Tuesday, August 21, 2012

The Luck We Create

Sometimes I think we create our own luck...

Before I begin today's post, I want to make sure you all realize that I strive to write about topics pertinent to my business and to my customers. I try to write topics on marketing your business, topics about home fragrances and candles in your home, and topics sharing the joy of other Etsy business working to breakout like myself.

I seldom write about myself, even when I have the Blogger Blues (aka, writer's block). So, I beg your indulgence while I write a bit about myself.  This does have a dose of business wisdom included.

So....back on topic....sometimes I think we create our own luck.

I'm not superstitious, mind you. But the more I experience our world (translation, the older I get), the more I tend to believe we create our own luck.

July was a dry spell.  A drought. While I didn't have the misfortune to watch my crops wither any die as they have throughout most of the Midwest, my sales were abysmal. I know this is true for most retailers, hence, the invented sales season of Christmas in July.  CIJ sale promotions didn't help. Events coordinated by the Promotional Frenzy Team (while extremely well organized) didn't help.  And I understand.  I mean....who really thinks about buying candles in July????

Then came August. Almost like clockwork, I got a sale on August 2nd.  And another on the 5th, 6th, and many days following.  After a little more than a week, my August sales had equaled my July sales.  And then...

...the drought returned.

A week and a half of nothing.  So I thought about a phrase I've pondered many times....can we/do we create our own luck?

Taking matters into my own hands, I decided to try my hand.  So, last Saturday, I made a purchase in a BNS (Buy aNd Stay on Etsy....you make a purchase and your shop gets featured in a future round). I've had success with these in the past.  Most people like candles, and I can usually sell a tea light set or two in a round. If I'm lucky, a full priced candle. Before joining the Promotional Frenzy Team, BNSs were my primary source of Etsy sales.

And what do you know...later that day I had a sale even though my slot in the BNS wasn't open yet. And on Sunday, another, and on Monday, another.  So three sales generated from "creating my luck" at buying into a BNS.  But it gets better.

Last month I entered into an arrangement with a sales representative.  Tricky, I know. But from my perspective, I was ok with paying a 15% commission on wholesale orders, based upon my belief that any orders the rep generated were more than I could generate on my own. But that was last month.  Almost six weeks into the arrangement with no sales generated.

So....over the weekend....after I made a purchase in the BNS, I decided to try my "strategy" again. I've been meaning to work on my blog and to make it as much of a functional website as possible.  So I decided to work on taking information off the sidebars and onto pages. Bold move for a non-html literate person.  I was able to move my Etsy shop and Pinterest page, so why not try to add a page for Wholesale Inquiries?  You'll notice it isn't published yet.  It's taking a while to format every line sheet I have into a format this blog will accept.  But my point is that I decided to move outside my comfort zone to work on an aspect of my business I've been meaning to grow.  I decided to create my own luck.

And lo and behold, today I received my first wholesale order!!!!

These events may or may not be related.  As I stated, I'm not superstitious.  But I also firmly believe we each have a way of creating our own luck, our own future.  Might I have had the Etsy sales had I not decided to buy into a BNS? Possibly.  Might I have received the wholesale order had I not decided to work on adding a wholesale feature to my blog? Probably.

But my point is that had I been sitting around, punching the "refresh" button on my Internet page and waiting for something to happen, I'm confident nothing would have happened. Hence, we create our own luck.

It's hard as a small business owner, or in my case a minutia business owner, to break out of our mold, to take a chance, and to do something different to turn the tide. But each of us has already taken a chance with trying to make it on our own.  Sometimes we just need the motivation, the encouragement, to continue to break out of our mold, out of our realm of comfort, and to take more chances.  The chances I took last weekend are by no mean earth shattering, but they represent a change in thought I consciously chose to make.

Positive energy begets positive energy.  Luck creates luck. I encourage you to coral that positive energy inside of you and to create the luck you deserve.  I know it will pay off for you.

Dorene

P.S. Please let me know how you create your own luck, how you pull yourself up, how you motivate yourself! I'd love to learn your stories!

16 comments:

  1. I don't believe in luck, but i too have had some slow times. I'm working on getting my listings up and hoping sales will generate from my promoting

    ReplyDelete
  2. Dorene - this has been so motivating! Thanks for sharing your story!

    ReplyDelete
  3. CONGRATS! You work so hard and you deserve it!

    ReplyDelete
  4. you are on a role!!!keep up the good work

    ReplyDelete
  5. That is wonderful to hear your experiences and how the possibilities entered and I believe that luck is another way of us being open to what we receive because it is a reflection of what we are putting out.

    Last week I worked everyday, and created a new painting as well as listed one a day. By the weekend I received a sale, an unexpected one by someone who doesn't have an Etsy store and that was a wish granted as I have been honest in giving and open to receive. This has been my first time receiving a sale from someone who does not have an Etsy shop, and in that same week joined a group in which the perquisite was to share what you would like to learn, and I answered to learn how to attract to new sellers, outside of Etsy and that wish came true.

    I think you have the nailed right on the head, about stepping outside of the comfort zone and going with the tide for the greater picture.

    Wonderful post! And keep on shining x

    ReplyDelete
  6. Way to keep your head up and stay positive and active! That is what I'm trying to do as a newbie seller. I'm trying to think of everything I can to get my shop out into the public.

    By the way, BNR/BNS are still a little confusing to me. Any advice?

    ReplyDelete
  7. Like Sue, I don't believe in luck. However, I do believe that it is (in part) up to us to decide on our happiness at any given moment in time. Like all Etsy sellers, every once and awhile there is a dry spell and that's okay! The responsible thing to do is to work AHEAD for the times that we ARE busy. I'm so HAPPY for you that you received a wholesale order. Congratulations - that is well deserved.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Positive Energy draws Positive Energy and a positive outlook keeps us looking forward rather than backward. I applaud your forward looking ventures. So happy for your new order. May there be many more.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I don't believe in luck but I do believe we have to work hard to be successful business owners. Especially online! Great work!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Awesome on getting a whole sale order. I cannot wait to review one of your candles on my blog and try to generate more sales for you.

    ReplyDelete
  11. OH I so need you as a cheerleader!

    I have such mixed feelings about a BNR... Honestly, my house feels like I'm one step away from a hoarders episode. I need nothing and have no where to put it. And the money feels better spend addressing my inventory issues. The few BNRs I've done... my bead will be in the first round and it's still there at the end of the sale....

    I am just at a loss of how to move forward and make a living off my art. But I'm so happy new avenues have opened up for you!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Congratulations on your whole sale order! Like some of the others, I don't think that what you're experiencing is luck, but rather hard work that is paying off, which seems far better than luck to me.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Congratulations on your wholesale offer, hard work usually will pay in the end, sometimes you just have to change things up a bit to see if it will work :)

    ReplyDelete
  14. Wow congrats on the sales and wholesale order! Great post and comes in handy when you are in a noncreative dump like I was. I am glad you are pumping out luck!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Thanks for sharing your story. Congrats on the sales!

    ReplyDelete
  16. You got me thinking Dorene, thanks for a lovely post and good luck!

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...