Here are the 5 key elements of a successful Etsy shop. Most of these actions only take a few minutes to implement, and they’ll increase your business by leaps and bounds!

1. Create a mailing list. Ask any successful online storefront, small business or popular persona how they achieved their success, and across the board, the answer will be:

Build an email list. You must have a way to capture and engage your customer base, and the email list is the most important marketing tool you could possibly utilize.

If you don’t already have an email host, I highly recommend Mail Chimp (sign up for free) or google “email marketing services” for a longer list of options. The benefits of using a service are countless: they provide email templates, tracking information, website forms, web pages where your customers can join (click here to see my Energy Shop example), and they handle “unsubscribes” that comply with SPAM laws.

Once you have your mailing list, help people find the sign-up form! I include a link in my shop announcement on Etsy, in my auto responder “thank you for your order” email, connect it to a tab on my Facebook fan page account, and publish the link to the sign-up form on Facebook and Twitter just before a big sale with an announcement:

Exclusive sale going out to the Energy Shop mailing list this Thursday! If you haven’t yet sign up, here’s your chance!

2. Connect your shop to your social media accounts. These first two elements are about having a way to find and reconnect with your customer base: key essential to any business. To connect your Facebook and Twitter accounts to your Etsy shop, log in and …

:: Click “Your Shop:[name of shop]” at the upper right-hand corner of your screen

:: On the left sidebar, find the heading “Shop Settings” and click “Info & Appearance”

:: On this page, you’ll find a section titled “Links” where you can add your Facebook and Twitter accounts. After you’ve logged in and allowed access for each, they will appear just under your Etsy shop header.

3. Make your shop announcement, tagline and categories SEO-friendly. 

 

The image above is what comes up on Google when I type in “energy shop etsy.” Notice the information that is displayed. Next, notice where you’ll find those words and sections on my Etsy storefront:

 

As you can see, Google pulls my shop name and tagline first, my shop announcement second, and my most popular shop categories third. Be sure to use relevant keywords that will help your customers find you in all three areas.

4. Perfect your product photography. Your photographs are the first thing the customer will notice about your shop, and you can teach yourself how to take great photos! The best part about self-taught photography is that the handmade maker’s eye becomes the lens through which the world gets to view the product. Your photography must be on par because it’s the only way to get customers to start clicking through your shop. I’ve written several tips on enhancing your product photography. But the gist of it is, keep them simple, clean, centered and bright.

5. Describe your product in a way that closes the sale. Copywriting is what you might already be calling a “listing” or “description.” It’s when the text you use helps to advertise your product. And your listing should absolutely be ready to help you make the sale. There are three key elements to effective copywriting: (1.) The “what,” (2.) the “why,” and (3.) the “how.” Click here for a copywriting breakdown, examples and a listing template to make the most of your Etsy descriptions.

Here’s wishing you and your Etsy business much success!

[image credits via: lovefromginger.com (top photo) and Lisa Jacobs]