Etsy is NOT for Artists 🎨 (Why your Art Isn't Selling)
TLDRIn this video, Dylan Jarus explains why Etsy may not be the ideal platform for artists to sell their work and make a substantial income. He differentiates between artists with a strong following and those without, suggesting that the latter need a different approach to succeed on Etsy. Jarus emphasizes the importance of prioritizing making money over personal enjoyment of the craft, adapting art to cater to profitable customers with expensive tastes, and checking pricing strategies to match demand. He also recommends turning art into functional and accessible items to increase sales. The video offers a 16-step checklist for growing an Etsy shop and encourages artists to reach out if they are serious about making a full-time income from their art.
Takeaways
- 🎨 **Etsy's Nature**: Etsy is not an art gallery but a marketplace; artists need a different approach to sell their work successfully.
- 🚀 **Scaling Business**: Dylan Jarus has helped over 2,000 Etsy sellers scale their businesses to over $10 million in revenue, indicating a structured approach is crucial.
- 🎨 **Artist Types**: Artists are categorized into those with a strong following and a brand, and those without, affecting their Etsy strategy.
- 📈 **Market Adaptation**: Artists without a strong following need to adapt their work to appeal to profitable customers with expensive taste.
- 🤔 **Prioritization**: Artists must choose between prioritizing making money or making art that feeds their soul, as sitting on the fence can lead to confusion.
- 💰 **Profit Focus**: Prioritizing making money can lead to financial stability, allowing artists to later focus on the joy of their craft.
- 🛍️ **Customer-Centric Art**: Artists should consider creating art for profitable customers rather than just for personal satisfaction.
- 📊 **Supply and Demand**: Understanding supply and demand is key in pricing artwork; without demand, high pricing is not justified.
- 🎨 **Functional Art**: Transforming art into functional items increases accessibility and sales, as people are more likely to buy useful art.
- 📈 **Brand Growth**: Focusing on making money first helps build the brand faster, which can then be leveraged for a future product mix.
- ✅ **Actionable Steps**: The video offers a 16-step checklist for growing an Etsy shop, providing a clear path for artists to increase their revenue.
Q & A
Why does the video suggest that Etsy might not be the best platform for artists?
-The video suggests that Etsy might not be the best platform for artists because it is not an art gallery where artists can simply showcase their creativity. Instead, it is a marketplace that requires a different approach to make a significant amount of money, especially for artists without a strong following.
What is the first step Dylan Jarus recommends for artists on Etsy who want to make money?
-The first step is to choose a priority between making money and making things that feed the artist's soul. It's important for artists to decide whether they want to focus on earning income or solely on the enjoyment of their craft.
What does Dylan suggest for artists who are not well-known and don't have a strong following?
-For artists without a strong following, Dylan suggests a different approach to Etsy. This includes focusing on making art for profitable customers with expensive taste, checking and adjusting their pricing based on demand, and turning their art into more functional and accessible items.
Why is it important for artists to consider their target customer's taste?
-It's important because if artists want to make their art profitable, they need to create pieces that appeal to their target customers. This may involve adapting their art and aesthetic to match what their potential customers are drawn to and willing to pay for.
How can artists increase demand for their work on Etsy?
-Artists can increase demand by focusing on customer needs first, creating products that are not just visually appealing but also functional, and by leveraging social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook groups to gather feedback and gauge interest in their work.
What is the significance of having a strong brand and following for artists on Etsy?
-Having a strong brand and following is significant because it can drive organic traffic to the artist's Etsy shop through Google searches. This pre-existing demand can make it easier for artists to sell their work and establish a successful presence on the platform.
What is the 16-step checklist mentioned in the video?
-The 16-step checklist is a set of revenue-generating activities that artists can implement in their Etsy shop to grow their business. It is offered for free to those who comment 'checklist' below the video.
How can artists ensure their art is accessible to a wider audience?
-Artists can ensure their art is accessible by focusing on creating designs that appeal to a broader demographic, considering the tastes of profitable customers, and offering their art in functional forms such as home decor, apparel, or accessories.
What is the potential downside to prioritizing making money over the joy of the craft?
-The potential downside is that some artists may worry that focusing on making money could diminish their enjoyment of the craft. However, the video argues that prioritizing financial success can provide the freedom to enjoy the craft later when financial stability is achieved.
What is the role of supply and demand in pricing art on Etsy?
-Supply and demand play a crucial role in pricing art on Etsy. If there is no demand for an artist's work, it does not warrant high pricing. Artists need to create demand for their work to justify higher prices.
How can artists on Etsy improve their chances of making a full-time income with their art?
-Artists can improve their chances by focusing on creating art that is both aesthetically pleasing and functional, targeting profitable customers, adjusting their pricing to match demand, and building a strong brand and following.
Outlines
🎨 Navigating Etsy for Artists: Earning vs. Creativity
Dylan Jarus, in this video, discusses the misconception that Etsy is solely for artists. He emphasizes that to make significant money on the platform, artists must approach it as a business rather than an art gallery. He has assisted over 2,000 Etsy sellers in scaling their businesses, many of whom are artists. The video offers a 16-step checklist for growing an Etsy shop and categorizes artists into those with a strong following and those without. For artists without a following, Jarus suggests prioritizing making money over personal creative satisfaction, adapting art to cater to profitable customers, and considering the demand and pricing of their work. He also stresses the importance of turning art into functional items to increase sales and revenue.
💰 Profitable Art on Etsy: Adapting to Customer Preferences
The second paragraph focuses on the practical steps artists can take to increase their profitability on Etsy. It uses the example of a designer in the wedding fashion space, suggesting that she could target a different customer segment, such as elopement brides, and potentially charge higher prices. The summary advises checking pricing in relation to demand, creating a brand story, and turning art into functional items that appeal to customers. It also mentions the significant growth in sales that can be achieved by focusing on customer needs and offering products with utility and purpose, such as home decor or fashion items that incorporate the artist's designs.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Etsy
💡Artists
💡Revenue Generating Activities
💡Brand Following
💡Market Products
💡Priority
💡Supply and Demand
💡Functional and Accessible Items
💡Pricing Strategy
💡Customer-First Approach
💡E-commerce Principles
Highlights
Etsy is not an ideal platform for artists to simply showcase their creativity and make a substantial income.
Dylan Jarus has helped over 2,000 Etsy sellers scale their businesses to over $10 million in revenue.
Artists on Etsy need to approach sales differently based on whether they have a strong following or not.
For artists without a strong following, prioritizing making money over artistic fulfillment is crucial for success on Etsy.
Adapting your art to cater to profitable customers with expensive taste can lead to higher sales.
Artists should consider the demand for their work and adjust their pricing strategy accordingly.
Increasing the functionality and accessibility of art can lead to higher sales on Etsy.
New artists on Etsy are advised to focus on items with purpose, utility, and functionality.
Combining art with functional items can significantly increase an artist's income on Etsy.
A successful Etsy shop may require a shift from purely artistic creation to customer-focused product development.
Artists with a large following can leverage Google traffic and offsite ads for better visibility on Etsy.
The importance of understanding and targeting the right customer demographic for an artist's work on Etsy.
Artists are encouraged to create polls and engage with potential customers to gauge interest in their work.
The aesthetic and style of an artist's work may need to be adapted to match the tastes of their target market.
Etsy sellers, including artists, should focus on building their brand and audience for long-term success.
The video offers a 16-step checklist for growing an Etsy shop, which includes revenue-generating activities.
An artist's success on Etsy can be significantly improved by understanding corporate e-commerce principles.
The speaker's background in corporate e-commerce has been instrumental in achieving consistent results for Etsy sellers.
A case study of a wedding fashion designer's shop is used to illustrate how targeting a different customer base can increase pricing and sales.