The overall appearance of your shop is key to creating a professional looking and successful storefront on Etsy!  Today's shop makeover will give you tips and tricks to  making your banner, avatar, shop announcement, profile, titles, descriptions, and your message to the buyer more professional and as successful as they can be! See here for all posts in this series.

New Banner and Avatar
Your banner and your avatar are your shop identity, and will be the main image and brand shoppers associate with your shop.  Look at it as the sign on the top of your storefront which will capture your buyers attention.  Some people go for neon lights while others take a more subtle approach.  You should choose a design that will complement the items sold in your shop.  

Take advantage of the entire 700px wide by 100px high space provided.  You may want to include your shop name, photos of your work, or your shop slogan in your image.  Here's a great tutorial we put together all about how to make your own banner using Photoshop.  If you don't have Photoshop, you can download Gimp for free, which uses several similar features as Photoshop.  There are also several free websites that allow you to make your own banner including puresilva, highpowergraphics, and bannersketch.  If you are not confident with your 2D design skills, you can make a small investment and check out some of the many talented Etsy sellers who offer custom designed banners in their shops.

Another important thing to remember is that your avatar is the main image that will represent your shop when talking in the forums, commenting on the Storque, and participating in online workshops on Etsy.  Many people choose to include an image of themselves or an item from their shop; when using a good image of your products, you are creating another way to advertise your shop and entice shoppers inside to see more!  The image is only 45px by 45px, so it is best to crop a small area of a larger photo rather than trying to resize a larger image.

Shop Announcement
Your shop announcement is a great place to introduce yourself, welcome buyers and thank them for checking out your shop.  You should also use it to announce a special sale or charity your shop supports or a craft fair you will be attending, and remember to keep it friendly and brief.  Long announcements push all your items further down to the bottom of the page, and make shoppers have to scroll down to see your work.  When a shopper clicks on your page it is very important that they can immediately see those three featured items at the top of your shop to grab their attention and keep them shopping!  If you have lots to say, you can use your shop profile to post extra details, policies, and shop information.

Profile
Your profile is the place where you should include all the fine print (like your shop's buying, shipping, and return policies), as well as a bio about yourself and your creative process.  Many people who buy handmade items enjoy the personal connection between the maker and the product.  Let people know what inpires you, and what you enjoy about creating your work.

You should use your profile space to inform shoppers of your shop policies.  It is important to make sure a buyer is informed of all the facts about your shipping methods, return and exchange policies, accepted forms of payment, and what you do in the case of a non-paying buyer.  A great example of a thorough Shop Policy can be found in Stamp's profile.  I can't think of anything she has left out!

Another importanct policy to consider is how you handle your custom orders.  What's the turn around time? Do you have your buyer pay the full cost up front, half up front, or have them pay you when the item is completed? Definitely something to think about!

Titles
Important things to consider when creating your listing titles are as follows:

Can your shopper identify what the item is from the title alone?  You may want to try to word your title so the first three words alert the buyer to the type of item you are selling.  This way when shoppers are viewing your item in gallery mode, they can easily tell what type of item the photo is representing. If you are selling clothing, it is important to include the size in your title.  If you are selling artwork, you may also consider including the dimensions of the piece.

Simple, straightforward titles look the most professional.  It is important to keep your titles consistent throughout your item listings.  Are the first words of each title capital or lowercase? Are your sizes written at the end or beginning of the title? Keeping these things consistent makes browsing easier and creates a flowing, branded, and professional looking shop.

Descriptions
Many people don't realize that, in addition to the facts, a brief story about your handmade object can create a dramatic impression on your viewer.  Let the shopper know how you picture the item being used, or tell them a story of what inspired you to create the piece.  Many people who appreciate handmade items also enjoy the story behind how it was made, who created it and where the idea came from.

Of course, it's also important to inform the buyer of all the facts. Color, size, dimensions, textures, materials used, washing and care instructions, fabrication process, and allergy alerts are essential. You may also want to consider if your item is for a certain age group or suggest it as the perfect gift for a special occasion.

Message to Buyer
This is your opportunity to make one last impression on your buyer.  Be sure to thank your buyer for supporting your shop.  You may also give them a coupon code good toward their next purchase.  If you create a way to keep the buyer thinking about your shop after their purchase, they will be more likely to become a repeat customer. A friend of mine offers a special coupon to any buyer who send him a photo of themself with the item they purchased.

Be part of our Shop Makeover series: document your "before" and "after" with screen shots and post them on flickr or your blogs or whatever works best for you. Then share the links in the comments below. As we go through the different steps of the makeover, we'll hold Online Workshops in the Virtual Labs where we'll highlight great ideas that come from you and discuss further questions and share examples of what people are doing.  At the end of the month, we'll all pick the most radical makeovers!

We'll be staggering the posts throughout the month of January, hopefully giving people enough time to participate. There's so much work to do!  We kicked off the Shop Makeover series with the post about tagging, and this here is the second one, and here's the Intro too. Also, please post in the comments if you have any other creative secrets to hold onto the buyer's attention!