Last night, a buyer convoed me with a question about an item and I didn't know the answer. This happens semi-regularly, especially since I sell such a wide range of things and don't yet know everything about everything, no matter how much I research before I list.
But this question made me feel stupid. It wasn't about the origin of the product, its first year of export, whether it worked with a AA battery, or anything else from my vintage research realm. No, this question was: does the iron have a non-stick coating.
I have to admit, I use an iron in my own life about three times a year. If something is wrinkled, I just wear it or wash it again. For a girl with a well-decorated house and my own publicly acceptable sense of fashion, I never took home economics and most likely would have failed the folding and ironing mid-term with flying, wrinkly colors.
So instead of just looking at this iron and saying to my customer "Yes! Non-stick coating it is!" I have to bug my friends. Thank goodness for well-domesticated friends.
Happy Small Business Saturday! Much like card companies declare card-giving holidays, small businesses are claiming the Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend's shopping madness as their (our) own. It's a Walmart World, but it's an independent business world, too. So today (and I say Sunday, too, but I'm biased), try to concentrate your shopping on Etsy sellers, "mom and pop" shops, local boutiques, and the kid who offers to shovel your walk for $10.
To encourage you to participate in this day I'm offering special coupon codes to blog readers, Facebook friends/fans, Twitter followers, and JillHannah returning customers. They will be active Saturday and Sunday, November 27 and 28, 2010 only, so buy now. I almost never have sales, so take advantage while you can.
The coupon code for my blog readers is SBSBLOG (That stands for "Small Business Saturday BLOG" in case you get confused). Capitalization shouldn't matter. Good ONLY at JillHannah.Etsy.com Enter the code in the proper place during Etsy checkout to receive 10% off your purchase.
Free gift wrapping and personalized card included in all orders.
Because you, loyal blog readers, make this worthwhile.
The studio itself is fascinating, like a glass aquarium television studio all at once modern, bright, white and filled with Kenmore appliances. When I arrived the sign advertised "Be on TV!" and a live cooking demonstration from 7-9. Felted acorn pie with whipped soap frosting? Rotisserie owl in cabochon sauce? I signed in on an iPad and found Daniellexo, Etsy admin extraordinaire (formal title: Seller Education Coordinator) whom I first met in person at the 2008 Chicago Renegade Fair. The panel was hosted by a woman from the Kenmore studio and Julie Schneider (julieincharge) of general EtsyLabs awesomeness. No cooking (though the Bleeding Heart Bakery cookies and cupcakes served after were amazing), just a good discussion about business plans, marketing, shop improvement, craft improvement, getting to where you are today and getting to where you want to be in the future. We "studio audience" members watched a short introductory video (same as above) on the giant wall between the oven and the refrigerator, and then panelists Danny Orendorff from Renegade Craft Fair, Emily Hamma Martin from Orange Beautiful, Daniellexo, and Ali Marie from DolanGeiman spent 90 minutes talking about all things art, craft and business. For me, the most important (and least-discussed everywhere else) points were:
Have a business plan. Set tiered goals. Where do you want to be in 6 months? a year? 5 years? For the millions of things you want to do, from buying a better camera to setting up your own website to having your own brick-and-mortar shop, give yourself priorities and a time-line. If five major retailers aren't carrying your product in exactly three years, that's ok, but set those benchmarks to give yourself direction and incentive.
Keep track of customers. They bought from you in the past, they are more likely than the average shmoe to buy from you again. Make nice and stay in contact with short, interesting, regular newsletters. Reward them for returning and they just might.
Market to bloggers. Not just any bloggers, bloggers with good readership that is likely to want your product. Send the blog's author a personal email, make sure you've actually read the blog, and try to ask for something specific like to take part in a giveaway.
Stay aware of trends. Be yourself, but stay fresh.
After the panel was the meet-and-greet. I shmoozed with other indie sellers including Caitlin M. Peters of Wanderlustings and Mitsu Gee of Brown Sparrow's Nest, and the other two fabulous Etsy admins who were there, julietgo and ThisIsMark. I also ate too many cupcakes.
Tomorrow: Shopping Renegade! The weather is supposed to be decent. When I woke up this morning to cold and rainy, I felt bad for the people selling at Renegade. At least it's better than...what year was it?..when the wind and the rain came in sideways and everybody's stuff got knocked over and ruined and foot traffic was abysmal.
Where did your customers find you? Or any other single survey question (with very short answers) when your customers check out of PayPal. Plus gift-wrapping options on the same screen! No more having to create against-the-rules "gift-wrap upgrade" Etsy listings.
But this question made me feel stupid. It wasn't about the origin of the product, its first year of export, whether it worked with a AA battery, or anything else from my vintage research realm. No, this question was: does the iron have a non-stick coating.
