I have been trying to attend more shows lately to sell my blown-glass ornaments, and I recently went to one and saw a ceramic artist who had printed promotional materials with an image of one of his platters on it. I mean, he had it all: business cards, post cards, calendars, notepads, the works. Are these things worth the cost involved? Will they bring repeat customers or are they a courtesy to show attendees? I mostly attend wholesale shows, so I’m not worried about wasting them on people who just want a free item. If they are worth it, how many should I print and bring to a show? Also, are these materials beneficial for other times? I have business cards and postcards for mailings, but they are pretty basic and I haven’t yet paid the extra cost to add an image. Any advice?

Yes, Yes, Yes!  I was a buyer for a craft shop for 15 years and each year attended shows in Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York and San Francisco, some of them twice each year.  Here’s my take on the wholesale selling scene.  First, the maker is in their booth only focused on their work, telling the same stories about their line over and over.  I have also done this and am totally aware of the exhaustion level an exhibitor has to deal with so I’m not taking sides on the work load issue.   Second, the buyer is moving up and down endless aisles bombarded by endless visual stimuli searching for lines that might work in their shops.  When they think they’ve found a possible purchase a conversation with the craftsperson may result in a sale.  Or it may result in the buyer needing time to think through what they are purchasing and how they will mix new lines with existing merchandise.  Either way a buyer must leave with images, it’s not necessary to have all the items the ceramic artist had, but you do need good images of the items in your line.  If they purchased a line they need to have the visual clue to remember it and to introduce it to the other staff at the shop and begin to plan for its display.  If the buyer didn’t make a purchase they can’t from their office unless they can look at the items under consideration.  My advice to you, off to the photographer and printer right now.

My husband is a wood turner and has been selling his work to small tourist shops in our area for a while now. He wants to start a website, and we’re not sure how to go about it. There are a few web designers we have in mind, but we can’t tell the difference between their offers. What are some questions we should be asking? Would it be inappropriate to ask for a list of websites they have designed? We want to be sure the company we go with knows what we are looking for. Price is an obvious consideration and we want to know what we are getting for the money. Any suggestions?

Your husband is right to want a web site.  You don’t say how he intends to use it.  Some craftspeople use their web sites to drive business to the shops and galleries that show their work.  These sites are simpler to create and maintain.  They are essentially on line galleries of the craftsperson’s work.  Others choose to use their site to sell their work.  Both approaches require a carefully designed and developed site. 

There are serious considerations if you are going to sell from your site. First, it is essential to maintain the same price points offered by shops selling the work. It’s just not ethical to undersell your wholesale customers.  It is also important to understand that a web site is another business and has to be carefully designed and maintained.

That said I decided to use one of my lifelines on this one. 

The rest of this answer comes from my daughter-in-law who is a site designer.  Here’s what Marjorie Clark has to say. “Begin by searching with keywords that you would use to find your business.  Not only will you find designers who have built sites like the one you want, but you’ll find out what your competition is doing as well.   This simple technique will also tell you which design firms understand search engine optimization (keywords for the search engines) and build it into the architecture and content of a website. When you find a site you like, look for a designer credit at the bottom of the page that links to their site.  Browse through their portfolio of web sites, looking for distinct styles, rather than variations on a theme.  You need your website to be unique to your business, as well as memorable.  Try to use each site in a designer’s portfolio.  Can you find what you are looking for, find your way to the next item and find your way back with a minimum number of clicks?  If you like what you see and experience, and there are no testimonials listed, contact the owners of the sites in the portfolio and find out what it was like to work with that designer.  If you like what you hear, contact the designer.  You are looking for someone you can easily communicate with and has good follow-through.  Did they write or call back immediately when you contacted them?  Were they articulate and knowledgeable?”

Marjorie went on to provide this comprehensive list of questions that will be helpful in making this decision.

 How long have you been in business?

What do you know about my industry? (No knowledge is required, but a good designer will do some research on your and your industry before the interview.)

What’s included in the design – how many pages, what features?

How much will it cost?

Is hosting included? 

How much is it per month, can I get a discount if I pay annually? 

Is setup included?

I don’t have a domain name; can you recommend one and register it for me?  How much will that be?  Will the domain be registered in my name? How is that billed?  How can I register the domain name myself?

How do you like to communicate? By email, phone or in person (this may determine how you find your designer.  If you want someone local, seek out a referral from your chamber of commerce.)

What can I expect in the design process?

How many designs/revisions are allowed?

How long will all of this take?

What are your terms?

What happens if the scope of the project changes?

What happens if we can’t seem to work together?

At what point is the site considered “done”?

What happens when the work is completed? 

Do you have a guarantee?

How will the site be maintained?  Do you have a service contract?  What’s included?

Will there be a construction page posted while the site is being built?

What do you need from me?  How should the content be delivered (via email, disk, hard copy)?

Do you take credit cards?

So now your husband or perhaps both of you have your homework set out for you.  When you tire of this process and want to return to the studio remember, the only segment of the retail world that continues to consistently report growth is the online piece.

My next open studio is coming up, and I was thinking of setting up a small sales display. I make my functional ceramic bowls and plates in my studio, but I have never sold out of that space. What should I do with it? Obviously it won’t be as beautiful as a gallery display or as clean, but I also want to it be clear that I have finished items for sale. Right now I just have a table set up in one corner, but I want something more dynamic. I want people to know that these pieces are functional and can be handled without worry of breaking them. How can I get this message across?

As I have written before, consumers like nothing more than purchasing handmade items from the maker/artist.  This said an open studio is a perfect opportunity for you to sell your work.  It sounds like you are selling your work somewhere so I’m not sure why you have not been selling work at your open studios.  Perhaps you have been busy demonstrating and discussing your process and the factors that influence your work. Without a doubt this is the perfect introduction to a sales presentation.  You can use this time to point out the benefits and features of your items.  You can discuss the ways you use your work on a daily basis. 

People who come to an open studio expect to see where and how things are made.  This often means they walk into a certain amount of mess.  If you are really concerned about the mess try using sheets to cover the most offensive areas.  I always like to go to a studio sale where the craftsperson uses equipment they use to create their work to display it.  For instance ceramics are great on ware boards or kiln shelves.  A glass blower could use gloves and the forms used to shape hot glass in their displays.

Further, since you are a potter, think about using your work to serve snacks and something to drink.  This will get the pieces into their hands and perhaps mouths further reinforcing the usefulness of what your produce.

Be sure to announce the sale component of your open studio in all your publicity.  A press release might go out with the title, Local Potter’s Work Available in Studio for the First Time.

In anticipation of a sales rush make sure you have sales books and a cash box for making change.  Think about having another person with you who can write up the sales after you make them.  Also do you take credit cards, if not you might want to get this in place.

I make beaded jewelry and recently attended my very first retail show. I was surprised by something: the buyers tried to haggle! I have been attending wholesale shows for a number of years and am used to the bargaining that goes on with my regular accounts. But I never expected a retail buyer to blatantly ask for a discount. I had one who said, “I am interested in purchasing this necklace. What kind of deal can you give me?” I had another who outright asked for 25 percent off the price…with no explanation! What should be done in these situations? I was so flustered that I gave them both what they wanted. However, I don’t want everyone to hear these deals, as that may encourage all buyers to ask for a lower price. I’ve heard that some artists raise their prices to account for this, but would that scare off other potential buyers? I will be attending the same show next year and want to be prepared.

Granting the requests of your customers in this case was the perfect response on your part.  It is never smart to create any tension in your booth that can be observed by other potential customers (this is especially true about pricing).  And you are right to get a handle on this phenomenon as you go forward and attend more retail shows. So either you give discounts or you don’t.  If you don’t you can discuss the expense of creating the work and your careful pricing to insure that the costumer pays a fair price and you make a profit as you just say no.

Giving discounts can be complicated but I believe it can drive sales and is an aspect of our business that we will all have to deal with.  I can assure you it will come up again and again in the future.  On the one hand there are a growing number of people who feel they are entitled to special consideration and then there is the group feeling the effects of the current monetary situation and need to try and buy for less.

There are a number of ways to deal with this.  The cleanest is to offer a set discount amount and add the cost of this to the retail price.  It is standard practice for the makers of high end pieces to add in the cost of discounts that will most likely be given by their galleries.  It is quite common in the gallery world to offer a 10% discount to collectors making repeat purchases.  This is particularly true on high ticket items. Often galleries ask their artists to split this 5%/5%.  Consistency is going to be extremely important here.  Everybody loves to talk about the bargin they got and you want their notes to match.   

I would suggest that you establish a price point, per item (not the total purchase) at which you will begin to offer a discount, let’s say $100. This means a $100 item becomes a $110 item and when discounted is a $99 purchase.  Notice that you loose a dollar in this math, but remember you will only give the discount to the repeat customers who ask for it.  The extra 10% you have added to all your work will make up for this since you will not discount all your pieces.

It is important to address this in a straightforward consistent way and understand that giving discounts will likely become a bigger part of doing business in the 21^st century.

 I overheard one of my fellow gallery artists discussing her new press release. I haven’t done one before, and I am wondering if I need to. Are they just a fancy newsletter or are they only sent out when you have something new? I have an e-mail list of customers and potential buyers, but I’ve never sent them anything. I figured I would keep the list if I ever really needed to contact all of them at once. If I do write a press release, what are some things I should include and what should I leave out?

The function of a press release, PR, is to present information the writer believes the public wants to read.  There would be no reason to have a PR unless you have news to spread.  Appropriate reasons for writing and sending a PR could include winning an award, teaching a class, being in an exhibition, release of new product, an open studio or giving a public demonstration of your technique.  The PR needs to be to the point, not filled with complimentary over the top statements about you and your work. You, and the media, want it to answer who, what, why, where and when.  You also want to include a contact name and phone number.  Most releases today go out digitally and many include high quality 72 dpi images.  You will want to develop a list of press contacts since you don’t send press releases to client lists. Your press list should include both local and national publications.  In addition think about using your email lists for eblasts that announce something new you are doing for spring 2009. I would also suggest you begin using your client list to announce new product, shops carrying your work and shows you will be in. Why have this list if you aren’t going to use it?

I recently attended a show that had multiple problems. In my opinion the booths were crammed into a too-small space (maybe there were too many booths?), the overhead music drowned out my customers, the layout was bad, etc. I think it has potential to be a great show, however, I don’t think the management knows what they’re doing. Even if they do and these problems are out of their hands, I would still like to voice my concerns. But I’m worried that I might then be labeled a “problem child” or complainer. I don’t want to be blacklisted! How can I communicate these issues with the management without being a squeaky wheel? I’d hate to quit the show altogether.

Based on all the things that troubled you about this show I can’t see why you would want to go back, but since you do how about this plan. No one wants to hear that every thing they have done is wrong whether it’s the dinner they made or the way they run a show.  So try listing your issues in order of importance.  Then work out a positive way to state the most important one or two and present these to the management.  You might take on the floor plan this way.  My customers were having a hard time finding their way around and were complaining about being bumped and squeezed all the time.  Perhaps if the aisles were wider and the traffic pattern clearer they would have a better time, linger longer at the show, spend more money with exhibitors, and return next year and buy another admission.  It could be helpful if you got together with several exhibitors, you don’t have to be together, the Internet is perfect for this.  You could make a group list and divide it up.  That way the management gets a lot of input and it isn’t exactly coming from only one place.

I’ve been involved with crafts all my life and look forward to retirement of my day job…in about 2 years. At that time I would like to move to a retirement area that has a strong emphasis on arts and crafts as well as small business owners. I would probably start a small craft business after my retirement. I have just begun to scout for a location, with the availability of markets and sources priorities on my list. What are your suggestions on the best retirement areas in the United States that cater to persons with small businesses?

The minute I start recommending one area of the country over another my mail box is sure to fill up with notes from Chambers of Commerce wondering why I didn’t mention their area.  So I’m going to go at this in a different direction.  Let’s think about some of the factors that will be important wherever you choose to live.  The most important consideration is the climate and whether you prefer to live in an urban or rural area.  For instance, I couldn’t move to a large city or a place with brutally cold winters regardless of the strength of the business climate.  I am wondering why you are interested in moving to a retirement area just because you are retiring. Some of the most exciting places to live may have a multigenerational mix that is beneficial to residents both socially and economically. I want you to be aware that as we age we buy less because we need less.  You don’t state the nature of the craft store you plan to have.  Is it a craft shop selling the finished work of various craftspeople or are you thinking of selling the materials to be used by craftspeople?  If it’s the former the buy less rule applies, in the case of the later many retirees enjoy making things and spend generously on the supplies they need.  You also might want to read about the Do It Yourself, DIY, movement.  This is a fast growing network of not necessarily professional people, mostly women, who are totally caught up in making things for themselves and their friends and families. This group could be a ready market for your supplies.  Although this group has more or less rejected the traditional outlets for selling handmade products they might see your shop as a place to sell their work.  As I write this the world is caught up in a serious economic dilemma.  It may take years for this country to recover.  This means it will no doubt be harder to borrow money to start a business.  I would suggest that as you watch the recovery process you write a well researched and thought out business plan aimed at the area you now live in and go out with it and check the willingness of local banks to lend you money.  You can then refine your approach and be ready for the real thing when you have decided where to live, unfortunately without my recommendation.  Good luck.

I am known in my town for my landscape paintings, mainly marketed to
tourists. I just fell in love with ceramics, and I want to start working
on them more and selling them instead. However, I am only known as a
painter and people seem unwilling to accept my new focus. The stores
that carry my work keep asking when more paintings will arrive. I tried
to explain that I am trying something different, but they think the new
work won’t sell. How do I get them to understand my new focus? I don’t
want them to stop carrying any of my work. Should I just go back to
painting and forget about ceramics?

Moving on isn’t always easy and can be fraught with problems as well as rewards.  People you do business with may not be as excited about your new direction as you are.  Change isn’t necessarily a good thing for everyone involved.  The stores you have been working with as a painter have built a business for you and them selling your paintings.  The stores are right; they probably won’t be able to sell your ceramics.  If you have been represented by these stores for a while no doubt people come to them specifically to buy your paintings.  Further, you have to be aware that the painting buyer is quite likely not going to be a ceramics buyer.

So, what does this mean for your future plans?  Let’s think about it, you are the most important player in the game.  As an artist you have given up many of the perks most people take for granted, paid vacations, healthcare, and retirement funds just to mention a few. In trade you get to follow your heart and do the work that makes you happy and in turn best keeps your creativity alive and growing.  The work of a bored uninspired artist clearly reflects this state of mind.

However, it is important to go forward with realistic expectations. Perhaps most importantly your income may be affected until you create a demand for your new work.  You invested years developing your painting career, expect the same to be true for your career in ceramics.  In addition it will take time to develop the new venues you certainly will need to market your new work.  Assuming you haven’t totally lost interest in painting maybe you could divide your time for a while and

 I recently began selling my handmade jewelry on a website. Before, I only took wholesale or commission orders. Now I have a retail customer asking if I have a return policy. I didn’t need one with wholesale or commissions, as all sales were final. Do I have to take back a piece if the customer didn’t like it? Should I insist that it be unworn? I don’t know what to do, and I can’t be sure she didn’t wear it. I don’t want to accidentally sell “used” pieces!

I would hope that by the time you read this your return policy is posted at the website.  Return policies can range from no returns through exchanges only to outright refunds, you decide what best fits your business.  Since you didn’t have a return policy at the time of this purchase in this case you have to do what you think is in the best interest of your business.   I believe many internet shoppers expect to be able to return items if they are not what they imagined from viewing them on a computer screen.  In a recent survey by the Opinion Research Corporation 24% of respondents stated their main concern with shopping on line was that the item they received didn’t look like the item they chose.  Good truthful professional photography is essential for use online and the best way to avoid unhappy customers.  In addition, jewelry has to “fit” the person who will wear it and the only way to know this is to try it on.  Most jewelry sold in shops gets tried on so to a certain extend it too has been worn and is used.  In this case I would first try to get the customer to exchange the piece and if this doesn’t work upon receipt of the piece in perfect condition I would refund this customer’s money and move on. 

Of course all commissions are final sales, however I would suggest you consider instituting a trade back policy for items you have sold to wholesale accounts.  Wholesale buyers work very had to get things right but sometimes make mistakes.  The wholesale/retail relationship works best when both partners display their willingness to make it stronger and more profitable for both parties.

Whose fault is it when a gallery sends back an item and it arrives
damaged? I recently gave a ceramic piece to a gallery that was going to
start exhibiting my work. When they sent it back, the lid was broken! It
arrived loosely packed in a too-big box (not the original packaging I
shipped it in). Now I have to spend my time, cost and materials to fix
it. Of course, when I called the gallery, they blamed the shipping
company. And when I wrote to the shipping company, they blamed the
gallery. Who really should pay for the damages?

Here’s how this should go.  The shipper, the gallery in this case, packs the item(s) using common sense and the packing standards established by major carriers, UPS and FedEx.  These standards can be found quite quickly on their websites. The shipment is then insured and given over to the carrier.  If there is damage the recipient, you, saves all the packing materials and contacts the shipper.  The shipper then reports the damage to the carrier.  Depending on the value of the claim the carrier may send an adjuster to look at the packing materials.  The shipper will them be notified of the claim resolution and will or will not receive payment for the damaged goods.  When payment is made for the damaged goods the shipper, if not the owner of the goods, will then issue payment to the owner, you.

Many times a gallery will just take care of these situations to keep relationships with their artists on a positive plain.  I can understand the box switch; often galleries don’t have the space to save the artist’s packaging.  We only do this for very specialized containers.  However, we are very careful to pack items so they can travel and arrive safely.  It would appear that the gallery in this case did not pack your work correctly.  It is my opinion they have an ethical responsibility to cover your loss. They could cover your loss themselves or file a claim with the carrier.

 So now this brings up the bigger issue of how a craftsperson evaluates a galley or shop before entrusting their work to them.  Just as in any segment of the business world there are good and not so good and bad gallery owners and makers have to be ware of that and proceed carefully with new relationships.  It’s always a good idea to ask around and get information before you begin a relationship with a new gallery.