I remember when I first started selling planner stickers on Etsy I wanted to create stickers that stood out from the crowd. I wanted to start my dream sticker business on Etsy, but I encountered speedbumps, just as many business owners do in a startup!
I want to share what I learned from those speedbumps, so you don’t waste time and money doing it in the wrong way. In this article, I will share with you the framework of how to sell stickers on Etsy.
You’ll love this if you want to know how to start a sticker business and particularly, how to make stickers to sell online.
1. Finding Your Niche
If you want to know how to start a sticker shop, it’s crucial to create a product or service that you can sell on Etsy without spending more time and money on marketing or advertising than you need to. There’s only one small catch: you can’t go after an already popular niche. You have to have a unique product or service that the entire community is yet to discover.
For example, you might decide that your niche will be new mums; selling stickers they can use in their baby books. Or, you might sell stickers specifically for milestone birthdays. But you can’t just slap a sticker on your social media page and hope that it will instantly gain traction. You have to think about branding and positioning first.
2. Think About Branding
Brand your business in the best possible way to get as many people as possible to use your brand in their lives.
Focus on great products that your target market will love (after doing your research, of course), make sure you give your product descriptions much love with perfect spelling and grammar, use keywords and make sure your photos are top-notch.
3. Creating a Unique Design
Once you know your market, creating a unique design is essential to have your brand stand out from the rest. Take a deep dive into your target market, learn about their wants, needs and interests, so your sticker design meets these criteria and becomes memorable.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions either on social media or in-person where your target market hangs out.
4. Pricing Your Stickers
One of the most challenging parts of selling stickers on Etsy is determining a price point. Don’t undervalue your time and creative skills, certainly not because you’re new to the Etsy game. You have to set yourself up for growth.
Many people often start selling stickers on Etsy at a price point that’s much too low. Perhaps it’s because they’re desperate to make any money. Other times, it’s because they haven’t done their research.
When you do your research, not only is it important to factor in your time, cost of tools, paper, ink and software, just to name a few, it’s essential that you factor in Etsy fees to ensure you’re not undercutting yourself. Incorporate them into your growth strategy.
When you sign up to Etsy as a seller, it’s free, but there are seller fees involved that will end up coming off your profit margin – a listing fee, transaction and payment processing fee and offsite ads fee. Fees are different for each country; visit the ‘Sell on Etsy’ section for fees specific to your location and you can get 40 free listings as a brand new shop here!
When you take all of the above into consideration, you’ll be setting prices that are profitable right from the beginning.
5. Promoting Your Shop
Etsy is not about listing a product and forgetting about it. Etsy requires hard work and a business mindset. Build a social media following and promote your Etsy shop there. But the key to this is to avoid icky sales tactics that are completely offputting. Build a community and relationships with your followers. Share posts that provide value, build trust and weave your products and shop into this naturally with special offers. I refer to my method in The Etsy Plan as the ‘Stand Out Stickers’ method.
6. Getting Reviews
Reviews can be a massive asset for Etsy store owners. They have the power to influence shopper decisions and improve your credibility. Reviews are also great at gaining customer trust and encouraging people to interact with your shop, leading to improved profits!
Get a system in place to ask for reviews. You could request reviews on your receipts/invoices, via thank you pages, social media, or email.
It’s one thing to start a shop on Etsy, and it’s another to make it profitable. People won’t automatically step through your Etsy shop ‘doors’. You will have to nurture them towards your doors with your branding, designs that speak to their needs and your ability to build consumer confidence in the way you communicate.
These basics on how to sell stickers on Etsy is just the start.
Ready to Sell Stickers on Etsy?
It’s a journey as a business owner with its challenges, so I believe my Masterclass for Creating Sticker That SELL would be a massive benefit to you!
Originally published on July 3 2021.
