Date joined etsy- 4/18/06
Sales to date - 380
-Give us some basic info about you: name, where you live, kids/pets, favorite ice cream flavor, etc.My name is Aimee Koester, and I live on the Eastern Shore of Maryland near the beach. I have an 11 yr old daughter, two dogs(Princess Peanut and Prince Otto), three koi(Cloudy, Gertrude, Henrik), four fantail goldfish(Henry, Hildy, Persephone Opal, Benito), and a catfish named Jaws. My favorite ice cream is chocolate with Cherries Garcia coming in a close second.
-Describe an average day in life of "you".
An average day for me. Hmmm. Get up, check my email, make coffee. Always in that order. Then it's usually 45 minutes of getting the kid up and ready for school and another 20 waiting for the bus. Then back to the computer for a little social media and more checking of email and coffee. I then check my to do list(I'm a bit OCD with the list making) to see what's on the table for the day. Depending on what's going on, I'll either be at my bench starting work or doing the finishing. I'll take a few breaks for facebook, the forums, and email. Some part of the morning is devoted to picture taking. There's usually some garden work thrown in as well. The evenings I usually spend quality time with the kid and finish up whatever wasn't finished during the day.
-Were you creative growing up/what did you enjoy doing?
I was very creative as a kid. I remember making a car from an old refrigerator box and even making this huge menu for a restaurant I 'owned'. When I got a bit older, I took art classes and did some pottery in school. I wrote stories constantly during school and even got out of my whole 8th grade English class to work on my 'novel'. I had a few things published as well.
-What made you want to start selling on etsy?
I don't even know why I started selling on Etsy. I was selling my jewelry at craft shows and an online friend told me about Etsy. I signed up 5 minutes later. Didn't even think about it or check it out. Glad I did though.
-How long did it take for you to get your first sale on etsy?
It took me about 6 weeks to sell something, but it was a supply. My first jewelry sale was a PIF about a day later then my first for money jewelry sale came about 2 weeks later.
-Top 5 favorite foods, tv shows, and bands?Top five foods in no particular order... supreme pizza from Pizza hut, roast beef and dumplings, my mom's mashed potatoes, my recipe for sugar cookies, and pineapple casserole. An eclectic mix, right? Top 5 shows... Psych, Project Runway, First 48 hours, Eureka, and My Fair Wedding with David Tutera. Top 5 bands... Not sure I have a top 5. Queen is my all time fave. Other than that, I pretty much like songs from just about every band. I have very eclectic music tastes from Ella Fitzgerald to Aerosmith. Hard to say what I'll be listening to, but I do have a preference for 80's music.
-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 try glass work in the future. Both torch firing and fusing.
-What would you suggest to new etsy sellers to promote their shops?
My tips for Etsy sellers are pretty simple. List at least 5 times a week. Once daily. Don't worry about relisting things all the time unless they are things that frequently bring in hearts and views. I know this gets said a lot but good pics are always top on my list of tips. Treat your customers like you would like to be treated if you were the customer. When it comes to social media, don't just promote all the time. Involve your fans. Get involved. Let them learn about you because after all we, as artists, are the brand. And, last but not least, don't sell yourself short.
-3 etsy shops you just LOVE?
Oh, my favorite question...
http://www.etsy.com/shop/stilettoheights
http://www.etsy.com/shop/mountainbrook
http://www.etsy.com/shop/natalyasots
-One year from now, I hope...
... to be deliciously famous and rich. Well, maybe not. I'll just be happy to be doing what I'm doing now with enough sales to keep me in stones and metal.
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Have an etsy shop with over 300 sales and want to be a featured seller? Contact me at phletcher@gmail.com
As always, thanks for reading :)
