Not Selling Yet? 5 Questions to Ask Yourself - Part 2

We ran Part 1 of our Not Selling Yet? post yesterday, listing 5 questions to ask yourself when you find yourself in a sales drought.

Here's part 2, with another 5 questions to get you thinking of ways to jump start sales.

1. Am I driving traffic to my site?

It doesn't matter what site you use, be it Meylah, Etsy or Artfire, you can't just sit around and expect people to find you. Get off your behind and make it happen for yourself by being an active blogger, social networker and local maven. Be everywhere your target audience is and you'll see just how quickly your Google Analytics traffic jumps, as well as your sales.

2. Can people connect with me on a deeper level?

Stephanie Corfee, an artist and graphic designer, does an incredible job of showcasing her personality through her blog, which has helped her grow closer to readers and in turn, increased her sales and commissioned work. By telling your story and having your personality shine through in your listings, biography page and any other ways you can, you'll warm potential buyers up and interest them in your work on a much deeper level.

3. What does my site project?

You've got a lot of incoming traffic yet no major sales are coming your way. What gives?  Time to look at your site from an outsider's perspective (or better yet, get a few outsiders to take a look) and grade your site. Are you projecting cockiness or warmth? Professionalism or silliness?  Depending on the products you sell, you may need to fine tune the type of feel your site projects in order to land those customers time and again.

4. Am I networking to increase exposure?

Here's a little secret: sellers who start, grow and nurture relationships with online friends, peers and potential customers via social media like blogs and Twitter have an easier time making sales. I myself have purchased work from a seller who was mentioned by an online friend. Another friend told me about her friend's site and voila, I subscribed. In turn, I've received a lot of new business by friend referrals and knowing the right people.

Take time to network and form friendships with fellow sellers.  You will be amazed at just how valuable the friendship is for growing your business.

5. How does my time measure up?

I truly believe any type of activity you take part in, whether it be retaking photos, updating your fan page or chatting in a forum, can positively affect your business but there are two things to consider when doing them:

• Mix It Up: Keep your business activities varied for ultimate results. Spend 15 minutes on Twitter, an hour creating a new product, a few minutes writing thank you cards, and half an hour on learning a new technique. By mixing it up, you'll attract new customers with your fresh business practices.
• Gauge Your Success: Make sure all your marketing activities measure up. For example, if you've been advertising for a couple months yet haven't picked up new traffic or sales, it's probably time to try something else. Remember that with some sites, like Twitter, it doesn't happen overnight. Try jotting down your progress every week and looking for positive spikes to understand what's working - and what's not.

Justine Smith is an Etsy success story who used her experience selling online and turned it into a full-time wholesale business. Her real passion is helping handmade sellers find success marketing their craft products. She offers tips on advertising, branding, social media and growth via email through her blog Justine's Media.

Main image courtesy of mtsofan