Colette Oliver on mon 17 jul 06
Hello
I'm new to the list and enjoying the discussions.
Finding the right market and marketing strategy for
your work is an age-old challenge.
Ay yes, wholesaling. I find it curious when those who
have never sold wholesale, so vehemently condemn it
and dismiss it as "only getting half the money".
Selling retail and getting customer feedback is very
useful (not to mention the cash). Yet sometimes it is
very satisfying to know that the pot I am now throwing
is already sold. Sold without sitting a booth for days
(losing time in my studio), packing up and unpacking,
setting up and packing up again.
Alas, balance is the ideal in all areas of life
including pottery making.
Peace, Colette
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Rikki Gill on mon 17 jul 06
Hi Colette,
There are more than two ways to market. There is the option of sellimg out
of your studio, personal or shared.
Best, Rikki
----- Original Message -----
From: "Colette Oliver"
To:
Sent: Monday, July 17, 2006 3:46 PM
Subject: marketing your work
> Hello
> I'm new to the list and enjoying the discussions.
> Finding the right market and marketing strategy for
> your work is an age-old challenge.
>
> Ay yes, wholesaling. I find it curious when those who
> have never sold wholesale, so vehemently condemn it
> and dismiss it as "only getting half the money".
> Selling retail and getting customer feedback is very
> useful (not to mention the cash). Yet sometimes it is
> very satisfying to know that the pot I am now throwing
> is already sold. Sold without sitting a booth for days
> (losing time in my studio), packing up and unpacking,
> setting up and packing up again.
>
> Alas, balance is the ideal in all areas of life
> including pottery making.
> Peace, Colette
>
> __________________________________________________
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Vince Pitelka on tue 18 jul 06
Colette wrote"
> Ay yes, wholesaling. I find it curious when those who
> have never sold wholesale, so vehemently condemn it
> and dismiss it as "only getting half the money".
> Selling retail and getting customer feedback is very
> useful (not to mention the cash). Yet sometimes it is
> very satisfying to know that the pot I am now throwing
> is already sold. Sold without sitting a booth for days
> (losing time in my studio), packing up and unpacking,
> setting up and packing up again.
Right on, Colette. It sometimes seems that ignorance of a thing is
justification for intolerance for that thing. As a full-time studio
potter and I did large amounts of wholesale and loved it. I had great
relationships with my retailers, they always paid me on time, and they
sold everything they ordered from me, because it was their property when
it was in their store.
I have great admiration for potters like David Hendley and the Clennells
who are able to make most of their living from retail sales in their
geographic area without doing wholesale or long-distance craft shows. Bu=
t
that's appropriate only for certain potters of a particular temperament
and in certain geographical areas. Much of what I did in Northern
California was true production - all individually handmade, but I cranked
out very large numbers with repeating shapes and decoration. For me, it
was a satisfying way to work, and it helped support my family. I got ver=
y
efficient at making those pieces, and it was so simple to pack and ship
them off to the retailers and have it done with.
Those who outrightly condemn wholesale as a valid marketing strategy for
the studio potter are spouting off with limited real experience. They
should know better.
- Vince
--=20
Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Craft
Tennessee Technological University
vpitelka@dtccom.net
http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka/
Antoinette Badenhorst on tue 18 jul 06
Hi Colette. You're touching a subject that I am personally very =
interested
in. To retail and wholesale one can add a few more twists: selling off =
your
website or from your studio or through an agent. All of it has its ups =
and
downs. I've done all of it and find that the very best combination is =
all
(or at least some) of the above. In that way you explore all your
possibilities and do not miss out on an opportunity.=20
The hardest thing for any person is to market your own work and one has =
to
step out of your box to do so. To sell wholesale can be very attractive, =
but
it is often times a killer for creativity and innovation. Once you =
choose to
only wholesale, it is like a sticker that sit on you. People will only
associate you with that sticker. On the other hand, if you leave room =
for
yourself through retail, it is easier to switch gears. I just recently
started doing retail at shows and in my showroom, while I also have a =
few
wholesale and consignment accounts. What I find with the retail is that =
it
helps me to define a product with the public out there. Doing retail at
shows is not cheap; in fact it can be disastrous if you put out all the
money and do not sell much, but it is a measuring stick and a way to =
build
contacts.
Wholesaling on the other hand, is often more secure, but then you need
retailers that is willing to partner with you on your product. That =
seldom
happens. As long as you're a moneymaker for them, it might be all good, =
but
boy, don't let them sit with your product. It's all about a fine =
balance. I
am at the beginning of learning that......=20
Do you need sharp trimming tools that will not wear out quickly? Contact =
me
for information.=20
Antoinette Badenhorst
105 Westwood Circle
Saltillo MS, 38866
662 869 1651
www.clayandcanvas.com
www.southernartistry.org
=20
=20
-----Original Message-----
From: Clayart [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG] On Behalf Of Colette =
Oliver
Sent: Monday, July 17, 2006 5:47 PM
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: marketing your work
Hello
I'm new to the list and enjoying the discussions.
Finding the right market and marketing strategy for
your work is an age-old challenge.
Ay yes, wholesaling. I find it curious when those who
have never sold wholesale, so vehemently condemn it
and dismiss it as "only getting half the money".
Selling retail and getting customer feedback is very
useful (not to mention the cash). Yet sometimes it is
very satisfying to know that the pot I am now throwing
is already sold. Sold without sitting a booth for days
(losing time in my studio), packing up and unpacking,
setting up and packing up again.
Alas, balance is the ideal in all areas of life
including pottery making.
Peace, Colette
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
http://mail.yahoo.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.
Chris Campbell on tue 18 jul 06
I am thinking there are some new potters
reading these exchanges and wondering
how and where to begin.
The choices are confusing but there is an
easy way to begin figuring out how you
might want to market your work.
Try a small local craft show this
Christmas. These are generally low
pressure shows with reasonable entry
fees. They usually only last a day so
they are quick too!
The main purpose is not really to make
money but to see whether or not you
enjoy selling your own work.
The second is to see whether your pottery
sells 'on the street'. Not all work does and it
does not necessarily mean your work is bad
... it may just mean it needs a different venue.
The third is to get practice talking about
your work in laymen's terms. Explaining why
you make certain choices is good exercise
for your own mind too.
The fourth is to get feedback from real
people on your work. Now, this does not mean
they know what they are talking about ... but
you still need to listen and learn.
After the show with all the packing and
unpacking and talking and selling ... review
how you feel about the experience because
it illustrates the difference between
wholesale and retail in a nutshell.
Do not focus on a dollars earned view as
this is not really meaningful at this point ...
reflect more on how you enjoyed the personal
interactions and feedback.
Chris Campbell - in North Carolina - 100 degrees today
and even my air conditioned studio is too hot !!
Chris Campbell Pottery LLC
9417 Koupela Drive
Raleigh NC 27615-2233
Fine Colored Porcelain since 1989
1-800-652-1008
Fax : 919-676-2062
website: www.ccpottery.com
wholesale : www.wholesalecrafts.com
Colette Oliver on tue 18 jul 06
Thanks Vince
You explained my thought better than I could.
Colette
62 and cloudy in Juneau, send some sun!
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David Hendley on thu 20 jul 06
The advice to start and maintain and use a mailing list
is right on the mark. It is far and away your best source
of customers. ABSOLUTELY.
I would like to comment on Tom's statement, however:
>
> Do it on a simple spreadsheet so you can manipulate it easily: first name,
> last name, address, city, state, zip, date captured, source/show.
>
> DO IT! It continues to amaze me at how few artists take the little amount
> of time.
>
I spend lots of time and money gathering, maintaining, and
using my mailing list. There is no free lunch!
After a good weekend show, it can take several hours to check
every name on every check against your database and then
enter the ones you don't already have.
Then, once you have a mailing list, and you want to announce
where you will be, you have to mail SOMETHING. That means
designing and printing, and paying for, a card that is of high
enough quality to reflect positively on you and your work. And
you can't, in my opinion, just keep using the same one for years
because it becomes pretty boring.
Once you have the cards printed, you have to buy postage.
Yikes, that adds up in a hurry. For a big postcard, it's $390
to mail a thousand. And, it takes several hours just to affix
the stamps. Another several hours to attach the address labels.
When you mail out a batch of announcements, you can then count
on spending time every day for the next month updating your
database because of returned cards with bad addresses.
Counting my time at a pretty conservative low rate, I still figure
it cost about a dollar a name to do a mailing. For quantities of
less than a thousand, the proportional cost would be even more.
So, really, it is not so amazing how few artists make the
commitment to use a mailing list. It takes real discipline and is
a real expense.
David Hendley
Maydelle, Texas
david(at)farmpots(dot)com
"EXTRUDE IT! Getting the Most From
Your Clay Extruder" available at
http://www.farmpots.com
----- Original Message -----
> Good note Chris....one thing I would add....ABSOLUTELY, start your mailing
> list NOW, from the very beginning. Put out a signup sheet, take the name
> and address off every check. We can easily attribute 30 to 50 percent of
> retail show sales to our mailing list. Without it, we would not have
> survived, especially the early years.
>
Tom at Hutchtel.net on thu 20 jul 06
Good note Chris....one thing I would add....ABSOLUTELY, start your mailing
list NOW, from the very beginning. Put out a signup sheet, take the name
and address off every check. We can easily attribute 30 to 50 percent of
retail show sales to our mailing list. Without it, we would not have
survived, especially the early years.
At the beginning of June this year we did the Edina Art Fair. We've done it
for 11 years. It can be a $12,000 show for us. For a number of reasons we
got bumped from our long time slot to an out of the way location. As it
ended up we were able to salvage about $8000 from the show. Without our
mailing, we MIGHT have done $4000, judging from the traffic and other booths
nearby.
We went back to Chicago this year after a 5 year hiatus. Still did $5000 at
a show we used to hit $8000. The show is nothing but buy-sell now ...junk.
Without the mailing, even with the number of dead addresses, we wouldn't
have made expenses.
Do it on a simple spreadsheet so you can manipulate it easily: first name,
last name, address, city, state, zip, date captured, source/show.
DO IT! It continues to amaze me at how few artists take the little amount
of time.
Tom Wirt
Tom at Hutchtel.net on fri 21 jul 06
You are right David...mailing lists take a lot of time and effort, but it is
still the one single best advertising ploy available if you look at it in
terms of cost per customer. While I suggested using a spread sheet to keep
it, we actually use MS Access database and had a friend write a page that as
we go to enter a name, pops up a drop down list so if the name is there, you
just click on it and up pops their form. As you close that form, it is
automatically updated in another field so that over time, your list shows
only current customers. We've now had to start dropping people who haven't
shown up within 3 years...although we know that's too short a time...for the
very reasons you state.
My point was to get started immediately, and a spreadsheet is usually
convertible into a database when the time comes. Excel does have a
duplicates feature, or you could just sort by last name and visually scan
for duplicates. (That does mean you'd spent the time entering someone
twice).
Maybe someone on the list way more versed in this than I could give us some
tips on how to streamline the data entry.
Tom Wirt
----- Original Message -----
From: "David Hendley"
To:
Sent: Thursday, July 20, 2006 11:16 PM
Subject: Re: marketing your work
> The advice to start and maintain and use a mailing list
> is right on the mark. It is far and away your best source
> of customers. ABSOLUTELY.
>
> I would like to comment on Tom's statement, however:
>
>>
>> Do it on a simple spreadsheet so you can manipulate it easily: first
>> name,
>> last name, address, city, state, zip, date captured, source/show.
>>
>> DO IT! It continues to amaze me at how few artists take the little
>> amount
>> of time.
>>
>
> I spend lots of time and money gathering, maintaining, and
> using my mailing list. There is no free lunch!
> After a good weekend show, it can take several hours to check
> every name on every check against your database and then
> enter the ones you don't already have.
>
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