Got some old magazines lying around the house? Did you know that those magazines are filled with ideas to improve your Etsy shop? I found a 4-year-old copy of Martha Stewart's Kids magazine, and in ten minutes, I had found at least six ideas that can definitely apply to any Etsy shop.
Let's take a closer look.
1. Table of Contents
Every magazine has a table of contents, and so should your Etsy shop. Organize your shop into sections, and your customers will easily be able to find the items they're looking for.
2. Letter from the Editor
Introduce yourself to your customers and let them know what inspires you to create. Use the profile page for this purpose. By the way, contrary to what you might see in some Etsy shops, the shop announcement is NOT the place to do this.
3. Article Photographs
Magazine article photographs are always so well-staged and appealing to the eye. Work to improve your shop photographs so that customers will browse through your entire shop, looking for that must-buy item.
4. Coming Soon
Many magazines include details about upcoming issues, and Etsy shop owners can do the same thing by mentioning upcoming product lines, sales, etc. in the shop announcement. Resist the urge to share too much information there, though.
5. Fine Print
Turn to the back of a magazine, and you'll find at least a few pages of fine print. These pages might include details from earlier articles, legal jargon, etc. Etsy shop owners should also include some fine print in their shops: return policies, payment options, shipping details, etc. Use the shop policies page for this.
6. Subscription Card
If you read magazines, you are already aware of the subscription cards inserted in the pages. Etsy sellers can encourage customers to subscribe, too, simply by clicking the "Subscribe to Shop Feed" link on the right side of the shop (near the bottom).
Some customers might not be aware of this feature, so sellers could mention it in the shop announcement or policies page. Sellers should also mention their blog, Facebook fan page, Twitter account, etc. so that customers can use those venues to keep up with additions to the shop.
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Now, over to you. What other aspects of a magazine might be helpful for small business owners?
