Etsy's Handmade Blog
Seller How-to: Promoting a Site Wide Sale on Etsy
Story by theartistscloset
Published on September 16, 2008 in How-To 		Photo by faro
With sellers planning ahead with their promotions and marketing for the holiday season, we thought it would be neat to check in with theartistscloset. She was one of the masterminds behind a simple idea that went viral on Etsy — many of you remember the "Yart Sale" of summer 2008!

Working within a group is the only way I would be involved in any mass marketing approach on Etsy. The combining of resources and effort makes for a lighter load and the sharing of ideas makes for a more creative sale event — and one less likely to have shortcomings.

I strongly recommend joining an Etsy Street Team appropriate for your shop. Presently, there are over 250 Etsy Teams. I participate in three Teams: Etsy Supply Street Team, Cottage Style Street Team and Etsy Maine Team. The Etsy Supply Street Team, under the direction of Team leaders CarDonCreativeDesign and Faro, was instrumental in helping me organize the recent Yart Sale from June 11-20. What began as a casual conversation on our weekly thread about destashing and raising funds for a summer vacation blossomed into a whole discussion on our private boards about creating an Etsy Wide Yart Sale. The title Yart was suggested by fellow teammate BlackStarBeads (Yard + Art = YART). Faro created special Yart Sale Avatars. 

  1. Keys to planning and preparation - Become part of a larger group, as mentioned above. If possible, create a private area for planning, such as a private discussion board (such as Yahoo Groups). This is where you share ideas, decide on promotions, discuss concerns and resolve issues that might come up during the event.
  2. Come up with a unique promotional idea or title for the event - Try to capitalize on what might be on people's minds; seasons, holidays or current events, and be sensitive to time and cultural differences. Remember that Etsy is a global community. With this first sale, we made the mistake of initially describing the Yart Sale as a 10 day countdown to the first day of summer, not realizing that summer in the U.S. is winter down under. Next year we intend to be more inclusive.
  3. Utilize your support group to advertise - Word of mouth is a powerful promotional tool. Promote the sale among family, friends and colleagues through the use of fliers, email, etc. and utilize the Internet community by posting on blogs, groups and networking sites.
  4. Get Sellers involved site-wide - Promote in the Forums, introducing the sale in advance in Business Topics so people have time to prepare and get involved. Be inclusive and also have minimum requirements for participation. Make it easy for anyone to participate — we simply asked people to use the tag "Yart Sale" for the sale. Clearly spell out the time and dates of the sale with initial forum threads in the Promotions forum, allowing flexibility for participation. The Yart sale lasted for 10 days, but it was up to the individual shops as to how long they chose to participate.

    (Yart sign courtesy of dmriceart)
  5. Create a FAQ sheet of information about the sale - Posting a FAQs thread under the Business Topics forum will help to address user questions and minimize confusion. (Here's ours, for example.) 
  6. Get the participants involved - Encourage sellers to post a statement of participation in their shop announcements; offer a ready-made announcement to cut and paste for their shops. This is helpful, user friendly and gets people quickly involved creating anticipation and excitement for the sale. Point people to the Forums for the daily Promotional Sale thread, encouraging them to post and participate in promoting their shops during the sale. However, remember to make it clear it is not a requirement for participation; some people are forum shy.
    TIP - Use the daily sale threads to educate users about how to search for the sale items on Etsy, for example: "Just a few suggestions to all you shoppers! Type 'Yart' in the Search bar and choose the appropriate category from Etsy's Drop Down Menu - Choose Handmade, Supplies, Vintage or All items to view the specific items you are looking for. Viola - you will have so many choices from all the wonderful shops that have chosen to participate in this sale."
  7. Remember to make the whole approach user-friendly and easy to follow - I found it was essential that my Team members and I monitor the Forum regularly to maintain a POSITIVE presence in the forums, and encourage participation by highlighting each other's sale items. It is important to maintain a presence during the course of a sale and be consistent in posting. Link threads so people don't get lost. Keep up on new threads that will pop up directing users to informational threads already established to answer their questions.

The Etsy Forums can be used as a positive force, encouraging an attitude of camaraderie and creating new opportunities for new friends and networking connections!

Click to see more seller how-tos about promoting.

Tags Forums, HOW-TO, networking, promoting, promotions, Seller Handbook, selling, social networking, theartistscloset, viral marketing, Yart Sale
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42 comments     Login to add your own!

Sept. 16, 2008 at 12:23 p.m. BululuStudio

Excellent article

Sept. 16, 2008 at 12:33 p.m. kingfishercrafts

Great article. Concise, Informative, Inspiring. Go Yart!

Sept. 16, 2008 at 2:19 p.m. quarks

YEA!!!!
YART!!!!

Sept. 16, 2008 at 2:54 p.m. dancingcircle

Is this a campaign idea largely directed toward existing Etsy members/sellers? I ask because how would potential customers ever know what "yart" means?

Sept. 16, 2008 at 2:57 p.m. uncharted

this was really helpful!

Sept. 16, 2008 at 4:26 p.m. JustJaynes

Great article. I had fun with the Yart Sale and it was the boost we needed right after the search bar change. It definitely boosted my sales. theartistcloset was a great organizer!

Sept. 16, 2008 at 4:29 p.m. BirdWatching

Awww I remember the yart sale! hehe :-) It was great!

Sept. 16, 2008 at 4:42 p.m. BPyarns

very good --- Yart ---

Sept. 16, 2008 at 4:57 p.m. makemesmile

I was on holiday during the June Yart sale, but I am impressed with the organization of Team EtsyForAnimals Birthday Bash that's going on right now.
So I agree a well organized team with involved participants is essential to a successful sale. =^x^=

Sept. 16, 2008 at 5:27 p.m. BlackStar

theartistscloset's energy was endless throughout the entire sale. we couldn't have done it without her!
xoxo

Sept. 16, 2008 at 5:34 p.m. BlackStar

dancingcirle- the power of the internet and google tells all. I googled 'yart' and posted the results in several threads throughout the sale. plus, i knew the term 'yart' way before etsy existed. :)

Sept. 16, 2008 at 5:37 p.m. tantalizingstitches

great article!

Sept. 16, 2008 at 5:38 p.m. southernladysvintage

Great article!

Sept. 16, 2008 at 6:06 p.m. judysnow

We Love TheArtistsCloset You are very Special to the TEAM ESST.

I am so Proud of you. Making me Smile.

Sept. 16, 2008 at 6:45 p.m. doodlesmosaictiles

Great article. Thanks so much for sharing.

Sept. 16, 2008 at 7:01 p.m. faro

The YART Sale took off like a wildfire with over 15,000 items and 400+ sellers involved.

Denise, you were excellent at the helm and I was very honored to be involved in such a huge community event.

Cheers to you, to TEAM ESST and the etsy community for a very successful sale!

Here's to Next Year's YART Sale!

Sept. 16, 2008 at 7:32 p.m. PatternsAndSuch

I learned of the Yart Sale shortly after joining Etsy - it was a great way to get started on Etsy! Many thanks to Team ESST!

Sept. 16, 2008 at 7:37 p.m. floresflorestanis

Great article, Denise!!!! You go!!!!

Sept. 16, 2008 at 7:40 p.m. JazziesJunque

I had blast with the sale and met a whole bunch of wonderful people and saw their great shops.

Sept. 16, 2008 at 8:02 p.m. mksupplies

The yart sale was so much fun! DancingCircle- I like how tip #3 describes promoting it outside of Etsy, involving other groups/family members/etc. promoting a sale, this can encourage new buyers to join Etsy knowing there are a large amount of shops that are having sales.

Sept. 16, 2008 at 8:20 p.m. pinkee

yart
yart
yart
yart
yart
yart
yart
tac rocks !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sept. 16, 2008 at 8:39 p.m. MailleEtc

Denise/TAC, great article! I'm proud to be a member of ESST!!

Sept. 16, 2008 at 8:49 p.m. GigglingGnome

Awesome article!

Sept. 16, 2008 at 8:55 p.m. beesquarefabrics

Great article! So wonderfully organized and inspiring. Great work The Artists Closet! And wonderful collaboration Team ESST!

Sept. 16, 2008 at 9:08 p.m. artsyhandpaints

Excellent article TAC. Very well done. Kudos to you.

Sept. 16, 2008 at 9:24 p.m. RJBeads

Great article TAC! Thanks for sharing! :)

Sept. 16, 2008 at 10:55 p.m. BodyBeautiful

Wonderful article, thankyou for sharing with everyone

Sept. 16, 2008 at 11:24 p.m. misseskwittys

Fantastic article---much needed and well written information!

Sept. 17, 2008 at 7:44 a.m. willo

Great article!

Sept. 17, 2008 at 8:42 a.m. CarDonCreativeDesign

Wonderful and well written article. I am so proud to have TAC a fellow teammate.

Sept. 17, 2008 at 8:43 a.m. dmriceart

This was a blast! Yart (as a word).... even brought on curiosity! Loved it! Now, that the word is "out there"... it will be even better next summer!

Loved the article! Positive, and great ideas !!!

Thanks to YOU, theArtsCloset! (and your Team of chatters ! who started Yart! :O)

:O)Hugs, Debi

Sept. 17, 2008 at 8:44 a.m. theartistscloset

Dancing Circle - please refer to #5 and click on the link highlighted in blue (in parenthesis) as it that takes you to the business section where there is a FAQ page (http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php... also reinforces #7 and the need to monitor the Forum regularly to maintain clarity by directing those "lost or confused" to the threads which explain the goals of the sale (FAQ sheet). Hope that makes sense.

Sept. 17, 2008 at 8:47 a.m. theartistscloset

oops-link didn't work in my post but click on the link in the article (Here's ours, for example.) and it should take you to the FAQ sheet example.

Sept. 17, 2008 at 9:30 a.m. vintageland

Interesting...

Sept. 17, 2008 at 10:33 a.m. CricketsCreations

Denise (theartistscloset), thanks so much for condensing this in an article for us! Personally, I sold SEVEN scarves during YART...in the middle of U.S. summer! So, thank you. :)

And your leadership inspired the following month's ChristmasInJuly sale (I sold 5 scarves for that).

Thanks again,
Celeste (Crickets)

Sept. 17, 2008 at 1:27 p.m. signsofmylife

Very informative article, thank you for sharing. I would like to participate in these annual SALEs...sounds like a G R E A T idea!

Oct. 27, 2008 at 11:01 a.m. DeborahVoizin

This sounds like something that would be good
for Holiday Sales!

Nov. 19, 2008 at 1:37 p.m. foreverandaday

I have been having a Twilight sell I wish I had read this before I did started the sell...
Thanks for this Great article!

Nov. 28, 2008 at 5:27 p.m. lololyta

Thank you for the article many informations!

June 10, 2009 at 5:40 a.m. Arctida

Great article! Thank you for sharing.

June 10, 2009 at 7:26 p.m. amorvintage

Coount ,me in on this Yartsale!

June 14, 2009 at 4:30 a.m. sarasekhar86

its a great idea. Iam in Yart sale.....

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