(You poor people will have to suffer through all my typos and grammatical errors till my editor (wife) returns from her girl’s weekend trip but I wanted to get this out)
I’ll admit it… I Love Twitter. I can easily communicate with all the people that follow me and I can do it all in 140 characters or less. Twitter is one of the web 2.0 sites that people on Etsy really recommend for promotion. The problem is most are doing it wrong – REALLY WRONG.
There’s a really interesting site http://twist.flaptor.com that allows you to compare how often people use a word on Twitter.
In this example people are talking as much about Etsy as the are about sex. The funny thing to me is that they seems to trend in the opposite directions. I don’t have a clue what that means. Maybe there’s another story for my blog in their but that’s beside the point. The real problem is that most of those people aren’t talking about Etsy, they’re pimping Etsy.
Do a search for the word Etsy on twitter and most of what you will see is something like “Holiday Stocking Stuffers– buy two get one free” or “Cute snowmen Christmas card” with links to their latest offering. If you open that persons Twitter page you will often see nothing but pitches for whatever they just added to their shop, or the sale they are having, etc. The way I view Twitter is that it’s like TV… you have to entertain and relate with people most of the time. If you do then they won’t mind the occasional commercial.
Let’s put this in real world perspective. Say you’re at the coffee shop and someone notices a t-shirt you’re wearing that says Disney World. They say “Oh I love Disney too. BTW I have an Etsy shop and today I’m having a sale on Mickey Mouse Coffee cozzies.” Then everyday when you go into the coffee shop they’ve left messages for you that tell you about the peace coffee cozzie they just posted on their Etsy store etc. Sucks huh?
Let’s turn that conversation around. “Oh I love Disney too. Did you know there are hidden Mickeys all over the Magic Kingdom. If you go to this site they have a list of all of them.” A week later you see that same person in the coffee shop and they say “That was an awesome site, you know we’re going next summer and we will look for all the hidden Mickeys we can find.” You say ” I wish I could go but the summer is a busy time for me since I’m a travel agent. Here’s my card, if you need some restaurant recommendations or anything just let me know.” Kind of night and day huh?
You see that’s why if you follow me on Twitter I’ll ask you how I can help you with your craft marketing. If you do ask then I’ll try and give you something helpful you can use. i post useful information on Twitter and I ask people questions. If you look at my Twitter profile it links to my blog where I give more useful information… and oh, BTW there’s a link to my Etsy shop on the blog. Every day I post parts of what’s going on in my life on Twitter. People feel like they know me and when I decide to occasionally have a Twitter only special for my Etsy Guide (<- super subtle plug for my guide) people don’t mind a bit 
There’s an old saying “People buy from people they like”
Help people first… communicate with them not at them… and when they need something you make guess who they are going to buy from?
P.S. If you think others on Etsy should see this post leave a comment Here on Etsy so it stays near the top of the Etsy Bussiness Forum.
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“The way I view Twitter is that it’s like TV… you have to entertain and relate with people most of the time. If you do then they won’t mind the occasional commercial.”
YES! You nailed it. I will not follow someone on Twitter who is constantly advertising (and only advertising), even if I like that person. I’m not on Twitter to read scrolling billboards. Be interesting, and I will follow with interest.
Point well taken, Norm. I *love* Twitter also. I love the conversation aspect but I hate being bombarded with tweets that are nothing more than a commercial. I’ve unfollowed many people that may be very interesting but the only thing I know about them is their latest shop listing. Not what I joined Twitter for. Some of the people I follow, I am genuinely interested in what they make but I also love hearing about the funny things their kids say or how great/crazy their day is going. Thanks for writing about this.
Excellent strategy for tweeting, and in the main, I *think* I’m hitting the mark.
Here’s my follow-up question though: Am I *really* communicating with (not at) potential customers, or am I primarily communicating with other *sellers*?
I’m new to Twitter, but those watching me are primarily friends IRL and my Etsy colleagues, not buyers. I get that many Etsy sellers are also Etsy shoppers, but not my primary customer base.
Any thoughts?
Velma
PS – Keep up the good work, I learn a lot from your blog!
This is a wonderful post … very helpful!!! Thank you …. I am enjoying Twitter and keep working to be more enjoyable and still occasionally market too.
~ Diane Clancy
You nailed it – it is about having the conversation. Also, it’s important to go “off topic.” People don’t care what I’m selling on Twitter, they care what I’m doing. If I’m doing something interesting like making bath salts, etc. they respond with far more interest than “I listed x today.” That’s not to say there’s NO interest in what I’ve listed – there’s plenty – but for me to be follow-worthy, I have to have a lot more going on. It’s not like all I do all day is make stuff; I have a life in general and people want to know what.
Very good point. I hate to admit it but I’m very quilty of doing exactly that. Thanks for the info and I’ll be changing my stategy!
I absolutely agree. I’ve only been a Twitter-er for a week but I love it! The hilarious things people post, especially! LOL! I’m on Twitter to promote (once I get my shop online) but also to connect with people – not just their advertisements! I am going to try very hard to add a human element – aka conversation – and not just plugr my latest pieces! Great article. Thx!
-TheLadyJ
http://www.cormorantstudios.com
This was very helpful, thanks! I’m brand new to Twitter… I’m not sure what to Twitter about (although now I know what not to do!). I’m still finding it hard to believe that anyone really cares about the minutae of what I’m doing.
Twitter is like the office water cooler for those that don’t work in the office. Think about the things you share with people at the water cooler and then spend a 140 characters sharing on twitter.
velmalikevelvet you are right. go to search.twitter.com and search for words people that might be interested in your product might use. Follow them and if they think you are interesting they will follow you back. A link in your profile is usually does most of the selling you will ever need.
You are so right. I don’t mind a tweet once in awhile about what someone is selling, but the “scrolling billboard” which announces every little item (which looks pretty much the same as every other little item) drives me nuts.
I have not developed any warm and fuzzy relationships on Twitter. How do you do that?
Libby, hummmm warm and fuzzy probably not going to happen in 140 characters but ask how many of my followers know my 13 year old daughter got to make a snowball for the first last week. Now if one of my followers feels like they need an Etsy guide do you think they are going to buy from me or one of the competitors
good feedback, CC, thx!
I think they will buy from you.
So does anyone have sex anymore? or are they too busy pimping their etsy shop?
I just joined twitter a few days ago and find it very confusing. I have not RSS’d my Etsy shop for the very reason you’ve stated. I try to tweet about personal stuff and no one responds, yet I have a lot of people wanting to follow me!
Thanks for that! I don’t mind the occasional plug but it’s not why I joined twitter. I had hoped to have a little bit freer dialog with some of my fellow sellers, than on a forum or in a chat room
I agree – and this is the same with blogging too, I know one blogger who every single post it’s about her latest creation. Yawn.
Thank you for this article. Everyone was flapping about how much they loved twitter but when I tried it-it was like being in a room full or used car salesmen. I-m going to find other people to follow.
Many thanks
I’d love to find some great new people to follow. I*heart* Twitter
I’m not on Etsy…but trying to figure out all this marketing/selling my jewelry thing & I love to learn what is working/not working/would never work for other people. Thanks for being in the conversation!
@cara19
I have been on twitter just a little while. I dont mind a person commenting on things in their life, including what they sale as long as it is not done every time. You cannot help but mention your passion in talking about “what are you doing” I do not follow those who constantly plug sales or do I keep following someone who does not return a following. Except news media, I do not expect them to follow me. It is all about connecting with lots of various people. Think of what we can gain in knowledge by listening to a bigger net then our own little groups in life.
I’ve been signed up with Twitter for a few weeks now. I have found that 50% of my traffic on another site that I have my products on is from Tweeting. I still study, read about twitting & still am trying to find my way with it. I’m having fun in the process.
Great post! I agree. I try very hard to mix it up and to give feedback on other people’s Tweets.
Granted, I do my share of adverting but I do try and share some personal, non-selling tidbits, too!
Jen M.
JenniferLynn Productions
Boy do I agree!! I love Twitter – I have found out so much information on Twitter about things – not just about what people are selling. I try to post on Twitter about things in life I think are important and should be publicly known. And I don’t just promote my own things, though I do that, too. I promote other things on the Internet that I think people might like to look at and I think are really worthwhile looking at. There is so much on the Internet, it is overwhelming. I have found some people on Twitter to follow that post about subjects I want to know about. http://twitter.com/rssdesigns
I hadn’t thought about it like this at all! And you know what? I’m going to delete my feed right now.
I only found twitter a week or so ago (by someone who said I had to post a feed there for etsy ironically!) and am already sick of the multitude of advertisements that are constant…I expect it from trunkt and a few others, but not from the artists…
I get it now. Thanks so much Norm!!
http://twitter.com/fourcrows
Good advice. I don’t mind promos, but only promos and tweeting every 15minutes? Ick.
And something besides griping is nice too . . .
thank you for a great post! I totally agree… I want to know all the tidbits of life of those I follow and do NOT want to know every time they list/relist/sell. sometimes it’s great, but not all the time.
also, if anyone wants somw amazing feedback on their etsy shop, have Crafy Coach do a video analysis. Very helpful
twitter.com/dizzlepop
Ok, here is my Etsy screen name. Picklevalentine@etsy.com
I am a vintage glass bead collector and seller. Vintage glass beads are my passion. I think of them as precious little pieces of history and my goal is share my love and knowledge with anyone who is interested. If you are not, that’s ok. There are plenty of other things to talk about.
I will also be opening a handmade jewelry shop one of these days. I already signed up for ArtFire. I love Etsy and just made my first treasury here….
http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=36008
Making treasuries could get to be seriously addictive!!
I am in 12 Step recovery (which some people may mock, but it’s saved my life for over 21 years now and is not up for discussion), I am very political, I have been a Jill of many trades and believe that most people are generalists rather than specialists. I also am a deep believer in living in the process vs focusing on results.
Personal-In 1986, I adopted a baby girl from Korea and she is now grown up and out on her own. Like many mums and daughters, we have a close and loving relationship which is even better now that she is out of the house…lol. I have a rare genetic disease called Familial Mediterranean Fever which was recently diagnosed; living with recurrent fevers of unknown origin certainly made my life challenging. However, there is medication for it and I now lead a much better life, which I share with my dear husband, three rescued pets, a dog, a cat, a Quaker Parrot, and a motley crew of friends.
I just joined Twitter a short while ago and LOVE it! I admit I am hooked. Not only is it a great way to build a community of like minded people or people with the same interests, it is also a super resource. Everyone has tidbits of information to share or can send you in the right direction. I also enjoy the condensed version of information. Short and sweet, but you get the picture!
Thanks for the great article Norm. Happy Holidays and see you on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/lameymacdonald
This is great! I love the twitter community and I am getting so much inspiration! Thank you! Chris
Great article for people (tweeple?) new to twitter like me. I wondered about the very thing you talked about – scrolling billboards.
Although I have posted tweets with new listings, more tweets are about what I am doing, such as juicing carrots, making wheat-free, egg-free cornbread, (see a food pattern here? lol), work related activities, and such. I have already conversed with some very nice people that responded to my real life happenings.
Thanks again – excellent food (that word again…lol) for thought.
Linda
Well, I’m pretty new… only about three days now, and you are one of my first followers even though I had no idea what I was doing. I tried to write back but I don’t think it went thru… Nonetheless I checked out your blog. This was my intro into twitter and I got so excited after I read it I tried to promote craftycoach with a tweet, but I did it all wrong (sorry!) and finally one of my friends sent me a direct message explaining how to do it (yes, I get it now with the “@”). Anyway, thanks for the excellent point of view and it’s a great way to start this fun new adventure.
Victoria
I love this article! I hate the days when I don’t have time to actually chat on twitter – cuz then I feel like I’m being too commercialized…
Yes, I love twitter and would like to use it more effectively to promote my etsy shop, but don’t want to just spam people all the time with posts about my shop. Thanks for the info.
I read somewhere in an Etsy forum… 1 promo tweet to 10 general life/chatty tweets. Sounds about right, sometimes I feel bad even doing promo tweets THAT heavily! I sort of consider fellow tweeters? twitterers? global friends that I respect and don’t want to spam! I have definitely unfollowed people who just constantly clog up the stream with advertising tweets.. .sooooo annoying! Only been a week on Twitter, but it’s fun so far!
~Molly~ https://twitter.com/travelinpainter say hello!
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