Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Doing Unto Others.....First

I have never been comfortable promoting myself. In anything.

So when I opened my first Etsy shop, essentially getting into sales, I found myself struggling to tell friends and acquaintances that I did just that and how excited I was and how I thought I had a pretty cool, funky product to offer.

Almost a year and a half later, now with two Etsy shops, I have found the secret to being comfortable. It is in promoting others FIRST..........

"Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind, let each esteem others better than themselves" Philippians 2:3 NKJ


I spent most of Monday online on Etsy listing items and going through my different team's threads favoriting, liking and playing the different games there are to promote others while sharing my new item. It is a large part of Etsy's business proposal which is really a biblical premise.

"Do for others as you would like them to do for you" Luke 6:31 NLT

It feels good to be a part of a community that supports each other and their individual success on Etsy.

If you are part of a team or teams on Etsy you know that most of the threads that you can participate in let you post your new items, your blog, your facebook address... and so on. But in the spirit of networking and encouraging you are to also go through and favorite other sellers' shops and items, post comments on their blogs, and "like" their Facebook page. Usually it is required to go through and do that FIRST.

It all clicked for me then. I have become comfortable in promoting myself because I am first promoting others and encouraging their success.

It works in real life too. If you reach out to someone in need you are acting unselfishly and blessing them in the process.

It is, after all, the second greatest command from God....

"30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment. 31 And the second, like it, is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."   Mark 12:30-31 NKJ





And isn't that what we want others to do for us?






AnnMarie :)

16 comments :

  1. So true! I think helping each other is the key to success. Thanks for sharing!

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  2. Great advice AnnMarie. I'm relatively new still to Etsy and need all I can get. Thank you.

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  3. This is the way it should always be.

    Thank You♥

    ♥♥♥
    Sue

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  4. Great post! I agree, that it is important to put others first. I don't always do that with my Etsy shop.

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  5. Hi AnnMarie, This is a great post. I agree wholeheartedly.
    Hannah


    PS I used to have this template for my blog before I turned it yellow! Great minds think alike.

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  6. I feel like you do....promoting myself comes hard. But when it is a mutual effort for all of us to share each other it becomes fun.
    Thanks for sharing.

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  7. This is a wonderful post!I agree completely!

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  8. Love your post. I am just starting to write one myself on Home Arts.

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  9. You are so right, it is great we can all support each other. Blessings Niki x

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  10. Hi AnnaMarie :) wow!! I really need to read these scriptures today :) im delighted to have met you through Etsy and most important through The Lord. I started too joining in the little games and found it rewarding being able to help promote other shops through Etsy :) I suffer with bipolar and fibromyalgia , so life is difficult, but I get great joy through my blog, creating and Etsy, . Also being saved :) hugzz x

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    1. So nice to meet you too! I also suffer with fibromyalgia so I completely sympathize. The Lord has given me perseverence though to keep plugging on and Etsy has been such a gift to me. I cannot work outside the home so my shops keep me busy inside my home! How could we ever do it without the Lord?

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  11. This post is amazing and right on target!! Thank you Annmarie: ))

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  12. I really think I enjoy promoting others more than I enjoy promoting my own listings.

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