Working Potter on thu 6 mar 03
Hi Gretchen L. Mottet,
Find all the possible media freebys possible by calling community events
listings and ask how you get a free announcement and find necessary lead time
too next issue or airing.Get a cool photo, color slide for tv and black and
white for newspapers.You can get aa black and white made from color just ask
developer.8X10'' WORKS BEST AND UNUSUAL SHOT OF ARTISTS AT WORK HELPS GET
IT IN.
Make fliers and see if there are community bulletin boards at community
canters, grocery stores and more, religious boards too.Have members make a
mailer to best past customers a drawing of a pot or pots well done is nice
on left front of addresses side.Make signs big and easily read,few words
clear pointers with street number, and protect from rain by putting into
drycleaners bags and staple to stout sticks, like 2x4's with pointed
ends..call all friends to come and have hot water in big coffee maker and tea
bags, spiced russian teado google search if you do not have recipe-ok for
kiddies] and possibly instant coffee to offer with home baked perhaps cookies
and pound cake.We also had a pot drawn by straws[from participating artists
with set value which is compensated from joint funds, no family nor artist
allowed to win], to offer in a giveaway drawing designed to fillout our next
mailing address list.WE ALSO GOT NAMES AND ADDRESSES ON EVERY SALES SLIP,
OFTEN HAVING CUSTOMER SELF FILLOUT,WE CHECKED AND CHECKS AGAINST DRIVERS
LISCENSES AFTER THEY FILLED OUT THE SLIP.We put a code to each artist and had
them place that as well as their 3 initials on every sales sticker ot
hangtag,be aware some customers switch prices if they are so inclined..and we
have the artist make a listed by number inventory-3 copies, that the gallery
uses to paste onto the line of each item the sticker[if you orient those
selling to scan the artist's description here at point of sale any switches
may be snagged, and a check mark is addes in a column to double check form of
payment and all the gallery inventory sheets are alike and in a 3 ring
binder.A seperate set of inventory is given to a person responsible for
banking the cash daily and kept apart fromthe working copy and each person's
work has 2 stickers to pull off, one for the artist's list and one for the
daily sales book where the customers address and items bught are listed each
sale, which is tallied daily by artist as well as a total sales and
banked.We take a fee from each artist and a modest percent to cover costs to
print and mail fliers and get anyrhing necessary as agreed in advance by the
group in a meeting.We have a work schedule worked out in even shifts decided
by how hong the sale runs and we try to have an experienced erson paired
with the novices with 2 minimum per shift with allowances for exrea help
if a rush at a certain time is expected.We split setup, cleanup and running
advertising and getting stuff together like cash boxes, tables,
coverings,food and serving plates/pots,punchbowl and cups, shelves,
banking,tv and radio appearances,photos and writeups,so on to work out
fairly..
You need nearly a month to put this together if the publicity is to get out
unless you are well connected /organized in all ways.We all brainstormed
this concept and listened to all the members thoughts on these matters and
took votes as we agreed on items, sometimes revising ourselves if better
[group]concepts arose.
Now, my friend in Hawaii had a selling situation at each potter's studio with
maps and directions and signs but joint publicity for ''open studios'' on the
same weekends ,2 consecutive weekends..
Everyone was cut a check as soon as the designated treasurer tallied the
sales and calculated the cost percentage,took about a week,
I HOPE THIS HAS SOME USEFULLNESS TO YOU, GOOD LUCK!!!
Misty
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