Etsy training course to be held in Morehead Oct. 22

Workshop limited to 20 participants

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Oct. 7, 2015) — Morehead State University’s Arts Entrepreneurship Program and the Kentucky Innovation Network-Morehead, in partnership with the Kentucky Arts Council, will present “Getting Started with Etsy,” from 6-8 p.m. on Oct. 22 at Innovation Launchpad, 149 E. Main St. in Morehead.

Jennifer Reis, gallery director and art instructor at Morehead State, will teach the two-hour course. The interactive workshop covers coming up with a shop name, understanding search engine optimization, and what a shop owner can do to create buyer confidence and make that first sale. Participants will leave with their shops started and the requisite skills to be successful

Reis, who received an Al Smith Fellowship from the arts council in 2008, has been an Etsy shop owner since 2010. She said the introductory course is good for regional artists who have thought about selling on Etsy or for those who have set up an Etsy shop and have not yet found success with it

“Looking through the curriculum, it deals with a lot of things that can make or break an Etsy shop,” she said. “How do you develop appropriate tags so your items can be found in searches? How do you sell the story of you and create a narrative of who you are so buyers can create a relationship with you? How do you take appropriate photography? We cover a lot of basics.”

Reis touted several benefits of selling art and craft on Etsy

“One thing I point out to emerging artists and artisans is that for a very small amount of money, Etsy provides tremendous exposure to a global audience,” she said. “I’ve also benefited by building a network of people who are aware of and enjoy my work. Another thing I like about selling with Etsy is the analytics. You can see what’s being liked, how a potential customer found that image of that object. It’s very illuminating.

Cost is $20 for the public and free to Morehead State students. The workshop is limited to 20 participants. To register, contact Vicci Lewis at [email protected] or 606-783-9536. Registration deadline is Oct. 20. Participants are encouraged to bring a smartphone, tablet or laptop. Free Wi-Fi provided.

For more information about the Morehead program or bringing Etsy training to your community, contact Emily B. Moses, arts council creative industry manager, at [email protected] or 502-564-3757, ext. 472.