"What Else Can We do?"

Ok, Alex of Woodenaht.  You inspired me in one of our team discussions, where you stated that you frequently ask yourself "what more can I do" or "what else can I do" in reference to your online business, as a way to keep moving forward and improving it.  That's the second time your words have struck a note with me that made me think and actually act on them to work harder on my shop. 

And got me to thinking about this in respect to our team.  So I'm asking "What more can WE do?".  What else can we do to improve our team experience and elevate our team profile.  Well, as I've been looking at and joining some other teams and studying them...there is MUCH more we can do.

Please bear with me.  This is going to be a long post.

Treasuries!  The other teams I've been interacting with are all treasury teams.  I am convinced that this is the way to elevate our team profile and get noticed.  Which means that our individual shops will also get noticed.  And just how does that work you may ask?  Well, maybe not really ask, but are you wondering just a little?  I will attempt to explain.

And as always, I state up front that I am no expert. At anything other than being a non-expert. There are many more people who know more about this and the whole Etsy thing in general than me. But I'm the one with the blog column.  ;-)   So I do welcome all feedback, ideas, and even corrections.  There is a comment box down below just for that.

Back to treasuries.  The next thing I noticed about these teams is that they allow non-member treasuries and in fact encourage them and promote them.  They do this through treasury challenges.  Usually, one member item is featured or the inspiration for the theme and the challenge is to build around that using any listings in Etsyland that fit your theme.  The point is to make the most beautiful treasuries possible and how can you do that if you don't use all the "resources" (code for listings) available to you on the site.

The point of making the most beautiful treasuries possible is to get lots of notice and hopefully, the ever coveted front page spot.  Now wait a minute before any of you bring up the old "front page isn't all that" argument.  I agree!!  Surprising, I know.  But.  There's always a but.  We're not aiming for the front page just for sales.  I know from experience, that is a long shot, usually doesn't happen and disappointment sets in.

Is that the only value to the front page?  Sales?  I don't think so.  What about the exposure?  That has tremendous value.  It's not a 'final destination' to sales nirvana.  It's a tool in our trunk for the journey to sales nirvana.

So back to treasuries.  Again.  And what we can do more as a team.  To help facilitate members make the best treasuries, we are going to start having treasury challenges and games.  There might even be one where there is a 'winner'.  The 'winner' usually gets to be the next featured seller the following week or gets to choose the theme...something like that.  Haven't worked out all the details to every possibility yet.  And we will be allowed to use any listings on Etsy as long as there is one team item in the collection and the team tags are used.

Making these treasures does require time and effort.  My challenge to my teamies is are you willing to at least try it and participate for a month?  Are you willing to put in a little time and effort towards the team goal of raising our profile?  And no, I'm not asking everyone to make treasuries every day or even every week.  Just participate in one challenge for the month.  They are lots of fun and when you see all the activity it can generate in your shop, you might want to join in twice a month.  Or even every week.  If we have enough challenges going, you can select from a variety. Just remember from my last blog article---to generate activity, you have to be active.

Think about this.  Why did you join the team?  What are your expectations?  What did you hope the team would do for you?  And is it turning out as expected?  Are you contributing to the team in a way that benefits you as well as the whole?  If not, what more can you do?

Ask not what your team can do for you.  Ask what you can do for your team!!! 

(sorry...about that one, but I couldn't resist)

~❤~