Conversation With A Customer
Monday, August 14th, 2017
Sometimes, helping your customer “make it themselves” will help you make the sale! Customer: This is really nice! How much is this headband? Me: $15.00. Would you like to try it on? Customer: No – this looks really easy. Can I take a picture so that I can knit it myself? Me: Certainly – go […]
The Secret to Show Set-Up in a Jiffy
Monday, June 5th, 2017
Like most artists/craftsmen, many of us do festivals and shows as a way to create a market for our creations. Regardless of what it is that we display, be it our handmade talent or something bought while on a kitesurf cruise, the steps are the same for everyone; travel to location, check-in with organizer, unload, […]
Facing the Reality of Selling Online
Friday, October 14th, 2016
I’ve written about the reality of selling online before, but the message bears repeating. This is the 21st century, and more and more people shop online. Just a few years ago, shopping online was not the norm – you shopped online when you couldn’t find what you wanted locally, in person. But these days, people […]
Be Remembered For Your Beautiful Work, Not Your Horrible Picture!
Monday, March 28th, 2016
It’s been said over and over again that photos are SO important in online sales. Hundreds, perhaps THOUSANDS of pieces have been written telling you how to take decent photos, yet the problem persists, and people still wonder why their beautiful work goes unsold. Rather than write on lighting and F-stops, I’ve compiled an array […]
The Truth About Working From Home
Friday, October 3rd, 2014
The very idea is delicious! You are going to make a living creating art and beauty from the comfort of your home. You are going to put your treasures up on the internet while still in your jammies and sipping your coffee and have all the free time in the world to take care of […]
Is There Such a Thing As a “Bad Show?”
Wednesday, October 1st, 2014
A whole lot of handmade artisans decide to do a show – some form of arts and crafts festival. Everyone tends to judge the success – or failure – of such events in dollars and cents alone. But sales alone do not determine whether a show is a good show or a bad show. The […]
More to a Craft show than Your Product
Tuesday, April 29th, 2014
In addition to all the physical items to cross off your craft show list why not take a few minutes to think about the psychology of selling at craft shows and see if that doesn’t help to increase your sales. Many studies have been done on the psychology of selling and the big boys know […]
Don’t let Social Media Get the Best Of You
Thursday, April 3rd, 2014
Social media is a huge, and often free, tool of small businesses to promote their work and get their name out to the public; but are you using it correctly or are you shooting yourself in the foot? Social media is anything from Facebook, to Twitter, to Pinterest, to your blog. You are connecting with […]
Expanding With Pinterest
Tuesday, March 25th, 2014
Like so many of you small businesses out there, I try to keep my eye out for new ways to promote and connect with potential customers. There are so many new online applications popping up on a regular basis, it is always tough to know which ones are a good use of our time and […]
Who are You Targeting?
Thursday, March 6th, 2014
After spending hours designing, creating, photographing, and listing your handmade treasure you are then required to market it! But who are you marketing too? Do you really know who your customer is or are you just wasting your precious marketing time blitzing every social media and hoping that your customer finds you? The internet is […]