Socialize a little!

If you’re like me, as a new TpT seller, you’re probably desperate for contact with people who know more than you do!  Have you checked out the sellers forums on TpT?  I am totally addicted to them!!!  The people who comment and post on the forums are so helpful and wise.  I’m learning a lot and I urge you to check it out.  (You can access the sellers’ forums from your dashboard)

I posted a question on the forum a few days ago and I got a response from Deanna Jump!  For those of you who don’t know, Deanna is famous for earning a bazillion gazillion dollars through TpT last year… ok, that’s a slight exaggeration, but you get my point.  She’s like the Michael Jordan of the TpT world.  Getting a response from her on a post is sort of like getting an email from the Queen of England.  

I’m touched that Deanna reached out to help me and I am also so appreciative of all the other TpT sellers who have offered me advice.  If you haven’t given the forums a chance, my advice for today is to give it a go. Start by introducing yourself and see where you go from there. 

Click to watch a video interview of Deanna Jump

Patience is a Virtue?

In my last post I mentioned the importance of being patient.  I’m going to emphasize that today.  It’s been ten days since that post, which you may remember was “my highest sales day ever”.  Since then I have made $2.60.  Can you say “DEPRESSING?!!!”  But I keep reading that it’s important to stay positive, remain focused on your goals and be PATIENT.  Ok.  I can do this! 

Woo Hoo!

Today was my highest sales day so far!  I wasn’t even planning on working on TpT today.  I’m at a hotel for my nephew’s wedding, and I just decided to check my dashboard quickly.  I was shocked to discover that I had made $10 while I was in the shower!  (Yes, you read that correctly… $10 is my highest sales day so far.  No big payots yet.  Patience is the key here!)  

What's Your Niche?

So, things have been a little slow at my TpT store.  I’ve been trying to develop products, but I haven’t really defined what I want my store to be yet.  So here’s what I’m learning…as a seller, it’s important to find a niche.  I like that word, “niche”.  It means that you need to find your own little corner of the world, where your TpT store can live and grow.  I like to think of my niche as a real place.  I figure when I know where my niche is, I will know what kind of products to make and who my buyers will be.

Here are some things to think about when looking for your niche:

Ask yourself what you are passionate about in your teaching.  (If you’re not a teacher, please apply this question to your own TpT work)  What makes your heart sing with joy?  What part of your work makes you smile? 

Where do you see a need in your area of teaching?  Is there some product that you have searched for on the Internet and couldn’t find?  Do you think you could make this product?

What type of resources do you need in your own classroom?  What type of resources would you be PROUD to use in your classroom? 

Have you ever had colleagues ask for copies of classroom materials that you have designed? 

When I asked myself these questions, I realized that I want my store to reflect my teaching philosophy.  I teach preschool, and I strongly believe in play-based learning.  I have decided to focus on products that promote hands-on learning, social development and inquiry. 

Please comment to let us know what your niche is!