Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Newbies and BNR/BNS

Let me just warn you, this is not going to be a popular post....but I am still a newbie.(March 2011) and I have joined about 17 teams, some promotional teams and some BNR teams. I have been watching my analytics when I participate during events and I agree the views go way up...however, last night during our team BNR, I came in, attempted to participate in coversation and felt totally ignored. So I thought, why should I buy in, if they wont talk to me, why would they buy from me. I tried to participate in a BNR on Saturday and totally felt ignored.... I was actually featured in another BNR yesterday and it was real slow, so there was only three of us chatting, which was great, I made two new friends....very warm and inviting....so, my question to all of the "seasoned" etsy sellers is....am I off base? should I not feel ignored?

SOME NEW ITEMS:






19 comments:

  1. First of all, let me tell you that your new items pictures are AWESOME!!!
    Second, let me tell you that you're not the only one to feel ignored at times. Sometimes I feel like I'm talking (typing) to myself! I don't know why this happens...If I was in there with ya, I would've chatted away like a social butterfly!!! That is certain!
    I know for me, I've been really preoccupied with all the back-to-school drama lately. My blog post today kind of explains why I wasn't able to participate in ANYTHING yesterday. It was stressful.
    But I want you to know, if you ever need a friend, count on me. =) If I'm available, I'll come chat with you in whatever BNR you're in too.
    Smiles,
    Kim

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  2. I've never done a BNR, so I'm sorry that I can't offer some helpful advice…I know sometimes it's hard to put things out in cyberspace and not know if anyone is really listening, but please don't take it personally and keep working on it—you'll be making great new cyber friends in no time! *Ü*

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  3. Well...I often feel the exact same way! It is especially hard to be noticed in the jewelry category. Please don't take it personally - we are all on this wild ride together!

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  4. I usually don't do the BNRs, but it's not you or your work.

    Keep on promoting in the team.

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  5. Cindy, you have lovely jewelry and awesome pictures:)
    When the bnr is very busy everybody is busy too.They busy browsing other shops so they jump in but they don't mean to ignore you or anyone else.

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  6. Sometimes I don't get my questions answered, but I never take it personally. sometimes it gets so busy I can't even keep up with what everybody talks about, most of the time I just scan the thread for word 'prodigy' and just read those posts.
    I do feel ignored when I think no one likes my stuff but then I get sales and I calm down.

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  7. Cindy and anyone else that felt ignored last night in the BNR...I am sorry you felt that way... It is really hard to keep up to everyone when there are so many people in there commenting and buying. I am usually the Greeter but last night I was late getting on then I curated for an hour. Do not take it personally!!

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  8. Congrats on joining the team! hope you are less ignored in the next BNR :) I don't generally do BNRs and prefer doing the other activities.

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  9. Cindy, I'm sorry to hear that you had this unpleasant experience.

    I can guarantee you that almost everybody has felt like they're pretty much invisible at one time or other. It's not a happy feeling; sort of reminiscent of the clique-filled days of HS. Sometimes we actually ARE being ignored, but I truly believe it's due to circumstance, not intentional. Please try not to take it personally ... of course, that's easier said than done.

    This is a really lovely group of women, of that I am sure. You will feel right at home soon, and I'm glad you felt able to bring up this subject❣

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  10. I think we all feel that way some of the time. When it's really hectic in the BNR, like last night, you might have to post several times to get noticed. I think we did a pretty good job of making people feel welcome last night, since we had so many new people join in the fun.

    A lot of it just depends on when you post. If there are conversations going on, or requests for purchases, transactions link, etc. happening all at once, it's so easy for everyone to miss a single post that comes through. Please believe me when I say it's never personal. Just crazy in there sometimes.

    I'd love to be able to have a greeter there all the time but we're all so busy, especially with back to school, it's hard to do. Next time, just jump in there and make yourself known. There will definitely be someone to talk to, if not right away when it calms down.

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  11. I know bnrs can be pretty crazy!

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  12. I have never done a BNR so I am of no help either. I am going to try to do one coming up next month. It sounds like you have gotten some good advice though and hopefully the next one will be better!

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  13. I am having a hard time answering this blog post.

    If there is a problem, you use our team blog day to put out negatives about our team? It just feels like being called out and that isn't the best way to handle things.

    Praise in public, criticize in private. And obviously you kind of know that rule since you said you know this post wont be well received by many.

    SO here is the deal. Frequently when a person is being ignored certain things are going on. Like over 100 sales in a matter of hours, so pure FRENZY time. There are a large number of people all trying to call out who they want to buy from, and the curator is saying go ahead and buy and then they are posting links to what they bought and in the middle of that chaos are those coming in and saying HI, how is everyone.

    When the curators and buyers are in a FRENZY in that moment and the comments are FLYING really fast it is quite easy to miss a post that states, "hi how is everyon..." (Or something to that effect)

    Seems pretty common sense to me, that this will happen no matter what we do this will happen from time to time since we do have such FAST PACED BNR's.

    With that said, we don't want people to feel ignored so we have tried to do what we can... but there is only so much we can do.

    From a team standpoint we have an OFFICIAL GREETER for our BNR.
    Sewing Granny has volunteered to be an official greeter for our BNR's, I will only respond about OUR BNR, I can't speak for others.

    And Sewing spends almost the entire 8 hours just making sure when someone comes in they are greeted and feel welcome. BUT with 117 sales, people are calling out constantly it becomes chaotic, and we aren't perfect so I am SURE some people were overlooked.

    SO there is how we make a genuine effort as a team to prevent this, we take it seriously and wish to never have this happen but it does.

    Now here are some things that you can do to help with this and EVERYONE can.

    1. If there is a FRENZY of activity going on, you may have to pick another time to enter.
    2. If there is already a conversation going on, then just join into that conversation instead of saying hi and expecting others to drop their conversation to start one with you.

    It is just like in real life, if I am carrying a conversation with someone then you have to wait to talk to me until I am done. And our BNRs are not your standard BNR with 117 sales in one single night. There is a LOT going on. So please be understanding, see the efforts we make to prevent this, and see the efforts we can ALL make to help this.
    This is a TEAM and requires help and support from all.

    I am sorry you felt that way, but hopefully you can just jump in and get involved and see that it isn't like that normally and that we do all we can.

    I feel really good about how we did, having a designated person like Sewing trying to greet EVERYONE. We had a LOT of new people who were all greeted and felt welcomed and participated. Obviously we didn't do it PERFECTLY since you felt ignored... but we sure are doing what we can.

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  14. I know how you feel, but everyone is so nice. I've not done a BNR, but there are 2 of us, and Denise has.

    I totally had no idea what I was doing when I was trying to add my blog to the list last night. The very nice magdamagda helped me out. Like everyone on else said, it's so not personal.

    Your photos are great.

    - Melina

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  15. Don't waste time thinking along these lines - you may not know how people actually feel! I always appreciated your comments in our threads but I might not have told you so:) I know, sometimes we need to feel like we matter... You are brave to express what you're feeling... I hope you don't take too hard our comments, they are the proof that you are certainly not ignored!! You will surely find out we are all well intended and helpful!

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  16. i'm sorry you had a bad experience--i'm never available for BNRs--my tues. are taken up, morning till night- so it's the one promofrenzy thing i can't do---

    hopefully there will be better ones for you-

    marilyn g

    ps- maybe you can do your chatting on one of the threads, when things aren't so busy?

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  17. You have every rite to have your feelings and to share them. I think it's good to express how you feel. I have felt the exact same way before.

    Your pics are great.

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  18. If most of us are honest we would admit that we have all felt that way one time or another.

    For me personally if a BNR is moving that fast then I don't hang around anyway, I prefer to chat. Buying isn't just about the sale or the stuff. You want to buy from a person, someone you connect with in a BNR. When you talk to someone their items become more attractive to you because you like the person. Isn't that what handmade is really all about? Artists put a piece of themselves into every item so I want people to buy from me because A) they like what I produce and B) Because they like me as a person who makes artistic things. That will last you way past a BNR - they will come back another time when there is no BNR and buy. If I go into a slow one and leave 2 messages over 10 minutes and don't get a response then I am gone, no buy from me. No one expects an immediate response but if you are going to hold one and send out convos asking people to come then someone needs to be there.

    Blogs are meant to be for a person to write their personal thoughts feelings, opinions without retribution so you use your blog anyway you like. :)

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