Standing Out on Etsy 101 - 1. Finding Your Voice

The number one question I get asked about from Etsy sellers and wannabe Etsy sellers is, "How do I stand out?"

(probably because my Polarity shop is listed as an 'expert' on how to stand out for the Etsy mentor group TeamSassy because I picked that category for myself and because I sometimes wear stirrup pants with red converse, but only on Fridays)

so I am devoting this first week of spring to a 3 day Standing Out on Etsy Lollapalooza (but without Vampire Weekend and Jane's Addiction) and a 1 day wrap up with all kinds of wonderful links you will want to check out if you are interested in expanding on these themes.

FINDING YOUR VOICE

1. Don't try to be all things to all people. The soprano doesn't try to be a baritone.

(I am feeling the need to work with musical references, it must be my new Vampire Weekend CD, I hope you don't mind)

You don't have to worry about the millions of people out there who will not like/want/need your craft, you just have to focus on reaching the people who will love you.

Example- Your neighborhood five and dime (if you are still lucky enough to have one) sells something for everyone- from fishing lures to underwear, they have it all, but they only stay in business (when they do) if they are the only game in town - on Etsy you will not be the only game in town. Etsy is a niche marketplace- trust me, you need a niche.

2. Your voice must be unique. You could be the best seamstress on the planet, but if you are going to try and sell Amy Butler coin purses on Etsy- well good luck to you. I haven't checked, but I'd bet there are lots of sellers already doing this.

Now you could take those purses to a local craft show and maybe clean up, but you are going to have to sew some pretty unique purses to stand out on Etsy.

3. Your voice must be consistent. It is hard to connect with the right buyer if you fill your shop with very different things.

(dancingmooney does this very well- most sellers trying to combine jewelry and soap and picture frames would certainly muck it up- I would- she doesn't- but you might- so be careful).

Example - I am searching for some bright yellow hair ribbons for my little girl and I pop into your shop where you happen to sell some very nice yellow hair ribbons for $8.00 and I also see in your shop some wonderfully turned, reclaimed, exotic wood wine stoppers for $75.00, well- somehow (in my mind) seeing those wine stoppers will muddy up the yellow hair ribbons for me and on the flipside if I am searching for a wonderfully turned, reclaimed, exotic wood wine stopper and pop into your shop - those $8.00 hair ribbons will somehow de-value those stoppers.

Even more subtle things can cause a shop to just look "off", feel unbalanced and chase away the people you are trying to connect with.

Now, if you are thinking that maybe I would buy some yellow hair ribbons for my daughter, and maybe while I am in your shop, a wonderfully turned wine stopper for my hubby- I can promise you that I wouldn't.

(because #1. my hubby doesn't drink wine anymore, because he claims I steal the corks and stop up the bottles with marshmallows which I only did once during an emergency back order situation that he has never been able to get over and #2. I would have already left your shop)

If I see a shop like my crafty woman above selling hair ribbons and wine stoppers- I would think that this is a creative woman who just hasn't found her voice yet.

Because the kind of woman who's passion would be about pastel hair ribbons (and sugar and spice and everything nice) would most likely be a totally different woman than the one who's passion would be about exotic wood wine stoppers (snakes and snails and puppydog tails).

(unless maybe she wears her leopard print kaftan with her yellow hair ribbons and of course, we may have seen women like this- we just don't want to be seen with them)

So how do you find your voice? Well, your voice is your passion (your voice is what makes you unique) and some artists are born with a strong passion and have an internal pressure to make what they need to make.

If that sounds like you, then your challenge is going to be to find the people who want to buy what you need to make.

Other artists are just born knowing they need to sing (switching back to music again - please keep up), but are not sure what to sing. If this is you- then your challenge is going to be to discover what you want/need to sing.

We are crafty, creative people- we need to make things- the problem may be that we need to make all kinds of things. And I am certainly not saying that you shouldn't make all kinds of things because you definitely should. I make all kinds of things, too- I just don't try to sell all of them.

1. Think about what you love. This can be hard if you have been shut down or busy with so many responsibilities that you have lost sight of yourself.

Look around you- what have you surrounded yourself with? What can't you live without.

Make a vision board and fill it with pictures of the things, colors and styles that you love.

2. Carry a journal and a camera. Jot down your thoughts and feelings, draw pictures, doodle, take pictures of things that capture your attention.

3. Make time for new work. Set aside time to be in your studio (and yes, you need studio space and you need it to be organized because a mess will just give you another excuse to not get going) - this commitment is crucial.

4. Look at art, fashion, industrial design. Lots and lots of it. Particularly work that is outside your medium- all sorts of inspiration is just a click away. Don't be afraid that this will lead you to copy other artists (which is often illegal and always uncool) - it won't, you're not that kind of artist, but it will inspire you.

5. Remember there is no right or wrong. What you make today will be different from what you make tomorrow. First efforts are usually not very good - things evolve.

If you check the early sales of your favorite Etsy shops - you may be surprised at how their lines have evolved. I always think I should refund all my early Uncorked customers because they got something so different from what I sell today!

6. Practice. The more that you work in your chosen medium, the more you will find those ideas that make your work unique. If it was easy, everyone would do it.

Our culture is very fast paced and we want things to happen quickly. But, this just isn't one of those things- there is no secret or fast formula to finding your voice.

Inspiration can come in a flash, but only if you are open and ready for it.

As you grow into yourself - (try new things, discover what you do well, what you need to do, what is important to you) and really allow yourself to be who you authentically are (I also find that as I become more authentic in other areas of my life, my work becomes more authentic also) I am very certain you will find your voice.

And it will be strong and powerful (and maybe off-key sometimes, because you are probably not Streisand).

And people will hear your voice (see your work and your shop) and recognize that it is your voice (your work and your shop) and the people who are drawn to your voice will find you. And they will shop.

Do I hear a Hallelujah?!


TOMORROW- Standing Out on Etsy 101- Part 2. It Takes a Village

New Uncorked Pieces or recycled wine corks to the rescue

I haven't posted about any new work in a long time and I have quite a few things that I have been working on for both shops.

Here are a few new Uncorked pieces that I will be adding over the next few days and I will post some new Polarity work next week.

Also Tuesday starts my spring has sprung How To Stand Out on Etsy lollapalooza (sorry Jane's Addiction will not be performing) - so check back in.

How To Make a Magnetic Test Tube Terrarium or moss on your fridge is way cooler than mold

I have been slowly adding some test tube terrariums to my Etsy shop- they are for charity and quite different from these, but I thought I would give you a little look into how the terrarium part is made.

To make one of these you will need:

1. a test tube with cork stopper
2. pen and paper (don't worry you won't have to actually draw anything)
3. a neodymium magnet - I never work with these things because they are way too strong for my usual work (and scare me)
4. rocks
5. charcoal (think fishtank)
6. moss (or some small terrarium plant) and dirt
7. some kind of long skinny plastic thingie
8. super glue


1. Put some super glue on your magnet and gently but firmly place your test tube on to the glue

(try not to glue your fingers together, break the test tube, cut yourself with the broken glass or screw this up in some other way - at this point you are probably thinking that it might be easier to just buy one of these from me and that is exactly what I want you to be thinking)

Hold it in place for a bit and then let it set- prop up the other end with another magnet- over night.

2. Roll your paper around your pen to form a tube (the paper should be longer than your test tube) and place the paper in the test tube

3. Add some rocks, followed by some charcoal followed by some nice rich dirt

4. Remove your paper and tap down with your plastic thingie

(if you try to use a metal thingie, it will mess with your magnet and you will be sorry, but again it may get you thinking you should just buy one from me, so maybe go ahead and stick a screwdriver in there)

5. Carefully drop in your moss (or plant), tap it down gently with your thingie, mist with a few drops of rain water (or tap water, but collect some rain for future waterings- I say give the moss what it would naturally get)



6. Cork that baby up and hang it up somewhere you will get to see it. By the way there are over 12,000 species of moss- I recommend Jersey moss because it is very hardy having grown up listening to all those awful Jersey jokes- which are untrue ... mostly.

Friday Finds - Spring Means CAMPING because campers have smore fun!

1. eden sunglasses by kaenon
2. patagonia lithia dress
3. gregory backpack
4. fadeout eyelet top
5. north face dome tent
6. orly genger by jaclyn meyer rope necklace
7. perception tribe kayak
8. cheerful welly print by sloeginfizz
9. collective names of animals t by xenotees

This month's Friday Finds are brought to you by the amazing wedding photographer Kella MacPhee. Thank you Kella!

Thoughtful Thursday - oh yes, you can

ust about everything worth doing is worth doing because it's important and because the odds are against you.

If they weren't, then anyone could do it, so don't bother.

Conversation by Seth Goden, Photograph by Adi Levy (of his mom)

NO Whining on Wednesday - feelin' lucky for St. Paddy's Day

I've been thinking alot about Whining Wednesdays lately and realize that (since I am the law of attraction in action girl, in case you missed that)

I really do need to be more positive.

I mean, it's kind of like walking around with an ungratitude journal and I don't want to be that kind of person

(or mess with Oprah)

so I think we need to add a NO to our Whining Wednesday routine and we can focus on all the ways we are lucky.

For instance, I was half watching You've Got Mail (no, not another Meg Ryan post, I promise) and seeing Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan (I really won't mention her again) communicate back and forth with each other via email in complete sentences that I don't think anyone with less than seven hands could possibly type that quickly and accurately

and it made me realize that I am very lucky (#1) to have found Mr. Right before texting and email and instant messaging

because after watching me write something on screen, erase it, rewrite it and still not make any sense, my potential suitor would be convinced that it wasn't a real person he was talking to, but a small dog walking across the keyboard

and because I called him 'my potential suitor' - he'd probably think I was a total loser who wears polka dot ribbons, collects Speed Racer memorabilia and knows the lyrics to all Pat Benatar songs.

But he'd be wrong. Because I freakin' hate ribbons.

Unless they're blue and have my name on them, but I don't think I've ever had one of those.

Wait ... lucky #2, I did have a blue ribbon for the 5th grade standing broad jump and now that I think of it, where the hell is it? I had a few trophies that year, too and if I had them now I could set up one of those little showrooms for myself like those 4 year old pageant girls have and I have always wanted




I mean I admit this kid is cute, but is it really fair that she has all these trophies and I have none? ----->


and when people come over to visit me I could slowly maneuver them into my showroom and I could spend a few minutes reminding them about how awesome I am

actually scratch all that stuff because now that I'm thinking about it, I would rather be the kind of person who after receiving a Lifetime Achievement in Awesomeness award from the academy would just absent mindedly leave it in the restroom. I wouldn't miss it.

Wait, again ... now that I'm dreaming let's go back to my Academy Award because I can see myself whipping off a pair of oversized Gucci sunglasses and tucking them into an equally oversized hairdo that has the same texture as fiberglass insulation and thanking the academy and my daughter and hubby (and Olive, of course) and all the little people everywhere ...

and then I would tuck my award into my Michael Kors handbag that would actually be large enough to hold Michael Kors- before heading into the restroom where I would absent mindedly leave it behind and never think of it again ...

(that sounds better- with grateful thinking it is very important to take the high road)

And the #3 reason I am lucky is that this photo just magically appeared on my desktop and I am thinking that either I have the smartest dog on the planet or have been sleep- surfing the internet

(again)

I can't really decide if this product is awful or awesome ... but I am thinking maybe awesome and I love how they market the box directly to the pup with "Keep Yourself Warm and Your Paws Free" which I suppose is what caught Olive's attention since she likes to sleep all bundled up near the heater with her paws sticking out of the covers

so, now I am wasting a lot of time tiptoeing into the bedroom every few hours to try to catch Olive on the computer and I can't spend my entire day doing this since I am such a busy girl

(and there are so many other, more productive ways to procrastinate)

although if I discover that Olive can actually type faster and more accurately than I do

(or better than the average 7 year old which is about the same thing)

this would free up alot of time for me. Time that could be better spent involved in some trophy winning activities to get started on my show(off)room

(I have seen enough episodes of Toddlers and Tiaras to be fairly certain I could take those little brats)

and it would be kind of a relief to know that if my Man of Mystery (ie the husband who has threatened a marital lawsuit if I continue to blog about him on Wednesdays)

runs away to find a new girl

(maybe a girl with a permanently adhered paw covered snuggi and no internet service)

at least I can count on Olive to impress any potential suitors.


1. Wishbone necklace by Marolsha
2. Lucky stone button set by LockandSpoon
3. Do Not Freeze print by LuckyBunnyWorldwide
4. Lucky spirit quartz necklace by PiperTree
5. Lucky Locket Set By Polarity

SPECIAL at both my Etsy shops- a free pair of matching earrings with any necklace or locket purchase in either of my shops Uncorked or Polarity - just write Yup, I Feel Lucky (or some such something) in the comments to seller section of your order. Offer good thru 3/31!