My First Year on TeachersPayTeachers
Hello fellow teacher! I imagine you are here because you are thinking about becoming a seller on TeachersPayTeachers and you are wondering if it’s worth your while. The fast answer to that question (in my opinion) is… YES!
As I write this post, I am quickly approaching the 1 year mark on TeachersPayTeachers and I thought it was worth reflecting on my experience and sharing what I have learned. When I was deciding whether or not to start selling my materials, I read a number of posts just like this so now it is my turn to contribute!
Starting out on TeachersPayTeachers
To give you some context before I go into details, I created my sellers site on TPT in June 2020 and posted my first couple of resources somewhere in the late beginning-middle of the month.
I don’t have a particularly popular niche as I am (primarily) a foreign language teacher at the high school level. So my resources are almost entirely French and Italian with bits of other subjects that I have taught at various institutions over the years.
When I was debating becoming a seller, I had a couple main worries:
- I am not great at graphic design and everyone else’s materials on TPT looked SO good.
- There were already a ton of sellers so no one would find me unless I spent a ton on advertising.
- No one would buy my resources.
But over time, I got curious and decided that I wanted to give it a try. The worst that could happen was that no one would buy my stuff and I would stop doing it, right? Thankfully my experience turned out to be better than that and I am SO happy that I chose to do it!
How much did I make in my first year on TPT?
Okay, time for the money – the part that I know everyone is most curious about! This is the honest monthly breakdown of what I made on TPT in my first year:
- June 2020 – $2.78
- July 2020 – $5.56
- August 2020 – $31.42
- September 2020 – $82.11
- Oct 2020 – $112.95
- Nov 2020 – $144.22
- Dec 2020 – $118.88
- Jan 2021 – $163.88
- Feb 2021 – $199.96
- Mar 2021 – $335.22
- April 2021 – $301.01
- May 2021 – $277.59
So there you have it! While it is not super impressive, I am pleased with the effort – reward ratio. This is a great side income for me and I love having the extra project on the go!
Some additional context about these numbers and what they mean for you (keep in mind that this is based on my experience and might be completely different for others!!):
- I have not done any paid marketing of my products.
- I did not have a blog until I launched this one just one month ago (May 2021).
- I have a Facebook account in name only. I have not posted on it yet.
- I did a limited amount of posting on Instagram, but it is not something that I am good at keeping up with. (Definitely an area I could improve!)
- I started using Pinterest to post about my products at the beginning of March 2021.
- ** A note about Pinterest vs Instagram – I have never made a sale from an Instagram referral but I have made a number of sales from Pinterest!
Remember that your numbers could be completely different! You may sell primary or elementary school materials which are more popular, or you may teach a subject that is more common than foreign languages so you may have a larger consumer base. You may also want to invest some money in marketing and see if that can give your store a big jump! There is no guarantee no matter what, but it could make a big difference! It is definitely an area that I am hoping to explore further in my second year on TPT.
Takeaways from my first year on TPT
#1: It is exciting when people buy your products!
I was thrilled when I got my first sale and even more thrilled when I started getting reviews. It is a wonderful feeling to know that people enjoyed your materials and found them useful.
#2: Don’t panic, you can do further edits after you post.
In this case, perfection really is the enemy of progress. Obviously you need to edit and review your products carefully so that your fellow teachers are happy and you are proud of what you create. However, there is a limit to when this becomes obsessive and counter-productive. If you put something out and you decide that you would like to edit it or add something later, you can do that.
You aren’t stuck with the original version and your customers will receive the updated copy too! Get those products out there for the teaching community to enjoy!
#3: It can be hard to get reviews.
I have had customers come back multiple times and buy 10+ products but never leave a review whereas some people leave them right away. This is something I have not found a great solution for yet, but maybe in the future. Don’t be discouraged! If you are getting repeat customers and/or followers, that is also a great way to know if people are enjoying your resources.
#4: Improve / make products that you actually use.
I say this for a couple reasons. For one thing, if you know that an activity works, it is much easier to describe it and promote it because you know it could be useful for others.
Secondly, if no one buys it (hopefully not the case, but possible!) you will be left with something that is at least awesome for your own classes!
#5: Don’t obsessively look at other stores.
I think most TPT sellers are guilty of looking at others’ stores. There are lots of awesome ideas out there and I think there is a general curiosity about other sellers too. However, try not to compare your brand new store to a store that has been there for 7+ years.
Those sellers have had a lot of time to develop a “look” for their brand, advertise their products, and gain followers. You will learn and grow too! Focus on what is awesome about your products and roll with that.
Also, don’t copy other sellers’ materials! I feel like that’s obvious though, right?? I hope so!
Recommendations for you to get started on TPT!
Okay, now let’s assume that you have decided to sell on TeachersPayTeachers… I have a few things that I would definitely recommend.
Recommendation 1: Canva Pro
Canva Pro has been absolutely invaluable to me. If you are also a person who struggles with graphic design and doesn’t want to take the time to look for stock photos from different places, graphics, fonts, design ideas, etc. then I highly recommend Canva Pro.
I use Canva every single day and it has made selling on TeachersPayTeachers SO much easier. I make 95% of all my materials, cover pages, previews and more in this program.
I love the templates (lesson plans, infographics, Pinterest pins, etc) different features, stock photos, and the fact that you can do so many cool effects with it. Plus, Canva Pro now has a feature where you can do your content planning directly from the program. I use this lots for Pinterest and sometimes for Instagram as well.
Canva Pro is also where I make my designs for the mugs and t shirts that I sell on Etsy which is super handy!
As you can see, I use it for a ton of different things and I am a huge fan. Without question, for me the value for money has been totally worth it.
Click on the Canva banner below if you are interested in taking a look at what Canva Pro has to offer!
Recommendation #2: Make a simple logo and banner for your shop
This sounds a lot more intimidating than it is. To start out you can even use your initials or a simple that represents your classroom and put it in a circle! It is easy to change later and it makes your store look more professional.
To find the dimensions of the store banner, you can check your store profile on TeachersPayTeachers and then make a file that fits! It’s also a great way to direct people to your blog or social media accounts if you have them.
Recommendation #3: Post a free resource that people will be EXCITED to have!
The first resource that you post on TeachersPayTeachers is always free (you can change the resource you posted later on if you want to). Rather than posting something of little interest, post an AMAZING resource that will get people excited about your store and hopefully get you some great reviews too!
Recommendation #4: Make detailed previews for your products
Giving detailed previews minimizes buyer surprise and lets them know exactly what they’re getting before they buy. Nothing is worse than buying a product with a minimal preview, assuming it’s right for you by the description, and then opening it to find out that it is not what you expected. That could also be a recipe for a bad review! Help other teachers out and show them what is inside.
If you are worried about others copying your work, you can watermark it or write “Preview” in big letters across the document. Plus, chances are that someone would rather pay the small amount that you are asking for your product as opposed to taking the time to make it all over again on their own!
Recommendation #5: Check your downloaded files before you post them
This may seem like an obvious one, but sometimes when you download a document, your text or images can shift and look quite different from what you thought. Make sure to check each page before you upload it so you can fix these issues before people buy it.
Recommendation #6: Use BIG letters on your TPT product cover pages
It might be just me, but I always think I am using large font sizes and then when it shows up in my store, it still looks too small! Then I have to go back and change it. This is not the end of the world, but my advice is to make it properly big to begin with. It is easier for people to find your products when they are searching which leads to more potential buyers!
Overall, it has been quite the fun adventure becoming a seller on TeachersPayTeachers.
There are lots of things that I want to improve and try out (like actually doing some marketing!) and I am excited for what the next year will bring.
If you have an entrepreneurial streak in you, I highly encourage you to give it a shot! If your students are having fun with your lessons, chances are that other people’s students will too! While you may need to make your activities / worksheets more visually appealing, the effort could land you some extra spending money or potentially even more than that.
Get started and see where the journey takes you!
If you have any questions, I am always happy to share my experiences and help if I can. Feel free to comment or send me a message with anything you are wondering about.
I hope this post has been helpful and encouraged you to get started with your own shop!
