Spring Shop Cleanse Challenge Week 1 Tammy

Same here. And I struggle to keep up with it because every time I renew an item I have to go put it back in its place. I wish things would stick where I put them until I decide to move them. 

Thanks Jane When I first started out I did just that with my banner....and got lots of Convos asking me what I sold :0 
Okay I thought, they're seeing my banner but not going to my About or Shop page so lets put it on the banner. Convos were greatly reduced

My company name and logo plays a large part in my branding, and I wanted to make sure that was on my banner.
I've stayed away from using the words "organic" and "natural" as they are so over used on Etsy....and most of those shops are NOT natural as I'm sure you're aware of.
I've tried using pictures but they were always too small to really stand out and show what I make and sell, and I've got almost a 100 items in my shop now....so pictures of them just wasn't cutting it.

I decided in 2006 when I started blending for my clients to only use certified organic ingredients whenever possible. It's one of my Missions and Promises, and I wanted to stress that....hence it's always on my banner
Many of my customers are sensitive to non-certified organic ingredients, so again, I'm highlighting that, and hoping to appeal to those that are looking for products made with certified organic ingredients even though they may cost a little bit more.
This is also a huge "target market" for me that spans the 20's - 60's age brackets, so I really wanted that "handmade skin care products using Certified Organic ingredients" on my banner. That's the foundation of my brand and what my products "live" by
 
Lots of customers never even see your banner unless they visit your shop "home", so I decided to list my main product segments in words on my banner, and they are repeated in my welcome page (after any discount I'm offering) for SEO purposes.
Since lots of customers want a discount, I always list my current discount there just in case they DO see my banner

Inside my listings I started providing a link to my shop home page for information about the current coupon code I might be offering, and I've noticed my Shop views have picked up.....and hopefully they are seeing my banner and immediately know by reading it some of the products I sell, and what coupon code discount I'm currently offering.
I've also notice my "off season" products like Dark Circle Eye Serum and Varicose Vein Oil have picked up since I've started doing that, and actually are running neck and neck with my cold season sales of lip balms and body lotions and skin oils and sea salts. Usually I offer 10% off orders of $25.00 or more and those type of orders are picking up....thank you coupon code

The one thing I DON'T like about my banner is the text (I'm looking for one that is close to Flair Roman which is used in my Company Name) and I'm toying around with using a light colored background. Maybe a "almost not there" beige to help my logo and text stand out.

I truly do try to treat my banner on Etsy as my brick and mortar business front, and I also change my banner monthly to reflect any discount I'm offering, new product additions, etc.

I've broken my banner into 3 sections.
The far left and far right of my banner always remains the same.
On the far left my Logo, Name and Mission Statement are always the same. To the left of that I change up the small picture to fit the season and "break" out the text of what products I sell.
I've also decided to always have TheHandmadeForum badge on the far right of my banner. 
Anything in the middle is subject to change, but in a slight way as I want them to get used to seeing a banner they immediately recognize and relate to Flaherty Naturals.

I'd like to change my banner in a good way so any suggestions for the "middle" and "background" are welcome

When I first viewed your banner it was pleasing to the eye but it really didn't let me know about the wonderful things you make.
While your banner is graphically appealing, I think you're missing the chance to reach some of your target market by not listing more of your product segments.

Your branding of Simple, Sustainable, Natural is wonderful, but if I have sensitive skin and am looking for a handmade soap I might not pick that up from those three words, or the pictures on your banner (if I visited your shop home where I'd see them) that you make vegan cold processed soaps and lip balms and wonderful home products.

I love vegan cold process soaps and handmade reusable functional stuff I can use in my home The Onion bag is great
Maybe adding 1 main item name from each of your brand segments right under your company name would immediately help identify your brand concepts with your products.
Maybe "Natural Vegan Soaps" "Sustainable Home Goods" "Simple Fashion Accessories" ?? That immediately tells me what SmallBones makes and sells

About a year ago I changed my Shop Sections to mimic the same main Etsy Search segments like Lip Balms Scrubs & Salves - Bath and Body Lotions as Google does include our Shop Sections in their "relevance" assignment.
Etsy doesn't but sometimes having your Shop Section names be specifically targeted at what's inside them helps customers know where to start looking.
Like maybe Vegan Soap & Lip Balm for a Shop Section name and you pair lovely Natural Gift Sets in your Natural Vegan Body section but that name doesn't really let them know you have gift sets.
Oh, I think you're undercharging for your vegan lip balms. Check out your competition and you'll find that $2.15 for a tube is really cheap....sometimes a cheap price is related to cheap quality by consumers....so please think about at least $3.50 per tube....even in a set. You might want to break them out individually also to help add another item to your shop. Or break both of them out individually and keep the set of 2 tubes.

I'm envious of your photos, and think they are fantastic (Wanna take pictures for me?)

However, when I'm reading your Descriptions I'm noticing that you are not repeating the same words from your Title within that first 160 characters in your Description, and sometimes not at all in your tags.

We'll get into all that when we start the SEO segment, but having your Title repeated in the first sentence of your Description and again in your tags will help with Etsy Relevancy, and might get you found more often on Etsy, and may lead to more sales.
Also, using the Tags at least once within you Description (after that first 160 characters) helps you with Etsy Relevancy, and can help move some of your items up in a Etsy Search result.

Sales are hugely related to getting found in a Etsy Search results and I believe with some SEO changes you'll get "found" and your sales will increase. It's also helpful to try and get at least one of your items on the first page of Etsy search results for the Category your item is in. Like Vegan Lip Balm. Usually the item I have managed and worked so hard to place on that first page of Etsy Search results is a good seller for me. Most people won't look through pages and pages of stuff to find what they're looking for. Your photos are great and will draw their eye...we just have to get more of your stuff on that first page of Search results.

Thank so much for your thoughtful suggestions, Deb! I've already implemented some: changed the section names & organization.

My lip balms are $4.50CAD each; two for $9.00. Where did you see $2.15 – I don't think our dollar difference is that much! 

More to come!

Thanks Ian. I tried Pixlr and it's another learning experience. I'll try Serif Draw next. I have a very old Photoshop and have tried Gimp but again, more learning experiences. So far, Gimp and Pixlr seem to have about the same instructions but I haven't mastered it yet.  You'd think with all this I'd be better at taking pictures!