Free Printable - Download Link Below
Are you looking for ways to kick your Etsy Shop sales up a notch or two? Here’s a quick but effective idea for you…
Tell a Story!
How a Florida Lobsterman Can Help You Sell On Etsy
Tim and I were browsing the local Whole Foods Market in Naples, FL the other day (Love Whole Foods!) when we came across a giant pot of Lobster Bisque. Now Lobster Bisque just happens to be one of my all-time fav’s so it had me at hello, but it was the story that really sealed the deal.
Just beside the huge cauldron of creamy bliss, I mean bisque, was a picture of a guy next to a boat floating in turqoise water, surrounded by palm trees. Along wth the picture, there was a little card that shared the story of the local provider of the lobster. Whole Foods does this throughout the store for various culinary delights.
I learned that this particular bowl of soup was made with lobster fresh from the Florida Keys, only about 60 miles to the south of where I stood. I also learned that it was provided by a family business based here in Florida and that the picture I was looking at was taken at the actual lobster docks in the Florida Keys, one of my favorite spots anywhere.
In the span of a few seconds I felt more connected to that bowl of bisque than I would have without the story and the photo. I recalled our many happy trips to The Keys, I felt like I wanted to help be a part of the success of a family business and local entrepreneur, and I was assured that this was fresh local lobster, so I knew it would taste great!
It was only a few sentences sharing some really basic facts such as Who, What, Where, When, and Why. But it was enough to sell me a bowl of hot, wonderful, amazing, soup (enjoyed with a fresh-baked baguette…mmmm).
This Works Great Online!
Try it! Include a photo of yourself in your creative environment, or maybe in the surroundings that inspire your work, such as a party or a fabric store. Tell a little about who you are, when you started, and why you do what you do. There is something unique about you…share it!
Just write a few sentences that answer the questions of who?, what?, where?, when?, and why?. Put it in your item descriptions, on your awesome new profile page, and on your blog/website. Shoppers will read it, feel a connection with you, and buy! It works.
(read “Why Etsy Sellers Should Have their Own Website” on Etsypreneur.com)
Tip: Keep it short and don’t be afraid to spend some time crafting this. This little story is something you’ll tell over and over again, so do twenty drafts if you need to. Even try testing a few to see which ones work the best. It’s worth the effort.
If you’ve seen great examples of this, or if you tell a story in your Etsy Shop, please leave a link to your shop in the comments so we can go check it out! (you need the full URL including the http:// for it to work as a link)
Have a great week!
~Kim
Free Printable Download
If the image at the top of this post would help you remember to tell a story, feel free to print it out! Here is a link to a free 8.5×11 PDF download.
Note: You can usually just click and open this in your browser and then print it. But to save it to your computer, right-click and choose “save link as”.
I’ve recently updated my ‘about me’ page on Etsy to include in-progress & studio photos… and add a bit more about my philosophy.
Check it out, here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/FreshStitches/about
Thank you for shearing!
I’ve immediately have fallen in love with the about page when it came out and read Etsy’s articles about it to understand how to create it in the best way and used their pointers.
The size of the pics I’ve used is – width 760 x height 428, so the pics are not cropped by Etsy.
Once in a while I enter the about page to read eat, but as if I am a costumer, to see if it is still touching, inviting and if adjustment are needed.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/RonitGolan/about/
oops.. it is 4 in the morning here 🙂
… the about page to read it, but as if I am a costumer, to see if it is still touching, inviting and if adjustments are needed.
cheers!
ok, ok, now I have been a follower for a while but this just feels kinda well – dorky!! One of the reasons (aka STORY) behind one of my items is that a friend saw them and then suggested I sell them in my shop. It was almost a joke – clothes pins glued onto a stick! Then a bunch of other people started laughing – who would buy clothes pins glues to a stick – well, turns out lots of brides to use them for wedding table numbers or menu holders. There’s not much of an interesting story there – joke, laugh, listed them to be funny and OMG people started buying. I feel some what uncomfortable sharing this. . .
ah, note to self – work on about page.
I have updated mine some time back.
http://www.etsy.com/Shop/MelodyJL
Thank you – great idea! I usually don’t think to include something interesting in the listing description!
I just updated mine last week!
i find this hard- to “brag” about me…will put this on my to do list.
I lovehow some of youhave used a slideshow format -will have to larn how to do that.
I am a new shop owner lots to learn!
Tracie, the slideshow feature is built right into the About page, so all you need to do is plug in the images that you want it to stream through.
In writing mine, the story part flowed easily because it was true — always a plus, lol. One gal wrote to me saying she read it to her kids as a bedtime story, because it had the tone of a fairytale. Loved that! Here it is:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/MiaMontgomery/about/
We’re a species of story-loving folk. We sit in darkened theaters with total strangers, eyes riveted to the screen, to have the same romance played out for us again and again. We reread stories even when we already know the ending. Stories grab us at a mysterious and fundamental level. But as Kim advises, keep it short. . . although I often fail pitifully at that 😉
This is great information . and a reminder that this is important. I need a story on my Esty shop.
ellenkim