We just found the cutest shop on Etsy. We were working on a blog post that would feature a few items that go together to make an outfit, and, what do we find? The seller has NOTHING in the personal profile, and only one sentence in the store announcement! What are we supposed to write about? How cute the stuff is, yes, but we can’t add one thing to make the seller seem more approachable or interesting.

We would really appreciate it if sellers would:

1. Add a little bit about yourself in your Bio. Things like your name, or how your shop came into being, or the things that inspire you. Ultimately, this should be about 5 sentences long or more and should not be deliberately vague because that isn’t ‘artistic’–it’s annoying. We know we shouldn’t be Bio Nazis, but something real is always more interesting than something which we cannot relate to like: “absence, presence, shadows on toothpicks and dandelion fluff”–what does that have to do with ANYTHING? Be yourself, yes, but not if yourself is pretentious.

2. Add a store announcement. This is where you tell your buyers what’s new in your shop, or your store policies, or how to purchase your items. For instance, you can explain the Paypal process or what new developments you’ve got going on, such as new items you will be introducing or cool events you’ll be featured at, or if you’ll be out of town, or free shipping–things like that.

3. Advertise. You should consider all the free options available to you, such as Flickr and Indiepublic, where you can join groups to promote your stuff. You can keep a blog on your projects in progress, because shoppers tend to get enthusiastic about their favorite shops. Consider trading banners with your favorite blogs (*cough*Handmadefinds*cough)–you never know who will see your stuff. Then proceed to examining your more inexpensive options–slots on Etsy, which run 24 hours in their various categories, or on online mags such as NEET. Give samples of your work to family or friends that you know will wear it or display it proudly in their home. People are always curious about things other people are wearing or the art in their casas.

4. Be active in the community and increase your visibility. Whatever your community IS, there are loads of people that would love to see your stuff. Forums and social networks such as Myspace, Indiepublic, and Facebook, allow people to connect with you. Then their friends can connect with you and so on. You can also check things like Craigslist for meetings and such of people interested in the same things as you. There really isn’t a limit to what you can accomplish if you are willing to put yourself out there. If you’re not comfortable spending all your time online, get out and meet your neighbors and get acquainted with independent boutiques and galleries. You might have just what they are looking for, or they might point you in the right direction. Business is about building relationships.

5. Customer Service. The sellers that get repeat business are those that have good customer service; they make their buyers feel valued for their attention and money! This doesn’t mean flashy bags or boxes; it’s a personal thank you note or courteous extras, or even a simple wrapping job that makes your item feel like a gift…it doesn’t have to be pricey, just personal. With that in mind, be aware that customer service isn’t all about the sale. Customer service includes a response to a kind email or message from a non-buyer (the “Love your stuff” variety), an accept of those that want add you to friends lists on networking sites, whether you ‘know’ them or not (people like to bookmark sellers they like), or a response to a person on your blog, (unless it’s inflammatory or rude). People are generally nervous about approaching people they don’t know, even if it’s a purchase situation. If you can make them comfortable or happy that they found you, you both win in the end.