How to reach the right people on Twitter-two tools

I've just discovered two websites that make using Twitter far easier - and can help you reach the right people.

The two sites are:
http://search.twitter.com/
http://tweetbeep.com/


Here's how to use them to find your audience:

It sounds obvious, but the people you want to connect with on Twitter are those who are likely to buy the sort of thing you're selling, right?

Right.

So you need to figure out what these people are likely to talk about (that relate to what you're selling) and then search/set up alerts for those keywords.

This sounds simplistic, but the trick is to really narrow it down and get the most likely prospects.

Here's my example:

I sell art featuring 'quirky, flirty big-eyed girls'. Here are some of the keywords I considered and reasons why I used/rejected them.

♥ ART: (rejected) this is far too broad - people who like Picasso or abstract art aren't likely to like my work.
♥ LOWBROW ART: (unsure) this is far more specific but is still a bit too broad - I'll probably use it when I have more time to search!
♥ FAFI: (accepted) she's a famous artist that my work is sometimes compared to - people who like her art are likely to like mine so this is a perfect keyword to look for.
♥ BLYTHE: (accepted) my work looks a bit like a Blythe doll, so people who love Blythe may be interested in the kind of art I do.

Etc, etc, etc.

The hard bit is really thinking about the right keywords to search for.

If you're an artist, a great way to find the right people is to think of a famous artist (anyone who's likely to be talked about) who does similar work to you.

I'm not sure how it would work in other categories, but I'd love it if you'd share your keyword tips here.

Good luck!

xxx scarlett

My Shop:
http://www.scarlettcat.etsy.com

My Blog:
http://scarlettcat.blogspot.com

My Flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/people/scarlettcat

Discouraged

Ok, first let me say this. It may seem funny to read what I'm posting when you see I have only one sale. BUT, just because I only have one sale here doesn't mean I haven't sold my art before.

Now, to the heart of this post! I see so many people posting about being discouraged, low views, lack of sales, etc. I'd like to step in and say to stop feeling so down! Step back for a moment. Take a deep breath. Let me tell you a little story about me and my photography.

I've always loved taking photographs, I NEVER thought I'd ever make any money from it. It was my passion, my ultimate favorite hobby. I dreamed of being some National Geographic type photographer, but since I am self taught, never imagined anyone other than family would ever hang one of my photos on a wall, much less give me money for them.

A few years ago, I just couldn't help myself-I just had to upgrade my point and shoot to a DSLR. We didn't have a lot of cash, so I made a scary promise to my husband. We buy the camera and I'll find a way to sell enough photographs to pay it back (it was bought on a 6 months no interest credit card). Now I had six months to figure out not only how to use the camera, but also to get good enough photos to sell-and how to sell them!

I remembered a website I saw that sold prints and calendars and stuff-a club we belonged to used them to make t-shirts. I went there, created an account, and uploaded some photos. I knew NOTHING about how to do it. It took me days to get them sized right. I found the forums there, and in those forums were a lot of great folks that helped me learn a lot about not only how to use that website, but to run my business. It took a while, but I made a few sales. I learned more, upgraded things and finally, I paid back the camera. And then I kept making sales! I actually was earning money on my photographs!! People were paying money for my art, and it was hanging on their walls!

Think it was some little, cozy place like Etsy? Think you have a lot of competiton here? It's much, much bigger. It doesn't matter where it is, but for instance, a search on that site for "sunset photograph" brings nearly 2,000 results.

What I am telling you is that if I can do this, you can too. Find your niche. Find what makes you different than the others in it. Play it up to your customers. Get your OWN site. Promote it. Market it. Learn what SEO is. Learn about running your business. Absorb knowledge shared freely like a sponge. Even if you don't agree with someone, read their opinion, there might be a little something you can take from it. Don't get stuck in a rut and stay there. Learn from each mistake. The single most important thing I learned from my past few years is this-it's your business, not "abc company's". Own it. Don't let anyone tell you you can't, and don't believe that you can't. Believe in yourself, your craft and your business. YOU CAN DO THIS.

Now go create! Go work on tags and descriptions and things Google likes! OWN YOUR BUSINESS!!

My Online Shop:

http://www.scenicnewyork.etsy.com

How to Get Rid of Customers

I know, I know - most of us are trying to attract customers.

But knowing how to keep them away also tells us something about how to attract them - just do the opposite!

So here's what I've done over the past month or so to slow my shop down (NB. I'm not totally insane - I've just been extremely busy preparing for gallery exhibitions and couldn't deal with a rush in my Etsy store at the same time):

1. I stopped posting in the forums.
2. I stopped relisting my items.
3. I stopped mentioned and linking to my Etsy store in my blog posts.

It's incredible what a braking effect these three things made. I still had the odd sale, but nothing like my usual business.

Now I need to gear up again - so (you guessed it) I'm posting, I'm relisting and I'm blogging about my Etsy store.

I'll let you know how it goes.

My Shop:
http://www.scarlettcat.etsy.com

My Blog:
http://scarlettcat.blogspot.com

My Flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/people/scarlettcat

Better Photos-Framing Your Shots

My Road to Better Photo's...

Here's a quick summary with the full post with pictures here:

http://www.addtwist.com/2009/05/road-to-better-photos-lesson-2-framing/

One of the top reasons for leaving a shop without looking further is because the photos don't tell me what the item is. There is no idea of what they’re selling nor does it generate interest.

To remedy this, frame your item in a way that shows what it is, clearly. Crystal clear.

Here are questions to ask yourself when evaluating your own photos:

1.) Can I tell what this item is?

2.) Can I tell what this item is for?

3.) Does this photo clearly convey what this is?

Other topics covered are:

How to frame a good shot
A.) Take an action shot.
B.) Put your item in its habitat
C.) Show its size

Things to avoid
1.) Using a super up-close shot as the first picture.
2.) Using a far away shot of the item.

My Etsy Shop:
http://www.addtwist.etsy.com

My Blog:
http://www.addtwist.com/

My Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/addtwist

My Flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/addtwist

Some Secrets of My Success

Since I consider myself a successful Etsy seller, I'm taking the opportunity of my 2nd Etsyversary to share some thoughts. While I know everyone finds their own path and my experience won't reflect everyone's experiences, I hope you find this interesting or even helpful.

When I started making jewelry based on molecule shapes, I expected it to be a hobby. I was planning to work freelance writing jobs for a living and sell jewelry to produce some retirement savings. Yet within a year the jewelry became my full-time job that pays the bills. The freelance writing I do is extra.

I believe much of my success comes from having an unusual offering. At first, I thought my jewelry would appeal to a very small niche. I was uneasy about joining Etsy because I thought people interested in my stuff would not find me here. I was wrong. First, my work appeals to a wider audience than I suspected, and, second, people found my stuff through searches and - more importantly - through other people. Despite my expectations to the contrary, having such a narrow focus in my work has been a benefit.

I'm a generalist and I love making all sorts of things, like textiles, sculptures, and paper goods. But in my Etsy store, I've largely remained focused on just the jewelry. Every once in a while I'll throw something else in, but I think having a focused inventory looks professional.

Since this is my job, there are things I love to make that don't make money, so I can't offer them in my shop. I don't like that this is true, that I need to pay attention to profit margins. But it is necessary, especially since my extra time has been dwindling.

I love what I do. I have even found ways to enjoy the more business-sided aspects. It's important to have passion about your work when you work for yourself. I work long days [disclaimer: I still need to figure out work-life balance!], but often it doesn't feel like all I do is work when my hobby and my work are one and the same.

Every day I am thankful to have stumbled upon this way to make a living. I'm also very appreciative of Etsy and the Etsy community. Through Etsy forums I've learned the importance of great customer service and how to sell in person. I also appreciate the camaraderie in the Forums and in the street teams.

Thank you all, and good luck in all of your Etsy ventures!

My Etsy Shop:
http://www.molecularmuse.etsy.com

My Newsletter:
http://www.madewithmolecules.com/list.html

My Blog:
http://www.madewithmolecules.com/blog/

Quit Your Day Job:FancifulForm

Through the success of her Etsy shop, Lauren, a.k.a. FancifulForm, has been able to balance all aspects of her business while simultaneously putting herself through school. Lauren has developed her own strategies for selling success through trial and error. Today's she is going to share some of her best tips on how to succeed in growing a business. In the coming months she hopes to save enough money to move into a larger studio and continue her growing success.

Read the Full Article Here...

Etsy Storque Article: "Quit Your Day Job: FancilfulForm"

http://www.etsy.com/storque/spotlight/quit-your-day-job-fancifulform-3949/

FancilfulForms Etsy Shop:
http://FancifulForm.etsy.com

FancilfulForms Twitter:
http://twitter.com/LaurenKnuckles

The things you should do before you give up on Etsy...

Thinking about closing shop? Ready to give up? Think Etsy should do the work for you?

Well wake up people! No one can make you successful but YOU! Don't just pick one or two items on this list, say you tried, and call it quits.

Do them all!

And please give it more than a month for any results.

Don't have time? Find time!

* Relist several times a day. People don't usually search farther than 5-10 pages in. You have to stay on top for these customers to find you. (I spend at minimum $1.00/day on re-listing).

*Buy advertising on other sites. Several other sites. Create an ad budget just for this.

*Pick a couple social networking sites and stick with them. Don't do all of them. You will spread yourself too thin and each site will look half-assed.

*Twitter. This is a great tool for hits and sales if you use it correctly. Don't just create a profile and expect people to follow you all on their own.

*Write a storque article about something that interests you and pitch it to admin.

*Post new items frequently. Maintain a nice, full shop. Think of each and every item as a tiny little door somewhere on etsy or the interwebz that's leading customers into your shop.

*Hearts matter. If you are getting a steady stream of hearts each day that is actually a good thing! Each heart (the non private ones anyway) is like another tiny little doorway on etsy leading people to your shop and/or items. I can't tell you how often I browse a shops favorites and end up in some other shop because of it.

*Do live events. Hand out business cards. Even if the sales went poorly you have gained exposure!!

*Chat, Chat in forums, Ect.

*Tell your friends.

*Give your relatives samples + business cards.

*Leaf Fliers around your hometown in designated areas.

*Have a range of prices to draw different customer bases into your shop.

*Work, rework, and work your pictures again. Over and over until you notice your views spike!

*See above for listings.

*See above for profile.

*See above for shop announcement.

*Create your own personal website. Either sell there too or make it link to your etsy shop!

Do all of the above to the best of your ability. Spend 16 hours a day on it. Dream about it. Eat it. Breathe it.

This isn't a complete list, obviously, but I think it includes all of the major aspects of marketing I worry about.

My Etsy Shop:
http://FancifulForm.etsy.com

My Twitter:

http://twitter.com/LaurenKnuckles