Sales expert Danielle Maveal answers Etsy sellers’ top 3 questions

From left: Former Squidoo VP of Partnerships Lauryn Ballesteros, Modcloth.com CCO Susan Gregg Koger, panel moderator Jamie Murphey and Danielle Maveal after their “Art of Craft & Commerce” panel at Etsy Labs during the Brooklyn DIY Business Association Conference on June 26, 2011.

After serving as Etsy’s Seller Education Lead for five years, Danielle Maveal knows Etsy sellers like nobody’s business and has turned her knowledge into a podcast series called Creative Little Beasts.

Because she’s communicated with thousands of Etsy sellers and has produced loads of Etsy Seller Handbook blog posts, Etsy Success Newsletters and education events, we asked Meaveal to share—and answer—the three most common questions she’s heard from the Etsy community. Here’s the scoop, in her own words:

1. How do I get found?

The truth is, if you have an amazing product that you present in an appealing way, all you have to do is constantly put your work out there for people to see, and they will find you, become fans and do all the promotion work for you.

If your work isn’t sticking, go back to the drawing board. The item may need to be revised, or perhaps the packaging, photographs or branding. There is no trick that everyone else gets but you don’t. I feel like a lot of people think there’s something they are missing that has nothing to do with their items or the way they are presenting them.

2. How are my prices?

Here’s what everyone does: They price their work in the middle. This is the worst thing you can do.

Customers looking for a bargain will find something similar—but not as special—and spend less. Customers who want something unique will pay more—even if they don’t like it as much.

This is because Etsy shoppers are probably wondering why your work isn’t priced similarly. You’re in the middle. You’re not standing for anything. Being in the middle means you’re not confident. You need to exude that confidence so your buyers can believe it, too.

3. What am I suddenly doing wrong?

What did I do wrong? What changed about Etsy search?

We’re so connected to our work that if a few days go by and something doesn’t sell, we start to panic.

The truth is there are big peaks and valleys in retail, and you have to price your work high enough so you can ride out the slow periods. Sometimes there’s no rhyme or reason to it. Sometimes it’s about trend, season, color or patterns that are in style. Again, it’s about confidence—knowing that things will pick up and put the slow time to good use.

Work on a new line instead of having a reactionary sale. If something has gone awry and you’ve priced your work high enough, you won’t panic and instead be able to confront the problem with a level head.

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Related Article:

“What a Creative Little Beast: After leading Etsy seller education, Danielle Maveal starts new biz”

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