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View Full Version : Fairy Accessories I made



SeaVixen
09-28-2012, 02:22 AM
Hey guys I made some fairy accessories for my fairy halloween costume and thought I would run them by you guys to get your thoughts on them. I posted on my etsy facebook but most of you haven't liked my page so I'm posting here too. My skills go beyond mermaid things I've discovered and thought I would see what you guys think about me adding things of this nature to my shop. Didn't know if that would help spark more interest. In the past month of being open I've only had one sale and it was a success (to the buyer: thank you sooooo much for giving me a chance)! I was so excited but the shop just died again after that. Don't know what I'm doing wrong.... I don't plan to make more things until I sell the ones I have already (if that even happens). But when I do make more things I wondered if you guys would be more interested in seeing things like this mixed in with mermaid stuff. These things are a little more versatile since they can be worn for easter or during spring time or I can make fall or wintery ones or even wedding type ones too. Pictures are of a fairy butterfly clip and fairy butterfly headband with pink and purple flowers. Thanks guys


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SeaVixen
09-28-2012, 08:39 AM
I have advertised everywhere. YouTube, twitter, instagram, Facebook, here multiple times. I mainly look around on YouTube and twitter and even instagram for mermaids and comment about my store. On here is where I got my first customer and he had a wonderful experience and left a review on both my Facebook telling people to give me a shot and on etsy. I was so lucky to be the maker of his wifes anniversary gifts! He has helped me out so much by taking the plunge especially being a guy and buying first and then reviewing for me to let everyone know I'm a great seller to work with. He was so nice and comforting during such a down time for me. My boyfriend is the one supplying the money for my shop bills and he feels he wasted money opening this store and I've gotten one sale in a month. My mom thinks I'm a failure at being a salesman because I told her about all these people who said they were going to buy from me before I opened and after I opened nothing. She's giving me the I told you so lecture everyday about how I wasted time, energy and Money on this broken dream. I feel she's right too. I took money I was saving for my tail to do this and made $25 back...

Mermaid Annariea
09-28-2012, 09:41 AM
a lot of people are sort of broke right now :( i know i am, otherwise i wouldve already bought stuff from you (and other people/places).

Mermaid Lei Loni
09-28-2012, 10:08 AM
I'm sorry to hear that you've been having so much trouble. I work in Marketing/Sales so I completely understand how you can feel so defeated. Unfortunately, when it comes to small businesses it can take a long time for them to gain any momentum, especially with how the economy is right now. I think all you can do is keep working at it, despite what people say. If you believe you are defeated, then you already are. So don't give up!

And on a side note, your designs are beautiful. But there are a lot of jewelry makers and mermaid accessory makers out there. Have you ever thought about doing something else to make yourself stand out? Small inexpensive, unique things can make all the difference to a person when they are trying to decide between you and the competition. You could try a "gift with purchase" if they purchase over $35 you will throw in some inexpensive trinket to go with the purchase, like a mermaid post card or medium sized sea shell. Or try running a sale, but mark up your items first (eg if you have a $20 item, mark it up to $25 and then take 30% off, and you won't be losing as much profit). A lot of stores actually do that when they run a big sale, they will mark their prices up, and then take the discount. People don't really know the difference. Trust me, I buy stuff at sales all the time, and I'm one of the people that run the numbers!! Or you could offer something as simple and special and unique wrapping in a decorated bag or box. People like pre-wrapped pretty things, it takes away the stress of them having to do it themselves. Bottom line is to do something to make you stand out, so that when the customer is deliberating between you and someone else, the extra surprise will make them choose you every time.

Good luck!

SeaVixen
09-28-2012, 05:58 PM
I wonder if a small extra alligator clip would be enough of a gift for a $35 purchase? I could make more butterfly clips or mermaid clips and announce that as the gift and tell them to pick one and tell me in the notes to seller during checkout?? Any more ideas for gifts with a $35 purchase?? Maybe I could offer a better gift with a $50 purchase? Ideas of things I know I can do? Brianna I know you just bought a tail recently so I don't expect you to buy anything because money has to catch up. I understand. I know tails can cost a lot. That's why I opened my shop to make money for a silicone tail of my own which is pricey. Don't understand why there's not a lot of likes on Facebook where I post announcements and pictures of things I've done.

Mermaid Lei Loni
09-29-2012, 06:21 PM
I think an extra hair clip is a great gift with purchase. And I would say that the more a person spends, the larger gift they get. So with a $50 purchase maybe they get a clip and a small charm for a necklace or something. And make sure to attach prices to your gifts. For example, if you would sell the clip for $10 make sure you mention that's the value of what they are getting. People like to know they are getting a good value for their purchases.

And Facebook is really hard to market. You have to put yourself out there a lot to get responses. I would say that for every 20 leads I give out, less than 10 actually come back to the page. Fewer sometimes. Marketing is a really hard game to play. You could spend $100 promoting yourself, only to get one or two customers, and that's just the way that it is. Marketing and sales is a lot of time and work and there isn't always a huge payoff in the beginning. Just keep going and eventually people will catch on, but it can take awhile.

SeaVixen
09-29-2012, 07:26 PM
I hope the customers I do get gives feedback on etsy and on my fb page too to help others know I'm good to work with. I'm thinking maybe fear of a new seller no one knows anything about is the main problem. I'm afraid now to keep advertising because I feel like a nag. Really I'm just really excited because I'm a person who hides away and doesn't say anything and very very shy so this is huge for me. A really big deal even though it might not be for average Joe. Any ideas for gifts accepted. I would sell a small clip for like $7.50 and I could do a floating necklace maybe for the $50 purchase which by itself I would sell for $15. Actually have a floating necklace for sale now. I'm trying to do promoting for free since I don't have money to spare for that.