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Tuesday, July 7, 2015

Are You Memorable Enough?

Human Being No. 1: "Where did you get that __________? (Fill in the blank with whatever works best for you.)

Human Being No. 2: "I got it on Etsy."

This is bad. Very bad. 

Human Being No. 2 doesn't even remember where they got that awesome thing or they are just really lazy.

Human Being No. 2 isn't promoting for you.

Human Being No. 1 is not going to search all over the Good Lord's creation looking for what Human Being No. 2 has.

Don't let this happen to you. Now, I'm not an expert on branding whatsoever, but I have been trying to step up my game. Most recently, I've purchased laser engraved acrylic charms for my bracelets. Why? Well, unless the customer carries around the tiny Ziploc bag with my information on it at all times, they probably aren't going to remember where they purchased their bangle from.

Let's back up a little.

What do you want your shop to say?
Branding starts right at the beginning. As soon as a potential customer visits your Etsy shop they should see consistency. Your Etsy shop should have some sort of a "vibe." For example, I like to think of my shop as classy, fun and Southern. My banner and shop name are consistent with those ideals. If you are selling skulls and motorcycle parts surely you aren't going to have a fluffy bunny as your mascot and the name of your shop isn't going to be something sickening sweet. It's gotta be tough. You don't want to throw off your customer. Personally, I would find it a little off putting. A shop with a bunny logo and a fru-fru name doesn't really sound like a place I would want to buy my motorcycle parts (if I had a motorcycle.)

A tagline is also something to think about. A tagline is a short phrase that sums up what your brand is and what you are selling. My tagline is "Sweet. Southern. Handmade. Style." It really sums up what my shop is all about. Originally, my tagline was "handmade greeting cards and gifts made with paper and love." That's a mouthful. Plus, I haven't made a greeting card in probably over a year. It just wasn't relevant anymore.

Who do you want to buy your stuff?
Okay, most likely, guys aren't going to shop with me unless it's for a gift. So, my target audience is definitely going to be women. Now, my pricing level is geared towards the lower end of the spectrum and this isn't because my items are of lower quality, it's because I don't like to price gouge people and my target audience is women who are looking for a bargain.

So, if you are selling skulls and motorcycle parts, your target audience and price points are going to differ from mine. Clearly, motorcycle parts are going to draw a different crowd and those sorts of items are more expensive. You have to reach out to those who you think are going to enjoy and use your product.

Why is your stuff so dang awesome?
Let's take a look at my expand and stack bangles . Of course, those women that I'm targeting could buy the well known Alex and Ani expandable bangles that every boho chic twenty-somethings have stacked halfway up their arm, or you can buy mine. My bangles are well made, they are made differently and they are unique. (Rarely, do I make the same thing twice.) Most importantly, they are less expensive but you get the same look for less. You can buy 2 or 3 of mine for the price of one Alex and Ani bangle. It's really a no brainer unless you really like well known brand name stuff.

Basically, you need to let your customer know why they should buy from you. This should be in every item description. What does the product do? How is it made? How will it benefit the purchaser? How will it make them feel?

You need one of them fancy picture things.
This is also known as a logo. What is a logo, you ask? It is one of those images that we get inundated with on a daily basis. Everyone knows what the Honda symbol looks like. What about the FedEx logo? Better yet, the Golden Arches of McDonald's? You see logos all the time. Create one that goes with your shop's ideals. Keep in mind the design and colors. That fictitious motorcycle shop that I've been referring to the whole time is going to have something dark and probably chrome. Mine? Right now it's a mint greenish color with doilies. The font is Learning Curve which I feel takes you back to a more simpler time when you were a kid. The items in your shop must reflect your logo and vice versa. 

Work it!
In order for all of this to pay off, you have to work it. You have to be the brand. Put that logo on everything such as business cards, a window sticker for your car, letterhead, email signatures, whatever you want! Also, use your own product! If you make jewelry, wear it. If you make dog collars, put it on your dog. If you sell baby booties, find a baby to wear them (but be careful with how you do that - moms are touchy. Ha!) 

Earlier, I told you that I wasn't an expert on anything like this. This particular entry has taken me three or four days to complete - this was seriously the hardest blog entry. Ever. There is so much more to all of these little points but hopefully my little bit of advice will point your branding skills in the right direction to having a very memorable brand and Etsy shop.

So, the next time you sign into your Etsy, ask yourself, "Am I memorable enough?"

Good luck and God bless!

...until next time...

-Sam

















Sunday, May 10, 2015

I Learned Something!

I have to get something off of my chest that's been eating at my insides (that's kinda gross now that I read that back, but whatever) ever since my lunch time Friday. This is going to be a little bit of a different post than you are probably used to from me. I'm speaking my mind and it may not sit well some people and that's okay. You don't have to like it.

Friday, someone left a not so awesome review on an item that was purchased through my Etsy shop. I'm offended. I'm embarrassed. I'm shocked. I'm angry. I take pride in what I make and I think I do  a pretty awesome job at creating affordable, fun, unique jewelry for a low price. I don't really like to price gouge people. I'm not in this for the money. I'm in the Etsy hobby (I would call it a business but it's not a business for me.) because I love to do it. I love creating. I love buying new beads or paper and seeing the final outcome. I love taking something old and breathing new life into it - maps, keys, bathroom tile.

So, when that person left their not so awesome review. It hurt A LOT. How dare they?

I made a rookie mistake. I responded to their not so awesome feedback with a message that I thought was polite and I defended my work.

I defend. DEFENSE! DEFENSE! DEFENSE! (Yay, sports!)

I posted this response in an Etsy support/promotion group on Facebook and asked what their opinions were.

Support, right? One of them actually "eye rolled" me. Seriously? Are we a hormonal teenager? Um, no. We are all adults and you should probably act like one. A lot of them were very helpful and I do appreciate those helpful opinions and remarks but people are so rude. Didn't your mother teach that if you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say nothing at all?

While watching this all unfold in front of my eyes, I sit back and think, "Why do their snarky opinions matter at all? They aren't running my shop. They aren't creating my jewelry. They aren't cutting my decals. They aren't buying my supplies." If I'm proud of what I do and I feel that I do a good job, then why do I give a hoot about what someone 2,345 miles from me thinks of a response I left on a customer review?

I don't understand why I get so offended by childish people.

I have to say that I really don't care what they think.

Ahhhhhhh...that feels good.

The Etsy community in a whole is a helpful bunch of people. However, if you go against the grain and don't kiss everyone's rear ends and try to make everything right when someone sends you a bad review, I think you are considered somewhat of a freak.

The biggest things, I think, that other Etsians consider weird are:

Oh, you don't do custom orders? That's odd. Well, how do you make any money?
Well, like I said before, I'm not really in it for the money. I'm in because I like to do it. I have a full time job and I don't have to "do" Etsy. It's not my main source of income. I don't like doing custom orders because I like to have creative freedom. Also, it's not really worth the headache. I don't have to and I'm not going to. Sometimes, I do make exceptions but for the most part, my Etsy shop is not based on custom orders.

You should offer that person a refund.
No. They didn't request it. I didn't do anything wrong. Nothing broke. What they left in their review is their opinion. Now, let me say this, I will be the first one to admit that I made a mistake. I'm a horrible liar. I don't like to deceive people. So, if someone tells me their item broke or I made their order wrong, fine, I will go to the ends of the earth to make it right but I'm not jumping on the refund wagon to make a peace offering based on an opinion.

So, what did I learn? 

1. 2 Star reviews are pretty sucky. 

2. People's opinions of how I run/handle my shop really doesn't matter. It's none of their business. It's between me and the customer. 

3. I'm proud of my response. I'm proud of my shop. I'm proud of my product. 

4. There's always going to be people that you can't please. 

5. Plant the hurt from the bad review and make it bloom into something beautiful. Use it for motivation.

6. I need to make my descriptions a little better on my bangles. 


So, there you have it. 


...until next time...

-Sam












Saturday, February 28, 2015

It's Been a While...

Hello, there!

I've been out of the blogosphere for several months now. I just can't keep up with it. If anyone knows me, it's hard for me to continue on with anything. I have half finished projects all over my craft room.

Anyway, let me update you with what has been going on with things. 

I can tell you in two words.

Not much.

My Etsy shop has been doing really well, though. I made my 100th sale this past weekend! I have been busy creating new things to add to my shop. I'm working on some new projects and I'm really, really excited about them! One of them I have completed. See? I just recently received some colorful pearls for creating a beautiful Springtime bracelet! The bracelet below has not been added to Etsy yet. 



The next project involved old keys! I CANNOT wait to get the keys that I ordered today and I can't wait to share what I'm going to make with them!

In other news, regarding my Etsy, I have been busy making glass marble pendants. They are so fun to make and they do so well at craft bazaars. I sold most of them at Christmastime.

Visit my Etsy for more details!


As far as my personal life goes, nothing has really changed. Everything is good and I'm just enjoying life, my husband and my doggies.

This is Zoe. Cute, right? She's my little princess. Obviously, I have no kids. Haha!


Well, that's all I have for now.

Oh, I almost forgot, #thedress is white and gold!

...until next time...

-Sam












Monday, August 11, 2014

Fantabulous Etsy Shops - Check Them Out!!

As most of you know, I have recently opened my Etsy shop! Yay! Go me! 

As most of you know, I am super-de-duper excited about it! I've been getting a lot of hits and views on my store but have not yet received any sales. 

However, I am waiting patiently and shamelessly self promoting. Everything. I am tweeting, Facebooking and pinning. I know people are probably sick of seeing my tweets about everything new little thing in my Etsy shop but I really just don't know how to do it any other way. I also have ads running on Etsy. 

Today is going to be different, at least on my blog, because today I am shamelessly promoting some awesome shops that I've come across on my travels around the handmadetopia that is Etsy. 

The first shop that has some really interesting jewelry is GlassRiverJewelry

I have never, ever, ever, ever seen jewelry like this! The colors are so vibrant and the lampwork beads are so unique! The photos are from her Etsy shop directly.




The second shop that I absolutely adore is JulemiJewelry because of the fantastic stacking bracelets she makes! Personally, I think they are cute than Alex and Ani but that's just my opinion! One of these days, I'm going to order some of her work! I've tried to make these types of bracelets and it's just not something that I can do. I find these types of bracelets very difficult to make. I just can't seem to get it. So, kudos to her! Photos are directly from her Etsy shop!





Another shop that I find really creative is CiarraiStudios. This shop carries handmade jewelry that features some of the best literary works ever written! 





I hope you stop by these shops and support the handmade community! These shops, including mine, take heart and soul. We love everything we do and we want you to love it, too!

...until next time...

-Sam












Sunday, August 3, 2014

Things, they are a' changin'.

If you like my Facebook page and follow my Pinterest and Twitter, some of you may have noticed that I deleted my Selz.com store, changed my profile photos and opened and Etsty store!! 

I AM SO EXCITED!!

Slowly, a little bit everyday, I am updating everything so that it coordinates with one another. 

New colors, patterns (mainly doilies) and fonts! I am so in love with mint greens and teals right now - take a look at my Twitter page, it shows. 

Hopefully, in the near future, I can really start to update this blog look. Ugh! I hate it. It will be a' changin' just like everything else. 



Please, please, please take a look at my Etsy and maybe even buy yourself something fun and pretty!

You can find my Etsy store HERE and like I said before new things are always being added!







Saturday, July 5, 2014

Vinyl Decal Madness!!!!

Hey there!
I hope everyone had a great 4th of July yesterday, but with the 3 day weekend, it didn't just end when the fireworks were over. People are still partying it up all weekend! I have another cookout to go to tonight!

In other news, I have been designing decals like a mad woman! I just wanted you to see what I've been up to and give you the opportunity to purchase a decal made by me!


Y'all w/ Cowboy Boot


Monogram Flower


Police Wife? This decal is meant for you and it looks adorable when applied to your window!


Boxers. They're cute. 


This decal is part of a series of i______ statements that include hobbies and careers. They are being added all the time and if you have any ideas of a decal you would like to see, let me know!


Express yourself with a decal and liven up your car window a bit!

...until next time...

-Sam



 









Wednesday, May 28, 2014

5 Very Awesome Memory Wire Bracelets by Yours Truly

In my last post I shared some pictures made by some bead crazy people. If you didn't see that post, click here, to visit. You'll enjoy it. There are some beautiful pieces that were featured and links are available for most of the photos so you can take a look at what they have to offer.

Today, I will be sharing some of my beaded bracelets that I've made over the past month. Some of the bracelets that I'm showing you have already been sold. So, if you are interested in a particular color, just let me know and I will make something similar for you!

Here we go!

1. 

I like to call this one "Escape." I love the cool color scheme of the blues, greens and browns. It reminds me of being by the lake or ocean. This bracelet is sold but a similar can be made.

2.

This one is one of my faves. The green, black and orange go really well together. This bracelet is sold. 

3.

Who doesn't like purple? This one is called "Serenity." Ahhh, calming. This bracelet is available.

4. 

By far, this is my favorite!! Absolute favorite!! I have to say that ruffling the ribbon is somewhat of a pain in the butt, but by looking at the final product, it is so worth it! I plan on making these in different colors! This bracelet is available.

5. 

White is so clean and crisp and goes with just about anything. This bracelet features pearls, seed beads in white and clear and also larger specialty beads. If you would like to have one like this let me know. I can make something similar. The bracelet pictured is sold. 

Welp, that all folks! I hope you enjoyed seeing the bracelets that I've made. If you would like to have a memory wire bracelet made - please let me know! You can Facebook me or email me at justdarlincards@yahoo.com!

...until next time...

-Sam


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