On Starting An Etsy Shop That Sells Educational Products

Dr. Latonya Rainwater and Dr. Elizabeth Rainwater

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Published: May 25th, 2022

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Dr. Latonya Rainwater and Dr. Elizabeth Rainwater

Founder, ELRShop

Founders

Employees

ELRShop

etsy.com/shop/ELRShop

from Canton, GA, USA

started December 2021

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Etsy

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Google My Bus...

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Want more updates on ELRShop? Check out these stories:

Hello, we are Dr. Latonya Rainwater and Dr. Elizabeth Rainwater, and we are the owners of ELRSHOP. We sell children and teen products, such as activity workbooks in (math, spelling, grammar, and writing). We have various educational and fun products for students, homeschoolers, parents, teachers, etc.

Our products have been bought as gifts, used for gender reveals, and more. When it comes to our inspirational products, customers have bought them mainly as gifts or to use with their own family. Our customers are creative, so it's nice to read feedback on what they used each product for. We believe that exposure will increase the growth rate of ELRSHOP.

Progress is seeing people visit our shop or email to inquire about a product and customers deciding to shop with ELRSHOP. Visits show us that people are interested in what we sell. Competitors are also interested in the next big thing, which encourages us when they visit our shop.

We have learned that you can keep a competitor guessing by not showing all the cards in your hands. We designed ELRSHOP with the hopes of changing how education looks. We have learning tools from basic to challenging to keep learners engaged.

Our goal is to make learning and being an inspiration to others a significant factor. We love teaching and reaching out to people worldwide, which is what makes us unique. We wanted to create products that would be helpful to everyone.

Most importantly what we want everyone to know is that when you support ELRSHOP, supporting two missionaries’ journey as teachers called to spread love, hope, peace, and joy to the world!

What's your backstory and how did you come up with the idea?

It began when we became ESL teachers a few years ago. We followed a strict curriculum of phonics, grammar, reading, and conversation, but as time went on, we noticed that the lessons did not fit every child. We started to adjust and alter lessons to fit each student's needs and strengthen their skills in each focus.

We began to dabble in writing children's stories and workbook lessons that would further challenge, push and allow students worldwide to go beyond the textbooks and school-taught lessons. As forever learners and lovers of education, we took all of our knowledge from K-12 to college, graduate school, and beyond and explored ways to share those skills with children and adults. We taught children in China and then taught children, teens, and adults biblical knowledge and English in Pakistan.

While educating children around the world, an idea began to blossom of how we can provide products that will enable students to master skills being taught in school and add new skills into the picture. Our goal is to not only present knowledge that is familiar but unlearned areas to introduce children and teens to skills that they will see as they further advance to another grade level.

In looking at our shop, it is threefold. We designed our products to cater to children, parents, and individuals. There is something for everyone, and more are being developed and planned releases.

When we first opened the shop, we thought about what this diverse group might be interested in as customers. From our point of view, anything original and creative that shows that we took the time to perfect and mold items that everyone will love will be worth exploring and buying.

Our tracing books, activity workbooks, coloring books, and stickers are just a glimpse at how creative and out-of-the-box we intend to become with time. The beautiful and inspirational products from the calendar to the array of planners, affirmation cards, and soon a full line of fillable crossword puzzles are the first line of items designed for adults but will not be the last.

Support is essential in running a small business. It takes a community of loving people to make a business successful.

Creating ELRSHOP was the right idea to work on because the products designed came from the heart. We used our skills to develop each educational product to educate our ESL students. The designs, messages, and creativity placed into designing inspirational products came from years of mentoring and counseling both young and older adults.

When attending graduate school we both made such an impression on the president of the school by helping other classmates that we were asked to be the first mentors for psychology students. In the role of mentors, we both helped students set goals and encouraged them to work hard and stay focused. All of our mentees successfully graduated, some created businesses, and others continued to earn their doctorate.

For counseling, we have carefully listened to the worries and troubles of others and offered advice and resources. The outcome of being both mentors and counselors encouraged us to create products with inspirational words, such as wall art, affirmation cards, and scripture cards.

The 'aha' moment was seeing the first product finished and seeing potential customers make lovely comments and the first sale. The first 10 products took 1 to 2 weeks to design and develop. Some of our latest products took 1 month per item, while our big activity workbook took almost a year. Every product is precious to us and every detail will contribute to each child’s process of learning.

Our very first sale took place on February 19, 2022, which is exactly 2 months and 29 days. When ELRSHOP had its first sale, it meant a lot because the long nights and hard work were finally paying off. To market our initial products, we advertised on social media outlets, such as, but did not do paid ads. Paid advertisement seemed too expensive and we wanted to use word of mouth and social media outlets to connect with people first.

Opening ELRSHOP was different from any business idea because it stemmed from wanting to interest children in learning beyond school and launch something that parents can be a part of with their children.

Our expertise in providing educational and inspirational products comes from a mental health background, years of mentoring students, pastoral work, ESL teachers, and siblings who love seeing people achieve their goals and be the best they can be.

We took the time to validate each product and idea by thinking like a customer. We asked ourselves this one question 'Are these products that we would buy?' When yes is an unchangeable answer, you know that you have exceptional products.

Our careers as ESL teachers were shaky as ELRSHOP was in the process of being designed because the school we worked for decided to close. For months the school kept teachers in the dark, and finally, the day came when the company made an announcement. ELRSHOP is our way of still providing those unique teaching methods that we brought to the table, but all students and parents will have their copy to learn and teach one another this time.

Take us through the process of designing, prototyping, and developing your first product.

The digital products designed by ELRSHOP started with careful planning. We set aside time each day after teaching to write down ideas on a whiteboard. Once ideas were written down, research was conducted, and a description of how each product should look and the message and feel we should produce was explained. Prototypes were all created and examined. Then came the editing process and going back and forth to the drawing table until the vision of each product came to life.

When considering where to sell all products for ELRSHOP, research was conducted, and Etsy is a well-known brand and seemed easy to maneuver through and operate a business. However, opening an Etsy shop seemed hard to do with no experience, so we had assistance in setting up everything. We hired a freelancer from Fiverr to go through the steps needed to open our Etsy shop.

The freelancer also helped us set prices for the first products and assisted in listing the products when ELRSHOP first opened. We wrote detailed descriptions of each and selected images that represented each product the best. ELRSHOP started with only ten products or fewer. We designed a banner and logo representing the seasons that life brought and uploaded them to the store. Working with a freelancer was a good but hard process because we were not always updated on the process. It took almost 3 weeks to open ELRSHOP, but we were told that it would only take 7 days.

We were glad that time was dedicated to our shop and that nothing was rushed because working at a pace allowed problems to be fixed early on. The lessons that we learned in hiring a freelancer are to always ask questions and be taught as much as you can for the future of your business. We took out the time to question our hired freelancer and to get videos and guides on how to upload products and where to find certain functions and more.

For all upcoming entrepreneurs, we would suggest that you research how to create, build and design things for yourself. This advice is key because it will save you money in the long run and you will develop professional skills in areas that will help your business grow. For example, if you need promotional video research how to create your own and find ways to display your business creatively. We draw, write, and now make videos and we know that learning the things that most entrepreneurs think are hard is worth it!

While digital products were being uploaded, we also continued to design other products. At first, some challenges that we faced were when we learned that our store was not being viewed and given false information that did not help ELRSHOP thrive.

We discovered that our SEO was incorrectly done. The descriptions were also altered by assistants and not displayed with the original content discussed. The only way to fix these issues was to deactivate all products and reactivate them as we resolved the problems. We spent time investing in researching the proper terminology and writing descriptions that would intrigue customers.

The products were all reactivated. We designed our products as a PDF file, JPG, or PNG except for one product that requires a link for customers to use for access. We created a Google business page and social media profiles. We designed beautiful business cards to pass out. We also had a meeting to discuss what should be told to potential customers.

Word-of-mouth has been a good tool and a chance to show how much ELRSHOP means to them. There are pictures to show customers what they are purchasing and mockups, if applicable, for all products. All products are downloadable and received after purchase.

No waiting is the beauty of ELRSHOP; you can have your product right away! All copyrights of products belong to ELRSHOP. The cost of a startup, like many companies, goes from the hundreds to thousands. Things that seem simple cost the most financially and time-wise.

Investing in the growth and prosperity of a company comes first, and more investment is required as ways of marketing steadily changes. Money goes out and is put into your company before you can see the fruit that it produces. ELRSHOP is at the blooming stage, and there is no doubt that it is about to take off.

Describe the process of launching the business.

Our journey in designing ELRSHOP on Etsy has been long. When we first opened in December 2021, we hoped to fill our store with lots of products, but there were a few hurdles, such as having to readjust the launch of certain products, revisions to the look of products, and minimal time to market before launching.

Having help allowed us to set up our shop rather quickly and marketing had to take place as the store was opening, and new skills had to be developed along the way. When delays started to occur, we reached out to the hired freelancer that helped open the shop to discuss options, such as creating listings for all products but making the delayed product drafts that would not appear in the store until activated.

All suggestions were applied to make the launch of ELRSHOP smooth. We also set some products aside under inactive to have more fun and exciting products to introduce at a later time. The products that were finished and ready to be sold were activated and present in the shop for sale. The hired freelancer taught us how to save products for a later time, which was helpful.

We now pre-write all descriptions and upload images of products and if the product is not fully completed we save it in the drafts. Marketing issues were addressed by dedicating more time to social media outlets and asking people that we know to share about ELRSHOP. By doing these things and keeping our audience updated on social media outlets about new products and the latest on ELRSHOP we are noticing more visits to our shop. Customers are also emailing us personally to thank us.

By spending time studying competitors, homing in on skills in marketing, and learning how to make valuable decisions in advertising and creating platforms, we started to see our hard work finally pay off. To learn about online marketing, we watched YouTube videos, did research, and asked business owners we knew what would be a great way to market and they shared.

Our teaching salaries financed ELRSHOP. Whatever we earned, we invested in ELRSHOP. We used no loans or credit cards to fund ELRSHOP. As ELRSHOP was opening, we hired promoters to spread the word about the shop. We followed and tracked all promotions. With paid advertisements, we saw no changes, but when personal stories began to be shared and the shop's uniqueness was seen, more traffic came to the site.

To be honest, our success has been coming from organic marketing methods, such as speaking to a friend. When we reached out to friends they took the information given and shared it on their social media sites and some purchased several items from our shop to show support. We tell everyone that we know about our shop and they all have shared on their social media sites and wrote something about us and their relationship with us, which is more than we can ask for. We’ve also found it helpful to display our skills in animation lately to engage with our audience and followers love that.

The biggest lesson learned from the process of starting and from the launch is to tell people that you know about your business. We learned that most people you know and care about would want to support and promote your business in any way possible. Sometimes we take too long to ask for help or don't want to bother friends or family, but they can help. We also learned not to be afraid of rejection; someone once told us, 'If you don't ask, you will never know.' We found this to be a true statement.

Since launch, what has worked to attract and retain customers?

ELRSHOP saw sales when weekend sales and discounts were offered to potential customers. We announced each sale on our Twitter and the Google business page. Now platforms such as Instagram and Pinterest are also used to promote sales or discounts. Sales and discounts are a great way to get the attention of customers. Initially, when beginning, ELRSHOP had no followers on any platform, but that is slowly changing. Attracting authentic followers and following them back lets them know that you see and hear them. Customers are also attracted to originality, so that is something to keep in mind.

Traffic increased when connecting with potential customers by emailing discounts or promotional codes to encourage them to buy a product in an online cart. When someone buys a product from ELRSHOP, we send a thank-you discount to show our appreciation and encourage them to return as future customers. SEO is also essential and must be examined by owners when selling products online.

The wrong tag or keyword could get your products overlooked and never purchased. When ELRSHOP sets up tags, the words used are aligned with the product described and selected in a category that matches the product.

ELRSHOP has only had its feet wet for a short amount of time, so we think offering thank you rewards in both a creative way and through discounts will always make customers want to return. ELRSHOP has a 5-star rating for excellent customer service and sales. Anyway, ELRSHOP can show customers we appreciate that they bought our products; we look forward to providing the best customer service.

How are you doing today and what does the future look like?

Although ELRSHOP is currently a small business, our future looks very promising! Today we are dedicating time to learning how to use marketing tools, such as social media platforms and ads, to reach more customers.

We have found it beneficial to learn skills on our own so that the focus can be solely on our company. Sometimes when investing, you do not get the chance to learn the basic skills needed, and other professionals who are assisting will not always teach you for future reference. However, the internet is an excellent tool filled with many ways to gather information and videos.

Like most entrepreneurs, we searched the internet using Google and watched YouTube videos of professionals that have similar businesses. We did not take any professional courses on business. We did however take master’s level training to learn more about offering ESL services. Going through that training taught us how to design our lessons and how to create learning material for the correct age and grade levels.

The key is to find information on successful business owners that are producing similar or the same kind of products. This is important because you can find ways to market future product ideas. We are taking advantage of these tools and making sure that we use them correctly. We not only watch videos, we visit each professional's business website to see how they present their products. This is helpful because it gives an up-close look at what customers like and what they don’t like. We also spoke with a business owner who is a teacher, so she gave us some advice on how to present our children and teen products. The teacher explained that giving customers options and a variety keeps customers interested. She also explained that pricing plays an important role and must be set just right.

The price of a product cannot be too high or too low. The incorrect use of a tool or the unnecessary use of a tool can cause setbacks. We took all advice and set reasonable prices and provided products that students and children that are learning need.

For ELRSHOP, all products are digital and printable for the convenience of our customers. Customers do not have to wait on orders to arrive by mail or face the dread of damaged products arriving. All products are affordable! We sell individual items as well as bundles for specific products. All sales are through our online store, and we operate ELRSHOP strictly online. ELRSHOP is constantly working on expanding and introducing new products and appealing to new audiences.

Before opening ELRSHOP, we spoke to students and parents to see how we can accommodate their learning needs. We learned by having a conversation that we can develop products that focus directly on a specific learning need. As products were being designed, we spoke with teachers about how to keep students' attention when completing each workbook. We learned that it is important to incorporate pictures and fun activities for children. We had to use both our online teaching roles and the advice of brick-and-mortar teachers. Some products are introduced during different times of the year, and other products are to give customers something new and original.

The success rate on the launch of a new product based on research and having a one-on-one conversation is still too early to know; however, people visit the shop and favorite or put them in a cart to purchase later. Some buy the product right away because they like how it is presented. We try new things to gain attention all the time. For example, we have been working hard to create videos about our products for our company's YouTube channel.

Our short-term goals for ELRSHOP are to increase sales, get followers on all platforms, including the online store, and be shoppers' first and favorite shop to buy from. Our long-term goals are to expand to adult learning products in the future. We also hope to one day gain the popularity of shoppers in sales to be able to offer physical copies of our products. Nothing would make us happier than seeing our products printed someday.

For years we have been asked, 'when are you going to create this or that?' We already have and did it all for children, teens, and adults worldwide to answer that question. If we could change anything, it would be to start marketing and branding even more before opening our shop. The love and support that we are getting for new and unique products being presented are heartfelt and beautiful.

We hope to earn your love and respect, and with this, the sales increase, and items will be developed that people will look forward to. We are not just business owners but missionaries, so our love for people is genuine and encourages us to offer the best that we must give.

Through starting the business, have you learned anything particularly helpful or advantageous?

We learned that it is important to develop and grow professionally as business owners and to believe in ourselves. Believe it or not, as business owners, we truly do know what is best for our company when we focus on the present and future goals of having a successful business and work toward achieving those goals. Support is essential in running a small business. It takes a community of loving people to make a business successful.

The beauty of opening ELRSHOP, despite a rough start, is that our business is our full-time job. That means that we put our heart, soul, and time into growing into a great business. We already knew that money would need to be invested when starting a business. As business owners, we cannot expect our dreams to come true without shifting the gears into drive and putting gas in the tank.

We were blindsided by the amount of time put into editing products and the turnaround time. It took almost a year for one of our products to be designed and uploaded to sell based on edits alone. A good decision that we made would have to be to utilize word-of-mouth. Word-of-mouth is a powerful tool. You can pay for promotion and not get the results you expect.

Appealing to your audience is what will make or break your company.

Still, when you take time to speak with people one-on-one about your product and show them what you have to offer, you will get more genuinely interested people and forward answers instead of the runaround. We also learned that free promotion is an excellent tool for addressing the bumps in our journey to opening ELRSHOP. If there are legit organizations that are willing to speak well about your company and work with you, that is an opportunity worth looking into.

We also cannot stress enough how important is it to build up your social media platforms. ELRSHOP is still working on this but we can see how important it is to have. Social media platforms have allowed us to share our products worldwide and connect with potential customers and admirers worldwide. We intend to continue to share more about ELRSHOP and inspire people with relatable stories along the way. Connecting with an audience is key.

Although ELRSHOP was launched in 2021, we did not get to test the waters until this year. We would tell future entrepreneurs to celebrate every little or big success, such as the first sale. Why? Because even one sale teaches you something and gives a clue to what people like and how you can improve or provide more products that are relatable to your company.

What platform/tools do you use for your business?

Our favorite tools for business are business cards, using word-of-mouth, and engaging with people on social media. Most engagements on social media come from emails or short encouraging comments, such as 'I love this' or 'Your profile is beautiful'. These tools are our favorite because they allow us to connect one-on-one with potential customers. These tools also allow us to communicate with potential customers in a non-aggressive manner.

All products instantly download once purchased, so we do not use shipping services at this moment. Customers can leave reviews on our Etsy shop site or Google business page. We ask that customers always reach out to us first if there is any problem so that we can offer assistance and help. ELRSHOP uses free ad tools and social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest. We are still advertising and marketing ELRSHOP.

Advice for other entrepreneurs who want to get started or are just starting out?

As our first tip, we suggest that all entrepreneurs take their time in creating a product or introducing a skill that will be taught. Now to some, this may seem like a step back or slowing down the process, but it will be helpful in the long run. Customers like to know that you carefully planned everything out and that they are getting exactly what is being marketed to them.

We cannot count the many reviews we have read about other companies before launching ours that were full of complaints. Why? Because the product did not look the same when it arrived, there was poor customer service, and some customers felt deceived. These are things that all entrepreneurs want to avoid. Be sure only to offer what you can provide and make certain that it is your best. You will not please all customers, but it should be your goal always to try to. Quality and presentation can take you far.

Our second tip is to study and research your competitors because you both have the same niche, and you will want to stand out. You can stand out in many ways, from the design of your product to how you market. Our final tip is to study your audience. Appealing to your audience is what will make or break your company. You can offer free products, samples, and sales to draw customers in. You must listen to their opinions and comments to learn how you can improve or make profitable changes to your products or company.

Remember that you are still a customer too. This key factor should inspire you because you know firsthand what you like. As a customer, you know what you are looking for; use those same lenses as an entrepreneur and put yourself in the customers that see your products' shoes. What do you see? Is it of value? You truly have the advantage and every time you feel discouraged, remember that it takes time and learn how to step out of the box. Though we are business owners, we are still learning and growing every day.

Where can we go to learn more?

If you have any questions or comments, drop a comment below!