3,000 Sales and Three Strange Ways of Thinking

Found on the Esty Forums by a seller who reached 3,000 sales and really gets the big picture....

NeatThings says

Without realizing it, I just hit 3,000 sales today. I wanted to offer a supplement to my 2,000 sales thread (linked below) and a few more tidbits about the way my mind works that, I'm convinced, help me do well on Etsy.

1. I never make service decisions based on blame or fault.Say a customer screws up. He gives you an old address. He orders the wrong thing. He fails to see the size on your item even though it's in the description. As a seller, I can always point the finger and say, "Well, honey, you screwed up. It's not my job to fix YOUR mistakes." And, if I were that kind of person, I might also tack on a silent "nyah" to the end.

This business, so far, does not operate that way. Mistakes are few and far between. Regardles of blame, I feel it's my responsibilty as the business owner to make sure my customers get what they want. So even when they screw up, I aim to fix it for them. Regardless of the cost of my individual items, the size of the order, or the shipping costs. And offering such enhanced service is built into the business model.

2. I adapt.Etsy makes changes all the time. Competitors emulate my business. My website host goes down. A retailer has a special need. Instead of getting upset over any change that might impact my business, I simply adapt.

I don't kick and scream. I generally don't complain on the forums or to friends. I don't cry. Instead, I consider Etsy's changes and figure out how to make them work. I decide whether to take action against my competitors while seeking to grow in unexpected directions. I seek out new web hosts that are less likely to crash. I fill whatever need within my power that a retailer, and important part of this business, has.

For me, complaining or getting upset never solves. Not one who needs to "vent" very often, I compartmentalize my mind just like a robot and save "getting upset" for a time when it actually achieves something useful.


3. I tap into my own strangeness.When I was a teenager, dad used to say, "Figure out what you do better than everyone else and do that for a living."

If you look at my product line, you might laugh, you might be offended, or you might be bored. I never concern myself too much with the last two because I know they aren't going to buy my products anyhow. But those who share my sense of humor and style will.

The fact that I've accepted my own peccadilloes and work them into my end product is, I think, a very important part of my business. Knowing who you are and tapping into what makes you unique without shame, without inhibition, and without fear is one of the most important habits of any successful creative professional.

Don't be afraid of whether or not you'll fail. Don't be afraid of whether or not you'll be laughed at. Don't be afraid of what people might think, say, do, gossip about, whisper about, or point fingers at. Don't be afraid to be exactly who you are and embrace those things you've long believed were flaws. They aren't. In fact, they may be the key to turning your business into something really special.

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I thought I'd also spit out the info from my thread after reaching 2,000 sales as it's still applicable and was only a few months ago:

www.etsy.com/teams/7722/business-topics/discuss/6681228/