Since opening my JudysTreehouse shop on Etsy in 2014, I can honestly say, “I’ve come a long way, baby” to get where I’ve gotten today. When I look back at what little I did know about opening an online business and what I’ve learned and put into action I’m pleased with myself and thankful to those who have helped me. Especially my husband, Greg.
Here’s a quote that has stuck with me over the years. I’m not sure who coined this phrase but I picked it up from a manager I once had……
“Nothing changes if nothing changes.”
After a few years with Etsy I realized the effort and hard work that marketing requires. Creating beautiful, unique, quality handmade items just isn’t enough. To help the people find these beautiful, unique, quality handmade jewelry and gifts it takes quality photos, informative descriptions, great customer service, ongoing education around the internet and online businesses, positive thinking, an upbeat attitude, and faith!…….to name a few….
There are hundreds of thousands of online businesses. There are hundreds of thousands of jewelry and gift shops. There are hundreds of thousands of people who are looking for beautiful, unique, quality handmade jewelry and gifts. How can I help them find them at https://www.JudysTreehouse.etsy.com.
I am constantly researching and learning and adapting to the ways and whatnot of having a successful online jewelry and gift shop. I’ve learned a lot. I’ve implemented a lot. I’ve changed a lot. Things were beginning to pickup but still, was I doing enough?
Here’s another quote that has stuck with me over the years. Again, I’m not sure who coined this phrase but it’s another I picked up from a different manager I once had…..
“Complacency is the antithesis of excellence”
Etsy has a remarkable number of jewelry and gift shops. There’s a plethora of beautiful, unique, quality handmade jewelry and gifts you can find on Etsy. I, however, was frustrated (oh, bad negative energy) with what I thought wasn’t enough traffic to my shop. I make beautiful, unique, quality handmade jewelry and gifts. I was trying but it was slow going for me trying to be found on the great big web of Etsy. What am I doing wrong?
So rather than just sit and wait and keep trying (throwing mud at the wall and hoping it would stick), I ventured out a little further on the internet sales platform, found an e-commerce website and decided to give it a try.
In late May, 2017 I opened my second shop, JudysTreehouse.myshopify.com. I set up what I thought to be a nice, user friendly shop with quality photos and good descriptions of my beautiful, unique, quality handmade jewelry and gifts. It was a new platform for me, very different from having my shop on Etsy. I was researching, paying for advertising, posting on my blog, Facebook and Instagram, utilizing tips and techniques to help people find my shop. But, what I was doing wasn’t enough.
After three months with a few headaches, no sales and pretty much no traffic to this second shop I’ve decided to close it. I did learn a lot more about online business and marketing during those brief few months so not all efforts were lost. Someday, I may decide to give it another try but for now I feel my best efforts are directed at having one online shop. This way I can focus on continuously improving and implementing ways to help those people who love beautiful, unique, quality handmade jewelry and gifts find that something special at https://JudysTreehouse.etsy.com.
And, on a positive note, visits and sales are picking up at https://JudysTreehouse.etsy.com. I’ve topped 100 total sales, I’ve had great customers and great feedback. Perhaps my mud throwing efforts are starting to stick.
I am very grateful for all of the people who visit JudysTreehouse. To have someone who loves beautiful, unique, quality handmade jewelry and gifts find that perfect something they’ve been looking for at JudysTreehouse is a pleasure beyond belief. It is such a delight to send something I’ve loving created to someone miles away all across the USA. I am very thankful and blessed.
So, in closing, I’ll offer a third and final quote. And, yes, you guessed it, I don’t know who coined it and it did come from a different manager I once had…..
“Nothing endures but change”
And, with that said, I endure to change whatever I can to help those of you who love beautiful, unique, handmade items and gifts find what I have created and continue to create at https://www.JudysTreehouse.etsy.com
Peace, Love, and Joy
Judy
