mel jacobson on sat 29 dec 07
there is one big factor that many
do not understand about web selling of any
kind...`you must get people to look at you.`
(and, then like what they see.)
just making a website...and then wishing, does not work.
or, going on etsy..(david, it is a small brazilian mite.
bites like hell, and you do not want them in your shorts.)
does nothing if you are just part of 500 or a 1000 sites.
we have learned from ridatick that just having the website
does nothing. you must advertise in the normal ways...
radio, tv, papers and magazines. word of mouth is ok, but
for selling..you need more. we have finally gotten one of the
big national catalogs to carry ridatick. it is a first...we are
excited. (that will improve our own web sales 100 fold.)
we know that a great clip on `youtube` will spread around
the world in hours...but, your pots? i think not.
there is no `magic bullet` system for the net. it is
hit and miss at best.
i more and more think that personal contact...getting to know
customers and being a `service` or gift maker gets the most
attention. we can all testify that certain people like certain things.
i know that many younger buyers want aqua and purple. bright
white glazes...glitz and gloss in fact. i don't make that sort of thing.
never have, never will...so, my audience is limited. i have to roust
them out...send them letters, have sales and shows locally.
i look for 10 percent of my audience to buy at any one time. in fact
that may be high.
style and buying habits of folks are fickle. we all know that.
what is hot one year...gone the next. i laughed with the gal
who said last week...`they always have ideas for things for me
to make...pizza dishes, soap holders, oil pots...` the next year,
no one wants that item. the hammer goes to work in your studio.
i feel that making food serving pieces...platters, big bowls,
pitchers....all sell. and i keep that just under a hundred dollars,
seems to work best. they all know pots break. there seems
to be a magic limit. for me..(and now remember, i do not
speak for other experienced potters..depends on the area,
how you present...) that a hundred dollar price and above
means i get to own the pot. not the customer. for most of
my work...i bet the 40 dollar pot sells the most.
i never hear potters comment on breakage. pots just break.
hit the sink edge, slip during cleaning...and folks get very
upset. i want my customers to use my pots...get them out
there on the table...use them...live with them.
i encourage that. i also make sure they know if one cracks..i will
replace it. free. people really respect that idea. and, some bring
things back...and, i do replace it...but, they usually buy two more
things while they are in my studio. so, what do i lose?...nothing.
i keep that lifetime customer. if a customer gets pissed, they are
gone forever.
if you are going to spend a couple thousand dollars on a website,
you had better be planning on selling 20,000 bucks worth of pots
from that site. then figure out how to get people to
look and buy from that site. that is the problem. solve it.
if that is not your intent, and you just want a presence, make your
own, godaddy.com, a few pix...information...a few bucks a year.
most isp's will give you a site free. i pay nothing for my `working
website`. and, because it is a teaching site....i sell little. i sure
don't care...it is what i want. remember, only a few potters buy
your pots. don't advertise to potters....you want respect from other
potters, but they are not the soul of your customer...find that
customer base that fits just you...and nurture it.
don't get pissed at people for not buying...find the buyers that
want your pots. they will buy.
mel
from: mel/minnetonka.mn.usa
website: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/
Clayart page link: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/clayart.html
John Rodgers on sat 29 dec 07
I agree with Mel big time on this. Early on, I learned that a website
is simply a place to focus your customer, after you have put the idea
into his head otherwise.
Take a good hard look at Entrepreneur Magazine, Small Biz, and many
others - thousands of businesses run small display adds as well as
classified ads in the various magazines. They put their web address in
the ad. They direct the line of thinking to their web site. THEN they do
the selling.
To expect a potential customer to find you in the alphabet soup of the
internet is a bit much. You have to reach him another way. Once
connected, then things can be brought together.
I follow this rule myself and it seems to work.
Regards,
John Rodgers
Chelsea, AL
-- Dan Roberts
mel jacobson wrote:
> there is one big factor that many
> do not understand about web selling of any
> kind...`you must get people to look at you.`
> (and, then like what they see.)
>
> just making a website...and then wishing, does not work.
> or, going on etsy..(david, it is a small brazilian mite.
> bites like hell, and you do not want them in your shorts.)
> does nothing if you are just part of 500 or a 1000 sites.
>
> we have learned from ridatick that just having the website
> does nothing. you must advertise in the normal ways...
> radio, tv, papers and magazines. word of mouth is ok, but
> for selling..you need more. we have finally gotten one of the
> big national catalogs to carry ridatick. it is a first...we are
> excited. (that will improve our own web sales 100 fold.)
>
> we know that a great clip on `youtube` will spread around
> the world in hours...but, your pots? i think not.
>
> there is no `magic bullet` system for the net. it is
> hit and miss at best.
>
> i more and more think that personal contact...getting to know
> customers and being a `service` or gift maker gets the most
> attention. we can all testify that certain people like certain things.
> i know that many younger buyers want aqua and purple. bright
> white glazes...glitz and gloss in fact. i don't make that sort of thing.
> never have, never will...so, my audience is limited. i have to roust
> them out...send them letters, have sales and shows locally.
> i look for 10 percent of my audience to buy at any one time. in fact
> that may be high.
>
> style and buying habits of folks are fickle. we all know that.
> what is hot one year...gone the next. i laughed with the gal
> who said last week...`they always have ideas for things for me
> to make...pizza dishes, soap holders, oil pots...` the next year,
> no one wants that item. the hammer goes to work in your studio.
>
> i feel that making food serving pieces...platters, big bowls,
> pitchers....all sell. and i keep that just under a hundred dollars,
> seems to work best. they all know pots break. there seems
> to be a magic limit. for me..(and now remember, i do not
> speak for other experienced potters..depends on the area,
> how you present...) that a hundred dollar price and above
> means i get to own the pot. not the customer. for most of
> my work...i bet the 40 dollar pot sells the most.
>
> i never hear potters comment on breakage. pots just break.
> hit the sink edge, slip during cleaning...and folks get very
> upset. i want my customers to use my pots...get them out
> there on the table...use them...live with them.
> i encourage that. i also make sure they know if one cracks..i will
> replace it. free. people really respect that idea. and, some bring
> things back...and, i do replace it...but, they usually buy two more
> things while they are in my studio. so, what do i lose?...nothing.
> i keep that lifetime customer. if a customer gets pissed, they are
> gone forever.
>
> if you are going to spend a couple thousand dollars on a website,
> you had better be planning on selling 20,000 bucks worth of pots
> from that site. then figure out how to get people to
> look and buy from that site. that is the problem. solve it.
>
> if that is not your intent, and you just want a presence, make your
> own, godaddy.com, a few pix...information...a few bucks a year.
> most isp's will give you a site free. i pay nothing for my `working
> website`. and, because it is a teaching site....i sell little. i sure
> don't care...it is what i want. remember, only a few potters buy
> your pots. don't advertise to potters....you want respect from other
> potters, but they are not the soul of your customer...find that
> customer base that fits just you...and nurture it.
> don't get pissed at people for not buying...find the buyers that
> want your pots. they will buy.
> mel
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> from: mel/minnetonka.mn.usa
> website: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/
>
> Clayart page link: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/clayart.html
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
>
> Clayart members may send postings to: clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list, post messages, or change your
> subscription settings here: http://www.acers.org/cic/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
> melpots2@visi.com
>
>
Michael Wendt on sun 30 dec 07
To people who do shows may I suggest:
Start stamping your contact information
on the bottom of each piece. This makes
reorders much easier to get... it makes
your pot your business card, selling
for you each time a friend or neighbor
of the owner admires it and asks where
it can be had.
Imagine a 1500 mile radius out from your
studio.
I don't recommend it if you plan to be
in stores or galleries since they tend to
view it as an attempt to bypass them
in the sales department.
What easier way to have your repeat
customers come to you?
Example:
Two weeks ago, a woman called me from
Burbank, WA to order a replacement
coffee mug for her husband. Mt St Helens
Ash Glaze, bought in 1981! It was his favorite,
one he had used every day since he got it
and he dropped it the previous day and
it broke.
She remembered the stamp on the bottom.
It has my name, the city, state and phone
plus it tells a little about the MSH glaze.
She ordered and paid for 6. Quick, and
easy. Shipped the same day in time for
Christmas.
This is typical. I have pots all over the
country and people can find me in an
instant.
The age of the anonymous potter was
a time when he served a local or regional
market and it was a business, not a hobby
or a creative outlet. People came to him
for what they needed. Not any more.
No one NEEDS what we do... sad? no.
Now it can be about meeting wants.
They often can be much more extravagant
than fundamental day to day needs.
If it is your real wish to work and live
as a potter, this could be one possible
path to that goal.
As to our web sites, we both built and
do all the work on our own. They are
meant to be catalogs so when people
want to see what we make they can log
on and page through. For me, it also helps
when an old customer wants more of a
particular style or type of item. They
look, match their piece to the display
and then use the terms that assure they
get what they want.
Regards,
Michael Wendt
Wendt Pottery
2729 Clearwater Ave.
Lewiston, Id 83501
U.S.A.
208-746-3724
wendtpot@lewiston.com
http://www.wendtpottery.com
http://UniquePorcelainDesigns.com
| |
|
