Your Etsy Shop and Social Media - Part 1

I'm starting a blog series about how I am using social media for my Etsy shop.

I see a lot of posts on the Etsy message board regarding the value of social media, especially having a Facebook Fan page. I admit that I've straddled the line for a long time, but I'm now diving in head first and have really seen some amazing results in my first month! I want to share these ideas with you and maybe they'll help you in some way. For every idea I've implemented, I have 5 more that are on my 'to do list', so I hope to make this a regular blog series while we navigate this new territory together.

In a previous blog post, I wrote about the importance of having your own website, even if you do all your selling on Etsy. I do believe it is so important for your branding to have an on-line presence in as many areas as you can conceivably handle. The obvious choices are:

• Your own website
• Etsy
• Blog
• Facebook
• Pinterest
• Twitter
• Google +

I haven't dived into Google+ as I have my hands full with the others. You may choose only a few of these options - it's entirely a personal choice. Most of my blog posts in the coming weeks about social media will be centered around Facebook as that is where I'm going to concentrate my main efforts for now.

Exactly one month ago today, I had 298 Facebook Fans. I now have 353 (as of this writing). So, in one month, I've gained 55 fans - an approximate increase of 20%. And it didn't cost me a dime - no advertising at all.

So, for this post I am going to list 5 super easy things you need to do first to get yourself going with your Facebook Fan page. I'm going to assume you already have a page and that you're just sort of neglecting it because you haven't really seen the value of maintaining it - that's the way I was for the last 2 years. :-)

The main thing to remember about Facebook is that it isn't about making sales today - it's about creating a community with your fans and current/future customers. This is all about long term connections. You may not see sales coming directly from Facebook for a while, but it's important to have the presence and to update your page on a fairly regular basis.

Here is my Facebook page:Facebook.com/TheresaRoseDesigns

1. Creating a professional FB page has to be your first step. This is the first impression your future fans will have of you and it shouldn't be a picture of your cute kids, dogs, or where you spent your last vacation. Create a cover photo and profile photo that is professional and showcases your product(s). Here is my cover photo:

    

2. Change your Facebook personal profile 'work' to your business page. This way anyone looking at your profile page will see the link to your business fan page. 

3. Categorize your fan page as a Website. That way you can enter a direct link to your Etsy store. You want people to get to your products as easily as possible. To categorize your fan page, you need to edit the 'About' section. Click on the 'About' link that is displayed directly below your profile picture. Then on the 'About' page, place your mouse pointer over the big white 'About' section:

The 'Edit' box will pop up - click on it. The 'About' Edit screen will display. This is where you will select your category and sub-category. In the 'Short Description', enter your website link. Select 'Save Changes' at the bottom of the page.

Now on your Facebook Fan page, the link to your website will automatically be displayed underneath your profile picture. Nice and easy for anyone to find and click!

4. Add your Facebook Fan Page URL to your e-mail signature for all electronic communication. This includes the thank you e-mails that Etsy sends when you make a sale and the shipping notifications. Not to mention, you should also have the URL to your website (or Etsy site) there too!

5. Add your Facebook Fan Page URL to your business cards. Why not! People expect to see these links now and it doesn't hurt.

My next post will be about two specific things I did to start gaining fans.

Please feel free to comment with any suggestions or questions!

March Giveaway!

Hi Everyone,

It's time for another giveaway. The winner will receive a $15.00 gift certificate to be used in my Etsy Store.

Please read the following before entering:

1.  Gift Certificates go towards anything  at my shop on ETSY.  You must make an account on ETSY to be able to use the certificate.

2.  Gift Certificate is a one time use only.

3.  Gift Certificate is not redeemable for cash. Any purchases made using this certificate are final.

4. Invalid entries will be deleted. I will check all entries before picking a random winner. Make sure you fill  in the correct information required for your points. Otherwise, your entries will be invalid for the drawing.

5. The winner will have 48 hours to respond  to my e-mail in order to claim their prize. If  winners do not respond within that time frame, then I will need to choose another winner.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

7 Ingredient Curry Chicken Bean Soup in 3 Steps - Courtesy of Costco

I've had several friends ask for my recipe for Curry Chicken Bean Soup, so what better way to share it then through a blog post. There are only 7 main ingredients and they were all purchased from my local Costco.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups tru Roots Sprouted Bean Trio
• 1 quart Kirkland Chicken Stock
• 4 cups Water
• 1 can Kirkland Chicken Breast meat
• 1 Pepper (any red, yellow, or orange will do)
• 1 cup diced Carrots
• 1 cup diced Red Onion
• Curry Powder (I use at least 1/4 cup, but you may find that a bit much)

 Other Optional Ingredients:

• 2 Cloves Garlic
• 2 Tablespoons Ginger 

Step 1:
Dice pepper, carrots, onion and optional ginger.


Step 2:
Place in saute pan preheated with 1 tablespoon oil. Add garlic, if desired. Saute for approximately 8 - 10 minutes until vegetables are soft.

Step 3:
Add cooked vegetables, one can of chicken, water and bean trio to crockpot. Stir in curry powder. Start with a couple tablespoons of curry powder and taste in a few hours. You can always add more at any time.
Set the crockpot to low and cook all day.

That's it!
I usually start this soup around 10 am and it's ready by 5 or 6. This soup couldn't be any easier to make and your house will smell so wonderful all day. I find it hard to wait for dinner and sneak tastes throughout the day.

Made Now Carrying Theresa Rose Designs

A quick shout-out to the newest store carrying Theresa Rose Designs!

You can now find my jewelry at Made on Mass. They are a modern handmade shop located at 737 Massachusetts St. in downtown Lawrence Kansas. They carry locally made items, along with items from regional and national artists.

See more great products: Made

February Giveaway Contest Results

Thanks to everyone who participated in my first giveaway contest of 2013!

We had a 3-way tie with the exact date given. The date I had in mind was the date I joined Etsy - November 26, 2007.

Since there was a 3-way tie, I let my trusty assistant, Keena, help with the random selection for the winner. I placed all three names on separate pieces of paper and threw them in the air. Keena then selected the winner. As you can see from the first photo, she wasn't quite up to the task. But with a little lovin and a milk bone treat, I soon had her ready to help out.

Congratulations to Kristin! You will receive an e-mail with the details of your gift certificate.