Help with my etsy shop - eco-friendly (dare I say permaculture) handmade textiles and yarns

I want to revive my etsy shop.  As good as I am at making stuff, I suck at marketing and selling.  It feels like it takes time away from making things so it's difficult to muster enthusiasm for it.  So I thought, 'why not make it fun and ask permies for help.  Those guys know everything.'  So here I am.  

A new name and logo:  



In the past, I was known as trampledbygeese because of an old Kierkegaard quote.  That's what my shop was called.  I have outgrown this name, but I can't think of a better one.  Any thoughts?

I'm now a fibre farmer, meaning that I live on a farm and grow textiles as well as food and other things.  This is what I plan to sell in my shop.  Homegrown textiles, everything from raw materials through to finished cloth (and eventually clothing).  I also plan to sell some dry herbs and other foodstuffs like smoked hot peppers, but not so much of this.  

The main focus is farm and textiles.  

Also, I grow and process these textiles using traditional techniques and focus on working with the natural environment instead of damaging it.  

I want a name that will grow with me.  Something flexible that I can use for a variety of different occasions (like farmers markets, craft fairs, as well as online)

I can only change my name once on etsy, so it's got to be a good one.  

Then of course, I need a logo/picture to go with my new name.

Better quality photos:

I need to get better at taking photos.  

People who see my yarn in person can see right away that the quality is better than many handspun yarns.  They can touch and feel it.  It's very easy to get over $55 a skein for my yarn when the person is there, in the flesh.

But how to create that same sensation when the buyer can't touch or feel the yarn?  A good photo would help.

I took these the other day and I'm really not happy with them.







and here's what the yarn looks like when knitted on an antique knitting machine



Used in both warp and weft (this yarn is Jacob)



I think the word is lacklustre.  Even though I took them in indirect sunlight, the colours don't come through well.  

Either I need to find someone to trade yarn for better photos or, more likely, I need to improve my technique.  


Anyway, these are my thoughts so far.  Loads more to work on before I'm ready to re-open my shop.

I like the goose on the bicycle. Was that your old logo? I actually think your photo's look good. What kind of camera are you using? Years ago I bought my wife a Nikon D5100 to replace her little point & shoot automatic digital camera about the size of a pack of cigarettes. I can't remember what kind it was it's been so long since I've seen it, but we both noticed the improvement in the quality and detail in the pictures, and I'm guessing that's a more megapixel thing, maybe better lenses helped too, I don't know -  I'm not really a technologically savvy person.

Does your camera take interchangeable lenses and if so, do you have a macro lens? That might help convey the softness and quality of your textiles with super up-close shots showing all the fibers.

Here's a few ideas..

A Good Ole' Yarn.. Has a double meaning as Yarn could mean Tale or Story to some

Mother Goose.. As in the Nursery Rhymes .. Gives a Whimsical Feel to your Shop

Goose.. As in Maverick's Sidekick in Top Gun.

GeeseZ Rider .. a play on Easy (or EZ) Rider.. or Geesey Rider or Geesie Rider or Geese-Z Rider for the same play on Easy Rider just with a couple of options at different spellings..

And you wouldn't have to change your Logo for any of the Store (Shop) Names because "A Good Ole' Yarn" could be a Tale or Story spun about a Goose Riding A Bicycle..

If you decide to change your Logo there's names like

Homespun or Home Spun

Spinner

Weaver

Dreamweaver

Spinster - another one with a double meaning (actually triple meaning if you know anyone who's ever been to a Spin Class) and you could have fun with..

Ole' Spinster.. Old Spinster.. again more than one meaning and you could have fun with it..

Giving And Growing

Growing And Giving

Prospering

Sewn Talents or Talents Sewn .. if you want or don't mind a recognizable Bible Reference..

Knit Up if you want something funny.. (think "Nut up")

Long Spun Yarn - A long story or tale or an actual long spun yarn..

A few other name ideas:

Fairs and Markets

Fair Market

Market Fair

Fair Made (a play on Fair Maid)

Farm To Market

Or go with Initials

Like if your Initials are J.O. .. J.O.'s Market .. just put your Initials in front of the word Market, Shop or Store.. or take the initials from a Store or Shop Name you like..

Like your Shop Name used to be TrampledByGeese.. TG's Market, TG's Shop, TG's Store, etc.. or say you like a name I suggested like Giving and Growing but say it's one you can't use because it's not available.. try GG's Market, GG's Shop, GG's Store, GO's Boutique, etc.. until you find one that works for you and the Sites you're using to sell on..

Have fun. Go with something you like or can or will have fun with or something that just clicks and feels right.

You never know.. if you just get back into the swing of selling your products at fairs and farmers markets without worrying about a name, a name might come out at you like a bolt of lightning..

Let me know if you liked or even hated any of my name ideas.. I could and probably will think of others and I don't want to head in the wrong direction when it comes to giving suggestions like this

ooh.. your Initials are R.R. or at least that's what I'm guessing .. (ps.. the example of J.O. in my last list of suggestions was just an example of suggestions because I forgot sometimes people have their actual names or initials in the header.. I'm so used to Screen Names and Pen Names)

You could totally use R.R.'s Crossing or something like that and upgrade your bicycle riding goose to a Train Conducting Goose.. it would be super cute

Fiber, Farm & Fun
Triple F
FiberFarmFun
FiberFingers
FingerFarm

Tendril has both a fiber and plant/farm feel to it...


Could you please post some samples photos that you really like? We might be able to help reverse engineer them...

For better color on the photos, building something that resembles a studio light box might help to control the light. Photography is mostly about light. Better light is cheaper than a better camera that takes good pictures in bad light. Here is a decent video about this type of thing:



Hope that gives you some ideas...

I think the trampled by geese is a bit down beat and not in control name I think an up beat name would be better .
Many of the names above would do .
Natural yarn for Ewe :-)

David

Business names are difficult...I never liked 'cute' ones and then, unless you already have the market, something too obtuse or ambiguous doesn't always work either.  

I really feel that whatever you decide to name your business, it needs to tell your story....as does your tag.......as do your photos....and all, since what you are actually selling includes you, a whole lifestyle.

I think your customers who pay the price are the ones who want to know where things come from, how they are made, etc.  Your business name should could reflect the whole package.

I used 'Improvisation Rags' for awhile as it fit my recycled work and my love of jazz...went right over the heads of most folks unless I was there to explain.  I ended up having a tag on my work that looked like a Dr. Bronner's castile soap label, a clear explanation of where I was coming from in my work....and that worked well when I wasn't there for the customer to connect to.

From ewe 2 U

Your yarn sounds wonderful! Regarding photos, they are, of course, rather important, especially in our visually oriented society. That being said, a light box, as was already mentioned, is a good idea and quite easy to make. I made mine in about 15 minutes. Also, I would suggest to place the yarn on something natural. Most of the pictures you are currently showing look like the yarn is sitting on some type of vinyl or pleather which does not go with what your yarn is about and does it no justice. It is the antithesis to it! I would place the yarn on something natural and neutral in color, but not as soft, such as jute or sisal. This way it keeps with the natural theme, yet is not as soft as the yarn, thereby highlighting the softness of the yarn. Placemats can be found of those materials and are reasonably priced.
Good luck with your store! I only use 100% wool when knitting and can only imagine how wonderful it feels to work with handmade yarns. One day I hope to be in the financial position to try it and when I am, I will look up your Etsy store. So please keep us posted as to its grand opening!

I like Darlene's suggestion of "A Good Ole' Yarn".      I've been reading your posts here for years and you do like to tell a story, haha!   Whatever you do with the name, be sure and tell your stories in your shop, whether in your profile, or a video, or in your listing descriptions.   I'm a sucker for a personal connection to the seller when I buy :)

I'm an Etsy shop owner too (Comfort Covers), and have always believed it's best to choose a business name that says what your core business is (marketing classes in business school).   That will attract people interested in your product before an esoteric name will.  I know you want to broaden your offerings and you can use those words in search tags and titles.   Also, Etsy search is frustrating to me and the goose name is too long to remember and get the spelling right, (even for people who already know you) to find you easily again.    I too struggle with photos, especially with fibers as they absorb the light.   I even had a photography tutor who didn't help, I'm just a technology dummy I'm afraid so I can't help there but it is crucial for you I think.   Color and texture are everything with yarn and I must say a couple of your pictures look more like a twine texture than soft and cuddly.

My experience with growing my business has been that the more you sell, the more google relevancy you'll gain and it will grow faster over time (give it a year or more).  So it seems to help to renew items routinely when they're not selling.   And social media linked to Etsy (pinterest in particular) might be your best promotion.  Vignette photos of your loom, spinning wheel, finished garments - try to tell a story in one photo.     Examine your fellow yarn sellers on Etsy to get ideas for search tags and titles.  Definitely spend some time in the Etsy forums and Success Team for a plethora of tips and ideas.  


Best of luck!

Wow, some really good ideas here.  I can see I have a lot of work to do.

The more I think about the name, the more I want it to be related to the farm and less about me or be yarn-specific.  We're in the process of renaming the farm and haven't come up with one we like yet, so we could work textiles in there somehow.  

The store is going to be under the farm business paperwork and not mine specifically so I worry about choosing a name that is too focused on me since there's a lot of other things going on at the farm and it's evolving as we learn and try new things.  

Name
Many people new to e-commerce or business ventures put too much focus on figuring out aspects that are irrelevant in the bigger picture. Figuring out "the right name" really doesn't matter at the start, especially online where people are searching via product names more so than store names.

McDonalds, Wal-Mart, Nike - no one thinks about the meaning behind the names when they buy products there. Additionally, there are plenty of businesses, at least in Sask, that are in the simple format of "Name+Service" which no one seems to mind. Ex. Joe's Seed Cleaning, Bill's Repair Shop, Bob's Diner etc. The name of the business is just a means of association with the products. "Oh, Ranson Textiles, Textile-Mart, Yarn-In-My-Barn, FibresR'Us that place with the really good alpaca fibres? Yeah I know them." It is your products+advertising that are the meaningful portion to your customers.

I'd wait for now with the name change until you have a clearer vision for what your business is about.  

Marketing
It's entirely possible you struggle with marketing because you do not know what market your products are aimed at in an e-shop environment. It could be that you have not given yourself a directive yet :) (permaculture reference)

From your explanation though, 1 major audience is pretty clear to me:

r.ranson wrote: People who see my yarn in person can see right away that the quality is better than many handspun yarns.  They can touch and feel it.  It's very easy to get over $55 a skein for my yarn when the person is there, in the flesh.

It would seem you have a following in your local area for the products you offer. B.C is a large market as it is, not to mention how trendy/eco-orientated Vancouver on its own is, so even if your Etsy store is online it may be best to orient your store towards B.C customers/culture. (orientating your business name towards this idea might be a good move to.)

Right now you have a small Etsy shop with 39 reviews. If the goal is to get some momentum in e-commerce, then the next step is to transfer your local/social capital to the online world.

In the online world, it is statistically documented that buyers tend to go with the product or shop with the most reviews, as long as they are generally positive that is. I would make an effort to get your local customers to make at least 1 purchase through your Etsy store once it's up again and to leave a review of the product they bought. Otherwise, hoping that people on the internet will decide to purchase from your small store compared to the 100's of others is very much in the realm of wishful thinking. As a person looking for a product online, this factor resembles a sort of a herd mentality dynamic.

Advertising/Promotional Aspects

Along with the previously mentioned techniques for improving the lighting in photos, I think a more appropriate setting might be even more important.

I've noticed many shops going for natural pictures taken outside rather than trying to imitate such conditions inside. A Cast Iron foundry I looked at recently has their products out on the grass, such as this cauldron. In this example, the outdoor setting plays another role as a buyer is likely going to use that cauldron to make a stew outside in the summer or on a camping trip. Try to take pictures in scenarios where people will be using your products. It's the same way the fashion industry has models for their products - it's about visualization for the customer. An example of this would be taking a picture of your yarn products while incorporating your loom in somehow.

You mentioned about wanting to find a way to offer people online the sensation of being able to touch your yarn. The typical way this is done is by offering free samples. As long as it's financially viable for you: If someone orders a product from your store, include a short strand or 2 of a different kind of fabric that is tied to a business card.

---

I actually had a large write up here for this last part, but I'll summarize it as this: The same way you can transfer your local capital into getting some momentum into your Etsy shop, you could later on use your Etsy-base to move momentum to a site of your own. Etsy is no longer really about craftspeople trying to make a living, it's more just about crafts and craft-like products. (referencing them allowing chinese wholesale goods to be passed off as "handmade" - this hurts legit tradespeople a lot)

But yeah, you gotta start somewhere so Etsy seems good for now. Just some food for thought.  

P.s The meaning behind TrampledByGeese I think is a good one, but that's just me. "Life can be rough, but as long as you've got nice alpaca socks you're doing okay". (Some guys made a big business out of this philosophy, I saw some kind of documentary on it once. Life is Good Co. )

I love your logo it's great! For the photos I would go the easy way, shoot them outside! Near a bunch of flowers in a paddock, hung over a rustic fence, so much easier and nicer than a lightbox and of course you wearing it hanging it over your shoulders... telling a story a lifestyle with photos. You should write a blog every week. And maybe an instagram feed. A friend of mine owns this and is quite sucessful: https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/piggledee (not rich though). Don't give up on your prices!

Reading and mulling over all the good advice in this thread, I'm thinking that 40% commision isn't such a bad exchange for someone else to do the marketing for me.  That's what the local yarn shop gets, but his audience is local.  Also, his audience is yarn shoppers.  I want a venue that I can sell more farm products on.  

So I'm thinking what is the aim of my etsy shop?  

To sell textiles, handspun yarn, weaving, raw materials, tools, and other things.  But also to sell things we create on the farm.  Basically, it's a way to reach people who are interested in stuff we create on the farm.  One of what will be several ways I suspect.  But etsy is the easiest way for me, so I'll start there.

That brings us to the aims of the farm.  It's getting to the point now where we need to name the farm and register it as a business.  So far it's been breaking even with little to no effort on the marketing front, but if we want enough money to expand the projects and maintain the infostructure then we need to do something more.  

Is the word I'm looking for 'business plan?'  

If it is, then I wonder if answering these questions would be a good starting place for us.

Vision: Describe, in two sentences or less, the overarching vision and mission of your farm. What drives you?

Products: What products or services does (or will) your farm business offer?

Production: Briefly outline how you will produce these products.

If veggies or fruits, when will you plant, how will you cultivate or irrigate, and when/how will you harvest, store, and transport the crops? If livestock, when will you breed and birth animals, and when will they be ready for market?
Markets: Where and how will you sell your products, and who will buy them? What prices will you get?

Revenue: How much of each crop or product will you sell and how much revenue will it generate? What are your fixed and variable expenses?

What do you think, is this the right a good track?

From the perspective of someone who wants to buy yarn for hand-knitting, getting to feel it is not something that can be replaced by a photo.
How about selling samples (2" - 10" each) taped to paper (on one or two sides)?

First it was questions for your etsy shop now it is were to go in general. The general thing first. And do one or two things right rather than five half ways. I would try two. or one and expand. I read somewhere why they are not selling on ebay. Basically it was because 1. they don't want to be dependant on a bog company 2. you can't build a brand. Same for etsy, but I would keep it but always put a business card in your parcels with your own webpage.

a word I've always been fond of is "petrichor" - the sweet smell of dust after rain.  

My labels for my woven cloth have arrived!  They state that the cloth is handwoven and the fibre content.  

I had a lot of trouble this Holiday season giving handwoven towels as gifts.  Some people were pretty offended that I thought they needed towels so much that I went out and bought them... only when they found out they were handwoven, they were thrilled.  I'm thrilled they couldn't tell that they were handmade towels.  These labels should fix this problem and it means that I can now ship my handwoven goods to the US.  

really tell a story with pictures and words, a lifesyle, it's about feelings.

Just a quick note...and you probably already know this...but...one person had said to get your customers to purchase through your etsy shop and leave a review. Well , if you know they *won't* leave a review, you can still use the sell now page and have the sale added in (numbers wise) to your etsy account.
Also a note on photography...taking pictures in indirect light is good, it's even better when the sky is overcast. Or using the lightbox. I also second the idea of using a softer natural material under your yarns. (If you visit my shop...not all my pictures are great, I'm trying out a couple different cameras and playing with what I like.)
There were a couple names I liked from the lists...but it does sound like you need a bit more of a farm name first. And...if etsy is the selling place... I second the suggestion to make it simple! I have a couple friends on etsy and whenever I want to look for their stuff I search it in google instead of etsy because their names are a little hard to spell/complicated and the esty search engine is so word specific!

I also agree with taking pictures outside on a cloudy day. Which, is easier said than done when it's often raining.... Taking pictures on natural surfaces is nice, too. Perhaps draping the yarn over the spinning wheel and taking it outside, or against a wooden or succo background?

I personally like "Trampled by Geese"--it's whimsical and earthy with farm-y connotations that also says natural. But, it doesn't say sheep. Hmmm, what if it was "Trampled by Sheep" or "Trampled by Sheep Farm"? That gives the feeling of wool and farm and whimsical and fun and earthy. And, it's still broad enough to encompass other things that you sell, too!

I think the pictures have to reflect lifestyle, that's what you are selling. You are selling to people who earn 200K and have no time for lifestyle. So hang you yarn over an old wooden fence. Shoot some pictures in the kitchen with your towels with homegrown produce..... People wearing your stuff. Selling is hard! It is easier to produce something.

Angelika Maier wrote:I think the pictures have to reflect lifestyle, that's what you are selling. You are selling to people who earn 200K and have no time for lifestyle. So hang you yarn over an old wooden fence. Shoot some pictures in the kitchen with your towels with homegrown produce..... People wearing your stuff. Selling is hard! It is easier to produce something.

Ooooh, they're probably going to want to see the sheep. If you can hang the yarn on the fence or spinning wheel with the sheep out of focus in the background, that would be wonderful. You could even add some pretty pictures of the sheep, too, so that the buyer knows that their yarn is coming from happy sheep that are well taken care of.

I like the picture of the weaving still on the loom. That really shows that it is handmade. You could also take some finished one outside and hang them on a clothesline or folded carefully over a wooden fencepost  (bonus if there are sheep in the background for either of these pictures).

r ranson wrote:a word I've always been fond of is "petrichor" - the sweet smell of dust after rain.  

I love petrichor, too; though spelling is something to think about.

Most folks would be able to spell "Trampled by Geese" but might be lost in trying to spell Petrichor Farm or Petrichor Homestead Goods or Petrichor Dell. Speaking of "Dell," I found that word in this old thread about naming a farm which might help with further name brainstorming. Though I think if you land on a name that really resonates with you, and as Jarret implied, whether it's tough to spell or tells a story or not, building your brand is the key.

Having fun and joy with the brand, the name, the style, seems to make everything flow a bit more. It might even make the marketing more easy. (I'm such an accountant that I suck at that kind of creative, free-flowing fun! I'm more about all the careful, cautious details, however fortunate/unfortunate that might be.)

My business logo is an alchemilla (lady's mantle) leaf. Alchemilla is not a commonly known word, and both since the the spelling can be a challenge and it's already used as a domain(s) for very different things than what I do, I chose to not use "alchemilla" as a name in my business stuff. In the end, I went with my name for my business URL, though a lot of people don't know how to spell Jocelyn, either. (Okay, and my website is over EIGHT years old and not updated, so if you look, don't be too appalled...I haven't needed any new clients in quite some time! The few new clients I've accepted are all referrals.) A little tangential perhaps, but in the interest of examples and further brainstorming, perhaps there's a useful tidbit somewhere.

One thing I noticed when I was researching pictures, is that products with a light coloured background are more likely to be pinned or shared.  I'm torn.  I want the pictures to tell a story, but I also don't want to distract too much from the product.  I definitely need to experiment some more.  

I've noticed that a lot of etsy postings will have multiple pictures for each product. So, there could be one on a nice light background to show off the yarn and make it really visible and pin-able, and then a few that tell the story. I know when I go to etsy, I like being able to see the item in various lighting, angles, and scenarios, and I look through all of the pictures on the things I'm interested in. Perhaps have the main picture be the one with the light background, while the other pictures for the item be the ones that tell a story. And, for experiment-sake, have some items have the "story" picture as the main picture. That way, those looking for a story will click on that one, and those looking at just the yarn might click on the other bundle of yarn with the light background.

I was looking through some of your pictures by clicking on the reviews, and I really think you've got great balance in the pictures. I like the background white you used for the darker yarns and wood for the lighter yarns. I love the sheep and geese photo! It looks like the quality of lighting and the clarity could be improved in some of them...it makes me wish your shop was open now! My fingers are itching to crochet!

Hi R Ranson,

I would suggest you post one or two items and get your shop opened ASAP.   Why?  That open button is a hairy beast.   You have nice stuff so don't worry too much about perfection in the beginning.   My shop isn't the greatest and I still sell.  

You can find me on Etsy at Adzewoodcraft.etsy.com  on Instagram I'm Adzewoodcraft with no space

Instagram is fantastic for all of the fiber arts as is Ravelry (You probably already know that.)  Once you get in touch drop me a message on Instagram I would be happy to help you out.

Scott

I posted something in my shop.
Still having trouble getting gorgeous pictures.  

https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/trampledbygeese

It needs a lot more work, but it's a start.  

I'll write a story for this yarn later.  But in the meantime, is there any vital information missing?  Should I be suggesting needle size for knitters or epi for weavers?  
What actual size they use depends on their preference and what kind of fabric they want to make, but maybe it would be helpful to give them a starting place?

Needle-size would be super helpful. I always look at needle-size when buying yarn. I usually go down a few needles when knitting, but really use the needle size as a "gauge" of what type of projects I can use the yarn for. You could always do a range, too, like "needle size 2-4." I honestly have no idea how to figure out the thickness of yarn by it's weight and length, so having the needle size is super useful. The crochet hook size would likely be helpful for crocheters, too.

Have the needle size might also help with people searching for yarn. So, if someone searches "handspun yarn needle size 4" your yarn will hopefully pop up.

I think the pictures look really nice! The yarn looks super soft. *Drool*

I made some changes.

The fibre I used for this listing is not homegrown.  But it comes in something like 50 different colours plus a few naturals.  It's very easy to work with so I'm starting with that.  I can also get an almost unlimited supply.  The white fibre costs a lot less than the other colours, including the naturals, so I'm pricing it lower.

I'm thinking of offering a significant discount for made-to-orders over 1 kilo of this type of yarn.

Your yarn is beautiful! I've recently started crocheting again, and have consumed many, many blogs and you tube video tutorials. If you want to minimize your marketing time, you might consider reaching out to the popular crochet and knit bloggers to feature your yarn in a garment how-to video and add an affiliate link to drive traffic your way. One particular crochet blogger is now teaching people how to generate income from blogging/tutorials/handmade design. She posts her monthly income and the sources--very transparent and informative. She has figured out how to work with the major yarn companies and also provides free, independent, quality content. It would be great to see homespun fibers get a boost from folks who have navigated this space successfully. I'd sure prefer to by closer to the source and know the story behind the yarn I use.

Hi! I like the changes you made to the post. It's nice to have an approximate needle size. As a crocheter I would appreciate a hook size also. Also, you might want to list the discount for a kilo or more in oz. or lb.'s. I really like how you put in what you used to dye your sample with what a neat detail! And I think your pictures look stellar. Very pretty, good detail, nice background, they look inviting... :)

How about this one?  https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/604207919/



I decided to offer two skeins together in one listing since that's what the etsy shop I buy the most yarn from does.  

I also added my typewriter in some of the pictures because it's such a big part of my life right now.

ops, I didn't realize I had the prices set in USD.  It's Canadian now.  More reasonable, but also slightly depressing when I see what the exchange rate is.  

I just discovered I still have that 20% discount on orders over USD$25 coupon active in my Etsy store that I set up for PIE supporters.  

I'm going to leave it active because I think people who support permies deserve a treat.  I just can't remember where the thread in the top-secret PIE only forum I shared the coupon code is.  

The name has been changed!

What do you think?  

(and yes, maybe I didn't say what the name was in hope of driving up the view count on the shop... just a little.  shop still needs a lot of work, but bigger projects have taken over temporarily.)

I like it! I think it has the same sort of vibe as Trampled by Geese (which I also liked!). It's fun, it paints a picture of your place, and says "farm." All good things!

I set up a new discount code for my shop.  I'm not sure if it works, but here it is.

this link should take you somewhere that gives you free shipping on orders over $50CDN

If that doesn't work, the code is (I'll put this in the PIE forum soon)

Anyone know how to discover if this is working without actually making a purchase?