Finding My Way

My Etsy shop, ThoreauFair, is about to celebrate a year of being a legitimate company, and before I celebrate my success, I must first acknowledge my failure. The failure came in many different levels, but was there all the same. I was learning about taxes, accounting, and general rules of running a business.
But the real challenge came to me when I realized that my shop was not getting any attention at all. Being a start-up company, I had very little money to actually advertise and get my name out there to the general masses.
But others were doing it, and actually being successful. What was their secret?

Well, here is the secret; there is no secret!

If you are running a shop with four walls, front door, cash register and stocked shelves, then you must be there to stock the shelves, open the door, and run the register. You get out of bed, go to the shop, and work until the last customer is gone and you turn the key to lock the door for the night.
But you are still not done just because the sign say ‘closed’. You have to restock, balance the finances, check for supplies, and be ready for the next day.
Online shops are no different, except for one thing, ‘the door never locks’.
Online shops are unforgiving in this aspect, as they are always up and running. I may be getting ready for bed, but someone else on the other side of the map is pulling out a credit card, and I need to be ready and make sure that I have the item they are looking for, or they are off to the next shop.
After I learned this aspect of online shop sales, I still had the advertising obstacle. I was already a member on Facebook and Twitter, so I started using the networks available. Then I started networking with Etsy members, people who had the same dream, and wanted help as well. Then I realized I could use Google, Pinterest and Rebelmouse, but not without working them daily.
Eleven months later and I am still getting up, checking messages, posting & promoting, and packaging and mailing out customer orders. Yes, I have sales! I have a network of people and every morning I login to the shop, and greet the customers, just as I would if I had the brick and mortar shop on the corner of a busy street.
As next month rolls around to ThoreauFair’s one year anniversary, I am thankful for the frustrations and fun. And yes, I am having fun!