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How Handmade Sellers Are Making £1k in Just 7 Days (Without a Huge Audience)

🎧 If you’ve ever thought “I just need more followers to start making decent sales,” this episode is your wake-up call.

Meet Sam and Lydia - two handmade business owners using the same platform, same tools, even similar products. But one made over £1k in just 5 days… with less than 400 followers. The difference? Lydia had a plan. 👏

In this episode, we’re diving into:
• Why engagement is the real currency on social media (not your follower count)
• How to actually show up in stories and reels without sounding like a pushy salesperson
• The 3-step sales content system you can use right now to boost sales from your existing audience
• What to do if you’re stuck in “content limbo” with a quiet shop and zero urgency

Plus, I’m sharing the exact next step to take if you want to turn your content into conversions this summer.

🎯 Your homework: Pick ONE product and apply these three simple steps this week. Trust me, you’ll be amazed at what’s possible.

🔥 Ready to go deeper? Join us for the Summer Sales Sprint – kicking off this June!
➡️ handmadebosses.com/sellathonsprint

💛 Let’s make your products fly off the (virtual) shelves. You in?

Why More Followers Won’t Magically Grow Your Handmade Business (And What Will) 

Let’s talk about a common trap so many handmade business owners fall into: believing that more followers = more sales.

It makes sense on the surface. More people, more eyeballs, more potential customers… right?

But what if I told you that you don’t need thousands of followers to make real money from your shop? What if the missing link isn’t your follower count—but the way you present what you sell?

Let me walk you through a quick story.

📸 Meet Sam and Lydia

Sam has 4,000 Instagram followers. Her grid is a Pinterest dream—gorgeous flat lays, moody lighting, and products that look like they belong in a magazine. But sales? Crickets.

She doesn’t want to be “too salesy” and is terrified of annoying people. The minute she gets even the tiniest hint of judgement (like an eye-roll emoji or a lukewarm comment), she retreats. She stops showing up. Her confidence dips. Her sales stall. Her shop stays quiet.

Sound familiar?

Now let’s meet Lydia.

Lydia has just 389 followers. But here’s the difference: she ran a 5-day promo focused on one product. She told stories. She showed the product in use. She created urgency. She gave people clear next steps. And she made £1,065 in a week.

Same platform. Same kind of product. Massive difference in results.

💡 The Real Secret? Engagement > Follower Count

If you’re showing up online and all you’re doing is posting “buy this” over and over again with no real connection or context, of course people aren’t going to engage.

But when you speak directly to the camera, show off your process, and actually talk to your audience like they’re real people? That’s where the magic happens.

Ask questions in your captions. Show your face. Point to your link in bio. Invite people to DM you. Make your content feel like a two-way street—not a sales megaphone.

Because on social media, engagement is currency. 

✅ Your Homework This Week

Pick one product you love. That’s it. Just one.

Then go through these 3 steps:

1. Tell stories – How is it made? What inspired it? Who’s it for?

2. Create urgency – Only a few left? Seasonal? Special edition?

3. Add calls to action – “DM me for details” / “Tap the link in bio to order” / “Comment below if this is your vibe”

That’s your content plan for the week. Not overwhelming. Not confusing. Just simple, focused, and impactful.

🚀 Want Help Doing This?

I’d love to support you inside the Summer Sales Sprint – a 5-day challenge designed to help you make up to £1,000 in a week by learning how to create content that actually converts.

We kick off on 9th June with a welcome call, and the challenge officially starts on the 16th June.

Join us here 👉 handmadebosses.com/sellathonsprint

No fluff. Just strategy, support, and sales.

Until next time, keep showing up, keep experimenting, and remember: 

You don’t need more followers. You need a better way of presenting what you already sell. 

The world really does need those special creations only you can make.

💛 Steph xox

Founder of Handmade Bosses

👋 Welcome everyone! My name is Steph, I've been running my handmade business full time on Etsy since 2016, and I'm here to help you! 

🧡 I'll help you to start an Etsy shop, Etsy ads, show you how to sell more on Etsy, get to grips with Etsy SEO, Etsy branding, Etsy product ideas, finding your target market, identifying your niche and many many more.

🛍️ If you have an Etsy shop or your own website selling handmade products, or want to start one, this is THE channel you need to be subscribed to!

💰 I help makers start, run and scale their handmade businesses. Turning them from an expensive hobby to profitable businesses making 4 and 5 figure months on Etsy and your own website.

✨ Join the HBSA waitlist

✨ Free resources: Want to make headway in your business but don't want to pay yet? You're in the right place! 

✨ Work with us for deeper transformative results

✨I go live most Mondays on YouTube and in my Facebook group for mini workshops to help you make more money from your handmade business! You can see our upcoming events here

That’s all for now! Be sure to subscribe and follow us on IG for announcements of new videos, workshops, content and more.