Promoting an Etsy Shop

Linking the Facebook Fan/Business Page to etsy is the thing. By doing that we are trying to get some exposure for our hand made items by using this social networking tool.

The objective is to get as many "friends" as fans of our page, and in turn, possibly guide new shoppers to our online marketplace. On etsy we try to show our work in the most pleasant environment possible.

Ok, so we not talking about a physical, brick-and-mortar shop, but a virtual, online store. The idea being, once fans take a look at the great wares we have to offer, they will be seduced into purchasing some items!

I read somewhere that a Fan or Business page needs 100 fans to have your own little, short url address. That's the address where our Fan page on Facebook will live, instead of this long, numbers, letters, characters, etc. play out after the http's and the www's! Exciting right?

Well, someone in an etsy forum, or information community area, suggested that it's not one hundred fans we need, it's more like one THOUSAND fans! Yikes!

Will this help make browsers become buyers on etsy? I think that with having numbers of people fanning each other, there is the possibility that some facebook "friends" of "friends" will see a profile page post of an interesting item they like at someone's etsy shop and stop long enough to admire and even, maybe, BUY something! Oh, for that to be the case! I just wish it would be so.

So now, back to my etsy shop. After all that working to add fans to link them to etsy, is it working? I can't tell. As of this writing I'm up to 54 fans on my facebook page and 30 people marking my etsy shop as their "favorite".

At my etsy space hundreds of people have looked at my art and jewelry. In the eight months that I've been a virtual shop owner I've sold two items! If I was in business at a real brick and mortar store I'd be out a long time ago.

I guess that's what makes etsy alluring. You can set up a shop and add inventory with really no overhead. Unless you don't pay your tiny fees, no one is kicking you out.

I have had very interesting discussions on the etsy forums with lovely, wonderful artisans who are working just as hard to promote their own shops. Jewelry makers, painters, vintage items shop owners, craftspeople, woodworkers, paper makers, dressmakers, etc. you name it, they're on etsy. It's really a great collection of artists of all kinds with varied ideas. It's a unique community.

What do you think? Are you hooked yet?

Isn't there anyone out there interesting in shopping any more? I know the recession is hurting people in the pocketbook, but we still have gifts to buy and sometimes a little trinket or small piece of art can make a person feel a little better.

It's not easy being in business at any time. Promoting this etsy space is work! One thing I have enjoyed while working this etsy/facebook thing is the really wonderful people I'm meeting in cyberspace.

What's missing online is the face to face contact that having a real store would provide. It's so nice to meet new people to share ideas and pleasantries.

Want to come by my etsy shop with a cup of coffee and browse around? I'd love to visit with you!