Chris Campbell on tue 11 apr 00
Just a thought or two on the process of selling pottery.
One of the more famous lines in the advertising game is "Sell the Sizzle"
not the hamburger. So often at pottery shows, I hear potters selling "the
hamburger" to death and they forget to mention "the sizzle".
The typical "hamburger" spiel goes like this ... " Well I use stoneware
clay which I bisque to Cone 06 then glaze it and fire it to Cone 6." Who on
earth but another potter knows what the heck they are talking about?? When
asked further questions they answer even more technically describing kiln set
ups and temperature ranges and reduction processes. In other words, they run
into their comfort zone. It is so much easier to explain technical details
than to give a part of the emotion and caring that went into the work...."The
sizzle"
What if they explained instead that they love working with that form
because it soothes them ...love the way the color runs on a mug ... get
excited by the unpredictable results of the glaze ...choose the color because
it reminds them of a pot their grandmother had ...love attaching handles by
hand because their thumbprint shows .... raise the rim on plates because it
holds more gravy??? Don't you think it would sell better?
Male, female, functional or decorative ... it makes no difference. Learn
to talk about your work in "sizzle" terms. Practice as you throw ...it is a
learned skill like anything else.
The more people get caught up in the mechanics of the internet and the
more they sit in front of the cold and lifeless computer - the more handmade
objects are going to be needed. Every gallery owner I talk to tells the same
story. Sales are up. No end in sight.
"Sizzle" is cannot be fake, give a little piece of yourself. Be sincere.
If you try to fake it, people will pick up on it immediately and move on.
Think of the objects in your home that you prize and I guarantee there is a
personal story...a connection.
Nine times out of ten, when you tell your story you will watch the person
turn around and repeat it almost verbatim to a friend or even another
customer. You shared and they share again almost immediately. They are also
more likely to buy.
I have never seen a customer turn around and exclaim - " Wow, they are
using earthenware clay!!! "
Chris Campbell - in Carolina
John Rodgers on wed 12 apr 00
Chris, you are right on.
Years back when I had a studio in Alaska, my specialty was porcelain figurines
based on my years of experience living in the bush. Every piece had a story
behind it, from "Dinner for two" which depicted an old Eskimo lady pulling a fis
out of a hole in the ice while her pup looked on, ( based on a real person, an
old lady , an Eskimo story teller of local fame), to "Expose!" depicting two
Eskimo kids playing and their dog grabbing one kid by the seat of his pants and
managing to expose his little brown buns. The second child was laying on his
back regaled with laughter. All of these were based on true experience, things I
have seen, and the story of the event and circumstance at the time of sale,
whether told by me or by the accompanying story card, provided the sizzle that
became the emotional hook to get the customer to buy.
I often would keep a piece of my work set aside, wrapped in a piece of Royal Blu
velvet. The porcelain, being white, with muted blues and browns, showed
wornderfully on the velvet. At some point I might say " I have something special
I want to show you".....and I would unwrap the piece, sitting it on the table
with the velvet just unfolded from it. It would be exposed that way in all it's
splendor with the best possible complimenting backdrop...the blue velvet. 9 time
out of 10 it would sell, right there, at full price.No haggling.
The buying public at large cared less about the technical aspects of the
creation. They were more concerned about their feelings related to the piece.
Their interest in the the technical aspects was secondary except for the questio
of how to protect and preserve the piece of work. In all the years of operating
the studio, if there were more than a dozen or so customers that ever wanted to
know more it would surprise me. It just wasn't their interest.
So, as you say. Figure out where the sizzle is in your work, and push that. And
the work will sell. It's called "Marketing!"
John Rodgers
Birmingham, AL
Chris Campbell wrote:
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Just a thought or two on the process of selling pottery.
>
> One of the more famous lines in the advertising game is "Sell the Sizzle"
> not the hamburger. So often at pottery shows, I hear potters selling "the
> hamburger" to death and they forget to mention "the sizzle".
>
> The typical "hamburger" spiel goes like this ... " Well I use stoneware
> clay which I bisque to Cone 06 then glaze it and fire it to Cone 6." Who on
> earth but another potter knows what the heck they are talking about?? When
> asked further questions they answer even more technically describing kiln set
> ups and temperature ranges and reduction processes. In other words, they run
> into their comfort zone. It is so much easier to explain technical details
> than to give a part of the emotion and caring that went into the work...."The
> sizzle"
>
> What if they explained instead that they love working with that form
> because it soothes them ...love the way the color runs on a mug ... get
> excited by the unpredictable results of the glaze ...choose the color because
> it reminds them of a pot their grandmother had ...love attaching handles by
> hand because their thumbprint shows .... raise the rim on plates because it
> holds more gravy??? Don't you think it would sell better?
>
> Male, female, functional or decorative ... it makes no difference. Learn
> to talk about your work in "sizzle" terms. Practice as you throw ...it is a
> learned skill like anything else.
>
> The more people get caught up in the mechanics of the internet and the
> more they sit in front of the cold and lifeless computer - the more handmade
> objects are going to be needed. Every gallery owner I talk to tells the same
> story. Sales are up. No end in sight.
>
> "Sizzle" is cannot be fake, give a little piece of yourself. Be sincere.
> If you try to fake it, people will pick up on it immediately and move on.
> Think of the objects in your home that you prize and I guarantee there is a
> personal story...a connection.
>
> Nine times out of ten, when you tell your story you will watch the person
> turn around and repeat it almost verbatim to a friend or even another
> customer. You shared and they share again almost immediately. They are also
> more likely to buy.
>
> I have never seen a customer turn around and exclaim - " Wow, they are
> using earthenware clay!!! "
>
> Chris Campbell - in Carolina
Janet Kaiser on wed 12 apr 00
Chris, I enjoyed your post very much and you speak a lot of sense. When I am
selling pots, it is the personal tid-bits and gossip which usually clinch
the deal. People love to be able to connect with the maker beyond the
initial "like it" or "it will match the wallpaper, dear" reaction.
But in my experience, when selling true genius and art which sings, there is
not much need for a sizzling act... Indeed, I sometimes vehemently stand
hoping a certain person will not buy a certain beauty! Usually because they
have said those awful words: "It will match..." whatever. The piece has not
sung to them, stopped them in their tracks, grabbed them by the arm, shaken
their soul...
So they do not deserve it!!
Does that shock you? Am I in the wrong business? Do I exhibit under false
pretences? Am I an arrogant and mean-spirited snob? Shouldn't I encourage
them so they will learn to appreciate over time...? Ah! All those questions
and soul searching.
But when someone else comes along and falls in love... Well, then I am the
passionate match-maker. Every pot has a soul mate. You just have to wait and
be patient...
Janet Kaiser - Where the primroses are peeking through the snow.
The Chapel of Art, Criccieth LL52 0EA, GB-Wales
Home of The International Potters Path
TEL: (01766) 523570
WEB: http://www.the-coa.org.uk
EMAIL: postbox@the-coa.org.uk
----- Original Message -----
> Just a thought or two on the process of selling pottery.
>
> One of the more famous lines in the advertising game is "Sell the
Sizzle"
> not the hamburger. So often at pottery shows, I hear potters selling "the
> hamburger" to death and they forget to mention "the sizzle".
>
> The typical "hamburger" spiel goes like this ... " Well I use
stoneware
> clay which I bisque to Cone 06 then glaze it and fire it to Cone 6." Who
on
> earth but another potter knows what the heck they are talking about??
When
> asked further questions they answer even more technically describing kiln
set
> ups and temperature ranges and reduction processes. In other words, they
run
> into their comfort zone. It is so much easier to explain technical
details
> than to give a part of the emotion and caring that went into the
work...."The
> sizzle"
>
> What if they explained instead that they love working with that form
> because it soothes them ...love the way the color runs on a mug ... get
> excited by the unpredictable results of the glaze ...choose the color
because
> it reminds them of a pot their grandmother had ...love attaching handles
by
> hand because their thumbprint shows .... raise the rim on plates because
it
> holds more gravy??? Don't you think it would sell better?
>
> Male, female, functional or decorative ... it makes no difference.
Learn
> to talk about your work in "sizzle" terms. Practice as you throw ...it is
a
> learned skill like anything else.
>
> The more people get caught up in the mechanics of the internet and the
> more they sit in front of the cold and lifeless computer - the more
handmade
> objects are going to be needed. Every gallery owner I talk to tells the
same
> story. Sales are up. No end in sight.
>
> "Sizzle" is cannot be fake, give a little piece of yourself. Be
sincere.
> If you try to fake it, people will pick up on it immediately and move on.
> Think of the objects in your home that you prize and I guarantee there is
a
> personal story...a connection.
>
> Nine times out of ten, when you tell your story you will watch the
person
> turn around and repeat it almost verbatim to a friend or even another
> customer. You shared and they share again almost immediately. They are
also
> more likely to buy.
>
> I have never seen a customer turn around and exclaim - " Wow, they
are
> using earthenware clay!!! "
>
> Chris Campbell - in Carolina
>
eric nissen on wed 12 apr 00
Chris:
I totally agree with your technique of "selling the sizzle". I can only
laugh when I now envison a potential customer going through a fair and
hearing from every potter "I chose this glaze because it reminded me of
a bowl my Grandmother had"!
Sandra
in Woodstock, GA USA where spring is here in full display!
Karen Fisher on mon 17 apr 00
the favorite comment i like to hear from customers is 'this piece speaks
to me.'
Karen Fisher
d027087c@dc.seflin.org
Whatever
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