Today I am reviewing the TPT store Naturally Learning. This branding review is completely unbiased and was completed for educational purposes on the subject of how to market your TPT store.
First impressions
From the store name and the tag line, I can easily tell right away that this seller specializes in nature-based learning products that follow a Montessori methodology – so the seller has done a good job of establishing a clear niche.
This is obviously a new TPT store, as it doesn’t have any reviews yet, but a decent number of products. This seller has obviously been working hard!
Messaging
At quick glance I know what sort of products the seller creates, but I don’t know who will want them or why. Are these meant for Montessori teachers, or “regular” teachers who want to add more Montessori-based techniques into their teaching? What grades are they most appropriate for? What problem is being solved?
Next Steps: Instead of using the same banner image in both the quote box and banner spot, add some messaging to appeal directly to your target audience.
Visuals
There is one clear brand colour – a second colour will help make the visuals “pop”. The logo and banners match, but the product covers don’t obviously go together – they do have the logo on them, but not all in the same place and it is too small to recognize easily. There is too much white space on the product covers – the product images should cover the biggest portion of the cover.
The column banner does not match the rest of the store and would be better used to call attention to a specific product or add to the brand messaging.
Pros: Logo and top banner match. The titles on the product covers are easy to read.
Next steps: Create a product cover template that will have some element that is the same on every product, so that your customers will be able to easily recognize your work. (If you want to use your logo on each product cover, make sure it is big enough to see clearly when people are browsing products.) For thumbnails, show what the actual page layout looks like – it’s hard to visualize what you’re getting when they all have the cover border on them. (It also makes the actual pictures of the product smaller)
Store Features
Pros: The store has a few custom categories. Quote box, banner, and column banner are all being used.
Next Steps: Choose 4 featured items so they will be listed at the top right under your banner. Consider using two different images instead of the same one in both quote box and banner spots (as noted above). Use column banner for a more specific purpose.
Products & Customer Service
Pros: Most products have previews. Customer question answered promptly.
Next Steps: Use text features (bold text, bullet lists, links, etc) and add keywords your descriptions to make them more readable and searchable. Consider adding a small portion of a paid product as a freebie (and link them to each other), so that potential customers will be more comfortable paying for the full product as you work towards getting those first few reviews. Create some photos of the products in use to help teachers visualize how they might use them.
Final Thoughts
This TPT store is a perfect example of the slightly-beyond-beginner stage – lots of people never make it this far! Good work on developing a clear niche. There is a good number of products, but getting those first few reviews can feel like pulling teeth. Work on making your product visuals as compelling as you can. I never recommend spending a ton of $$ at the beginning, but once you’ve made enough from your store you might consider getting a designer to help by getting you set up with some templates. In the meantime, browse the TPT search and make a note of what catches your eye, and try an app with templates like Canva.
Best of luck!
When a customer lands on your teacher store, you’ve got a split second to grab their attention. Are you sharing your message effectively? Get your own full store review here.
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