Leslie Ihde on mon 29 dec 97
Well it is easy to see that Christmas is a good time for a home/studio
sale. What other times have people found to be good times? I was
thinking of a spring sale, maybe near mother's day. Any suggestions about
best times? I am trying to sell my pottery (mainly because it just piles
up) from my home as that is the simplest. My home happens to be zoned
both for business and residence. My pottery is a part time activity and
I'd really like to avoid consignment. My second annual Christmas sale was
a sucess by my standards and I'd like to develop a word of mouth
reputation. Since I am on Main street, all I did was put out a sign during
the week before tha sale advertising.
Also, what luck have people have with the phone book as a form of
advertising?
Thanks for any imput,
Leslie in Vestal NY (a shrink by trade thinbking of seeking therapy for
the ammount of time I put into this stuff- joking)
Robert Katz on tue 30 dec 97
You might try a mail out around Valentines Day with a note that you will be
serving hot tea/cocoa/apple cider. Refer to it as " an opening of the
kiln" if you fire at your studio. Also note that you would be interested
in taking orders for mother's day or bridal registry. People are very
curious about the firing process & equipment.
I established my mailout list from addresses that I took from payment checks.
Put on the invitation " bring a friend "
If you have a friend that is willing to help you promote your work, as that
friend to mail out invitations with her/his name on the return address.
Lastly, you may want to consider having an OPEN HOUSE with another artist.
That would double your draw as they would invite people, and cut your cost
in that the other artist could mail out invitations to the open house &
bring cookies or something.
If all goes poorly, you have had a nice visit with a fellow artist,
complete with refreshments & a write off on your taxes.
Keep me posted as to your success.
Sincerely,
Vicki Leigh
Katz Creek Pottery
Sugar Land, TX
At 11:10 AM 12/29/97 EST, you wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Well it is easy to see that Christmas is a good time for a home/studio
>sale. What other times have people found to be good times? I was
>thinking of a spring sale, maybe near mother's day. Any suggestions about
>best times? I am trying to sell my pottery (mainly because it just piles
>up) from my home as that is the simplest. My home happens to be zoned
>both for business and residence. My pottery is a part time activity and
>I'd really like to avoid consignment. My second annual Christmas sale was
>a sucess by my standards and I'd like to develop a word of mouth
>reputation. Since I am on Main street, all I did was put out a sign during
>the week before tha sale advertising.
>
>Also, what luck have people have with the phone book as a form of
>advertising?
>
>Thanks for any imput,
>Leslie in Vestal NY (a shrink by trade thinbking of seeking therapy for
>the ammount of time I put into this stuff- joking)
>
Dave Eitel on tue 30 dec 97
>Also, what luck have people have with the phone book as a form of
>advertising?
The only reason I advertise in the Yellow Pages is because if I don't,
people may think I've gone out of business. Mostly what I get from my
phonebook ads is calls about how to repair the family heirloom that
someone's cat or husband knocked off a shelf. Despite our ad's saying we
have handmade pots, we also get calls from people looking for commercial
brands of china. I really hate having to pay money for this.
Dave Eitel
Cedar Creek Pottery
Cedarburg, WI USA
http://www.cedarcreekpottery.com
Olivia T Cavy on wed 31 dec 97
Vicki had many good ideas, and I would add to be sure to notify your
local newspaper well in advance about the upcoming event if you have
billed it as a Kiln Opening or a Joint Open House or an Opportunity to
buy something unique for your loved ones etc. Emphasis is on the Local.
I've read articles in local newspapers about 2 local artists combining
for an open house where the article with a photo was published BEFORE the
event took place. What great PR! And people are interested in the
process.
I remember seeing someone's pots with intricate carvings extending all
the way through the pots. I was standing there when someone asked the
artist if he made the holes in the pots before or after the porcelain
pots were fired.
Bonnie
Bonnie D. Hellman
Pittsburgh, PA
work email: oliviatcavy@juno.com
home email: mou10man@sgi.net
On Tue, 30 Dec 1997 09:15:19 EST Robert Katz writes:
>----------------------------Original
>message----------------------------
>You might try a mail out around Valentines Day with a note that you
>will be
>serving hot tea/cocoa/apple cider. Refer to it as " an opening of the
>kiln" if you fire at your studio. Also note that you would be
>interested
>in taking orders for mother's day or bridal registry. People are very
>curious about the firing process & equipment.
>I established my mailout list from addresses that I took from payment
>checks.
>Put on the invitation " bring a friend "
>If you have a friend that is willing to help you promote your work, as
>that
>friend to mail out invitations with her/his name on the return
>address.
>Lastly, you may want to consider having an OPEN HOUSE with another
>artist.
>That would double your draw as they would invite people, and cut your
>cost
>in that the other artist could mail out invitations to the open house
>&
>bring cookies or something.
>If all goes poorly, you have had a nice visit with a fellow artist,
>complete with refreshments & a write off on your taxes.
>Keep me posted as to your success.
>Sincerely,
>Vicki Leigh
>Katz Creek Pottery
>Sugar Land, TX
>At 11:10 AM 12/29/97 EST, you wrote:
>>----------------------------Original
>message----------------------------
>>Well it is easy to see that Christmas is a good time for a
>home/studio
>>sale. What other times have people found to be good times? I was
>>thinking of a spring sale, maybe near mother's day. Any suggestions
>about
>>best times? I am trying to sell my pottery (mainly because it just
>piles
>>up) from my home as that is the simplest. My home happens to be
>zoned
>>both for business and residence. My pottery is a part time activity
>and
>>I'd really like to avoid consignment. My second annual Christmas
>sale was
>>a sucess by my standards and I'd like to develop a word of mouth
>>reputation. Since I am on Main street, all I did was put out a sign
>during
>>the week before tha sale advertising.
>>
>>Also, what luck have people have with the phone book as a form of
>>advertising?
>>
>>Thanks for any imput,
>>Leslie in Vestal NY (a shrink by trade thinbking of seeking therapy
>for
>>the ammount of time I put into this stuff- joking)
>>
>
John H. Rodgers on wed 31 dec 97
-- [ From: John H. Rodgers * EMC.Ver #2.5.02 ] --
Dave, you remarks about old china really ring a bell. From our ad in the
yellow pages, at my studio in Alaska, we often get calls for toilets,
toilket tanks, lavatories, and requests for the repair of same. The sinks
have possibilities, but the rest........!
Hate to get those kind of calls off our Yellow Pages ad.
John Rodgers
It snowed yesterday in Alabama
-------- REPLY, Original message follows --------
Date: Tuesday, 30-Dec-97 09:22 AM
From: Dave Eitel \ Internet: (pots@cedarcreekpottery.com)
To: CLAYART LIST \ Internet: (clayart@lsv.uky.edu)
Subject: Re: best times for studio sales
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Also, what luck have people have with the phone book as a form of
>advertising?
The only reason I advertise in the Yellow Pages is because if I don't,
people may think I've gone out of business. Mostly what I get from my
phonebook ads is calls about how to repair the family heirloom that
someone's cat or husband knocked off a shelf. Despite our ad's saying we
have handmade pots, we also get calls from people looking for commercial
brands of china. I really hate having to pay money for this.
Dave Eitel
Cedar Creek Pottery
Cedarburg, WI USA
http://www.cedarcreekpottery.com
-------- REPLY, End of original message --------
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