let you try it free for 30 days. Etsy and many other website hosts allow a sign up form to be integrated into their site so your customers may opt in to your email list.  2.) Have your own website. No matter what, you will want your own domain name, at the very least. I recommend having your own website on top of any other platforms you're using to sell on so you always have somewhere to turn if things go sour. You can re-route your domain name to your Etsy shop or any other selling platform. I use Weebly because it is kind of fool - proof, very user friendly, and inexpensive, but there are several other options out there for you if you don't have a lot of start up funds to go big with a web designer right out of the gate. Your domain name is the link you want to advertise everywhere; your business cards, networking with others, etc. This way, if you were to ever be shut down or restricted on a selling platform, you will have advertised your domain name to your customers, so you can start your own shop with that domain name or re-route it to another platform if you have to move. Etsy advertises for Etsy. If your SEO is on par and your photo's rock (if you need help with your photos, see my tutorial HERE), you should have no problem being found on Etsy organically through their search. Etsy also advertises for you with Google. You need to focus on advertising YOU and YOUR business. If you are interested in opening at Etsy shop, but haven't done so and would like to try it out for free, use my link HERE and you and I both receive 40 free listings.  3.) Start accounts on all forms of social media. So, once you've picked out your business name (if you need help with selecting a business name, see my post HERE about choosing a business name that withstands time and trends) and you are sure about it, you need to start your social media accounts. Don't delay this or think that you'll just start once you get busy. You want to start your social media interaction from the get go to drive traffic as quickly as possible. I mean, all the social media. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, & Pinterest. Those are my top 5. Instagram rocks because you can link your Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr accounts to it and share every Instagram post to all of those accounts simultaneously, making managing your social media almost effortless when you're starting out. The down side to Instagram is that they've become like Facebook. Rather than having an organic feed they have an algorithm driven feed and it's hard to be found when you're a newbie. Thank goodness for hash tags. To find out 11 hash tags Etsy sellers should be using on Instagram see my post HERE. You can follow me on Instagram HERE. Pinterest is an amazing tool for small businesses because of group boards. If you aren't familiar with group boards, check out my post HERE about the power of Pinterest, how group boards work, and a link to my 2 small business group boards. Follow me on Pinterest HERE. Facebook is not even a question. You have to have it. I have a Facebook group, a Facebook business page, and I belong to hundreds of Buy/Sell/Trade groups that allow small business advertising. You can advertise for free on Facebook and Facebook's paid marketing ads are like no other. There isn't another social media platform out there that can even come close to comparing to Facebook Ads. Follow me on Facebook HERE. I use Tumblr simply because I can link it to my Instagram and I can pin my posts. I just let it run itself. Sometimes, the key to Tumblr isn't the amount of followers, but using the right hash tags. I often notice that Wanelo users often save my Tumblr photo's. Follow me on Tumblr HERE. Twitter is a little trickier when it comes to business, but no doubt- it's important. If you have the time to dedicate to Twitter it can be extremely lucrative. Twitter is more of a live feed type of social media. I've noticed you've got to post several times throughout the day to gain traction with interaction and if this is the platform you choose to go heavy on, be prepared to do so. I just began a new Twitter account for my business. You can follow me HERE.  4.) Have 2 businesses (or more). I know what you're thinking; "TWO businesses? It's hard enough with one!" This is why: When one business is down, you have the other to focus on. Any business can fall on hard times at any point in time and yes, every small business owner should know how to revive their business or give it a boost, but for the times that you simply cannot help it, you have another business to drive. They say the key to being financially secure and independent is having multiple streams of income, this is why. It doesn't have to be random, though. For instance, someone that makes headbands could also have a headband supply shop and become a wholesale supplier. The same with fabric. If you sew, a good second business would be becoming a fabric supplier. Was this post helpful? Feel free to share your small business tips below. How did you get started? What do you wish you would have known when you first started your small business? Join us on Facebook in our "MADE in the Midwest" group HERE.   Join us on Facebook in our "I Own A Small Business" group HERE. Shop Liv & Co. HERE for our latest tee shirt styles and accessories for boys and girls of all ages.
Disclaimer: We blog about an array of topics from recipes and our favorite products to small business advice and tutorials. We may receive a small commission from links in this post, however, we do not represent any companies or products that we do not absolutely love and stand by 110% because that's not how we roll. The opinions expressed are our own. Our blog is for informational purposes only and any information found on this site is not substitute for professional advice. Love our tees? Follow us on social media everywhere to keep up on the latest Liv & Co. and Blue November new releases, sales, and giveaways! Blue November Facebook Liv & Co. Facebook Blue November Instagram Liv & Co. Instagram Liv & Co. Pinterest Liv & Co. Twitter If you'd like to keep up with our blog posts, you may sign up via the sign up form directly below this paragraph. The sign up form at the bottom of the page is for our Liv & Co. t-shirts & accessories.  A movement is underway. A handmade movement. Every day more and more people are becoming privy to shopping handmade, and with good reason. When you purchase something handmade, you support a persons dream. When you shop handmade in the USA, you keep money in your community, or at least in your country. You allow a parent to do what they love all while being able to stay at home with their kiddo's. By purchasing from a small, handmade shop you are receiving a product that has had every attention to detail paid to it. Something that someone has literally, made with love. With China ripping off small shop products and designs, and mass manufacturing them in their sweat shops, they are literally putting American businesses under and it must be stopped. We must be aware. We must shop conscientiously. After discovering that eBay and the Wish app have been allowing shops that rip off my designs and many other handmade shop products that we have literally poured our blood, sweat, and tears into designing, producing, and photographing, to sell on their sites, I decided to compile this guide. I have spent 4 entire days scouring the internet to produce this list to get you started on your way to shopping ethically, shopping handmade for babies & kids. Everything from clothing and shoes to soaps and toys - I've got you covered. Please, when you are shopping for products- please buy from the original maker. It is truly so important that we are not encouraging one another to illegally reproduce someone else's hard work.  Handmade Tee Shirt Shops: Sibling tees, birthday shirts, baby shower gift sets, personalized apparel, & baby coming home outfits. Whatever the occasion, these shops have you covered on all of your t-shirt needs! Liv & Co. - Tees are where it all started for Liv & Co. This small shop mama has since expanded to other various apparel & accessories and Liv & Co. is known for their baby and children's outfit sets, but also make adult tees & accessories. Follow Liv & Co. on Instagram HERE.
The Pickle Popsicle - Faith based and inspirational apparel for everyone. Follow them on Instagram HERE.  The Sweet Bee Company - Graphic tees handmade in the Midwest! Follow them on Instagram HERE.  Imagine Mint - Home of the Mom² Tee and other LGBT family friendly designs. Follow them on Instagram HERE.   Hazzard Lane Clothing - Trendy tees for kids & adults. Home of the "What is this thing called SLEEP"™ shirt. Follow them on Instagram HERE.  Handmade Headbands & Hair Accessories: Liv & Co. - Everything from obnoxiously large bows, floppy bows, personalized headbands to dainty bow headbands. Follow Liv & Co. on Instagram HERE. Ava's Flower Crowns - Seriously, these crowns are uh-mazing! What's better? They make them in newborn through adult sizes! Follow them on Instagram HERE. Modern Munro - Known for their headwraps & bibdanas! Follow Modern Munro on Instagram HERE. One Tot Mess - What stands out most to me about this shop is their fabulous, high waisted bottoms for girls, but they also carry an array of flutter sleeve girls rompers and fabulous hair accessories! Follow them on Instagram HERE.   Fitch & Stitch - Home of the original jersey flowers headwrap! Follow them on Instagram HERE. Prairie Blooms Boutique - That sparkly bow, though! Fabulous headbands and hair accessories out of Minnesota! Follow them on Instagram HERE.  Handmade Toys:  Red Barn Collective - Impressed doesn't even begin to describe what I feel about this shop. Toys for newborns to toddlers! Red Barn Collective began as an expression of love. The more they created these gifts for family and friends, the more they realized how much they enjoy handcrafting timeless, heirloom-quality pieces. What began as a husband and wife team has bloomed into a family adventure. They pride themselves on their unique talents and skills, knowing that what they create will be passed on for generations to come. Follow them on Instagram HERE.
  Handmade Dresses + Skirts + Tutus: Liv & Co. - Handmade skirts that are limited releases. Once they are sold out, they're sold out. Get them while you can! Follow them on Instagram HERE. Jazzy G Designs - possibly my favorite thing about this tutu shop is that they make up to adult sizes! Follow them on Instagram HERE.   Caroline Kate Clothing - Can we please take a moment to admire the timeless beauty that is Caroline Kate Clothing? Because seriously, if I had a little girl- I'd be broke! New releases every Friday. Follow them on Instagram HERE.  Picture Perfect Couture - Too cute tutu's! Flowermill Dresses - "Paying homage to the timeless creations of the 20s-50s. Utilizing today's modern fabrics and yesterday's classic designs, Flowermill brings you modern milled dresses you'll be passing on for generations to come. All items handmade in the USA." Follow them on Instagram HERE.  Best Dress Ever - Self explanatory, right?! How precious are these dresses?! Follow them on Instagram HERE.
 Handmade Rompers: Random Rompers - Random Rompers is a well known in the handmade community for their ultra comfy rompers! I can personally attest to this as I own a few myself! This company is unique in the fact that they only release a limited amount of rompers in certain fabrics, so once they are gone, they are gone. This handmade mama has 2-3 releases a month and when they post, they go FAST! Another great way to follow this shop is on Instagram. Rylee & Roscoe - I'm not going to lie, I love when shops have a focus and this mama certainly does! She does rompers like nobody's business! Follow them on Instagram for their latest designs and product releases HERE. One Tot Mess - What stands out most to me about this shop is their fabulous, high waisted bottoms for girls, but they also carry an array of flutter sleeve girls rompers and fabulous hair accessories! Follow them on Instagram HERE.
 Hazel & Holly - I love, love, love this shop. They have a little bit of everything! We own their "Farmers Market" romper and absolutely adore it. Follow them on Instagram HERE.  Handmade/ Distressed Jeans + Pants + Shorts: Gray Stitch - This shop has a little of everything. Harems, bummies, tunics, dresses, & bibdanas. Follow Gray Stitch on Instagram HERE. One Tot Mess - What stands out most to me about this shop is their fabulous, high waisted bottoms for girls, but they also carry an array of flutter sleeve girls rompers and fabulous hair accessories! Follow them on Instagram HERE.  Born Royal Denim - Custom hand distressed denim with fun fabrics! Follow them on Instagram HERE.  Hazel & Holly - I love, love, love this shop. They have a little bit of everything! We own their "Farmers Market" romper, but these pants are another favorite! Follow them on Instagram HERE. Boho Babes Denim - How fab are these jeans?! Size newborn up to 14 in kids custom hand-distressed denim for your rad babes. Follow them on Instagram HERE.
 Funny Baby One Pieces + Bodysuits + Layettes: Liv & Co. - Tees & baby bodysuits are where it all started for Liv & Co. This small shop mama has since expanded to other various apparel & accessories and is known for their outfit sets. Follow Liv & Co. on Instagram HERE. E & LuLu - E & LuLu is located in Belleville, IL and they also own Local Lucy's, a local shop that houses the art and products of over 90 local vendors. They are known for their hand-stitched name baby gowns, but also make burp cloths (that I personally used when my son was a baby), blankets, teething rings, and more! Follow them on Instagram HERE.   Bibs & Burp Cloths: Billy Bibs - Hands down, bibs do not get any classier than this. This company redesigned the bib to be beautiful & functional. They are like nothing you've ever seen before and I recommend one in the baby shower gift basket of every little girl! Follow Billy Bibs on Instagram HERE. E & LuLu - E & LuLu is located in Belleville, IL and they also own Local Lucy's, a local shop that houses the art and products of over 90 local vendors. They are known for their hand-stitched name baby gowns, but also make burp cloths (that I personally used when my son was a baby), blankets, teething rings, and more! Follow them on Instagram HERE Modern Munro - Known for their headwraps & bibdanas! Follow Modern Munro on Instagram HERE. Gray Stitch - This shop has a little of everything. Harems, bummies, tunics, dresses, & bibdanas. Follow Gray Stitch on Instagram HERE. NOXX - I can personally speak for the quality of this shops products! We love their beanies, but they also carry a variety of gender neutral baby blankets, bibs, & burp cloths. Keep up with their latest releases on Instagram HERE.  Shoes + Booties: SheSheMarie Boutique - This day and age it's getting harder and harder to find truly handmade moccs and baby shoe shops. Everywhere you turn you see your regular faux leather, run of the mill, made in China moccs. NOT here! I fell in love with this shop the instant I saw it! This mama picks the most awesome fabrics for her Bootie Boots! Follow SheSheMarie on Instagram HERE.  Free Range Mama - You cannot do an article on baby moccs and shoes and not include Free Range Mama! These hand painted moccs are some of the most unique baby shoes I've EVER seen! Follow Free Range Mama on Instagram HERE.
 Hats + Beanies: NOXX - I can personally speak for the quality of this shops products! We love their beanies, but they also carry a variety of gender neutral baby blankets, bibs, & burp cloths. Keep up with their latest releases on Instagram HERE. Gray Stitch - This shop has a little of everything. Harems, bummies, beanies, tunics, dresses, & bibdanas. Follow Gray Stitch on Instagram HERE. Hazel & Holly - I love, love, love this shop. They have a little bit of everything! We own their "Farmers Market" romper. This hat is to die for, though! Follow them on Instagram HERE.   Blankets, Scarves, Leg Warmers, & Misc. Baby & Kid Accessories: NOXX - I can personally speak for the quality of this shops products! We love their beanies, but they also carry a variety of gender neutral baby blankets, bibs, & burp cloths. Keep up with their latest releases on Instagram HERE. Snugars - I am in love with the leg warmers this shop makes! "Each Snugar accessory is thoughtfully designed with comfort and whimsical style, then carefully handcrafted with love in the USA!" Follow Snugars on Instagram HERE.  Handmade Soaps:  Tighty Whitey Soap Co. - Looking for a bar of soap gentle enough for a baby? Look no further than Tighty Whitey's Buttermilk Baby Bar. Crafted with only a few all-natural ingredients, this bar is ideal for giving your little one a moisturizing, gentle cleanse. This soap is made with 85% olive oil (known for its moisturizing properties) and 15% coconut oil (known for its cleansing power) to create a conditioning bar with a gentle cleanse that won't irritate even the softest of skins. In place of water, they've substituted rich buttermilk for even greater conditioning. If your baby could talk, they'd thank you for using this Buttermilk Baby Bar! Follow them on Facebook HERE.  Meadowlark Botanical - Organic + Ethical Treatments for Body + Home + Baby. Handcrafted in harmony with nature. Follow them on Instagram HERE. To find more small businesses, join our Facebook shopping groups! "I Own A Small Business" & "Made in the Midwest".
What other handmade shops do you enjoy shopping with? Tell us in the comments below! Sign up for our email list and get the newest releases and sales to your inbox! (We don't spam you!) Want to advertise your small business on the right column of the Liv & Co. blog? Click HERE. If you love reading our blog, visit our small business blog posts for tips and tricks of owning a small, handmade business HERE. Disclaimer: I was not paid by any of these shops, nor was I provided products in exchange for these reviews. These are my honest reviews.
Keywords: Etsy, Handmade, Small Businesses, Online Shopping, Baby Clothes, Kids Clothes, Baby Toys, Toddler Toys, Baby Soaps, Handmade Shops, Etsy, Ebay, Amazon  Do you have a small business? Do you love to shop small business? Do you love to shop local businesses? If you answered yes to one or all of the questions above, you NEED to join this FACEBOOK GROUP. Join the group and add any friends that you believe would love this type of group. There are so many talented artists in the United States and we are bringing all of the Midwest handmade artists to you in one single place. If you are a shop, this is why you want to be a part of this group: I will be advertising this group in front of over 17,000+ people on my Facebook page with ads geared towards those that love to shop small + people in these regions only. This group will be posted on Pinterest in front of my 9,000+ followers and on all of the group boards I belong to. I will also be posting this on Instagram where I have 4,000+ followers and this blog that receives 1,500+ views/day. If you are a buyer, this is why you will want to be a part of this group: We will have vendors from all different categories ranging in baby clothing and accessories + women's apparel + men's apparel + home décor + jewelry + gifts + much more, that can offer you one of a kind, personalized items. Throughout time, I will compile a list for these shops and list them here so check back here from time to time to see if there is anything you may be interested in from our artists! I manage 5 websites and several groups and group Pinterest boards, so bare with me on getting the lists updated! -Liv   Coming up with the right name for your business can be tough. Especially this day and age where it seems like everyone is trying to throw up an ecommerce site & every name you have thought of seems to be taken. Here are 6 helpful tips on what NOT to do when you are coming up with a name for your new business and some tips to help you out. #1.) Do not name your business after a current trend. Businesses with a current trend or fad in their name will be left scrambling when that trend goes out; and they all eventually go out. #2.) Do not put a random number in your business name. Here's the scenario: You have your heart set on a particular business name, you find out it's already been taken, you figure, "Well, I'll just do 'MyCompanyName21'". NO. It looks extremely unprofessional, it sounds unprofessional, and people are less likely to take your business seriously. It sounds like you couldn't come up with anything else so you just threw a number on the end, which is essentially what you did. Instead, get back to the drawing board and figure something else out. There are creative ways to incorporate numbers into your business name, this is just not one of them. #3.) K's & Z's. For the love! Don't do this! When I see a company replace a C with a K or an S with a Z, I devalue them immediately. It may not be right, but it's been proven that people instinctively do this. Case in point: Kreations or Creationz, or even worse Kreationz. It screams, "this is my hobby business", not, "this is going to be a business that's around for the next 50+ years". 4.) Which brings me to my next point, do not put "creations" in your business name if you expect to be a business that establishes itself and is around for the duration. The word "creations" says "craft business" to buyers. The word "designs" is also outdated and saturated. Of course, so is "designZ"! (See how I did that?) The other big factor with this is return customers. "Quick! What's the name of that shop we bought that t shirt from? 'XYZ Creations'?" Customer goes to Google that and finds nothing. Why? Because you've spelled it wrong in your name. 5.) Do not make your business name too long. Giving your business a long name leaves too much room for error. It makes you less searchable because people do not want to type a long name into a browser and are also more likely to spell it wrong. Stick with something short and sweet, but do not use abbreviations unless they are you are normal abbreviations like, "Co." for company or "Inc." for incorporated. 6.) Do not use your name or another person's name unless it is easy to spell and easy to remember. Like RuthRyanJewelry of Etsy did when selecting her business name. It is short and easy to remember. If you have a name that people could confuse the spelling, I would avoid using it in your business name. For instance, Lainie can be spelled "Lanie", "Laney", & "Lanee" or Megan can be spelled, "Meagan", "Meaghan", "Meghan", & more! So now you're probably asking yourself, "How DO I name my business?" Here are a few pointers: ● Think outside the box. For instance, I was in Clearwater, FL 2 years ago and we stopped to eat breakfast and walk the strip. I saw the cutest, vacant building that said, "For Lease". It had a red door. I said, "If I lived here and started a business, I'd rent out that space and call it "The Red Door". It's short, sweet, & obvious. ● If you're going to use numbers in your business name, do it creatively. For instance, Vintage618. I took that from simply adding a local area code to the word Vintage, but it's unique, creative, and easy. ● If you can do it creatively, adding what you make/do in your business name is helpful for your searchability where optimization is concerned. For instance, RuthRyanJewelry on Etsy. She incorporated her name which is short & easy to remember, along with what she makes, jewelry. Here is one of my favorite pieces from her shop:  I can only imagine there are people reading this that are saying, "I put 'creations' in my business name and I'm doing great!" I understand that, but how great? "I'm going to be a million dollar company" type of great or "I am a stay at home Mom that can pay all of my bills & then some" with my business type of great (which is awesome), but what companies that have struck it big have any of these in their names? ZERO. That is my point. I'll wrap it up with this: Think 30 years down the road and you hand your business off to one of your children or a family member; does the name you've chosen withstand time? Tell us your business name and how you chose it in the comments below! Want to advertise your small business on the right column of the Liv & Co. blog? Click HERE. If you'd like Liv & Co. to review you product & write a blog about it click HERE to contact us! Shop Liv & Co. HERE. Keywords: How to name my business, What should I name my business, Small business, Etsy, Online business, Handmade, How to be a successful small business, Ideas to name my business  **EDIT: Due to all the emails I've been receiving regarding the bodysuit in the photo and the headband. The "Glitter is my signature color" bodysuit can be found HERE. The headband in the photo can be found HERE. Moving along... I hear it all the time, "Facebook likes on boosted posts are fake. They are ghost accounts that Facebook has in place just to suck your money out of you." This is FALSE. You can go to my page HERE and look at the comments in my photo threads. They are completely legit. I respond to people, they respond back. They message me to order or go to my website. There's nothing fake about it. You'll hear that from people that don't know what they're doing. You have to really know your target market and not be afraid to narrow it down & exclude the groups that aren't most likely to buy from you and yes, you have to run them with frequency. You've got to boost the post as it's "taking off", so to speak. You have to spend money to make money. You also have to gear those ads to your target audience. See "How To Define Your Target Audience" HERE. Most people select to gear their ads towards the people that like their page only. Why do that when you can land your ad in front of people that you know WANT to see it? Facebook Ads are part of an algorithm, like a song, if you will. While it's playing everyone is dancing. When it stops, people stop dancing, but if you play another song directly afterwards, they'll keep dancing. You keep the rhythm going. You have to keep the rhythm going on your page. You cannot expect to boost 1 post and see a drastic change. I like to test my waters with which ads will work the best. When I see a post taking off I like to boost it for $5 for 3 days to see how it goes. If it takes off, I edit the boost for longer and for more money. If it doesn't go as well as I like, I move on to the next.   If it doesn't do anything you aren't doing it right. Do you run boosted posts several times a week? It is not a once in a while type of thing. There's a flow called an algorithm. You have to keep up with the pace of it. When one post does well, you should boost it (within whatever your budget is) and keep going from there, boosting something new every couple of days to stimulate post engagement. Once you do, you'll notice a higher number of organic engagement on other posts that are not boosted as well. This is because Facebook has picked up on the "flow" of your page. Not running any ads is kind of like having a dead page, in Facebook's eyes. They move right over you to the people that are paying. You can run ads on any budget. To be in business, you must have an advertising budget for yourself. Spending more doesn't mean you're going to get more. You don't just boost any post. You boost the ones that seem to be getting more traffic than others (Facebook will kindly let you know which ones are doing better than others. See photo below.), then you run a boost from there. On top of having consistent, awesome sales, my business page also went from 5k likes to 9k in a week and a half from 1 single picture. People see that picture, then go like you're page, etc. It starts a chain reaction. Soon after that, you'll notice likes on older posts as newcomers come to your feed to see what you're all about. Some have asked, "Ya, but what did you have to pay for that ad?", sarcastically. I paid $5 for that ad when I originally boosted it after seeing it take off. I've spent a total of $14 on it and it's around 26k and still climbing. I attribute that completely, to knowing my target audience.  To start on Facebook & not having any paid ads, but expect to grow is a dead end. It is possible for very few people & even if it happened, you'll never get big that way. By big, I mean $6,000- $12,000/ month profits or more. You'll only reach a small fraction of people that have liked your page & it is a very long and exhausting climb. Why do that when you can pay a very small fee for such an amazing service? I hear people all the time that blow Facebook Ads off and say, "I am not going to pay to advertise my page" in a huff and puff sort of way. Here's my response to that: Just 20 years ago you'd have had to go door to door handing out flyers & calling people all day, hoping to stumble upon someone that is interested in your product. Now you can pay Facebook to put the data they work hard to collect, to work, and land yourself directly in front of your target audience ALL OVER THE WORLD. You've got to expect to spend money to make money and you've got to allow that into your budget. Set a monthly advertising budget, plan out how much you can spend per week, base your ads and ad cost around that. For instance, if you want to boost a post every other day for $5 on Facebook and you want each one to run for 3 days, you need to budget $15-$20/ week, choose your photos/posts & the dates you want to boost them and plan accordingly. Well, that's all I've got for today! Check out our other small business posts HERE for tips to running your small business effectively. How do you boost your posts? What works best for you? Tell us in the comments below! Want to advertise your small business on the right column of the Liv & Co. blog? Click HERE. If you'd like Liv & Co. to review you product & write a blog about it click HERE to contact us! Shop Liv & Co. HERE. Looking for the "Glitter is my signature color" bodysuit and shirt? Click HERE. Looking for the headband? Click HERE. Keywords: Facebook, Advertising on Facebook, How to Advertise on Facebook, Small business, Etsy, Online business, Handmade, How to be a successful small business, Defining your target audience, Knowing your target market, advertising, marketing, Liv & Co.   Unfortunately, artists & small time business Mom's are getting flagged and shut down all over Etsy & other selling sites due to copyright and trademark infringement. Not only Etsy, but with the Internet as big as it is right now for small businesses and the Handmade/ Shop Small Movement on the rise, Facebook pages and groups as well as craft fairs are being policed by trademark & copyright holders now more than ever because, in order to hold a trademark or copyright, you have to police it or you lose it. Normally I'd say if you are a legitimate small business that wants to make it in the long run you should have your shop examined by an attorney specializing in copyright, BUT these days there are words and phrases that, in my opinion (and the opinion of the majority of others) are so general they should never be allowed to be protected. Sadly, money talks, and things you and I have been saying or doing for years can be trademarked or copyrighted right out from underneath us if a big corporation is willing to shell out the big bucks. Therefore, I've compiled a list of words/phrases and/or designs that are copyright/trademark/patent that you may be unknowingly using that you need to stop using now. The sad part is, you cannot possibly research and cross reference EVERY SINGLE WORD in conjunction with another word. No one can. As soon as a trademark/ copyright holder flags your listing to Etsy, Etsy removes your listing and after having to remove too many listings due to infringement, Etsy will shut down your shop. In fact, so many shops have been shut down, and now that the word is getting around, more and more small businesses are flocking to their own independent websites in fear of using Etsy for this very reason. My theory to any selling platform website is this: Trademark and copyright holders should be required to deal with each shop they take issue with on an individual basis OR if selling sites are going to get involved- they need to be all IN & review each listing before it is posted to that platform. For instance, I create a listing on Etsy--> Etsy has a legal team that reviews the listing to make sure there is not any infringement involved --> Listing goes live. Easy enough, right? OR selling sites need to get all OUT and allow the trademark and copyright holders to handle their issues with the business owner. Let's get started! #1: Onesie. Onesie is actually trademarked by Gerber. Anything confusingly similar is not allowed either, so "onsie", "onezie", "1Z", or anything else you can come up with that would be confusingly similar is out also. The recommended terms to use for a baby one piece snapsuit are: bodysuit, diaper shirt, one piece, snapsuit, & baby jumpsuit. Trust me, I found out the hard way along with 100's of THOUSANDS of other small shops. Consumers: Please keep this in mind when you are shopping for baby clothing of this type. Search the above mentioned alternative terms if you are in search of a decorated, embellished, baby one piece because if you are searching "onesie" the only items that you should find will be Gerber products. #2: Taggies. The company not only owns the word, they have a patent on the design for looped ribbons edging blankets. Along with "Taggies", anything confusingly similar is also prohibited, like "tagged baby blanket". Consumers: When searching for a baby blanket of this nature without purchasing directly from the company can be tricky because even if a small shop is not using the term "taggies" or "tagged blanket", they would also be infringing on the patent. The best alternative search term I have found is "sensory blanket". Since Taggies began fiercely policing this trademark, several creative sellers set out to put their own spin on a new type of sensory blanket that doesn't violate Taggies protected version & you can find several of them on Etsy. This one from TheFairyFeltMother on Etsy is one of my favorites, and by far one of the most creative. #3: Koozie. Of course, anything confusingly similar is also prohibited. Consumers: A few suggested terms & keywords to use to find those thingy's that keep your canned beverage cold are: "can coolers", "beer cooler", "drink cooler", and "can hugger". #4: NFL, MLB, & any other major league sports team logo. This seems like a very obvious one to me, but somehow people are still using them & Etsy shop's are getting flagged and at times, even removed over it. One person I know of was actually sued over it and forced to pay a fine from his small business earnings from its prior 3 years of business. It's not worth losing your business, so just don't do it. Consumers: When searching for darling little outfits to dress your tots in or décor for your home for Monday Night Football, Playoff's, Superbowl - whatever- there are plenty of shops that make ADORABLE sport themed item's that do not infringe. #5: John Deere. You're probably thinking, "Duh. Of course John Deere is copyright." What you may not know is that John Deere also holds the patent on any green tractor with yellow wheels. Consumers: If you're searching for tractor themed items, but are not looking to purchase John Deere, simply search terms like, "tractor baby outfit", "farm equipment décor", etc. #6: Rock Me Mama & Hey Mama Rock Me. In fact, here is a piece of information from LegalZoom.com regarding song lyrics and their protection: "Copyright protects all aspects of an artistic work, as long as the work is original and has been reduced to a tangible medium. Song lyrics, for example, are protected as soon as they are recorded, whether in audio or written form. Although you don't need to register your song lyrics with the U.S. Copyright office to enjoy copyright protection, registration makes it easier to prove you wrote the lyrics before they infringer did and allows you to collect damages without proving economic harm." #7: Any Other Small Businesses! As clearly mentioned in #6, one does not need to register their work to be protected. The artist is protected by copyright the instant they design their piece. Though some may not be a large corporation with endless money to chase down everyone that attempts to infringe on their work doesn't mean you should think it's o.k. to steal their work & profit from it . Consumers: When you find a unique item, the right thing to do is to purchase from that person. If you want to support a local seller or someone you know, the right thing to do is to view item's they've already made to see if they have something similar to or in the category of what you need & if not, to ask them to design something for you themselves that does not infringe on another small business owners hard work. #8: Anything Disney. I cannot even believe I actually have to include this in here. As if this isn't something that should just be a matter of common sense, but sadly, it isn't. There are people ripping Disney off EVERYWHERE and getting caught up in legal troubles as well as having their shops shut down. I don't know about you, but my shop is my main source of earning a living and I cannot afford astronomical infringement fines and/ or being shutdown. Consumers: When you are shopping for your children, keep this in mind. There are plenty of awesome sellers that offer extremely unique items that you can build your child's birthday party around without asking a seller to risk their business by infringing on a copyright/ trademark. The Lil' Man Mustache theme shown below is always adorable for boys and you can do a Princess, Mermaid, or any other theme without infringing on a Disney product. Sometimes it just takes thinking outside the box and a great designer and small business owner will be able to guide you towards something personalized that will be UNIQUE since it is designed especially for you.  #9: Crossfit. Yep. It's trademarked. Consumers: If you are looking for fun fitness items- search just that, "fitness items", "fitness shirt", "fitness tank", "gym shirt", etc. Crossfit is taken. #10: Shabby Chic. Quick! What is that antique, distressed candle holder?! It's so shabby chic, right? NO. Because shabby chic is trademarked apparently. Consumers: If you are searching for item's that you think would fall in this category, please also search terms like, "distressed", "rustic", "antique", etc. #11 Country Boy AND Country Girl. There are several registered marks for these terms (surprisingly enough). Remember up top how I mentioned words and phrases so common that no one could possibly cross reference every single word in conjunction with another one? This would be a fine example. I have no idea how it was done & particularly how it was done by so many, but this term is locked down. I learned the hard way. You see, I used the term "country girl t shirt" as a descriptive term to describe a western design I made for one of my shirts & my listing was flagged and removed by an apparel company that trademarked "country boy" and "country girl". I was so taken aback because I would never have thought to search that phrase (who would?). But keep in mind, the more flags for removal you get, the more likely you are to get shut down. This is exactly why businesses that are sincere about establishing themselves should have an attorney go through their shops with a fine toothed comb. Consumers: If you are seeking some country type apparel please be sure to search alternates like, "western apparel", "western t shirts", etc. #12: Roll Tide. Just a fun slogan to chant at a Crimson Tide football game, right? What a great idea to put on a coffee mug or a shirt, right? NO. It is an "official slogan" and is protected. Crazy. Consumers: I've got nothing for you on this one. HAHA. #13: Tiffany Blue. The color of the Tiffany & Co. jewelry box/ bag, etc. Ever use it to describe the color of one of your products? Well, don't. Apparently the mint/aqua- ish color is protected if you can believe that one! Consumers: When you are looking for products of this color please use search terms such as "mint" and "aqua". Please click HERE to view all my other Small Business Blog Posts! If you are view this post as a consumer: What do you view a "onesie" as? What is that thingy that keeps your canned beverage cold? Is "shabby chic" a brand or a descriptive term to you? If you're viewing this as a business owner were you surprised by any of these? Do you have any you'd add to the list? Let me know in the comments below!  Want to advertise your business on the right column of my blog? Do so for just $10 for 2 weeks w/ photo or $50 for 1 month with a slideshow. Click HERE for details or CONTACT ME.
While you're here, feel free to shop our apparel and accessories by clicking the photo's below!  Defining your target audience can be one of the most difficult things to do when you're building your business, but it can also be the most detrimental thing to your business if you don't. One of the most common mistakes new business owners make is not knowing who their target audience is or the fear of excluding people. I promise you, you will work twice as hard at what you do & come up with lesser results if you do not narrow down your target audience & gear your marketing & advertising strategies towards them. I am going to outline some pointers you will need to know on how to define whom your target audience is.  WHO? Ask yourself, "Who is my ideal customer?" Put yourself inside their head. If you were searching for your product, what would you be looking for? What words would you use to search for what you make/provide (this is also a good rule of thumb for SEO)? What would your interests be? What would make you buy your product? What is your ideal customers average income? Do they shop high end? Retail? Department store? WHERE? Where does your ideal customer live? Are they in a particular city, state, country, countries, or can you cater to them worldwide? Do they live in upscale areas or is your item/ service something more for money saving middle classer's on a budget? Do you offer extremely discounted items that would help with the lesser fortunate? If so, where are they located geographically? Define your WHERE. AGE? How old is your target audience? This one is probably the trickiest one. I'm guilty of this when I first started out. I wanted to appeal to everyone, BUT you're not going to, so realize that now. If you have a unique product & you market it right- you don't have to appeal to everyone to be successful. Just stay focused. Take myself, for example. Sure there are 17-21 year olds having babies and going to baby showers, but do they have jobs or are they still in school? Are they more likely to buy my unique, handmade (in the USA) product or are they more likely to run by the nearest Wal-Mart & grab a cheap-o pack of baby bodysuits, most likely made in a sweatshop in China? You probably guessed Wal-Mart & for most you're probably right. Therefore, my target audience starts at 23. My business is an online based business so I rely on customers that are savvy with the internet. Sure, there are many 50?'s and up that are amazing with their internet navigation & may even be more social media literate than myself, BUT chances are, where my baby and maternity items are concerned, my target audience cuts off at around 50. My crop top & tank top apparel probably cuts off around age 40. GENDER? This one can be super easy for some & some not. Take jewelry, for example. As a person that doesn't make/sell jewelry I would automatically assume that the target audience were female - and IT IS. Where business owners get lost is thinking they should appeal to men as well because, "What if they're shopping for a gift for their wife or girlfriend?" We aren't talking "what ifs" in defining your target audience, we are talking "most likelys". Chances are if a female wants a certain ring, necklace, bracelet, etc.- she's already got it picked out for herself & she'll send her guy in that direction. I had a hard time with this because I do make Men's t shirts as well, but after tracking my analytics & stats, I was able to see that women are most likely to buy for their men than men were to actually be searching. Remember: LESS>MORE. Less is more & it couldn't be truer in defining your target audience and figuring out where to gear your advertisements. Being in front of 5 of the right people is better than being in front of 100 of the wrong people. How did you define your target audience? Tell us in the comments below! Want to advertise your small business on the right column of the Liv & Co. blog? Click HERE. If you'd like Liv & Co. to review you product & write a blog about it click HERE to contact us! Keywords: Small business, Etsy, Online business, Handmade, How to be a successful small business, Defining your target audience, Knowing your target market, advertising, marketing, Liv & Co.
Make Your Pins Go Viral. The Power Of Pinterest & Your Etsy Business (Or Any Other Small Business)6/11/2015  Yes, these are my very own Etsy statistics. Why am I showing them to you, you ask? Simple: To show you the power that Pinterest has to drive your small business & show you how to use it to your advantage! As you can see, Pinterest is ranked 3rd in my traffic sources! That is ahead of Google, Facebook, & every other source! Clearly you can see Pinterest is a platform you NEED for your business! Here I'm going to highlight 4 tips for making your pins go viral and being successful on Pinterest.  Tip #1: Join group boards. Why? A.) Because your products will be seen by a much larger audience. B.) You can pin daily without worry of spamming people. Group boards expect you to pin everyday or a couple times a week. Just don't pin repetitively with the same items over & over. Keep it fresh. C.) Because you are pinning in a community that supports you. People on these group boards are in for the same reason as you. Therefore, most of us want to help each other & re-pin each others items. Join my Small Business group boards here: I OWN A SMALL BUSINESS & ADVERTISE YOUR SMALL BUSINESS HERE . Make sure to follow the instructions at the top of each board. Most group boards will require instructions on how to be invited.  Tip #2: Hashtag your pins. Don't go overboard, though. I suggest 2-4 tags. 1-3 on words that pertain to your business/niche & hashtag your business name. I do this so I can find all of my pins easily. All I have to do is put #LivAndCo in the Pinterest search bar & boom! There I am! All of my pins.  Tip #3: Try to stay at or under 200 characters with your pins. Anymore & research shows that people aren't as likely to re-pin. Too many words overwhelm people & they tend to get lost in them. Keep it simple.  Tip #4: Pin at the right time of day. I bet you didn't see that one coming! You're probably asking yourself, "How will I know what times of day to pin?" First you can pin 2-4 pins at the same time, once per day, for 7 days a week. See which pins take off. You can hashtag them with different names in order to find which ones you've pinned for each day for tracking! Second, much research has been performed to gauge when Pinterest is most used. Think about your target audience. Who are they? Men? Women? What age group are they? Are they in school? Do they work? Do they have kids? Ask yourself all of these questions & then ask-what time would this person be on Pinterest? For me, my target audience is working women & Mothers of age to purchase my baby bodysuits, kids t shirts, women's apparel, & accessories. So I ask myself, "When would that person be online? How can I put myself in front of that person?" First, she is probably up sometime between 5-7 a.m. sipping a cup of coffee before work, scrolling her phone. She probably has a lunch break from whatever type of occupation so she is probably hanging out & scrolling her phone while eating between 11:30 & 1:00 p.m. She probably works until 4 or 5. She might go to the gym afterwards, pick the kids up from daycare, or run errands. She'll come home and most likely cook/prepare a dinner of sorts, & hang out with her kiddo(s) until bedtime which will most likely be between 8-9 p.m. She'll have herself in bed between 8:30-10 p.m. so she's probably going to scroll her phone one more time to see if there's anything fun going on. If your target audience is a college student, for instance, putting yourself in front of them on Pinterest during the day is probably not a good idea. They are probably in class or sleeping. They are most likely going to be your late night/early morning pinners. Find your target audience & pin accordingly. Lastly, the most popular days to pin to Pinterest (according to research studies) are Mondays & Thursdays. You're welcome ;) How has Pinterest served your business? Tell us in the comments below! Do you want to advertise your small business on the right column of our popular blog page? Click HERE to checkout & follow the instructions. Would you like us to review one of your products in a blog post that we blast out to our Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, & Facebook followers? Send your shop links HERE & let us know about what you sell. We will contact you about products we are interested in & let you know where to send them. TO VIEW THE REST OF OUR SMALL BUSINESS BLOG POSTS FOR TIPS CLICK HERE
 Maybe I'm a little slow on the uptake, but seriously, where have Facebook scheduled posts been my whole life?! I'm usually very business savvy & when it comes to all of the latest trending topics, I'm one of the first to be in-the-know. Not. this. time. I figured since my Instagram account was linked to my Twitter, Tumblr, & Facebook fan page that would suffice for my photo uploads. DON'T FIGURE THAT. Do both. I re-arranged my Monday mornings to schedule my Facebook fan page posts for the entire week & it only takes me 10 minutes! This makes life so much easier than fumbling through my phone photos to find an old product to make relevant again. Now I just go straight to my photo album on my computer, select the photos I want relevant for the week & voila! My advice: Schedule your posts for totally random times throughout the week for the first couple weeks & see what times receive the most interaction & keep scheduling for those times. For instance, one of my best times to schedule a post is Monday morning at 6 a.m. since so many hard working parent's (because that is my target market being that I design/make/sell baby, toddler, kid, & adult clothing & accessories) in the United States (my largest market) are normally scrolling their feed over a cup of coffee at this time. My products are also extremely popular in Australia (Sydney being in my top 10 cities that most view & purchase from my shops), Canada, & the UK, so I schedule posts according to their time zones as well. Once you have your target audience narrowed down it should be very easy to figure out their Facebook habits & schedule away! It's SO easy! HOW TO DO IT: 1.) Start creating your post at the top of your Page's Timeline. 2.) Click next to Publish. 3.) Select Schedule Post. 4.) Choose the date and time you want the post to be published. 5.) Click Schedule. Do you use the Facebook "schedule post" feature? How is it working for you? If you don't use it, will you now? What are your thoughts? Tell us in the comments below. Follow all of my small business blog posts for amazing advice for your small and/or handmade business HERE. If you'd like to advertise your business on the right column of our popular blog click HERE to contact us for an invoice or click HERE to conveniently checkout with out secured shopping cart. To shop Liv & Co. click HERE  Hi! Welcome to Liv & Co. If you've been following me then you already know that I run a very successful, small, handmade business. I have spent the ladder of the past 3 years researching how to make my Bodysuits, T Shirt's, & Accessories business a success. I spent way too many 16 hour days researching Search Engine Optimization, how to be successful on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Tumblr, & all other social media platforms, keyword relevancy & placement, how to create ads with Google & Facebook directed towards my target audience & more. (We will cover how to find your target audience in another post). To sum things up- I pretty much call myself an expert & so do those that I teach. 13,000+ sales later.... Yesterday I covered the first part of this series; how to take click worthy PHOTO'S. Click HERE to see that post. Today we are going to discuss putting money into your business; more importantly your Facebook fan page, & why you should. This will be lengthy, but stick with it - you're going to learn A LOT! If you don't have time to read this all now, you're going to want to PIN, TWEET, BLOG, EMAIL, OR SHARE this to your social media & go back to reference it when you have time. Please click "register" at the top of this page to follow me! You're probably saying to yourself, "Why should I put money into something I just started? What if it doesn't work out?" First of all, if you believe in yourself & your business, questioning whether it will work out or not is the last thing you should be asking yourself. You are setting yourself up for failure if that is your mentality. Your mindset should be, "I know I'm going to be successful so what are the best tools to utilize to get me there?" All of us have a different set of "tools", so to speak. Some people really WORK their Facebook fan page, but I choose not to go that route & here's why: I don't have time to focus on that. I didn't have time even when I wasn't uber busy with orders, but I definitely don't have time now. I have other social media to tend to & I have to keep creating. If I'm stuck on Facebook waiting all day, that hinders me from coming up with fun, new, fresh items for my rock'in customers. I seriously saw someone in a Facebook group I'm a part of say, "I'm not paying to advertise on Facebook. Why should I have to pay?" Ummm.... Facebook has a very nifty advertising tool. They've collected a lot of data & have a lot of employees working round the clock to bring you a tool that other platforms do not offer right now & virtually everyone who is shopping online is going to have a Facebook page. That's not going to come free & it shouldn't. Why work hard when you can work smart? Facebook has an unrivaled ad setup, in my opinion. They have come such a long way from when I first started advertising with them. Once you have your target audience narrowed down, Facebook has their Ads Manager setup so that you can gear your ad toward only your target market. Why is this better than working your page 24/7? Because Facebook will work it for you for a very small fee if you're doing it right. This frees you up to work on your craft, your other social media sites, or spend precious time with your family- which is priceless. While you are at the park enjoying a picnic with your kiddo's your Facebook ads are hard at work putting impressions of your business in front of your target audience instead of people that may have only liked your page because they are already your friend, or because of a giveaway you were hosting. You can set your ad up for any age bracket. You can set it up for one particular city, state, country, or multiple countries. You can choose whether your ad shows up on desktop or mobile device or both. Why wouldn't you want both? Because if you get more traffic from people that are clicking from their mobile device, for instance, you don't want to waste impressions on mobile users that aren't likely to click. Get it?  You can set your ad up for clicks to your website, to get likes on your Facebook fan page, to boost your posts, & more! You can narrow down the demographics by your customers purchase habits, residential status, interests, marital status, gender, parental/family status, & MORE. You're probably thinking this sounds really expensive, right? Wrong. If you're familiar at all, you've probably clicked "Boost Post" from your fan page before & it gave you a $5 minimum & you may have said, "To heck with that!". That is an entirely different tool that I'm referencing. The advertising I'm referencing starts from your Facebook homepage where you'll click 'Ads Manager' on the left column as shown in the photo below. Once you are in your Ads Manager, Facebook will walk you through, pretty much step by step, on creating your ad. There are also several YouTube tutorials to help you with this, but none of them will matter if you do not know your target audience ;) .  For me, I started out with a $1.25/ day budget. That's all & that's not a lot. That is $37.50 in about a month (30 days). That is dirt cheap advertising for not having to babysit your Facebook fan page all day. That is why Facebook advertising is worth the cost. I now have 4 ads running. One for "likes" on my page and 3 others geared towards website clicks on 3 different categories of my shop. Of course, you may always snag some advertising space for dirt cheap here on my right column & be seen by my all of my awesome, loyal followers by contacting me HERE for rates. Click HERE to join us on my "I Own A Small Business" Facebook GROUP for buyers & sellers! What advertising tool do you utilize that works best for you & why?! Tell us in the comments below!
Click HERE to shop Liv & Co. Keywords: Making money online, How to advertise on Facebook, Is Facebook advertising worth it, Ways to advertise my small business, How to be successful on Etsy, Storenvy, BigCartel, Artfire, IndieMade, and Shopify , How to sell on Facebook, How to get traffic to your Facebook fan page, How to use Facebook for your business  I hear it every day, "I'm not getting any Etsy sales! What am I doing wrong?" If you've been following my blog you know that I have been studying how to become a successful small business for approximately 3 years. I've spent 16 hour days with, what felt like permanent blood- shot eyes, for the better part of 3 years researching, teaching myself about SEO, taking eye catching pictures, how to work social media to the fullest, & every other aspect you can imagine, to grow my own successful small, handmade business, & now I teach others. This is part one of a series I'm going to address so if you'd like to follow along, please register yourself at the top of this page where it says "LOGIN/REGISTER". You may also click the "Small Business Blog Posts" listed under "Categories" to the right of this post.----->> Let's start with pictures because they truly are the most important asset to your business. You can have everything else going for you, but if your pictures suck-no one is even going to see your content because they aren't going to click on your product. I look at people commenting on threads on Facebook, Twitter, & other social media sites that complain about not having any sales, then I click on their product photo's on Etsy & I think to myself, "Do they really not know?" I sit in amazement that some photo's are literally so horrible & wonder how a person truly cannot know. I look at my photo's, then I look at photo's of my competition & I can tell that mine look awesome, but when I first started out I could tell exactly where I needed to improve. I've never seen this done before so I'm going to try to go about helping you with this by posting some photo's of a bracelet I purchased from The Jeweled Feather, a shop that pays meticulously close attention to detail in their photo's. I'm going to examine a bad picture vs. a good picture with you. If you aren't having sales- the first thing you need to examine is your pictures. Request honest opinions from people & make sure you have thick enough skin to handle it. Don't get offended. These people will be trying to help you with your business. Sometimes it's not always sugarcoat-able. I'm so straight forward when giving advice about photographs. If you want a no B.S. assessment on your shop photo's, post a link to your shop in comments & I'll briefly check them out for you and let you know if I think they rock or not. When you are going to have a photo represent your product- it needs to be a 10/10. Bottom line. People cannot touch your product or see it close up so the visual has to be spot on. If you think you lack the "eye" for a good photo then it is wise to invest in a photographer for your business, especially if it's something you can make and sell over & over again. If it isn't, I strongly recommend investing in a photography class or seminar of sorts if you are serious about selling and taking your business to serious levels. I've had seller's argue with me that they don't photo shop their pictures because they think it takes away from or makes the item look different than it actually appears in person. Out of over 13,000 sales in the past 2 1/2 years, I have not had someone tell me that my products do not look the same in person as they did in the photo except MAYBE a time or 2 where they thought the bodysuit was a different color, which depending on pixilation and computer screens-colors can vary slightly, which I mention several times throughout all of my shop's and make sure to note in all of my policy sections. To show you how different taking a picture can be I am going to show you several different photo's of this bracelet I bought from The Jeweled Feather. I've taken photo's with flash & without on 2 different backgrounds. I'm going to show you a good picture from a bad picture. Please let me know in comments which photo's you thought were honestly acceptable.
 <<<--------This is photo C. Taken on a hardwood background (very popular background for a lot of sellers) without flash & without being photo shopped. This photo does not represent any of the detail in this bracelet. It is very dull and lifeless.  This is photo D. ----------->>>> Taken on the same hardwood as photo C, but taken with flash on. Do you see the glare on the table? Do you see how dark the photo looks? Two no-no's right there. Are you starting to see how enhancing your photo is necessary? It does not mean you are altering the item itself or making it look different, you are simply removing the "clutter" from your photo's.  <<<------- We'll call this photo E. Photo E was taken on a white table with flash. Though, the detail of the bracelet is better shown here, the background is too dark. It will not attract buyers.  This is photo F. ---->> Photo F was taken on the same white table & right after photo E except photo F (this one) was taken without the flash on. See how photo's can vary drastically simply by the flash alone? This photo does not contain the same details of the bracelet as photo E, but it is brighter. That's where you need to learn to make the photo brighter while keeping the detail and removing any shadows, speckles, & imperfections in the background.  <<<------Photo G. Photo G is getting there. It is definitely more acceptable than the others & will probably render you several more sales than any of the other photos. This is the EXACT same photo as photo E. Looks a lot brighter, doesn't it? All while still keeping, and even slightly enhancing the detail to the product. It was rotated, cropped, and both the brightness & contrast were adjusted. I can personally tell you since I purchased this bracelet and currently have it on my wrist right now, that this is the closest photo to representing the product in person so far.  Photo H. Last, but obviously not least since this is the photo that captured my eye and secured me as a buyer! This is the original photo of the infamous bracelet. Now, hopefully you can see how different pictures can look & why it IS so important to capture the right look for your product! I bet you're asking yourself, "How did she take these pictures?" or you're telling yourself, "She must've had a big, fancy camera to take these photo's". WRONG. These photo's were taken with my cell phone & photo shopped with an app! After examining the photo's above, please give your honest opinion, in the comments below, on which photo's you thought best represented the bracelet & why. If your thoughts were that it doesn't really matter because you liked the bracelet in every photo- I want to know that too & why! If you'd like honest opinions on the photo's in your shop or for your small business, include a link to your shop in the comments below & I'll do my best to respond to you all with honest assessments! Get more traffic to your small, handmade business. Liv & Co. advertises for small businesses all the time on this very site! If you want to advertise your business on Liv & Co. contact us HERE for bi-weekly & monthly pricing. Keywords: Etsy, Etsy Seller Guide, How To Be Successful On Etsy, How To Take Good Photo's For My Handmade Business, Crafts, Handmade, Liv & Co., Liv And Company, Promote My Handmade Business  Some of these may sound like they have A LOT, but in comparison, they do not. They also do not revolve as quickly as just using #Etsy, leaving your product photo to linger a bit longer in front of those searching that tag. The Etsy hashtag alone currently has 4,012,296 posts it is tagged in. While you should most definitely always use it when posting your Etsy items, you should include some of the smaller time tags as well. Of course, if you love my posts & love my products make sure you're following Liv & Co. on Instagram by clicking HERE to keep up with the latest news! To shop Liv & Co. click HERE To advertise on Liv & Co.'s website contact us HERE What hashtags do you use on Instagram? How has Instagram helped to build your Etsy business? Tell us in the comments below!  Let's talk hashtags. Many of us know what they are, some of us are clueless. Hashtags have become so important in today's society in easily locating things that are trending, things that are for sale, and much more. Today we will focus on the "things that are for sale" aspect & more particularly, hash tags you should be using on Instagram if you have an Etsy shop. Instagram is a HUGE tool for your business. Why? Because it is photo based & it is free (as of right now). People are using Instagram more & more as a shopping site, which is why if you don't have an account- you need to get one & if you do have an account you need to understand the importance of hashtagging. I'm sure most of you know to #Etsy , but it's a fast moving tag so photo's tend to get lost quickly in the feed. Below are 11 hashtags you should totally be using on your Instagram account when you are uploading your Etsy items. I've even included a few that are linked to big time Etsy promotional accounts that love to love your stuff even if they don't feature it. (They are ran by independent people that love to support Etsy. They are not run by Etsy, nor are they affiliated with Etsy.) 1.) #EtsyHunter Etsy Hunter is an Instagram account that features Etsy shops. This tag is how they locate items that shop owners wish to have them feature. Plus, it's a popular hashtag that Etsy sellers search. With 61,710 current posts it makes this hashtag just popular enough, but not enough to get lost. 2.) #EtsyUSA Etsy USA is another Instagram account that features Etsy shops. They have 13.6k current followers & are growing by an average of 300 followers per day. With 13,990 current posts you won't be drowning in the whirlpool of the "too broad" hashtags. 5.) #EtsyFinds Etsy finds is another popular hashtag to locate great Etsy shops & products. Currently, there is a nice flow to this hashtag. 91,773 posts are tagged with it. 6.) #EtsyForAll Hashtag EtsyForAll is an upcoming hashtag gaining popularity fast. 7.) #EtsyShopOwner This one is pretty self explanatory, right? 8.) #EtsySeller You're an Etsy Seller so tag it! 9.) #EtsyStore 'Nuff said. 10.) #EtsySale Running a sale in your Etsy shop? Tell everone about it with this popular Etsy sale hashtag. 11.) #EtsyLove If you're looking for some extra lov'in on your Etsy product posts, tag Etsy love! Now that you're here, feel free to shop our amazing, handmade apparel and accessories for babies, toddlers, and adults by clicking the photo below.  3.) #Etsyprepromo This hashtag is linked to the Instagram account @Etsypreneurs. They too love to feature fab Etsy products. They currently boast 5800 followers & growing so go follow them & get tagging. 4.) #ShopEtsy This is a popular hashtag for people who want to, you guessed it, shop Etsy! This hashtag currently has 85,000 posts. Again, enough to be reputable, not enough to get lost in.  Facebook: It's Better Handmade is not only a large Facebook group for Handmade Artists, but it is also a website that you may "submit" your handmade products to along with a link to where shopper's can find them, thus essentially making it another shopping platform for handmade sellers! This also creates backlinks for your site which also make your site more credible! It's Better Handmade also offers paid advertising spots on their site - which is ALWAYS a good idea! Click HERE to join their Facebook group of 40,000+ members. Click the photo to be taken to their website.   Pinterest: "I Own A Small Business" group board on Pinterest. This Pinterest Board is great for Etsy sellers, but ALL small businesses are welcome to pin! One of the fastest growing group boards on Pinterest, this board boasts 34k pins & 700 pinners to a ratio of 4,072 followers which means this board has a lot of followers that are most likely shoppers. The board instructions to be invited are as follows: 1.) Follow the board (because you have to to pin to it.) 2.) Email [email protected] with a click-able link to your Pinterest profile so they may invite you. The best part about group boards is that they are free advertisement. Rather than only being seen by your followers & seldom pinning your items as to not spam your viewers, you are actually expected to pin to group boards each day or a couple times a week to keep your items in rotation since they circulate so quickly. You are also seen by 100x more viewers than just your exclusive audience on your profile. Click HERE to be taken to the board.  Instagram: Hello Love handmade. This is a paying site, but it's very straight forward & easy to deal with. A very small price to pay for a lot of exposure. Boasting a whopping 25.8k & counting followers on Instagram, you're sure to get more traffic to your item/website! To follow them on Instagram click HERE To head over to their website to apply, click the photo.  Facebook: I Run A Small Business is a page on Facebook dedicated to featuring items from Small Businesses & holding weekly Facebook "events" that go for hours long where crafters & artisians post items by color theme, each hour a different color or hosting days like, "newbie Monday" to welcome all newcomers. With 52,000 followers, you are sure to be seen! Click HERE to follow.  Instagram: Craftsposure is no joke. They are rocking 50.5k followers on Instagram & growing. They make it easy for a chance to be featured by having you hash tag: #craftsposure or tag @craftsposure on your posts . Even if they don't feature you, they're amazing at liking each post that they are tagged in. The best part is that Craftsposure is free as of right now. Bonus: If you click on their website from their bio they also offer an array of free tips for small businesses! How nice! Click HERE to follow on Instagram. Click the photo to head to their website.  Etsy: Etsy USA is an Instagram account that features various unique Etsy products. It is easy peasy to be featured: hash tag #etsyusa or tag @etsyusa to your post. Click the link in their bio, for a $14 processing fee you will have a permanent feature if you are selected. If you aren't selected they will even email you with tips on how to become more feature worthy on their page! They currently have 13,000 followers and are growing at an approximate 300 followers per day. Click HERE to be taken to their website. Click the photo to follow on Instagram. There are plenty of sites to assist small & handmade businesses, but these are my top 6 in reference to the ones I follow. As always, Liv & Co. offers easy, $10 slots to be advertised on our site for 2 weeks. To advertise at LivAndCo.com send an email to [email protected] with your PayPal email or email you would like to receive your invoice, a small blurb (2-3 sentences) about your business, a photo you would like to represent your business, & a link to your online store. All of those must be submitted to be featured. You will not receive an email until we are ready to feature you. When we put you up, you'll be up for 2 weeks. You can re-new as often as you'd like. All paid submissions are currently going on our blog pages because they drive the most traffic, aside from our shop. Meaning, on every blog we post, every time one of them is clicked on your advertisement will be located to their right. We constantly pin our blogs, tweet them, & share them to Facebook. They get a lot of traffic which = exposure for you. If you'd like to shop Liv & Co. click HERE . Do you have any sites that you favor that support handmade, small businesses? Tell us in the comments below!    When a buyer comes to Etsy there is no doubt they intend to find a unique, one of a kind, handmade item, & are willing to pay a bit more for the originality Etsy & it's shops offer. Let me preface this post by saying: My goal is not to throw anyone under the bus, which is why I've been kind enough to black out shop names, unlike many other bloggers, because I understand having children to support. However, as I laid awake last night until 2 a.m. scrolling in astonishment & slight disgust, I realized it was my duty to write about this because I think it is a horrible, unethical thing to do on a selling platform that was designed to appreciate genuine, handmade products & the fact that it is shop's like these that put under the little shop's. I know there are loyal, die hard handmade customers out there that would appreciate knowing whether or not they are getting an authentic, handmade item. So. When I started out on Etsy I was completely stoked about the handmade revolution. I was thrilled to be part of a community that all supported each other with the idea that a Mom or Dad could earn a living from their home and take care of their children at the same time. As many other honest small, handmade, home based businesses go, my wheels started turning. I went from designing my own t-shirts and baby bodysuits to wanting to expand my brand. I decided that I wanted to offer accessories for boys, girls, women, and men. I began working with headbands for little girls and bow ties for little boys. My Etsy shop was going so well I barely had time to produce a new headband per day. I was purchasing fabric and making rolled fabric flowers by hand and completely assembling each one from pure scratch. I remember thinking to myself , "How can anyone make any money with the time alone it takes to manufacture these headbands? Not to mention, the cost of the materials." This isn't the first time that question has stumbled it's way across my plate. Many beginner sellers have asked me how they can make money sewing, making jewelry, etc. because so many Etsy shops offer such low prices that it isn't worth their time to produce. One day I was randomly searching and came across some shabby chic wholesale flowers on Etsy. Of course I wondered what it was and clicked on it. Low and behold, after searching for some little girls headbands , I had found how everyone was doing it for so cheap. No harm there. Everyone that manufactures a product has to purchase supplies and clearly these were supplies. I design my baby bodysuits & t shirts, but the bodysuits & t shirts are a supply for my company. Just like people making baby blankets aren't making their own fabric. Their fabric is a purchased supply. I was grateful to find an easier way to improve my business & expand to better support my family. My headbands were my own unique creations & I could purchase the supplies I needed to assemble them from several American wholesaler's, still building my business upon being designed & made in the USA. However recently I stumbled upon something so much greater. In my crusade to support handmade in the USA, since it became completely obvious to me I wasn't going to have the time to make them myself, I decided that I wanted to start purchasing wholesale from American made manufacturers for my website (NOT MY ETSY SHOP- MY ACTUAL WEBSITE. ALL CONTENT IN MY ETSY SHOP IS DESIGNED & MADE BY ME FROM START TO FINISH. I DO NOT HAVE ANY CURRENT EMPLOYEES TO EVEN HELP ME BAG MY ORDERS). I typed into my search bar "wholesale head wraps made in the USA". As you can imagine American manufacturers were scarce. If you continue reading you'll see why. Several China wholesale websites came up and suddenly several photos that I have seen from several shops on Etsy all popped up as well. This is no secret, it has been a hot debate several times in the handmade community. Some Etsy sellers have argued that China stole from them and I found it ironic that they would claim that after doing this very simple math equation. Take your cost of fabric & thread. No biggie, right? Wrong. Factor this: after cutting your fabric, pinning your fabric, sewing your fabric, turning your fabric right side out, possibly top stitching, sewing and assembling your bow, & attaching your bow to your head wrap, even for the experienced seamstress this cannot take any less than a half an hour, but actually took me approximately 50 minutes. If you have an employee making them for you- it still doesn't make sense. You have a headband at $4.95 & you pay your employee, say, $10/hr. Even if you can manufacture 2 head wraps in 1 hour - that only pays your employee & doesn't even begin to touch the cost of supplies. If you could make 3 in an hour it would cover only your supplies & your employee. So where is the profit? Does anyone want to tell me how selling one of these head wraps for $4.95 - $10 you can possibly make any money at all? One of their Instagram pages has photo's of 'their' bows on sale for $3.95 and oh! There are only 50 pieces left! Sounds handmade to me!..... NOT! They even have a photo of the blonde girl above saying, 'We have the cutest customers!! Please continue to tag us!!' $3.95! Yes, you read that right! Etsy's policies are very clear. A quote from Etsy policies states: "Handmade items are designed and created by the shops that sell them. Because transparency is paramount on Etsy, we asked sellers to publicly list all members of their shops and, if pre approved, any manufactures involved in creating their items. Reselling an item the seller was not involved in creating is not allowed in our handmade category." I would love for Etsy to require them to sit down in front of an Etsy rep with a sewing machine and crank out some of these headbands! IN ALL FAIRNESS, several of these Etsy shop owners claim that they were stolen from, not the other way around. It is obvious the natural rebuttal from a seller would be to argue that THEY were stolen from, however the evidence sells them out. Many of these sellers have shot themselves in the foot with their pricing. There is no way to sustain being a legitimate, handmade business in the USA with prices like that. That doesn't even begin to crack the surface considering some sellers are all using the exact same pictures as other sellers that are the exact same pictures from the China wholesale website! So are these sellers trying to convince us that they all had the same idea and they all use the same model and then China stole from all of them and put their items on their wholesale website? It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out how not likely that is. I've heavily scoped this China website. I have scoured articles all day about Etsy sellers claiming they've been had by Alibaba. It sure doesn't add up, though! From everything I've read & concluded, if that were the case, just like Etsy, Alibaba will remove items that infringe on the intellectual properties of another, but they haven't removed any of these photo's. I'm going to take a guess that the photo's may very well have been those of the shop owners, but the Alibaba manufacturers started using them because they make the items & felt they had the right to. Otherwise, a simple complaint from the Etsy sellers with proof it was their photo- 48 hours Alibaba would remove the photo's. Not only that, but let me reiterate- PRICING. The pricing for the U.S. sellers just flat out DOES NOT MAKE SENSE! It does not add up. One of the shops that claimed Alibaba took their pictures was quoted in an Etsy team here in 2013:   No offense, but judging by the broken English in the shops original statement, it seems like damage control to me. It seems like it was planted there because they felt they were on the verge of being found out. Does it not? Notice how someone mentions that "Ali sites are pretty good at removing them"? Funny how 2 years later & they still aren't removed. Someone must not have been able to furnish proof! Then there was this blog post blasting Three Bird Nest. We've all heard of Three Bird Nest by now, I'm sure. You can find the full blog post from Indie Untangled here: http://indieuntangled.com/make-1m-year-selling-knitting-successful-etsy-importer/ , but what I found MOST interesting was what was in the comments at the bottom. You can read for yourself, but I've blacked out the names on my end. I found it crazy that in these blog comments contained EVERY company that I have researched for this blog AND THEN SOME. With legitimate handmade sellers BEGGING for someone to expose them. Now, I just came across this article tonight & most of this post of mine was written this morning so I'm editing to add the comments as I thought they were highly relevant to what I'm trying to convey: I'm not going to lie- I want one! I love them. I think they're adorable. I've even purchased from Three Bird Nest & some of these other shops before I knew what was going on. I wanted to purchase from the community that provided for my family. I wanted to give back. Now that I have seen what I've seen- I won't purchase one. I'll take the time to make a few for myself. I would've paid an extra $10 for a headband for it to be authentically handmade and know I was putting money in the pocket of a work at home Mom. I would've paid an extra $10 to know it was going towards the attention to detail that a handmade item requires & that a seller/maker takes pride in making.  Wait! I'm not finished. Let's move along to crochet! Anyone that crochet's know it takes a lot of time. Everyone knows that, right? Right. When my newest Son was about to be born I was searching for something turtle related as an inside joke with my oldest Son because he LOVES turtles. I found the cutest little item! A crocheted or knitted turtle 'cape'. It lays over baby's back and has a hat attached to serve as the turtle head. I found this bad boy for a STEAL! I noticed the shop was only charging $15.99 for it & I just couldn't believe it so I messaged them (I was naïve back then) to ask if it was really handmade. I cannot believe I expected an honest answer, but I sort of did. Of course she said hers was handmade. I noticed another one was $40 which seemed far more realistic to me. I don't know a whole lot about knit & crochet, but I do know that this turtle shell looks like it'd take a very decent amount of time & no way could it be handmade by a shop in the USA for $16. Fast forward to months later (which is now) after searching for these headbands, I remembered this incident of the turtle shell. Just for grins I typed it into Google & sure enough, there it was. On the same China wholesale website. Do the shop owner's that sell these for so cheap really want to claim that China is stealing their idea or their photo? How could a shop owner even think that would be believable by Etsy, consumers, or other shop owners? Even if China truly did rip off their design- that still does not answer how they are able to sell them for so cheap. What kills me is they use the EXACT same pictures.  If you're a veteran Etsian, you've probably already seen these photo's before on Etsy anyway. These should be eBay items & if you are purchasing China wholesale, you should open up an eBay store. Etsy was intended for legitimate, handmade artist's. If you are one of these shop's and would like me to post credit to you, let me know & I will. If you want to come forward for me to share your story, I'm open to that too. Also, I am not against wholesaling. I am against fraud and pretending to be handmade if you are not. I am against blatantly disregarding policies for the almighty dollar, especially when there are other selling platforms that would better fit what you are trying to accomplish. I am against trampling on others to get to the "top". These items certainly do beg the answer to who copied who. In the end, I'm sure it doesn't truly matter because, most likely, these shop's will never be held accountable to questioning or subject to termination for violating policies. If these items were truly handmade, though, I don't think they'd be listed on a wholesale China website. Most of us handmade artisian's that are interested in wholesaling our items cannot afford to do so at China prices. Tell me your thoughts! Is it o.k.? Should it be o.k.? Should Etsy convert to being the next eBay? Is the problem too big to contain? Do you want to be featured in one of my blog posts? Do you want me to review an item of yours to be featured in one of my blog posts? If so, click here: FEATURE ME   SO. I am constantly having people ask me how I became so successful on Etsy. I'm actually gearing up to start hosting monthly seminars to coach small business owners on Etsy in making their stores more lucrative- so take notes & re-pin, re-tweet, or re-post this on your Facebook page & keep it as your reference as I do not always give away advice for free ;)
1.) PICTURES, PICTURES, PICTURES. Man, do I see some God awful pictures on Etsy. I'm not sure if the store owners actually think they look professional or just figure that they'll list it & it will sell anyway, but whatever the case is- clear, crisp, bright photograph's of your product are the only way to go. 2.) BE ORIGINAL. Don't be a copycat. I cannot tell you how many people I see copying off others and they are never as successful as the original. I started doing custom orders & noticed that everyone was asking me to make what someone else had already made and I'd think to myself, "well, that sucks because I'm never going to be able to list that." I do not list anything I've seen someone else make (though MANY have tried to copy me). That being said, I was charging $18 for something that took me 2-3 hours or more to design, not to mention cutting, printing, pressing, packing, the whole 9 yards. All that hard work to never be able to make any more money off it. I have cut back tremendously on doing custom orders unless they are specifically original & I am able to implement my own creativity and not use someone else's. 3.) THE 100 RULE. This probably isn't the first time you heard this, but I promise you, much of it is true. Do you have at least 100 items listed in your Etsy shop? Have you had 100 sales? 100 seems to be the magic number. In my case it was and with several thousand shop owners to attest to it- I can say it's some pretty good advice. 4.) HAVE YOU JOINED TEAMS YET? Etsy teams are important. The reason Etsy is such an original concept is because it was built on the foundation of small businesses being successful promoting each other rather than self promotion. When you get into teams & you see 'game threads' such as, 'post 5, favorite 5'- those MATTER! Every time an item of yours is 'favorited' your item slowly moves up in rank as Etsy sees it is becoming a popular item. You want people, A LOT of people, to favorite your items. Every time someone favorites your item it then goes into their followers home feed as 'so-and-so just favorited this item', thus causing a chain reaction of possible viewer's of your item. Not to mention, teams are an excellent source of advice. Find teams that blend well with what you are selling or focus on promotions. 5.) SEO. More importantly (in my opinion) is SEO. SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. Optimizing your listings to be found in Google's search. Google focuses on your title & approximately the first 3 lines in your listing. It reads the entire listing, but it focuses on finding keywords that relate to your item to better place you in front of viewer's that are most likely to buy your item. You do not want to 'stuff' keywords in there. It is frowned upon & can actually hurt you rather than help you. Google wants meaningful content. Not a bunch of words thrown together that you think will get you seen. Instead, you want to use the words from your title in sentence form in the first few sentences of your first paragraph. Etsy's search reads your title & your keywords, not the actual content of your listing so make sure you are placing your words where they need to be so they are seen by whom you want seeing them. What is a good what to find strong keywords for your items, you ask? Head over to your Etsy or Google search box & start typing in what you sell. You will see several ideas on what terms are most commonly searched for. It always boggles my mind that Etsy gives us 140 characters to use in our title & I'll see someone's title is, "White Gold Wedding Band". Ummm.... You are MISSING OUT on so many other keywords that someone would search for! You're missing the bus! You could have in there, "Men's 14K White Gold Wedding Band Ring, Wide, Size 4-12, Engraved". THAT packs a WAY bigger punch & will be seen by anyone that types any of those terms into the search bar. It also narrows you down so you aren't so broad. You will get trampled on with a title like, "White Gold Wedding Band". There are so many other people with that key tag- you want to be found! 6.) KNOW YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE & find a way to be in their presence. This is the time you want to NOT worry about excluding people. I used to think that I didn't want to exclude men, nor did I want to exclude elderly, but I had to buckle down & really understand who was MOST LIKELY to buy from me rather than looking at everyone and thinking they MIGHT. For instance, yes, I carry men's apparel. Are they most likely to buy from me or is their girlfriend or wife more likely to buy from me? If so, what age range would be most popular? And so on... Think about who is most likely to buy from you & why. Then start building on that. 7.) UNDERSTAND SOCIAL MEDIA & ADVERTISE. Understand what sites work well, how to work them, when to use hashtags, etc. WITHOUT SPAMMING. Social Media can make all the difference. For my business, Pinterest has made me the most successful out of them all ( www.Pinterest.com/LivAndCo ). Instagram( www.Instagram.com/LivAndCompany ) runs a close 2nd. I clocked in 8x the views from Pinterest than even Google. People were also much more likely to buy my item that clicked from Pinterest. I became a part of group Pinterest boards & started 2 of my own that are extremely successful. (You may find me & follow me- follow the instructions at the top of my board's for an invite.) Join small business groups on Facebook to network with other small business owners & display your items in front of viewer's that like to support small business. A few good ones are: "I Own A Small Business" https://www.facebook.com/groups/ShopSmallBiz/ & "It's Better Handmade" https://www.facebook.com/groups/its.better.handmade.link/ Etsy-Preneurship seems to be another great tool for Etsy sellers. Visit their Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/EtsyPreneurship?fref=ts 8.) PROMOTE OTHER'S! When you promote other small businesses & they see it, they are likely to promote back! Plus, you should always support the community that supports you ;) 9.) DO NOT USE COPYRIGHTED OR TRADEMARKED PHRASES, ITEMS, DESIGNS, ETC. Not only is this unethical, it is illegal. Do your research on your shop if you want it to be around for a long time. It is a good way to get your Etsy shop SHUT DOWN. Trust me, I know, I've been there & you do not want to be. If it weren't for some serious investigating, contacting several higher-ups, & seeking legal advice, my shop never would've been re-opened. Why, you ask? The word "Onesie". This is trademarked by Gerber. It is their word & has been for decades. You'd never know it, I didn't. Once some of my listings were flagged & removed, I changed my keywords to 'onezie' & 'onsie'. I was flagged & removed again. According to trademark laws, anything that is similarly confusing is also a big no-no. My shop was shut down. When an Etsy shop is shut down- it is rarely re-opened and I had TWO! Both of my shop's were shut down & only 1 of them used that word. It didn't matter. If you have 5 shop's and 1 contains illegal material in it, Etsy can shut all of your shop's down & never re-open you again & it doesn't matter if you're a million dollar seller. No company, including Etsy, would want the responsibility of a lawsuit for infringement on their hands & as far as your stores go- there are plenty more like it that they can move up in relevancy in your place. In my case, I was completely unaware I was using a trademarked word. I heard it used so often as a general term in reference to the bodysuits I design. A couple other popular trademarks that people should be aware of, but apparently are not are Disney items, Taggies blankets (You cannot use the word taggies, tagged blankets, or anything similarly confusing. You also cannot make blankets with ribbons folding coming out of the sides because they own the patent on that as of right now. Anything that has to do with major league sports teams, even "Cape on backwards" in reference to bibs is now trademarked. Therefore, consult with an attorney if you are concerned something you make or sell could infringe on a copyright. 10.) HAVE YOUR OWN DOMAIN NAME. No matter what, be in charge of your shop. Make sure you have your own domain name from the get-go and plaster it on your business cards, clothing labels (if you have them), etc. Make sure people get to know your domain name & not your Etsy domain name. You can re-route your domain name to land in your Etsy shop, but if you ever decide to part ways with Etsy or Etsy ever decides to part ways with you- every customer you've ever had will know your domain name & instead of landing on a dead store with options for other store's listings, they'll come look for you at your domain name which you can build your shop under should anything go awry! 11.) BACK UP YOUR SHOP. Whether you use the CSV file option or you use an app to back up your shop & it's listing's- do it! Make sure you've always got your listings on hand to upload somewhere else. This goes hand in hand with making sure you are always in control of your shop- no one else. Well friends, that's all I've got time for today. I hope you learned something valuable while you were here :) & hey, you may as well check out my shop! Visit us here: http://www.livandco.com/store/c1/Featured_Products.html |
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AuthorProud Mom of 3 beautiful children. Creator, investor, designer, & owner of The Marketplace by Liv & Co., High Tidy, High Tide R & R, The Matriarchy Matters, Hitched, Liv & Co. Photography, Selfies By The Sea and the Everything Panama City Beach, FL Facebook group. 
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