NC Triangle Etsian

Karen from KarensSoaps is close to 450 sales this year alone!! Not bad I say. I have been lucky enough to meet Karen AND see her soaps up close and personal. I promise they smell as good as they look.

Here is a bit about Karen and how she does what she does!

Tell us about yourself..kids...hubby...favorite things.
-I grew up in upstate New York. From the time I was in elementary school, I wanted to live in North Carolina. I can’t remember how that came about, but it stayed with me. When I graduated from college, I packed up my car and moved. I currently live in Raleigh with my husband of 5 years, and our cat. I have a great career. I am the Director of Development and Training for a local restaurant franchise. I get to work with lots of wonderful people. I have a wide range of interests aside from making soap. I sew, I love to cook and bake (and sometimes enter pies at the state fair), I like to travel with my husband, and I recently took a sign language class. I am a green tea drinker and I read everything that James Patterson writes.
When did you get started with your craft?
-I began making soap about 5 years ago. All of my friends and family received soap for every occasion, and I also sold it at craft fairs. I am lucky enough to have a couple of local shops carry my soaps and bath salts. A co-worker told me about Etsy and a whole new world was opened up for me. I am so impressed with the site.
Since this is for etsy readers mostly--- How do you price your items?
-I like to keep my products affordable, and I don’t really make much money doing this. Glycerin based soaps are so much better for your skin than commercial soaps (which are actually detergents), and I want to share that with people.
How often do YOU list?
-I like to list a minimum of 2 to 3 times a day. The more I list, the more I sell. My favorite time to list is between 7 and 8pm. But, my real strategy is to check the B&B category and list when the views are high.
How do you promote on etsy?
-I love the forums and the chat rooms. They add that human connection that is my favorite part of Etsy. Sometimes I’m there to build awareness of my shop, but most of the time I’m there just for fun. The first 3 months I was on Etsy, I was in the forums for hours a day. It takes hard work to establish yourself on such a large site.
How do you promote off etsy?
-I always carry business cards with me. I also had a bumper sticker made that I attached to a magnet. I stick it on my car whenever it’s not raining. I created a myspace page, but I don’t do much with it. My best promotion is word of mouth. Happy customers might just tell their friends about me.
How long did it take for your first sale on etsy?
-I was very lucky. My first sale came the day after I started listing. I couldn’t believe it.
And how long before your sales were steady?
-That took about 3 months.
What is the number one advice you have for etsy sellers?
-I have a couple pieces of advice. 1) You are your own brand. Put your best foot forward when interacting in the forums and the chat rooms. 2) Wow your customers, the personal touch means a lot to buyers. 3) The more you put into it, the more you’ll get out of it. 4) Have fun!!!!
Anything else you want to tell us?
-I am so passionate about my “little business”. It brings so much to my life. The connections I have made with people through my soap is by far my favorite part. I have made so many new friends all over the world. I plan on keeping the fun going for many years to come!