Grow your ETSY SHOP to 6 FIGURES | SELLING ON ETSY

About this video

Hayes tells her story and gives five strategies for growing a handmade Etsy business. She says she began on Etsy in 2015, pregnant with her second child and wanting to stay home, taught herself pallet wood signs from YouTube tutorials, sold first to family and friends, and waited weeks for her first organic sale despite, by her account, very poor early product photos; her first Christmas brought a best-selling product that catapulted the business. She claims her shop grew to six figures and is in the top 1% of Etsy shops according to eRank — both presented as her own claims. Strategy one is mindset: an ‘it’s possible’ mindset plus treating the work as a business, not a hobby. Strategy two is follow the trends: study Etsy’s first search page for a product (which she says shows recently and consistently selling items), borrow what is popular with your own spin — she uses Christmas wreaths as her example — learn missing skills from free tutorials, and time products to a trend’s peak. Strategy three is start a community: launch a Facebook group (which she says engages better than a Page), run a launch giveaway requiring likes, shares, friend invites and a comment, post in local community groups, and offer a major discount on each new listing for a few days to a week to drive early sales and search ranking. Strategy four is photography and SEO: natural lighting is paramount, a lightbox helps small products, editing is essential, and everything can be done on a smartphone; for SEO, research keywords with eRank so tags and titles match what shoppers type. Strategy five is source wholesalers — she says materials run about 50% less than retail — via trade show exhibitor lists such as AmericasMart in Atlanta or product-focused Facebook groups, noting many wholesalers require an EIN and that backup suppliers are essential.

Key takeaways

• Hayes claims she started on Etsy in 2015 with pallet wood signs learned from YouTube tutorials and grew the shop to six figures and the top 1% per eRank — her own claims in the video.
• Follow trends by studying Etsy’s first search page for your product type, copying what sells with your own spin, and timing listings to a trend’s peak rather than its decline.
• Build community first locally: a Facebook group launched with a giveaway (like, share, invite friends, comment) plus heavy discounts on new listings for a few days to a week to boost early sales and ranking.
• Photography and SEO are paired priorities: natural lighting, lightbox kits for small items, and editing are essential, and keyword research with eRank should drive tags and titles.
• Source materials from wholesalers — Hayes says roughly 50% cheaper than retail — via trade show exhibitor lists or niche Facebook groups, expect EIN requirements, and keep backup suppliers.

Episode details: published August 10, 2020 · 17:36 long. Summary written by Self Growth Videos from the episode itself. Business results and any income figures mentioned are Kate Hayes’s own claims, shared for education — they are not typical or guaranteed.

Next: STARTING AN ETSY SHOP | 6 Figure Etsy seller explains HOW TO START AN ETSY SHOP →

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