How To Grow Your Etsy Shop Into a Business

One of the great things about Etsy is that anyone can start a business if they have something to sell. However, many people create a shop on this artisanal platform without a plan in mind. Once you’ve started attracting customers and making a name for yourself, what can you do to grow?

Think of Yourself as a Business

Attitude is everything when it comes to success– everyone has heard about faking it until you make it. If you haven’t already, it’s time to stop thinking of yourself as a person selling the fruits of your labor and move on to viewing yourself as an entrepreneur. This will help with planning for the future and staying on top of the growing pile of responsibilities you may not have expected.

Before you do anything else, it’s important to get yourself a business license. Requirements differ by locale, so research your options wherever you may be and gather what is required to file. Once you’ve got that piece of paper framed on the wall, you won’t be able to forget that you are a business.

Create a Workflow

Often as an Etsy seller, you are a one-man operation. That doesn’t mean you can’t cover certain basics like customer service and accounting without driving yourself nuts. Luckily, in this digital age, these functions have been streamlined into workflow automation processes that have you covered even if you aren’t a business mogul.

Invoice generation software aids the transaction process so that you can better keep track of customer information and help reduce error, even when you are overwhelmed with requests from your rabid fans. You can use online forms and bots to answer basic customer service questions or appropriately flag more pressing inquiries, even across platforms. You can also work this type of technology into your social media management, by scheduling posts and reporting on your engagement analytics.

Outsource What You Can

There are tons of talented freelancers out there, of every profession, looking for work. There are various platforms out there where you can find them. For example, you can pay someone a fee to make you a logo, get your books ready for tax season, create a website or put together marketing copy. You don’t have to be good at everything because you can find someone else to do it. That way you can stay focused on what’s important, your product.

If you love someone’s work, you can even go to them again and again. They would probably appreciate the regular business. Freelancers are a great solution if you aren’t ready to take on any actual employees or are limited by your space and equipment.

Market Yourself Everywhere

If people aren’t already browsing Etsy on their own, how will they find your shop? That’s where marketing comes in. First, you need to figure out what kind of people might want your product, and then you need to step up your advertising game to hit your target audience everywhere they may exist.

Create social media accounts specifically for your business so that you aren’t using a personal account, and don’t forget to take advantage of paid promotions. You can also use tools like SEO to promote your search results and take out ads with Google. Most effective these days are marketing strategies that don’t feel like advertising. Try to work your product into the hands of a popular live streamer or make a viral TikTok. In the physical realm, you can get involved with your community through local craft fairs or relevant clubs in your area.

Selling on Etsy can be a pursuit of passion, so it’s easy to overlook the other aspects of your business as you grow. As you gain more loyal customers and become known as a brand, set yourself up for success so that you can continue creating whatever it is that you love to create. That is what’s most important, after all!