for 20 MAR 2015 :: Ongoing developments

I am writing this on Thursday because I want to make sure an entry gets posted.  I have felt good and don't know what the day will bring.

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In the effort to develop my online income, I have been busy.  My goals are becoming more and more defined and organized, my supplies are getting built up, and my product options are beginning to find a path to the sales listing.

Most of my focus is on my Etsy shop, but my Fiverr gigs and eBay auctions are always on my mind as I learn new options for Etsy.  These are the three selling venues I have chosen for now.  I am also learning about social media and online marketing throughout this effort.  You have to remember I haven't been at this very long.  My previous efforts to sell online were PayPal links at my Working Together website -- and those need to be re-established, too.


My 25 listings a month goal is progressing.  :-)  I have been creating listings at Etsy that aren't actually NEW items, but they are separate listings that didn't exist before.  I am breaking my "conglomerate" listings into smaller parts, revising to improve other listings, renewing the ones that are expiring, and finding ways to present them better.  I am also making duplicates under different categories in my shop to see if it makes a difference.  I read about doing this in an Etsy forum, blog, or a team post. It's hard to remember when you read a lot of materials. I'm experimenting with what I am told are SEO (search engine optimization) techniques.  I'm not sure how that affects your search inclusion, but I will give it some time and then decide.

I guess the best example of what I am doing is my previous ACEO listing. It is/was for any option you might want, with different pricings.  I have already created separate listings for framed 5x7 and 8x10 artworks, and I will be developing new listings for mailing these works as art only or as a matted presentation.  Currently I have been using the same main photo with all of these related listings.  I may keep it that way, or replace these photos as I create new art and begin to photograph it for my listings.  I have two ways to present the ACEO, so I will make separate listings for each of them.  I am hoping this separating will show the variety of choices better, and also separate the prices so potential customers will know what each one costs.  After a time, I may combine them back up again, I'm not sure.


I found some really great craft supplies at the Salvation Army Thrift Store's 50% Sale Day yesterday. Plus, I was able to reach the local recycling organization's store and found great things there, too.  I have been cleaning it all up today.  I guess the best item at the Salvation Army was a silicone baking sheet, and the best thing I found at the recycling store was a stamp that is a pattern for making photo corners.  :-)   I found a lot more (that matters to me), but I wanted to share the two best things I found at really low prices.  I am happy.  The lower prices allow me to experiment with ideas at a reduced cost.  It may be that my experiments will produce something worthy of selling, but if they don't I am not losing too much money.

The search for a decent space to work in is getting better.  I still haven't reached that goal, but I am closer to it.  I need to take a lot of photos to post, so that will be a space that has to be figured out. I get encouraged when I see the spaces other people work in... I just need to make my small space work for me.

I looked at new cameras this week while I was out shopping.  The bigger, nicer ones are pretty expensive.  At least I have a price range for that goal... not to work out the details and try to figure out how long it will take to get on.  I guess a seller has to make their plans without counting on sales, because there is no guarantee you will sell anything.  If I do find a way to selling more, I will be able to reach my other goals sooner.  That would be really nice.


The comments on this site are active. If you have any suggestions, let me know. I will check on them and see if they might work for me, and then share them again in the future.

I wanted to share that I may change the day for this blog...  I will let you know.