QUESTION: How do you go about advertising/marketing your items on etsy?
ANSWER: In the beginning, I didn’t do any sort of advertising and marketing… I was so just excited by the idea of people buying things I had made that I wanted to put every free hour I had into creating new things. Listing new stuff all the time kept me on top of the searches & creating those new things kept my customers excited and made them want to check back…. A ton of my customers started buying stuff almost as soon as I would list it. If I hadn’t been consistently listing new stuff, no one would have checked it nearly as often… my customers just wanted to make sure they got their hands on the new thing I had created before someone else did! So it kept them coming back & helped me to develop a customer base. Also I think making friends on etsy is key in the beginning… favorite other peoples work who you admire or send them a message, especially if they are just starting out.. the etsy community will start to seem a lot more intimate. It’s important to have an online presence elsewhere too… facebook, twitter, tumblr, flickr.. etc. Also, recently we’ve been sending stuff for free or for a discount to girls who are in bands, actresses or have huge blog followings who will post about it.. it’s a great way to give something to someone you admire and also have everyone who follows them find out about you!
QUESTION: I adore your clothes. However, I’m a little bit bigger and have promised myself to not buy anything of yours until I get to my goal weight of 140lbs. It’s been rough getting there. How do you suggest I keep myself motivated and positive?
ANSWER: Thank you! I’m so glad you like my clothing and I think this is a really valid topic for a lot of girls. It sounds like you want to lose weight for yourself and it’s great whenever anyone sets a goal for themselves & is working hard to keep it, which it sounds like you are. When I was younger I used to think about dieting a lot, but I think since I loved to cook, it made eating healthier more fun! My mom got me into this book called “Super Foods” by Steven Pratt. His book highlights 14 of the most nutrient packed foods per caloric value. It got me really psyched about eating as healthy as possible and incorporating those foods into new things I cook. Now that I’m into eating healthier, I hardly ever find myself craving junk food like I used to. I also personally hate most typical forms exercise like running… but I’ve realized there are lots of other ways to exercise that are fun! For instance, I love rollerblading or riding my bike when the weather’s nice, (I have a pink bicycle, so I accessorize while I exercise!). I love dancing for fun & and doing crazy funny dance moves with my friends and recently got some exercise dance move videos… so I can randomly bust out Justin Bieber-esq moves when no one is expecting it! I know trying to lose weight can be frustrating and depressing so I think another good thing would be to keep yourself busy with other things, like projects you’ve been meaning to do- so you’re not constantly thinking about it. And just remember every body is different… a number doesn’t necessarily mean you look great or are healthy, the most important thing is that you feel good. At 5’8 and probably 150 lbs or so, I for one am not near a typical models weight, but I am happy with the way I look and whenever I’ve had doubts about my body, no boyfriend or friend has ever thought I would look better thinner. But either way, the best of luck, and above all, just try to stay happy and surround yourself with the people that think you’re awesome no matter what!
Have anything you need to get off your chest? Problems with a boyfriend? Career advice? Beauty tips & tricks? Advice with your Etsy shop?
HYGIENE questions?
…okay, so maybe not those kinds of questions…
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