| Workshop Minutes: Street Team Meeting 2007.07.31 |
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Minutes Started Tue Jul 31 2007 18:09:55 GMT+0000 (UTC)
stellaloella left the room
Minutes Started Tue Jul 31 2007 18:56:37 GMT+0000 (UTC)
EtsyTrainee: Hi SoCaliGirl!
xiane: Hi SoCali!
ArtyAllsorts: hi Coldcell
xiane: Hi, RobWhite!
ColdCell: :D
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ArtyAllsorts: hi Kezz xx
Kezzaroo: arty!!
daniellexo: hi fortcloudy :P
rockabebe joined the room
EtsyTrainee: ...who are- oh, hi Xiane! =D
supastarr joined the room
Smokeylady54: Hello! good afternoon
Kezzaroo: fab im so touching your knee arty
creationsinglass: Hi smokeylady!
FortCloudy: hey daniellexo !
FortCloudy: I haven't seen you in forever!
narchi joined the room
Marmalady joined the room
HelloKnitty: why doesn't Rob get to sit with the admins???
daniellexo: i know! lol
Smokeylady54: hi creations
ColdCell: marma!!
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Kezzaroo: marm :D
Marmalady: hiya all
Marmalady: kezz x
EtsyTrainee: I volunteered to sit over here! =D
Marmalady: hiya cold !
EtsyTrainee: The sign said take a seat and I did. =P
stellaloella: Rob thinks we smell funny
ArtyAllsorts: have we got the thorn between the roses Kezz? :)
xiane: arg. cat's in my way!!!!
EtsyTrainee: ...aw!
JanelleUtheim joined the room
EtsyTrainee: Etsy admin smell like roses!
SoCaliGirl: Hi Amy!!
FortCloudy: lol
sarawearsskirts: robwhite thinks lauren smells yicky?
Kezzaroo: i didnt catch that arty something about roses lol
ArtyAllsorts: hi Marm
EtsyTrainee: Hello JanelleUtheim!
aekeith: hey :)
ColdCell: yeah you have arty, she FORCED me to sit here :P
narchi: spin everyone
Marmalady: hiya arty
TeenAngster joined the room
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HelloKnitty: I can get him a clothespin for his nose
SoCaliGirl: Hi Sweety!
SweetyPrize: Hello!
Kezzaroo: how many does the workroom hold?
xiane: hi Sweety!
ColdCell: 50
SweetyPrize: lol
Kezzaroo: nerd :P
ColdCell: true
stellaloella: this workshop holds 50 people
SoCaliGirl: Oooh! We've got a monster!!
SweetyPrize: is there a nerd street team? i'd totally join!
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FortCloudy: brb
Marmalady: brb --need to get my crocheting !
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SweetyPrize: hey samann1121!
sarawearsskirts: detention hall kids, sweetyprize?
SoCaliGirl: Sara, I would totally be a part of that
JanelleUtheim: Hey!
samann1121: hi!
EtsyTrainee: Danielle, isn't this your seat? =P
HelloKnitty: Okay Rob, now we can see you
SweetyPrize: lol
Kezzaroo: there is a detention hall kids street team lol
roccadesigns: so, what is the workshop about...do we wait until the seats fill up?
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Kezzaroo: im in it lol
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daniellexo: lol
daniellexo: :)
SweetyPrize: thats hot stuff
SweetyPrize: hi daniellexo :-)
HelloKnitty: "Kids in the Hall" where???
ahna: LOL
daniellexo: hi sweetyprize!
JanelleUtheim: Awww. :)
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Kezzaroo: loving the spinning, maybe we could try a mexican wave soon
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Kezzaroo: directed by stella
sarawearsskirts: hello, everyone!
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daniellexo: i wish i knew how to do that fancy blue italic stuff
ColdCell: pass the tequila first kezza!
sarawearsskirts: we'll start in just a moment
Kezzaroo: lol
SweetyPrize: you just type /me something something daniellexo
daniellexo: start? i thought we were just in here to spin around ha!
ColdCell: the blue stuff is just /me then your message
Marmalady: back
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SoCaliGirl: Im in a loving mood today
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Marmalady: kezz has tequila ?
FortCloudy: ib
daniellexo: ya for love + street teams
ColdCell: dunno, i hope so!
Kezzaroo: no i only drink dayglo alcopops
debsmuddle: Not for me thanks Kez
FortCloudy: I leave for a minute and you guys are already drinking ?? :P
ColdCell: heya debs!
Marmalady: hiya debs
Kezzaroo: always forty :P
debsmuddle: Hi al
ArtyAllsorts: hi debs - sorry, didn't see you :)
SweetyPrize: hey buttfort
xiane: I'm just drinking coffee, over here
FortCloudy: I knew I liked you for a reason :)
SoCaliGirl: Sarah, we need liquor
quirke joined the room
FortCloudy: hey butt prize
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debsmuddle: Sitting quietly keeping out of trouble
HelloKnitty: I can't throw my beers around
SweetyPrize: i'm drinking cheap iced tea
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EtsyTrainee: Lipton?
FortCloudy: the ninja fetus LOVES liquor
narchi: are we not allowed to through stuff today?
xiane: the ninja fetus has a drinking problem
SoCaliGirl: Rock on!
xiane: ;)
FortCloudy: you've seen his pictures, right?
SweetyPrize: arizona
EtsyTrainee: Ah!
stellaloella: gifts are disabled during round tables
FortCloudy: that's a strong possibility xiane
SoCaliGirl: I've seen most of them, LOL
EtsyTrainee: ._.
xiane: :D
FortCloudy: hehe
SweetyPrize: ...
ahna: hit it sarah
groovyglassgirl: hi michelle
Kezzaroo: *dust bunny*
GlassCat: Hi Michelle
HelloKnitty: yeah, lets go
EtsyTrainee: Sara is getting ready, patience! =P
sarawearsskirts: http://team.etsy.com/workshop-cheat-sheet.html
sarawearsskirts: hey!
shoozles: hi carol and poppy
sarawearsskirts: okay
sarawearsskirts: let's go!
aekeith: hey all of EGA!
vickileigh: hey amy!
sarawearsskirts: today's topic is "do street teams work?"
aekeith: hey everyone else!
Kezzaroo: you WILL say you are the weakest link at the end right sara?
xiane: hehee
ColdCell: yes they do *nods* workshop over? :P
stellaloella: i'm gojng to turn off the generall chat for a little while
Messaging reserved for room moderators and admin only.
sarawearsskirts: because we've spent some time in previous workshops discussing exclusivity and what a team is
stellaloella: so sara can get to business
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sarawearsskirts: so i figured it was time to discuss why street teams exist at all
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sarawearsskirts: (nothing like a little cart before the horse action...)
stellaloella: if you'd like to ask a question, please type /ask and then your question
stellaloella: and it will be added to the queue for us to answer
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sarawearsskirts: here's a cheat sheet with basic workshop instructions http://team.etsy.com/workshop-cheat-sheet.html
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sarawearsskirts: so, we'll open up for questions in a minute, but i am going to ask that we remain strictly on topic
sarawearsskirts: and the topic is "do teams work?"
sarawearsskirts: next week's topic is "how to make a team work"
sarawearsskirts: so we'll delve into that aspect of it then
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daniellexo asks, when you say "work" what exactly do you mean?
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sarawearsskirts: i guess we mean do members feel they're successful - are teams accomplishing what they set out to do
sarawearsskirts: and the best way to guage this is to be sure your team has specific goals
sarawearsskirts: goals that are achievable
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sarawearsskirts: so, let's open the floor for daniellexo's question - please stay on the topic of her question
Messaging enabled.
roccadesigns: do you mean the street teams
sarawearsskirts: yes, street teams
ahna: Depends on the goals
supastarr: what are some examples of goals for street teams?
daniellexo: well then i would say they can work - i have seen the two that i am in work. one goal was to start a skill sharing group and we did that and another was to hold an etsy craft show and that also brought people together and also helped spread the word about etsy
SweetyPrize: our team has project specific goals
bunny: i feel the UK group is very successful. We set up challenges, group meets, business card swaps. I think the support within our group is great
creationsinglass: so, for example, a goal would be increased traffic and/or sales to street team members and Etsy?
sarawearsskirts: right - so setting goals for teams is majorly important
JanelleUtheim: I am not even sure what a street team is supposed to do so I guess I have no clue how they can "work"
sarawearsskirts: right, cig
daniellexo: i would say then that they CAN work
ahna: 1. selling products
ahna: 2. advertising Etsy
Kezzaroo: increased sales & collaboration projects
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sarawearsskirts: here is a basic summary of what teams are and how/why they operate
sarawearsskirts: http://team.etsy.com/?page_id=4
SweetyPrize: we have overall goals and project specific goals
ahna: 3. making people aware of certain teams/groups/themes of product
SoCaliGirl: Right they can work, but I think its important for everyone to remember when on a street team or setting up one, that you will only get as much out of the team as much work as you put into the team
SweetyPrize: i think all the teams basically share the same overall goals, and then each team has specific projects it does
roccadesigns: i don't think the teams I'm a part of work too much, I haven't even seen any goals posted anywhere
SweetyPrize: and goals for those projects
SweetyPrize: lol roccadesigns
sarawearsskirts: well, team goals are super important in accomplishing things as a team
creationsinglass asks, What does Etsy expect each Street Team to accomplish specifically?
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sarawearsskirts: we want teams to bring the traffic they need to support their shops
stellaloella: teams are also an important way to build community on Etsy
sarawearsskirts: so location based teams should be encouraging people to shop locally from their shops
sarawearsskirts: and global teams should be specifically marketing to their demographic
sarawearsskirts: but on the other end of things, teams should network among themselves and use each other as resources
sarawearsskirts: like having skillshares or workshops to learn from each other
sarawearsskirts: or to educate other people on what they do, for interest based teams
EtsyTrainee asks, What are the most significant challenges that seem to reoccur among street teams?
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sarawearsskirts: we'll open this up, please stay on topic
roccadesigns: I think etsy should manage the groups
creationsinglass: participation/activity
quirke: geographical distance
xiane: O_o
sarawearsskirts: um, that's not entriely possible
willowglass: participation from all members
xiane: motivattion
HelloKnitty: I agree with quirke
SweetyPrize: participation
SoCaliGirl: I think that personality clashes are definitely one of the most difficult things to handle. Motivation is another.
ArtyAllsorts: organising a central place for discussions within the team
sarawearsskirts: participation and motivationare huge challenges
roccadesigns: i just don't think the motivation is there
GlassCat: All team members participate
JanelleUtheim: Participation and people agreeing.
ahna: I kick people out for not participating, lol.
sarawearsskirts: many teams have the motivation
SweetyPrize: keeping people focused
quirke: our team is dead in the water from people not particpating
Marmalady: some teams are well motivated
SoCaliGirl: rocca, there are some very active groups who have their stuff together. If you have the motivation, it can be contagious!
persimmonsgal: hello. Street teams are like any team there will be those who work really hard and those who participate quietly.
roccadesigns: at first when the group starts and then motivation goes away
SweetyPrize: reaching out to the quiet members
creationsinglass: you can try and offer incentives versus consequences for participation
sarawearsskirts: that's totally true, socali -
virtuallori: participants lacking time to devote to the team
sarawearsskirts: an enthusiastic leader means the world
roccadesigns: we need a strong group in Atlanta for sure
xiane: roca, sometimes it takes a strong voice to bring participation back
willowglass: strong leaders mean everything
SoCaliGirl: Exactly Xiane!
sarawearsskirts: i think getting an idea of how much time people are willing to spend is a major key to participation
aekeith: i agree willow
shoozles: we have great leaders :)
SweetyPrize: yay for great leaders!
liskidder: You also have to facilitate participation - give people various ways to participate.
ArtyAllsorts: so do we in UK
creationsinglass: organized and leaders who are able to delegate as well
Smokeylady54: The CGGE has strong leadership
roccadesigns: yes, but i personally find it confusing: for instance my group is hosted in yahoo groups
stellaloella: great point, liskidder
quirke: sharing the work is a huge issue. a handful of people end up doing all the work that everybody benefits from
persimmonsgal: The wisconsin team has a fantastic leader who really devotes a lot of time and gets things going.
willowglass: I think that people need to realize that it doesn't just "happen". You get from it what you put into it.
creationsinglass: it's easy to try and do it all yourself but it becomes overwhelming
xiane: having good organization definitely helps
SweetyPrize asks, what success stories do you have?
roccadesigns: most people have different ids, names, and I just can't keep up
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stellaloella: i think this is a good follow-up for what problems do teams face
stellaloella: what works for teams? what have you been successful with so far?
Messaging enabled.
stellaloella: let's open this one up for people's success stories. please stay on topic
persimmonsgal: I recently met one of my team members at my store. She drove 3 hours to help me out with a charity I am working on.
sarawearsskirts: wow, that's awesome
vickileigh: we've been successful with our blog, sales and promotions
ahna: nothing as far as sales go
willowglass: A great success for EGA, for instance, is our recent Summer Solstice sale. The participating members made 634 sales in one week which was almost a 300% increase in the prior week's sales totals for those participating members.
creationsinglass: I think the CGGE is a success story, we are less than 1/2 a year old, and have a fantastic website, great group participation, help etc and we are organizing new activities weekly and have weekly meetings :)
roccadesigns: I haven't had business coming from any team... but may be indirectly
Kezzaroo: challenges, group collaborations, meeting other team members and idea sessions
stellaloella: ahna, is increased sales your only goal as a team though?
Marmalady: the uk monthly challenges are fun and successful
HelloKnitty: M.I.C.E had a very sucessful craft fair in Royal Oak, Mi
sarawearsskirts: i think the success of most teams is indirect
xiane: the NC team, Charlotte, went from no activity at all to having a craft show this october and many regular meetups
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ArtyAllsorts: Uk has a weekend retreat coming up
SoCaliGirl: Well, just this last weekend, our NC street team got together and did a craft show
virtuallori: For the Cleveland team, so far, just getting to meet a few people and starting to talk about doing booth shares at events.
ahna: yes, sales is the bottom line
sarawearsskirts: but it's still there and still very important to the growth of the site, whcih benefits everyone
persimmonsgal: Sometimes it can't be about the sales.
ahna: thats what we are here for
SweetyPrize: we managed to create a blog, shop, major event, team sale, other promotions in a short amount of time by identifying willing members
stellaloella: i was at the M.I.C.E. craft show, it was *amazing*
liskidder: We've been pretty good at promoting our website (which in turn promotes our members).
roccadesigns: and no, my team does not have meetings, promo swaps, events or nothing like that...we are lucky if I see a new post each week (it is usually mine)
HelloKnitty: And the Mi peeps are having another one in Sept.
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liskidder: This month we had 635,133 hits
Kezzaroo: the uk team has come from a very jumbled up group to a strong diverse list, a list thats now workable
xiane: nice, lis!
SoCaliGirl: At our next meeting, we will be teaching spinning yarn
ahna: we rank No. 2 on Google search for eclectic jewelry
SoCaliGirl: Rock on lis!
xiane: I see a lot of strong teams posting on the street team forum
sarawearsskirts: skillshares are awesome, and it'sgreat to involve community off and on etsy
xiane: I take notes on what works for them
roccadesigns: I wish I had the time to start one
SweetyPrize: our members are reporting more sales
groovyglassgirl: ya Lis makes our website rock! It is a huge strong point with our team.
sarawearsskirts: the street team forum is bumpin' these days
willowglass: We started a monthly newsletter/giveaway thread and signed up 266 people this month.
Kezzaroo: i like hearing from other team leaders on running their teams and works for them also
persimmonsgal: Sometimes the benefits are not immediate either. If I know someone who is looking for yarn I will direct them to my team member.
SoCaliGirl: Its definitely not immediate and it takes patience
persimmonsgal: It's a network.
sarawearsskirts: i'm psyched for next week's roundtable when we share organizational tips
creationsinglass: Personally, since the CGGE has formed I've noticed an increase in my buyer only sales, I wish there was a way to track where they are coming from
SoCaliGirl: .. and again, the success is directly related to the amount of work you put into the team
SweetyPrize: the immediate success is that we have a group of folks supporting each other
ColdCell asks, is the UK street team the most chatty one on Etsy? because i think it helps us promote each other nicely and therefore i think teams DO work. :P
Marmalady: we all try to promote each other -- through treasuries etc
ahna: that's not true
groovyglassgirl: I agree sweetyprize
SweetyPrize: encouraging in a sometimes scary world of online selling
Kezzaroo: recently weve worked out a list of strengths for most of the street team members so wed know where to direct someone or some work to.. specific areas are helping
SoCaliGirl: Exactly, its a success for morale
creationsinglass: Our team has a great private forum where we share tips/techniques skills and ask questions etc. It's a very popular area in our forums
stellaloella: the UK team is definitely chatty :)
Kezzaroo: you know it stella :)
sarawearsskirts: i think getting to know each other through chatting is a great way to netowkr and become familiar with each other
stellaloella: Kezzaroo -- knowing what each person's strengths are is a great idea!
xiane: EGCG can get chatty, on the yahoo group. EAST is chattier on the forums these days too.
Smokeylady54: I have gotten heklp\
willowglass: EGA's forum has grown from supporting each other professionally to things occuring in our personal lives as well. It's a true nurturing environment which is a wonderful thing.
SweetyPrize: i try to give as many tools to my members as possible
sarawearsskirts: if you have a team with more than about 20 people, you can schedule with us to use the workshop here
creationsinglass: Weekly chats/meetings have been an excellent way for us to get to know each other
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Smokeylady54: Sorry tios from out teams members
sarawearsskirts: but you can always make a special chat room for yourself
Kezzaroo: it is stella, weve sorted out our marketing people from out illustrators and graphic designers, our photoshoppers from printers and so on
persimmonsgal: Our team has great swaps and contests that get us familiar with each others product.
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stellaloella: so, social connections are another way teams can be successful
persimmonsgal: I think so.
SweetyPrize: yes, making friends
virtuallori: absolutely, Stella
ahna asks, what is etsy going to do to help teams?
vickileigh: yes
shoozles: Ega uses flickr for creative challenges
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sarawearsskirts: etsy is working on making new team pages, ones that are way more interactive so that people who work with the teams (Iike me)
sarawearsskirts: have more time to help you all
sarawearsskirts: the new pages will also be much
sarawearsskirts: much better for you guys communicating among yourselves
sarawearsskirts: we're sorry don't have a good ETA for the pages
stellaloella: providing you resources, like a craft fair vendor & organizer guide, is also in our plans
sarawearsskirts: (i want them more than anyone!)
sarawearsskirts: but know they are being worked on
sarawearsskirts: and they will come
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sarawearsskirts: we want to help you guys by giving you the means to do amazing things
stellaloella: additionally, if you have an event you're organizing or vending at, we'll provide you with promos and may help with advertising locally
sarawearsskirts: and i love giving advice, and i'll be working on better online resource pages
stellaloella: several teams have taken the initiative to host their own craft shows
stellaloella: we LOVE that
sarawearsskirts: etsy shows rock!
stellaloella: and want to help promote that kind of things as much as possible
sarawearsskirts: but shows aren't the only thing teams can do, by any means.
sarawearsskirts: we also would love to be helpful to global teams
SoCaliGirl asks, Will Etsy help new street teams form these goals to help them get off the ground?
sarawearsskirts: yes!
sarawearsskirts: and i'm working on a sheet / giant awesome list of ideas for team goals and ambitions
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sarawearsskirts: but we want each team to tailor their goals to fit what they want the team to be
stellaloella: so what are your ideas for team goals?
Messaging enabled.
sarawearsskirts: so it doesn't have to all be the same, of course
Bombus: HI I have been wondering what is in the pipeline to help ease the problems of overcrowded threads?
roccadesigns: It would be good if Etsy could provide a space for the teams as opposed to have them spread out in other sites such as myspace, flickr, yahoo, etc.
sarawearsskirts: but we can help with guidelines and ideas
persimmonsgal: just remember etsy is just the car...we have to drive it.
sarawearsskirts: rocca, we just talked about the team pages that are in the workds
stellaloella: (please stay on topic)
quirke: our car crashed
sarawearsskirts: etsy is a giant bumper car!
roccadesigns: that is great!
SoCaliGirl: Just getting together, even once a month and starting it that way is a major goal, that's how our team really started
stellaloella: quirke, what do you think you need to get back on track?
sarawearsskirts: it's the energizer bunny of cars!
Marmalady: i had an idea for an new street team but my post asking if anyone else was interested got buried too quick -- how else can i spread the word ?
quirke: we need to pare down our members, to be honest
sarawearsskirts: marmalady, what type of team was it?
roccadesigns: what do you mean
stellaloella: subdiving massive teams can work
sarawearsskirts: was it category based?
quirke: it's a handful of people doing all the work for hundreds
sarawearsskirts: or location based>
virtuallori: booth shares, social events, workshops, maybe someday a show put together by our team
Smokeylady54: AHNA I am sure I heard some place you have wonderful ideas for the street teams
SweetyPrize: team goals could be to develop ways to get the member shops and etsy noticed
Marmalady: it was for food -- bakers & preserve makers
creationsinglass: goals for street teams can be complex or simple, short term or long term
stellaloella: virtuallori -- those are very good goals
sarawearsskirts: maybe sending a polite, short convo (just one, not spammy) to some of the bakers you admire here might be a start
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ahna: yup :)
SoCaliGirl: Making an effort to show up at major crafts events, even if its only 1-2 of you helps
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creationsinglass: Our most basic simple goal when we started was to have a membership and then define our criteria as a team
Marmalady: ok sara -- was afraid that might be spam
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SweetyPrize: team goals could be to provide a list of tools members can use on their own, and as a team
stellaloella: ahna, would you care to share what has worked for your teams?
roccadesigns: what if there are not major craft events in your area?
sarawearsskirts: well, marma, just be careful not to be spammy - use common sense, be polite and sincere
xiane: you can start a small one, rocca!
sarawearsskirts: and respect anyone that declines
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SoCaliGirl: rocca, there are.. GA has ICE and up here there's The Crafting Patch
ahna: Well, my goal is sales but that hasn't happened
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sarawearsskirts: rocca, a location based team (or any team) can be as few as 2-3 people
ahna: My sales are low even with the team
stellaloella: roccadesigns -- you can host a small event with your team, like a trunk show at a cafe
xiane: a trunk show or a little bazaar
roccadesigns: the crafting patch is in NC, and I went to ICe (is not that major)
persimmonsgal: Create one rocca! I am planning an art fair for my community now and will hope to spread the word about etsy.
creationsinglass: treasuries can help increase awareness if you are trying to start a group, include members you like and mention in your title and comments that you want to start a team etc
ahna: two teams and doing this for a year now
sarawearsskirts: sales should be a goal of any team, but not the only goal
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ahna: sales are why I'm on Etsy
Smokeylady54: That is sad ahna
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SoCaliGirl: Its still in the area, and again, you only get out of it what you put into it.
roccadesigns: I guess I'm kidda scared because of previous failures in craft shows
sarawearsskirts: yes, but sales shouldn't be the onlly motivation for a team
SweetyPrize: what would some other examples of goals be, sarawearsskirts?
sarawearsskirts: etsy is about sales and community
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sarawearsskirts: the goal could be netowrking among people who do the same thing you do, or meeting people in your city
sarawearsskirts: learning from others
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SweetyPrize: too true
GlassCat: Having fun
NESTshop: Boston - we did shop critiques
persimmonsgal: Teams are more about community I think.
roccadesigns: I'm not talking sales.. but The response...
ahna: Well, I didn't come to Etsy to make a community, I came here to sell my art.
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sarawearsskirts: networking, helping to align yourself with in-life sales
xiane: My team is trying to create more awareness of how to shop bath and body safely
sarawearsskirts: like wholesaling or consignment or shows
aekeith: oh that is good xiane
roccadesigns: I, for one am very interested in meeting friends and people like me
creationsinglass: Some of our short term goals, were to create our website to help generate traffic from outside of Etsy and where we can network together and share ideas etc
GlassCat: I have learned so much since joining my team.
sarawearsskirts: marketing is for sales, teams are about sales and community
SweetyPrize: very good, thanks
stellaloella: you can also use teams to motivate you to improve your work, like having critiques of work in progress -- helping one another eveolve as artists
groovyglassgirl: ditto glasscat
SweetyPrize: great idea
sarawearsskirts: right - teams can provide valuable input on style and posting skills
roccadesigns: well, what if i wanted to start a team, ehat to do?
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SoCaliGirl: rocca, that is good. How about convo'ing some members asking if they would like to go have coffee with you and talk shop?
willowglass: lauren, that's been a huge part for me in EGA
Marmalady: that was why i thought a food team a good idea xiane -- to emphasise safety in food products
sarawearsskirts: i would love to see teams do group critiques
xiane: stella, that's definitely something that EGCG has been doing well!
creationsinglass: we've done a help section for critiquing each other's shops etc and offering help for Etsy questions etc
ahna: I can get a critique in the forum anytime
stellaloella: excellent.
groovyglassgirl: the abundance of knowledge within a team is such a valuable resource
xiane: marma, if you convo me after this, I'd love to talk more about what we did to set up :)
sarawearsskirts: critiques in the forum are... well, they're a dying art
roccadesigns: besides the Goelocator, is there another way to find out the sellers locations?
HelloKnitty: i like the group critique idea very much
Marmalady: ok ty xiane
SweetyPrize: thanks!
sarawearsskirts: sadly, right now there isn't much, but sometimes i search 'philly' or philadelphia and people come up
groovyglassgirl: i use my location as a tag
persimmonsgal: Group supply ordering is one thing I have been thinking about starting with our group.
stellaloella: even if you have a location-based team and all make different items, getting a fresh perspective from an outsider can be helpful
SweetyPrize: i am taking notes
SoCaliGirl: rocca, convo me and I can help you out with setting up something
sarawearsskirts: yep, i also use philly as a tag sometimes
roccadesigns: well, i've started forums posts asking for people from Atlanta to write, but usually only one or 2 responses and then it dies
sarawearsskirts: because if people in my neighborhood come on etsy, they can find local sellers that way
willowglass: persimmongal, EGA did a group order that worked very well
virtuallori: We just did a group supply order at EtsyBEAD; we saved a ton by buying together.
creationsinglass: I think the private critiques in our CGGE forum are better than the critiques one could get in the Etsy forum, b/c they are from our direct peers with speficic experience and knowledge of our craft
ahna: Starting a street team for community and critiquing is the wrong focus, IMO.
HelloKnitty: I never thought to use it as a tag, good idea
xiane: agreed, creation!
sarawearsskirts: sometimes an off-etsy search - good ol' google is helpful in finding other locals
stellaloella: starting a new team can take work, since not everyone on Etsy uses the forums or is on the Forums all the time
roccadesigns: so, how to start a new team
stellaloella: it's about timing. you need to keep bumping your thread
Bombus: Is there a way we could have a street team shop that clicked through to our own for the actual sale?
xiane: O_o
roccadesigns: i guess that makes a lot of sense
sarawearsskirts: ahna, teams can be successful in more ways than just statistical sales, that's what i'm saying
stellaloella: Bombus - not at this time, but many teams have blogs where they use the Etsy Mini to do the same thing
sarawearsskirts: there are many factors that go into sales -
sarawearsskirts: pricing, photos, descriptions, availability of what you're selling
creationsinglass: I think a team is successful if all they do is generate awareness towards Etsy, themselves and their medium
ahna: But that's not a good focus.... I started my teams to advertise Etsy, make money
sarawearsskirts: so you cannot say teams don't work because sales aren't directly impacted
roccadesigns: one more time: how to start a new team?
Bombus: But is trying to keep street teams on site an aim ?
SweetyPrize: i think a team can be a great help in sharing the marketing task, or any task
sarawearsskirts: maybe if what your team is doing isn't working, it's a good idea to re-evaluate how you're going about achieving your goals
groovyglassgirl: ahna education & learning from others is what keeps art growing and changing
ahna: Yes I can... we are here to sell
stellaloella: ahna, you're certainly entitled to your opinion, but we're trying to show that teams can have different ways of "woiring" for different people
SweetyPrize: maybe a charitable task, whatnot
stellaloella: *working
xiane: I get sales from talking about EGCG. But there are more things that factor into sales than just concentrating on getting a sale.
Smokeylady54: Sometimes someone in your group can just lift your spirits.
ahna: But that's not why I joined Etsy.
creationsinglass: Roccadesigns, I initially posted in the street teams that I was creating a treasury and wanted to feature glass artists, my response was overwhelming and many suggested starting a team, I also blogged about it
groovyglassgirl: fair enough
roccadesigns: how do you post in the street teams?
creationsinglass: then, I read the Etsy teams pages, and asked for help from some people posting on the threads I posted and we started!
sarawearsskirts: part of why etsy is so successful as a site is because of the community. everyone joins of r adifferen treason
ahna: phone
stellaloella: let's move on to another question
ahna: brb
creationsinglass asks, Is there any way for Street Teams to track where the increased sales/traffic is coming from?
SoCaliGirl: Rocca, how about posting in street teams about wanting to meet up at a day and time you're available and see who shows up?
SweetyPrize: i find that the more fun you are having, the more sales you make
Messaging reserved for room moderators and admin only.
sarawearsskirts: not on etsy as a site, but if you have an off-site blog, for example, you can see where people come from
sarawearsskirts: that's what i do personally in my shop, actually
sarawearsskirts: because if people are finding your blog, they're coming from somehwere, and you can link them into etsy from there
SweetyPrize asks, do you see where your traffic is coming from?
sarawearsskirts: but this is something we're definitely aware of for the site in the future
sarawearsskirts: it's something we want to include eventually
So, do you think that street teams work?
JanelleUtheim asks, What is the goal of a street team?
Messaging enabled.
sarawearsskirts: the goal is to meet up with other etsyans
sarawearsskirts: to benefit the site as a whole, and your team
sarawearsskirts: and network
sarawearsskirts: and learn, and grow in your art
32 yay, 2 nay, 11 abstain
HelloKnitty: I would love to meet with a street team in a room like this to talk about goals
stellaloella: well, that's awesome
groovyglassgirl: me 2
NESTshop: but not all street teams
SweetyPrize: this room is helpful for sure
stellaloella: you can request use of the Workshop if your team has more than 20 people (under 20, we recommend the chat rooms)
sarawearsskirts: this room is awesome
xiane: I love talking to other street teams. I've gotten a lot of inspiration that way
MonkeyBlues: me too
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SweetyPrize: :-)
sarawearsskirts: etsy has a lot of tools for interacting, even before the pages are done
HelloKnitty: I can't drive right now so online is all I hve
shoozles: meetoo
stellaloella: you should email teams@etsy.com to reserve the Workshop
SweetyPrize: i think street teams do work
creationsinglass: Some of the leaders should help create a how to template wiki style on what works and specific ideas for goals and how to accomplish them
SoCaliGirl: I would love to talk to others about how our street team works and manages their goals
SweetyPrize: but only if you have members who do some work
sarawearsskirts: i think teams work, too
sarawearsskirts: but i think it's like etsy in general
sarawearsskirts: where it is what you make of it
stellaloella: adding your tips and hints to http://etsywiki.com for street teams would be awesome
xiane: you get what you put into it
SoCaliGirl: Exactly, which leads back to you get out of the street team what you put into it
sarawearsskirts: right
EtsyTrainee: Yes indeed, the wiki loves you dearly and wishes you would visit more often.
SoCaliGirl: Xiane, we're sharing a brain today
persimmonsgal: I know they work.
SweetyPrize: our team is concerned with sales, and is a community just because we are a team
Smokeylady54: Hello! finally got back did I miss much
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sarawearsskirts: you all rock. thanks for coming!
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NESTshop: yummmmtasty
sarawearsskirts: see you all next week for tips on HOW to make teams work!
creationsinglass: I noticed updates to the etsy team profile page, more descriptive no acronymns, NICE!
stellaloella: there will be minutes posted on http://team.etsy.com for this meeting
HelloKnitty: will be here
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sarawearsskirts: check http://team.etsy.com for info on the workshops
quirke: thanks guys
xiane: awesome! I can't wait for the next one!
Bombus: I think defining what the teams goals are is tricky as they may change & also with some of the larger teams their may be divides & differing needs
Kezzaroo: thanks guys
SoCaliGirl: Awesome!
sarawearsskirts: we'll try to get ttranscripts of this week and last week up asap
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virtuallori: thanks!
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SoCaliGirl: thanks Sara!
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SoCaliGirl: Thanks Lauren!
xiane: thank you for all the hard work.
reform: cheers all
sarawearsskirts: team goals SHOULD change over time
Marmalady: thanks all
matt: y
sarawearsskirts: like all goals
GlassCat: Thanks for the meeting
xiane: I know my teams appreciate it
SweetyPrize: i agree
matt: hanks
Kezzaroo: thanks stella sara and etsy admin in training robwhite :D
matt: thanks
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sarawearsskirts: bye everyone!
sarawearsskirts: thanks!
SoCaliGirl: Bye!
creationsinglass: Thanks for doing this!
xiane: yay!
SweetyPrize: our first goal was to reactivate the team, we've achieve that, so we moved onto other goals, obviously
EtsyTrainee: Thanks for coming, Kezzaroo in pink!
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Smokeylady54: Thank you so much Sara for taking the time to do this.
ArtyAllsorts: byeeee
Bombus: thanx!
SoCaliGirl: Xiane, I will be on AIM if you need me
debsmuddle: Byee
xiane: okay!
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HelloKnitty: we locked in?
SweetyPrize: lol
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samann1121: heh...yep
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stellaloella: locked so you can't come back in
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SweetyPrize: hey samann1121 :-)
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samann1121: hola!
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Kezzaroo: high 5 :D
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xiane: i wanna throw airplanes :)
SweetyPrize: trashion street team woot!
samann1121: represent!
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ColdCell: kezza, back to blowing up the server in the UK topic? :P
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Marmalady: lol cold
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Kezzaroo: Lets do it coldcell :D go UK Street Team WOOOOO :D
ColdCell: :)
stellaloella: (psst... if you don't leave, i will have to kick you all out.) :p
creationsinglass: We're gonna get kicked out, LOL
Marmalady: woo hoo uk
ColdCell: kick meeeee
samann1121: awww man
HelloKnitty: SweetyPrize, i must join trashion
SweetyPrize: :-)
xiane: trying, my cat keeps getting in the way :D
Kezzaroo: kick us out stella i think we all need a detention
FortCloudy: Byeee guys!
GlassCat: I don't know how to leave
samann1121: you should, we're a lot of fun
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SweetyPrize: hey lets chat in the regular chat helloknitty
FortCloudy: haha
shoozles: lis this would be a fun place to chat hey?
ColdCell: you big wimp mr trainee...
ColdCell: :)
SweetyPrize: ok?
HelloKnitty: what room?
EtsyTrainee: =P
stellaloella: alright, i warned you.... :p
creationsinglass: can you post item images here also?
Kezzaroo: if fort is hanging back i am :D
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SweetyPrize: i dunno i'll go make one
liskidder: Yeah I love this
SweetyPrize: see you there
HelloKnitty: how do you make a room?
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FortCloudy: I'm leaving Kezz, but we can go cuddle in flickr if you want ;P
samann1121: she has powers... not really
ColdCell: hit me with ya big kicking boot :D
creationsinglass: go to new chat and then follow the steps
Kezzaroo: ok fort :D
FortCloudy: ;D
HelloKnitty: thanks, will do
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FortCloudy: lauren you should blow them up
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FortCloudy: its more fun ;)
samann1121: ack!
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