Rikki Gill on mon 17 jul 06
----- Original Message -----
From: "Rikki Gill"
Sent: Sunday, July 16, 2006 1:28 PM
Subject: home sale
I belong to a Guild, and we have two good shows a year. Those are really
good shows,
but that is not enough of a market. I do not wholesale, or do other shows.
Since last year I have collected a personal 250 name customer list from my
Guild customers.
[I have a list of 1200 postcard customers, but now only want email
addresses.]
I obsessed all last week, worked on my studio display,
opened boxes that had been sitting for awhile, decorated the garden with
tile, mosaics, and planters, pots with cracks in the bottom, hanging stuff,
bought good things to eat and drink, and didn't expect anyone to show up.
I first tried a home sale last summer, with 35 customer names on my email
list.
It was not a sucess. Almost no one came. Some customers called tho,
and made appointments to order dinnerware sets, so that worked out pretty
well.
The hours were 1:00 to 5:00. At twelve someone rang my doorbell, and two
great customers/friends
to whom I hadn't sent an invitation because they weren't on the email list,
walked in. It was like that all day.
Word spread from friend to friend. The sales were great. Far more that I
thought possible, for such a small show.
I found that all catagories sold well, new, older stock, seconds. with
customers buying in all
catagories.
I intend to do these occasionally, if it remains profitable. This is very
easy to do, but
only if you have room to keep some tables set up.
I'll shrink the space between shows, but keep at least two tables ready for
drop ins. I emphasized that they can call for an appointment if they wish.
The costs for such a show are minimal. That allows a price break for those
who come,
and helps me sell work that does not fit the designation of "firsts only"
that applies to all but the annual seconds sale at the Guild.
Making pots is my love, and if I can't market all of them, I have a problem.
I am hoping to build a more rounded, all year long buisness this way.
It was great fun, and well worth the effort.
Rikki Gill
rikigil@cwnet.com
www.rikkigillceramics.com
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