Momentum continues to build in my Etsy shop as I've almost hit my goal for the month, which was to double my number of views. After following and favouriting and creating a few treasuries I have just under a week to collect another 200 views or so to hit my target.
I've started to Instagram which must have helped (Box_Eds is my hashtag name thingy!) Posting instant pics of work in progress helps to keep the creative process trucking along. I've tentatively dipped my toe into other social media avenues but I'd rather be making and creating than marketing.
One way I am hoping to market my goods is with an old college friend from over in the UK. She's the big cheese in charge of Little Party Pack a great place to plan and pick up supplies for your next childrens party. Little Party Pack offers complete parties in a box, beautifully styled and delivered straight to your door. LPPs party supplies are exclusive to us and their party ranges are designed with children in mind to offer fun, themed craft activities, adorable favours and fabulous essential party supplies from tableware, to invites, banners and cake boxes.
I had hoped that an increase in views would lead to the welcoming side effect of bringing more sales but alas so far they have been elusive. I'll make that my goal for April I think, to double my sales, though generating sales is a bit more of a mystery to me. More products will definitely help so here's a taste of my latest creations - download your very own blue bunch, pink posse, brown battalion or white woodle(!?!) of easter bunnies to slap all over your desktop!
So I've got my latest Flat Eds up on Etsy after a quick fire photo shoot over the weekend. I upgraded the paper I used this time to 200gsm and I think the quality definitely shows in the photographs. I'm still needing to work on my lighting and setup for my products, perhaps showing them more in context with my kids playing with them.
I've had no sales whatsoever since christmas which surprisingly hasn't left me too depressed!!! What I constantly hear from the forums in Etsy is to persevere, keep tweaking and changing photos and SEO and growing a social media presence. So I'm now on Instagram as BOX_EDS and also on Wanelo
@boxedspapercrafts
Adding more inventory to my shop will hopefully bring some sales, so I've got a snake and a tiger to follow very soon. Also working on some Easter bunnies and with only 99 days until the World Cup I plan to launch a big line up of Football Flat Eds!
https://www.etsy.com/au/listing/181433110/printable-paper-toy-craft-activity?ref=af_shop_favitem
https://www.etsy.com/au/listing/181449285/printable-paper-toy-craft-activity?ref=listing-shop-header-0
So I got my Fairy Eds onto Etsy before xmas, and whilst they haven't been the run away success I dreamt of, I've learnt a lot. Marketing and promotion are skills I need to work on, but to be a success on Etsy and in general I will have to build and strengthen my networks.
Whilst I'm continuing to design and test my next set of Box Eds I've started to work on some simpler paper crafts - Flat Eds. The design of these have come from what I've learnt over the last couple of months about who my ideal customer is. It seems obvious now but I worked out it's my wife! My ideal customer is a young, funky mother who is looking for a simple, fun, educational activity for their kids that doesn't make too much mess or involve screens and is reasonably priced. I always knew Box Eds would be better suited to children 7 and over but for those 7 and under I'd need a 'gateway' paper craft.
I've retained the same principles of big bold design and using as much of the paper as possible. They can be used as banners and bunting, birthday cards and for story telling and role play. So the kids and I have been road testing the first designs for Flat Heads - Flat Head farm. Although an Elephant does seem to have wandered randomly onto the paddock!
After nearly two years of cutting until my scissors were blunt, folding ream upon ream of paper, sticking with cellotape, masking tape, glue sticks, hot glue guns, PVA, cement (!), prototyping, numerous paper cuts, tweaking, adjusting and fiddling I've finally made my paper crafts available to the world via Etsy!
Now comes the hard part - marketing, promoting and crossing my fingers, toes and other body parts in the hope that people like them and buy them!?! They're available on Etsy at:
www.etsy.com/au/shop/BoxEdsPaperCrafts
A very productive month for my Fairy Eds. Backgrounds, covers and instructions have been redesigned and polished.
Had some fun playing around with the isometric fairies for the cover and made a Fairy Ed Army. I've also applied to exhibit at Craft, just a window space but I'll know the outcome by my next post. And also next month you'll be able to print, cut, fold, stick and play with your own versions of Fairy Eds as I plan to launch them on Etsy by the end of October. And if they start to sell I may even be able to give up the day job!!!
