If you have an Etsy shop or plan on opening one, then a couple of things are for certain — you want it to be successful and you want to build a loyal following. Luckily, there are a lot of things that you can do to make those things happen. In this post, I’ll give you some ideas about how to make your Etsy shop successful and build a loyal following.
How to make your Etsy shop successful & build a loyal following
Offer incredible customer service
Making sure that you provide excellent customer service is one of the easiest things that you can do to make your customers happy and wanting to come back. It’s a sure-fire way to make your Etsy shop successful!
One of my first rules of stellar customer service is to always respond to your customer’s (or potential customer’s) questions and inquiries. And, if at all possible, try to do it right away. Many times potential customers are contacting you to inquire about one of your products and are close to making a purchase. If you don’t reply quickly, there’s a chance they may go somewhere else for their purchase.
To make this a little easier to manage, I like to keep my Etsy convo notifications turned on in my Sell on Etsy app, so anytime someone sends me a message from my Etsy shop I hear it on my phone and can reply right away. If you don’t use that app, then just be sure to check your email or Etsy shop whenever you can.
Another “given” for providing awesome customer service is to be nice! Trust me when I say that you will receive messages, emails, and inquiries from people, and they won’t always be friendly or cordial. Some people just don’t have tact. And that’s okay! Just be sure that you do, always reply with warmth and kindness, and be sure to answer their questions. I know this is cliche, but the customer is always right!
And one last, obvious way to offer your customers exceptional service is to always go above and beyond. Be helpful, be friendly, and be accommodating, within reason — don’t let anyone walk all over you either.
Ship your items a.s.a.p.
Another incredibly easy step to make your Etsy shop successful — when a customer orders something from your shop, most likely they’re super excited to receive it. Don’t let them down! If your item is already made and can be shipped the same day, or the next day, do it. If it’s something that is made to order, start working on it right away so that you can get it in the mail and on it’s way to your customer.
Whatever your shop policies say about shipping times, be sure to follow them. Or, if possible try to one-up them and get the product out sooner! Your customer will be happy, and they always seem to appreciate receiving their package quickly.
Use fabulous packaging
Just as your customers will probably be thrilled to receive their package quickly, they will be equally as thrilled when it arrives beautifully packaged. Buying something special from an Etsy shop is fun on its own, but when you receive that package and can tell that the seller went out of their way to make it fantastic, that makes it even better!
Try to use packaging and supplies that reflect your brand and your shop. If your shop has a common color scheme throughout, use packaging in those colors.
Also be sure to incorporate your logo or shop name somehow, whether it’s on a tag, a label, or somewhere else within your packaging.
Look for pretty tissue papers, fun confetti-ish fillers, or elegant ribbons — anything that matches the style of your shop and makes the customer feel like you gave them something extra with your packaging. They won’t forget it!
Thank your customers
Thanking your customers is one of the easiest steps that you can take to make your Etsy shop successful! When you thank your customers you make them feel appreciated and, in most cases, happy that they purchased from your store. There are a lot of different ways to thank your customers, but I typically stick with the classics and they seem to work great!
On the Etsy platform, you are able to set up a “message to buyers” in your shop settings. It’s a message that gets attached to their digital receipt when they make a purchase, so you don’t have to do anything extra. In that space, I thank my customers like crazy! Use it to tell them how much you appreciate their business, and how much you value them as a customer.
I also sometimes take it a step further and send them a separate Etsy Convo to thank them, usually when I have a customer who spends more than the average for my shop. This step is especially appropriate if you sell high ticket items. When someone spends a boatload of money in your shop, you should absolutely let them know that you appreciate it.
One more thing that a lot of successful Etsy sellers do is to include a hand-written thank you note in the package. In my opinion, that is one of the best ways to truly thank your customers. I know that when I receive a package with something that I purchased online and I find a hand-written thank you note, it really tells me that the person I purchased from is grateful. It’s just a really nice touch!
Offer a discount to your customers
Offering a discount to your customers is an effective way to encourage them to return for another purchase, or to entice an “almost” customer into finally making that first purchase. Try these techniques for offering a discount and watch how they benefit your bottom line:
- Holiday or seasonal discounts
- Discounts offered via your email subscription/newsletters
- Offer discounts for existing customers who refer new customers
- Give a discount on high-dollar orders
- A loyalty discount for existing customers
- Discounts offered through your social media accounts for your followers
- Give a special offer to first-time customers
Any of these discounts and offers can help you build your customer base and encourage buyer loyalty, both of which will help you grow your business.
So, as you work on growing your business, be sure to give these things a try to make your Etsy shop successful! They’re all super easy to do and will pay off big in the long run.
For more tips on selling your handmade, check out my other posts!
Best,
Tammy
