Etsy Success: Dealing with Never Ending to do lists Successfully

One of the biggest things that's helped me lately to stay motivated in my business and life is making to do lists. I have made to do lists my whole life but I always made them on scraps of paper and never actually finished them. As time has passed I have picked up on a few things that have helped me accomplish my whole list even if it seemed never ending.  Today I want to share with you some tips and tricks that I think will work for you too! 

Pictured above is my small pile of to do lists that were scattered around my room. My to do lists usually consist of shop, blog, personal, and work stuff. Even though I find these multiple lists still constantly laying around my room I try to make sure to clean them up and make one big list in a notebook.  Keeping one list is something I still struggle with but I do find that random lists laying around remind me of my major list which can often be forgotten about.

Anyhow here are things that have worked for me with my to do list...

1. Find a small notebook that will easily lay open to keep your long to do list and always keep a pen attached for unexpected list additions. I use a small spiral sketchbook because a pen easily slides into the spiral and my pages are blank allowing my list to be visual when I need it to be.
2. Determine what your list covers and divide your list into sections. For example My Personal Stuff Section includes stuff like exercise, baby, my dog, groceries/meals, and a clean living area or stuff like hanging with family and planning a date. Then I usually have a work section which includes work outside of blogging and my online shop, like camps or after school work. My other sections are shop and blog... notice I don't use a cover all for these like a business section that's because it helps me focus and see what aspects of my business need more work than others. 
3. Keep goals on a separate page in your notebook and clearly define them as goals. Use goals to determine steps which are what will be included on your to do list. I often find goals mingled in my to do list... the problem is that they are impossible to cross off because they take several steps to finish them. Keeping that in mind helps me from feeling overwhelmed. I use my goals to help me think of my to do list if or when it is starting to look empty.
4. Use a large to do list to compile a daily to do list. Try and focus on keeping a daily list 5-10 items long, some from each section. If I just try to make a small list from my brain every day without a long list I never accomplish making the actual small list and in turn never get anything useful done. This list is always on a scrap of paper that I can lay in front of me and scratch off of throughout the day.
5. Make your daily to do list late the night before or early the next day. Practice making it a routine with your cup of joe or while your getting ready for bed. Making your lists a priority will help you keep a schedule and stay focused. I found that randomly making lists any time of day did not mean as much as when I made the special time to create them. Plus having a list ready for the day makes sure I have the time to get things done. 
6. Stick to your to do list and create small rewards for yourself throughout the day when you mark 2-3 items off. If I start working on something and I realize it isn't on my to do list I stop and prioritize. If it needs to be done that day I add it to my daily list if it can wait I jot it down on my large to do list and move on. If I am feeling creative and know that this is a temporary ahhh moment then I give myself a time limit like an hour to work on it before going back to the list. My small rewards have included browsing pinterest for 30 mins, having a snack or resting for a bit.
7. Strive to complete your daily list or as much as possible. Finishing the list should be your #1 daily goal but stuff happens be happy with how much you do accomplish and start with a fresh new list tomorrow.
8. Never revisit an old daily list when that day is over. Crumble it up and throw it away! Several reasons for this. It's detracting, can be disappointing, annoying and overwhelming. After all everyday is a new day so your list should be too! 
9. Create a Today I... list when your daily list fails. When your list is completely shot, meaning something else like life got in the way of accomplishing anything make an Today I... list when the day is over. Write out what you did in a list format even if you laid in bed all day and enjoyed the tv or hung out with a friend. Find the positive things that came from it. Your brain got some much needed rest or you got to laugh. This helps me the most because it keeps me from hating to do lists or that lazy feeling. It makes me appreciate life which is the ultimate reason we live. Today I is the now and what is better than saying you enjoyed life now!
10. Make your list enjoyable. Set up your environment so that you can accomplish things and enjoy it. Whether it's turning on music or moving the work to your comfy bed. Even having your favorite show on isn't a bad idea. Make it fun! After all you are your own boss! Only person who can make it miserable is yourself!

Did you find this useful? Any tips you can include that help you make and keep your to do lists?

Also don't forget the awesome giveaway ending in 3 days!!

Etsy Success: Tips for finding Your Creative Genius

I often get asked how I came up with an idea and a lot of times the answer comes along the lines of well I just did. I have a very strong right side of the brain and not because I was born with it but because I use it everyday all day.

 I truly believe that you are most creative when your a child. As we grow older society kicks in and your pressured into a box complete instructions included. Everything has a certain answer in school and real life seems to be about the same routine as everyone else. 

Nothing wrong with routine or learning but what I am saying is that we use our creativeness less and less. I honestly think it's because being creative is play to adults and play is not real life but why can't it be? Why can't we be as happy and as thrilled as when we were little with just a box to dismember and an imagination to transform it?

In order for your etsy business to be successful you need to find your creative genius. Not only will this help set you apart for everyone else but it helps you keep your shop fresh with new ideas and products.
So today I want to share with you some tips on finding your creative genius... remember it's not that you never had it but that you lost it somewhere along the lines of becoming an adult.

1. Use what you have. We all see projects we want to do or make but we also see a huge list of things we need. Instead of heading into the craft store and spending 50 dollars on your next diy project look around and make yourself use what you have. It's hard at first but it helps you begin to see multiple purposes for an item rather than one. 
2. Create something Everyday. This one is simple but most important because it's practice. Even if you don't like what you see the first couple of days keep at it! Practice makes creative perfection!
3. Shop around. Take your craft supply list to new unconventional supply stores. I learned this from a favorite art ed professor in college. The hardware store, junk store, even the side of the road provide interesting supplies to boost your creative spirit.
4. Design your own project. See something you need around the house? Maybe a spice rack or a rug? Well Try to make it without the help of pinterest, the internet or others.
5. Turn it off and find your space. Devote time to staying off the internet, tv or any other influence that distracts you (except music) and find a permanent spot to set up a creative space. Just setting up your area can inspire you and make you feel confident in pursuing your creative endeavors
6. Find supplies and things that inspire you. Instead of shopping a diy supply list off of the internet, shop for supplies that inspire even if you don't have a use for them yet. Or better yet look around your place or a friends/relatives for unused objects. I always go through my moms junk draws at her house.
7. Don't let a stupid idea pass you by! Try it! 9 times out of 10 I would think of an idea that I thought was stupid but I tried it anyway and it was a hit! So never shut yourself off before giving it a good try. 
8. Keep Learning. That is a simple as you can get. Do I need to explain?

Those are my tips... Let me know if you have any other great ones to share! I would love to hear!

Etsy Success: Copying vs Inspiration

Let me start by saying this... in no way is this directed to any one person or incident. I really wanted to talk about my feelings on the issue because it is a frequent problem in the art/craft world.

So lets talk about it... shall we?

The Unique Idea
First off I want to say that it takes a lot of effort, hard work and confidence to come up with a unique idea. This idea could be anything from a product, to a slogan, to the design of a logo... to anything.

Having a unique idea is scary sometimes too. Should you share it with the world or not? Why do you ask yourself this question..? because it takes a split second for someone to come along and claim it as their own without you ever knowing.

I know I have been scared but then I realized if I don't share it someone is bound to have an idea like it sooner than later and keeping it hidden does nothing for it. So think of the courage it takes... the confidence to go fourth with a unique idea.

Inspiration
Then enters the world of pinterest and camera phones it easy to access what ever info we need to deconstruct this unique idea and make it our own. One thing that always aggravates me at craft fairs is when someone says oh I can make that at home then they have the nerve to take a picture of it. Clearly all that is going through my head is your going to replicate my piece of art.

Maybe it inspires us right? I know I have taken pictures of things because they inspired me. However I always keep my head on straight and try not to photograph other peoples work. Why???? Well why should I? The only reason I might want a picture of someones work is to copy it. If the work inspires me then that inspiration should have rooted deep inside me and allow me to go home and make something unique from it. I take a picture and I am very likely to copy it. If it really inspires me... goodness I will buy it and take it home!

Copying
Over the past year I realized that if you have a good idea ( a blossoming idea) someone will copy in some form or fashion. I have heard time and again people say take it as a compliment. I have heard some say do something about it. I have had it boil deep inside me and make me want to break down and wonder if I could ever make anything again.

The other thing I realized was that none of these things solve the problem and in most cases it makes it worse. The only thing that has worked for me is to see it, move on and forget about it. If someone has to use an idea from someone else in order to get somewhere then good luck! They will never be able to rise above it and be who they truly are. They will always hide behind a mask of lies and never receive the absolute happiness that you get when you see your original idea blossom.

But their are those people who are oblivious to it. Who take compliments from the unoriginal idea and feel great about it. They may even make money or a living off it. Pathetic. All I can say is are you really fulfilling your soul?

So whats the difference?
So in my eyes here is the difference... Inspiration is purely a feeling. Something that makes you think differently about life and changes your ideas. Something you can take with you forever. You can't leave it at home and you certainly don't have to turn on your phone to see it.

Copying is taking from a idea and replicating any part of it. You see something you like and you do the same thing but you change it up a little or even a lot to make it your own. To me this is copying even if no one notices.

So why do I put the two things in one post together?
It's the people who say I was inspired by.... as an excuse to their copying ignorance.

I have many many times found myself desperately wanting to copy an idea because it was that good. I have even copied ideas trying to make them my own but then looked at myself and was ashamed. It's hard not to copy really awesome ideas.

There have been times when someone came over and saw something I had made myself that I had copied off something on etsy and say oh that's cool you should sell it..... it's tempting and I just shrug my shoulders. Then there were times when my sister came over and saw it and said I saw that online somewhere... and then I would admit I copied. It is a battle between being yourself or everyone else. I always have to remind myself of that when I am tempted.

The problem is that this is how we keep ourselves from our max potential. Copying ideas just puts you in a realm with a lot of other people while an unique idea puts you on your own level.

Last Words
 I know that if I keep going trying to make my creative business into something real I will deal with it the rest of my life. I only wish it didn't happen but in essence if people didn't want to copy then would you have buyers? followers? fans? We all wish we could be like someone else and isn't that in itself wanting to copy.

The reason I wanted to write this post is because maybe... just maybe it will inspire someone to change their life and see beyond a mask. I try to always put myself in another persons shoes even if those shoes would never see my feet.

In no way am I accusing anyone of anything. This is not for that. There are people I have ran into who I never crossed paths with before who like and did the same things as me but you can tell when people are inspired by totally different things even if they make the same thing. A lot of people make terrariums, jewelry, dream catchers.... but the great thing about it is that they are all so different! You can see different influences, styles, inspiration, ideas behind them. You instantly realize this is not a copy and it becomes more valuable.

Remember!
Copying is a crutch the more use it the less likely you will ever walk or even run!

Let me know your thoughts? I would love to hear!

Etsy Success: Customer Issues and How to Solve them

So no matter how long you sell on etsy you most likely will encounter some kind of a situation where a customer isn't happy. Sometimes you just can't please everyone. The best thing to remember is your customer is always first..... period. That is if you want to stay successful and keep good business.

Today I want to share with you some situations I have experienced along the way and how I felt was the best way to fix it! Now that might not mean that you would do the same but sometimes it's a good idea to to try to see things in a different perspective.

Here are some examples and then my solutions...

1. Customer's product was damaged on arrival even though you tirelessly made efforts to wrap it good. You went as far as writing fragile all over the box so the mail man would understand.

Solve it:
 First thing to remember is to respond asap. Second thing is to apologize even though clearly it wasn't your fault. Third thing is to explain that you have no control over how the package is handled that when its in the post offices hands it is up to them to protect it. I would ask for proof with a picture of the item. If the item can be replaced I would send a new one. If the item is vintage and can not be replaced I would offer a refund.

2. Customer's idea of the product was not what they expected from what they saw on the internet. Even if the description and photos were crystal clear.

Solve it:
Find out what the customer expected from the product. If it's something as simple as the color was off or the size wasn't right then ask them to return the product as it came to them and either replace with a fixed product or refund.

3. Customer feels they were overcharged shipping (international... taxes and such).

Solve it:
This one really drove me crazy cause I wasn't 100% sure about taxes and charges in certain countries. For example someone may buy an item for 25 dollars but when they get it they have to pay 20 dollars in taxes because of their countries laws. Even if I paid 10 to ship it. However here is the thing you are not responsible to cover any of these charges. The customer is and should know and understand it. If you really want to cover your bottom be sure to make it clear in your customer policies.

4. Customer never received package!

Solve it:
This was a hard one to learn but before I started getting confirmation I always either resent a new package or refunded. However I usually asked the customer to wait another week to see if it would get to them by then. 9 out of 10 times it just took a little longer for it to reach them for who knows what reason. However what I learned out of this was it's worth paying for confirmation on every package!

5. Customer left negative or neutral feedback for a tiny little mishap. Maybe you thought you put instructions but didn't or part of the product wasn't what they expected.

Solve it:
Try Etsy's Kiss and Makeup Feature so that you can restore that feedback to positive. This requires you to fix the situation and both of you to leave positive feedback. Let the customer know that you are willing to fix the issue so that their etsy experience is a good one and that feedback won't hurt future sales.

6. Customer didn't receive package when they needed it. Maybe the post office told you it would arrive by then but it didn't.

Solve it: 
If the customer made it clear when they needed it and you agreed to it then it was your job to get it to them in time. So in this case I would offer a complete refund upon the item being returned as it was sent and apologize. If it was an expensive item and the customer still wants it I would give a partial refund for it being late maybe for the price it was to ship it. If there was never a note, email or any kind of evidence that the customer told you when they needed it then it isn't your fault. Be sure to respond in a nice way to let the customer know that there was no agreement on delivery.

7. Customer thinks shipping took too long.

Solve it:
Making it clear in your shop description and policies how long it will take to receive and item is crucial to how your customers leave feedback. If you had a situation where you couldn't get to the post office in a while or maybe you got it to the post office in time then be sure to let the customer know. If you got confirmation you can prove when it was shipped. If it was your fault apologize and offer a refund in shipping.

8. Customer is missing part of their package.

Solve it:
Answer promptly. Apologize and send out the missing piece asap! Throw in something extra if you feel like really making a good impression.

Most of these situations can be fixed by having a good set of policies in place or by including certain details in the description so remember that! Most of the time I didn't even think about certain things until a customer made an issue about it and then you better believe I made sure it was clear next time.

So let me know what you think? Would you handle situations differently?

Also if there is any Questions you have about etsy that you would like me to answer in the next etsy success post I would love to hear and I will leave it anonymous! So drop me a line...

courtney_howard68@eku.edu and title your email ETSY SUCCESS. Otherwise it might get lost !

11 tips for a successful first year on ETSY!

I have been on etsy now for over a year with a little over 700 sales. Now and then when I run into someone I know they ask me what I do for a living. For a while that answer was I don't have a job... only because I was leery about explaining how I made stuff and sold it online. With a year under my belt I feel a lot more confident with the answer "I sell handmade items on Etsy" because I have some numbers that I can spit out and feel valid.

I guess what I am trying to say is getting into something like Etsy can be hard not only because you have to figure it all out yourself but also you feel like you have to try to validate what your doing to "certain" people.

 Long story short... now that I do tell people what I actually do for a living, 9 out of 10 times someone asks me how I do it or  how they should start. Truthfully, I really don't like to be asked these questions because I feel like their really isn't an answer I can give them. You really just need to dive right in and see for yourself. However I do have some helpful tips for your first year that I would like to share with you today!

1. BE PATIENT: it takes time just like everything else in this world to create a successful shop, brand, and product. It is not going to happen overnight (even though we wish it secretly would). I just spent the past 2 hours trying to figure out how to put font on a picture, move it around and save it in photoshop cs5 for the image above. I did it,.... but what seems to be simple can end up being more complicated process than you thought. So it pays to be patient (literally).
2. EXPLORE: you need to actually look around on etsy. That means explore shops, type things in the search bar and click on everything you see.Heck it is even a good idea to actually purchase something so you see the process customers go through when they buy something from your shop. Doing this helps you discover what etsy is all about which in turn helps you learn how it all works.
3. STAY BUSY: Don't just list one item and wait for it to sell because most likely it won't. You need to get on there just about every day and do something. Whether you list an item, make a treasury, join a team, or like someone else's shop/items. Staying busy on Etsy keeps you visible to potential customers. 
4. INVEST: When you do start making profit it is important to invest back into the business if you want it to grow. My top investments for your first year would include... A good camera, a shipping scale, supplies/materials, a good computer, and packing/shipping materials.
5. EXPERIMENT: Most likely you are going to put something on etsy that your not 100% sure will sell or even get liked. It's important to experiment with different products, shop banners, descriptions, tags, and whatever else you are not completely sure of. I found that by experimenting I discovered and learned a lot of things that I would have never thought would be successful and productive in my business.
6. BE UNIQUE: find that quality in you that makes you different from everyone else and USE IT. It helps to be different on etsy because there are too many people doing the same thing... which means competition. Being unique create your own opportunities for success!
7. KNOW YOUR WORTH: this is important when your talking to customers about a order, listing and pricing an item or writing a description. YOUR WORTH... is all about being confident and listening to your heart. You are worth a lot more than you think. When you know your worth you become more valuable and profitable!
8. LIST ITEMS YOU WOULD BUY: easier said then done right? I mean there have been a whole lot of times when I looked at something I made and didn't actually know if I would buy it because... well I just made it. Basically you need to actually kind of want to keep the item and it's even better if you actually make one for yourself! This means your item is something others are going to want!
9. STAY ON TOP: keep up your listings! Don't let them collect dust! If it's been sitting a while reread your description, check your tags, take new pictures... and if you must renew the item! Just be on top of your shop and stay relevant!
10. KEEP GOING: When all is hopeless and you feel like etsy isn't taking you where you thought it would.... this one is simple KEEP GOING. I have thought a million times that it wasn't going to work out for me but I just kept going. I always get those moments but then something happens and it all gets better! So KEEP GOING!
11. GET INVOLVED: join teams, comment on blog posts, create a social group for your shop, create and comment on treasuries. There are lots of ways to do this but it really is something that you need to do to be visible in the etsy community and to potential customers. 

So there you have it! My top 11 tips... I really could give you a lot more but I feel like these are essentials. You see now why it's not just a simple answer?

For those of you who have a shop do you have any more tips to add or ones you agree/disagree with?