Date joined etsy - 5/4/07
Sales to date - 471
Give us some basic info about you: name, where you live, kids/pets, favorite ice cream flavor, etc.*My name is Lindsay Brackeen. I live in Ferndale, Michigan with my sweet husband and two adorable little girls. We recently welcomed our first family pet, a Giant Schnauzer puppy named Uma.
-Describe an average day in life of "you".
* I usually get up before the kidlings so I can grab my coffee and answer emails/check convos. After that I try to get my daily blog post ready. (www.lindsaybrackeen.blogspot.com) Once the girls are up and buzzing around we eat breakfast together. Then my orders are printed and packaged, and set out for the postman. My oldest daughter has afternoon kindergarten, so once we've dropped her off at school, I come home and work on sketches or new ideas alongside my 3 year old. Most of the actual painting I do happens after they've gone to bed or on the weekends. In the summer we spend most of our time outside in our backyard garden and I'll work from a picnic blanket in the grass. Much of my inspiration comes from nature so this works out really well. :)
-Were you creative growing up/what did you enjoy doing?
*I've always enjoyed drawing. I took a couple of after-school painting classes in grade school, but other than that most of my creative endeavors probably took form in building forts and making mudpies.
-What made you want to start selling on etsy?
*Before Etsy, I sold on Ebay. I spent about 3 years there, selling originals only. In that time I sold over 400 paintings. Eventually, Ebay started feeling a bit too "garage sell" for me, and I knew I wanted to set up shop elsewhere. Etsy seemed like the obvious place to start. It was tailored for handmade and my shop could have a much more personalized feel.
-How long did it take for you to get your first sale on etsy?
*My first sale on Etsy came immediately, but that's because I already had a collector base, and I let them know I was making the switch to a new site.
-Top 5 favorite foods, tv shows, and bands?
*As for TV and bands... I actually prefer the quiet. My girls provide all the noise I need. :) We had television at one time, but never watched it. We had it turned off last year and do not miss it at all. We have Netflix, so if the girls want to watch a Disney flick, we'll catch it that way. As for favorite foods, that's such a hard question. In another lifetime, perhaps I'd be a chef. I love to cook and having healthy fresh organic produce on hand is priority around here. You can see our veggie garden from last year here. ( http://lindsaybrackeen.blogspot.com/2010/02/how-does-your-garden-grow.html) If there's one ingredient I'm addicted to, it's garlic for sure!
-Is there anything you'd like to try your hand at doing? Knitting, baking, soap making, wood working, an instrument, etc.
* I'd love to have a medicinal herb garden. We see a holistic doctor and avoid traditional medicine whenever we can. Growing herbs for teas and such would just be an extension of trying to live as naturally as we can. Also, I'm working on my sewing skills!
-What would you suggest to new etsy sellers to promote their shops?
* Obvious things like relisting, good photos (product shots & styled photos), having a cohesive feel to your shop, etc. I keep business cards on hand and use my blog to keep collectors updated on what I'm working on. Think about advertising on indie blogs and let the writers know what you're working on. Little features on big blogs go a long way. Be active in the online community in general.
Keeping your shop updated with fresh items is also key. If I'm neglecting producing new work, it shows in my sales. I would also say, don't put all your eggs in one basket. Utilize all the benefits of your online shop, but also pursue local buyers, wholesale orders, and other venues to showcase your work. Markets like Poppytalk Handmade and Paper-n-Stitch are great ways to get your work noticed. It might not mean immediate sales, but it puts your work in front of the right people. I've scored freelance work this way, commissions, wholesale orders, and gallery inquiries.
Lastly, listen to Etsy. They let sellers know what themes and keywords they'll be looking for each month. (http://www.etsy.com/storque/search/tags/from-etsys-merchandising-desk/) Plan accordingly.
-3 etsy shops you just LOVE?
*I love so many Etsians! Some of my faves would be:
Yokoo (http://www.etsy.com/shop/Yokoo)
Moop (http://www.etsy.com/shop/moop)
SkinnyLaminx (http://www.etsy.com/shop/skinnylaminx)
These ladies have a very strong aesthetic. Their products are showcased well and they've obviously put a ton of time into branding themselves. I admire all their hard work.
-By December 31, 2010 I hope my number of sold items is ______.
*I haven't really set goals like that in the past. Perhaps I should though. I just try to keep gathering inspiration and grow my business the best I can. Some months are going to be more productive than others. One week I make paint my little hands off, and others I might just prefer to piddle around with my lil' gals. I'm okay with that.
--Have a successful etsy shop and want to be a featured seller? Contact me at phletcher@gmail.com
As always, thanks for reading :)
