Stacey Brook is a Writer, Blogger, Author

Ah, the dreaded profile. It’s a notoriously daunting piece of seller language to nail down. Even for a seasoned wordsmith, writing about yourself can be an intimidating prospect. As with any self-portrait, it’s tough to capture yourself at the perfect angle and incorporate all of your best attributes in the frame.

But writing your profile doesn’t have to be a baffling enterprise. Answering a few key questions, honestly and in detail, can provide the structure for an engaging, insightful picture of who you are and what you do. A creative, concise, well-constructed profile is essential to the success of any Etsy shop. No matter where you’re from and what you make, it is worth it to spend the time really fleshing out and polishing up your seller bio.

Two reasons your profile is important:

1. You are responsible for your buyer’s shopping experience. The difference between Etsy and many other online vendor platforms is that we try to make the online shopping experience feel as personal as purchasing from a local brick-and-mortar boutique. Your profile is the most humanizing portion of the Etsy sales experience. It is the equivalent of making conversation at the register. Think of that exchange and what might unfold during the interaction. Make it clear that you care about your customers enough to sate their curiosity. The more you can make the experience feel personal, the more buyers, especially first-time buyers are willing to make the leap. 
2. You deserve an opportunity to toot your own horn. You make wonderful things — handbags and cufflinks and armoires and a host of other goodies that take an enormous amount of energy and creativity to develop. The profile section is the place where you get to give yourself a little credit. Do yourself justice. Talk about your process, your ambitions, your creative inspirations. We know a lot of thought and energy goes into the items you make, so take some time with your bio and really make it shine.

Awaken Curiosity by missouribendstudio

Okay, so you know you need a profile. But how do you get started? Everyone knows one of the hardest tasks, even for seasoned writers, is to turn the focus inwards. But don’t fret! Here are some questions to help you get started. Not all of them will apply to you, but they are designed to inspire and get you thinking about what piques buyers’ curiosities. Especially with projects as tricky as the personal bio, I come from the school of “write first, edit later,” so put your pen to the paper and see what flows. You can always discard, revise and bolster your words later.

1. Who are you? What is your educational and/or artistic background? What are your hobbies?
2. Where are you from? How does your location/birthplace inform your work? 
3. What was the main inspiration for your shop? How did your business get its name? Name some objects/eras/events/people that inspire you. 
4. What do you make? How many varieties of items do you carry? Do you have a signature product? How did that come to be?
5. What materials do you use? Where do you source them from? Are they green/sustainable? 
6. What is your process like? How long does it take? What is the most difficult step in the procedure?
7.  Is there a funny/touching/sad story behind one/all of your items? 
8. What makes you different from the other people that make what you make? (Or why do I need what you make if no one else makes it?)
9. What do you enjoy most about making the things you make? How has the experience of handcrafting things for people or selling vintage been rewarding to you?
10. What are your shop policies? Sizing? Returns? Exchanges? Damage? Shipping? Accepted forms of payment? These things should actually go in your policies page (edit your policy page here), but it never hurts to include the link and point your visitors there should they be looking.
11. What are questions that come up from your buyers over and over? Do you have a product that is especially difficult to purchase sight unseen? Something people might want to sample before they commit? Try to anticipate the questions your buyers will ask and plug the holes as best you can.
12. What other special services do you offer to buyers? Custom orders? Gift wrap?
13. What is the easiest way to get in touch with you? How else can buyers connect with you? Your website? Facebook? Twitter? Do you have a newsletter?
14. Have you been covered by the press? Have you been profiled or highlighted by Etsy? Have you listed any other major accomplishments? (For creative use of press in profile check out happyfamily.)

Make A Point No. 2 Pencil Set by paperpastries

General Writing Tips:
Use humor. Don’t be overwrought or overwork it, but try to use language to delineate yourself and separate yourself from others. 

Make sure your description reflects why you are different, not just from mass-market items, but also from the other shops on Etsy. There are hundreds of metalworkers on the site. Without directly comparing yourself to others, or disparaging anyone else’s collection, tell us why your creations are different. What makes you stand out? Be clean, concise and complete. Try to maintain an air of professionalism, while still keeping it fun and making it personal.

OTHER DOs:

• Tell stories. Is there an interesting/relevant anecdote behind how your shop came to be? Did the accidental addition of an ingredient lead to a signature line of extra yummy cupcakes? Did an old photograph of your parents by the seashore inspire you to hand make vintage-style bathing suits? Even short, creative, fictional histories or anecdotes can add to the mystique of your items if executed well. Look to the creepy-charming description of seller rubypearl for some inspiration here.

• Did you say hello? Don’t forget to welcome us! Treat us like we’re entering your store. Make a good first impression. Thanking people and showing off your good manners never gets old. And engaging readers from the beginning will ensure they continue on to the rest of your valuable information.

• Lay out your points cleanly and concisely. Use titles to help draw the eye to the different topics you address. Try to avoid constructing one big block of text. Headings definitely help make profiles more readable, especially if you have a lot of information to impart. (Look at morrisonjewelry for an example of this.)

• Proofread! When a shopper encounters “free nipping” instead of “free shipping” in your profile or item descriptions, it doesn’t speak to your attention to detail. This is not a great impression to make as a seller of handcrafted items and/or custom goods. Proofreading is easy — it just takes an extra few minutes or a friend’s pair of eyeballs! Make sure you take a look at your profile both before and after you’ve posted it. Time and distance from what you’ve written will provide perspective. And remember, you can’t always see your own mistakes. Let friends and family members review your text after you post it to catch all the little things before your buyers do.

• Keep it concise. Make it interesting. Make it informative.

“Don’t Give Up tote bag” by printliberation

The DON’Ts:

• Don’t overload your profile with press clips. Including 2-3 items — what is essentially the highlights reel of your press coverage — will instill confidence in your buyers, but an assault of press clippings in the bio section really takes away from the homegrown feel. It’s important to find that balance of using press to prove the value of your items, while still leaving room for people to feel like they’re buying items that are unique. You still want it to feel like a discovery.

• Don’t direct people to your store’s website as your only profile item – it feels so cold and corporate. Include your web address and other contact information in the profile, of course, but it’s important to make buyers feel like they’re dealing with real people when they access your profile, versus detached redirection.

• Don’t assume people know anything about your shop or items or policies until you tell them. You are the direct vehicle for information to your sellers, and only you have the power to inform, and inform well.

Here are some more interesting profiles to sample: gildapearl, FablesByBarrie, trixiedelicious, cloudninevintage, happyfamily, samanthasultana, beanforest, rubypearl, percyhandmade, morrisonjewelry, NoushKaDesigns, steffmetal.

You can read more from Stacey in this post, A Different Thing Entirely: How to Distinguish Yourself From the Mass Market.

Douglas Rushkoff, filmmaker, scholar, media wunderkind and author of Life Inc., a manifesto of changing our culture of corporate-run consumption, spoke at Etsy headquarters recently. In addition to telling the tale of how corporate culture came to be, Rushkoff debunked the myth that industrialized production is more cost-effective than local production and trade, addressed how specialization is the territory of the handcrafter (not the worker on the assembly line), and emphasized the importance of the peer-to-peer exchange.

Etsy is one of the few organizations that is changing the way people buy and sell things in our culture. We are returning the value of what is created back to the hands of the creators. (That’s you!)

During the Q&A portion of the discussion, one Etsy seller, a furniture maker, asked how the value of a handmade object can be communicated to buyers who don’t necessarily understand the care and effort that goes into making objects outside the system of mass production. How do you show people the furniture you build with your own two hands in your garage is better than an IKEA chair?

Rushkoff’s answer was that you need to show people why your product is better. He talked about the first time he introduced his mother to a CSA salad, and how she said, “The arugula — it tastes different,” to which Rushkoff replied, “Yeah, it tastes like arugula, not like something engineered to be shipped across the country and picked when it’s blue. It’s a different thing.”

Rushkoff also observed that the Internet as an interface is an issue Etsy sellers have to contend with. It is difficult to display the value of objects, especially complex creations, through a computer screen. “You have to go on reputation,” Rushkoff said.

Based on the observations and studies of Rushkoff, and the vocalized concerns of Etsy sellers, it is clear we need to push our message of value to the Etsy buyer community. Luckily, both showing buyers the value of your product and enhancing your reputation are things sellers can proactively address; on your Etsy pages, and in your overall interactions with the buying community. It all comes down to two basic principles: Displaying Your Value and Making It Personal.

Displaying Your Value
As sellers on Etsy, makers of screenprinted notecards and homespun yarn and hand-sewn pillows, you can both qualify and quantify the amount of time and energy that goes into making things by hand. But not all buyers will understand this implicitly. People have become used to finding the same products in every store, and buying things wholesale. Here are some ways in which you can proactively impart the great value of your truly specialized, handmade products to potential buyers:

1. Make a Video: You make something by hand? Show me how. There is something deadening in the process of making a sweater pumped out of a factory line. What fascinates people is the hand construction process behind the 8-layer tulle skirt of a wedding dress. Or the steps involved in taking slabs of raw wood to a polished, working cabinet. Even a simple video showing the process behind making your screenprints or dying your fabrics will increase intrigue in your products. Look at how many people tune into shows like Project Runway just to see how the garments are made. The attention paid to your craft and the unique qualities of what results will be apparent.
   Check out the Etsy Process Videos to see some examples, or these posts to help you get started making videos.
2. Bolster Your Descriptions: What makes your product stronger or last longer than other mass manufactured items? Highlight these elements in your descriptions. Break down what terms like “serging” and “varnish” mean for the layman, especially if they add to your message of quality. Don’t assume your buyers understand these terms or the value they convey. Whether you make utilitarian items, or pieces of art, or objects that function as both (as many of the items on Etsy do), talk about the intricacies of your creations and how they’re made. What techniques do you employ to make the product last? What are your materials? Why did you choose them? What makes them special? Why can’t you get this item anywhere else? Buyers want to know.
   Check these seller how-to’s about writing descriptions.
3. Post the Right Pictures: When it all comes down to it, pictures tell the most. Supply shots from all angles. If you sell fine artwork, capture the wide shot and the details. Be sure to post pictures that show scale, especially for very large or very small items. If you list imperfections or describe special textures, show them. Make sure your buyers know they can request additional images if they have questions about the item’s quality/size, etc. You want to make the shopping experience for your buyers as multi-dimensional as possible.
   Check out these seller how-to’s about photographing your items.

Making It Personal
Another thing that stuck out in the discussion with Rushkoff was the disconnect between individuals and corporations. We have no relationships with these massive companies from which we buy so many of our possessions. At Etsy we have a unique opportunity to forge relationships with the buyers one-on-one. Here are a few ways to increase your interactivity with the Etsy shopper community and beyond:

1. Maximize Social Media: Open up your social media channels to your customer circles, not just your family and friends. On Etsy, your customers are your friends. Buyers who admire the things you make are often curious about the personalities and backgrounds of the people who make them. So build up those Facebook fans and Twitter followers. Post links to these pages in your announcements and have people email you to be added to your mailing lists. Invite people to get to know you better, and in turn, get to know them. Customers on the edge of making a purchase may discover random information about you — connect to the movies you like, or a book you’ve read — and purchase from you for the first time. Buyers who feel like they’re updated on your activities regularly (even if they’re simply following your feeds) will come back to you time and time again.
   Read this post about taking the time to be personal — and not being spammy.
2. Customize Your Packages: The receipt of a package from an Etsy seller is an exciting moment for buyers. Tailor the experience to each customer. Include a handwritten note. Say something about the particular item they have bought. When you open a television from Sears you get computerized paperwork and boring manuals. I’ve never once received a Halloween-themed notecard or an envelope full of confetti, or a heart-shaped lollipop in a department store box. Getting a package from an Etsy seller should simply be more interesting then the average consumer experience.
   Check out these seller how-to’s about packaging.
3. Customer Service is Key: You are your business on Etsy. You don’t have a bureaucracy to blame when shipments don’t go out, or when emails don’t get answered. Check your messages every day. Make sure you answer buyer questions promptly and thoroughly. You manage your own reputation, so show people that their experience with an independent seller will be positive and engaging. Proactively contact buyers who asked about items that were once unavailable and have now become available again. Show shoppers that they are not numbers, they are people you have logged in your memory. Offer small, private discounts to repeat customers as a token of your appreciation. Send notes to thank people when they buy something you have made.
   Check out the Service Tips for Sellers series.

Your products aren’t the blue arugula created on an assembly line by workers paid far too little and shipped across the country to big box warehouses who take all the money and credit for your blood and sweat. You make things and sell things you put your soul into. You need to impart that message to your buyers. You need to show them — it’s a whole different thing.