Workshop Dates: Thursday October 24 thru Friday October 25 (2 Full Days)
Workshop Times: 9am – 6pm
Learn How to Create an Online Shop for your Craft Products!
Do you already make custom jewelry, decorative home items, or other handmade products for sale or gift giving? If so, this 2-day workshop will teach you how to start an online shop for your unique line of handcrafted items.
In partnership with Knoxville Entrepreneur Center and Etsy, a leader in e-commerce for creative entrepreneurs, we’re offering this free workshop to help craft makers like you establish an online business to sell your products to a wider market and earn extra income.
Craft Entrepreneurship classes are taught by successful online craft sellers who coach and support participants through every aspect of setting up their online shops. Using Etsy as a learning lab, teachers share best practices on topics that impact new sellers most, including time management, branding, pricing, shipping, and photography, to help them earn supplemental income through their craft business. To minimize startup costs, new sellers will be given the opportunity to list 20 items for sale for free on etsy.com. This program is designed for creative makers from underserved communities.
Eligibility requirements:
- Have at least one handmade item ready to sell
- Commit to attending both classes (18 hours total)
- Reside in the community
- Have a checking account and debit/credit card
- Have regular access to a computer with an internet connection
ETSY CRAFT ENTREPRENEURSHIP CURRICULUM
You can read more about the program at www.etsy.com/craftentrepreneurship
Below is the outline of what is covered in the workshops:
Lesson 1: Becoming an Entrepreneur
The objectives of this workshop are to give students an overview of Etsy as a selling platform, have them start their Etsy shops, and begin to identify who their target market is for their product(s).
- Introductions, Announcements, Course Overview
- Why Etsy
- Open Your Etsy Shop
- Intro to Identifying Your Target Customer
Lesson 2: Building and Marketing a Brand on Etsy
The objectives of this lesson are to introduce students to the importance of branding and understand how to apply basic branding principles in their shops and how to maximize SEO in their listings by practicing with two examples.
- Intro to Branding
- Foundations of a Cohesive Etsy Shop
- Getting Found in Search: Search Engine Optimization on Etsy.
Lesson 3: Business Logistics
The objectives of this class are to introduce students to basic business expense recording, price one item in their shop, and grasp the importance of planning ahead for packaging and shipping details.
- Tracking Expenses
Lesson 4: Photography
The objective for this lesson is for students to take, edit and upload five pictures for one item in each student’s shop.
- Product Descriptions
- Intro to Photography
- Photo shoot
- Editing Photos
- Shop work session
Lesson 5: Strategies for Growth
The objectives of this class are to introduce students to marketing, specifically social media marketing, communicate the value of exceptional customer service, and have students understand the importance of time management to help reach their shop goals.
- Intro to Marketing
- Social Media Marketing
- Customer Service
- Time Management
- Future Resources
- Pricing Items for Profit
- Packaging and Shipping
- Downloading the Sell on Etsy App
Lunch and light snacks will be provided.
About the presenter
Alaina Smith has ties to both Nashville and Knoxville, TN. She received her BFA in printmaking and minor in Art History at the University of TN. Since graduating, she manages a local handmade store in downtown Knox and creates leather goods for Cold Gold. She is owner, maker, and designer.
Pricing
This workshop is part of the Craft Your Commerce 2019 Series: Marketing for Makers being offered by Mountain BizWorks, Center for Craft, and UNC Asheville. The series includes an introduces an opening half-day event, four deep-dive workshops, and two special cohort courses for makers. The sessions work great on their own, but they’re also designed to build upon one another and we encourage you to consider participating in the full series. Get your series pass on the 2019 Series page here; else continue below for individual tickets to this workshop. Limited financial need-based scholarships are available. To apply for a scholarship please continue to this form. UNC Asheville students are also eligible for scholarships; contact Brent Skidmore for details.
| Ticket Pricing | Early-Bird Thru 8/25 |
Regular Starts 8/26 |
| Etsy Craft Entrepreneurship Workshop | Free | Free |
Due to the limited space, the Etsy Craft Entrepreneurship Workshop is not included in the Half or Full Series Pass. Preference will be given to low to moderate income participants.
Please fill out the following form to be considered for the workshop:
Etsy Craft Entrepreneurship Registration Form
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