mel jacobson on mon 11 oct 04
just look for a few minutes at who sponsors
art fairs.
now the uptown art fair in minneapolis is
sponsored by big corporations. miller beer,
metris, or some such thing.
any one out there have a clue?
there has to be a big pay day for someone, and it will
never be the artist.
but, they line up by the thousands to get a booth or
spot. eat each others children for a booth. and then it rains
for three days. the artist pays the freight anyway.
i saw this light at the tunnel years ago and said.
`melvin, get your butt away from this crap`.
become your own agent. and did. i pay me to sell
pots. nice. of course it is extra work, of course it
means getting organized, and it means folks coming
into your space. accept that, and get on with your
own business. it pays.
home shows started.
happy mel.
From:
Minnetonka, Minnesota, U.S.A.
web site: my.pclink.com/~melpots
or try: http://www.pclink.com/melpots
new/ http://www.rid-a-tick.com
Jim Smola on mon 11 oct 04
Here here Mel! How true!!
We did the "circuit" in Lowertown St. Paul Art District with success--it
generated more sales after then during those crawls. But unfortunately after
ruining thousands of dollars of work schelping it around--I too figured out
no one markets or sells your work as good as you will! Let the circuits make
their money on someone else!
----- Original Message -----
From: "mel jacobson"
To:
Sent: Monday, October 11, 2004 9:41 AM
Subject: art fairs/who pays
> just look for a few minutes at who sponsors
> art fairs.
>
> now the uptown art fair in minneapolis is
> sponsored by big corporations. miller beer,
> metris, or some such thing.
> any one out there have a clue?
>
> there has to be a big pay day for someone, and it will
> never be the artist.
>
> but, they line up by the thousands to get a booth or
> spot. eat each others children for a booth. and then it rains
> for three days. the artist pays the freight anyway.
>
> i saw this light at the tunnel years ago and said.
>
> `melvin, get your butt away from this crap`.
> become your own agent. and did. i pay me to sell
> pots. nice. of course it is extra work, of course it
> means getting organized, and it means folks coming
> into your space. accept that, and get on with your
> own business. it pays.
>
>
> home shows started.
> happy mel.
>
> From:
> Minnetonka, Minnesota, U.S.A.
> web site: my.pclink.com/~melpots
> or try: http://www.pclink.com/melpots
> new/ http://www.rid-a-tick.com
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
__
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
>
John Rodgers on mon 11 oct 04
A big High Five for Mel. He's right on target.
With one exception, I don't do fairs/shows.
I apply the Melsan Principle -- Draw a 50 mile radius circle around
where you live, and sell to the stores, and to individuals in the
circle. It works!!!
I stay as busy as I could possibly want to be. Anything more, and it
would get to be serious, heavy work, and some of the pleasure of being a
potter would begin to disappear with meeting that kind of production
demand. BTDT.....no more. I need a balance between the need to make a
living, and the joy of my work. But the demand for my pots is out there
if I want to pursue it to whatever level. Nice to know.
Nobody represents my stuff better than me, and because I don't have to
do a lot of packing, traveling, setting up, taking down, repacking, etc,
My time can be spent in production. And I don't have the expense of the
show nor the expense of the supporting activities for my being at the show.
I did shows, and still do one .... a single show every Saturday for the
season. But it's the only one. And I do it because it is so cheap - $20
for my space. Not a big show, not heavily advertised, a mixed bag of
vendors. Sort of a craft and farmers market mix. I don't sell much
there, BUT...... and it's a big BUT ........ I have sold more AWAY from
and AFTER that little show than I can total up, as a consequence of the
contacts that I have made. Cheap, cheap, cheap advertising, and it gives
me a break from my routine. I enjoy my Saturday morning time. The show
is only a few miles from my house, lasts from 8 am to 1 pm. I can do the
show, and still be back home in time to get in a good days production,
and still have Sunday as a day of rest.
You gotta figure out what works for you, being careful of the time
costs, which translates into money earned or money lost.
Works for me.
John Rodgers
Chelsea, AL
mel jacobson wrote:
> just look for a few minutes at who sponsors
> art fairs.
>
> now the uptown art fair in minneapolis is
> sponsored by big corporations. miller beer,
> metris, or some such thing.
> any one out there have a clue?
>
> there has to be a big pay day for someone, and it will
> never be the artist.
>
> but, they line up by the thousands to get a booth or
> spot. eat each others children for a booth. and then it rains
> for three days. the artist pays the freight anyway.
>
> i saw this light at the tunnel years ago and said.
>
> `melvin, get your butt away from this crap`.
> become your own agent. and did. i pay me to sell
> pots. nice. of course it is extra work, of course it
> means getting organized, and it means folks coming
> into your space. accept that, and get on with your
> own business. it pays.
>
>
> home shows started.
> happy mel.
>
> From:
> Minnetonka, Minnesota, U.S.A.
> web site: my.pclink.com/~melpots
> or try: http://www.pclink.com/melpots
> new/ http://www.rid-a-tick.com
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
>
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
> melpots@pclink.com.
>
Susan Fox-Hirschmann on mon 11 oct 04
In a message dated 10/11/2004 9:47:54 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
melpots@PCLINK.COM writes:
<< pots. nice. of course it is extra work, of course it
means getting organized, and it means folks coming
into your space. accept that, and get on with your
own business. it pays. >>
15 years ago I started doing my own home shows. At the time
I was working in the basement and packed up everything on the first floor
of my home that was mine, put out my display, and everything, even on the
dining room table was for sale. Had to be...or else some of them will buy the
art work you got as trades at those shows!
its all about what is your time worth...and I agree it
is well worth it doing your own shows, in your own space...getting your name
out there.....educating people that if they need a gift they should come to
you not some big store for mass produced stuff....make it inviting...
offer them a drink,...warm in the winter.
I started doing 2 home shows a year...early Dec and again early in May...
postcards are worth the cost when it is all about YOUR self promotion. (why
promote shows for the promoters...when it is the promoters getting the ticket
fees and then of course there are several hundred artists to chose from and
the person you mailed to , yes they may come, but heck they might buy from
someone else)
do a few demos...small pots so you can spend more time wrapping and
accepting money. enough to educate them. Let them leave with
a new concept of your "worth" ....the importance of your work...
convey to them what you know inside....how much you love your
work. they will feel it, I am sure when they see you at the wheel
yeah, I still have to do a few shows but the best are my home/studio
shows.
No big promoter to pay. No worrying about booths and weather.
send stuff to the newspapers. for FREE listings...whatever is published in
your area.
Last dec. I got a free listing in the Sunday Source of the Washington Post
with my address, and I had couples showing up with Mapquest, eager
to see what I did, and looking for gifts. It was GRAND!
Now I have a friend that is a jeweler that lives about a 1/2 mile from
me...we now have "ART WEEKEND in ANNANDALE!"---as we each have a small display of
each other/s work with directions to each other/s studios and send customers to
each other. Since he joined me that very weekend, we have watched it grow.
we both try and do some local shows to increase our mailing list...why?
for the studio shows....want to see your own work?
come up with a plan and DO IT!
now that I have my own back yard studio and made the garage into a display
area...it is a bit easier.....fun to show new people what you do and
become the highlight of their visit.
Wanta do even better? offer to ship for people (hey some big stores won/t
even do that)=-you are not only selling them an original piece but offering them
a service. Yes do charge them UPS (or whatever shipping costs)---be a nice
person and throw in the bit of packaging.with NO charge. Customers like Free
stuff.....and YOu will make a customer for life!
Sincerely,
Susan
Susan
703-978-1480
artpottery616@aol.com
4810 Tabard Place
Annandale, VA 22003-4053
Susan Fox Hirschmann
Art Pottery
please visit http://www.silverhawk.com/ex99/hirschmann
Kathi LeSueur on mon 11 oct 04
There is no "right" way to market your work. Only the "right" way for
you. Perhaps the ideal is to have all sales out of a home showroom. But,
in many places zoning laws will affect that idea. So, you say, move to
the country. Not everyone, myself included, wants to live in the
country. I like sidewalks and neighbors close by. And, even living in
the country, zoning laws may limit the ability to sell from one's home.
I have much more freedom to produce and sell out of my home in my
residential neighborhood in Ann Arbor than a friend who lives fifteen
miles away out in the boonies. If the local authorities knew he even had
a studio at his home he would be shut down.
Some people love the art fair life. They get lots of energy from the
customers they sell to. They enjoy traveling around and have developed a
group of friends they see often on the art fair circuit. I'm not one of
those people. However, I do believe that interaction with the customer
is important. I do just five shows a year. At the top of my list for
doing a show is how those in charge treat me. Next is how good sales
are. Then, the attitude of the public I am selling to. If I don't have a
positive response to each of those criteria the show isn't worth doing.
That's why I no longer do the Ann Arbor art fair.
Personally, I prefer to sell the majority of my work wholesale. That is
the most profitable venue for me and the one that gives me the most
freedom. I like living in the city. I don't have the space for a show
room. And, I don't want to feel I can't take a long lunch, leave the
studio, or visit with friends because someone might stop over to buy
something and interrupt us.
We each need to find the solution that is right for our personal
situation. There is no "right" answer.
Kathi
| |
|
