I’d thought I’d share a few TpT Starter Tips that I learned over the years and what I think are some important things to do.
I’ve been a TpT Seller sine 2011. It’s been a great journey in the 3 years I’ve been with TpT. I remember trying to find free resources for my 5th grade Math and Science class. I stumbled upon TpT and loved it. Who would have thought that if you could sell items on eBay, you could sell your classroom products? I’ve sold products on eBay before, but not like this.
Looking back now, there are so many things I had wished I had done. It would have helped me when I first started. I’m going share what I learned.
Being a new seller can be scary. You might be thinking “How do I post a product? Will it sell? How do I know which products do I create? How much should it cost?” These were my questions too. The best way to start is to get an account and follow a few TpT Stores. Don’t worry about your store name. You can change it later. Follow some of your favorite sellers. See what kinds of products they create and what they do to advertise. If possible, email them and ask those questions. Check out the TpT Seller’s Forum for help too.
If you think you can handle it, then it’s time to get started with your store. Time to think of a name and design. You can create one yourself or have others create one for you for a price. There are lots of commercial-free designs you can use. Be careful when choosing a name. You want a name that’s easy to remember and not too long. Some TpT sellers use their name like Kim Geswein. Others use names for the products they mostly create like me. Choose carefully because it will be hard to change your name later if you don’t like it. Think about Wachovia. . . . .
Once you’ve decided on a name, get on Social Media immediately! That is, establish your name. You want to get your name as soon as possible. You want to be the one and only store with that name. Get on Gmail, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, BlogSpot/Blogger, Pinterest, BlogLovin, and any other social media you want. You don’t have to do anything yet. Just get your name so that no one else can take it. Don’t wait, especially for Gmail and Facebook. I didn’t get the Gmail name I wanted when I started. Same with BlogSpot. Someone else had the email name “powerpoint gaming” so instead, I had to come up with an alternative.
Now that you have a name, you can share those awesome ideas and creations. Remember fair pricing. Don’t over price products, but don’t under price your hard work. Decide on a price range for your products. Ask yourself “Would you pay $$ for this?” Don’t forget about terms of use. Make sure you have decided what buyers can and cannot do with your products.
Once you have a few products posted, it’s time to advertise. You can pin it to Pinterest. Share your new products on Facebook. Write a blog about it. Have a quick giveaway or post it as a flash freebie. Do whatever it takes to get your products out there. The TpT Seller’s Forum is great for promoting your products and sharing you social media pages/sites.
I hope these 5 tips get you off to a great start!
Class Dismissed!