How To BNS 247 Style

Welcome to Metzli's officially unofficial guide to having a successful BNS experience, 247 style ;)  As a leader at the wonderful BNS247 Team, I've gotten the privilege of seeing many shops successfully promote their business via our BNS rounds.  How do they do it?  Well, they network.  Happy BNS'ers know that BNS Treasuries are all about seeing and being seen.

This is Libbie, she LOVES to be seen :)

Getting Started: You're on a board :)  Congratulations, you've been featured!  What now?

STEP 1:  Stop by the treasury and give it a big, fat, heart.  Done?  Now, go into the comments, and write something.  Your comment can be a simple hello, a flashy "sales dust fairy," or a blatant advertisement such as:  "Thank you for featuring my Washi Tape!  I just received fun, floral, Spring patterns."  Remember, you are here to be seen AND start letting other Shop Owners get to know you. Etsy Sellers are Etsy Shoppers too, so be the person your customers want you to be:  You.  

STEP 2:  Interact.  Take the time to know the shops you are featured with; click on their listings, heart listings you like, read about their shop and process, policies, and other media.  How many sales do they have?  How many listings are in their shop?  Are their sections clearly defined?  Do they have good tags and titles?  What do you like about their shop?  What are they doing right??  What can you learn from them?    This is a good time to Pin and Tumbl, Tweet or otherwise promote your peers.  The button for these social media pages is right on their listings.  Hopefully, you'll start to see why Shop Owners keep buying into BNS Rounds.  You'll find some REALLY nice, well priced and useful wares.  Learn from the positives, avoid duplicating the negatives.  

Example of really nice wares by TkCo

Be graceful during this step.  There is no rule that says you have to promote items and shops you don't like or are misaligned with your beliefs.  Take what you like, leave what you don't.  

STEP 3:  Contact your warm market.  Are there some shops you have been interacting with lately?  Maybe you were working on a trade but it fizzled.  Perhaps a sale was being nurtured but the ball was bounced around to much and now is stuck in the air.  Remember that possible repeat customer who needs a little nudge.  Here is your nudge.  Message them saying something like:  "Hi _____, My _____ is featured here _____.  Come take a look!"  Make the message as personal as appropriate.  Some shops I work with create treasuries, then they message everyone on the treasury.  This is considered spamming by some, so make sure you are only contacting those who have invited communication.  NOTE:  Someone hearting your item is NOT an invitation to message them.

Cute tags from TheNewFrontier

STEP 4:  Respond to your fan mail!  You are going to get lots of favorites.  You are going to get lots of views.  You will be promoted on social media, and you might be featured in some blogs.  Acknowledge, acknowledge, acknowledge.  Sometimes, the faves come so fast that it feels impossible, but for the most part, if you are participating in a BNS, returning the favor is a must.  Remember, you are here to network, find your target audience, and build a warm market.  Comment on the social media sites (did you know you could comment on Pins??), and track where your views came from.  Also, if you are featured in a blog, thank the blogger, a note to their inbox is nice, but a comment on the blog is like chocolate cake on your anniversary :)

Vintage Wares From PoetTreesPromise

STEP 5:  Reflect.  Did this promotion help you?  Did you meet new people?  Did you get some ideas for your shop?  Were you forced to rethink your policies?  Are your listings more clear now?  Did you reach your target audience?  Where can you improve???

STEP 6:  Repeat.  Of course.  Here's some tape to entice you into the next round ;)

Washi Tape from MetzlisLight

Thank you for your time :) See you at the BNS!!