Building a TPT Store Takes Baby Steps
November 2017 — Well, this library girl has been BUSY building a TPT store this fall. Oh my. Yep, That Library Girl and its little blog have taken off like a pack of tired turtles, BUT… I’m consistently taking baby steps… lots and lots of baby steps. A little progress is better than none.
My Progress
I have eight products in my store as of tonight… and I feel so happy, you would think that I had 88 products ready to go! (I do have 5 more that are close! YAY!) I think I needed this creative outlet in my life. It feels good, and I’m leaving the outcome (and any possible income) up to my heavenly Father. I’m just busily re-creating lessons that I love — and that have been successful with my students. I’m working to make my resources more polished with updated clipart and so on. More importantly, I’m adding clear, concise directions to everything, so they will be user-friendly. Many librarians in our schools don’t actually have a librarian degree, so I’m trying to keep those folks in mind.
Tip-Toeing into Marketing
I don’t really have a sell-sell-seller personality, but I got brave and decided to post something on Facebook tonight about the TpT CyberMonday/Tuesday sale… and I even invited a few friends to take a look. Baby steps. Baby steps are good. I’ve realized that marketing is an area of needed improvement for me and that’s okay… just another goal to pursue. I was told recently that TPT is a marathon, not a sprint. Good to know!
Being Thorough
One thing that is slowing me down is not knowing exactly who my customers will be — and their experiences as a teacher-librarian. As I re-create my library resources for other librarians to use with their own students, I’m using a lot of brain cells in making decisions about directions. I want to add plenty of instructional tips without overwhelming the buyer. I think adding my email address and urging customers to please reach out and ask a question if needed will be the bridge between too much information and not enough. Baby steps.
Before I Go…
On a personal note, we had a great Thanksgiving — peaceful, fun, yummy — hope you did, too! My husband John took us to see some good movies, and we helped him become a Star Wars Jedi via a new augmented reality device that was pretty cool. My son Zach was home (which ALWAYS does this mama’s heart good). John’s mom is still hanging in there and staying healthy for us! Her appetite is good, but she sure is sleeping a lot. We don’t think she’s resting well at night. (Alzheimer’s) John is just a sweetheart as always, and I’m truly thankful for him and for my family. Three of our family members could not make the trip to Arkansas this year, and we missed them (Matt, Ashley and Christie) but we are hopeful for a springtime reunion. A shoutout to my little sister for helping us with mom this fall – she is a Godsend… and to my little brother and his wife for helping with a heartbreaking assignment that should have been taken care of long ago. Family is precious, yes?
Take Care,
