5 Skills I Learned as a TPT Seller

If you haven't heard yet, Teachers Pay Teachers is an online marketplace where teachers, homeschooling parents, and graphic artists can buy and sell resources for educators.  Interested in opening your own TPT store?  Read on for 5 Skills I Learned as a TPT Seller that I had no idea I needed to know.

Button Graphics from my new favorite clipart artist, Tomato Dumplings.

When people find out that I blog and create resources for teachers, they usually ask, "How do you find the time?"  My answer, "I have no idea, but I love what I am doing."  A colleague came to me for advice about opening her own TPT store, and I am so happy she did!  Since I am teaching part-time this year, I was able to meet with her over her track out on a beautiful Friday morning at a coffee shop for a couple of hours and chat in the sunshine about teaching, blogging, and being a Teacher-Author on Teachers Pay Teachers.  By the way, her store is called Tomato Dumplings, and her work is super cute!  I especially adore her borders.  Here's her TPT link.  :)  

As we talked, I realized that I have learned so many skills as a TPT Seller.  Here are the top 5:

1. Organization Skills - I have created my "go to" folder that I always pull close when working on a new product.  It includes: Common Core Standards for the grade levels I work with, my "ideas" notebook, current projects, future projects, to do lists, Terms of Use for graphics/fonts, etc.  It stays in my laptop bag, and I can always find it when I am working.  Find a system that works for you.  Also, since it's a home business, I keep track of the financial part in another folder.  
   
2. Marketing Skills - With so many teachers opening their Teachers Pay Teachers stores, it is truly up to you to market your products.  I choose to do this through my blog, my Pinterest boards, Google +, and Facebook.  There are many options available.
3. Design Skills - In creating resources for teachers, I have learned to share items that I would use myself.  That means my items are helpful and functional.  I admit it, "cute" is not my top priority.  Yes, I work with kids.  No, they don't always have to see stick figures of cute children on every single page.  I will use something ugly if it works - it's the content that matters, not the cover.  'Nuff said.  The exception: clipart/font designers - it's all presentation for you!  :)
4. Collaboration Skills - Teachers love to collaborate, and TPT allows you to enter classrooms throughout the world.  Once you register as a seller for TPT, you'll have access to the sellers forums, where many talented sellers who share their thoughts, experiences, and expertise.  Also, many bloggers and Teacher Authors are using social media to share what worked, what didn't, and what they would do differently next time.  A caution: be aware of where your ideas came from.  Be sure to give credit where credit is due, and to always act with ethical intentions.
5.  Technology Skills - Through tutorials from the local library and internet searches, I have taught myself how to work with files in many different formats: *.jpeg, *.pdf, *.png, *.ppt, *.doc, and *.zip are just a few of the more common ones.  I have learned to edit pictures, manipulate images, schedule posts, and secure my documents, many through trial and error.

If you are already a TPT seller, what would you add?  If you are thinking about opening a store on Teachers Pay Teachers, click here to use my referral link when you sign up for your account.