How papermichelle 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?
I opened my shop in 2009.At that time, I was making handmade cards for friends and family from cut paper and a Gocco screen printer because I couldn’t find anything I liked in stores. I was encouraged by others to try to sell my designs, so I opened PaperMichelle on Etsy. Over time, the cut paper designs became inefficient, and I moved to all screenprints. I have very recently started to revamp my shop to include print on demand and digital designs.
Most of my designs include elements of humor, puns, dark humor, hip-hop references, and anything "cute." By day, I am a middle school science teacher, so I find a lot of inspiration in the things my students say and do. They’re pretty funny. Absolutely ruthless, but funny. I sell at several brick-and-mortar shops in the Midwest as well as in my Etsy shop.
Favorite items
What are your favorite items? What makes these so special? Why do you think these items might be selling well?
My favorite design came from real-life experience with my dog, Gertie. She steals our socks and sleeps on them whenever she can. I had no idea this was a common dog behavior, but lots of people have shared their "dog and sock" stories over the years, and I love that personal connection with my customers.
Beyond that, I am loving some of the new designs. It is fun to feel excited about it all again after a creative block during the pandemic.
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?
My first order took about a week, and I was absolutely FLABBERGASTED that anyone would pay actual money for something I made. I literally screamed, jumped up and down, etc. Today, I use social media, Etsy promotions, and online ads to attract customers to a somewhat niche market. My style is definitely not for everyone, so I have to find my people.
Managing papermichelle
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?
I pretty much do everything on my own. My husband has a background in graphic design, so he’s done his share of helping along the way, but I try to only do what I can handle. I’ve taken some of the burden off of him by utilizing Canva for some of the design elements, so that’s been a fun learning curve.
The future of papermichelle
What goals do you have for your shop in the future?
I’m hoping that PaperMichelle 2.o, the revamped version, continues to be successful. I’d love to be able to really supplement my teaching income with the work I do here, because, as everyone knows, teachers make fat banks. Aside from the dollars and cents part of it, my goal is for it to continue to be a fun creative outlet that isn’t drudgery to work on. That’s when I’ll close up shop.
Advice for new sellers
What’s your advice for a new seller starting an Etsy shop?
A couple things:
- Don’t get discouraged if you’re not an instant success.
- Make sure you are providing a niche product because a lot of areas are saturated (like greeting cards).
- Spend some time doing some market research on your competitors, pricing, and search terms (tags).
- Use social media to promote your work, and try to be consistent. I struggle with this!
