(Even when you aren’t getting any sales!)
Its been a couple weeks since that last “cha-ching”, you’ve run out of social media post ideas, and you are starting to loose your motivation. I know what that is like. I’ve been there.
To be honest, my sales on Etsy and online in general have been super inconsistent ever since I opened my shop over two years ago. When the sales are coming in, it is so great and I couldn’t be stoked to be creating. When it is slow, it can be hard to keep that drive going.
I’ve come up with this list of the tactics I use in my personal life and business life to stay focused on my goals and make progress every single day-
- Have a goal. Have lots of goals. If you don’t have goals in mind, then what are you working towards? How will you know when you’ve made progress? Set a goal (or two, or three), write them down, and refer back to that regularly. Daily if you need to! I write down both monthly and weekly goals in my planner and check them off as they are reached and completed.
- Listen to podcasts. Every time I get into my truck I turn on a podcast. There are so many podcasts out there that specifically talk about Etsy, handmade businesses, side hustles, and small business marketing. They give me so many new ideas of things I could be doing in my business to help move it forward. Lots of them also tell inspirational and success stories as well. And I know that we all need to hear that success IS possible sometimes.
- Scroll through Pinterest. Who doesn’t love a good motivational quote every now and then? Pinterest is also super great for new design ideas and staying updated on current trends.
- Unfollow some Instagram accounts. There are going to be those accounts that always seem to post something negative or make you feel not so great about yourself. They complain about things not going right and never seem to have anything good to say. There is nothing wrong with hitting that ‘unfollow’ button! You can always go back and reconnect with them in the future. There are so many wonderful people and businesses to follow and uplift you, focus on them instead.
- Forget about sales. Easier said than done, I know. But when you are trying to push sales because those numbers aren’t up to your expectations, people can tell. Instead of marketing a sale that you’ll put on for a week or two, create content. Create things that will last and benefit your business over a period of time and into the future. Write several blog posts at once, draft a handful of emails to be sent to your list, and schedule social media posts. Because lets face it, we all slack off on those tasks when our shop sales are “busy” anyways. Get ahead on this stuff while you have the time.
- Take a break. And by take a break I mean take a short break. Take a day or two or three to feel refreshed. But try not to take a month or two! After taking too much time ‘off’, I have found it even harder to start back up. You loose your focus and drive. Taking a mental break to lay on the couch and watch Criminal Minds for just a couple of days seems to be the sweet spot for me. Find what works best for your body and mind.
Having periods of slow and busy times throughout the year is not at all uncommon. But knowing how to handle to slow times appropriately is the key to success.
Let me know your tricks to staying on top of things in your small business!
I share lots more insights, processes, and behind the scenes of my creative business over on Instagram .
Happy creating!
