How MnmlPortraitArt got started

Introduce your Etsy shop and tell us your story. How did you begin and decide on what to sell on Etsy, and how do you create your products?

Hello! I’m Alexandra, illustrator, creator, and manager of MnmlPortraitArt. I started actively working on my Etsy store in December 2020. By then I already had two years of experience as an illustrator for children's books. I was searching for my style of drawing and had tried caricatures, detailed, sophisticated portraits, and many more. I noticed this trend on Etsy for minimalist faceless illustrations, and it was it. I knew I could draw it (btw, I work in Procreate), and I liked the style—it felt so fresh—so I decided to give it a try. First portraits took too much time and many changes until the client and I were satisfied, but I kept learning, and now I draw fast and with minimal edits.

Favorite items

What are your favorite items? What makes these so special? Why do you think these items might be selling well?

I love them all for sure, but this year’s bestseller is special to me. This is a wedding generational portrait where I usually gather a bride-to-be, her mother and grandmother as brides on their wedding days.It makes a really precious and touching gift for the mother and grandmother of the bride. And certainly it’s a pleasure for me to draw.

Custom Generational Wedding Portrait, Mother of the Bride Gift, Digital Faceless Illustration, Grandmother, Mother Gift from Daughter

And the second my favorite is this one. It's not a bestseller, although a popular item, but I love creating a large family portrait, adding those who passed but always in hearts.

Large Family Portrait Illustration, Custom Digital Memorial Portrait, Faceless Custom Illustration, Minimalist Portrait, Memorial Keepsake. 

Getting sales on Etsy

How long did it take for you to earn your first sale and how do you currently attract customers to your Etsy shop?

I made the first sale in a week or two, I believe. Now I realize I was lucky to start in a high season—pre-holiday December—when people were actively searching for unique custom gifts. What makes people purchase now is definitely great reviews, videos in listings, and the new Etsy app section. I’m also working on Instagram and have ongoing Etsy ads and sales.

Managing MnmlPortraitArt

How do you manage your shop? Are you running solo or do you have any team members? What tools or services do you use to run your shop and how do you handle fulfillment?

Now I have me mostly as a manager and 2 more illustrators. I use Erank and Google Analytics for trends and tags. We sell digital items so I just send emails with files, many emails :) Most of the organizational processes are just in my head, it’s routine already.

The future of MnmlPortraitArt

What goals do you have for your shop in the future?

Goal #1 is to have at least the same order number this year because I see the faceless trend going down, so it’s my task now to find some trendy ideas for illustrations. But I’m always trying new items, so I believe we’ll hit 7K sales this year (now it’s 4,848 sales).

Advice for new sellers

What’s your advice for a new seller starting an Etsy shop?

Be persistent. Analyze trends, select a niche, create at least 10 listings, and do the best you can. When the first customers come, make them satisfied and ask them to leave a review. When you feel sad, read the review and keep going.

Some sellers really get inspired by hearing numbers. Feel free to share these if you like.

Question: How much is your monthly revenue?
Answer: 3000

Question: What is your shop’s conversion rate?
Answer: 2.9‍

Alura Team
Alura Team

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