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Teachers Pay Teachers Tips

Starting a TpT Store: 3 Things to Create First

Starting a TpT Store: 3 Things to Create First

Thinking about finally starting that TpT store? If so, you’ve probably put a lot of time into thinking about what kind of amazing resources you can share with other educators. But you might not have thought–or known–about what else you’ll need to have in place before starting your TpT store.

Selling on Teachers Pay Teachers means starting your own business. But don’t let that fact make you feel overwhelmed!

Here are a few things to make sure you have before you upload that first product. 

"Starting a TpT Store: 3 Things to Create First" Pinterest pin with cell phone and notebook

Starting Your TpT Store Need #1: A Store Name

Before you sell anything, you’ll need a name for your store!

Having a store name first is helpful because you can put it on your products and start building brand recognition from sale #1. 

You have two choices when it comes to naming your store: use your name or make one up. Each option has pros and cons. 

Using your own name is easy. You own it legally, so no need to worry about someone else stealing it or an existing business using it. 

It does, however, make you easy to find. Not every district is enthusiastic about its employees having a side business, so this might create problems down the road. Your own students could even find your store, your resources, and buy answer keys to your lessons!

If you’d like to keep some space between your career and your store, then the best option is to make up a name for your store. 

Keep it short. If possible, try to make your focus (math, English, etc.) apparent with the name. 

I recommend avoiding using the grade you teach in your store name because you could be assigned to a different grade at any time. 

Before getting too attached to a name, do some deep Googling. Make sure no one else is using it. Double-check that there’s not already an established store under that name. You should also check to make sure it isn’t copyrighted. 

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Starting Your TpT Store Need #2: A Logo

Once you have a store name, it’s time to move on to a logo!

A logo can sound overwhelming and expensive, but it doesn’t have to be!

You can create one for free on Canva. (I talk more about Canva in this post, and I include a tutorial on how to do this in my TpT Profitability course). 

If you want one a little more polished, original, or just don’t want to do it yourself, there are tons of Etsy sellers who do logos pretty cheaply. You can buy a premade logo (they’ll add your store name for you) for $20-40. There are tons of cute options!

And if you’re willing to spend more, there are sellers on Teachers Pay Teachers who will create a custom logo for you suited for the website.

(If you’re curious, I started with a logo I made for free with a graphics app on my phone. I later upgrade by hiring an artist I found from 99 Designs.)

Make sure your logo is circular! It works much better on the TpT website. 

Keep it simple, too. Your logo should be readable even when it’s teeny-tiny. Choose 2-3 colors and resist making it more complicated than that. (Choose your logo colors carefully; these will become your brand colors!)

Once you have a logo, you’ll put it on your product covers, previews, and all of your marketing ventures! It’s handy to have from the very beginning.

"Starting a TpT Store: 3 Things to Create First" Pinterest pin with teacher writing in a notebook

Starting a TpT Store Need #3: Terms of Use Page

A Terms of Use page might sound like complicated legal jargon, but it doesn’t have to be. Your Terms of Use page will go inside every product you sell and let buyers know what they can and can’t do with your resources. 

For example, buyers can use their purchase in their own classrooms but can’t give it to another teacher to use in their classrooms. 

Your Terms of Use (TOU) won’t guarantee that your resource will never be stolen or shared freely, but it does provide a layer of legal protection. If you include it in your resources, your buyers will never be able to claim they didn’t know they couldn’t post it for free online. 

You can create your TOU just like you would any other PDF, but I don’t recommend starting from scratch. 

You might be able to find a free template on Teachers Pay Teachers or by talking to existing TpT sellers. Many are happy to share their verbiage and format (as long as you don’t directly copy or steal it). 

You can also buy a TOU template perfect for TpT from sellers on Teachers Pay Teachers. I include a template in my TpT Profitability course. 

Make sure you at least have a basic TOU before starting a TpT store because you’ll need to include it in your first product!

"Starting a TpT Store: 3 Things to Create First" Pinterest pin with teacher holding a tablet

Conclusion

Starting your TpT store might feel overwhelming. After all, figuring out how to create beautiful resources and package them is already A LOT. 

But don’t let not knowing how to create the extra stuff stop you from starting. There are often free or inexpensive ways to create your other business assets. Take some time to look around at your options. 
If you want to dive into building your store, but want a step-by-step approach, you can also check out TpT Profitability. In this course, I walk you through every step of creating your store and your first resources.

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About Heather

About Heather

I’m a full-time high school English teacher, caffeine addict, greyhound mom, and wife-to-be! Life keeps me busy but I LOVE helping other teachers!

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