Starting out

“The idea for opening a business came first and then I chose a product, rather than the other way around,” she said. “I love the process and creating art and had the computer skills to develop a product line that I was able to create with Photoshop.”

For Lisa it was important to have a product that didn’t involve too much manual labor and she could easily reproduce. She knows that people look to Etsy for custom products and having the ability to offer products based on her customers’ wishes is an advantage.

“Sometimes you decide what you want to sell and sometimes your customers decide for you,” she said. “About one year into my business, I noticed that my nursery prints were selling well so I focused more on that area.”

This was Lisa’s first experience on Etsy and she’s doing very well. If you’re thinking about launching your own Etsy shop, she has some advice.

“Read the Etsy’s Seller Handbook–most of what you need to learn can be found there,” she said. “The next thing is to make sure you have amazing photos, like magazine swoon-worthy photos. Then learn SEO but don’t overthink it in the beginning. Etsy is learn as you go. Then be consistent and provide great customer service.”

Smartmockups for quick and easy mockup creation

Lisa discovered Smartmockups when she was looking for a quicker and easier way to display her prints online. She’d been using Photoshop for its customization options but saving all her prints became too time-consuming.

“Once I started selling vintage prints and I had a folder of over 200 prints that I wanted to sell, it was a bit of an administrative task to get all the mockups done and get them listed on my website and Etsy,” she explained. “Smartmockups has made it way easier to just drop the file/print in and save.”

Lisa’s a pro at using the Custom editor feature. Custom editor allows you to turn any product image into a mockup. Using it, she’s able to replicate the authenticity she appreciated in Photoshop in a time-saving fashion.

“It (Smartmockups) does a great job of creating realistic mockups with the blending feature and easy editing features,” she says. “I like creating mockups that are a little more unique and don’t “look” like a mockup.”

Imagery is key for both Lisa’s Etsy shop and her website. Smartmockups has become an important business tool.

“I mostly use Smartmockups for my product listings but I have started using it for social media more as well,” she said. “The mockups are a great way to quickly add a variety of different prints with the same background.”

What’s next?

Lisa’s success comes from her willingness to be flexible, respond to customer requests, and her focus on a great customer experience. She also keeps trends in mind, first introducing vintage prints in mid-2021. They sold really well and have since become her new top seller. In addition to her product line, Lisa has goals for her brand as well.

“I want to continue to focus on the vintage style prints and start to sell more in the frames,” she said. “Also, Etsy has always been my bread and butter, I want to grow my website and build on my brand.”