I am not good at goal making. I know you are supposed to do such things for business, but I don't see how you can set a number for how many items you'll sell. How many to make, sure. To list, yup. To market, okay. But to sell...maybe a wish list :)
So, last year...
Blogs:
Crafts, kids, home & life had 4,964 visitors, 131 posts, currently 147 followers
Tilt's Creations had 5,757 visitors, 115 posts, currently 93 followers
Tilt Treasures had 15,620 visitors, 65 posts, currently 96 followers
Shops:
Tilt Etsy had 9,378 visitors, 31 sales, 46 new listings
The new listing this year included some non-bag items like stuffies, table runners & pillows.
And a bunch of banner changes. I can't help it, they are fun. I like to change it up seasonally and for sales. But as a customer - what do you prefer? The same banner that "marks" the shop or changing it up from time to time?
Tilt Too had 3,743 visitors, 47 sales, 51 new listings...all destash patterns and fabric
Tilt ArtFire had 2,091 visitors, 0 sales (so sad), new listings
Craft Shows & other had about 25 sales (I say about because I am missing something somewhere....still need to finish up some paperwork)
So...what does this mean? Aside from the fact that this is what "successful" shops do on a monthly basis :P
It means I want to do more. Sew more, list more and of course sell more. But to work I need actual numbers to focus on.
My "numbers":
Sew: minimum 3 days a week.
Photo: once a week for listings.
Listings: about 3 per week.
This should be doable. But I do give myself leeway for life - sick kids and such.
What will the sewing be? Not just bags. Between each batch of bags I will do some pillows, coasters, baskets, stuffies, etc. I know I've said this before and not always with the best results...but I have not yet hung up my machine.
Embroidery & other hand sewing: 2-3 nights per week. Note the nights. Read...as I watch tv :P
Non-sewing crafts and art: at least one day a week.
Whether or not this will be for me or for the shops is yet to be determined. I have already started on cleaning up the basement to make space for painting. I should have an area cleared for a February start.
Blogs: no change. I averaged 2-3 per week, I think this is fine. But I will try to have more focused day themes. Friday food, Thursday carnivals, keeping the Wordless Wednesdays. I'll do the kids and home and me posts more regularly. My life is kind of boring after all, there is only so much to write :P
What are your top 3 goals this year?
I love looking back at the previous year's stats...helps me make my goals for the new year :)
ReplyDeleteI hope all your goals are a success!
I like the banner with the sewing machine. It's so cute! And people know you'll be making lots of different things, not just bags. Don't feel too bad about Artfire - I didn't have any sales... that's why I left. You have some good doable goals. I'm sure my marketing plan will have me looking at goals, but for now I know I want to use more paper for my art {:-D
ReplyDeleteYou had a busy year with all you have going on! I wish you an even more successful 2011!
ReplyDeleteI change up my banner, too. I have read that it is not recommended so that potential buyers will not get confused. But I figure that when I find a design I love then it will stay.
ReplyDeleteMy goal is sew at least 3 items per week, hopefully more and it would be great to get a 100 sales by the end of December 2011. That of course means that I need to create, create, create!