Here's a copy of an article I wrote for
Etsy a while ago... some links may have changed since then, so do bear this in mind.
Sara x
http://www.sarastexturecrafts.com/
Crafting a Profile Page... Published on January 21, 2008
Often overlooked a Seller’s Etsy profile page is a very important marketing tool and if well written could help improve your shop’s sales.
Taking the time to write a good profile page is a key opportunity as a Seller to reach out to your customers and entice them into your store by giving them a glimpse of the person behind the business and the items you are selling. Whilst Etsy advises that the basics of a good profile should “contain your personal shop policies regarding shipping, returns, accepted payment methods and custom orders in your item listings, shop announcement and/or public profile,” there is no hard or fast rule about how you should present it. There are ways in which you can strive to write a great profile page and maximise your opportunity to sell, while also providing crucial info.
Enlisting the help of fellow Etsians, I set out to explore some options that might be useful:
The first paragraph is key.
If you watch a film, you can usually tell within the first 10 minutes whether you want to keep on watching. Well, it’s that same thing with profile pages… your first paragraph is the key to keeping your customers reading. “It’s your quick-ticket to advertising your shop and yourself. Take advantage of this opportunity to GRAB the reader,” says
http://www.baggavond.etsy.com/.
Get friends and family to read your first paragraph — does it spark interest? Raise positive questions? Or make them want to read more?
Follow this with a clearly defined layout.
Not all buyers have the time/want, or need to read your entire profile each time they visit. So as Heather from
http://www.babyannequilts.etsy.com/ suggests, try “breaking up the information with titles. That way your buyer can skim down the page to look for the heading they're interested in, without reading through the whole thing to find the answers to their questions.” Heather’s profile page is a very good example of how to do this.
Next make your profile text easy to read.
It is important to be as clear and concise in your wording as possible… you want to keep their attention once you have got them past the first paragraph! It is also worth remembering that Etsy is a global market place, so English is not necessarily everyone’s first language.
And finally, write in a friendly and approachable manner, remembering to keep it professional.
Etsy has a real community spirit about it, which is very unlike other Internet selling forums, and this is one thing that buyers really enjoy! Like many Etsians,
http://www.artsyclay.etsy.com/ says that she likes nothing more than “to feel like I've come to their cosy little shop, and am sitting down in front of the fireplace, having a hot cup of coffee or tea and visiting with them in a neighbourly way.” So don’t be afraid to write a bit about yourself, or your business. Do remember to keep a professional edge to your profile though… after all you are a business, whether you sell the extra bags you knit whilst sitting in front of your telly, or you are a full time operation! Buyers must feel that you take your products and business seriously. So striking a balance here is key.
All of this is great, but what do I include? Well, let’s have a look…
Firstly, tell me something about yourself.
Adding a short biography can give buyers so much information about you as an artist. Feel free to tell me a bit about your background, where you come from and how you started your business. Tell me about what inspires you and your craft passions. Jamy Hills, from
http://www.brassmonkeydesigns.etsy.com/, is a shining example of how you can use this information to grab a reader’s attention.
Secondly, tell me something about your business and your products.
Give your readers an idea of what you are setting out to achieve. What is your mission/why are you selling me this?
You could include:
•Is your business a part-time venture, full-time or a charity?
•What sort of products do you sell?
•What is the idea behind your products?
•What’s special about them?
•How do you make them?
Take a look at Karina’s profile from
http://www.kreatedbykarina.etsy.com/. She works very well at selling me her products in a professional and yet friendly way. Remember, although you want to be informative you do not want to scare your reader off at this point with a hard sell!
Add simple shop policies.
Listing your policies clearly and simply will give your customer the confidence to buy from you. So remember to read them through when you have finished… Have you answered the majority of questions a customer will want to know?
Have you listed policies on accepted payments, shipping terms, aftercare and return details, custom or wholesale order information including manufacture times? Another top tip here, from
http://www.bcharmer.etsy.com/, is to add a sentence or two on the appreciation of feedback.
Then … Think again about your products.
Do you need to consider adding additional information? For example, if you sell clothing/footwear or jewellery it is worth adding your sizing details here, or if you sell bath and beauty products, add your disclaimer.
And Lastly! Remember that what reads as a great profile is entirely personal to the reader, so don’t worry about competing with your fellow sellers; write something that you feel comfortable with publishing and unique to you.
Lots to think about? Yes, I think so.
A well written profile page is something we should take our time over and use to try and capture the essence of what we are all about. Lori of
http://www.heartworksbylori.etsy.com/ helps to explain, “there is a little piece of me infused in each of my creations and the recipient of it carries that with them. Handmade creations are personal and made with hands...and those hands do so with great energy and joy.” Your profile page is where you get to show that energy and joy to inspire potential buyers.
I hope that this article has helped you all in some way and I would like to thank each and every Etsian who has given me their tips and ideas… They have taught me a lot! Before I rush off now and work on my own profile page, as I’m sure you are just about to do too, I would like to leave you with a rather fun profile I found during my research — Lynne of
http://www.skully.etsy.com/...
